Not long ago I went over to the Warehouse In Bowling Green to see this band open up for the steel woods there, and they absolutely astounded me with their unique sound, juxtaposing honky tonk Country with a dark almost doom metal sound. I’ll be completely honest about this band I couldn’t describe them to any genre at all, and I cover thousands of bands on here.

The Josephines just go nuts on stage, with harmonies that now display a well oiled machine that emanates a  barrage of boot stomping music with lyrics that would make mom cringe. This ain’t no tent revival here folks, this is an absolute ride through hell complete with all the bells and whistles of a almost Ryman Auditorium ready band.

Mr. Brad Tabor – vocals, acoustic guitar, Mr. Zach Lindsey – electric guitar, vocals, Mr. Josh London – bass, vocals
Mr. Alex Lindsey – lap steel, vocals and Mr. David Page – drums make up this band of guys from Bowling Green Kentucky that play all over area. they are indeed a hard working bunch of guys!

I wanted to take some time out here to dwell on their set as well as one other last weekend as I was out and about watching music all over. Mr. Kyle Daniel and the Josephines both played the 20th anniversary for The Spillway Bar And Grill. Now, mind you there were other bands as well, but I opted to hit Rib Lickers For High Fidelity, so I could cover both shows.

Mr. Kyle Daniel was a really good band and he had some truly well written songs as well, I’ll admit I was wrapped up writing some other things while they were performing but I did stop at several times to watch them. Some of the lyrics really caught my attention, like the song  “Halfway To Your Heart”.

He has a very gritty Americana type voice and his songs were upbeat and easy to understand. I liked the style of this man and his band very much. As I said I pretty much walked in halfway into his set, so I’m not totally sure if he played covers or not.

‘God Bless America Damn Rock And Roll” was another good upbeat song followed by a song he wrote with Mr. Brent Cobb called “Ain’t No Difference.Now the song of his that really grabbed my attention was called “That Somebody Ain’t Me”, that song was a masterpiece of a breakup song. It can be related to by so many genres of music fans it was uncanny!

Another good song was called “A Friend With Weed” and he closed with a song called ‘Hangover Town”. I’m going to be keeping this man on my radar for DAMN SURE. What an energetic set he played here, this man had a wonderful stage presence and poured his heart into his music.

The Josephines tore the roof off the Spillway last weekend as they opened with one of their songs from their 2017 EP called “Coal Mine Gone”, followed by one of my favorite and more poignant songs they do called ‘So Much Blood”. Now folks, their 2017 EP made my TOP 50 OF 2017 last year.

They played a few songs I have never heard them play live before like ‘Satan’s Field” and they also played a new song called ‘Boxes”. I was very excited to hear some unfamiliar music from them, and I may to catch up with them in the future to chat about THEIR FUTURE as a unit, and where they have opted to head musically.

Their set included songs like “Never Ends” and another called “Brother John”. Another one of my favorite songs that they play from their EP was called ‘Trucker’s Song”, which displays some damn fine writing skills. THIS IS one of those bands that I can tell will be growing immensely, and I’ll be watching them move up to another echelon very soon…I’ll be featuring them every step of the way!

“Cocaine” was up next followed by “Sober Up” and my two favorite songs they do here,  “Maggie’s Bones” and they closed their set with a song that the crowd had been yelling for all night (me included) called “Fireball”. If you don’t have their album you need to go over to their website and pick up a copy of it, TRUST ME this band will be making bigger waves in their local circuit and it won’t be long until a larger market gets a hold of them!

This website not only ended up benefiting bands and record labels, I often talk about the MANY venues and hotels I use across America. I’ll be honest about another thing I love about the road life….EATING. Yeah, folks I could tell you about different places to eat in every city from Florida to Washington to be honest. I been around in the years since I started this website.

When I do run into horrible service, mediocre food, or rude waitstaff I usually NEVER totally slam ANY establishment. I DO contact the owners and alert them to my dilemma, and many times they are quite sympathetic to that..as was the case here.  I attended this restaurant last year for another band and was VERY displeased with their service, but NOT the food. Additionally I have always thought the stage was a NICE setup, and the sound man was top notch. This establishment GREATLY SUPPORTS local live music and has featured ALL of my favorite local bands from the Bowling Green area that I feature on this website.

