The excitement is building- Cash Bash Part IV!!!!

Thanks to all the great music lovers out there who are building up the Cash Bash to be a great event- come on out and see what all the excitement is about!!!! This is shaping up to be a great fund raiser and fun time for all. Kim, at 6 Pence is excited; the musicians are excited and dedicated! The staff here at CHS who have been doing the planning are excited!! We are getting some early ticket sales and 50-50 raffle sales which will make it a nice hefty pot. The door prizes are amassing; (amazing?) Kim indicates the beer distributors are even kicking in some prizes!!!! The set lists are being polished and practiced- the trivia buffs are poring over websites- the Johnny Cash nostalgia is kicking in (yesterday was his birthday!) So come on out Saturday night at 9 pm at the 6 pence pub on 7th st. in parkersburg for a great night of Johnny Cash fun. Lots of folks work hard to make it an enjoyable evening of music and fellowship; and we hope you'll be generous with support for our non profit children and family service organization.

A great article "defining" Americana as a genre

For anybody who still tries to maintain that musical genre styles are set in stone and have their own set of compatible, identifiable players – kind of like Mount Rushmore, but allegedly more natural – things must seem to be getting kind of loose out there. Robert Plant, Joan Baez, Glen Campbell and Charlie Louvin, despite their very different career starting places, are all being presented as Americana acts. Darius Rucker and Jewel are country. Taylor Swift and Alison Krauss are topping the pop album charts.As Eisenhower once remarked, though, in some important ways things are more the same now than they've ever been before. When Ralph Peer and others were establishing commercial roots music formats in the 1920s, the process was already first and foremost about identifying a continuing if inevitably evolving audience segment, then going on to make and market new music which was enticing to that audience.The specific audiences eventually got used to the ways in which performers within their genres – a Bessie Smith, a Roy Acuff, a Bill Monroe, a Mahalia Jackson, a Woody Guthrie – approached them, and handled the music. So it's really not surprising that would-be genre jumpers and expanders, back in the day or today, faced new self-presentation issues when reaching out to places where audience expectations are different. Americana in particular has virtually always been about performers moseying into the corral from somewhere else – and there is evidence, much of it on CD and video now, of how those issues were dealt with. The Americana term seems first to have been used to set off a sort of music – as opposed to old weathervanes, Coca-Cola signs, or any pop culture product from America – by Capitol Records in the late 1940s and early '50s. Western balladeer Tex Ritter, pop-country chanteuse Kay Starr (a Patsy Cline predecessor), and even some jazz acts had records issued as part of Capitol's "Americana" series. The intersection of pop and roots music was what they had in mind – and when it comes down to it, so has Americana ever since.Efforts to generate catchy new pop-country ballads in a folk-like ballad style began in those same country boom years – the new yet old-like mining songs of Merle Travis being a milestone. But to see what he had to do in terms of presentation to sell the sheer Americana of "Dark As A Dungeon" to identified fans of pop folk, check out the Vestapol DVD Merle Travis: Rare Performances 1946-1981.The California hipster (from that same Capitol Records) who appears on a 1951 soundie version of "Sweet Temptation" shows up just a few months later decked out as a coal-stained miner to perform "Dungeon" – and, in a perfect indication of things to come, feels it necessary to tell this song's audience about miners' lives and to spell out the point of the song. It's blatantly "serious," downright educational even – the very opposite of the bopping in "Sweet Temptation".The audience for this new "old" music video, Travis and his soundie producers saw presciently, was going to be observing the stuff of someone else's life and taking it in as a powerful literary metaphor, perhaps, but not likely as a shared working experience. The basic stance of the commercial folk revival, and, eventually, of much Americana, was already in place. Pop ballad hits that followed – Lefty Frizzell's recording of the then-new "Long Black Veil", Ernie Ford with Travis' "Sixteen Tons", Johnny Horton's "Battle Of New Orleans" (written by the new "old" ballad writer and professor Jimmy Driftwood) – were eventually pulled together in the notably-titled CD collection Columbia Country Classics, Volume Three: Americana.
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This 1950s-to-early-'60s pop and country interest in such quasi-historic pop balladry reflected, also, the brewing commercial folk boom. Today, Pete Seeger is understood by many as the furthest sort of performer imaginable from a "pop singer." When he was topping the pop charts with the Weavers in 1951, they were not in blue jeans at Carnegie Hall, but donning formal evening clothes to sing at New York's swank Rainbow Room, and singing Lead Belly and Woody Guthrie songs to slick, Broadway-influenced arrangements. You can hear these gussied-up hits on The Weavers: The Best Of The Decca Years. Many of those orchestrations, incidentally, were worked up by Gordon Jenkins – the originator of the new "folk blues" that Johnny Cash only slightly reworked to create "Folsom Prison Blues".On the recently released Hank Williams: The Unreleased Recordings, Hank complains to his radio-show audience that the Weavers' hit version of "On Top of Old Smoky" is virtually unrecognizable – and then he sings it straight and simple. Hank's rendition was commercial country music meant for early-morning listeners in the rural south – not the college crowd the weavers were after. This is not really a question of song-presentation "authenticity"; it's about who wanted what, when, and where they got it.The folk boom was a powerful attraction for some country performers when rock 'n' roll brought country sales down. We can see examples of the result of that fence-crossing in the Shout! Factory DVD set The Best Of Hootenanny, in which Johnny Cash, Flatt & Scruggs, Maybelle Carter and daughters, and Eddy Arnold are among the acts on hand – playing, quite literally, before college campus crowds.A Johnny Cash clip from The Best Of HootenannyThe repertories are suddenly emphasizing ballads with that historical aspect: Arnold, for example, performs "Poor Howard" not in those later dinner jackets he donned when he took his music uptown (like the Weavers before him!), but in shirt sleeves. Flatt & Scruggs, whose own syndicated country-market TV shows would set up numbers with comedy bits and banter (a la vaudeville), have the music framed with Hootenanny host Jack Linkletter setting context and teaching lessons right over the number. ("Now Earl is going to create a harmonic sound by fingering the strings ever so slightly.")Johnny Cash, for his part, is pushing "Frankie's Man Johnny" to the college kids (as he also does in the outrageous folk boom exploitation movie Hootenanny Hoot). He'd been emphasizing a sort of folk music stance since switching to Columbia Records from Sun. And on the Bear Family DVD Johnny Cash At Town Hall Party, you can see him not long before this move to cross over to the college crowd, in November 1958, in a slick country suit (not black, by the way), nervously introducing the same newly written ballad, along with "Don't Take Your Guns To Town", to the country audience. "We're kind of curious to know just what you might think about a song like this," he says, worried, to the dancers on hand.Johnny Cash in 1958, At Town Hall PartyMost of the same country acts that appeared on Hootenanny were soon appearing at the Newport Folk Festival. You wouldn't know from the presentation style there that Bill Monroe was an ongoing star on the Grand Ole Opry – but then, you wouldn't be informed that the new "folk discovery," Doc Watson, had been working only months before in bars playing electric guitar (even on rocked-up Jimmie Rodgers numbers), and that he loved Elvis. He'd been prepped with songs from the Harry Smith Anthology to take to this new audience. (In my forthcoming book Meeting Jimmie Rodgers, by the way, Doc discusses his frustration at being dissuaded from singing Rodgers songs at Newport; they were considered out of keeping with the "historic folk artifact presenter" image being worked up for him.)When Pete Seeger overcame political blacklisting enough to get at least an "educational TV" series, Rainbow Quest, in the mid-'60s, he did have acts such as the Stanley Brothers and Johnny Cash and June Carter on as guests. He seemed flummoxed by Carter and Ralph Stanley's presentation of their act in its full vaudeville style, complete with dance numbers and jokes, as he's presenting bluegrass as ancient and "folk music with overdrive." He tries to disguise the nature of the Stanleys' act by referring to the Cumberland Mountain Boys as some friends of theirs, who seemingly just happened to drop in for the occasion. (No professional band, they!) Cash, who sang a range of country, folk and new singer-songwriter material at Newport, shows up in a folk singer leather vest – and also quite visibly strung out – on Seeger's show, as Pete proceeds to describe how Maybelle and Sara Carter were daughter and mother, and June attempts to clear things up for him. (Both of these Rainbow Quest episodes are available on Shanachie DVDs.) This process of presentation-maneuvering and audience-repositioning has fairly obvious analogies still, as country performers show up in Americana, pop performers in country, Americana acts on the pop charts. Just take the artists mentioned at the beginning of this column, listen to the arrangements, and watch the live and video presentation styles. You won't be able to miss the fact that, whatever the show is labeled, somebody's trying to leave you with a revised impression...and to sell more than a few records.

