I'll consider this week a bit of a milestone for this blog space. As some of you read this on October 10 I'll be in the air, on route to Nashville, Tennessee to attend my first Americana Music Association Conference and Music Festival. Nashville is a really special city. If you love music, any genre of music, Nashville is a place to visit, enjoy and appreciate. Nashville earns its moniker of "Music City USA" for good reason. This is where the finest songwriters and musicians, the famous and not-so-famous, and fresh-faced music rookies all ply their trade. I'm very much looking forward to attending this Conference and Festival.
I've been paying close attention to the Americana Music Association website for the past several weeks as the Conference schedule and Showcase lineup has grown and expanded over time. My first thought is, "Sweet Jesus, this could be overwhelming ... there is a TON of stuff to do and try to take in." However, I feel more than up for the challenge to attend as many of the sessions as I can, and attend as many showcase events as I can. Yes, it is mostly about the music, but I am there to learn as much as I can in a week as well. I am a proud member of the Americana Music Association and my ultimate goal is to see what more I can do to showcase the great art that is Americana music. The week itself reaches a pinnacle on Thursday evening as the 10th annual Americana Music Association Honors and Awards ceremony takes place at the Mother Church of Country Music, the Ryman Auditorium.
I invite all of you who visit this site to come back often, especially this week, as I'll be submitting blog pieces every day on my upcoming adventure. I'll be writing about the daily events, the Showcase's that I've attended the night before, and a couple of extra features as well. On Wednesday morning, look for a piece on my visit to the Tuesday night broadcast of the Grand Ole Opry and on Thursday morning, I'll be stating my predictions for that evenings Americana Music Association Awards, with the Awards recap on Friday morning.
It's going to be an exciting week and I'm really looking forward to sharing this experience with you. If anyone reading this is attending, I hope to see you in Nashville!!
Sunday, October 9, 2011
Wednesday, September 28, 2011
"What Will Become of the Hard Working Man?"
That question, which could also be a statement, is the title of a track from Marty Stuart's latest release, "Ghost Train: The Studio B Sessions." Recorded at RCA's famed Studio B, this album is the latest in a long line of quality, down-to-earth country music at its roots that Marty Stuart has become famous for. I reviewed this album in a previous post, but I wanted to focus specifically on this track for today's piece.
I was driving home after working at my day job (the one that pays the bills and helps fund this new love that I have for the Americana genre), when I popped this CD in the player and had a listen. It's funny how you can listen to a new disc and analyze it with all its newness, yet when you hear it again after a long break, only then do you realize how profound a couple of the tracks can be. "What Will Become of the Hard Working Man?" is such a track.
As I've mentioned before, and highlighted in the "Art of Social Relevance" piece, country music (and by extension Americana) has enjoyed a long, lengthy history of capturing the social fabric of the lower and middle classes around the world. Certain songs become part of the social conscience, no matter how large a commercial success that particular song may be. In this case, "What Will Become of the Hard Working Man?" will not appear on any mainstream charts, but it could appear on the Americana chart. Wherever it may or may not end up this song, like Ronnie Dunn's "Cost of Livin'" strikes at the very core of society as it exists today. Where Dunn's "Cost of Livin'" shares a story of a job applicant near the end of his rope, "What Will Become of the Hard Working Man?" is a scathing indictment of the powers that be that allowed such a catastrophic recession to happen in the first place. It's a scathing indictment of those that have and will contract jobs to other nations while watching their fellow countrymen and women starve -- all in the name of profits. It's a scathing indictment of all the executives that begged Washington for money and once they got their bailout, made damn sure they lined their own pockets with buyouts and bonuses first before they took care of their staff ... only by then most of the money was gone. Gone to the said buyouts and bonuses.
Marty Stuart has a long and storied history in the music business. I believe this particular song is his crowning achievement, far more important and far bigger than his charted commercial success. He has successfully captured this moment in time and framed it for future generations to listen and understand how desperate the situation was and is for people and families in 2011. It also captures one stark fact: while the song asks the point-blank question, "What Will Become of the Hard Working Man?", there are no answers forthcoming. Which is exactly where we are today.