I was there last weekend to eat and watch a NEW BAND that has birthed in the area called High Fidelity now my dear readers they are relatively new here, in fact this was only their second live show. I was told to go easy on them while I ate, and I did. In fact I didn’t think they were bad at all, in time with some original music and comfort, this band WILL become a viable peer to the other bands in the area.

Needless to say their three sets included all cover songs (that I was there for) but I’ll be honest their take on “Hard To Handle” from the Black Crowes was pretty damn good for the second time live! Even the solo that I waited to be highly critical of was not bad at all!  Their choices of songs complimented one another quite well, which created a viable show here. From “Born To Be Wild” a song which clearly is identified by a mutual crowd of customers like these to “Dark Necessities” which may not be, I thought their catalogue was quite eclectic. I’ll give them some time to evolve, develop their own sound and acquire some original music and I’ll feature this band more often for sure.

Mr.Adrian Heil – Keys (multiple)
Mr.Quentin Farris – Drums (multiple)
Mr.Andy Wells – Guitar / Vocals (Multiple)
Mr.Christian Turner – Lead Vocals (Multiple)
Mr.Rob Wray – Bass / Vocals (Multiple)

I wanted to take a few moments to talk about what an absolute TOTAL IMPROVEMENT Rib Lickers has made since I last visited them. They have acquired a new manager  Mr. Bob Hundley, who is absolutely what this restaurant needed to improve. As I previously stated THE FOOD wasn’t the issue THE SERVICE WAS, NOW fast forward to this year they HAVE indeed moved up to a whole new echelon of quality.

I buy their sauce RELIGIOUSLY and their rubs equally the same at IGA in Russellville Kentucky (Also locally owned). I DO GET Big Macs but you know I TRY to keep it local if I can. Now the new manager shared many future ideas with me that I cannot tell you about yet, but I CAN SAY that he has changed the gift shop around to better serve guests with more bar area, which from a business aspect was a smart idea to me. EVERY SQUARE FOOT should generate income, if it only generates fluctuating income….it’s dead space. I can walk into ANY establishment and tell you whether or not I’ll walk into it next year, if the stools are not generating 10g a year (in my opinion) it won’t last.

This manager PERSONALLY escorted us to a table for the show and it wasn’t only me, I SAW HIM go to EVERY table and greet guests as an engaged manager. I saw him fill drinks and take trays, I watched him open the door for people. The Kitchen Manager also came to us, and was enthusiastic about the future of Rib Lickers!

The price to me was also fair for the ribs, I usually expect 1.50 a rib, 6 bones and 8 ribs..12.00 usual done deal to me. A half rack with sides is a little more but SO WHAT, I tell you it’s well worth the price to go there to eat because you get live music. PAY A LITTLE MORE FOR FOOD THAT PAYS THE BAND PEOPLE. See how this works, they are up there working for you.

By Joshua Wallace

Jason Boland & The Stragglers are releasing their 9th studio album in Hard Times Are Relative.  It’s the follow-up to 2015’s Squelch and this one gives fans more of the traditional Texas country music they have come to expect from Boland and company.  This album is yet another great addition to a growing catalog of great red dirt and Texas country.

The album opens with a killer duet with Sunny Sweeney titled “I Don’t Deserve You”.  It’s one of my favorite tracks on the album and lets you know that you’re in for some good hard country music from the moment you press play.  Another favorite is the slower reminiscent track titled “Do You Remember When?” which reflects on better times in country music like when three quarter time was still a thing.  It’s one of the more creative approaches to this kind of track and I dig it.

Another favorite is “Tattoo Of A Bruise”.  This is one of the faster tracks on the album and I dig the fiddle playing by Nick Worley on this one.  Finally, “Grandfather’s Theme” gives you a sense of the album’s overall theme of looking back in the face of change.  It’s a good sentimental tune that is a highlight of the record.

Jason Boland & The Stragglers have put out another fine red dirt record in Hard Times Are Relative.  You can’t go wrong with this album if you’re a fan and this record is a good starting point for people who might not be as familiar with Jason Boland’s music.  At 9 albums in I believe it is safe to call Jason Boland a traditional country and red dirt legend as he just gets better with every release. Hard Times Are Relative is available everywhere on May 18th, 2018.

