All Of The Festival Information I Have Now.

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Feb 282021

Known Dates For 2021 festivals :

The Barlow Releases Their Second Album “Horseshoe Lounge”.

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Feb 282021

You know my usual style folks, I always post the PR article AND my own commentaries down below. These are all album features NOT album reviews, I do things just a little different than everyone else does.

The Barlow Gets Lucky With Sophomore Album, Horseshoe Lounge
Independent country record fuses outlaw, Red Dirt and Southern rock influences

Denver, CO (January 26, 2021) — Colorado Country. That’s the sound The Barlow has been making since 2017, combining Red Dirt, Americana, outlaw country and guitar-heavy Southern rock into songs that are as rugged as the band’s Denver home. Two years after releasing their self-titled debut album, bandmates Shea Boynton, Ben Richter, Brad Johnson, and Troy Scoope are back with 2021’s Horseshoe Lounge. Produced by The Barlow and featuring guest appearances by members of Mike and the Moonpies— whose front man Mike Harmeier contributes vocals on the album-closing track “Part of the Band” and whose pedal steel guitarist, Zachary Moulton, plays throughout the record Horseshoe Lounge is the sound of a band mid-stride, confidently walking down its own lane.

The new album also shines a light on the chemistry generated by a touring schedule that’s kept The Barlow on the road, playing shows throughout West Texas, New Mexico, Nebraska, Wyoming, and the band’s native Colorado. Along the way the group has shared the stage with Mike and the Moonpies, Sunny Sweeney, Ward Davis, The Steel Woods and other acts who, like The Barlow, straddle the line between classic and modern country.

According to the band, “This album is intended to be a blue-collar record aimed at fans of all genres. We’re excited about the evolving songwriting, performance, production, and overall personal growth of the band. We have all been friends since high school and it’s the record we’ve always wanted to make. Bootstrapping this record has been rewarding and we’re grateful for the work and process.”

Horseshoe Lounge showcases the sharp songwriting of front man Shea Boynton. An oil-field worker during his time offstage, Boynton fills the album with a mix of autobiography and character studies, often sourcing his writing inspiration from those around him. He isn’t just telling his own story; he’s writing other people’s stories, too. Boynton’s songwriting chops are adeptly complimented by Brad’s guitar work/vocals, with bass work and drums/vocals provided by Troy and Ben respectively. The quartet’s contributions meld perfectly, much like whiskey chased by cold beer over a game of darts on a Saturday afternoon. Meanwhile, a well-placed cover of Chris Knight’s “Homesick Gypsy” proves The Barlow has good taste when it comes to material written outside of the band, as well. On February 12, 2021, Horseshoe Lounge is open for business.

Horseshoe Lounge is available on all major outlets 2/12/21.

This album is quite different from the many I have heard lately, I mean it has more twang than the last 10 I listened to! It has some DAMN FINE guitar work, and quite possibly some of the most heart warming steel guitar tone I have ever heard.

When I first read about them, I really wasn’t sure what Colorado Country was to be honest. The above news announcement coins the term with authenticity, believe you me. There are so many types of sounds here juxtaposed all into one well made album here!

The title song here on this album is one of my favorites on the entire list, because it showcases some mighty fine production work, along with a band that plays like a well oiled honky tonk machine! It just paints a picture of me when my days were wild, and my hangovers were wilder, and the mainstream country world doesn’t have the most minuscule idea what wild times are.

“Before You Know” is what I’m listening to now, and it has a terrific drum roll to open a well written song…but the NEXT SONG called “Gallows” really spoke to me, and sounded like some type of retro 70’s power ballad. This song has so much feeling and it flows with such a lonesome vibe. It is a working double standard here, being a beacon of hope while being poured out upon us with such an appetency FOR that beacon of hope.

I am just sitting here in awe of the constant barrage of retro sounds of all of these songs here, while the lyrics keep the songs fresh and new. I have been trying to inculcate bands like this to festivals all over the country, bands like this keep the roads and stages HOT, as other bands move to higher echelons.

Announcing Hillberry: The Harvest Moon 2021!

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Feb 272021

Hey now Hillberries! We all need something to look forward to and we miss our Hillberry family! Deadhead Productions & Railroad Earth are pleased to announce Hillberry, The Harvest Moon 2021! Taking place 10/8 – 10/10, You can expect three nights of music & camping!

Pre-sale tickets to go on sale soon. Information on RV spaces will be available in the coming months. We will make a decision on if we will allow craft vendors as we get closer to that time. Stay tuned for more information. This event is approved by the Arkansas Department of Health. Go to the event page for more detailed information on our COVID guidelines. This can be a completely contact less event when adhering to our rules. Stay tuned for more details!!!

Hillberry Festival is one of the festivals that is indeed planning to transpire right now, and although there is no lineup yet, or vendor plans, I wanted to report on this one. I have been working on reporting on festivals all weekend, and making separate articles for them.

While you are visiting here, and we are on the subject of festivals, why don’t we look into some others that currently plan to happen like The Blue Ox Music Festival. Some more that are happening will be ones like Fresh Grass up in Massachusetts.

Giving you a quick look into what is NOT going to transpire as of today for 2021, we have ones like The Great Blue Heron Music Festival has announced they will be canceled. Rooster Walk was another of my favorites that added to the cancellation list.

We’re so very happy to be able to announce Hillberry, The Harvest Moon Festival in Eureka Springs, Arkansas on Oct. 8-10, 2021 in partnership with our friends at Deadhead Productions! We’re cautiously optimistic that fall will have us in a better place, and hope that we can find a way to gather and celebrate live music with public health remaining a priority. Strict Covid-19 regulations will be put in place and followed. Read more about the guidelines on the event page. More info and pre-sale tickets coming soon. See you (safely) at The Farm!!!

Mac Leaphart Releases Wry, Rugged Music City Joke

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Feb 262021

Mac Leaphart Releases Wry, Rugged Music City Joke

Listen to ‘ity Jok Music Ce’

I’m not going to lie here folks, in 2021 I already have a few possible entries for my

TOP 50 albums of the year. For the first time ever, I have some albums great enough to make it through the year. This album is one of them by a long shot.

I get sent more albums and emails than I can possibly keep up with, and it’s not entirely often that I come across an album like this one. This one was just absolutely amazing, and I was very eager to share this album with you. I’ll be writing a whole new article of my take on this album.

NEW YORK — Feb. 12, 2021 — “If there is an overall arc that links these songs, it’s that I am trying to connect in a way that I never have before,” singer-songwriter Mac Leaphart says of Music City Joke, out today. The 10-song collection vacillates between high-energy tales that would be at home on any dancehall stage to wry examinations of the human condition — though Leaphart’s detailed writing style equally weaves throughout the more rollicking tracks on the album just the same.

“I’m a journeyman musician who spent a decade on the Southeastern bar band scene before settling in Nashville,” Leaphart explains. “I moved here with the idea of writing some of those big hits you hear on country radio; it wasn’t too long before I realized there’s a lot more that goes into writing a smash hit than just great songwriting, and I wasn’t chuckling at Nashville anymore. The joke was on me. I peeled the ‘kick me’ sign off my back and got down to focusing on my own songwriting like never before–writing late at night and performing at writers’ rounds to see what stuck and what didn’t. And here it is: the song, the album…and the punchline.”

Music City Joke offers Leaphart’s strongest batch of songs to date: wry, rugged, and recharged, he’s singing songs that conjure up memories of front porches, honky tonks, heartbreaks, and dive bars. Produced by Brad Jones (Hayes Carll), Music City Joke is a rallying cry from an artist who has spent more than a decade paying his dues and whittling his craft, joined by a team of longtime Nashville staples, including Fats Kaplin, Will Kimbrough, and Matt Menefee, as the soundtrack to his lyric-driven, story-based songwriting.

“Music City Joke presents the listener with a number of snapshots that define the less glamorous aspects of survival in Nashville, while also tipping its hat to the numerous working musicians knocking out a living in an overcrowded market. It’s also a striking collection of plain-spoken songs, very much in the present, from an artist with an eagle eye for the minor detail.”

– Lonesome Highway

The album kicks off with a reimagined version of “El Paso Kid,” which originally appeared on Leaphart’s 2015 release, Low in the Saddle, Long in the Tooth. “Blame on the Bottle,” inspired by a preacher on the left end of the radio dial, examines both self-will and self-righteousness just the same.

The rollicking “Honey, Shake” is the purest example of Leaphart’s Southern rock-inspired upbringing, to which The Boot advised listeners to ”put on your dancin’ shoes…”Honey, Shake” will have you ready to groove.”

Mac Leaphart channels the humor and heart of folk heroes like John Prine and Hayes Carll on “Blame on the Bottle.”

– Wide Open Country

“Ballad of Bob Yamaha or A Simple Plea in C Major” is a nod to Shel Silverstein and a shining example of Leaphart’s dedication to smartly written songs from the perspective of a weathered guitar that just wants to be played by someone who really knows their way up and down the frets. Inspired by Leaphart’s move from the South Carolina Lowcountry to Nashville, the album’s title track, “Music City Joke,” is a reckoning of expectations and reality.

“That Train” continues to showcase Leaphart’s signature style – mixing twang, tempo, and tightly-constructed lyrics into the same package, with American Songwriter noting its “clever bundling of nostalgic allusions and raw honky-tonk harmonies.”

“Window from the Sky” offers a stripped-down take on how much good a change in perspective can do. “Every Day” is a look into the dynamics of a relationship, while “Division Street” laments a tiny, shared apartment, close living spaces, and the eye-opening experience of living inside “the party house.”