Bill's changing the name of the venue: Emerson Sports Grill

Note the name change for the venue; for these unplugged upcoming shows previously announced. Same line up, just the venue name change. Yeah Bill!!!!!

Traveling Music today

I finally had some alone time in the car, traveling to Charleston and back today, so listened to:
Jason Wilber, Lost in your hometown; Mary Gauthier; and Greg Brown on this trip.

Countdown has begun for Johnny Cash trivia and history

Before most of the tribute series over the last few years, I tend to get sort of pumped up with the featured artist's trivia and discography and such. I am spread a little thin this time around, so am counting on everybody to help me out !!!! I'll try to stick some stuff in over the next 3 days, but if I don't get around to it, feel free to send me some stuff, or bring it Saturday night.

Johnny Cash Tribute benefit updates

We're closing in on the event, just a few days away. I talked to Kim at 6 Pence last night, and we finalized that the show WILL be in the larger, more listener/ audience/ performer friendly back room. I told her of the good "buzz" created about some advance ticket sales, and so this "sealed the deal." So spread the word that this is where it will be!
The line up is solidifying this way (as of now, of course, subject to change)

Grace Hall and Outlaw Deluxe will open up at 9 pm.
Jonny Nutter (and Katy Whitlow on some duets) - probably around 9:45- 10 pm
Steve Peck and Friends: 10:30
Aaron Whited and MaryMary (Good Tuesday) at 11:30 pm
Jonny Nutter 12:30 AM

This is the current way I've got it worked out for the musicians preferences, so they can notify their particular "fan clubs" and such.

Lisa has been working on the 50-50 drawing details, the prizes, and the contests; so a fun night is in store. Please help spread the word and get some folks out to enjoy a great night of music, celebrating Johnny Cash, and helping our neighborhood youth and family center.

Andy's reflections on Blues Festival

Check out the Greens myspace site to see Andy's reflection on the Blues Festival. The Greens are heading over to PA near Philly to pick up a van for their travels this coming weekend. Stay tune for what this means for their venturing off to some regional touring in the upcoming months!

On the down side, this means Andy will miss the Cash Bash this weekend.

News Flash: music back at the Front Row

Bill Poole has revived some music at the Front Row on Emerson Ave. in Parkersburg. In the smaller venue; unplugged type music/ acoustic - more suited for a small setting. Yeah for Bill- you couldn't keep the live music out of your world! Check it out!

Greens performed again last night at the Blues Festival in Marietta

The Greens were in the final round at the Marietta Blues Festival at the Lafayette Hotel. They performed third in the line up of 6. They played a set list of: Big Ol' Betsy; Drag Yourself; Humorous Blues, "When Things Go Wrong, It hurts me too" (the cover Blues song, they often do) and All Over Everywhere. Lots of Harmonica! Once again, the Greens got a great crowd response, and the variety and playing mostly different songs from their previous set, all seemed to be good ways to catch folks attention. Unfortunately, the Greens did not prevail in the contest aspect, the top winner was a band from Lancaster Ohio. I don't know if the Greens are dejected, but they have to know they gave it a great shot, got some folks attention, and hopefully may score some gigs - this was a packed house crowd (if Friday night was 300- this was closer to 400!)
I was not feeling well, so I didn't head over to the River City Grille for the after-show jam- so I'll have to wait to hear about that one.

