Country music has long been a staple in my life. I grew up listening to it, I grew up reading about it, I grew up watching it on TV. It's been in my family for many generations and as such, I've recently felt a kinship of sorts to the families that have been making country music for generations, even before it was officially known as "country music."
The Carter Family is widely regarded as the First Family of Country Music. It was their origninal sound created in the backwoods of the Appalachian Mountains of Virginia and first recorded on August 2, 1927 in Bristol, Tennessee that initiated arguably the most influential music career in history. Songs such as "Keep on the Sunny Side", "Meet Me in the Moonlight Alone", "Will You Miss Me When I'm Gone" and the seminal "Will The Circle Be Unbroken?" are cornerstones of the country music, and subsequently, folk and Americana genres. The writings and recordings of A.P., Sara and Maybelle Carter have stood the test of time and have earned them their rightful place in both the Rock and Roll and Country Music Halls of Fame.
The second generation of the Carter Family is perhaps better known in the mainstream. When the "Original" Carter Family of A.P., Sara and Maybelle ceased recording in the 1940's, Maybelle began recording with her daughters June, Helen and Anita. It was this incarnation of the Carter Family that toured for many years with Johnny Cash. It was only until watching a recent episode of Austin City Limits that I realized how important this chain of events has become.
Setting up the performance of her next song, Johnny's daughter from a previous marriage, the incomparable Roseanne Cash was telling a story about touring with her father's show at age 18. It was during this time that the Carter Family was a staple of the Johnny Cash Show as they toured the world. Roseanne had mentioned that during this time as she was finding her way as a singer-songwriter, she had the opportunity to learn how to play the guitar from one of the masters, Helen Carter. It was during this time that seemingly a torch had been passed. As Roseanne stated, Helen Carter more or less taught her "the entire Carter Family lexicon." If you think of that statement and realize that there are only a few people left in the world who can say in all honestly that they learned to play guitar from a member of the Carter Family, that becomes an enormous statement.
In recent years, Roseanne Cash has stated that she is now at a place in her life where she is prepared to accept, and indeed accepting, of her musical and family legacy. She seems to have a new purpose where there is a commitment to ensuring the history of her family and their music is front and centre. She seems to have a new appreciation for her relationship with her iconic father and the influence he has played in her career. With her hits at radio behind her (and there were a lot of them), and the long held desire to make the music she believes in making, we are all the better for it. A new generation will benefit greatly from another legendary extension of the Carter family as she takes us on her journey of musical and family discovery.
Click here to see Roseanne Cash performing "Bury Me Beneath The Weeping Willow"
Monday, July 16, 2012
Friday, July 13, 2012
Celebrating John Denver -- Little Lake Music Festival, Peterborough, Ontario
On several occasions in this space, I've written about the abundance of musical talent that exists in the Peterborough region of Ontario. To be quite frank, it's not an understatemetn to call it an embarassment of riches, if you want the honest truth. Nights like this past Wednesday July 11 at the Little Lake Music Festival was a perfect example of how fertile the music scene is in this region.
This night was set aside to pay homage to an artist that I believe tends to get overlooked when people refer to influential singer/songwriters with respect to modern day country/folk/Americana music. John Denver was a singer, songwriter, poet, actor, environmentalist, activist and philanthropist who was one of the biggest stars of the 1970's and 1980's. His legacy is strong and resonates to this day, many years after his sudden death in a plane crash off the California coast.
It was a night for local musicians to take centre stage at Little Lake to pay remind all of us why John Denver was so important to the history of modern music. Opening with a wonderful rendition of "Sweet Surrender", the band seemlessly moved from one Denver classic to another with an amazing cast of homegrown talent. Mark Edwards was tasked with performing three of Denvers' biggest and most recognizable hits "Thank God I'm a Country Boy", "Rocky Mountain High", and "Back Home Again", and he did a fantastic job on all three. The first clap-along of the night came with Warren Chambers' rendition of the fun-favourite "Grandma's Feather Bed", while John Boyco kicked off his three song set with a beautiful version of "Some Days Are Diamonds."
As good as the guys were, perhaps the most beautiful and most telling story about the enduring legacy of John Denver and his music were the three young ladies that were invited to perform. Recent high school graduate, Cherise Billings, performed at the behest of her music teacher, who also happened to be the piano player in the band. Cherise opened up her set with "Leaving on a Jet Plane", with her voice bringing a real sense to the poetry that this song really is. Twelve year old Elizabeth did a fantastic job with her booming voice doing an excellent pseudo-reggae version of "Follow Me." The final performer of the evening was Mary Kate Bronson, daughter of the band leader, whose angelic voice soared through her set of "Sunshine on my Shoulder", "Annie's Song" and the seminal "Calypso." Hearing these three young ladies perform Denver's classics brought to mind the poetry and cross-generational appeal of his body of work. Denver was writing about issues that are still relevant to this day, such as the environment, nature and landscape. Having three singers ranging in age from pre-teen to early twenties and singing them with passion and conviction, shows the importance of Denver's writing and influence.