I was driving home after working at my day job (the one that pays the bills and helps fund this new love that I have for the Americana genre), when I popped this CD in the player and had a listen. It's funny how you can listen to a new disc and analyze it with all its newness, yet when you hear it again after a long break, only then do you realize how profound a couple of the tracks can be. "What Will Become of the Hard Working Man?" is such a track.
As I've mentioned before, and highlighted in the "Art of Social Relevance" piece, country music (and by extension Americana) has enjoyed a long, lengthy history of capturing the social fabric of the lower and middle classes around the world. Certain songs become part of the social conscience, no matter how large a commercial success that particular song may be. In this case, "What Will Become of the Hard Working Man?" will not appear on any mainstream charts, but it could appear on the Americana chart. Wherever it may or may not end up this song, like Ronnie Dunn's "Cost of Livin'" strikes at the very core of society as it exists today. Where Dunn's "Cost of Livin'" shares a story of a job applicant near the end of his rope, "What Will Become of the Hard Working Man?" is a scathing indictment of the powers that be that allowed such a catastrophic recession to happen in the first place. It's a scathing indictment of those that have and will contract jobs to other nations while watching their fellow countrymen and women starve -- all in the name of profits. It's a scathing indictment of all the executives that begged Washington for money and once they got their bailout, made damn sure they lined their own pockets with buyouts and bonuses first before they took care of their staff ... only by then most of the money was gone. Gone to the said buyouts and bonuses.
Marty Stuart has a long and storied history in the music business. I believe this particular song is his crowning achievement, far more important and far bigger than his charted commercial success. He has successfully captured this moment in time and framed it for future generations to listen and understand how desperate the situation was and is for people and families in 2011. It also captures one stark fact: while the song asks the point-blank question, "What Will Become of the Hard Working Man?", there are no answers forthcoming. Which is exactly where we are today.
Monday, September 19, 2011
Tragic Legacy: Hank Williams, Sr.
For the last few weeks I've been reading Paul Hemphill's biography of Hank Williams Sr. "Lovesick Blues: The Life of Hank Williams." Published in 2005 by Penguin Books, Hemphill takes a unique approach in his analysis of the elder Williams in that he speaks to the special bond he had with his father through his early exposure to Hank Williams Sr. The approach makes for a very interesting read, as it's clear from the outset that Hemphill has more than just a monetary interest in the quality of this project. This is a project from the heart, as much a tribute to his father as it is to the legacy of Hank Williams. This is not a bad thing.
I picked up this book when I was at the local library. The covering artwork caught my eye at first and then I realized, I had never read a book on Hank Williams, Sr. I'm a huge fan of Hank Williams, Jr, and I like some of Hank III's stuff, but I had never seemed to take the time to read a proper biography on the first superstar in all of music. It struck me that it was time to correct this error, and so I set out to read Hemphill's take on Hank's life.
I do like how Hemphilll starts the book off by relating personal childhood memories of being introduced to Hank Williams, Sr.'s music from his truck-driving father in 1949. This was long before the days of satellite radio and truck cabs with luxury sleepers in the back. The road was long and lonesome, with all-night radio a truckers only company. Hank Sr. sure gave them something to listen to, and Paul Hemphill and his father listened up in a hurry.
Hemphill had a lot of valued assistance in writing his book from Hank's right-hand of the Drifting Cowboys, Don Helms, as well as Marty Stuart and a host of other Nashville historians. This allows Hemphill to paint a vivid picture of the tragic life that was Hank William's Sr.'s existence for virtually his entire all-to-short life. Growing up in a home with a controlling and (one could argue) unloving mother, Hank spent his whole life trying to find the love that he never really received at a young age. Following an accident, his father had been pushed out of the picture by his mother. Never receiving a proper education, somehow he managed to channel his creativity into singing and songwriting. Along with this natural talent however, came an early and lifelong addiction to alcohol. It's well known that this addiction would ultimately cost him his life in the early morning hours of New Year's Day in his Cadillac en route to Canton, Ohio. But what is not as well known, at least to my generation, is how crippling this addiction really was.
Hemphill's book paint's a picture that is at times beautiful, yet so tragic at the same time. He speaks in detail of the times where Hank would stay sober for an extended period, then he would fall completely off the rails to the point where his career would suffer immeasurably. Hemphill is quite critical of the women in Hank's life, specifically his mother Lillie and his first wife Audrey (the mother of Hank Williams, Jr.), however, Hemphill portrays the elder Hank's second wife Billie Jean in a rather sympathetic role. From Hemphill's account, Billie Jean really does seem like the only woman who truly loved and supported Hank Williams, Sr. during his lifetime.
