I've always admired artists who are not afraid to take up a challenge. As I've come to know, one of the toughest challenges in the world is trying to establish yourself in the music business. It takes an immense amount of time, patience, perserverance, more patience, dedication, commitment, discipline and top it off with some more patience. So when I received the promo copy of this album from Kim Grant at KG Music Press, I was curious.
Stephen David Austin is a California native who is a long-time veteran of the West Coast music scene who has recently released his debut solo album, A Bakersfield Dozen. Austin has been in the music game for a long time, and this album is a labour of love that catches the listener with brilliant songwriting, first rate musicianship and strong vocals from Austin. Staying true to California country/Americana roots, Austin takes us on a journey that harkens back to country music of days gone by, mixed wonderfully with the issues of today. Opening up with "Best Ex I Ever Had", Austin shows us the somewhat humourous side of divorce when things go awry with a somewhat free-spirited woman. "Heroes and Heroin" is a fairly explicit account of the underside of mega stardom that is not seen by a performers' adoring public.
A staple of fellow Bakersfield resident Merle Haggard's songwriting repetoire was prison, and Austin gives that story royal treatment here with "The Cage", a story of a man who has spent 40 years in prison and finds himself on the outside in a vastly changed world. The opening bars of "Kansas Ain't in Kansas Anymore" is reminscent of Waylon Jenning's "Closing in on the Fire", and is a great social commentary on what's happening in our big cities today. An album called A Bakersfield Dozen would not be complete without paying homage to another of it's most famous son's in Buck Owens. "The Day Buck Owens Died" is a great song capturing the final moments of Mr. Owens and the affect it had on Austin's musical life. Indeed, the world lost one of its truely greatest artists and originals on that day.
There are two songs that stood out of particular interest to me for two very different reasons. The issue of bullying is seldom addressed in song. For most, it's too messy of a subject. To his credit, Stephen David Austin has written a story song, "The Fat Kid", that perfectly captures the teen angst of the victim, the wrong and hurtful mindset of the bullies, and the equally wrong, yet in this story eventual, final act of vengeance. Bullying is a subject that invokes a lot of passion in all facets, a subject that has recently come under intense scrutiny and debate ... at least in my native Ontario, Canada. Austin's story is blunt, the story ends ugly, and he takes no sides in the story. Excellent, very well written song.
The other song that I loved is the polar opposite of the hate that spills out in "The Fat Kid." "Bad Dog" is a duet with Austin and his grandson Kayleb, who was not quite two years old at the time of recording. The joy that grampa has singing and recording a song with his grandson is palpable and shines through on this recording. It is a piece of work that Austin can be very proud of. "Bad Dog" is the perfect way to close out the album.
I started this piece by stating my admiration for those who will take on a challenge, no matter which stage of life they may find themselves in. Stephen David Austin, a longtime music veteran, father and grandfather, of California gathered an A-list group of fellow musicians and produced an album that stands up and stands out in a sometimes crowded music scene. It is to his credit that this album has seen the light of day. And it is to the credit of the Americana genre to have been wise enough and inclusive enough to welcome this gentleman to the stage.
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Thursday, June 7, 2012
Recognizing Our Best
Last week the Americana Music Association announced the nominees for their upcoming awards show in September. Looking at the list of nominees, it has been another banner year for the genre as evidenced by the talent being honored.
Leading the way with four nominations, including Artist of the Year and Duo/Group of the Year, is Jason Isbell, along with his band the 400 Unit is just about every category that he can be honored. Look for an upcoming review of their album "Here We Rest" in the coming weeks. I had the great fortune to check out Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit in Toronto at the Horseshoe Tavern several months ago, and they were excellent. A very tight band, who are absolutely deserving of the recognition the Association has provided this year.
Gillian Welch has three nominations for herself, including Album of the Year for "The Harrow and the Harvest", as well as Duo/Group of the Year with Dave Rawlings. Gillian has been a mainstay in the Americana scene for many years and is always deserving of recognition for her work.
The nomination that brought the biggest smile to my face is that of The Deep Dark Woods in the Emerging Artist of the Year category. I have written about this very talented group from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on two other occasions on this site, from my first discovery of the band in Nashville at last year's Americana Festival and a review of their show with Robert Earl Keen in Boston this past January. Win or lose, The Deep Dark Woods will be around for as long as they desire. They are that damn good.