Favorite Tracks : I Don’t Deserve You, Do You Remember When?, Tattoo Of A Bruise, Grandfather’s Theme, Bulbs

Jason Boland & The Stragglers – Hard Times Are Relative (2018)

1. I Don’t Deserve You
2. Hard Times Are Relative
3. Right Where I Began
4. Searching For You
5. Do You Remember When?
6. Dee Dee OD’d
7. Going Going Gone
8. Tattoo Of A Bruise
9. Predestined
10. Grandfather’s Theme
11. Bulbs

By Joshua Wallace

Last month I had the opportunity to see Brent Cobb perform live at the Due South Music Festival in Thomasville, GA.  At this show, I heard a lot of this new album for the first time and it blew me away in a live setting. I’m here to tell you that this music is just as good recorded as it is live.  Brent Cobb has produced an album of country funk and swamp music at it’s finest. This is a big departure from his previous album Shine On Rainy Day which was mostly an acoustic storyteller affair.  The stories are still here and Brent can spin a yarn or two about the small town southern life, but there is a new sonic direction on this album that takes it to the next level.

One of the album’s pre-release singles was “Mornin’s Gonna Come” which is a catchy tune about getting drunk and the morning after.  It has a swampy funk riff that will have dance floors moving for sure. Another favorite is the more mellow “Come Home Soon” which is a southern rock ballad about missing home in small town Georgia.  Another favorite is the acoustic track “High In The Country”. This track would have fit in on Shine On Rainy Day as it is avery strong southern rock inspired singer-songwriter track.

One of my favorites when I saw Brent live was the killer rock track “30-06”.  It combines swampy funky riffs with some great guitar soloing by guest instrumentalist Charlie Worsham.  Finally, another favorite is Brent Cobb’s tribute to fallen country music troubadour Wayne Mills. It’s a touching tribute that doesn’t touch much on the violence that took Wayne’s life, but instead chooses to celebrate how he lived.  I fully believe that the little bit of Wayne’s music that we have in recorded form can stand next to country legends like Merle Haggard or Waylon Jennings and the more ears we get listening to his music the better.

Brent Cobb has released a monster of an album with Providence Canyon.  The new sonic direction of this record and the live performances that will go with it solidify Cobb as a master of country funk.  If you dig you’re country music with a psychedelic 70’s funky swamp music theme to it, get this record. I can see nothing but big things for Brent Cobb if he can maintain this kind of sound with the quality of songwriting he offers on this record.  I look forward to hearing more and I highly recommend checking Brent out live if you get a chance to this year. Providence Canyon is out everywhere music is sold on May 11th, 2018.

Favorite Tracks : Mornin’s Gonna Come, Come Home Soon, High In The Country, 30-06, If I don’t See Ya, King Of Alabama

Brent Cobb – Providence Canyon (2018)

1. Providence Canyon
2. King Of Alabama
3. Mornin’s Gonna Come
4. Come Home Soon
5. Sucker For A Good Time
6. High In The Country
7. If I Don’t See Ya
8. 30-06
9. Lorene
10. When The Dust Settles
11. Ain’t A Road Too Long

You know folks I do a LOT of these festival articles, A LOT… for those that do not follow me as much I write 175 of these per year, and this one of them at the TOP of my radar list I haven’t physically been to…yet. Up there in Northeastern Ohio you have my fine friends at Duck Creek Log Jam are at it again for some early summer camping fun.

From their website:

The Duck Creek Log Jam is part amazing music festival and part classic camping trip, set in the Midwest’s most scenic region, Ohio’s Hocking Hills! Get ready for a genuine, family-owned, off-the-beaten-path music festival where you can stomp your feet, holler out loud, meet new friends, party the night away and enjoy a truly great outdoor festival experience.

What Makes Duck Creek special?
We are dedicated to providing you with a stripped down and authentic music festival experience in a beautiful natural setting. Our “small-by-design” approach ensures that you have room to spread out a bit and won’t have to deal with the long lines and overcrowding you find at other fests. We focus on keeping things simple, creating a respectful (yet fun) party atmosphere, and providing a soundtrack that will get you Yee-hawing!

Duck Creek ain’t your Grandpappy’s Bluegrass Festival!
Yes, we focus on Bluegrass, Americana, Folk, Roots, Rock and what have you, but our acts tend to be more of a modern interpretation of the classic genres. Expect some high energy and fast moving performances.

We hope to see you at Duck Creek…Yip! Yip!

