Greens set list from last week at Gibbies; compliments of Lee Maine!

1. Soundcheck Jam
2. 10-4 Good Buddy
3. All Over
4. The Funk Smell
5. Unknown
6. Castles Made Of Sand
7. BoBo ChaCha
8. A Moving Picture
9. Losin' It
10. Conversation With A Lunatic In The Mirror
11. Quirky Turkey
12. Cinnamon Girl
13. Unknown
14. Rock Stutter
15. Henry Chinaski
16. Concern
17. Flippin' Through The Pages
18. Unknown
19. Unknown
20. Repugnant
21. Vacuum Blues
22. Tide Turn Again
23. Tunesmith Jones
24. Thunderwear
25. Unknown
26. Drag Yourself Through The Day
27. The Greens
28. Could You Be Love
29. Unknown
30. Outro

Parking Lot music cancelled yesterday

Lisa (from the CHS staff) had to cancel her parking lot event yesterday due to the monsoon; she is re-scheduling for next Saturday, Oct. 3rd; with hopefully a similar line up of musicians performing. The Parkersburg News sent a reporter to cover it, so that is an intriguing sign that she has hit upon on interesting combination; a car wash, grilling food, and live outdoor music. Stay tuned for a report next weekend on this one- come on out from noon to 4 pm next Saturday, to 1739 St. Mary's Ave. Parkersburg.

Greens last Friday at Gibbies in Morgantown

Wendy got to see Andy and the Greens perform in their "stompin' grounds" of Morgantown, Friday night. She enjoyed seeing his interaction with the audience there in the college town. I didn't hear exactly how long she stayed, (as her pattern is to leave after the first set, when the Green play here locally in the Mid OHio Valley!)
The Greens played Saturday in Huntington, I believe, and were scheduled to play in Cincinnati on Thursday, according to their schedule. I will be eager to hear how that went, too.

Saturday night's benefit for Todd Heslep in New Martinsville

For the second Saturday in a row, I hopped in my car for a little longer excursion than usual to hear some fine live music. This week's destination was the Lincoln Theater in New Martinsville. This is a fine small town theater, with seating for maybe 200+? The occasion was the start of the season of the "Ebert Brothers Country Variety Show." This local heritage is entering its 39 season!! It appears there may be one show a month, through the fall and winter and spring? Todd is related to the Ebert Brothers, and has mentioned enthusiastically these shows for the several years we have known each other around live music. Due to Todd (and a cousin of his) cancer, this kick off show was arranged as a benefit for them, including silent auction, refreshment sales, etc. There was a packed house of folks, obviously mostly, long time supporters of these events. The set up is in a variety show form; with a "house band" that plays through many of the acts, and some solo and combinations featured throughout. There is a long time "clown" type character who interacts with the audience in the pre-show stage. The house band may have originally been primarily the Eberts, and now has branched out to some other session guys with solid chops on their instruments.
This was an enjoyable evening of music, and though I was there mainly to see Todd, and support him, I enjoyed the diversity of music throughout. It was quite impressive the 39 year history of them putting on these shows in New Martinsville. There was a lot of nostalgia and legacy to this night of music.
Todd came out for a set, and was in fine voice, and obviously touched by the warm reception, and playing with the house band. He did a Ray Price song, Marty Robbins, and a little Johnny Cash medley. The steel guitar, and various guitar solos, and the added keyboard work, were all contributing to a great sound. There was quite a bit of diversity to the whole evening of music, with some long time friends of the event performing, and a few people mentioning this was their first time participating. They had some raffles/ auctions, and some teasing banter among the participants, which kept it "relaxed and intimate" for the loyal fans of the show, I'm sure.
I didn't really get to talk to Todd at the end, to see if he felt he was going to be up for participating in the John Prine tribute show in two weeks, but he definitely impressed me with his vocals with a strong backing band, and I now know where his roots in music come from!!!!!

Live Music in our Parking Lot this Saturday

Children's HOme Society of WV, where I work, (1739 St. Mary's Ave) will be holding an interesting event this Saturday from noon to 4 pm. Lisa "d-P" (as we call her) is having a combination car wash, cookout/grillin', and live music fundraiser. The car wash is probably self-explanatory. The cooking and meal is (I think) grilled chicken and hot dogs and some side dishes. The music, is about 4-5 acts she's conjured up, representing a diversity of musical styles. I will not list them here, for fear of forgetting some, or having them change their name between now and Saturday, but it is to be encouraged as a "first"- we have been talking about a parking lot music show for a while now. Come out and support local live music!!! I will write about it after the fact, to give the musicians their due recognition.