This year's edition of the Americana Music Association Festival and Conference takes place in Nashville, Tennessee September 12 to 16, 2012, with the Awards show taking place on opening night. It was a pleasure to attend last year, and I look forward to attending again this year with music lovers from around the world.
Leading the way with four nominations, including Artist of the Year and Duo/Group of the Year, is Jason Isbell, along with his band the 400 Unit is just about every category that he can be honored. Look for an upcoming review of their album "Here We Rest" in the coming weeks. I had the great fortune to check out Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit in Toronto at the Horseshoe Tavern several months ago, and they were excellent. A very tight band, who are absolutely deserving of the recognition the Association has provided this year.
Gillian Welch has three nominations for herself, including Album of the Year for "The Harrow and the Harvest", as well as Duo/Group of the Year with Dave Rawlings. Gillian has been a mainstay in the Americana scene for many years and is always deserving of recognition for her work.
The nomination that brought the biggest smile to my face is that of The Deep Dark Woods in the Emerging Artist of the Year category. I have written about this very talented group from Saskatoon, Saskatchewan on two other occasions on this site, from my first discovery of the band in Nashville at last year's Americana Festival and a review of their show with Robert Earl Keen in Boston this past January. Win or lose, The Deep Dark Woods will be around for as long as they desire. They are that damn good.
This year's edition of the Americana Music Association Festival and Conference takes place in Nashville, Tennessee September 12 to 16, 2012, with the Awards show taking place on opening night. It was a pleasure to attend last year, and I look forward to attending again this year with music lovers from around the world.
Wednesday, May 30, 2012
Never Too Old to Learn
When I started writing this blog about two years ago now, it's safe to say that I had no idea where it was going to go or what would become of it. Through a lot of good luck and good fortune, what is a fairly basic site has a fairly decent following of readers. While the numbers have dipped slightly over the past few months due a lack of activity on my part, I'm still amazed at how many readers are sticking with the site by viewing past writings. Tonight's piece is basically my confessional about another one of the many lessons I've learned.
How many of you have ever read, viewed or heard anything by self-help gurus such as Dr. Wayne Dyer or Cheryl Richardson? Over the past year, my family has become quite inspired by the words of both Dr. Dyer and Ms. Richardson, and yes, some of it has rubbed off on this guy. Of the many life skills they teach, one important piece is consistent: of all the limitations that life can give you, the most crippling limitation is the one you place on yourself. Over the past few months, I have experienced this limitation and I can assure you, it is devastating. Since I returned from Boston in January, I have struggled with my confidence in a lot of ways. Questions have dogged me for months ... is my writing good enough? Have I left the blog alone too long? Can I really fit this blog in with a demanding day job and a family that needs my time? How do I take my limited experience and expand this blog to incorporate a radio show and other initiatives?
The more I tried to answer these questions myself, the more miserable, panicked and less confident I became. Every answer I would give myself seemed to point me in a direction that ultimately was a bad decision, at least for me. And I have learned that if you make a bad decision for yourself, especially a bad life decision, it affects everyone and everything around you. Cutting out the blog was, and would have been, a bad life decision for me. I would not have been staying true to myself if I ended this blog entirely. I have learned that deep down, I'm a writer. An amateur writer yes, but a writer just the same. I love it deeply. It's my creative outlet. And the fact that I can marry my love of writing with my love of music and share it with whomever wishes to read these pieces is a blessing that enhances my life beyond words. I am also fortunate that I have a very supportive family and very supportive friends who are in my corner and will stand by me as I see this blog through. The blog may become something bigger, or it may not. It may end up with tens of thousands of readers a month, or it may not. Either way, I'm going to keep writing and doing what I love. It will be from my heart.
The limitations we put on ourselves is the son-of-a-bitch of life. We can be our own worst enemy when it comes to where we see ourselves in the big picture of our lives. It has taken me a while to reach this point, but I say tonight that the limitations I have placed on myself are no more. There is a big sky above all of us that has no limit. Reach up and grab as much of it as you can and as best as you can. A fulfilling life will be waiting.
How many of you have ever read, viewed or heard anything by self-help gurus such as Dr. Wayne Dyer or Cheryl Richardson? Over the past year, my family has become quite inspired by the words of both Dr. Dyer and Ms. Richardson, and yes, some of it has rubbed off on this guy. Of the many life skills they teach, one important piece is consistent: of all the limitations that life can give you, the most crippling limitation is the one you place on yourself. Over the past few months, I have experienced this limitation and I can assure you, it is devastating. Since I returned from Boston in January, I have struggled with my confidence in a lot of ways. Questions have dogged me for months ... is my writing good enough? Have I left the blog alone too long? Can I really fit this blog in with a demanding day job and a family that needs my time? How do I take my limited experience and expand this blog to incorporate a radio show and other initiatives?