Greens rock the house at the Blues Festival last night

The Greens, performing last of 6 acts, rocked the house at the Blues Festival at the Lafayette Hotel in Marietta last night. They played a four song set, strong. loud blues. They started with a blues-ed-up Swamp Queen; Big Ol'Betsy; Vacuum Blues, and a new song' The Pearl. They got a great reaction throughout, and a big ovation at the end. They were in high energy, and taking the opportunity to show 300 Blues fans, what the excitement of the Greens is all about. They were chosen to carry on to tonight's final round, starting at 8 pm. 6 acts will be in this final round, running till about 11 pm. I don't know the Greens time slot yet.
The jam session mentioned previously didn't come together for the Lafayette Lounge, but tonight there is supposed to be an after hours jam over at River City Grille at the Comfort Inn. There is music going on now, in the afternoon, the other first round acts throughout the day till 6 pm. 4 of those acts will move on.

Greens packing in some extra's on the weekend

After the Greens perform tonight at the Lafayette HOtel in Marietta at their 10:30 time slot, it's noted on the my space site that Andy is doing a solo show at "11:45 pm" there at the hotel; so we'll see what that's about. And there is a jam after the blues festival Saturday night over at River City Grille on Pike St. Which the Greens are listed as participating in. So there are several opportunities to see them in and around the main festival event.

Jonny Nutter's coffee house show at WVU-P

I went out to WVU-P for a Thursday night coffee house last night; Jonny Nutter was the featured performer. Katie Whitlow accompanied him on vocals for part of the show, with some good harmonies and accompaniment. Jonny went through a fun little set list; highlighting many of the Tribute show singers/ songwriters we do; Johnny Cash, Hank Williams, Neil Young and John Prine. There was a fun crowd around; many family and friends, kids and college students! Amanda is in charge of these events out at WVU-P; and they tend to be on Thursdays now. Look for further word of upcoming shows.

Cash Bash (Johnny Cash Tribute Benefit)

A little over a week until the first event of the 2009 Americana Music Tribute series, the 4th annual Johnny Cash Tribute starting at 9 pm on Saturday, February 28th at the 6 Pence Pub on 7th St. in Parkersburg. $5 donation supports the work of Children's Home Society of WV-Parkersburg Mid Town Family Resource Center. We are hoping to sell a lot of advance tickets because then we will be in the bigger back room, which I feel is more suitable and comfortable for the live music show. With several bands, or at least groups of musicians, there will be more spreading out room, and lots of good seats and views. So please talk up the advance sales. I will be telling Kim, the owner, about the advance sales on Wednesday of next week. I am needing to also give her some idea of the line up because some folks want to know about specific performers that will be there. So if you haven't already, let me know if you are wanting to play, and what the make up of your act is. Grace Hall and Outlaw Deluxe will be opening up at 9 pm. From there I still need to select time slots. I have Grace's set list if anyone wants to see it. We've got some fun door prizes or contest prizes lined up. We are already starting a 50-50 drawing ahead of time with the drawing that night. Its gonna be a fun night!

Greens taking steps to formalize their entity

The Greens are taking some necessary steps to become a legal entity, which is an exciting development. Nathan plugs away, and we get a little pro bono legal help through some greatly appreciated family connections!!! Ask them about it, if you get the chance!!! The Greens are rolling into the Mid Ohio Valley for the two nights of the Blues Festival in Marietta this Friday and Saturday, and we'll wish 'em luck in the competition, and otherwise be glad to see them around these parts again. Elkins treated them royally again last weekend!

Stacey and Mark put on a great show

Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart put on a great show last night here in Parkersburg at our little coffee house on St. Mary's Ave. They were so friendly and gracious, and very engaging in the pre-show banter and after the show "meet and greet." They are such great traveling troubadours; tirelessly playing shows and traveling from town to town. Their pure acoustic show, (no amplification, etc.) is very effective, their harmonizing and guitar playing and song delivery is very mesmerizing and powerful. They left right out after the show to get some miles down the road as they head back to Tennessee and the Folk Alliance conference. Those who were here came away very impressed and full of a good evening of talented musicians. It was a disappointingly small crowd for such a good opportunity, but we'll soldier on, trying more shows.
We'll eagerly follow their schedules to hope they return to this area; such as Nelsonville, Mountain Stage, etc. They would be glad to return here as they pass through some nearby areas- Mark does their own booking, and has gotten to be a master at putting together an itinerary.

Stacey and Mark's Suburban goes over 400,000 miles

Stacey blogged last night, after their show in PA, that they passed a mileage milestone with their trusty Suburban, 400,000 miles - as I have said, they are touring/ traveling maniacs- going all over to spread their musical cheer and gifts. They should be rolling in to Parkersburg about 6 pm tonight, and setting up easily with no need for sound checks and such!!! I hope we'll give them some great Mid Ohio Valley hospitality! Come on out and bring some friends!

Countdown for Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart's show here is down to 1 day!!

Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart are going to be here tomorrow evening for their coffeehouse performance! Tonight they are in Pennsylvania, at a bed and breakfast and show. Friday they were at the Purple Fiddle in Thomas WV. Saturday back over into Virginia. I have been getting lots of inquiries and interest in the show, so I hope that translates into people actually coming out!!! It will be a great show I can guarantee. Come early and help me set up!!! Put the chairs around, put the coffee pot on, ice down some soft drinks, and catch up with some other music lovers in the Mid Ohio Valley!!! I hope you've been listening to some of their music on their myspace site, or their website, and getting familiar with their recent releases, etc. 7 Pm, at 1739 St. Mary's Ave. in the 3rd storefront. Plenty of parking, plenty of comfy seating if you get there early! Come and hear some great traveling troubadours weave some powerful songs and magic.