Before earning his stripes as a road warrior, Leaphart launched his career in South Carolina, where he balanced a nighttime gig as a bartender with a steadily-increasing stream of shows. Leaphart’s first album, Line, Rope, Etc., was released in 2009 and a few years later, in 2012, he took his signature sound with him to Nashville. There, he has launched a popular recurring songwriter’s night called Southpaw Social Club and strengthened his own writing chops, penning songs for other artists’ albums as well as his own. Low in the Saddle, Long in the Tooth arrived in 2015, followed by Lightning Bob – featuring collaborations with Sadler Vaden – in 2018.

Leaphart — now a husband and father — received a reviving kickstart later that year when he was named a winner of the prestigious Grassy Hill Kerrville New Folk Competition.

Music City Joke Track Listing:

1. El Paso Kid
2. The Same Thing
3. Blame on the Bottle
4. Honey, Shake!
5. The Ballad of Bob Yamaha or A Simple Plea in C Major
6. Music City Joke
7. That Train
8. Window From the Sky
9. Every Day
10. Division Street

Honky Tonk Heroes Guest Interview: Morgan Wade.

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Feb 252021

Sometimes over here at Gary Hayes Country we admire the work of other people, and the folks over at Honky Tonk Heroes are on that list. Today, they are interviewing a much talked about young lady Miss Morgan Wade. I promise you guys, you will be hearing a plethora of news about her in the future.

This article was published by me, but other than that all of this article was done by them, including all of the questions and graphics. I promise you, I am equally enthusiastic to read this, let alone publish it to you…so without further waiting….

Happy to finally share our first “Honky Tonk Hero” interview with the incomparable Morgan Wade!

Words/design : JJ Waters, Onehungirishman Art

Photos : Alexis Faye, Crybaby Management

Pre-order the new album “Reckless” here:

MorganWadeMusic.com

This interview will also be available via GaryHayesCountry.com in the very near future!

Guy Clark Documentary Without Getting Killed Or Caught to Premiere at 2021 SXSW Film Festival

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Feb 242021

Guy Clark Documentary Without Getting Killed Or Caught to Premiere at 2021 SXSW Film Festival

The film, which chronicles the relationship between Guy Clark, Susanna Clark, and Townes Van Zandt, pulls from Susanna’s personal diaries as well as Tamara Saviano’s 2016 Clark biography

“One of America’s most revered musical storytellers” – American Songwriter

Feb. 10, 2021 – Austin, TX – Diehard fans and musicians alike have long shared myths and legends about the late-greats amongst themselves, but it’s rare for any of those tall tales to be corroborated. Rare, but not impossible. Enter Without Getting Killed or Caught, a remarkable documentary film about the mythical, complicated relationship between legendary songwriters Guy Clark, Susanna Clark, and Townes Van Zandt, and the art it inspired; a film with enough charm to create new fans of Clark and his music and enough depth to appease long-time followers. Without Getting Killed or Caught—which will make its virtual World Premiere at the 2021 SXSW Film Festival March 16-20—was produced and directed by longtime Americana music producer and executive Tamara Saviano and filmmaker Paul Whitfield. The film was originally scheduled to debut at SXSW in 2020 before the pandemic shuttered the festival, and for those not already attending SXSW 2021, stay tuned for additional information on public screenings with Kessler Presents, YETI, SiriusXM Outlaw Country, and more. A trailer for Without Getting Killed or Caught can be viewed now at this link and more information can be found at Withoutgettingkilledorcaught.com.

Without Getting Killed or Caught is the true story of Guy Clark, the dean of Texas songwriters, who struggles to write poetic, yet indelible songs while balancing a complicated marriage with wife Susanna, and a deep friendship with singer-songwriter Townes Van Zandt, on whom Susanna forged a passionate dependence. Clark, who died in 2016, wrote and recorded unforgettable songs (“L.A. Freeway,” “Desperados Waiting for a Train”) for more than forty years. His lyrics and melodies paint indelible portraits of the people, places, and experiences that shaped him, and no one inspired Guy more than his wife, painter, and songwriter Susanna Talley Clark, and their best friend, fellow songwriter Townes Van Zandt.

Narrated by Academy-Award winner Sissy Spacek, Without Getting Killed or Caught follows Guy, Susanna, and Townes on their journey from obscurity to reverence: Guy, the Pancho to Van Zandt’s Lefty, struggling to establish himself as the Dylan Thomas of American music, while Susanna pens hit songs and paints album covers for top artists and Townes spirals in self-destruction after writing some of Americana music’s most enduring and influential ballads. Based on the diaries of Susanna Clark—the film tells the saga from Susanna’s point of view—and Saviano’s 2016 book Without Getting Killed or Caught: The Life and Music of Guy Clark, which No Depression called “an intimate, affectionate, sometimes sad, often hilarious, and vibrant chronicle of one of our most memorable artists.”

Saviano, a longtime figure on the Americana scene, as a journalist, artist manager, and Grammy-winning producer, wrote the film with Bart Knaggs. She had the complete cooperation of Clark, who sat for numerous interviews on and off-camera. Without Getting Killed or Caught (the title comes from “L.A. Freeway”) also offers poignant reflections from Clark’s closest friends and musical allies, most prominently Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle, Vince Gill, Verlon Thompson, and Terry and Jo Harvey Allen, as well as record executive Barry Poss.

The film makes excellent use of Clark’s songs, family photographs and archives, vintage film footage, and radio talk shows on which Clark appeared solo and in tandem with Van Zandt. But the real emotional zing comes from Susanna’s pained remembrances, culled from her private journals and secret audio diaries, as well as taped conversations that Susanna made of the trio and of the “salon” that regularly gathered around them—all serving as witnesses to this seemingly fated intersection of love, art, and tragedy.

More information available at Withoutgettingkilledorcaught.com and on Facebook.

Cast & Crew

Directors: Tamara Saviano, Paul Whitfield
Writers: Tamara Saviano & Bart Knaggs – from Saviano’s book, Without Getting Killed or Caught: The Life and Music of Guy Clark, and the diaries of Susanna Clark
Narrated by: Sissy Spacek as Susanna Clark
Starring: Jo Harvey Allen, Terry Allen, Guy Clark, Susanna Clark, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle, Vince Gill, Barry Poss, Verlon Thompson, Townes Van Zandt

A Slow Uvalde Films Production

Produced by: Tamara Saviano and Paul Whitfield
Director of Photography/Film Editor: Paul Whitfield
Story Editor/Film Editor: Sandra Adair, A.C.E
Executive Producers: Bart Knaggs, Jay Newberg, Barry Poss
Associate Producer: Connie Koepke Nelson
Music by: Guy Clark and Verlon Thompson
Music Supervisor: Andrea von Foerster
Art & Animation Director: Mel Chin

Without Getting Killed or Caught - Official Trailer (2020)

Johnny Lee’s New Album ‘Everything’s Gonna’ Be Alright’ Is Available Now

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Feb 232021

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Country legend and Urban Cowboy Johnny Lee, known for his dynamic stage presence and No. 1 smash crossover hit “Lookin’ for Love,” has released his highly anticipated new album, Everything’s Gonna’ Be Alright by BFD/Audium Nashville distributed exclusively through Orchard. Everything’s Gonna’ Be Alright consists of fourteen songs, some written or co-written by Johnny, that he has saved throughout the years for the perfect album that truly reflects his life. Each of the fourteen tracks showcases a different side of Lee, allowing his listeners to experience a journey that draws on his past, but more importantly highlights the future. A special lyric video for Everything’s Gonna’ Be Alright premiered on Taste of Country in January and each track has been exclusively premiered by various outlets and is available on all streaming platforms at orcd.co/JohnnyLeeEverythingsGonnaBeAlright

Johnny exclusively shared with People.com about his recent diagnosis and ongoing struggle with Parkinson’s disease, and how he’s not going to let it keep him down. Read the full story HERE.

“I am very proud of my new album Everything’s Gonna’ Be Alright, says Lee. “I took my time finding the perfect songs, written by myself or others that truly reflected where my heart is today. The response has been incredible from not only my fans but from the many outlets that premiered each of the 14 tracks. It makes my heart feel good.”

To watch the lyric video for “Everything’s Gonna’ Be Alright” visit HERE.

Last year marked the 40th anniversary of the hit movie Urban Cowboy starring Johnny Lee, which changed the dynamics of country music and catapulted it to the next level in pop culture. As part of the celebration, Johnny Lee reunited with Mickey Gilley for the Urban Cowboy Reunion Tour. In November at the 54th Annual CMA Awards in Nashville, both were recognized for their contributions to country music and Lee’s hit single “Lookin’ For Love” was featured and performed by Old Dominion. The Urban Cowboy Reunion Tour will continue throughout 2021. Old and new fans will not want to miss the release of this one-of-a-kind legacy album!

Everything’s Gonna’ Be Alright Track Listing and Premieres:
1. Everything’s Gonna’ Be Alright: Premiered by Taste of Country
2. Pledge Of Allegiance: Premiered by People.com
3. Take Me Back To Texas: Premiered by People.com
4. Did You Enjoy Hurting Me (w/ Willie Nelson on Trigger): Premiered by Wide Open Country
5. A Song For You: Premiered by Tulsa World
6. Statue Of A Fool: Premiered by My Kind Of Country
7. Sawin’ On The Fiddle: Premiered by The Music Universe
8. I Know Me: Premiered by Sounds Like Nashville
9. Highways Run Forever: Premiered by Country Sway
10. Annie: Premiered by Nashville.com
11. If You Drive Your Husband To Drinkin’: Premiered by The Hollywood Times
12. There Never Was A Doubt In My Mind: Road Dog Media
13. Livin’ Hell: Premiered by Americana Highways
14. Father’s Daughter (Cherish Lee): Premiered by Sounds Like Nashville

Here

Johnny Lee "Everything's Gonna' Be Alright" (album cover)

Johnny Lee "Everything's Gonna' Be Alright" (back cover)

Ashley McBryde: Never Will: Live From A Distance And A New Song On The Opry.