The more I tried to answer these questions myself, the more miserable, panicked and less confident I became. Every answer I would give myself seemed to point me in a direction that ultimately was a bad decision, at least for me. And I have learned that if you make a bad decision for yourself, especially a bad life decision, it affects everyone and everything around you. Cutting out the blog was, and would have been, a bad life decision for me. I would not have been staying true to myself if I ended this blog entirely. I have learned that deep down, I'm a writer. An amateur writer yes, but a writer just the same. I love it deeply. It's my creative outlet. And the fact that I can marry my love of writing with my love of music and share it with whomever wishes to read these pieces is a blessing that enhances my life beyond words. I am also fortunate that I have a very supportive family and very supportive friends who are in my corner and will stand by me as I see this blog through. The blog may become something bigger, or it may not. It may end up with tens of thousands of readers a month, or it may not. Either way, I'm going to keep writing and doing what I love. It will be from my heart.
The limitations we put on ourselves is the son-of-a-bitch of life. We can be our own worst enemy when it comes to where we see ourselves in the big picture of our lives. It has taken me a while to reach this point, but I say tonight that the limitations I have placed on myself are no more. There is a big sky above all of us that has no limit. Reach up and grab as much of it as you can and as best as you can. A fulfilling life will be waiting.
Friday, April 20, 2012
The Pages Turn ... and We Have to Move On
"To you from failing hands we throw the torch; be yours to hold it high ... "
That line is taken from the famous poem of remembrance, In Flanders Fields, written by Canadian World War I soldier, John McRae. Given the events of the last two days with respect to figures in the evolution of modern music, I think it's a fitting statement that works well here today.
I started thinking about writing this piece a few weeks ago with the passing of the great Earl Scruggs. Peter Cooper, a columnist for the Nashville daily The Tennessean, wrote a wonderful article detailing not only the memorial service for Mr. Scruggs at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium but of the type of person Mr. Scruggs was. I'll get in to why I haven't been writing much for the past couple of months in another piece, today and now is not the time to get in to that. Today is about remembrance, celebration and reflection.
The past three weeks have borne witness to the passing of two of the most influential figures in modern music history. Who would have thought as we began this month that not twenty days in to April, the music world would have lost Earl Scruggs, Dick Clark and Levon Helm. Three very unique individuals, but their influence on music and the lives of countless people in my mind is immeasurable.
Earl Scruggs was a master musician. He was most famously on half of the bluegrass duo Flatt and Scruggs with longtime partner and fellow musician, Lester Flatt. Both performers got their start backing up music royalty with the Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe. Flatt and Scruggs would leave Bill Monroe's band and become music royalty themselves. Reading Mr. Cooper's article allows the reader to not only understand the far reaching influence that Mr. Scruggs had on bluegrass music, but also the type of person he was. And from what I can gather, Mr. Scruggs was one of the most down-to-earth, genuine people that you could ever meet.
It could be said with great confidence that no other television personality had as much influence on an artists career than Dick Clark. With his show American Bandstand, Mr. Clark was able to use television and his show as a platform to showcase the biggest up-and-coming artists of the day, whatever that day was. His show ran nationally for 25 years, from the early 1960's to the late 1980's. When word of Mr. Clark's passing became public knowledge yesterday (April 17, 2012), 50's icon Little Richard stated on CNN that night that it didn't matter to Mr. Clark if you were good or not, he was still willing to give you your shot. And people, in that time there was no greater showcase for your talent, or lack thereof, than American Bandstand. Feeding in to millions of American homes on a weekly basis, Bandstand was also the first show of its kind to show the power of music. It allowed people to see with their own eyes that music did not know boundary's, it knew of no genres or "labels", and it did not know race. American Bandstand was the first show of its kind to broadcast black kids and white kids dancing together. In certain parts of the United States in the 1960's, that was unheard of on so many levels. Everyone of every race, color and creed was welcome on American Bandstand, as that show was always about the music. If Wolfman Jack was the most influential radio personality of that time period, certainly Dick Clark was the most influential television personality.