At the time of his death, Hank Sr. was arguably the first real superstar in all of music. What may not have been known at that time is what a mess his personal life and career had become. It did seem like he could have turned his life around when he met and married Billie Jean. I found myself really pulling for him to get it together, almost willing a different outcome that the world has known for almost 60 years. Sadly, like the story goes when most stars fade at the height of their prime, Hank's popularity would soar higher than it had ever been. It remains strong to this day, 58 years after his death. Truly, an amazing legacy that may or may not loom as large as it does had he survived.
Paul Hemphill does a great job putting together this story, which makes for a nice read. This book is a great start for anyone who is looking to begin their journey in learning about arguably the greatest singer-songwriter in history. Check out "Lovesick Blues: The Life of Hank Williams" at your local bookstore or library.
I picked up this book when I was at the local library. The covering artwork caught my eye at first and then I realized, I had never read a book on Hank Williams, Sr. I'm a huge fan of Hank Williams, Jr, and I like some of Hank III's stuff, but I had never seemed to take the time to read a proper biography on the first superstar in all of music. It struck me that it was time to correct this error, and so I set out to read Hemphill's take on Hank's life.
I do like how Hemphilll starts the book off by relating personal childhood memories of being introduced to Hank Williams, Sr.'s music from his truck-driving father in 1949. This was long before the days of satellite radio and truck cabs with luxury sleepers in the back. The road was long and lonesome, with all-night radio a truckers only company. Hank Sr. sure gave them something to listen to, and Paul Hemphill and his father listened up in a hurry.
Hemphill had a lot of valued assistance in writing his book from Hank's right-hand of the Drifting Cowboys, Don Helms, as well as Marty Stuart and a host of other Nashville historians. This allows Hemphill to paint a vivid picture of the tragic life that was Hank William's Sr.'s existence for virtually his entire all-to-short life. Growing up in a home with a controlling and (one could argue) unloving mother, Hank spent his whole life trying to find the love that he never really received at a young age. Following an accident, his father had been pushed out of the picture by his mother. Never receiving a proper education, somehow he managed to channel his creativity into singing and songwriting. Along with this natural talent however, came an early and lifelong addiction to alcohol. It's well known that this addiction would ultimately cost him his life in the early morning hours of New Year's Day in his Cadillac en route to Canton, Ohio. But what is not as well known, at least to my generation, is how crippling this addiction really was.
Hemphill's book paint's a picture that is at times beautiful, yet so tragic at the same time. He speaks in detail of the times where Hank would stay sober for an extended period, then he would fall completely off the rails to the point where his career would suffer immeasurably. Hemphill is quite critical of the women in Hank's life, specifically his mother Lillie and his first wife Audrey (the mother of Hank Williams, Jr.), however, Hemphill portrays the elder Hank's second wife Billie Jean in a rather sympathetic role. From Hemphill's account, Billie Jean really does seem like the only woman who truly loved and supported Hank Williams, Sr. during his lifetime.
At the time of his death, Hank Sr. was arguably the first real superstar in all of music. What may not have been known at that time is what a mess his personal life and career had become. It did seem like he could have turned his life around when he met and married Billie Jean. I found myself really pulling for him to get it together, almost willing a different outcome that the world has known for almost 60 years. Sadly, like the story goes when most stars fade at the height of their prime, Hank's popularity would soar higher than it had ever been. It remains strong to this day, 58 years after his death. Truly, an amazing legacy that may or may not loom as large as it does had he survived.
Paul Hemphill does a great job putting together this story, which makes for a nice read. This book is a great start for anyone who is looking to begin their journey in learning about arguably the greatest singer-songwriter in history. Check out "Lovesick Blues: The Life of Hank Williams" at your local bookstore or library.