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Feb 222021

One of the greatest female up and comers ( hell in my opinion she is already on top ) is none other than Miss Ashley McBryde. She has generated such a gigantic buzz around Nashville, and among the many festivals all over America.

Her songwriting abilities far exceed many other gals on her level, and to be honest she exceeds most males on her level by leaps and bounds. There are not many people I would even try to compare to this young lady’s songs.

In the past few weeks, she has announced that she will be releasing a LIVE album in support of her third album called ‘Never Will”. This weekend she released an AWESOME video and single release for the song called “First Thing I Reach For”, co written by Mr. Mark Holland and Mr. Randall Clay.

That is indeed one of the best songs on the entire album, and perhaps one of the best songs of 2020. There aren’t many songs that she does that I do not like, but she recently knocked it out of the park last weekend….

See, last weekend she played her 19th Opry performance and she debuted a new song, that will be on the forthcoming untitled new album. The song is aptly called “Whiskey And Country Music”.

She sings pretty easy to understand, good old fashioned Country Music with no frills or any bells and whistles. You get a mighty fine two step Honky Tonk song that she debuted here. And yes she did indeed pick the perfect place to debut it.

You can damn sure bet that I will be watching for news and new happenings from Ashley McBryde. I can promise you that anything she does new will be heavily featured on here.

The reason why is simple…. she strives to uphold the Opry tradition and holds that lust for real Country Music in her heart. We need to rebuild the Grand Ladies Of the Opry, and by inducting her along with 7 or 8 others….we will have just that.

The Opry is built around the concept of these stars having a HOME to come to toward their road day’s end. A place to retire and to hold them close to our hearts each weekend. THERE IS STILL HOPE….here is one fine example.

Mr. Lorin Walker Madsen Has New Music Out NOW!

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Feb 212021

I recently had the chance to stop and chat with my good old friend Mr.Lorin Walker Madsen, who has new music out now. I wanted to stop and share with you the conversation we had VIA instant messenger as of late.

This album is a gathering of new songs except the song “Colorado Man” , which was on the album “The Kind Of Man I Am” from 2013. The other 3 songs are all new, and he will explain of that below:

Lorin Walker Madsen “LIVE @ Archive Recordings” Was recorded back in late January 2020, just before the world would change and shut down due to the Covid-19 pandemic.

I was coming off a short run of shows in Southern California and had a few new tunes that I knew I wanted to eventually record for the next record, but had most the guys there, and available, so I said what the hell. Why not, ya know?

And now, I’m glad I did. The players and band for this live session was built of Taylor Flandro (fiddle/vocals), Raymond Mathews (upright bass), and Eric Watson (drums). My long time friend and owner of Archive Recordings here in Salt Lake City, Wes Johnson manned the helm and engineered, mixed, and even mastered these tracks.

He also tracked and engineered my 2017 release, “Slave of the Road”. We’ve known each other know over twenty years, growing up in the Utah music scene. We’ve now become just great friends who like to fish together and just hangout on the regular (pre Covid of course), but he’s someone I’m extremely comfortable with and trust.

So it was fun to lay these new ones down with him, and anticipate him being apart of the next studio release as well whenever I can get everyone in a studio and room safely again. Three of the four songs from this live session are previously unreleased, and the fourth being a full band version of a song from my debut solo release in 2012 “Colorado Man”, one that I’ve always wanted to put together a full band arrangement for but haven’t for whatever reason up to that point.

The other three unreleased tracks I mentioned I would like to see on a studio release as well in the near future, along with a handful of others that I’ve been sort of been sitting on or cooking up during this quarantined time at home. So again, once the opportunity to get together in a studio environment safely again with the crew you can expect a proper studio record. Most likely a full length.

Other than that, I’ve been spending the last ten months at home in Utah soaking up the extra time off the the road with my little boy and wife. Fishing and enjoying the outdoors as much as possible, and getting back to working on songs for the love of writing songs and playing music.

Sometimes you looses sight of that when you’re spinning the wheels out on the road day in and day out. “LIVE @ Archive” is currently available on all digital streaming and downloading platforms

Janet Simpson To Release Her New Album “Safe Distance” March 19th.

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Feb 212021

The highway’s empty nobody’s looking out

We could be down the road before they know

But we gotta leave right now

There are few things that are more healing than getting the hell out of town. Maybe it’s a solo trip. Maybe you bring a friend. Definitely a lot of music. Don’t say a thing to anybody. Just get in the car and go. Work it out on the road.

Safe Distance – the new album from singer, songwriter, composer, and multi-instrumentalist, Janet Simpson, isn’t a concept record, but it does take a journey. From Nashville to Reno (well, almost), to running away from demons, retreating from your troubles, hiding in plain sight, and returning liberated – ready to skip away again while your past looks on with a dropped jaw. But nothing here rambles aimlessly: Simpson’s characters long to get free (and succeed) while navigating it all with confident purpose. They are reflective but never middling. They hurt but move to healing – or take the time to care for others. And they don’t shy away for a good time – even if they’re having too much of one.

The songs of Safe Distance came to party as well. “Nashville Girls,” the album’s first single, kicks everything off with plenty of swagger and style – less an indictment of artists but those who are attracted to the noise art makes. “Reno” and the “Safe Distance” pair “Ditch Trilogy” Neil Young with Lucinda William’s gutbucket sense of meter. The [Dixie] Chicks would kill for a comeback song as breezy and carefree as “I’m Wrong” – a song born for a sunny-day-windows-down adventure. The Fender Rhodes powered vamp of “Mountain” is lust in search of the perfect parking spot. And “Wrecked” is an immaculate kiss-off that moves mercurially with slyly wicked lacerations worthy of Nick Lowe or Van Dyke Parks.

But it’s not all raucous: The albums more subdued moments often conjure thick, stormy atmospheres. “Slip” and “Ain’t Nobody Lookin’” conjure the late night bleariness of classic Tom Petty but with choruses he could never pull off. “Double Lines” has a steely-eyed saunter the recalls the late Ennio Morricone. “Silverman” is so stark that it will leave you frozen in time. “Awe & Wonder” also takes advantage of the Rhodes – letting its bells ring out into an ether swimming in synthesized voices and fretless bass.

This last detail is worth mentioning because some of the album’s sonic touchstones were late ’80s – early ’90s boomer statements by Bonnie Raitt, George Harrison, and Paul Simon – influences that were somewhat off the radar of the wunderkind engineer / mixer Brad Timko, who has been producing amazing records with a mix of analog and digital gear from the Communicating Vessels studio in Birmingham, AL, where Simpson and her band call home. Simpson and Timko worked closely in order to achieve the albums sonics, where minimalism reigned supreme. The songs were loosely written and rehearsed, but the band plays with supreme tautness, leaving plenty of room for Simpson’s powerful voice and lyrics – always sharp and occasionally hilarious – to haunt the air just so.

Unbelievably, Safe Distance is the first time that Simpson has widely-released an album under her own name. This is not to say that she hasn’t been busy: Since getting her start in Atlanta in the late ’90s, Simpson has sheltered her dark whimsy under the guise of Delicate Cutters, wielded formidable guitar attacks with bubblegum skronkers Teen Getaway, toured the U.S. and Europe as a crucial member of Wooden Wand and the World War IV, and found a new writing partner in fellow Birmingham, AL musician Will Stewart – with whom she fronts the lean, atmosphere-forward duo, Timber, while also lending her many formidable talents to his solo material (and vice versa). It’s a lot to take note of – and still doesn’t cover her being the secret weapon on dozens of other albums for a wide array of artists. But Safe Distance proves once again that Simpson is a force of nature – and it’s her best work yet.

Janet Simpson’s Safe Distance will be available on vinyl, CD and digital/streaming platforms on March 19th via Cornelius Chapel Records.

New Music From Jackson Taylor And The Sinners.

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Feb 212021

I haven’t had the chance to stop and check out everyone as often as I’d like to, and I know we haven’t had any new music from Jackson Taylor And The Sinners. I haven’t had a chance to see him since Tumbleweed 2019.

Tomorrow he has a new single coming out, and I will be keeping up with any new music announcements I hear from them. It has been quite some time since we got any new music from him, and many other bands as well.

I try my best to bring you all of the music I can, from so many other genres that I really don’t always get around to promoting it all at once. However, this is one of the many singles and albums I am looking forward to the most in 2021.

My landlord really likes this new song here, as he is going through a divorce, and he pretty much is self admitting his own blame here on this one. He relates to this song as he himself said he drank too much, and drove his wife away.

This song pretty much sums that scenario up quite well, and I really look forward to more new music from him in the near future. On the flip side of the future, this song holds an ardent relevance to the past. The sound and style of this song are both reminiscent of the many Legends that influenced him…..and many of us.

Our newest single, “Never Walk The Line.” Due to release 02.19.2021, can now be pre-saved. This ensures you do not miss the release date, and will be one of the first to hear the new song.

Available to pre-save through: Apple Music, Spotify, TIDAL and Deezer. Click the link here: PRE-SAVE NOW.

Join Us: AMERICANAFEST at Folk Unlocked | Feb. 24

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Feb 202021

We’re hosting a virtual Spotlight Showcase at Folk Unlocked this year. Will we see you there? We’ve partnered with our friends at Folk Alliance International to bring online attendees a one-of-a-kind showcase, AMERICANAFEST style.

Catch AHI, Mary Gauthier, Arlo McKinley, Lauren Morrow, William Prince and Allison Russell on Wednesday, February 24 @ 5:30pm CST.

Folk Unlocked has a pay-what-you-want pass structure, so you can attend our virtual showcase for whatever you’re willing to contribute.