Which brings us to today's (April 18, 2012) announcement of the passing of Levon Helm. Levon was the drummer and, in several cases, the voice of The Band. Following The Band's dissolution in 1976 (which was the focus of the film "The Last Waltz", directed by Martin Scorsese), Mr. Helm embarked on a solo and film career with perhaps his most memorable performance playing Loretta Lynn's father in "Coal Miner's Daughter." He would reform The Band in the 1980's without guitarist and vocalist Robbie Robertson. In the 1990's, it was decided to dissolve The Band permanently, following the deaths of two longtime members Richard Manuel and Rick Danko. This would ultimately be the beginning of perhaps the most influential part of Mr. Helm's musical career and it would seemingly happen by accident. No longer held to terms and commitments with The Band, Mr. Helm embarked on a solo career that would ultimately result in the incredibly successful Midnight Ramble concert series. Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble shows would take place at the barn adjacent to his home in Woodstock, New York. The shows themselves were created out of necessity. When Mr. Helm was first diagnosed with throat cancer in the late 1990's, the shows were created in part to help cover the costs of treatment. They ended up covering the costs of treatment, paying the mortgage, and in true pay-it-forward form, provided an outlet for the burgeoning Americana movement allowing newer artists of the day like Elizabeth Cook to grow their following and music legends like Elvis Costello and Emmylou Harris to showcase their still relevant music when mainstream radio virtually ignored them. So influential was Levon Helm to the Americana genre, that the Americana Music Association honored Mr. Helm with a Lifetime Achievement Award for performing in 2003. If you go back and listen to The Band's music, I believe one can hear the early stages of what is now the Americana genre.
What's significant about the passing of Mr. Scruggs, Mr. Clark and Mr. Helm is that there will never be another like either of these gentlemen. Mr. Scruggs virtually invented the picking style that is used, or at least attempted to be used, by many banjo and bluegrass musicians today. The music industry, and society in general, will never allow another individual like Mr. Clark to have such a huge platform to promote music at the grassroots level. Records labels seemingly little to no interest in promoting artists from the ground up and sticking with them over a period of time to generate a career, as opposed to making a quick buck on a hit single or two. Television has no interest in promoting a national live music show in the vein that was American Bandstand. The trend is more toward reality television, which is much cheaper and friendly to the bottom line. I'm sorry folks, but in my opinion shows like American Idol and The Voice don't count here. They're completely different shows than American Bandstand. Day and night. Finally, there aren't too many more stylists out there like Mr. Helm who was at the top of the rock and roll world in the 1960's and 1970's, and was able to craft and formulate a very unique sound that convinced so many artists to pick up their guitar, take up the drums or write such amazing poetry. There aren't too many who can parlay all of that talent in their later years in to creating a weekly concert variety show, at his own home no less, that showcases and promotes an explosive newly recognized genre of music that focuses on creativity of the artist and the community of the musicians and fans.
The world has lost a lot of talent, creativity and history in the last few weeks. The music will live on of course, but as Peter Cooper pointed out in his article, it's hard not to feel sad because these gentlemen are gone. It's the end of a great chapter, and as music fans, one which we were all terribly blessed to have witnessed. Let's remember and honor these wonderfully talented gentlemen appropriately by listening and sharing their music, and perhaps discovering old clips of the great American Bandstand shows. And let the good memories flow.
That line is taken from the famous poem of remembrance, In Flanders Fields, written by Canadian World War I soldier, John McRae. Given the events of the last two days with respect to figures in the evolution of modern music, I think it's a fitting statement that works well here today.
I started thinking about writing this piece a few weeks ago with the passing of the great Earl Scruggs. Peter Cooper, a columnist for the Nashville daily The Tennessean, wrote a wonderful article detailing not only the memorial service for Mr. Scruggs at Nashville's Ryman Auditorium but of the type of person Mr. Scruggs was. I'll get in to why I haven't been writing much for the past couple of months in another piece, today and now is not the time to get in to that. Today is about remembrance, celebration and reflection.
The past three weeks have borne witness to the passing of two of the most influential figures in modern music history. Who would have thought as we began this month that not twenty days in to April, the music world would have lost Earl Scruggs, Dick Clark and Levon Helm. Three very unique individuals, but their influence on music and the lives of countless people in my mind is immeasurable.
Earl Scruggs was a master musician. He was most famously on half of the bluegrass duo Flatt and Scruggs with longtime partner and fellow musician, Lester Flatt. Both performers got their start backing up music royalty with the Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe. Flatt and Scruggs would leave Bill Monroe's band and become music royalty themselves. Reading Mr. Cooper's article allows the reader to not only understand the far reaching influence that Mr. Scruggs had on bluegrass music, but also the type of person he was. And from what I can gather, Mr. Scruggs was one of the most down-to-earth, genuine people that you could ever meet.