Stuart's Opera House and Aquabear's Music Swap Meet

I visited Stuart's Opera House Saturday afternoon for a great little music swap meet-type event. This was a fun thing, which I hope continues. Browsing vinyl records, many contented music lovers were in seventh heaven. Lots of musical instruments and stereo equipment for browsing pleasure, too. Some CD's, books, and other music memorabilia. Obviously just set up to get people together around music, hopefully it was worth the organizing effort, and it will be continued. At least people were making connections and so that is always worth something. A great line up of shows is coming up at Stuart's over the next months, so get out and support what a great thing they are doing there in Nelsonville!!!
I got to pick up some of the material for the Aquabear Legion, some of their upcoming events, and the Reader. Brian seems to be working hard on this networking effort, and hopefully this, obviously dedicated group, will keep connecting music folks in the Athens area.

John Hiatt and Lyle Lovett show Friday

I greatly enjoyed the show with these two legends of songwriting and performing troubadours Friday night at the Memorial Auditorium on the Ohio University campus in Athens. They were set up in a songwriter exchange style, trading songs back and forth, and interspersing them with stories and stories behind the songs, and swapping memories of their fascinating careers. Their low key, understated "banter" was very relaxed and fun to "listen in on." They have been doing some variation of this for 20 years they said, and their individual musical journeys crossing over time makes for some intriguing links and viewpoints. They both have (early in their careers) opened for some wide ranging acts. They both toiled in college towns, small venues, etc. over time. They both have sharp observation knacks in their lyrics, and both have soulful deliveries of songs. Their guitar playing is solid; especially John joining in on a number of Lyle's songs for some nice backing sound. I know John's body of work more than Lyle's but still don't feel I have a full grasp of eithers, but enjoyed what I did know of the song selections from some different vintages. If they are touring, you found yourself intrigued whether they do different sets each night, because they have a sly casual style of making it seem like they're making it up as they go along, until they get toward the end and play some great duets - in guitar work and harmonizing.
To know they have both been part of many bands, and formations of accompaniments, and backed other people, etc. etc. and to see them simply down to solo acoustic songs, is impressive in the "legacy" of 30+ years of performing across the country. Very intelligent, witty, observant - both of them, can give you hours of meandering across music influences, genres, and American culture. A very enjoyable evening.

Greens time slot at Blues Festival

The Greens time slot was published in the Free Time today, with an article about the Blues Festival next weekend. The Greens have the final time slot on Friday night's show; 10:30 pm. (6 acts that night; 12 during the day Saturday)(2 preliminary winners the first night, 4 Saturday afternoon- 6 competitors Saturday night for the first prize.) See the Free Time for the other bands names and brief bio's. We'll wish the Greens luck, as they venture in to a contest with a specific music genre. We know they can cut loose across many genres and much of their original work defies categorization!!!! If you put El Dinero and Hey Horse Why the Long Face, and Flippin' Through the Pages, and I Look Down on a promo Disk, listeners would have to be impressed with the versatility!!! But, we'll love the Blues selections next Friday night!!!!!

John Hiatt and Lyle Lovett in Athens tomorrow night

I am excited to see John Hiatt again tomorrow night at Ohio University in Athens. Lyle Lovett and John will be performing at 7:30 pm. John, coming off his 2008 release, Same Old Man. Great CD. I am hoping to track down "Bring the Family" an earlier CD that Peter Doggett includes in his list. Lyle's Joshua Judges Ruth is also on the 100 Recommended Albums influential in "country rock." This is at Templeton-Blackburn Alumni Memorial Auditorium (a mouthful indeed).

Greens at Blues (Festival)

This is a reminder that The Greens will be performingOn 02/20/2009At River City Ohio Blues CompetitionLocated in MariettaThe Greens will play a 100% blues set of roughly 4 songs before a panel of judges in hopes of winning the Grand Prize of $1000 and a trip to the International Blues Competition in Memphis, TN!The Blues, Jazz & Folk Music Society of Marietta, Ohio will hold its 17th Annual “River City Ohio Blues Competition” on February 20 and 21, 2009 at The Lafayette Hotel in historic downtown Marietta. For the 17th year, Blues bands and solo/duo blues acts will compete for cash prizes and BJFMS sponsorship to The Blues Foundation’s International Blues Challenge (IBC) held evey year in Memphis, Tennessee.For more info, please visithttp://www.myspace.com/thegreens

Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart are now "in the area"

Stacey and Mark are now in North Carolina, with their Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, WV shows all hectic-like here over the next week. I hope they have good road conditions and remember where they are every day!! Check out their myspace site, to see all the workshops and performances, and things they are involved in at the International Folk Alliance Conference after they leave here for Memphis. They obviously are energetic and dedicated to these social causes and promoting the music. One cannot look at their touring schedule and not gather that they are very into getting out among people to perform and share their music. There are many months with 15 or more gigs, with lots of driving in between!!!

Tommy Womack's "There, I said it."

I don't get it to listen to enough music during my work week's. I haven't been traveling much this winter. I listen to NPR around town, and at home in the evening, so I miss these good CD's in my collection. Yesterday, Will, today Tommy. And I am trying to utilize this converter of vinyl to CD, so tend to listen to a few of those records when I am trying not to distract anybody else in the office (which is about only the weekends and holidays!)

Bands I had not heard of before reading Peter Doggett's book

Area Code 615 (though I had heard of the studio musicians who made up the band)
International Submarine Band
The Band of Blacky Ranchette
The Desert Rose Band
Freakwater
Green on Red
The Long Ryders
Rank and File
Sparklehorse

Tell me some stuff about them; I've already turned the book back in to the Library on amnesty day. I've already forgotten what he wrote about them for the most part; I would love for somebody to fill me in.