While you’re logged in, stop by our exhibitors booth and see us! We’ll be talking about our association and how we advocate for American roots music around the world. Feel free to swing by and say hi in the morning or afternoon during exhibitor hours.

I have spent the last few days snowed into my house, my other job has been closed all week due to the bad weather, so I opted to spend all week getting caught up with my beloved website.

With so many festivals canceling and so many still plan to go on ( but may cancel ), I have my work cut out for me! Ultimately, I cover over 275 festivals and more venues than I can name. Keeping track of all this at the center of the keyboard aspect of things……is me.

On this article I wanted to bring to your attention this special offer from Folk Alliance International and AmericanaFest called Folk Unlocked. This whole setup looks sort of like the past AmericanaFest, and the way they had some of the panels set up.

The FAI is hosting this Folk Unlocked in lieu of an actual conference this year, and has amassed a huge list of members of the international folk community. They will offer many different panels, workshops, showcases and other bells and whistles.

I think that given the circumstances of what is transpiring in today’s current society, and the way that technology has helped to improve this society..it also has let it down. It has turned us into a very impersonal society, many do not have any sense of how to conduct an actual conversation or interact among one another.

However on the other side of the coin here, is there is a lot to be learned on these panels and workshops. They call it a year for innovation and creativity, and like all other music communities they both welcome and fear technology. Here is a good example from their website:

“We hope to push the boundaries of what our community can achieve with technology and though this means not every aspect of our typical annual conference will be able to exist in this format, we are excited for this opportunity to initiate a new way of connection “.

Now, even though the continue to announce the 21st annual AmericanaFest as being on September 21 – 26th 2021, they too have created the “Thriving Roots” online mini festival. For a set price you can purchase “packages” or levels of access, and save the videos for later.

In an ordinary year, the annual AmericanaFest is an event that greatly benefits people like me, as it gives me unlimited amounts of industry connections. But to be honest I go there on scouting missions for new bands to put on here. I have an ear to the ground at these functions, to meet new connections.

The only thing I hate about AmericanaFest is driving all over the city in such a short time..in that heat! Yeah many of the venues are close together, but parking is often rough, and the shuttle bus is often overloaded.

My Memories Of Some Country Music Industry Folks We Lost In 2020.

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Feb 182021

This video is property of a GREAT Youtube channel called New Hillbilly.Com.
They have some truly wonderful videos over there, and this one I stumbled upon has prompted me to make an article, and share some memories I have of some of them. In the twelve years I have been running the roads hot following bands and festivals, I have encountered most of these Legends on here.

I got the chance to see Mr. Joe Diffie when he was playing one of the smaller venues around town, and I caught many of his package deal concerts backstage. I call a lot of these 3 and 4 artist combo concerts from the 80’s and 90’s. The term package deal is a business term where a tour pairs the same artist from the booking agency, and offers a flat rate for all of them.

He was always a top notch performer, and his set list was never short of unforgettable hits from decades of playing Country Music. I tried to listen to him on the Opry as much as I could, and I still enjoy his music.

I have many memories of his music growing up as a young adult in the 90’s, and before I moved here in 1996 to study this kind of music, I would have cited him as one of my latest influences to pursue a career in the Country Music field.

My later teenage years are filled with a plethora of times bombing around in pickup trucks with his cassettes and later on cd’s. I am an avid collector of vinyl from this era of Country Music, simply because it’s harder to come by due to supply and demand.

Jan Howard was an Opry juggernaut that graced the Opry with her presence for her entire career, and she had that mutual respect for the Opry that so many of them have. She was an honorary member of R.O.P.E. ( Reunion Of Professional Entertainers ) for as long as I can remember.

This is one of her and I and Leonna Williams from one of the R.O.P.E. functions we had, and I had the opportunity to see her many times at the Opry. All of these people I enjoy their albums, to this very day. They all remain in my constant rotation!

As a sincere janissary and follower of Country Music, I feel that all of us owe a debt of gratitude to her and her husband Mr. Harlan Howard as well. Most of the beloved characters of her generation have long since passed on, but to be honest, many of those on the list ARE her ilk.

Some of these folks I didn’t know and Mr. Fuzzy Owens was one of them, but to say I have not studied his legacy is ludicrous. One year at Muddy Roots music Festival WE HAD country Legend Red Simpson, AND Mr. James Hand! I have two separate stories about them there, on different years.

Mr. Fuzzy Owens discovered Mr. Red Simpson and many others. He was the first to record Mr. Merle Haggard as he got out of prison. He was not only a songwriter, he was a manger and handled many of their finances.

Fuzzy Owens was one of the first few people to bring integrity to the paperwork side of the business, when nobody else knew how to. He managed Merle Haggard for over 30 years, and showed Merle how to divide expenses, and how to turn a profit from his music.

He was one of the pioneers of festival insurance and how to take the concept of a festival and capitalize on that. Many of the videos that are out there of his I have indeed watched and studied.

Mr. James Hand was one of those that entered the Country Music game late.However the albums he left behind, and the class he brought to the genre cannot be ignored.

One HOT NIGHT out at Muddy Roots, he played a long set in his classic Nudie suit. He did not include his song “Old Man Henry”, and a few of us were upset about that one. On into the night he took us in the back around a campfire and softly played some acoustic versions of that one and a few more.

Mr. Charlie Daniels was always good to me, both as a friend and a fan. He ALWAYS took the time out to spend time with me and answer ALL of my millions of questions I had for him.

The Charlie Daniels Band was a big big part of my childhood, and along with the many bands that hung around him and toured with him on his Volunteer Jam tours. I did a LOT of work with him and people that were associated with him, and I was there the night he was inducted into the Opry.

I recall seeing Mr. John Prine and Mr. Mac Davis my entire life as well, I recall both of them being guests on the Muppet Show when I was young. All of these people inspired me to become what and whom I have evolved into here.

Another Legend we lost that I covered a lot was Mr. Billy Joe Shaver. I have been to more Shaver shows than almost any other artist I cover on here. Period. He has always been one of the more overlooked members of the songwriting community, and I never understood why?

I covered his set from Tumbleweed 2017 with so much passion and enthusiasm that he himself said it was one of the finest articles anybody ever wrote about him. Mr. Jerry Jeff Walker was another of his ilk that passed away in 2020. Country Music took some ungodly blows in that year.

I did indeed get the chance to talk with him on several occasions and in many states. Many of the questions I had for him were so old and forgotten. he couldn’t recall the answers to. He did remember much of what I asked of him, but basically I just wanted to LISTEN.

As I was additionally saying above as I was talking about the 90’s stars, Mr.Doug Supernaw and his “Red And Rio Grande” album was another on my young adult years list that shaped me as a fan. I vaguely remember the cassette tape was purple, and it was one of the first cd’s I bought.

In this entire list, and on this entire article here, none other is more special to me than Mr. Charley Pride. As I began to collect vinyl, after getting back on my feet, his album catalog was the first one I completed.

I admired his music and style more than anybody in the world of Country Music after the 60’s era stuff. He sang with more passion and feeling than anybody I knew, and he was my 2016 album of the year. That album of original music was one of his finest albums of the last 15 years.

He was one of the pioneers of bringing forth some of Country Music’s greatest songwriters like Mr. Jerry Foster and many others as well. He put out album after album of timeless classic Country that will live in our hearts for as long as we allow it to.

Upcoming Events at Southgate House Revival.

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Feb 182021

These days around here on Gary Hayes Country, we have been hunkering down in our homes for almost a year with this COVID crap out there, but NOW we are all in this major cold front. This winter storm has crippled the entire country, affecting places like Texas and Louisiana, that do NOT usually have these temps!

It has given me ample opportunity to catch up on some emails I have banging around for some time now, from venues and festivals all over America. I am currently promoting, and supporting all of those that ARE operating now. I am currently looking at what different protocol each one is following for their given state, and what their local level of Coronavirus is that dictates their laws.

The Southgate House Revival is one of my most beloved Ohio and Kentucky area venues, and I try my best to help them and promote the bands that they do. See, without the festivals and venues, I could not do what I do!

However, without the venues and the bands having each having extra words of mouth like this, I think it would be to their determent. Now, mind you I do NOT consider myself to be some kind of million viewer entity like some do. I’m just a little music fan that loves writing articles about good music, and good venues.

What makes the Southgate House Revival so important is the fact that it supports SO MANY genres of music NOT JUST WHAT I COVER. You may even have Country downstairs and Death Metal upstairs! My heart goes out to the music I COVER first, but (I’ll bet you didn’t know ) I collect Metal, Motown, and other types too.

This venue gives EVERY BAND a beacon of hope to the community and to those local bands. RIGHT NOW MORE THAN ANY they NEED us to survive, SO WE HAVE venues to go back to…don’t YOU agree?

Upcoming Events:

All events will be low capacity and 18+. In addition, tables and chairs will be set up to ensure social distancing, seating in the outdoor area has been expanded and hand sanitizer will be available in all restrooms and bars.

Every person entering the venue will be subject to a temperature check. Masks will be worn by our entire staff and mandatory for all in attendance. Our staff will be cleaning and sanitizing multiple times a day to reduce the spread of germs. Due to the limited nature of our upcoming events, we strongly encourage patrons to purchase tickets in advance. We ask that anyone who is ill or has any symptoms of illness not attend.