It could be said with great confidence that no other television personality had as much influence on an artists career than Dick Clark. With his show American Bandstand, Mr. Clark was able to use television and his show as a platform to showcase the biggest up-and-coming artists of the day, whatever that day was. His show ran nationally for 25 years, from the early 1960's to the late 1980's. When word of Mr. Clark's passing became public knowledge yesterday (April 17, 2012), 50's icon Little Richard stated on CNN that night that it didn't matter to Mr. Clark if you were good or not, he was still willing to give you your shot. And people, in that time there was no greater showcase for your talent, or lack thereof, than American Bandstand. Feeding in to millions of American homes on a weekly basis, Bandstand was also the first show of its kind to show the power of music. It allowed people to see with their own eyes that music did not know boundary's, it knew of no genres or "labels", and it did not know race. American Bandstand was the first show of its kind to broadcast black kids and white kids dancing together. In certain parts of the United States in the 1960's, that was unheard of on so many levels. Everyone of every race, color and creed was welcome on American Bandstand, as that show was always about the music. If Wolfman Jack was the most influential radio personality of that time period, certainly Dick Clark was the most influential television personality.
Which brings us to today's (April 18, 2012) announcement of the passing of Levon Helm. Levon was the drummer and, in several cases, the voice of The Band. Following The Band's dissolution in 1976 (which was the focus of the film "The Last Waltz", directed by Martin Scorsese), Mr. Helm embarked on a solo and film career with perhaps his most memorable performance playing Loretta Lynn's father in "Coal Miner's Daughter." He would reform The Band in the 1980's without guitarist and vocalist Robbie Robertson. In the 1990's, it was decided to dissolve The Band permanently, following the deaths of two longtime members Richard Manuel and Rick Danko. This would ultimately be the beginning of perhaps the most influential part of Mr. Helm's musical career and it would seemingly happen by accident. No longer held to terms and commitments with The Band, Mr. Helm embarked on a solo career that would ultimately result in the incredibly successful Midnight Ramble concert series. Levon Helm's Midnight Ramble shows would take place at the barn adjacent to his home in Woodstock, New York. The shows themselves were created out of necessity. When Mr. Helm was first diagnosed with throat cancer in the late 1990's, the shows were created in part to help cover the costs of treatment. They ended up covering the costs of treatment, paying the mortgage, and in true pay-it-forward form, provided an outlet for the burgeoning Americana movement allowing newer artists of the day like Elizabeth Cook to grow their following and music legends like Elvis Costello and Emmylou Harris to showcase their still relevant music when mainstream radio virtually ignored them. So influential was Levon Helm to the Americana genre, that the Americana Music Association honored Mr. Helm with a Lifetime Achievement Award for performing in 2003. If you go back and listen to The Band's music, I believe one can hear the early stages of what is now the Americana genre.
What's significant about the passing of Mr. Scruggs, Mr. Clark and Mr. Helm is that there will never be another like either of these gentlemen. Mr. Scruggs virtually invented the picking style that is used, or at least attempted to be used, by many banjo and bluegrass musicians today. The music industry, and society in general, will never allow another individual like Mr. Clark to have such a huge platform to promote music at the grassroots level. Records labels seemingly little to no interest in promoting artists from the ground up and sticking with them over a period of time to generate a career, as opposed to making a quick buck on a hit single or two. Television has no interest in promoting a national live music show in the vein that was American Bandstand. The trend is more toward reality television, which is much cheaper and friendly to the bottom line. I'm sorry folks, but in my opinion shows like American Idol and The Voice don't count here. They're completely different shows than American Bandstand. Day and night. Finally, there aren't too many more stylists out there like Mr. Helm who was at the top of the rock and roll world in the 1960's and 1970's, and was able to craft and formulate a very unique sound that convinced so many artists to pick up their guitar, take up the drums or write such amazing poetry. There aren't too many who can parlay all of that talent in their later years in to creating a weekly concert variety show, at his own home no less, that showcases and promotes an explosive newly recognized genre of music that focuses on creativity of the artist and the community of the musicians and fans.
The world has lost a lot of talent, creativity and history in the last few weeks. The music will live on of course, but as Peter Cooper pointed out in his article, it's hard not to feel sad because these gentlemen are gone. It's the end of a great chapter, and as music fans, one which we were all terribly blessed to have witnessed. Let's remember and honor these wonderfully talented gentlemen appropriately by listening and sharing their music, and perhaps discovering old clips of the great American Bandstand shows. And let the good memories flow.