I've Been Practicing my John Prine Set list most ev'ry night

I have been working through my set list most every night on the guitar, and re-learning the lyrics of the John Prine songs I hope to perform at our 7th annual John Prine Tribute benefit here in Parkersburg, October 10th starting at 9 pm at 6 Pence Pub on 7th St. $5 donation. Chance to win prizes. I hold back and wait and see how many performers are going to play that night; I have a mercurial group; some say they will come and don't, some just show up to play. I try real hard to keep everybody happy! I love my musicians that contribute to these benefits!!! I have trouble filling some late night spots in the line up, so I'll wait in the wings with my songs, just in case they are needed. When the crowd is dwindling.......

The Odd URges this Friday in Athens

Todd invited you to "Todd Burge & the Odd URges perform Athens Ohio"
on Friday, September 25 at 9:00pm.

Event: Todd Burge & the Odd URges perform Athens Ohio
"Playing Donkey Coffee in Athens on Friday Sept 25th with band"
What: Concert
Start Time: Friday, September 25 at 9:00pm
End Time: Saturday, September 26 at 12:00am
Where: Donkey Coffee

Greens in Greenwood

I hopped in my car about 8 pm last night (its noticeable how its getting darker earlier here in the fall!) and hit US Route 50 East. I put Will Kimbrough in the CD player after I started getting out of range of WOUB and Mountain Stage. I took the Greenwood exit, a few after Pennsboro, and cruised down the hill, and located the Wet Sprocket. I pulled into the lot, and pulled up next to Nate's Subaru. A minute or so later, the Greens bus pulled into the lot. The folding door sort of malfunctioned, and Ben fixed it. The Greens were sort of pre-occupied with whether they could catch parts of the Mountaineers game against Auburn, which was being delayed due to lightning down in Alabama. We loaded the equipment in. The place newly remodeled with lots of black lights and mirrors, and some really futuristic/ sci-fi chairs and tables for the patrons, had some cheery welcoming folks. The Greens set up workman-like, while various folks tried to figure out whether they could get the Mountaineer game at least on the radio. There was a contingent of Ritchie County Greens fans there, to get the party started, and soon the Doddridge Co. regulars were up dancing and enjoying the Greens phenomenon. The Greens started out with Cars and Horses, with some wailing harmonica work by Andy. They worked through a solid early set of varied originals, to give the audience a taste of their versatility, and gauge the crowd. When they worked in covers, it was adeptly done to further feature their unique sound. This was a great opportunity to appreciate the Greens coming into a new venue and working their magic.

Cindy Howerton's entry into the contest about song titles from one artist and a bunch of questions.....

Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Pass it on to 10 (or 10 million) people you like. You can't use the band I used. Do not repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think...





I chose Dave Matthews:


Describe yourself: So Much to Say or Dreamgirl


How do you feel: So Damn Lucky


Describe where you currently live: One Sweet World


If you could go anywhere, where would you go? Louisiana Bayou

Your favorite form of transportation: Drive In Drive Out


Your best friend is: The Maker


What's the weather like: So Right

Favorite time of day: When the World Ends (as in when I get to be alone with my family with no outside pressures)

If your life was a TV show, what would it be called: Typical Situation

What is life to you: Out of My Hands

Your relationships: Steady as We Go


My favorite food: Alligator Pie


Your fear: Say Goodbye


What is the best advice you have to give: Hunger for the Great Light or Don’t Drink the Water

If you could change your name, you would change it to: Grace (Is Gone)

My soul's present condition: Lying in the Hands of God


My motto: Cry Freedom

Forgot to mention "Cartoon Robot"

I've been forgetting to mention "Cartoon Robot." This is a conglomerate that includes the Greens and some additional musicians of the trombone, saxophone, keys, etc. variety. They played at 123 Pleasant St. in this configuration on September 4th. This is well captured by following "Lee's" post on the Green my space site. He is doing some great capturing of music/ pix. etc. Check them out when you can.