A John Denver tribute would not be complete without a grand finale, and what better finale than to have all the artists gather on stage for a stellar rendition of "Country Roads." Indeed, a fitting end to a wonderful night. There is no doubt in my mind that the spirit of John Denver is alive and well. His legacy was served well and served proud by all the artists participating in this show on Wednesday.
This night was set aside to pay homage to an artist that I believe tends to get overlooked when people refer to influential singer/songwriters with respect to modern day country/folk/Americana music. John Denver was a singer, songwriter, poet, actor, environmentalist, activist and philanthropist who was one of the biggest stars of the 1970's and 1980's. His legacy is strong and resonates to this day, many years after his sudden death in a plane crash off the California coast.
It was a night for local musicians to take centre stage at Little Lake to pay remind all of us why John Denver was so important to the history of modern music. Opening with a wonderful rendition of "Sweet Surrender", the band seemlessly moved from one Denver classic to another with an amazing cast of homegrown talent. Mark Edwards was tasked with performing three of Denvers' biggest and most recognizable hits "Thank God I'm a Country Boy", "Rocky Mountain High", and "Back Home Again", and he did a fantastic job on all three. The first clap-along of the night came with Warren Chambers' rendition of the fun-favourite "Grandma's Feather Bed", while John Boyco kicked off his three song set with a beautiful version of "Some Days Are Diamonds."
As good as the guys were, perhaps the most beautiful and most telling story about the enduring legacy of John Denver and his music were the three young ladies that were invited to perform. Recent high school graduate, Cherise Billings, performed at the behest of her music teacher, who also happened to be the piano player in the band. Cherise opened up her set with "Leaving on a Jet Plane", with her voice bringing a real sense to the poetry that this song really is. Twelve year old Elizabeth did a fantastic job with her booming voice doing an excellent pseudo-reggae version of "Follow Me." The final performer of the evening was Mary Kate Bronson, daughter of the band leader, whose angelic voice soared through her set of "Sunshine on my Shoulder", "Annie's Song" and the seminal "Calypso." Hearing these three young ladies perform Denver's classics brought to mind the poetry and cross-generational appeal of his body of work. Denver was writing about issues that are still relevant to this day, such as the environment, nature and landscape. Having three singers ranging in age from pre-teen to early twenties and singing them with passion and conviction, shows the importance of Denver's writing and influence.
A John Denver tribute would not be complete without a grand finale, and what better finale than to have all the artists gather on stage for a stellar rendition of "Country Roads." Indeed, a fitting end to a wonderful night. There is no doubt in my mind that the spirit of John Denver is alive and well. His legacy was served well and served proud by all the artists participating in this show on Wednesday.
Saturday, June 30, 2012
Summer Road Trippin'
Summer may have officially arrived on June 20, but with the kids wrapping up their school year this week, we can now say summer is officially here. It's a holiday weekend in my native Canada, as we celebrate the birth of our nation on July 1. With this long weekend, comes the annual rite of summer passage for many of us out there, and that's the summer road trip.
Many of us won't be taking that summer road trip this weekend, but trust me, there will be millions of people more than willing to fill our spots on the highways and byways of North America. If you're like me and won't be hitting the trail this weekend, don't despair and don't feel like there's nothing to do later this summer. With summer season of course comes festival season, and there are plenty of music festivals out there over the next few months that will make for some great road trips and create more than a few memories. Here are just a few of the many wonderful music festivals that are taking place around the United States and Canada.
July 6, 7, 8 -- The Great Blue Heron Festival, Sherman, New York. Located about an hour southwest of Buffalo, New York and Erie, Pennsylvania, this festival features camping and music that ranges anywhere from country to bluegrass, to blues and cajun zydeco. Passes for all three days are $75 ($85 at the gate) making it a fairly cheap weekend of entertainment.
July 6 and 7 -- Jam in the Valley, Varysburg, New York. Located an hour south of Buffalo, New York, this festival has been growing in stature over the last three years. Modeled after the larger festival I'll highlight next, this festival has become a 4th of July weekend celebration in Western New York that's not to be missed. This year's show features headliners Miranda Lambert and Jerrod Niemann on Friday July 7, with Randy Houser, Justin Moore and Lynyrd Skynyrd headlining on July 8. Another exciting feature to this festival is the focus placed on many of the wonderful local acts of this region. Campgrounds open for load in on June 30 for large groups, Thursday July 5 for everyone else.