Ward Davis

(Sanctuary) 02/26/2021 SOLD OUT

Them Dirty Roses

(Revival Room) 02/26/21

Jerry King & the Rivertown Ramblers, Strawboss, Anthony Ray Wright

The Southgate House Revival – Sanctuary

Fri March 5, 2021 7:00 pm (Doors: 6:30 pm )

Ages 18 and Up

$10.00 Buy Tickets

Charles Wesley Godwin, Nolan Taylor

The Southgate House Revival – Revival Room

Fri March 5, 2021 8:00 pm (Doors: 7:30 pm )

Ages 18 and Up

$25.00 Buy Tickets

Brother Smith

The Southgate House Revival – Sanctuary

Fri March 12, 2021 7:00 pm (Doors: 6:30 pm )

Ages 18 and Up

$15.00 Buy Tickets

The Nailers Album Release Show ft. Bundy and The Spins

The Southgate House Revival – Sanctuary

Sat March 20, 2021 7:30 pm (Doors: 6:30 pm )

Ages 18 and Up

$10.00 Buy Tickets

Whitey Morgan, Ben Jarrell

The Southgate House Revival – Sanctuary

Fri April 9, 2021 7:00 pm (Doors: 6:30 pm )

Ages 21 and Up

$300-$400 per 4 Person Table Buy Tickets

Justin Wells, Josh Morningstar, Jeff Shepherd

The Southgate House Revival – Sanctuary

Sat April 10, 2021 7:00 pm (Doors: 6:30 pm )

Ages 18 and Up

$20.00 Buy Tickets

Sunny Sweeney

The Southgate House Revival – Sanctuary

Fri April 23, 2021 8:00 pm (Doors: 7:00 pm )

Ages 18 and Up

$25.00 Buy Tickets

The Mortals, The Nailers

The Southgate House Revival – Revival Room

Sat April 24, 2021 7:30 pm (Doors: 7:00 pm )

Ages 18 and Up

$12.00 Buy Tickets

Robyn Hitchcock Presented by JBM Promotions

The Southgate House Revival – Sanctuary

Sun April 25, 2021 8:00 pm (Doors: 7:00 pm )

Ages 18 and Up

$25 ADV / $30 DOS Buy Tickets

Lost Dog Street Band, The Hill Country Devil

The Southgate House Revival – Sanctuary

Thu June 10, 2021 9:00 pm (Doors: 8:00 pm )

All Ages

$18 ADV / $20 DOS Buy Tickets

Yam Haus

The Southgate House Revival – Revival Room

Wed June 16, 2021 8:00 pm (Doors: 7:00 pm )

All Ages

$10 ADV / $12 DOS Buy Tickets

Electric Six, Speedealer

The Southgate House Revival – Sanctuary

Sun July 11, 2021 8:00 pm (Doors: 7:30 pm )

Ages 18 and Up

$12.00 Buy Tickets

Rock on the James Benefit Concert for Parkinson Wellness and Support of Greater Cincinnati

The Southgate House Revival – Sanctuary

Sat September 11, 2021 6:00 pm (Doors: 5:30 pm )

Ages 16 and Up

$15.00 Buy Tickets

Southern Culture On the Skids

The Southgate House Revival – Sanctuary

Sat October 16, 2021 9:00 pm (Doors: 8:00 pm )

Ages 18 and Up

$20 ADV / $25 DOS Buy Tickets

Queen City Blues Fest (Presented by the Queen City Blues Alliance)

The Southgate House Revival

Sat April 9, 2022 7:00 pm (Doors: 6:00 pm )

All Ages

$15 ADV / $20 DOS Buy Tickets

The MusicFest At Steamboat Announces 2022 Dates!

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Feb 172021

One of the few outdoor festivals that I have yet to attend as of yet is The MusicFest At Steamboat. This festival is one of the older of it’s kind, and one of the only ones in it’s area of what it offers the patrons. It is the largest group ski trip of it’s kind in the nation, and it is also one of the longer events I cover in my festival series. This festival usually boasts a 5 – 7 day events period.

For the entire schedule at a combined cost to see each band separately live, you save over 200 buying a ticket to this event. Now to be honest, to take in every act on this roster would be an arduous task in itself.

For the people that ski and enjoy music both, this festival has a great layout in which to plan one hell of a fun vacation week. If you plan your day around the music and skiing, you stay busy. Unless you are like me, where you just stay put for large blocks of time to see a whole lineup of a day’s shows.

This festival is more spaced out, spanning over several different venues, totaling almost 200 hours of music and 7 different venues. All of the artists involved are from the Texas and Oklahoma Red Dirt communities, and usually this is a big job for me. Simply because I like to embed links into all my articles…folks…I cover 275 of them!

As of right now, they have not made any further announcements to the lineup or the logistics of the festival. For now, please read these words from Mr. Kinky Friedman.

From the “Governor”

Welcome to the MusicFest at Steamboat! The last time I was here, I drank a glass that, apparently, contained my girlfriend’s contact lenses. This irritated her but it did give me some new insights into myself. One of the things I learned was that MusicFest is a great way to raise hell and awareness at the same time.

Whether on the stage or on the ballot, independent voices are rare enough in this increasingly homogenized world. It’s not terribly surprising that many of these voices emanate from the Lone Star State. Deep in our hearts, all Texans are independent. In music, this has manifested itself in the rugged, righteous individualism of artists such as Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, Bob Wills, Buddy Holly, Billy Joe Shaver, Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Jerry Jeff Walker, Doug Sahm, Ray Benson, Lyle Lovett, Robert Earl Keen and Cross Canadian Ragweed to name only a few. Some are dead and some are living. In my life, I’ve loved them all. Not sexually of course.

If I were governor, Texas would be run by musicians instead of politicians. We may not get a lot of work done in the mornings, but Texas would be a better place. Steamboat already has most of our musicians of course, so Colorado doesn’t really need any help. Wish I could be there, but somebody’s got to mind the store.

I ran a spiritual campaign for governor, not a political one. In the words of my spiritual adviser, Billy Joe Shaver, “If you don’t love Jesus, go to hell.”

In the meantime, hang on tight, spur hard, and let ‘er buck. And may the God of your choice bless you.

Kinky Friedman

Hickman Holler Appalachian Relief Fund Issues The Video, Up Now.

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Feb 162021

I have been catching up with a lot of work here on the website, with festivals and videos I have been wanting to see. So many videos of him have surfaced in the last few years, and it concerns me to have so many at hand.

Many times this very thing deters people from actually going to shows, when they can watch it at home. I think that I have indeed delved into that very discussion many times with many different folks.

As for myself, I try my best to attend as many shows as I can, while watching as many hours of videos that I can. I am completely enamored by music of all types, and I study every aspect of it. I fall down so many rabbit holes and discover so many cool new bands by watching videos. So, I also think that if implemented correctly videos and streaming is a good thing. Even though this video has some very brief sound issues, the song set list is amazing, and the band is solid.

One thing I have found out through my studies as a janissary of Country Music, is that Mr. Tyler Childers is indeed a good man. He helps his community, and continuously gives back to the people of Easy Kentucky. He has so many causes and functions he is passionate about, and uses so much artwork from his friends, that he is one of the finest modern day pioneers of Country Music out now.

I remember one time at the final show for Fifth On The Floor, at Cosmic Charlie’s in Lexington Ky, where Mr. Tyler opened for them. He wasn’t a juggernaut yet like he is now, but he remembered my name and who I was. MIND YOU, we had only met three times prior to that.

As a sober man now, having been at my one year mark from a pill addiction, I had my time in rehab. I had ( and have ) resources available to me at my disposal, that many people in East Kentucky does not have. However, their addiction rate is astronomically high. Every county and community is overrun with people that have opiate addictions.

The text below is directly from a media release:

Many folks have asked how the proceeds from Long Violent History are being used. The money is being used to fund ongoing efforts in education, civil rights and addiction recovery.

As it relates to education, the Hickman Holler Appalachian Relief Fund is in the process of setting up an endowment fund called the Hickman Holler Appalachian College Fund to support scholarships for students of color and financial need at the following Appalachian colleges and universities: Berea College in Berea, KY; Marshall University in Huntington, WV; Morehead State University in Morehead, KY; and Ohio University in Athens, OH.

In the area of civil rights, the Hickman Holler Appalachian Relief Fund is supporting the work of the ACLU of Kentucky and the Louisville Urban League. The ACLU of Kentucky works to ensure the liberties and individual rights of the people of Kentucky by working daily in the courts, legislatures and local communities. The Louisville Urban League is a nonprofit, nonpartisan, community service organization dedicated to eliminating racism and its adverse impacts on the Louisville community.

The Hickman Holler Appalachian Relief Fund will also support the ongoing efforts of Hope In The Hills, which is a nonprofit dedicated to fighting the opioid crisis in the Appalachian region through direct funding and event-planning.

Our goal is to be as transparent as possible and to ensure every single penny from Long Violent History album and merchandise proceeds goes towards positive change and action. Please follow @HHAReliefFund on socials and check the official website for ongoing updates about how the money is being used, as well as initiatives by the organizations.

On Friday February 12th at 8pm EST/7pm CST Healing Appalachia will be sharing a full Tyler and The Food Stamps set from 2019. Tune in to check out the broadcast on Tyler’s Facebook page and YouTube channel or Nugs.tv.

Healing Appalachia works with Hope In The Hills, a nonprofit organization dedicated to fighting the opioid crisis in the Appalachian region through direct funding and event-planning. To learn more and donate visit the official Hope In The Hills website.

Watch Here

THANKS FOR TUNING IN!!

As of the time this post was published, An Evening With Healing Appalachia has been viewed over 200,000 times between our Facebook and Youtube streams!

Along with an incredible turnout, thousands of dollars has been raised for opioid recovery efforts through donations and merch sales!

If you enjoyed this event please consider making a donation here: www.healingappalachia.com/donate

If you would like to support Healing Appalachia & Hope In The Hills through purchasing merch you can do so here: https://brand-yourselfwv.square.site/

If you missed the livestream you can still watch here for a limited time: https://www.facebook.com/healingappalachia/videos/1341645282886546

Once again, thank you to everyone who tuned in and supported the event. Your support allows us to fund recovery efforts throughout Appalachia and host more events and education on recovery resources.