now an interview with Mr. DeMent aka Greg Brown

Greg Brown's earthy poetry spawns from storms and streamsBy Brian T. Atkinson, SPECIAL TO THE AMERICAN-STATESMAN Thursday, January 29, 2009"Sometimes you've got to listen hard to the sounds old Mother Earth still makes," his gravelly voice speaks on "Eugene," the centerpiece of 2006's "The Evening Call."The 59-year-old Iowan, married to fellow folk singer Iris Dement since 2002, is scheduled to kick off the Cactus Cafe's 30th anniversary celebration today and Friday. "I played a fine show at the Cactus once and after went to see Phil Alvin next door," Brown says. "He blew me away."American-Statesman: Are you reflecting or projecting in `Eugene'? Greg Brown: You know, the beginning of the song was just about a lot of places I go playing music and don't really get to stay. I had this fantasy of just taking off and seeing all the places I'd like to explore. It's a travelogue.Where are you aiming the line `The world we've made scares the hell out of me'? At this whole (expletive) techno, angry, overpopulated, polluted, globally warming deal that we've made for ourselves (laughs). The whole thing we've gone and made is pretty scary.Do you think it can be turned around? Well, we're in dire straits, but I have a lot of hope. I felt so happy to see (Barack Obama) walk out there on Inauguration Day. I felt like standing up and putting my hand over my heart. Bush and company were a bunch of thugs, and they should all be in jail. They did untold damage to the country. But the fact that we can go from Bush to Obama like that gives me a lot of hope. I feel like we can breathe again. Obama projects a lot of calmness and thoughtfulness and concern for people. We haven't felt that from our government for a long time.Spoken like a true Iowa City liberal. Yeah (laughs). Iris and I moved back from Kansas City about a year ago. Iris really likes Iowa City. I was raised in Missouri and Kansas and Iowa, and that had an effect on me as a songwriter. I came out of farmers and preachers and musicians and storytellers, and I've always believed that songs come out of the ground. It's a very natural part of dealing with the trouble and mystery and beauty and horror of life.You've said that you don't worry much when you're not writing, though?Well, I've always thought of writing and songs as a gift. My job is to pay attention. I try to catch songs when they come, but I like to do other things like chop wood, go out in the woods, garden, anything outdoors. It's kind of nice when I'm not feeling creative.And when you are?I'm getting into home recording. I've got a bunch of songs that are more along the lines of "Eugene" - kind of talking stuff. I want to do another recording of William Blake songs. I might just stick it on the Internet. I want to take a different approach to recording for a while instead of, "Here's 12 songs and a cover." I might do spoken word. Maybe recipes.

article about Iris DeMent

ASPEN — Church was a decidedly mixed blessing for the young Iris DeMent. The Southern California houses of worship the DeMent family attended were Pentecostal and Assembly of God churches, meaning the hours were long, the sermons hardcore, the speaking in tongues. As DeMent puts it now, “There’s a lot of weird stuff there that anybody could do without.”There was some good stuff as well: “Sincerity and deep-felt truth. I soaked that up,” said DeMent, who takes the stage Friday in Aspen. And there was one thing that DeMent herself could not do without: the music.“I can’t imagine going through that and wanting to repeat it without the music. That was the best part,” she said. “There’s something about music that rises above a lot of crap. Music just does that for you. The nonsense and junk you don’t need just falls away, no matter what church or bar you’re in.”When DeMent left home, she also left the church behind. She went 25 years without belonging to a congregation. But it’s difficult to hear that part of her history in the music. The songs DeMent writes and sings speak of forgiveness, salvation and gratefulness; her debut “Infamous Angel” — released in 1992, when she had no church affiliation — opens with her song “Let the Mystery Be” (“I’ve heard I’m on the road to purgatory/And I don’t like the sound of that”) and concludes with “Higher Ground,” a traditional spiritual that pleads, “Lord, plant my feet on higher ground.”“I have to admit, something about those churches stayed with me,” said the 48-year-old, who performs a solo show Friday at Belly Up Aspen. “When I write I feel I’m aiming for the bigger picture. It’s not about a handful of words on a page that might make me some money. That belief that I can connect something from that bigger world down to this world, that I can hook us up somehow — that’s what it’s all about when I work.”Not all of DeMent’s songs are overtly religious. But in every warbly, old-fashioned note she sings there is an overtone of the heavenly, and of her early background. And above all, that sense of connectedness — to the land in “These Hills,” to community in “Our Town,” to family in “Mama’s Opry,” a version of which she sang on the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s “Will the Circle Be Unbroken, Vol. 3.” The last is a personal reflection on her parents — her fiddling father; her mother, who had private dreams of singing at the Grand Ole Opry; her 13 siblings, all of whom sang — and the central place music played in family life.“I thought it was too personal, a song from me to my mother, I assumed she’d be the only one who’d want to hear it. Maybe my sisters would enjoy it,” said DeMent, who was born in Arkansas, and moved to Orange County, Calif. after her father participated in a wildcat strike. When she finally began performing “Mama’s Opry,”’ “People responded, and that was quite eye-opening for me. Often the thing that is most personal is most universal.”• • • •In mid-2008, DeMent rented studio space in downtown Iowa City, where she has lived the last six years. (Her husband, fellow singer-songwriter Greg Brown, is an Iowa native.) She “shows up” at the studio, as she puts it, virtually every day to write and record. But the new album that will presumably come out of those sessions is a subject she talks about haltingly: “I crawl along. But I think I’m going to get there,” she said.DeMent’s last album was “Lifeline,” a collection of gospel songs, most of them which she had heard and sung as a kid. Her last album before that dated back another eight years, to 1996’s “The Way I Should.” Clearly, DeMent is putting other things before prominence in her profession.“The record company thought of it as a career, but I didn’t,” she said. “I thought of it as singing and sharing my music, and all the joy and satisfaction that goes with it.”Her bigger preoccupation is her 9-year-old daughter, whom she adopted from Russia five years ago. DeMent once went after success with ambition: Her first three albums were released by Warner Bros., and they featured the top Nashville players, plus guests like Mark Knopfler and Delbert McClinton. She would tour for months at a time. Since getting married, in 2002, she performs almost exclusively on weekends, going out once or twice a month.“Everything works better that way,” she said by phone from Iowa, where she was trying to spend as much time as possible indoors on a frigid day. “It’s a lot easier to have family and friends and a home life, which I feel to be important. Going away creates a bit of a disconnect. It took a toll.”While she hasn’t charged after stardom, DeMent has created a niche as a duet singer. She has appeared often with John Prine, who has championed DeMent since her debut album, and has sung with James Taylor, Steve Earle, John Hiatt and Emmylou Harris. She also had a featured role in 2000’s “Songcatcher,” a narrative film about a musicologist in Appalachia that earned a Special Jury Prize at the Sundance Festival.DeMent’s life of family, home and low-key career is rounded out by a return to the church. Around the time she got married, she began attending St. Mark Union Church in Kansas City. The African-American congregation is led by a white man, the Rev. Sam Mann, who, according to DeMent, was “thrown out of the uptown white church for speaking out about racism and the Vietnam War.” DeMent, who had lived in Kansas City for 20 years before moving to Iowa, and still has family there, makes the six-hour drive every few months to attend her church.Earlier, DeMent had tried a Unitarian church. “I liked what they said. But there was no heart there,” she said. St. Mark, however, is “like a dream come true for me. When I started going to St. Mark, I was at a very low place in my life. It healed me in a lot of ways.”DeMent says she “doesn’t buy into a lot of the Bible stories, the religion.” But she has faith in the power of the church’s music — “heartfelt, deep-down” gospel. Her “Lifeline” album features a DeMent song, “He Reached Down,” based on the Rev. Mann’s sermon. DeMent says she could talk all day about Mother Bohannon, a member of the choir. She sings with the choir occasionally — but not comfortably: “Talk about intimidating. I don’t feel qualified.”There’s a small part of DeMent that thinks it might be time to distance her music from her religious upbringing. “I’ve tried. There’s something about me that’s out of date and I have to get with it,” she said. “But there isn’t much urgency or conviction to that view. “There are things in there that shape me and show up in my music. And that’s not a bad thing.”“Probably the reason I love music so much is it’s the one place I can go to in life where that stuff happens,” she continued. “You kind of get down to the core of yourself, a very healing, safe place for me.”stewart@aspentimes.com