Americana Awards Event

I guess Buddy Miller was a big winner last night at the Americana Awards ceremony- check out the news off the Americana Music Association website. Our winner of the trip to Nashville had a rough start to his stay in Nashville- the hotel was packed and chaotic, and there was some mix up about the hotel room, but I hope he settled into a good time; he was teasing me, and I'll probably have an ear-ful when he returns, but I hope it still was a great adventure. I really think I will be planning on going myself next year; so next year's winner will have me right there with them to chew out!!

getting my guitar playing fingers back in shape and dusting off my vocal chords

I have started my one month prep time for doing a set at the John Prine birthday tribute benefit we will be having on October 10th at the 6 Pence Pub and eatery here in Parkersburg. Show starts at 9 pm, $5 donation, or you can get a ticket ahead of time to support our children's service agency. This is our 7th annual event. Local musicians and songwriters each perform a set, and there are contests and prizes throughout the evening. I usually just act as MC for these events (we hold about 5-6 a year) but for the John Prine show, I hope to perform a set late in the evening, giving the better, prime spots to the more worthy performers. I am working on my set list: picture show
humidity built the snowman
blue umbrella
crooked piece of time
speed of the sound of loneliness
quit hollering at me
6 o'clock news.

(if others are planning to sing those songs, don't worry, "repeats" are fine- I've never heard anybody grumble too much about that- just a little teasing (like about too many versions of Grandpa was a carpenter).

John Prine fan website: jpshrine.org

Every year around this time, I mention the fantastic website for all things John Prine- Reeda Buresh, who is the contact for it, always posts an announcement about our tribute benefit (around) John Prine's birthday, along with other tribute shows around the country. She keeps a running countdown to how many days till John's Birthday. There is great stuff about concerts, fans' recollections, news about related people, all kinds of good stuff. www.jpshrine.org if you haven't visited it yet. It gives you many resources for our contests during the tribute show, and lyrics and chords for songs. Visit it often, and give them feedback and comments!!!

early announcement and info about Robert Earl Keen's new CD

From the Artist
"I would love to have been one of the great singers in the world -- like Vince Gill or someone like that -- even if it was just for one hour," says Robert Earl Keen. "But I really feel like my gift is writing songs. That's just there and it's always been there. I don't know why, but I always have stories -- they don't all have to be true, just good. If I could put a subtitle on my best songs, it would be `based on a good story.'"
"You can tell when you play for people who never heard of you,"... "But winning people over - that's at the goal at the heart of every great performer. You try to win people over." --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

Product Description
With his latest Lost Highway album, The Rose Hotel, Keen re-confirms his place among the Lone Star State's great storytellers, capable of painting rich, poignant landscapes worthy of Cormac McCarthy and spinning satirical yarns that'd do Kinky Friedman proud. The disc's rough-hewn tone -- it's one of the more immediate, organic efforts in Keen's varied catalog -- emphasizes both ends of that emotional spectrum. --This text refers to the Audio CD edition.

I said I was done posting about the Americana Music Festival this week, but........

John Fogerty to Receive Americana Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting





NASHVILLE, September 15, 2009 – John Fogerty will receive the Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting at the Americana Music Association’s 8th Annual Honors and Awards ceremony, slated for Thursday, September 17 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. As the 2009 honoree, Fogerty joins an elite list of previous recipients which includes John Hiatt, Willie Nelson, Rodney Crowell, Guy Clark, Cowboy Jack Clement, John Prine, and Billy Joe Shaver.



Throughout his prolific career, John Fogerty has celebrated and shaped American roots music.



He is a quintuple threat: songwriter, singer, lead guitarist, arranger, and producer. A roots classicist in love with Memphis-style rockabilly, New Orleans-drenched rhythm-and-blues, and classic country styles, Fogerty was ahead of his time in forging a hybrid of these genres before it was common or stylish to do so. He was more than prescient: As Springsteen said upon Creedence Clearwater Revival’s induction into Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, “Creedence wasn’t the hippest band in the world, but they were the best.” Also a member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame and Grammy Award-winner, Fogerty began his work four decades ago, and thankfully, he never finished.



While his 60s contemporaries stretched into lavish musical experimentation, Fogerty wrote songs with defiant concision. Rarely has one songwriter been able to write about fun times and ominous times with equal power and clarity. Such self-confidence and panoramic awareness resulted in music that is timeless: “Proud Mary,” “Fortunate Son,” “Bad Moon Rising,” “Who’ll Stop the Rain,” “Green River,” “Travelin’ Band,” “Lodi,” “Run Through the Jungle,” “Centerfield,” “Looking Out My Back Door” and “Have You Ever Seen the Rain” shift between head-banging escapism, subtly poetic self-reflection, and trenchant political analysis, all while remaining essentially and unrepentantly American.