Monday, September 12, 2011
Misunderstanding Shooter Jennings
Recently, while listening to Outlaw Country on my Sirius/XM radio, I heard the new Shooter Jennings tune that is creating all kinds of controversy in many music circles. The tune, "Outlaw You", speaks to a recent spate of newer mainstream country artists who are finding success in Nashville, while claiming to be "outlaws" in the same vein of Waylon Jennings. Of course, if these alleged comments have actually been said, those comments are rather ill-advised to say the least, and border on the absurd at the worst.
Since this songs release, Shooter has taken some heat from some fans as they speculate over the target of his well-intended message. I have my opinion on who it could be, but it would only be speculation as well, and I'd rather not get into that. The question I have for those who are railing against Shooter is, "What do you expect the guy to do?" For anyone to allegedly come out and say they are anything like Waylon Jennings, in my mind, hasn't done their proper research. I make no claims about being an expert on Waylon, but his trials and tribulations against the well-controlled recording establishment in Nashville to wrest creative control are well documented. One need only read Waylon's autobiography from the mid-1990's to see how tough it really was for Waylon, and how big a gamble this move was. It was a gamble that could have cost him his career, his livelihood. Had Waylon lost the battle, it wouldn't have been just his loss. It would have been a resounding defeat to all recording artists in every genre of music at that time as well as all of those that followed. Creative control rarely existed, if it all, until Waylon Jennings came to town, took on the Nashville establishment, and won.
So how, really, can any of today's artists come to Nashville for a country music career (or otherwise) and claim to be another Waylon Jennings, at least as far as the "outlaw/rebel" tag is concerned? I don't really think anyone can. I think they can say they are paying homage to the man that made creative freedom in the music industry a reality. But to claim that you're Waylon in a lot of ways, disrespects the sacrifice and the tremendous effort that Waylon Jennings exerted to make creative control for recording artists across North America a real possibility. Indeed, many artists of all genres today owe a great debt to the battle fought, and won, by Waylon Jennings.
With this in mind, I don't blame Shooter Jennings, Waylon and Jessi's only son, for taking hombrage to anyone who claims they are another Waylon. He would have seen the sacrifice first-hand and lived it along with his parents. Comments from fans who are not as supportive of Shooter border on the ridiculous. People are entitled to their opinion, which is something everyone can express. But if you're going to comment on Shooter's thoughts, feelings, and music, perhaps you should listen to his music. Shooter, much like his dad, isn't in the business to sell a bunch of records. He's there for the music, and creating the music he feels that is relevant to him. He is a stylist, a true artist. Above all, he is a son who is honoring his father's life, legacy, music and above all, his father's sacrifice to an industry that allows performers to create music for their own creative purposes, not necessarily for commercial gain.
Since this songs release, Shooter has taken some heat from some fans as they speculate over the target of his well-intended message. I have my opinion on who it could be, but it would only be speculation as well, and I'd rather not get into that. The question I have for those who are railing against Shooter is, "What do you expect the guy to do?" For anyone to allegedly come out and say they are anything like Waylon Jennings, in my mind, hasn't done their proper research. I make no claims about being an expert on Waylon, but his trials and tribulations against the well-controlled recording establishment in Nashville to wrest creative control are well documented. One need only read Waylon's autobiography from the mid-1990's to see how tough it really was for Waylon, and how big a gamble this move was. It was a gamble that could have cost him his career, his livelihood. Had Waylon lost the battle, it wouldn't have been just his loss. It would have been a resounding defeat to all recording artists in every genre of music at that time as well as all of those that followed. Creative control rarely existed, if it all, until Waylon Jennings came to town, took on the Nashville establishment, and won.
So how, really, can any of today's artists come to Nashville for a country music career (or otherwise) and claim to be another Waylon Jennings, at least as far as the "outlaw/rebel" tag is concerned? I don't really think anyone can. I think they can say they are paying homage to the man that made creative freedom in the music industry a reality. But to claim that you're Waylon in a lot of ways, disrespects the sacrifice and the tremendous effort that Waylon Jennings exerted to make creative control for recording artists across North America a real possibility. Indeed, many artists of all genres today owe a great debt to the battle fought, and won, by Waylon Jennings.