July 19 to 22 -- Jamboree in the Hills, St. Clairsville, Ohio -- While this isn't an Americana music festival, this is the biggest party of the summer. I have experienced JITH a dozen times and love it each year. I won't be attending this year, which is a bit of a downer, but I know the many friends I have made over the years at JITH are in for a major, major treat. Over 100,000 people, solid food selections, the option to bring in your own beverages (yes, I am referring to alcohol), local hotels, and the largest campgrounds I have ever seen. St. Clairsville is located about an hour west of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Interstate 70. JITH is easily accessible from I-70 as well, just follow the signs. Lynyrd Skynyrd, Blackberry Smoke, Ronnie Dunn, Jason Aldean, Neal McCoy, Tracy Lawrence and Jamey Johnson are but a small sample of the many stars performing on this weekend. Helpful hint if you're going: bring lots of water with you.
July 28 and 29 -- Newport Folk Festival, Newport, Rhode Island -- Perhaps the granddaddy of all Americana/folk music festivals, the Newport Folk Festival has been an annual east coast celebration of American music since 1959. It's rich history has seen such luminaries as Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou Harris, Justin Townes Earle, Steve Earle and so many others it is really impossible to list them all here. An interesting fact about Newport, according to their web site, Joan Baez's 1963 performance at the Newport Folk Festival also marked the debut national of a gentleman who would go on to influence modern music in more ways than we can imagine, and he still does to this day. That performer making his national debut, as a guest during Joan Baez's set, was Bob Dylan.
August 17 to 19, Philadelphia Folk Festival, Schwenksville, Pennsylvania -- Celebrating it's 51st year in 2012, this suburban Philadelphia festival is playing host to such Americana mainstays as Pokey Lafarge and the South City Three, Steve Earle and the Dukes, John Hiatt, Lucinda Williams, Mary Gautier and Mary Chapin Carpenter. There are many hotels within the region for this festival, but rooms are booking up fast. 12,000 people attend this festival each day, making it one of the most well attended festivals of it's kind.
September 6 to 10, Ottawa Folk Festival, Ottawa, Ontario -- Expanding to 5 days, this festival is a key part of the late Ottawa summer. I attended the festival last year on the last day, which turned out to be a rather special day. In my review posted on this site, I wrote about Hayes Carll, Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis, Sean McCann and Jimmy Rankin. However, on the main stage and the act I did not write about (simply because I felt these other artists were due some exposure), was the Levon Helm Band. Levon Helm was a wonderful friend to the Ottawa Folk Festival. His 2011 performance as it would turn out, sadly was his last at Ottawa. Included in this year's stacked lineup, is his daughter Amy Helm, along with Danny Michel, The Abrams Brothers, Corb Lund, on his own from Fleetwood Mac Lindsey Buckingham, and the always incredible Great Big Sea.
September 12 to 15, Americana Music Association Conference and Festival, Nashville, Tennessee -- I would be remiss if I did not include this in the list of road trips. Nashville, Tennessee is honest to God, one of my favorite places to be in the world. It is music and friendly people everywhere. The history of North American music just overflows in this town. In September, Nashville plays host to the 12 edition of the Americana Music Association Conference and Festival. It's apex is the annual presentation of the Americana Music Association Awards held at the Mother Church of Country Music, the Ryman Auditorium. Nightly showcases featuring the best in Americana take place at several venues around town. Tickets are available for both the conference and the showcases. I would suggest that if you're not in the industry, you are safer in purchasing the much cheaper wristband ($50) which is good for all four nights of showcases and will get you in to all of the venues. Artists announced for the showcases are Rodney Crowell, Brandi Carlisle, Reckless Kelly, Mary Gautier, John Hiatt, the Punch Brothers, The Deep Dark Woods, Eileen Jewell, Billy Joe Shaver and many more. This is a great way to close out the summer.
Clearly this is not a comprehensive list, I would say this barely scratches the surface. But I think it does highlight all of the great music that is available to us and within a short drive from just about anywhere (at least in the eastern United States and Canada). Regardless of where you may end up, enjoy yourselves and may you have the best summer you've ever had in 2012. Travel safe everyone!
Many of us won't be taking that summer road trip this weekend, but trust me, there will be millions of people more than willing to fill our spots on the highways and byways of North America. If you're like me and won't be hitting the trail this weekend, don't despair and don't feel like there's nothing to do later this summer. With summer season of course comes festival season, and there are plenty of music festivals out there over the next few months that will make for some great road trips and create more than a few memories. Here are just a few of the many wonderful music festivals that are taking place around the United States and Canada.
July 6, 7, 8 -- The Great Blue Heron Festival, Sherman, New York. Located about an hour southwest of Buffalo, New York and Erie, Pennsylvania, this festival features camping and music that ranges anywhere from country to bluegrass, to blues and cajun zydeco. Passes for all three days are $75 ($85 at the gate) making it a fairly cheap weekend of entertainment.