Help getting the word out about the two benefit live music shows this month

Thanks to Jonny Nutter for stopping by and picking up some flyers to distribute- (I think it was him from the description!!!- since I wasn't here when he stopped in!) Ashlie and Jonny are good at helping with that when they can among their busy life; I would appreciate any help from others; or if you need a flyer sent to your e-mail and you can distribute it to any friends lists you have that would be great too. I am getting some responses to the Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart show, (and thank you so much if you have shown interest and a sign of life!!! It heartens me greatly!) I thank Kim at 6 Pence, too, who has made up some tickets for the Johnny Cash show. I am lining up musicians times for that, so if you are planning on playing, get in touch with me, to state a preference. I've given away the first time slot already.
We are amassing our door prizes and contest prizes, if you have anything to suggest or donate. I would like a nice Johnny Cash t-shirt to include.

Greens at Gibbie's in Morgantown tonight

The Green's have a Saturday night "home game' in Morgantown tonight, at Gibbie's. Next week its to Elkins. They'll be polishing up their Blues, for two weeks from now at Marietta's Blues Festival. Vacuum Blues for instance. I am still waiting to see if Andy can join the festivities at the Johnny Cash Tribute/ Benefit on the 28th. I still have the lyrics poster boards for A Boy Named Sue, and One Piece at a Time, in case, he or someone else needs a little telepromptor version to keep on hand.

Will Kimbrough Americanitis is on the CD player

I have an uncharacteristically loud blasting of a CD playing by my ear, as I do a little Saturday correspondence and computer work here at my office. Its Will Kimbrough. I was looking for Tommy Womack's CD but found Will's first. I was thinking of Jackie Welker's Court Street Grille, and got confused which weekend Todd Burge and Odd Urge was playing there, as opposed to Huntington.

Peter Doggett's Are You Ready for the Country?

Having finished this fine book, and probably needing to return it to the library today when there are no fines, and not having really re-capped somethings I liked from it, I will re-visit it at a later time. I particularly liked learning a little more about the roots and origins of some fine, intriguing musicians that I didn't know too much about previously. Elvis Costello, John Hiatt, Charlie Rich, John Anderson, Jason Ringenberg, for instance. Doggett very deftly weaves enough of a background on these musicians into his overall theme. His listing of some 100 recommended albums in the "folk-country-rock" realm is very helpful and enriching to my record browsing and making connections with the music I always loved, and some new variations. I will be hunting this music down, for months if not years!!!

February hopes to be a busy music month!

I am really trying to promote the Stacey Earle and Mark Stuart show here Feb. 16th; so any help getting the word out will be appreciated. I cannot seem to express enough, or get the word out with a wide enough net, how great this show will be, and the opportunity it is, right here in the Mid Ohio Valley. John Hiatt and Lyle Lovett are in the "area" and I will be seeing them in Athens Ohio on the 13th at the University. John Hiatt is a great favorite of mine, and this will be a songwriter type thing, with them trading songs and telling about the songs, etc. Todd Burge is opening for Elizabeth Cook at Stuart's Opera House in Nelsonville on the 21st. The Greens will be involved in the Blues Festival in Marietta Ohio, at the Lafayette Hotel on the 20th. We've got our 4th annual Johnny Cash Bash on Feb. 28th at the 6 Pence Pub in Parkersburg. Local musicians play sets of songs honoring the legacy of Johnny Cash; its a benefit, and there will be door prizes, contests and good fellowship and cheer. Jackie's got a good show at the Court St. Grille in Pomeroy on a MOnday night the 9th of Feb. - check out his website for those details. And several Mountain Stage shows this month; check out their website, too. Stuart's OPera House re-scheduled their music swap (including vinyl records) for Feb. 14th during the afternoon there. That makes for a pretty satisfying month of music, and being optimistic about the rest of the winter weather.

Mountain Stage Blog

If you haven't visited the Mountain Stage website (www.mountainstage.org) and seen the Mountain Stage Blog (right there in the middle of the home page to click on) you should scurry over to it; it not only gives good updates on the bookings, so you get a timely heads up as to the the great shows coming up, but it tells some quick, interesting things about the performers and their backgrounds and releases. There are also pictures of the performers and on a recent post, pictures of the after show jam at the Empty Glass; which were fun to see, the good old Empty Glass stage area, and folks jamming away. Lots of good shows as 2009 gears up - lots of new names, intriguing combinations for shows.