On Tuesday May 16th Mr. Collin Raye will be releasing a (sort of) new album, where he will re record 25 of his all time greatest hits and release them again. Sixteen of the songs are currently past number one hits from his 25 year history as an artist..see the pattern here?

We haven’t heard from him as far as any new music since 2009 on an album called “Never Going Back”, however he has released several gospel albums since then. Many of the songs he dedicates to little Haley his granddaughter, who died of a severe brain disorder. he also released a biography in 2014, that was a pretty interesting read.

In 2004 he added to the Live At Billy Bob’s collection with a live album that was pretty good and contained many of these hits on it, but he never had much chart success after 2007. Nonetheless he does remain a prominent fixture of 90’s Country performers who were singing more traditional country type upbeats songs, and more pop country ballads.

Collin Raye — 25 Years, 25 Hits Track Listing:
1. I Can Still Feel You
2. On The Verge
3. Little Rock
4. My Kinda Girl
5. In This Life
6. All I Can Be (Is A Sweet Memory)
7. Every Second
8. Little Red Rodeo
9. Not That Different
10. I Think About You
11. If I Were You
12. That’s My Story
13. I Want You Bad (And That Ain’t Good)
14. Somebody Else’s Moon
15. That Was A River
16. What The Heart Wants
17. One Boy, One Girl
18. Someone You Used To Know
19. Couldn’t Last A Moment
20. A Man Of My Word
21. Anyone Else
22. The Gift
23. What If Jesus Comes Back Like That
24. Love Remains
25. Love, Me
26. Undefeated (Bonus track)
27. She’s With Me (Bonus track)
28. Shall We Gather At The River (Bonus track)

By Joshua Wallace

If you’re looking for an early 90’s country throwback with a smooth voice look no further than Randall King.  This name might not be familiar folks outside of Texas and that is okay, this album is a good introduction. If Garth Brooks can recommend his music on his Inside Studio G Facebook program, it can’t hurt to check it out, right?  Let’s dive into this self titled debut full length LP from Randall King.

We kick things off with a foot stomper that fully displays Randall King’s skillful crooning right off the bat.  It’s a track that lets you know you’re in for a record that is similar to the George Strait inspired country of Aaron Watson but with a early 90’s Garth Brooks and Alan Jackson influence.   One of my favorites on the album is a slower number called “Mirror Mirror”. This song showcases King’s vocal range and if you listen hard enough it sounds like an early Garth Brooks tune. It’s that good.

Another favorite is “Break It”.  You always hear country singers lamenting about country music using the old line “if it ain’t broke, don’t break it”.  This turns that on it’s head and gives you a completely different message of “if it ain’t broke, break it”. It tells you to not be afraid to step out of the box and do your own thing.  Another favorite track is “Dent In It” which takes the phrase “I put a dent in it” and uses it in several ways across the song. It’s another fun track that highlights King’s vocal and songwriting ability.  Finally, “Reason To Quit” is a nice slower song to end the album on with King going with a more subdued singing style on a track that parallels addictions and heartache.

Randall King’s self titled debut is very promising and I look forward to hearing more from him.  He’s got an amazing voice and a refreshing style that harkens back to good early 90’s country. We all need a little variety and while I love the 70’s outlaw country sound, a lot of folks are doing that.  I think we’re starting to see traditionalists start to think outside that box and do real country their own way. Randall King’s self titled debut album is available everywhere digitally as of April 27th, 2018 and you can get a cd copy through his website.  

Favorite Tracks : Freightline, Mirror Mirror, Break It, Tuggin’ On My Heartstrings, Dent In It, Reason To Quit

Randall King – Randall King (2018)

1. Freightline
2. Takin’ Me A Heartbreak
3. Mirror, Mirror
4. Break It
5. Cool Under Pressure
6. One Goodbye
7. Tuggin’ On My Heartstrings
8. When He Knows Me
9. Dent In It
10. Keep Her On The Line
11. Her Miss Me Days Are Gone
12. One More Won’t Hurt
13. Reason To Quit

By Joshua Wallace

I first came across Joe’s Truck Stop with the 2014 EP release called Free Showers.  It came out around the height of the punk fueled string band craze and it fit in well with that genre.  It felt like a bajo fueled country record with some attitude. Fast Forward to 2018 and the band are finally releasing their first full length album called American Dreams.  There have been many lineup changes since the EP, but they’re still very much a banjo fueled country band. The music is calmer and more country with a western swing feel to it this time around.  This is a good change as the scene has changed since 2014 and more traditional country is more popular than the punk fueled country that was featured on the EP.