Doug Stone Celebrates 10 Million Albums Sold Worldwide

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Feb 152021

Pictured L-R: Jeremy Westby, President/CEO, 2911 Media; Austin Smith, Smith Social Media; Doug Stone; Tayler Bock, SPM Brand Partnerships; Jimmy Dasher, Countdown Talent booking

Stone’s #1 Single Celebrates 30th Anniversary in 2021

As a country music fan, collector and vinyl enthusiast, I am enamored with what we have left of the 1980’s and 1990’s era Country. Many of the studio titles from the people of his ilk are rare in print, with Mr. John Anderson being one of the easiest to come by.

Mr. Doug Stone is by all means a Country Music Legend, and we need him now today more than ever, given the state of current Country Legends that are gone. “Better Off In A Pine Box” is one of the saddest songs ever recorded, but some people like me delve deeper into his lesser known songs. Vinyl records help that out.

If you want more good easy breakup songs with that beautiful steel sound like the song “Crying On Your Shoulder Again”. Or songs like “Warning Labels”, man I miss those good old drinking songs. Hell I miss drinking period, but my diabetes and my body couldn’t handle the hangovers anymore.

Right now I hope that Mr. Doug knows full well that this website will always honor his music, and all he does. He is a Country Music Legend, and we NEED HIM here with us in Country Music. We are loosing so many of our beloved Legends of the genre, and now father time is trickling into the ranks of Mr. Doug’s generation.

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Doug Stone, 90’s country-hitmaker, was recently awarded a plaque to commemorate 10 million albums sold worldwide, including multiple RIAA gold and platinum certifications. Stone’s impressive legacy spans multiple decades consisting of ten studio albums and 33 singles earning eight number one hits and twenty-six charted singles.

Stone debuted in 1990 with the chart-topping single, “I’d Be Better Off (In a Pine Box),” the first release from his self-titled debut album. Both his self-titled album and his 1991 album, “I Thought It Was You,” (celebrating its 30th anniversary this year), featuring number one hits such as “A Jukebox With Country Song” and “In a Different light” earned a platinum certification from the RIAA. His 1992 album titled “From the Heart ” brought two more number one hits including, “Too Busy Being in Love” and “Why Didn’t I Think of That.”

“Wow, I knew I had sold some records, but I had no idea that ten million CDs had gone out the door,” says Stone. “My life has been a country song with many ups and downs. I am thankful to still be doing what I have always loved doing and that is singing for the fans and bringing my music to the stage. We all lived through a tough year last year and to start 2021 off with this honor is absolutely a great beginning to what is in our future.”

Visit HERE and follow Stone’s socials below to keep up with tour dates and announcements.

Hometown Rising Festival 2021 Cancelled.

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Feb 142021

Hometown Rising fans!

We know you’ve all been anxiously awaiting an update from us, and we appreciate your patience in these trying times.

We regret to inform you that we will be taking 2021 off. With all the uncertainty in 2021, as a company we made the tough decision to focus on our long tenured U.S. festivals, which includes Louder Than Life.

As soon as we have more information we’ll share it with you. Thanks for your loyalty and patience, we long for the days when we can be reunited in our mutual love for music and bourbon.

This following announcement was made from one of the festivals I half enjoy. I’ll admit that many times they announce some acts that I designed this website to make sure people know that more that they exist. It is for this reason more than others that I am so adamant on promoting these kinds of festivals.

MANY of THEIR readers log on, and give some of the other bands on the roster a chance, which in turn creates more fans of the music THIS website seeks to proliferate.

Much of the weekend I have spent keeping track of some of these festivals that are canceling and more that are currently ongoing, and I shall be putting them into one central article which you can find HERE.

ROMP Virtual Band Contest.

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Feb 142021

Voting is Now Open!

Get involved with ROMP by voting in the ROMP Virtual Band Contest! Presented by Jagoe Homes, the contest is decided by you, the fans. Voting closes on the evening of March 14th, and we’ll announce the winner on March 17th! 🍀

Below is a link to the web page with every band on the ballot. Click through and navigate to each band’s page to view their video entry and vote. Remember, only one vote/email address/day. Thank you to all the bands that participated!

That was part of their media announcement, as they announce their virtual band contest for an opportunity to play the actual festival. I had an opportunity to research some of these bands, and found a few new favorite bands. Events like this are a great opportunity to slow down and enjoy some newly discovered bands!

I wanted to take the time to share a few other festivals that are also going on like my Moon Runners Music Festival friends up there in Chicago. Even though they hope to have a festival in October, they ARE monitoring the conditions and could cancel anytime. Fresh Grass Festival is another Jam Grass festival that plans to continue forward with July plans.

The Great Blue Heron is one of my New York festivals I follow, that has decided to cancel already now. Now right off the bat, you need to remember that EVERY STATE is different, and has different laws and spread of the virus.

View Videos & Vote

Nectar Valley

View Video & Vote

Pretty Little Goat

View Video & Vote

Bluegrass Confidential

View Video & Vote

Kentucky Shine

View Video & Vote

Full Cord Bluegrass

View Video & Vote

Floyds Row

View Video & Vote

Red Mountain Boys

View Video & Vote

Van Winkle & The Spirits

View Video & Vote

Sicard Hollow

View Video & Vote

Stillhouse Junkies

View Video & Vote

The Jakob’s Ferry Stragglers

View Video & Vote

Anja with Green Light

View Video & Vote

Stoneface Mountain

View Video & Vote

The Tenos

View Video & Vote

Craig Morris & King Cotton

View Video & Vote

The Gaslight Boys

View Video & Vote

SMALL BATCH

View Video & Vote

Mike Mitchell Band

View Video & Vote

The Goldsberrys

View Video & Vote

Pretend Friend

View Video & Vote

The Last Minute Men

View Video & Vote

Andy Brasher and Friends

View Video & Vote

JETHRINE MACHINE

View Video & Vote

Ten Penny Drive

View Video & Vote

Moon Runners Music Festival: Valentine’s Day Videos.

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Feb 142021

Moon Runners Music Festival has always been one of my TOP favorite festivals of the last ten years. Even though it’s not as old as a few of the others I cover, it does not make it any less relevant. Mr. Jahshie P. was one of the few first people I met while getting into the Roots Music world, as he and his ilk were revolutionizing the Chicago area music community.

At the time of me writing this one ( as I am frantically trying to catch up ) there are two day’s worth of videos out already now. I missed day 1, but got to watch day 2. You can easily go back and watch the videos again, many times.

Over the next few weeks I will be ( and I have been ) listing and working with so many festivals and venues, telling you about the ones that have cancelled. Well, Moon Runners is one of the ones that HAS NOT cancelled. If you don’t mind I would like to include some links to others that are going like Fresh Grass.They continue to plan their Jamgrass lineup to us.

The Blue Ox Music Festival in nearby Wisconsin also plans to continue on with their 2021 festival plans. I do a lot of work with that specific festival, and they are watching the current situation carefully to make a final decision.

But MANY of the festivals I yearly follow have indeed cancelled, and have either dropped out altogether, or issued videos like these. Some of the festivals that have cancelled are one of my favorites Rooster Walk and one of my New York festivals called The Great Blue Herron.

Through the years, many of these bands have been featured on this website and I have had the pleasure to maintain friendships with many of them through the years. Even though I try my best to keep track of many different music communities all over America, I do not always get to watch everything LIVE, and I have to it on video.

Shoot, there are times that I have two different videos from two different genres on computers at the same time. But the main thing here is this: I enjoy doing this! This link HERE is where you can donate to them, so they can continue the fight against shitty corporate music!

Bluegrass Queen Miss Rhonda Vincent Finally Inducted Into The Grand Ole Opry

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Feb 142021

Rhonda Performs Merle Haggard’s “Momma Tried” with Dierks Bentley

Watch the moment HERE

NASHVILLE, Tenn. – Multi-award-winning bluegrass artist Rhonda Vincent was formally inducted as a member of the Grand Ole Opry Saturday by Opry member Dierks Bentley. The invitation was delivered in February of 2020 by Opry member Jeannie Seely with an original induction date scheduled for March 24, 2020, prior to the pandemic.

Dierks said, “I’ll never forget the night that our mutual friend Marty Stuart made me an official member of the Opry and I’m so pleased to get to do the same for you tonight. Rhonda, you are now an official member of the Grand Ole Opry! I know you will carry the Opry banner proudly wherever you go.”

“It’s been 343 days, seven hours, three minutes, and five seconds,” Rhonda said laughing sharing how many days it had been since the Opry invitation came last year. “This is a night I will never forget and will cherish the rest of my life. I am proof that dreams really do come true.”

“It’s great to have the supremely talented and very patient Rhonda Vincent as an official Opry member,” said Dan Rogers, Vice President and Executive Producer, Grand Ole Opry. “She brings with her countless fans, industry respect, and heartfelt passion for keeping the Opry vibrant and entertaining for generations to come. We look forward to Rhonda spending the rest of her career with us as part of the Opry family.”

Additional performers included Opry members Riders In The Sky, Jeannie Seely, and Mark Wills as well as special guests Don Schlitz and MCA Nashville Records artist Parker McCollum, who made his Grand Ole Opry debut.

Saturday’s Opry was broadcast live on Circle and Gray TV stations, DISH Studio Channel 102, Sling TV and other TV affiliates in addition to a companion live stream on Circle All Access and YouTube and could be heard on 650 AM WSM and SiriusXM.