On August 31, 2009, Fortunate Son/Verve Forecast released ‘The Blue Ridge Rangers Rides Again’ from John Fogerty. On this album, Fogerty brings back the concept behind his solo debut, 1973's The Blue Ridge Rangers. Fogerty dusts off a collection of his favorite classic songs, such as John Prine's "Paradise," Buck Owens' "I Don't Care," Delaney and Bonnie's "Never Ending Song of Love" and John Denver's "Back Home Again," as well as his own "Change in the Weather."



Slated for Wednesday, September 16 through Saturday, September 19, the 10th Annual Americana Festival and Conference will offer daily seminars, panels and networking opportunities at the Nashville Convention Center. The event’s climax will be the 8th Annual Americana Honors and Awards ceremony, slated for Thursday, September 17 at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville. The festival evening brings more than 100 stacked Americana showcases to key venues throughout Nashville. Last year, approximately 1,000 industry professionals attended the conference, while more than 12,000 fans enjoyed the festival's musical events.



The Americana Honors & Awards at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Thursday September 17, 2009 at 7PM. Presented by the Gibson Foundation, features host Jim Lauderdale and Buddy Miller with his all star band and special appearances by Asleep at the Wheel, Jerry Douglas, Rodney Crowell, Nanci Griffith, Raul Malo, The Belleville Outfit, Reckless Kelly, John Prine, Sara Borges & The Broken Singles, Sam Bush, Justin Townes Earle, The Flatlanders, The Gourds, Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit and John Fogerty are the latest artists to confirm their appearances at this year’s Honors & Awards show. Stay tuned for more announcements and be prepared for surprise guests in what has been described as the coolest show of its kind. Individual tickets are available for $55 via TICKETMASTER and the Ryman Box.

Bill Poole is circulating this fun game with songwriter's titles - here's my John Prine version (check out Bill's Facebook for other examples)

My Life According To JOHN PRINE
Using only song names from ONE ARTIST, cleverly answer these questions. Pass it on to 10 (or 10 million) people you like. You can't use the band I used. Do not repeat a song title. It's a lot harder than you think...

Describe yourself: The Oldest Baby in the World


How do you feel: we must have been out of our minds


Describe where you currently live: Christmas in Prison


If you could go anywhere, where would you go? Paradise


Your favorite form of transportation: Slow Boat to China


Your best friend is: Lulu Walls

What's the weather like: Pretty Good

Favorite time of day: 6 O’Clock News

If your life was a TV show, what would it be called: The Great Compromise


What is life to you: Quiet Man


Your relationships: Common Sense


My favorite food: Bruised Orange


Your fear: The Accident (things could be worse)


What is the best advice you have to give: Often is a word I seldom use


If you could change your name, you would change it to: Sam Stone

My soul's present condition: Spanish Pipedream


My motto: That’s the Way the World Goes Round

Our winner of the trip to Nashville is on his way!

I will be eager to hear a report from our lucky winner of the three day trip to Nashville and the Americana Music Festival this week. Jack Davis is en route to Tennessee. I will get a report from him when he returns; now next year, I'm already looking to attend myself, and will give daily reports when I GO!!!

ONE LAST (I promise!) announcement about the Americana Music Festival this week in Nashville!!!

September 16-19, 2009 will mark the 10th annual Americana Music Festival and Conference in Nashville, TN. 100 artists over four days including: Jim Lauderdale, Buddy Miller, Asleep at the Wheel, Sam Bush, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Rodney Crowell, Justin Townes Earle, Nanci Griffith, Will Hoge, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Raul Malo, John Prine, Marty Stuart, Those Darlin's just to name a few.



AND... as is our tradition, expect some late breaking surprises over the course of the week!



Our daytime conference will again pull the best and the brightest to participate in three days of informative workshops and panels making it a must attend event for anyone interested in the business of music. Our Keynote interview with Rosanne Cash will kick off our daytime festivities on Thursday September 17th. Other notable topics include: CALL DAY: WORKING REAL RECORDS TO REAL RADIO, WORKING THE NEW NETWORK: NINE ROCK SOLID WAYS TO CONNECT WITH YOUR FANS DIGITALLY, and THE ARTIST-PRODUCER RELATIONSHIP: ONLY DREAMERS NEED APPLY and many more! if you are serious about the business of music our daytime panels are the place to be.

New Event for the Mid OHio Valley- a Bogie's revival!!!!