One of my favorites on this record is “Banjo Pickin’ Tobacco Spittin’ Gal”.  It’s a bluegrass fueled country song that has humor and is just plain fun. This one will have toes tappin’ at live shows for sure.  “Don’t Go To College” is a cautionary tale about learning more about the world before diving headfirst into it. It’s a lesson we could all learn eventually.

“The High Road” is another fast country tune that is a fun toe tapper.  I love the duel solo by Andrew McPheter’s banjo and Ben Sweeney’s lead guitar on this one.  “(Don’t) Put A Nickel In The Jukebox” goes into full on honky tonk territory with a sad country song about not being able to stand hearing sad country songs.  It doesn’t get sadder than that. “Knockin’ Boots” is a good dancing song, however you like to dance. Finally, “American Dreams” showcases Joe Macheret’s songwriting abilities.  I love the reference to Hank Snow’s “I’ve Been Everywhere”. It seems like something the band could have fun with live.

American Dreams shows what could be a promising future for Joe’s Truck Stop.  Hopefully we won’t have to wait another 4 years for the next release because I look forward to hearing more.  I highly recommend this album to anyone looking for a good traditional country record with some killer banjo playing that really sets this band apart.  American Dreams is out now on Joe’s Truck Stop’s bandcamp and is available on CD May 11th.

Favorite Tracks : Banjo Pickin’ Tobacco Spittin’ Gal, Don’t Go To College, The High Road, (Don’t) Put A Nickel In The Jukebox, Knockin’ Boots, American Dreams

Joe’s Truck Stop – American Dreams (2018)

1. Blues For Two
2. Banjo Pickin’ Tobacco Spittin’ Gal
3. Don’t Go To College
4. When I Say
5. Dreamin’
6. The High Road
7. (Don’t) Put A Nickel In The Jukebox
8. Moon Sang
9. Knockin’ Boots
10. One More Night
11. American Dreams
12. Peace Of Mind

Once again I have traveled down to east Nashville to one of my favorite neighborhood bars, that is quickly become a mecca of local music. Miss Amy Dee and Mr. Daniel have turned Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge into of the greatest retro throwback bars in the Nashville area.

I have gleefully written many articles from this particular venue, and tonight was perhaps some of the greatest sets I have witnessed there, by all means. I’m telling you that every act was amazing tonight and I had ONE HELL of a good time last night watching this show as I wrote this for you.

You can read about all of the artists and get tons more information about them all right HERE I also featured one of the videos from Mr. James album Full Tilt Boogie called “Jesus Jail Or Texas”, and you can see that HERE.
Also Outlaw Resurgence hosted the first listen party and you can listen to the album there.

The Traveling Ones played many Americana type songs like “When It Rains” and other songs that featured  their combined duet abilities well like “You Only Have To break My Heart”.  Mr. Justin and Miss Emily met at an open mic in Texas, and now reside in Nashville where they are a prominent part of my local scene here.

They have a special sound to their harmonies here, and if I HAD to compare them to another band I couldn’t..you have MANY combo harmony bands, Shovels And Rope, Porter Union, Barnyard Stompers…and these two aren’t like any of those.

The songs were well written and flowed well together on their set choices, like the song ‘I’m a woman” however the next song called “Wildfire Heart” was my favorite out of their offering last night.another outstanding thing about their set was it featured some damn fine slide guitar from the lead player, and when you pair it up with Miss Emily’s powerful vocal range, you have a damn fine show.

” Midnight Calling” was next and they followed that up with  a song called “Red Light” but like I mentioned about their set and how well it was placed..the set closed with a song called “Let’s Go Get Stoned”. It was a furious and powerful climax to the set and featured some powerful finishing vocals from her.

Mr. Allen Thompson is another local favorite we had here tonight, I first discovered him on Music City Roots. He writes with Mr. Don a lot and  one of his first songs was a song he wrote with him called “Dirt to Dust”. He brought a great acoustic portion to the lineup tonight which was also really nice.