Just a Plain ol' Tribute: this time to Leon Russell!!!

Leon Russell is a music legend and perhaps the most accomplished and versatile musician in the history of rock 'n roll. In his distinguished and unique 50 year career, he has played on, arranged, written and/or produced some of the best records in popular music.

Leon has played on pop, rock, blues, country, bluegrass, standards, gospel, and surf records. As a session musician, arranger, producer, singer, songwriter, pianist, guitarist, record company owner, bandleader, and touring musician, he has collaborated with hundreds of artists, including Glen Campbell, Joe Cocker, Willie Nelson, Edgar Winter, George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Bob Dylan, Ringo Starr, John Lennon, J.J. Cale, David Gates, Bruce Hornsby, Hal Blaine, Tommy Tedesco, Bobby "Boris" Pickett, B.B. King, Freddie King, Bill Wyman, Steve Cropper, Carl Radle, Chuck Blackwell, Don Preston, Jesse Ed Davis, Rita Coolidge, Gram Parsons, Barbra Streisand, Ike & Tina Turner, Ricky Nelson, Herb Alpert, Frank Sinatra, Aretha Franklin, Ann-Margret, Dean Martin, Marvin Gaye, Dave Mason, Steve Winwood, and groups such as Delaney & Bonnie and Friends, The Monkees, The Astronauts, The Accents, The Fencemen, The Ventures, The Beach Boys, The Byrds, Jan & Dean, Gary Lewis & The Playboys, Paul Revere & The Raiders, The Rolling Stones, The Ronettes, The Crystals, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, The Everly Brothers, The Righteous Brothers, The Flying Burrito Brothers, The Tractors and on and on and on…
Born in southwest Oklahoma in 1942, Leon began piano lessons at age 4. He was playing in Tulsa nightclubs at the age of 14. After graduating from high school, Leon's band, The Starlighters, went on the road with Jerry Lee Lewis for almost two months. Leon left Tulsa at the age of 17 for Los Angeles where he began playing in the L.A. clubs and eventually became one of the best session musicians in Hollywood. He worked with the best Hollywood producers and top musicians in the business.
Leon became part of an elite group of studio musicians called the Wrecking Crew and played on hundreds of hit records in the 1960's. He was part of studio groups such as The Routers and The Super Stocks. The Routers recorded the huge hit "Let's Go" and The Super Stocks recorded surf and hot rod tunes. In 1964, Leon was a member of the the house band on the Shindig! show on ABC television which showcased the top pop acts.
Leon built a recording studio in his home in 1967 where he and Marc Benno recorded songs which were released on two critically acclaimed records as the 'Asylum Choir'. Leon co-produced, arranged, and played piano, organ, and guitar on Joe Cocker's second album, 'Joe Cocker!' in 1969. He also recorded and toured with 'Delaney & Bonnie & Friends'. Leon founded Shelter Records with partner Denny Cordell and released Leon's first solo album, "Leon Russell" in May, 1970. It included Beatles George Harrison and Ringo Starr, Rolling Stones Bill Wyman and Charlie Watts, Steve Winwood, Eric Clapton, and Klaus Voorman. The album contained classic Leon songs, 'A Song For You', along with 'Hummingbird', and 'Delta Lady'. Shelter Records was home for not only Leon but many other artists such as Freddie King, Don Nix, J.J. Cale, Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, The Gap Band, Dwight Twilley and Phoebe Snow. Leon played on and produced three Shelter albums for blues guitarist Freddie King.
As a songwriter, Leon's songs have hit the charts across all genres and have been covered by a diverse range of artists. Ray Charles recorded 'A Song For You', B.B. King had a hit with 'Hummingbird', The Carpenters with 'Superstar' and Joe Cocker with 'Delta Lady'. The Carpenter's cover of "Superstar", written by Leon and Bonnie Bramlett, went to #2 on the pop music charts. George Benson won the "Record of the Year" Grammy in 1976 for his cover of Leon's song, "This Masquerade", and it became the first song in music history to hit #1 on the jazz, pop and R&b charts.
Leon organized and led the band behind Joe Cocker for the famous "Mad Dogs & Englishmen" tour of the U.S. in March-May, 1971. The huge 11 member band included 3 drummers and a 10 member choir which played 65 shows in 48 cities. The tour was filmed for the movie "Mad Dogs & Englishmen". The live double-LP album on A&M Records reached #2 on the U.S. album charts and sold over a million copies.
On August 1st, 1971, Leon joined George Harrison and friends for two performances of the Concert For Bangladesh at Madison Square Garden in New York to raise money for refugees. His "Jumpin' Jack Flash/Youngblood" medley was considered the highlight of the show by some. The album earned a Grammy Award for Album of the Year.
Leon's first solo album to earn a Gold record was "Leon Russell and The Shelter People" (1971). The "Carney" album, released in 1972, would be his best seller and included the single, "Tight Rope" which reached #11 on the pop music charts. By 1972, Leon was a major concert attraction. Billboard Magazine named Leon the top concert attraction for 1973. His concert at Long Beach, CA on August 28, 1972 was recorded and released on the triple-LP album 'Leon Live' which rose to #9 on the pop charts. Leon released the second Asylum Choir album, 'Asylum Choir II", in 1972 from songs recorded years earlier. The single "Slippin' Into Christmas" rose to # 4 on the pop charts in 1972.
At the height of his popularity as a rock star, Leon released a country music album, "Hank Wilson's Back" under the name Hank Wilson on August 31st,1973. His last Shelter Records studio album, "Will O' The Wisp" (1975), included the hit single "Lady Blue" (#14 on the charts) and went Gold. "The Best Of Leon" was released in 1976 and earned a 6th Gold Record. Leon founded Paradise Records a Warner Bros. label and released albums from 1976-84 such as "The Wedding Album", "Make Love To The Music", "Americana", "Life And Love", "Solid State" and "Hank Wilson Vol. II".
Leon co-hosted with Willie Nelson, the first of Willie's 4th of July picnics. Leon has continued to be a regular performer at Willie's picnics through the years. Leon joined Willie on tour and they teamed in 1979 for the country album, "One For The Road", which earned a Gold record and was honored by the Country Music Association with a nomination for "Album Of The Year". The album included the song "Heartbreak Hotel" that won the Grammy Award in 1980 for Best Country Vocal Performance by a Duo or Group.
In 1980-81, Leon toured with the New Grass Revival and released the 'Live Album' from their performances. In 1984 Leon released his second country album under the Hank Wilson name, "Hank Wilson Vol. II". Leon and Edgar Winter toured together in the late 1980's. In 1992, he teamed up with Bruce Hornsby (producer) for the album "Anything Can Happen" released on Virgin Records. Edgar Winter also played on the album. In 1998 "Hank Wilson Vol. 3: Legend In My Time" and 1999's "Face In The Crowd". In 2001, Russell played with Earl Scruggs and Friends on "Foggy Mountain Breakdown" which earned a Grammy for Best Country Instrumental Performance.
Leon joined a number of artists in honoring Willie Nelson on his 70th birthday celebration at the Beacon Theatre in New York city in April, 2003. Leon performed his classic 'A Song For You' with Willie and Ray Charles and also sang "Jumpin' Jack Flash". The show was filmed for the special "Willie Nelson: Live and Kickin'".
In April 2006, Leon was awarded a lifetime achievement award by the Bare Bones International Film Festival. In October 2006, he was inducted into the Oklahoma Music Hall of Fame.
Leon's latest records from his own record label, Leon Russell Records, include "Signature Songs", a collection of acoustic piano/vocal recordings of Leon Russell classics; "Guitar Blues"; "Moonlight & Love Songs", a collection of standards; "Face In The Crowd"; "Crazy Love"; "Hymns Of Christmas"; "Rhythm & Bluegrass: Hank Wilson vol. 4", a collection of songs recorded in the 1980's with the New Grass Revival; "A Mighty Flood", an album of inspirational songs; and in November, 2006, his latest record "Angel In Disguise". Leon has said that "Angel In Disguise" is his best record in the last 25 years.
Leon continues to write songs, record, and thrill audiences on his non-stop tour across the U.S. In November 2005 and May 2008, he also toured Japan. Leon's son Teddy Jack and daughters Sugaree and Tina Rose have all been in his band and toured with him. His bass player, Jack Wessel, has been in his band for 26 years. Leon's musical style is still resonating with his lifelong fans and is inspiring younger listeners who are discovering his music from either the 'Mad Dogs & Englishmen' or 'Concert For Bangladesh' DVDs.
Current members of Leon's band include: Jackie Wessel, Bassist/Backing Vocals; Chris Simmons, Guitarist/Backing Vocals; Brian Lee, Keyboards/Backing Vocals; and Brandon Holder, Drums.