Bogie's Revival on The River
Saturday October 3, 2009 at 7:30pm
Rubles Sternwheelers

FLORENCE ST
BELPRE, Ohio 45714 Get Directions
MIKE MORNINGSTAR and RICK ROBERTS

$15.00 per person

Complimentary appetizers
Cash Bar
Photo ID required
21 & Over

Boarding at Civitan Park, Belpre, Ohio 7:30
cruising the river from 8pm till 11 pm

Tickets at the boat or by reservations
200 TICKET MAXIMUM

Call Ruble's Sternwheelers for details
740-423-7268

A GOOD TIME WILL BE HAD BY ALL

Ticket Info: $15.00 per person
39.2837950000 -81.5672540000

next Saturday night the Greens come to Doddridge County!

The Greens will be playing at "The Wet Sprocket" in Greenwood WV on Saturday night September 19th. I believe this is a changed-name venue from a place the Greens played a few years ago, in the unusual "between Clarksburg and Parkersburg" stretch of US Route 50. Andy told me the name of the previous venue, and Jess knew about it also. Maybe someone will remind me. This is after a Friday night gig in Randolph County, so they are getting their WV geography travelogue on. Fayette (?) County last night.

Andy's show last night at 6 Pence Pub

Andy had a solo acoustic show last night in the front room at 6 Pence Pub, while a series of heavy metal type bands played in the back room. It was not an especially big crowd in the front room, enough old friends stopping through to keep it fun; putting in some requests, n' all. Andy worked through a lot of original stuff, suited for the solo acoustic versions, and plenty of requests (many in the covers category) He kept a high energy pace moving from one song into another for long stretches of the evening. Nate came in toward the end and sang a few harmonies! They are heading down toward Summersville today for a show tonight. Andy made a trip to the music store to replace some broken harmonicas; lamenting at the price he had to pay! He seems to be managing the pace of his busy life pretty well, between a new(er) job, a new house, and the hosting open mikes and weeknight playing in Morgantown, and usually 2 shows each weekend. The Greens are settled back into a fall (school year) routine pretty much now.

Pokey LaFarge and the South City 3 were fantastic!!!

Tim Peacock (of course!) knows what he is talking about when he promotes an act as being a guaranteed great evening of entertainment. It was a beautiful September evening in Nelsonville for an outdoor show. There was an appreciative crowd; both appreciative, and trusting of a guaranteed great show, and of supporters of Stuart's Opera House. Pokey and this band put on a show of ragtime, old-timey tunes, river tunes, traveling tunes. They are a sharp group of musicians, who have a great total sound, and are another pack of hard traveling troubadours. Great stuff.

Andy Tuck (solo show) tonight at 6 Pence Pub in Parkersburg

We are excited to have Andy coming tonight to Parkersburg to play a solo show at the 6 Pence Pub. Its been a good long while since he's played in our local area. He's undoubtedly got some tales to tell about travels and venues, and the daily world for him up in Morgantown. Come out and see and hear and enjoy. There are other acts playing in the back room.

Pokey LaFarge tonight; a free show in Nelsonville- Yeah for Stuart's Opera House!!!!

Pokey LaFarge was born in the heartland of America and took to the open roads at a young age, earning the key to the freedom by hitching rides and writing boxcar ballads that spun tales of a boy finding his way through this big wide-open country. He submerged himself with the most American of music and embraced himself in the beauty of the land while picking and strumming with down-home groups everywhere he went, falling in with traveling caravans of vaudeville poets and hell-raising bluegrass pickers alike.

In true rambler fashion, LaFarge does not look back; he looks only forward on the next road ready approaching with his guitar in his hand and his voice ready to fly. His influence is deeply rooted in the heroes and misfits of yesterday; the long lost troubadours of country, the kings of swamp-drentched ragtime, and all the legendary bluesmen of the Cotton Kingdom. The result is a boiling pot of American cultures; a wonderfully fresh and quirky kind of pop music that combines delta-meets-appalachia song-writing with a big, big beat.

Even though the songs were birthed in the hills and country towns of old America, don’t call it old-timey; LaFarge is here to grace it into this modern and electric world. Along with his refreshing take on tradition, Pokey brings his irresistible charm and genuinely romantic outlook on, not only subjects such as the rivers and the land itself, but universal topics such as love, death, and real adventure. With a firm grasp on personal freedom and Shakespearean insight on humanity, Pokey remains one of the very few folks who consistently turn the abstract into a concrete reality.