“While I’m Young” was another song he played before he played his final song called ‘Trouble”. He later joined Mr. Don Gallardo for the closing portion of the entire show. He told a terrific story about how he was misplaced at a songwriter competition with kids once that the song “Trouble” won an opportunity to meet John rich..which he opted to give away.

Mr. James Scott Bullard is dropping his new album tonight called Full Tilt Boogie and you can read more about that HERE. Several websites have given Mr. James a lot of attention lately in the local scenes, and he has been out on the road working relentlessly.

He opened with “Lord Have Mercy” from the new album, along with the next song “Heartless Woman”. Mr. James has self admittedly proclaimed most of his songs are of the jaded type of love gone wrong, like the song “Warpath”. Now mind you, acoustic they sound a little different than on the album with a full band..but that’s alright.

Both times I went to see him play here he did a truly fine job up there, especially on songs like “Wicked Ways” tonight, hell it got an applause two separate times. More heavier tunes like “Evil Lovin” that had the different guitar tones made them sound different just acoustic.

“Voo Doo” was one I never heard live before and after that he played “The Next Tear” and “Hey hey Mama” both offerings from Full Tilt Boogie, I thought his set list here tonight promoted the album well.  He played a few more before playing “Back To You”. I particularly enjoyed his closing of the set when he played my favorite song called “Jesus,Jail Or Texas”. I have a pretty good feeling you’ll be hearing many more great things to come from this man.

Mr. BOO RAY was absolutely amazing tonight and it’s been quite a while since I have had the chance to cover his set live, so tonight was truly a great opportunity.  He has a new album dropping this fall and he played a brand new song from this forthcoming album called “Don’t Look Back”…I’ll have more on that on later articles.

His latest album called “Sea Of lights” was one of the focal points of his set tonight, choked full of bad assed guitar licks and steel guitar solos. This man and his band was absolutely mind blowing tonight in just about every way, his opening song was called ‘4 Letters And A Heart”, one of his older songs from the “Bad News Travels Fast” album.

“Johnny’s Tavern” is an absolute bad assed in your face foot thumping song about just what it’s named…for..Johnny’s Tavern.  His set also included “Bricks And Mortar” and “Emmaline”. This man goes absolutely full blown ballistic on stage, just because he is lanky in stature doesn’t mean he isn’t a juggernaut on sound. He blows the rooftops off of the venue!

“One More Round” was included in the set and my personal favorite from “Sea of lights” was called ‘Redneck Rock And Roll” which is just a plain out simple jam song. After playing two new songs, one being called “Don’t Look Back”  he closed with the song called “Bad News Travels Fast”.

Mr. Taylor Kropp was up next with some great twang guitar music here as he opened with an old Waylon Jennings song and went into an original off of his album ” Coming Up For Air” called “I’ll Forget In Time”.

He played his song for millennial called ‘Stereotypical Three Dimensional 21st Century Troubadour” , but the best song of his set was the title track of his album ‘Coming Up For Air”. His set featured some ABSOLUTELY amazing guitar wizardry, rivaling Rory Kelly and Sean K Preston on local stage levels.

Mr. Don Gallardo is one that I have been following for some time now and his new album is garnering huge accolades around town, as it also drops tonight here in town.  I have been a fan of his for some time now, and I finally got to catch his show here on the now.  I’m quite excited to see this man’s set tonight, he is a big local draw in my area believe you me.

He opened his set with the first single off the new album called “Stay Awhile”, and followed that up with other songs off from his album “Hickory”. “Diamonds And Gold” and my absolute favorite ‘The North Dakota Blues”, that’s just a terrific song that paints such a vivid picture in my mind. In fact I would go so far as to say it’s one of my top 20 favorite songs of all time, my interpenetration of a good song is that a writer and singer paints a picture on your brain, which is a canvas. That song just reminded me of being a young man and reading those old Louis L’amour books.

“Golden Rule” is another positive song about…well the golden rule, he followed that with the fifth studio album title from Van Morrison called ‘Tupelo Honey” Now I’ll be honest I’m not the biggest Van Morrison fan (I don’t hate his music, but I can take it or leave it) BUT I DID enjoy his cover of it. He does a fantastic job presenting the song as his own, and if you aren’t observant you could construe it as his own song.