About Rhonda Vincent:
The Grammy-winning Queen of Bluegrass Rhonda Vincent began her professional music career at the age of five, singing with her family’s band, the Sally Mountain Show. She picked up the mandolin at eight and the fiddle at twelve, performing with the family band at festivals on weekends. Rhonda struck out on her own, singing with the Grand Ole Opry’s Jim Ed Brown. Her opportunity eventually led to a deal with Rebel Records. Her work caught the attention of Giant Nashville’s president, James Stroud, who signed Vincent to record two contemporary country albums. After Giant, she signed with Rounder Records where her passion for traditional bluegrass music flourished. With the release of her debut album “Back Home Again,” “The Wall Street Journal” crowned Rhonda Vincent the New Queen of Bluegrass. She’s a multi-award winner, with a Grammy for Best Bluegrass Album (2017), Entertainer of the Year (2001), Song of the Year (2004), and an unprecedented 7 consecutive Female Vocalist of the Year awards from the International Bluegrass Music Association (2000 – 2006). Her powerful vocal style transcends the boundaries of bluegrass music, as evidenced in her collaboration with Dolly Parton on the Elton John / Bernie Taupin Tribute Project “Restoration” 2018. Rhonda Vincent’s lifelong dream came true when she was invited to be a member of the Grand Ole Opry on February 28, 2020.

The Great Blue Heron Music Festival Cancels.

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Feb 132021

Our Summer 2021 Plans-

We know that this is probably not the news you want to hear today, but we will NOT be having The Great Blue Heron Music Festival again this year. This would have ben our 30th year, so we are very sad about this and we’re sure you are disappointed, too.

With COVID restrictions still in place and no idea when they will be lifted, we view this as the smartest and safest direction for 2021. We know this will be a huge disappointment for many, but hope you will understand that we see it as the best path for us with so many unknowns.

The GOOD NEWS is that we ARE starting to figure out how to offer music and family fun all summer long for you!

Last summer we opened The Heron Campground and welcomed many of you for camping, music, socially distanced activities, and our new “Taste of Heron” food series. In December, Hipcamp recognized us as #1 Tent Campground IN THE USA!!! and Best Overall in NYS!!! We also earned Airbnb SuperHost status!! We are proud of all the quick changes we made to survive 2020. We are extremely thankful to our staff and all of you that supported us and made this possible.

So we ask for your patience for another month or so, while we figure out our 2021 schedule for enjoying the land, live music, wonderful food from our farm, and EACH OTHER here at The Heron! Keep your eyes on our social media pages for updates!

P.S. In the near future we will communicate with patrons who told us they wanted to hold their 2020 GBH tickets.

THANK YOU FOR YOUR UNDERSTANDING & SUPPORT!

Over here at Gary Hayes Country, we ardently follow over 275 small do it yourself festivals and bigger corporate ones as well. I currently have a huge list of festivals that are ongoing, and ones that cancel. You can read the article HERE, and it is updated every other day.

Many of the articles from the ones that cancel, have their own announcements in the form of solo articles. I am currently working on one coinciding with this one as Fresh Grass WILL INDEED transpire as of now.

This would have been their 30th anniversary, and as with many of these festivals this pandemic is tearing apart many of the huge milestones each of these festivals have faced. So just because we cannot physically be at our favorite festival, to partake in those special moments with our festival families.

I honestly do not know how life is going to unfold, or when outdoor events will ever begin to happen again? When will you, my reader, have the ability to go to your favorite festival so you can see your favorite band. When will I be able to return back to work covering all of my favorite bands from behind the scenes.

Until that tines comes around, what we will continue to do on here, is to report on as many of these festivals that we can. The list will continue to be a large compilation of festivals that are both cancelling and still ongoing.

So please excuse me while I go back to working on these festivals for you!

Fresh Grass North Adams Plans To Happen!

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Feb 122021

See you in September!

With vaccines rolling out and many experts predicting a return to live music events in the fall, we cannot wait to welcome our bluegrass family back to MASS MoCA for FreshGrass North Adams 2021 on September 24-26.

We’re putting together a stellar lineup (more info soon!) and making sure all suggested safety protocols are followed (more info below). We can’t think of a better way to celebrate than to gather together for a special 10th anniversary festival in September. Join us for a family-friendly weekend brimming with the brightest talent in bluegrass and roots. Grab your tickets, then RSVP on Facebook to let your friends know where you’ll be!

‘Til then, mask up, jam out, and stay tuned for lineup news in March!

FreshGrass Festival
September 24-26

GET TICKETS

Health + Safety

The health and safety of festival-goers, musicians, vendors, staff, and the local community are our top priority, and we will be working closely with all local and state authorities to ensure a safe experience for all.

We will be sharing more information about the specific requirements and protocols that will be in place in the coming months. We thank you for your patience and understanding as the future continues to be a bit of a moving target; please stay tuned—many more details to come!

These last few days, I have taken the time to do some in depth looks into a lot of venues and festivals, wondering which ones will actually transpire in 2021. This time of year while running my website, I am linking band names into current year’s lineups. I’m usually contacting over 275 festival directors for information and comments.

I just recently published a good article on what The Caverns in Pelham Tennessee is doing to meet standards, so they can have live music again. All over America, venues like Billy Bob’s in Texas are maintaining their operating status by having live music while meeting protocols.

I cover a vast array of genres of music, and festivals, and I try my best to report to all of you on every one of the festivals. I study so many different festivals all over America, that are either still going on or cancelling.

Now, not only does Fresh Grass hold two different festivals across America it also publishes No Depression magazine, offers college grants and more! For many years the quarterly music publication of No Depression has been a top “go-to” route for new music and new bands.

In the next few coming weeks, I will be publishing several more articles from other festivals that are cancelling like the announcement made last week by the Great Blue Heron from my friends up in New York.

We have, and will continue to publish ongoing shows from venues like Billy Bob’s Texas and festivals like and Rooster Walk. We are all ardently busy delving into all of these different music outlets, to bring you the goods!

Volunteers and Virtual Events at BCM Museum in February

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Feb 112021

Volunteer Training, Virtual Events at
BCM Museum in February

Bristol, Tenn.-Va. (January 28, 2021) – This February, the Birthplace of Country Music Museum is open to visitors (with health and safety guidelines in place), and asking for a little help from volunteers to welcome guests and for work behind the scenes.

“Volunteers are the backbone of our organization, and that hasn’t changed during the pandemic,” said Dr. Rene Rodgers, Head Curator at the museum. “Though most of our outreach programming is online, we still need volunteers to help with operations at the museum in a wide range of areas both on the front lines and behind the scenes. Our Virtual Museum Volunteer Training breaks down all the areas of interest, and lets potential volunteers find the path that most interests them.”

Virtual Museum Volunteer Training will take place on Monday, February 1, 3:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST via Zoom. Those interested are urged to check out the Events page at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org for more information. To sign up for the session, send an email to volunteercoordinator@birthplaceofcountrymusic.org.

The second edition of the museum’s Virtual Speaker Series, Before Coal Miner’s Daughters and Many-Colored Coats: Pioneering Women in Country Music, takes place February 1 at 7:00 p.m. EST and highlights some of the often overlooked ladies of early country music. Musician and WBCM Radio Bristol show host Bailey George discusses little known trailblazers such as Louise Massey, Cousin Emmy, Molly O’Day, Jenny Lou Carson, and Lulu Belle Wiseman. The event is free, but you must register through the Events page at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org.

On Friday, February 5 at 11:00 a.m. EST the museum will release a new edition of its Virtual Story Time for families and children, featuring the book How Chipmunk Got His Stripes, based on a Native American folktale and written by Joseph Bruchac and James Bruchac, and illustrated by Jose Aruego and Ariane Dewey. And then on Friday, February 19 at 11:00 a.m. EST, our Virtual Story Time program will share Coat of Many Colors by Dolly Parton and illustrated by Brooke Boynton-Hughes. Both installments will include a fun word or reading activity after the reading. Participants may access Virtual Story Time via the Museum from Home link on the museum’s website at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org/museum and on BCM’s YouTube channel.

There’s plenty of time to read The Devil’s Dream by Grundy, Virginia native Lee Smith, the latest book to be discussed on the next Radio Bristol Book Club Thursday, February 25 at 11:00 a.m. EST. Though the Book Club doesn’t meet in person, “members” are encouraged to read along each month and tune in to the show at ListenRadioBristol.org and email their questions and comments to info@birthplaceofcountrymusic.org using the subject line “Radio Bristol Book Club Comments” so their thoughts can be included on the monthly program.

Visit The Museum Store to pick up weekend passes to the annual Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival, scheduled for September 10-12, or purchase online at BristolRhythm.com; you can also take advantage of the event’s payment plan option. Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Tanya Tucker, Blackberry Smoke, Yola, and others are set to lead the lineup with more acts to be announced in the spring. Stay tuned!

Finally, there’s still time to visit the museum’s special exhibits Honky Tonk: Portraits of Country Music, 1972-1981, featuring the photographs of Henry Horenstein, A Selection of Hard Rock’s Country Music Memorabilia, and two poster exhibits commemorating the Centennial of Women’s Suffrage. However, for those wary of venturing out during the pandemic, BCM continues to offer Museum from Home for those looking for fun and educational activities while staying at home.

For more information about everything the Birthplace of Country Music has to offer, visit BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org.

Tickets
Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion
Weekend PassesCurrent Special Exhibits
Honky Tonk: Portraits of Country Music, 1972-1981
A Special Exhibit of Photographs by Henry Horenstein A Selection of Hard Rock’s Country Music Memorabilia Centennial of American Women’s Suffrage

February 1
Virtual Museum Volunteer Training

February 2
Virtual Speaker Series
Before Coal Miners’ Daughters and Many-Colored Coats:
Pioneering Women of Country Music

February 5
Virtual Story Time
How Chipmunk Got His Stripes

February 19
Virtual Story Time
Coat of Many Colors

February 25
Radio Bristol Book Club
The Devil’s Dream by Lee Smith

Celebrating the Women of Early Country Music
Join the Conversation with Birthplace of Country Music Museum’s
Virtual Speaker Series Feb. 2

Bristol, Tenn./Va. (January 26, 2021) – Louise Massey. Cousin Emmy. Molly O’Day. These names may not be familiar to you, but they helped pave the way for today’s ladies of country music. The Birthplace of Country Music Museum celebrates these often overlooked pioneers of the country music genre, and many others, in its next Virtual Speaker Series entitled “Before Coal Miner’s Daughters and Many-Colored Coats: Pioneering Women in Country Music.”