July 6 and 7 -- Jam in the Valley, Varysburg, New York. Located an hour south of Buffalo, New York, this festival has been growing in stature over the last three years. Modeled after the larger festival I'll highlight next, this festival has become a 4th of July weekend celebration in Western New York that's not to be missed. This year's show features headliners Miranda Lambert and Jerrod Niemann on Friday July 7, with Randy Houser, Justin Moore and Lynyrd Skynyrd headlining on July 8. Another exciting feature to this festival is the focus placed on many of the wonderful local acts of this region. Campgrounds open for load in on June 30 for large groups, Thursday July 5 for everyone else.
July 19 to 22 -- Jamboree in the Hills, St. Clairsville, Ohio -- While this isn't an Americana music festival, this is the biggest party of the summer. I have experienced JITH a dozen times and love it each year. I won't be attending this year, which is a bit of a downer, but I know the many friends I have made over the years at JITH are in for a major, major treat. Over 100,000 people, solid food selections, the option to bring in your own beverages (yes, I am referring to alcohol), local hotels, and the largest campgrounds I have ever seen. St. Clairsville is located about an hour west of Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania on Interstate 70. JITH is easily accessible from I-70 as well, just follow the signs. Lynyrd Skynyrd, Blackberry Smoke, Ronnie Dunn, Jason Aldean, Neal McCoy, Tracy Lawrence and Jamey Johnson are but a small sample of the many stars performing on this weekend. Helpful hint if you're going: bring lots of water with you.
July 28 and 29 -- Newport Folk Festival, Newport, Rhode Island -- Perhaps the granddaddy of all Americana/folk music festivals, the Newport Folk Festival has been an annual east coast celebration of American music since 1959. It's rich history has seen such luminaries as Joan Baez, Arlo Guthrie, Johnny Cash, Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou Harris, Justin Townes Earle, Steve Earle and so many others it is really impossible to list them all here. An interesting fact about Newport, according to their web site, Joan Baez's 1963 performance at the Newport Folk Festival also marked the debut national of a gentleman who would go on to influence modern music in more ways than we can imagine, and he still does to this day. That performer making his national debut, as a guest during Joan Baez's set, was Bob Dylan.
August 17 to 19, Philadelphia Folk Festival, Schwenksville, Pennsylvania -- Celebrating it's 51st year in 2012, this suburban Philadelphia festival is playing host to such Americana mainstays as Pokey Lafarge and the South City Three, Steve Earle and the Dukes, John Hiatt, Lucinda Williams, Mary Gautier and Mary Chapin Carpenter. There are many hotels within the region for this festival, but rooms are booking up fast. 12,000 people attend this festival each day, making it one of the most well attended festivals of it's kind.
September 6 to 10, Ottawa Folk Festival, Ottawa, Ontario -- Expanding to 5 days, this festival is a key part of the late Ottawa summer. I attended the festival last year on the last day, which turned out to be a rather special day. In my review posted on this site, I wrote about Hayes Carll, Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis, Sean McCann and Jimmy Rankin. However, on the main stage and the act I did not write about (simply because I felt these other artists were due some exposure), was the Levon Helm Band. Levon Helm was a wonderful friend to the Ottawa Folk Festival. His 2011 performance as it would turn out, sadly was his last at Ottawa. Included in this year's stacked lineup, is his daughter Amy Helm, along with Danny Michel, The Abrams Brothers, Corb Lund, on his own from Fleetwood Mac Lindsey Buckingham, and the always incredible Great Big Sea.
September 12 to 15, Americana Music Association Conference and Festival, Nashville, Tennessee -- I would be remiss if I did not include this in the list of road trips. Nashville, Tennessee is honest to God, one of my favorite places to be in the world. It is music and friendly people everywhere. The history of North American music just overflows in this town. In September, Nashville plays host to the 12 edition of the Americana Music Association Conference and Festival. It's apex is the annual presentation of the Americana Music Association Awards held at the Mother Church of Country Music, the Ryman Auditorium. Nightly showcases featuring the best in Americana take place at several venues around town. Tickets are available for both the conference and the showcases. I would suggest that if you're not in the industry, you are safer in purchasing the much cheaper wristband ($50) which is good for all four nights of showcases and will get you in to all of the venues. Artists announced for the showcases are Rodney Crowell, Brandi Carlisle, Reckless Kelly, Mary Gautier, John Hiatt, the Punch Brothers, The Deep Dark Woods, Eileen Jewell, Billy Joe Shaver and many more. This is a great way to close out the summer.
Clearly this is not a comprehensive list, I would say this barely scratches the surface. But I think it does highlight all of the great music that is available to us and within a short drive from just about anywhere (at least in the eastern United States and Canada). Regardless of where you may end up, enjoy yourselves and may you have the best summer you've ever had in 2012. Travel safe everyone!
Wednesday, June 20, 2012
Album Review: "A Bakersfield Dozen", Stephen David Austin
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.
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.
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.
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