“Time Pass By’ is a song he renamed “The Song That Made Mick Jagger Dance’, because well…it did once. That was a really cool opening story to a song, we had quite a few cool intro stories here tonight. He played “Banks Of The Mississippi” before closing with Grateful Dead covers like “Casey Jones”.

I want to thank Miss Emily and Miss Kim Grant for inviting me out to write about this event here and for Dee’s for always hosting great local music for my website to write about, and that DAMN FINE jukebox they have there.

By Joshua Wallace

I’ll be honest, I didn’t know much of James Scott Bullard before Gary premiered his single “Jesus, Jail Or Texas” right here on the website.  That one song was good enough for me and I knew I wanted to review the album when it was released. Before I got the CD, I went to Spotify to hear what I could from James Scott Bullard.  The only thing there was a previous single called “Wicked Ways” and a compilation album called The Rise and Fall Of… which compiles tracks from his previous releases. From what I can gather, Full Tilt Boogie marks his 9th release overall and 6th full length.  This feels like a good jumping on point for new fans of James Scott Bullard as it is his best sounding material that I could find and it marks a sonic shift to a more southern rock leaning sound.

This album starts off on a slower note with the opening track “Lord, Have Mercy”.  It’s a great way to kick off the proceedings before James Scott Bullard kicks things into high gear.  “Wicked Ways” was the first single from the album and sets things off with a killer southern rock country tune that recalls the early days of Skynyrd with ease.  Another early track was “Jesus, Jail or Texas” which was premiered right here on Gary Hayes Country. This goes more into the country side of Bullard’s sound and it’s a very catchy tune.  This is one of my favorites on the album.

Another favorite has another killer opening riff on the track with “Leavin’ On My Mind”.  It’s a great drifting song if you like songs like Willie’s “On The Road Again” or Cash’s “I’ve Been Everywhere”.  The album closes out with “Back To You” which is more of a southern rock ballad. In true southern rock ballad fashion, this track closes the album out with some great solo work.

Full Tilt Boogie is an appropriate name for this album.  The boogie is certainly turned to full tilt throughout this record and James Scott Bullard has the Waylon meets Skynyrd southern rock influenced country sound down to a science.  I look forward to being able to see him live with a full band sometime in the future. Full Tilt Boogie is available everywhere on April 27th and signed copies are available at James Scott Bullard’s store.

Favorite Tracks : Lord, Have Mercy, Wicked Ways, Jesus, Jail Or Texas, Leavin’ On My Mind, Back To You

James Scott Bullard – Full Tilt Boogie (2018)

1. Lord, Have Mercy
2. Wicked Ways
3. All To Pieces
4. Hey, Hey Mama
5. Warpath
6. Jesus, Jail Or Texas
7. Evil Lovin’
8. Leavin’ On My Mind
9. The Next Tear
10. Back To You

I am really happy that I got the chance to meet Sarah and bring you all this interview with Sarah Shook & The Disarmers. I love her sound and believe in her vision, she is going to do big things and I will be right there smiling from the crowd, singing every word and enjoying her rise. You guys should really check out her new album called ‘Years’ it’s get. I hope you all enjoy this interview and her music as much as I do.

Round 1 – For anyone that has never heard your music how would you describe it to them?

Sarah ~ “Real, raw, undiluted. The spirit of punk rock meets traditional country stylings. Rolling Stone referred to us as “sneering country-punk” and I’d say that sums it up well.”

Round 2 – Can you tell us about your band?

Sarah ~ “We’re a total band of freaks. The music industry is constantly churning out these young, good lookin, well dressed bands because it’s not about the music anymore, it’s an image based business. But, as with most everything else, I make my own rules when it comes to building a band. Chops and personality always come first. I’ve played in bands with difficult people in the past and boy howdy it’s just not worth the headache. So yeah, we’re a rag tag bunch of folks, we’re scrappy and tough in our own respective ways, but I’d be lyin’ if I said we also weren’t some pretty laid back, friendly, and compassionate humans. We look out for each other hardcore and we always have each other’s backs. One of the things I appreciate most about my bandmates is that it’s ALWAYS about the music. Music comes first. Always.