With this in mind, I don't blame Shooter Jennings, Waylon and Jessi's only son, for taking hombrage to anyone who claims they are another Waylon. He would have seen the sacrifice first-hand and lived it along with his parents. Comments from fans who are not as supportive of Shooter border on the ridiculous. People are entitled to their opinion, which is something everyone can express. But if you're going to comment on Shooter's thoughts, feelings, and music, perhaps you should listen to his music. Shooter, much like his dad, isn't in the business to sell a bunch of records. He's there for the music, and creating the music he feels that is relevant to him. He is a stylist, a true artist. Above all, he is a son who is honoring his father's life, legacy, music and above all, his father's sacrifice to an industry that allows performers to create music for their own creative purposes, not necessarily for commercial gain.
Wednesday, August 31, 2011
Ottawa Folk Festival Concert Review Park 2: Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison; and Jimmy Rankin
My experience at the Ottawa Folk Festival for this year concluded with two acts that I have followed for a long time. The husband and wife team of Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison may not be household names per se, but if you follow mainstream country music in any way, you are well aware of at least Bruce Robison. The career of Kelly Willis has always been a mystery to me. She has one of the most unique and soothing voices of any female performer out there today, yet she has been completely unable to break through as a mainstream country artist. Hell, I don’t know if one can really say she’s broken through as an Americana artist, but I’m willing to go with saying that she has. Kelly and Bruce took to the main stage following Hayes Carll, and they did not disappoint. Kelly Willis has such a wonderful voice, she really sounds like no one else. Together with Bruce Robison, they are akin to a songwriters version of Conway Twitty and Loretta Lynn. Bruce Robison is a songwriter whose career is on fire right now. Many songs familiar to fans of George Strait have been written by Bruce Robison, perhaps with George’s number one from a few years ago off the It Just Comes Natural Album, “Wrapped.” Bruce has also had the pleasure of writing a song that became an enigma unto itself. “Travelling Soldier”, which in my opinion was the best performance of the night from Bruce and Kelly, was a big number one hit by the Dixie Chicks in 2003 from their “Long Road Home” album. The song rocketed to the top of the country charts and then the success of the tune was blindsided. The same week that it hit number one Natalie Maines, the lead singer of the Dixie Chicks, mentioned to a London, England crowd that they were ashamed the President of the United States was from their home state of Texas. Keep in mind, we’re talking about 2003. Once those uttered words reached American soil, “Travelling Soldier” became the fastest descending number one song in chart history. But as Mr. Robison stated, he is very proud of that song, and rightly so. Kelly and Bruce don’t perform together very often, so those of us who attended on this cold Sunday afternoon were fortunate to see them. I note on their web site that they will be performing at this year’s Americana Music Festival in Nashville, Tennessee in October. I hope to catch them again during their performance, if the schedule allows it. These two are great everyone, among the best singer-songwriters from the Great State of Texas that you will hear. Do check them out, either separately or collectively as the performance allows. They were an excellent lead-in to the final headlining act on the main stage, The Levon Helm Band.
However, I did not stay to watch The Levon Helm Band performance in their entirety. I saw the opening number, “The Shape I’m In”, as much for curiosity as anything. I did have a plan to watch Jimmy Rankin. He was playing on a separate stage at the same time as Levon Helm. The one thing I noticed about Levon Helm and everyone else was that everyone else performing at the festival packed pretty light. No roadies, just the performers taking their own guitars, drums, various string instruments off the stage themselves. Not so with Levon. These guys were a 13 member band with every instrument imaginable out on that stage. The sound was great, but holy mackerel, what a contrast to the other performers I had seen to that point, as well as Jimmy Rankin.