Joseph Henry giving me some updates

I met Joseph Henry at the songwriter event about a year ago in Marietta. Then he started accompanying Todd Burge on some gigs, including the show we had at the Front Row with the Weedhawks and Nick Barry last summer. He is an enthusiastic and talented musician- including songwriting etc. He is promoting a little mini-tour he is doing with Todd and a band, they are calling "odd urge"- with at least 5 shows and some of WV (and neighboring Ohio's) great live music venues; a veritable all star line up of great promoters of live local music!!! Joseph also has a little band going he is calling Rita Henry (drums and keyboards I believe!!!) So, check out their myspace sites for the exact details; but it is three shows this week: Empty Glass, Elkins and Huntington, and next week Morgantown, and Pomeroy. I hope someone catches some of these shows and lets me know what they think. I'll just have to see, but I'm guessing I won't be doing that kind of travel these two weeks, with my own music promoting and attending coming up this month. For sure, support these guys!!!!

Andy's solo acoustic show last night at 6 pence pub

Andy put on a very enjoyable solo acoustic show last night at the 6 Pence Pub on 7th St. in Parkersburg. A nice diversifying change of pace for me, and probably a glimpse of what some of the open mikes are like in Morgantown (Black Bear, etc.) A slew of new songs, suited for solo acoustic; a responsive set of requests from covers dating back a way (To Bogie's days, for Robbie, et al) such as some Pink Floyd and Led Zeppelin. Able to work in some of the "quieter" "reflective" songs that don't get too much chance at a hopping Greens show. Cars and Horses suggestion came out of Wild Horses (Stones cover), and similar streams of thought. A classic moment in requests came at the very end of the night. You can tell that the kitchen staff at 6 Pence has been listening to Broken Science Vol. III in heavy rotation, thanks to the enthusiasm of several of the staff there, and someone from the kitchen, who had been bustling and working hard all night, came out at just the moment when Andy was biding adieu, thanking the audience, thanking the bar staff, etc. and said "Its Not Enough." Perfect. Andy got an appreciating chuckle out of that one; someone who really digs the new CD, and had perfect request timing. So Andy ended the show with "Its Not Enough." I think Robbie enjoyed the show in amongst his frenetic bar tending; going back into the archives of classic rock and such with special requests.
Lindsey got her two: Paint it Black, and Sitting on the Dock of the Bay. We got some excitement going in the audience with a good little John Prine mini-set there in the middle; Souvenirs, Fish and Whistle, Storm Windows, Angel from Montegomery, Please Don't Bury me, Illegal Smile, as well as some Band songs, Dylan, and Grateful Dead.
Andy's got a great set of new(er) songs that he must be plying away up there in Morgantown, but doesn't get to showcase down this way much. He reports two nights previous of hard rocking/ hard on his voice singing up there in Morgantown.
There was a band playing in the back room, a harder rock/ heavy metal type band; so the place was pretty lively with comings and goings. Not a lot of the usual Greens fan base present; just a few really.
Next opportunity around Mid Ohio Valley to see the Greens will be at the Marietta Blues Festival on Feb. 20th. Stay tuned for more details forthcoming.

"bye, bye, miss American Pie"- "the day the music died"