Tuesday, February 2 at 7:00 p.m. EST guest speaker Bailey George, who has been collecting and researching country music since he was 11 years old (he’s now 23), will lead the fascinating discussion on the impact of these pioneering female artists, musicians, writers, and performers. Bailey is himself a local musician and host of WBCM Radio Bristol’s Honky Tonk Hit Parade.

“Country music has always been filled with fantastically talented female artists and an especially prolific period was the Radio Barn Dance era from the mid-1920s to the late 1940s,” said Bailey. “For years the stories of these pioneers have been obscured by the Nashville-centric country music industry. It’s time we shed some light on these trailblazing musicians!”

Traditionally the role and widespread recognition of women in country music has been relegated to a handful of superstars who rose to fame in the 1960s and 1970s. But female country artists have been making their mark since the beginnings of country music recording. The impact of these early artists has been somewhat overshadowed by flashier, pop-oriented female entertainers in recent years, but without these trailblazing recordings, the country music industry as we know it would not exist.

Bailey George’s Honky Tonk Hit Parade explores country music from the 1940s and 1950s, and airs each Wednesday 3:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. EST on Radio Bristol at 100.1 FM in the Bristol area, through the free Radio Bristol mobile app and at ListenRadioBristol.org. Archived episodes of the program are also found at that web address.

The March Virtual Speaker Series, on Tuesday, March 2, will feature Alona Norwood and William Isom discussing the work of Black in Appalachia and the importance of amplifying Black narratives and histories.

The Virtual Speaker Series is free and open to the pubic, but you must pre-register to join the Zoom program. To do so, visit the Events page at BirthplaceOfCountryMusic.org.

About Birthplace of Country Music Museum

The Birthplace of Country Music Museum, an affiliate of the Smithsonian Institution, explores the history of the 1927 Bristol Sessions and their lasting impact on our music heritage. From the Bristol Sessions and beyond, our region continues to influence music around the world.

The museum is located at 101 Country Music Way (corner of Moore & Cumberland Streets) in Historic Downtown Bristol, Virginia. Through multiple theater experiences, film and sound, and interactive, technology-infused displays – along with a variety of educational programs, music programs, and community events – the exciting story of this music and its far-reaching influence comes alive. Rotating exhibitions from other organizations and institutions, including the Smithsonian, are featured throughout the year in the Special Exhibits Gallery. The museum is also home to a digital archive.

The Birthplace of Country Music Museum is open Tuesday through Saturday, 10:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. and Sunday, 1:00 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. The museum is closed on Mondays and most major holidays; call ahead for clarification at 423-573-1927.

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Gather All-Star Cast

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Feb 102021

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Gather All-Star Cast For A Timely Cover of Bob Dylan’s “The Times They Are A-Changin’”

With verses from Jason Isbell, Rosanne Cash, The War And Treaty, and Steve Earle; Proceeds to benefit Feeding America

“Come, senators, congressmen

Please heed the call

Don’t stand in the doorway

Don’t block up the hall”

February 5, 2021 – Nashville, TN – In the fifty-seven years since Bob Dylan released his career-altering folksong, “The Times They Are A-Changin’,” the times he sang of did seem to change. But now, in another period of national unrest, a President refusing to concede defeat or peacefully transfer power, and a renewed fire for justice in the long-fought battle for civil rights, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band‘s new version of Dylan’s classic sounds more poignant and insistent than ever before. “I’ve been a fan of Bob Dylan’s since I was a teenager, living in California,” says NGDB founding member and lead singer Jeff Hanna. “I was fortunate enough to see him sing “The Times They Are A-Changing” in concert the year the song was released: 1964.” Today, JamBase shared NGDB’s star-studded version of Dylan’s classic. Beginning today, “The Times They Are A-Changin’” is available for “name your price” purchase on the band’s Bandcamp page with all proceeds going to Feeding America. On February 8th, the song will become available on digital service providers with those proceeds also going towards Feeding America’s cause. More information can be found at nittygritty.com.

Amidst the compounding, pleading verses of Scottish ballad by way of Greenwich Village, the Dirt Band’s distinguished musical guests—Jason Isbell, Rosanne Cash, The War And Treaty, and Steve Earle, all of whom are no strangers to writing and singing their beliefs on record, each step to the microphone to contribute a verse with Isbell also adding slide guitar—carry the same tone and energy in their voices as the song’s writer did almost six decades ago; an unfortunate but earnest reaction to the all too evident parallels between now and then. “It moved me deeply then and that hasn’t changed,” Hanna notes. “The lyrics are as relevant today as they were when Dylan wrote it. Maybe even more so.”

Produced by Ray Kennedy, “The Time’s They Are A-Changin;” was collectively recorded up and down the east coast. John Leventhal recorded his wife, Rosanne Cash’s vocals in their New York City home studio and Steve Earle contributed his verse via the world famous Electric Lady Studios in Greenwich Village. In Nashville, NGDB and guests joined Kennedy in his Room & Board Studio. Rounding out the already outstanding cast of characters on this track are all of the current members of NGDB—Jeff Hanna (lead vocals and acoustic guitar), Jimmie Fadden (drums), Bob Carpenter (accordion), Jim Photoglo (electric bass), Jaime Hanna (electric guitar), and Ross Holmes (fiddle and mandolin)—as well as Fred Eltringham (Sheryl Crow, The Wallflowers) on additional drums and Nashville songwriting legend—and Jeff Hanna’s better half—Matraca Berg on harmonica and harmony vocals. “We’ve got great admiration for all of these folks, not only as artists, but more importantly, as people,” says Hanna.

Cooley, Hood And Isbell Reunited And LIVE From 2014.

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Feb 092021

Preorder Live At The Shoals Theatre, an in-the-round performance by Mike Cooley, Patterson Hood and Jason Isbell, available here as a limited edition colored vinyl 4 LP set and on CD. The album is due out June 4th, 2021. Due to the limited nature of this release, copies are limited to one (1) per format, per person/household.

Like many of you that read this website, I am a big fan of the Drive By Truckers. Many of my friends have the opinion that they are too political, and even though I am a Libertarian, their politically laced lyrics do not deter me from being a fan.

A few of their albums were not as good as others, but I myself enjoy the albums where these three were the focus of the band. The trio played a ton of material from the 2004 album “The Dirty South”, and the album “Decoration Day”. Even though this album does not contain one of my personal favorite songs called “Daddy’s Cup” from the Dirty South album.

I watched many videos from this show, because I wasn’t thinking there would be any release like this of the event. There appeared to be absolutely no resentment between these former band mates, on the contrary, there seemed to exist an eudaemonic chemistry between them.

This era of the band has long since been a happy separation as Mr. Jason has gone on the record some of his greatest work solo, and the Drive By Truckers have equally gone on to record some wonderful albums. But if this ever became a permanent fixture to have these three on the front line again, I think it would revolutionize another fantastic era of the Drive By Truckers.

For those of you that are like me, and collect different colors and pressings of the same album, this set will come in translucent blue and red, and pink and coke bottle clear ( as pictured above ).

From the Bandcamp media release :

On June 15th 2014, Jason Isbell reunited onstage with former Drive-By Truckers bandmates Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley for a special round-style night in Muscle Shoals Music. reunited for a show at the historic Shoals Theatre in Florence, AL to benefit Terry Pace.

The setlist includes acoustic versions of Isbell-era Truckers gems including “Heathens,” “Decoration Day” and “Zip City” as well as post-Isbell Truckers tracks like “Space City” and solo Isbell faves such as “Cover Me Up.”

The set opens and closes with a pair of classic Hood-sung numbers, 2004′s “Tornadoes” and 2001′s “Let There Be Rock.” Live At The Shoals Theatre is available to preorder here now as a limited edition 4 LP colored vinyl set on translucent blue & translucent red vinyl and on CD.

The 4LP box set will include coke-bottle clear and transparent pink vinyl. Both the LP and CD set will feature liner notes from Patterson Hood. We are excited to announce that this legendary recording will be released both as a 4LP and 2CD set on June 4, 2021

Pre-order the box set, signed cover prints, test pressings and more.

PRE-ORDER

Live At Shoals Theatre Tracklist

Intro
Tornadoes
Carl Perkins’ Cadillac
Decoration Day
Heathens
Eyes Like Glue
TVA
Puttin’ People On The Moon
Marry Me
Goddamn Lonely Love
My Sweet Annette
Women Without Whiskey
Outfit
Daddy Needs A Drink
Self Destructive Zones
Cover Me Up
The Living Bubba
Space City
Danko/Manuel
Grand Canyon
Cartoon Gold
Alabama Pines
Zip City
Never Gonna Change
Let There Be Rock

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Cast & Crew

From the “Governor”

Nectar Valley

Pretty Little Goat

Bluegrass Confidential

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Full Cord Bluegrass

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The Tenos

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The Gaslight Boys

SMALL BATCH

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Pretend Friend

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Andy Brasher and Friends

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Ten Penny Drive

Our Summer 2021 Plans-

Live At Shoals Theatre Tracklist

The Barlow Gets Lucky With Sophomore Album, Horseshoe Lounge
Independent country record fuses outlaw, Red Dirt and Southern rock influences