Jimmy Rankin has been a mainstay in Canadian country/folk/Canadiana/Americana music for over 20 years now. Originally the male voice and driving songwriter for the well known family band The Rankin Family, Jimmy has carved out a very respectable career as a solo artist in Canada. Having recently made the move to Nashville from his native Inverness County, Nova Scotia (on Cape Breton Island), Jimmy Rankin has recently released a new album titled Forget About the World that has received rave reviews and spawned a huge hit at radio, “Here in My Heart.” Jimmy Rankin has to be one of my favorite performers. The last time I saw him perform live was also in Ottawa, as he opened for Great Big Sea as part of the 2004 Grey Cup festivities (the Grey Cup is the championship of the Canadian Football League). This time around, Jimmy performed with just one player accompanying him on guitar. Rolling through a long line of hits such as “Midnight Angel”, “Follow Her Around” the aforementioned “Here in My Heart”, Jimmy introduced a fantastic new song based on a legendary figure from Cape Breton. “Colorado Dave” is the story of a young man who leaves Cape Breton to explore and find himself out west in the 1800’s. What Dave found was his way to the Jesse James gang. The song carefully and creatively tells the story of Dave, complete with his trials and tribulations, as well as his return home to his family in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia. Jimmy also has the foresight to know that his show would not be complete without a nod to the act that brought him to the international stage, as the show included a few hits by the Rankin Family. Jimmy did a fantastic job of dusting off Rankin Family classics such as “Orangedale Whistle” and “You Feel the Same Way Too.” Jimmy’s show brought back great memories for me personally, as The Rankin Family played the one and only country music festival that took place in Minden, Ontario many, many years ago. My grandmother, who has since passed away, and I attended that day long show that was capped off by the Rankin’s. I have a lot of great memories from that day with my grandmother, and I certainly treasure them.
One last point on Jimmy’s show. I would say that Jimmy Rankin wins the Trooper of the Weekend award, if such an award were to be issued. Jimmy had the tough task of playing on a neighbouring stage at the same time as The Levon Helm Band. Let’s just say that the added gear from Levon was enough to win any sound competition that may have existed between the two stages. Jimmy, to his credit, took it all in stride. He exhibited great professionalism and the truly wonderful sense of humour that exists with a great many people who are from the East Coast of Canada.
Tuesday, August 30, 2011
Ottawa Folk Festival Concert Review Part 1: Sean McCann and Hayes Carll
Yesterday, I wrote about my first excursion to the Ottawa Folk Festival, which was my first experience at such an event. My focus of the day was to check out four acts on what was a very large bill. Today's write up is on the first two artists that I had the pleasure of seeing on the main stage at the show, Sean McCann and Hayes Carll.
It was life and death trying to get to Hog's Back Park, the location for the folk festival, in time for the 4:45 start of Sean McCann's portion of the show. It's not like Ottawa is around the corner from my hometown, and making a wrong turn on Riverside didn't help ... but luck was apparently on my side, as I reached the ticket booth at 4:43 and walked in to the festival area just in time to hear Sean McCann being introduced. What followed was a wonderful hour long performance by one of the truly great veterans of Canadian and East Coast folk music. Sean McCann is one of the founding members of the fabulous band from Newfoundland and Labrador, Great Big Sea. McCann, understanding that there can only be one Great Big Sea, has embarked on solo career on the side where the music is much different than that of his GBS alter-ego. The music of Sean McCann is much quieter, much softer, and more personal than the rocking-Celtic sound of Great Big Sea. And, it pays off for McCann, as he shows fans old and new of another side to his great creativity. With many years of performing on a stage behind him, and many more ahead of him for that matter, Sean McCann has such a welcoming stage presence and persona that no matter the size of the venue, it feels like you're sitting in Sean's living room -- or kitchen, as the tradition goes "down east" -- while Sean and his capable back-up musicians walk you through a personal history of growing up in Newfoundland. The beautifully crafted song dedicated to his grandparents, "The Reply (The Ballad of John and Mary)", perfectly illustrates McCann's ability to capture a highly personal story and share it with his fans ... fans, who come away feeling more like friends by the time the show is over. Sean has recorded two solo albums, "Lullabies for Bloodshot Eyes" and "Son of a Sailor", both of which are for sale via his web site or your local record store. Sean's web site contains a sampler portion where you can listen to all the tracks from the two albums. Many of these tracks are performed by Sean on stage, and they are all gems. In addition to "The Reply", pay particular attention to "Wish", "Don't Cry (for Keegan)" and "Hold Me Steady."
Hayes Carll has been around for a number of years, but this year in particular has been somewhat of a breakthrough for this Americana singer, what with appearances on the Tonight Show and Imus in the Morning. Hayes Carll is a wonderful stylist who is finding acceptance and appreciation from mainstream media who have placed his album "KMAG YOYO" at the top of many critic's choice lists. The great appeals of Carll as a stage performer, is his deadpan delivery of stories from the road and his keen ability to capture life and society in a song. Telling the story of his Tonight Show experience was from the point of view that some things don't quite work out the way we would like them to be ... for example, with the Tonight Show appearance, Hayes and the boys were looking forward to meeting a big-time celebrity and, with all do respect, got Kathie Lee Gifford instead. You know what I mean ...