Thursday, March 8, 2012
Album Review: Nearly Beloved, "Where's Bob?"
As mentioned in articles past, one of the things I enjoyed most about attending the most recent Americana Music Conference and Festival was meeting some truly great people that work in the business side of music. I made no bones about the fact that this blog is a one person operation, still in its growing stages of what I would like it to be. The kindness and support I received from many of those attending the conference was heartwarming. One such individual has been very kind over the past few months to send me albums of some of the artists that she is tasked with promoting, and I say tasked in the most positive light. And at long last, far longer than is acceptable really, I'm happy to post the first in a series of great albums that Kim Grant of KG Music Press has been so kind to share for this space.
Produced by lead singer Matt Lax, Nearly Beloved's "Where's Bob?" is a wonderful, eclectic mix of traditional folk, mixed with a bit of blues and a decent amount of the original sounds of California country-rock of the late 60's and early 70's. I surmise this last ingredient can be somewhat expected, since the band is based out of California. The album will be released on Attaboy Records on Tuesday March 13, 2012.
The album kicks off in grand style, with a nice little rockabilly number, "My Memory," a tune about trying to change ones' focus from the negativity in life. "Whiskey Whispers" evokes a real classic country feel, a really nice throwback to the traditional country sound of the 1950's with it's beautiful steel guitar work. A nice cover of Bob Dylan's classic "Subterranean Homesick Blues" allows the band to really showcase their musicianship, with a nice shuffle beat from Peter Rubin on drums and some well-placed harmonica work from Peter Lax.
If "Subterranean Homesick Blues" showcases Nearly Beloved's musical abilities, "Cool Fuckin' Sunset" showcases their harmony's in stellar fashion. It is this segment on the album, at least for this listener, that invoked many great memories of the California country-rock scene as "Sunset" brought about visions of The Eagles, while the next track "Tomorrow Won't be the Future" reminded me of The Byrds. I don't say this to be a negative thing, I merely highlight these tracks as key points to the album. If the goal was to capture a bit of that California sound of days gone by, it was captured in spades. They are two excellent, very well done tracks.
Perhaps the most clever song on the album is one that I'm sure would make Roger Miller proud. "My P-Role Officer" is a great story song about a guy who just can't catch a break , to say the least. A fantastic, well written song and well performed by Matt Lax and the group.
Nearly Beloved's "Where's Bob?" is currently enjoying some well-deserved airplay on great radio stations such as 91.7 FM WHUS, 90.3 FM WZBC, 88.1 FM WMBR, 94.1 FM KFPA, as well as Taproot Radio and various European radio outlets. You can purchase a copy, and indeed listen, to "Where's Bob?" in its entirety on the Nearly Beloved web site. If you're interested in learning about more artists under Kim Grant's wing, check out her site at KG Music Press.
Thursday, March 1, 2012
Moving On Up to 2012
Hey everyone,
I'm back with a new post after a bit of a dry spell in February. This one is going to be somewhat short.
After much arm twisting and convincing, I'm happy to report that Americana Review is now on Twitter.
I welcome you to follow along at @americanareview for all things Americana Review. I'll be tweeting about what shows I'll be heading out to, what albums I'm reviewing, what I'm listening to at any given moment and of course, general thoughts and rambles.
Thanks as always for your support to this point and for sticking it out with the continued evolution of this blog. There have been over 5,100 of you who have visited, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.
Thanks for reading and I look forward to reaching even more of you!
I'm back with a new post after a bit of a dry spell in February. This one is going to be somewhat short.
After much arm twisting and convincing, I'm happy to report that Americana Review is now on Twitter.
I welcome you to follow along at @americanareview for all things Americana Review. I'll be tweeting about what shows I'll be heading out to, what albums I'm reviewing, what I'm listening to at any given moment and of course, general thoughts and rambles.
Thanks as always for your support to this point and for sticking it out with the continued evolution of this blog. There have been over 5,100 of you who have visited, and I can't tell you how much I appreciate it.
Thanks for reading and I look forward to reaching even more of you!