My electric guitarist, Eric Peterson, has been playing music with me in one form or another for almost 8 years now and he is one of the only true guitar lords in existence right now haha. Our pedal steel player, Phil Sullivan, played lap steel in my old band, Sarah Shook & the Devil, then took a hiatus to master pedal steel; the press often remarks on the brilliance of his and Eric’s interplay, those two truly have a special musical connection. Aaron Oliva is my upright bassist, he spent years in Nashville gigging around lower Broadway before moving back to central North Carolina and it’s evident in his playing. Dude knows his way around a dang bass! Kevin McClain is our new drummer and it’s been a blast getting to know him and work together musically. He’s a super talented drummer and avid cyclist. We’ll be working with a few subs due to increased touring demands, Adam Kurtz will be with us on pedal steel with some frequency, wicked talented and instant partner in crime status.”

Round 3 – I know you just released a new album, what can you tell us about it?

Sarah ~” “Years” is so cool. Ten songs featuring the same suspects, doomed relationships, late nights, alcohol, drugs, heartache, but presented with a warmth and fullness to the sound that softens the edges just enough to make it golden. We’ve evolved a shit ton as a band and as individuals since we independently released “Sidelong” in 2015 and it really shines through on this new record. Couldn’t be prouder of my boys.”

Round 4 – As an animal lover I enjoy hearing about other people’s pets, so I always ask do you have any pets and if so can you tell us about them?

Sarah ~ “Man, I wish I did. I live vicariously through pet owners. I would love nothing more than to adopt a rescue (or three cough cough) but we’re touring relentlessly this year and I just wouldn’t have the time to give them all the love, attention, time, and affection that dogs deserve. Serious retirement goals, my friend.”

Round 5 – What hobbies do you have, what do you enjoy doing when you’re not making great music?

Sarah ~ “I love cooking. I’ve been vegan for over 4 years now and when we’re not on the road I’m constantly in the kitchen inventing recipes and making stuff up on the fly. It’s really relaxing and satisfying, especially when I have friends over to help me eat everything! I’m also a big fan of the outdoors and any chance I get to snag a hike or a long walk I’ll take in a heartbeat.”

Last Call – This is a final open question so you can say what ever you would like to your fans and the people reading this.

Sarah ~ “Always put yourself in someone else’s shoes before you judge ‘em. Nobody is perfect and we’re all in this mess together so love hard and be kind.”

By Joshua Wallace

Charley Crockett is back with his fourth album following 2017’s Lil G.L.’s Honky Tonk Jubilee which consisted classic honky tonk covers.  Lonesome As A Shadow finds Crockett stepping out on his own and recording his own songs again with great skill and flexibility. While Lil G.L.’s Honky Tonk Jubilee was a pure country record, Lonesome As A Shadow finds Crockett playing with blues, soul, cajun and even rockabilly influences.  It should be no surprise that there is a strong Memphis influence as the album was even recorded at Sam Phillips Recording in Memphis.

One of the early pre-release tracks is a rockabilly inspired tune called “Lil’ Girl’s Name”.  This track is just one part of the melting pot of influences that make up this album. It fits within the context of an album that finds Charley exploring many sounds to find his own.  Another interesting track is “Goin’ Back To Texas” which has notes of Texas country music and cajun influences. I enjoy when an artist plays with different influences and does so successfully.

Another favorite is the slower tune “Help Me Georgia”.  This is almost a smooth jazzy tune with some smooth keyboard and sax work.  The title track “Lonesome As A Shadow” finds Crockett returning to a more country sound with some nice honky tonk piano work.  I find myself going back to this track more than others.

Lonesome As A Shadow is all about Crockett stepping out into his own sound and exploring what that sound is.  After doing an entire record of classic country covers, Crockett finds himself doing his own tunes with country, blues, soul, jazz and cajun influences.  While I enjoy an album that represents a melting pot of influences that is done well, I hope he can find his sound within this wide range of influences. Look for Lonesome As A Shadow out everywhere on April 20th.

Favorite Tracks : The Sky’d Become Teardrops, How Long Will I Last, Help Me Georgia, Lonesome As A Shadow, Lil Girl’s Name, Goin’ Back To Texas

Charley Crockett – Lonesome As A Shadow (2018)

1. I Wanna Cry
2. The Sky’d Become Teardrops
3. Ain’t Gotta Worry Child
4. How Long Will I Last
5. If Not The Fool
6. Help Me Georgia
7. Lonesome As A Shadow
8. Sad & Blue
9. Lil’ Girl’s Name
10. Oh So Shaky
11. Goin’ Back To Texas
12. Change Yo’ Mind