Hayes and his talented band rolled through tune after tune from his award-nominated album "KMAG YOYO" with tight precision. Carll took care of the rest with his great vocals and more wonderful storytelling, as he deftly setup each performance by providing the back story to the song's creation. Two particular stories and songs stand out in particular. The story of two politically opposite, yet lonely and somewhat intoxicated, people falling for each other in "Another Like You." As Carll has said before, and he said it in Ottawa, "alcohol and sexual attraction can overcome a lot. " The other great story and song that was written, was a co-write with Bobby Bare, Jr. a tune called "One Bed, Two Girls and Three Bottles of Wine." This was a great song about a situation that is often fantasized about, yet has a somewhat tragic ending ... if you know what I mean. I'm looking forward to catching Hayes Carll and his band in Nashville this October at the Americana Music Festival and Conference. The album, on Lost Highway Records, is nominated at this year's Americana Music Awards for Album of the Year.
Both Sean McCann and Hayes Carll are on tour throughout the United States this fall. Check out their respective web sites for dates and cities, and be sure to check them out when they come to or near your hometown.
Tomorrow: Reviews on Kelly Willis and Bruce Robison, and Jimmy Rankin.
Monday, August 29, 2011
Discovering Folk Heaven
It was an exciting day for me yesterday (Sunday August 28, 2011). While I've been writing this blog for over a year now, yesterday was my first experience at a major folk festival. The Ottawa Folk Festival is, as the name suggests, in Ottawa, Ontario, Canada's National Capital. Ottawa is roughly a three and a half hour drive up Hwys. 401 and 416, which is more than manageable. This trip however, was completely spur of the moment. While contemplating on whether or not I was prepared to make the drive on Saturday night, I pretty much decided to go at the drop of a hat on Sunday morning. The festival itself had been going on since Thursday, with such top flight folk and Americana acts as Steve Earle and the Dukes and Duchesses, with Allison Moorer, Steve's son Justin Townes Earle, Bruce Hornsby and the Noise Makers, Hawksley Workman, the Punch Brothers, with a long list of local, national and international artists taking three stages over a four day weekend. My reasons for going up on Sunday to check out a few people I've wanted to see for a long time, and they all happened to be playing on Sunday, one right after the other. So, while I would love to have been there for all four days, if I could only do one day it was going to be Sunday. I'll have the concert reviews from Sean McCann, Hayes Carll, Kelly Willis & Bruce Robison, and Jimmy Rankin posted over the next two days, but for now I'm going to talk about this festival.
The Ottawa Folk Festival, as I mentioned, was my first experience at what I'll call a major folk festival. I had hoped to check out the Newport Folk Festival this year, but you know how it goes, things happen and sadly, I couldn't be there. I will say though, for a first experience, the Ottawa Folk Festival is absolutely wonderful. I arrived in time to see Sean McCann take the main stage at 4:45, with a crowd of hearty people that braved the effects of then Tropical Storm Irene. Don't let the word "tropical" fool you either ... it was anything but tropical. It was freakin' cold for August. It's like someone turned summer off at around midnight, or some crap like that. Anyway, I got my ticket and walk over to the stage to listen to the show, and I can't help but notice how different this festival is compared to the festival I'm used to attending in July. If you'll recall an earlier piece for this blog, I usually attend Jamboree in the Hills, a four day country music festival that is one of the biggest parties on the planet. One of my good friends sums up Jamboree in the Hills quite nicely, specifically some of the craziness that you can see over the course of those four days ... "You can't make this s**t up." And that's the truth. At Jamboree in the Hills, you truly can't make that s**t up. There are at least two moments over the course of that time that will make your jaw drop, make a double-take and just simply say "What in the hell did I just see?!"