Music is not just chords and notes and melody. To a person who truly loves music, it is a medium to celebrate this life. For Pokey, every show is a celebration – juke-joint style – where women twirl in their dresses and the fellas stomp their feet and clap their hands. To this day, Mr. LaFarge is still finding tranquility within the yellow highway lines playing up to two-hundred shows a year bringing his music to anyone young and old who is willing to listen.

think I should enter this blogging contest about my ol' favorite, Woody Guthrie?

On August 25, Rounder Records released a four-disc box set of rare Woody Guthrie recordings titled My Dusty Road. It's a 54-track collection, including some songs which have never been released before, and the sound quality is impeccable. There's a disc of Woody's work songs, a disc of protest tunes, a disc of his greatest hits, and one with Sonny Terry and Cisco Houston, which comes off like an impromptu jam session among friends. It's a remarkable set of recordings, and is accompanied by a book telling the story of these recordings, along with a handful of Woody's drawings.

We've teamed up with Rounder Records to give away a copy of My Dusty Road to one lucky blogger. Five runners up will receive a copy of the book. All you have to do to enter is write a blog post about how you think Woody Guthrie has influenced modern music. To inspire you, I'll attach the full track listing after the rules below. Feel free to blog about a specific song, or cast a wider net.

RULES: All entries must be created as blog posts on this site - links to your personal blog or comments on this post will not be considered as entries. To create a blog on this site, log in and choose "blog" from the Quick Add drop-down menu on the right side of the page. Please include "Woody Guthrie" in the title of your blog post. The contest will close at 11:59 p.m. PST on Tuesday, Sep 15, with winners announced the following day. Now for the full track listing:

WOODY'S GREATEST HITS
1 This Land Is Your Land
2 Going Down the Road (I Ain't Gonna Be Treated This Way)
3 Talking Sailor
4 Philadelphia Lawyer
5 Hard Travelin'
6 Jesus Christ
7 The Sinking of the Reuben James
8 Pretty Boy Floyd
9 Grand Coulee Dam
10 Nine Hundred Miles
11 Going Down the Road (I Ain't Gonna Be Treated This Way) 2
12 My Daddy (Flies a Ship in the Sky)
13 Bad Repetation

WOODY'S ROOTS
1 Poor Boy
2 Worried Man Blues
3 A Picture From Life's Other Side
4 Buffalo Skinners
5 Hard Ain't It Hard
6 Stewball
7 Stackolee
8 Gypsy Davy
9 Little Darling Pal of Mine
10 What Did the Deep Sea Say?
11 Chisholm Trail
12 Put My Little Shoes Away
13 Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone?
14 John Henry

WOODY THE AGITATOR
1 I'm Gonna Join That One Big Union (You Gotta Go Down and Join the Union)
2 Hangnot, Slipnot
3 Gonna Roll the Union On
4 The Ludlow Massacre
5 Sally Don't You Grieve
6 Harriet Tubman's Ballad part 1
7 Harriet Tubman's Ballad part 2
8 Tear the Facists Down
9 When The Yanks Go Marching In
10 You Can Hear My Whistle Blow
11 Union Burying Ground
12 You Gotta Go Down and Join the Union

WOODY, CISCO & SONNY
1 Train Breakdown
2 Do You Ever Think Of Me (aka At My Window)
3 Guitar Rag
4 Square Dance Medley
5 Guitar Breakdown
6 Raincrow Bill
7 Ain't Nobody's Business
8 Stepstone
9 Ezekiel Saw the Wheel
10 Bile Them Cabbage Down
11 Danville Girl
12 Guitar Blues
13 Brown's Ferry Blues
14 More Pretty Girls Than One
15 Sonny's Flight
Tags: american, americana, blog, blogging, community, contest, dusty, folk, guthrie, magazine

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Radney Foster

My solid musical "buddy," Fred Shreve brought me over a copy of Radney Foster's new CD- Revival (Radney Foster and the Confessions). I played it through and through over the weekend while doing errands around town to get a full listen. Fred is a big fan over many years; I haven't known anything about Foster really. A Texas songwriter, who just turned 50, he weaves in and out of many other country and Americana musicians lives. Its a great listen; I'll be finding out more about him!

review from Nashville Scene

Kieran Kane brings banjo and sax together, producing unexpected resultsShare By Jewly Hight
Published on September 02, 2009 at 9:23amIt doesn't matter so much now that Kieran Kane was scoring country hits throughout the '80s on his own and as one-half of the O'Kanes. He's still active and productive these days, only his way of doing things doesn't really jibe with the mainstream. Even so, he's probably never given a moment's thought to playing the part of the embittered industry veteran. The low-key renegade is more his style.