Monday, February 13, 2012
Some Post-Grammy Thoughts
Before getting to far in to this piece, I must confess that I didn't watch that much of the Grammy Awards telecast last night. It may not be a popular opinion, but I find the Grammy show can be a very long and drawn out affair, much like the Oscars. There was a lot of great music that was recognized last night in all genres, and for the most part, I would say the Academy got it right. With Adele's win in the all-encompassing Record of the Year category, is a great achievement for one of the truly great and unique artists to have come along in quite some time.
I would be remiss if I didn't say congratulations to The Civil Wars for their two big wins last night in the Best Country Duo/Group Performance category and Best Folk Album category for Barton Hollow. For anyone who has heard this album or watched the duo of Joy Williams and John Paul White perform, the first two major awards of their career will come as no surprise. For those of you who haven't heard about them until this point, get ready. The Civil Wars are on the verge of something huge. Their music is about to get mainstream exposure, as fellow Grammy winner and worldwide superstar Taylor Swift has them on board her next single. "Safe and Sound" appears on The Hunger Games soundtrack and is produced by the one and only T Bone Burnett. Say what you want about Taylor, but she loves great music when she hears it and doesn't worry about what others think. I think that's a wonderful trait to have.
One of the portions of the show I did see made me really smile. Growing up, I had a steady diet of Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, and one unbelievably talented multi-instrumentalist from Arkansas named Glen Campbell. Glen's musical influence has been well documented, from his beginnings on The Smothers Brothers Show to The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, to his movie appearances and career renaissance in the mid to late 1980's, Campbell's mark on the musical landscape is prominent. No less than the great Keith Urban cites Glen Campbell as one of his major influences, as well as other guitar greats as Steve Wariner, Vince Gill and Brad Paisley. It was a great joy watching the Grammy tribute during last nights awards show honoring Glen Campbell with a Lifetime Achievement award. The Band Perry and Blake Shelton paid wonderful homage to this music legend, but it was Glen himself that stole the show. Recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease but still able to perform, Glen is on his farewell tour. It is nice to see organizations such as the Grammy's devoting time during their telecasts to honor a great legend such as Glen Campbell while he's still alive and can appreciate and even participate in the performance. Watching the reaction from the Grammy audience, filled with other legends like Joe Walsh, Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney standing up and dancing to Glen's performance of his signature hit "Rhinestone Cowboy", showed Glen how much he is admired, respected and loved among his peers. And trust me folks, Glen Campbell showed everyone he can still sing and perform, as he still exhibits the confidence and stage presence of a true music veteran. For me, it was one of those moments that just made me smile and smile. It gave me that feeling I always get that reminds me of why I love music so much.
Of course, the Grammy awards had a shadow cast upon itself with the news that one of the great artists and vocalists of our time passed away the day before. Whitney Houston is another artist that I recall from my youth and while I was not a particularly big fan of her music, the talent that existed could never be denied. I was a country boy and she was decidedly pop, so I didn't really follow her early material. That changed considerably when I heard her version of the Dolly Parton classic that would go on to become Whitney Houston's (and Dolly Parton's, for that matter) biggest hit. "I Will Always Love You" had been a number one hit for Dolly on two separate occasions in 1974 and 1982, but the version recorded for The Bodyguard soundtrack by Whitney Houston, would sit atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 14 weeks. I can still remember where I was and what I was doing when I first heard the opening notes of Whitney's version, it was that powerful to me. It's funny though, I had to convince the company I was with at the time that Whitney's was not the original version of that song, but that's beside the point.
I always find it a real tragedy when people who possess such a great gift, such great talent cannot seem to harness or handle the stardom that sometimes accompanies such greatness. I have no doubt that many of the artists who have passed before their time had dreams of performing on stage before thousands of adoring people. But I wonder if those artists were truly equipped to handle that lifestyle. The pressures of essentially being your "business" in every sense of the word and having employees keeping their job based on your success has got to be immense. Compound that with a lack of the proper support network, both personally and professionally, and you have a recipe for disaster. For every George Jones and yes, Glen Campbell, who have been able to keep addictions at bay which enabled them to have long, storied careers, there are an equal amount who have not been successful. Elvis Presley, Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin come to mind. Another recent example is the all-to-soon passing of Amy Winehouse, an artist who's best days and most creative time was still ahead of her, but could not break free of the personal demons that led to her untimely death.
It all seems so preventable, yet it sadly happens a thousand times a day. We just hear about it more when a celebrity passes on in such mortal circumstances. The lesson for all of us, if we're to take a lesson away, I believe is for us to take care of ourselves. Take care of our loved ones. Be good. And above all if and when you make a list of those that you love and value in your life, make sure your own name appears prominently on that list.