Clearly, the Ottawa Folk Festival doesn't quite have that crazy shock value, at least from what I could tell on Sunday. The crowd was a great cross-section of people. There were students, couples, groups of friends, artists, hippies and a few eccentric types, all of which made for a very cool feeling. Everyone was there to celebrate the art of it all, not so much the party. There was no judgement on anyone. Whether it was the music, the artist and musician workshops, or the visual artists selling their works in the vendor section, everyone who attended was there to celebrate arts, music and people. It was a very relaxed atmosphere. I quite liked the community aspect of the Festival, as there were tents set up for jam sessions where attendees can bring their own instruments and play among old and new friends for a time. Health and wellness is actually promoted at this Festival, with organic fare offered in the food services area of the Festival grounds. A different kind of wellness is offered at Jamboree, which admittedly, is pretty cool too for those few days.
I would say ten, twelve, or maybe fifteen years ago, I don't think I would have appreciated or "got" the Ottawa Folk Festival for what it is. It seems to me the Ottawa Folk Festival, and indeed other folk festivals that I have researched since returning home early this morning, that arts, music, health and well-being are staples of folk festivals in North America. I can't speak about overseas festivals because I haven't researched them yet. But this was a very cool, very relaxing and invigorating experience. This doesn't mean I won't be going back to Jamboree, far from it really. I'm planning on going back next year for my thirteenth visit. It's a community as well, and a community of really great people that I get to see once a year and I think the world of them. But I can tell that I've grown to really love and appreciate this type of music that I really don't believe I would have accepted in my 20's, for whatever strange reason. Whatever that reason was, it's not relevant today. The Ottawa Folk Festival was the first major folk festival that I attended ... the first of many to come.
The Ottawa Folk Festival, as I mentioned, was my first experience at what I'll call a major folk festival. I had hoped to check out the Newport Folk Festival this year, but you know how it goes, things happen and sadly, I couldn't be there. I will say though, for a first experience, the Ottawa Folk Festival is absolutely wonderful. I arrived in time to see Sean McCann take the main stage at 4:45, with a crowd of hearty people that braved the effects of then Tropical Storm Irene. Don't let the word "tropical" fool you either ... it was anything but tropical. It was freakin' cold for August. It's like someone turned summer off at around midnight, or some crap like that. Anyway, I got my ticket and walk over to the stage to listen to the show, and I can't help but notice how different this festival is compared to the festival I'm used to attending in July. If you'll recall an earlier piece for this blog, I usually attend Jamboree in the Hills, a four day country music festival that is one of the biggest parties on the planet. One of my good friends sums up Jamboree in the Hills quite nicely, specifically some of the craziness that you can see over the course of those four days ... "You can't make this s**t up." And that's the truth. At Jamboree in the Hills, you truly can't make that s**t up. There are at least two moments over the course of that time that will make your jaw drop, make a double-take and just simply say "What in the hell did I just see?!"
Clearly, the Ottawa Folk Festival doesn't quite have that crazy shock value, at least from what I could tell on Sunday. The crowd was a great cross-section of people. There were students, couples, groups of friends, artists, hippies and a few eccentric types, all of which made for a very cool feeling. Everyone was there to celebrate the art of it all, not so much the party. There was no judgement on anyone. Whether it was the music, the artist and musician workshops, or the visual artists selling their works in the vendor section, everyone who attended was there to celebrate arts, music and people. It was a very relaxed atmosphere. I quite liked the community aspect of the Festival, as there were tents set up for jam sessions where attendees can bring their own instruments and play among old and new friends for a time. Health and wellness is actually promoted at this Festival, with organic fare offered in the food services area of the Festival grounds. A different kind of wellness is offered at Jamboree, which admittedly, is pretty cool too for those few days.
I would say ten, twelve, or maybe fifteen years ago, I don't think I would have appreciated or "got" the Ottawa Folk Festival for what it is. It seems to me the Ottawa Folk Festival, and indeed other folk festivals that I have researched since returning home early this morning, that arts, music, health and well-being are staples of folk festivals in North America. I can't speak about overseas festivals because I haven't researched them yet. But this was a very cool, very relaxing and invigorating experience. This doesn't mean I won't be going back to Jamboree, far from it really. I'm planning on going back next year for my thirteenth visit. It's a community as well, and a community of really great people that I get to see once a year and I think the world of them. But I can tell that I've grown to really love and appreciate this type of music that I really don't believe I would have accepted in my 20's, for whatever strange reason. Whatever that reason was, it's not relevant today. The Ottawa Folk Festival was the first major folk festival that I attended ... the first of many to come.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)