Kane-Do Attitude: Kieran Kane
Details:

Playing Thursday, 3rd at The Basement
Nowhere is that clearer than on his sixth solo studio album, Somewhere Behind the Roses, a sinewy, hypnotic set—strikingly so for a singer-songwriter release—that he describes as a fuller flowering of an always-present impulse: "I mean, I could go back to even before I moved to Nashville, when I lived in Los Angeles, of writing one-chord songs and songs without rhymes and things like that. It was something I started for myself, you know, 35 years ago. And I've just been doing it all along. If you look, a lot of the O'Kanes things, for example, are one- or perhaps two-chord songs. We were roundly chastised for it at the time, and maybe still are."

Or, to put it existentially: "I've been on that path, I think, for a long time of just making things simpler and simpler and trying to get down to the essence of things, just trimming off all the fat possible. And this record in a lot of ways, as a whole, really has done that for me, in the sense that it's the same four people playing the same four instruments the entire time. I'm not playing guitar on anything; Richard [Bennett] isn't switching guitars."

Instead of the singer-songwriter's best friend—acoustic guitar—Kane played banjo. He played it in an unorthodox tuning and with an improvised, rhythm-focused technique that—while it's nothing at all like Scruggs or clawhammer styles ("Most of what I do, I just kind of make it up, for better or for worse")—sounds, implausibly enough, like a distant cousin to Bo Diddley. During "I Took My Power Back"—one of two songs on the album co-written with David Olney—Kane actually slips into something like the syncopated groove of "Who Do You Love?"

Kane didn't just start using the banjo with this album. He's done it quite a bit on the three albums he's made with his present two-songwriter band, Kane Welch Kaplin (rounded out by Kevin Welch, Fats Kaplin and Kane's son Lucas)—just not on every song and not surrounded by these particular instruments. Besides the younger Kane on pulsing, minimalistic percussion and Bennett's perfectly placed tremolo, there's Deanna Varagona of Lambchop playing slyly and imaginatively on her baritone sax, sorta, kinda what a bassist might.

And that right there is another act of rebellion—implying that there's no wrong way to frame the work of a folk- and country-tinged, blues-inspired singer-songwriter. "Most people were quite alarmed when I would indicate what I was launching into," Kane says. "The banjo and the baritone sax, I think, being natural enemies, it seemed like an odd idea to most people. But I actually had an idea in my head of what it would sound like—not the notes played but the concept and what it was about sonically. What I could sort of visualize in my head was the fact that with these four instruments, there's no masking of tones. You know, like, ordinarily if you play and you have stringed instruments, to some extent they cancel each other out, because they're living in the same sonic vicinity."

Kane's instincts proved right. On the album opener, "Way Down Below," his odd little ensemble churns in and through and around his circling, modal banjo figure, summoning a quality that feels elemental but also very much alive. He's quick to credit the other musicians for any good result: "Although it's in a lot of ways a very primitive record, in a lot of ways it's very sophisticated too because of what Deanna and Richard play."

Kane's songs themselves are potent. They're made of precious few chords, coiled, compact melodies and no more words than a bluesman needs. He was a rock 'n' roll drummer all through his teenage years, and when he says, "Everything I play, I play as though it were a drum," that applies to words, too.

"I mean, really, one of my goals in life in terms of writing is to get to the point where I'm actually writing using no words at all—and I'm not being entirely facetious here—where it's just sort of sounds," Kane says. "I listen to a fair amount of music that's in foreign languages, and so I don't understand what's going on and it doesn't bother me. They could be grunting and it really doesn't make a bit of difference to me. It's more, 'Does it leave me with a feeling of some kind?' "

He admits to intentionally not enunciating during the thrumming, chant-like refrain of "Anybody's Game," "because the words were not that important to me." Lyrics not mattering? From an accomplished songwriter in this town, that's refreshing sacrilege.

Email music@nashvillescene.com.