I would be remiss if I didn't say congratulations to The Civil Wars for their two big wins last night in the Best Country Duo/Group Performance category and Best Folk Album category for Barton Hollow. For anyone who has heard this album or watched the duo of Joy Williams and John Paul White perform, the first two major awards of their career will come as no surprise. For those of you who haven't heard about them until this point, get ready. The Civil Wars are on the verge of something huge. Their music is about to get mainstream exposure, as fellow Grammy winner and worldwide superstar Taylor Swift has them on board her next single. "Safe and Sound" appears on The Hunger Games soundtrack and is produced by the one and only T Bone Burnett. Say what you want about Taylor, but she loves great music when she hears it and doesn't worry about what others think. I think that's a wonderful trait to have.
One of the portions of the show I did see made me really smile. Growing up, I had a steady diet of Waylon Jennings, George Jones, Tammy Wynette, Conway Twitty, Loretta Lynn, Willie Nelson, and one unbelievably talented multi-instrumentalist from Arkansas named Glen Campbell. Glen's musical influence has been well documented, from his beginnings on The Smothers Brothers Show to The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, to his movie appearances and career renaissance in the mid to late 1980's, Campbell's mark on the musical landscape is prominent. No less than the great Keith Urban cites Glen Campbell as one of his major influences, as well as other guitar greats as Steve Wariner, Vince Gill and Brad Paisley. It was a great joy watching the Grammy tribute during last nights awards show honoring Glen Campbell with a Lifetime Achievement award. The Band Perry and Blake Shelton paid wonderful homage to this music legend, but it was Glen himself that stole the show. Recently diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease but still able to perform, Glen is on his farewell tour. It is nice to see organizations such as the Grammy's devoting time during their telecasts to honor a great legend such as Glen Campbell while he's still alive and can appreciate and even participate in the performance. Watching the reaction from the Grammy audience, filled with other legends like Joe Walsh, Bruce Springsteen and Paul McCartney standing up and dancing to Glen's performance of his signature hit "Rhinestone Cowboy", showed Glen how much he is admired, respected and loved among his peers. And trust me folks, Glen Campbell showed everyone he can still sing and perform, as he still exhibits the confidence and stage presence of a true music veteran. For me, it was one of those moments that just made me smile and smile. It gave me that feeling I always get that reminds me of why I love music so much.
Of course, the Grammy awards had a shadow cast upon itself with the news that one of the great artists and vocalists of our time passed away the day before. Whitney Houston is another artist that I recall from my youth and while I was not a particularly big fan of her music, the talent that existed could never be denied. I was a country boy and she was decidedly pop, so I didn't really follow her early material. That changed considerably when I heard her version of the Dolly Parton classic that would go on to become Whitney Houston's (and Dolly Parton's, for that matter) biggest hit. "I Will Always Love You" had been a number one hit for Dolly on two separate occasions in 1974 and 1982, but the version recorded for The Bodyguard soundtrack by Whitney Houston, would sit atop the Billboard Hot 100 chart for 14 weeks. I can still remember where I was and what I was doing when I first heard the opening notes of Whitney's version, it was that powerful to me. It's funny though, I had to convince the company I was with at the time that Whitney's was not the original version of that song, but that's beside the point.
I always find it a real tragedy when people who possess such a great gift, such great talent cannot seem to harness or handle the stardom that sometimes accompanies such greatness. I have no doubt that many of the artists who have passed before their time had dreams of performing on stage before thousands of adoring people. But I wonder if those artists were truly equipped to handle that lifestyle. The pressures of essentially being your "business" in every sense of the word and having employees keeping their job based on your success has got to be immense. Compound that with a lack of the proper support network, both personally and professionally, and you have a recipe for disaster. For every George Jones and yes, Glen Campbell, who have been able to keep addictions at bay which enabled them to have long, storied careers, there are an equal amount who have not been successful. Elvis Presley, Jim Morrison and Janis Joplin come to mind. Another recent example is the all-to-soon passing of Amy Winehouse, an artist who's best days and most creative time was still ahead of her, but could not break free of the personal demons that led to her untimely death.
It all seems so preventable, yet it sadly happens a thousand times a day. We just hear about it more when a celebrity passes on in such mortal circumstances. The lesson for all of us, if we're to take a lesson away, I believe is for us to take care of ourselves. Take care of our loved ones. Be good. And above all if and when you make a list of those that you love and value in your life, make sure your own name appears prominently on that list.
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