I keep making mistakes/ typos

I spelled Corinne West's name wrong in the previous post about her website- I spelled her name right in the title, but not the body of the post. I guess even with the typo it gets you there, but I shoulda spelled the name right.

message from Matt Starcher- good buddy

Matt sends me this e-mail:

"i have going out and playing the open mics as follows,please mention them in your local music column.sun xjclubhouse,tues coyote uglys,wed 6 pence.you may mention my name in affiliation.thanks matt"

I recognize 6 Pence, and coyote ugly's but I can't place "xj clubhouse." Matt, give me more details!!!!

benefit music show upcoming for Todd Heslep

Saturday, September 26th there will be a live music benefit in New Martinsville, that is partly a benefit for Todd Heslep, who has brain cancer. Starting at 6:30 (doors open) at the Lincoln Theatre there will be the 42nd season of family shows by the Ebert Brothers Country Variety Shows. It will also be benefiting Kent Ebert of the family, who has also been diagnosed with cancer. Make the trip up the river to support the two fellows, and hear some good music.

Grammy's New Category: Americana

By Jerry Shriver, USA TODAY
Will civil war break out when nominees for the new Americana-album Grammy are announced this fall? The field is loaded: Bob Dylan, John Fogerty, Wilco,Lucinda Williams and Elvis Costello have all released Americana-style albums in the eligibility window. And there are at least a half-dozen Americana acts whose well-received works could earn a nod. USA TODAY looks at a handful of emerging contenders.
Buddy & Julie Miller, Written in Chalk
The sound: Country/soul/gospel duo backed by Buddy's adroit guitar.
Sample tracks:Everytime We Say Goodbye, Chalk, Long Time
Back story: Called the first couple of Americana, the Millers are noted for their solo albums, their songs for other artists (Dixie Chicks, Patty Loveless) and Buddy's session work. Their self-titled 2001 album was a contemporary folk nominee.
Leg up: Buddy played guitar behind best-album winners Alison Krauss and Robert Plant on tour.

Son Volt, American Central Dust
The sound: Rugged alt-country balladeers with a touch of The Byrds.
Sample tracks:Dynamite, Cocaine and Ashes, Pushed Too Far
Back story: Leader Jay Farrar helped pioneer alt-country when he and Jeff Tweedy (now of Wilco) were writing partners in Uncle Tupelo in the late 1980s. The band released three acclaimed albums in the '90s, then went on hiatus as Farrar pursued solo projects. Dust is the revived group's (now a quintet) third release in four years.
Leg up: Sobering, downbeat commentary on America's plight seems right for the times.

Ryan Bingham & the Dead Horses, Roadhouse Sun
The sound: Driving honky-tonk propelled by cigarette-ravaged vocals and fierce guitars.
Sample tracks:Day Is Done, Change Is, Dylan's Hard Rain
Back story: Hard-living Texan Bingham, 28, has been on his own since his midteens and rode bulls on the rodeo circuit before becoming a troubadour. Major-label debut Mescalito (2007) earned him comparisons to Bruce Springsteen and Exile on Main Street-era Rolling Stones.
Leg up:Roadhouse is easily the most high-energy album in the field, and its sharp lyrics keep pace.

The Flatlanders, Hills and Valleys
The sound: Three distinctive Tex-Mex-inflected voices backed by mostly acoustic instruments.
Sample tracks:Homeland Refugee, No Way I'll Never Need You, Borderless Love
Back story: The Americana supergroup unites Texas-based solo artists Jimmie Dale Gilmore, Butch Hancock and Joe Ely (and for this album, Grammy-winning producer Lloyd Maines). Hills and Valleys is the group's first album in five years and fourth studio album in the past 30 years.
Leg up: All three members have either won or been nominated for Grammys.

Justin Townes Earle, Midnight at the Movies
The sound: Sometimes folk, sometimes acoustic blues, sometimes ragtime.
Sample tracks:Mama's Eyes, Someday I'll Be Forgiven for This
Back story: The son of two-time Grammy winner Steve Earle was named for the legendary Townes Van Zandt and has shared both men's appetite for self-destruction. Midnight is his second solo album.
Leg up: Since Earle cleaned up his act, his talent for spare, simple songwriting has drawn Hank Williams comparisons.

Todd Snider, The Excitement Plan
The sound: Snarky, wry, confessional lyrics with spare, bluesy guitar-picking and tinkly piano backing.
Sample tracks:Don't Tempt Me, America's Favorite Pastime, Bring 'em Home
Back story: The 42-year-old has built a national following for his tight, humorous songs. Producer Don Was oversaw this project, and Loretta Lynn chips in with a song and a guest vocal.
Leg up: With nine albums over 15 years, it's time for the man Rolling Stone calls "quite possibly America's sharpest musical storyteller" to reap glory.