These past two years have been full of personal trials for me, and I am finally coming to the end of what is needed of me from both major issues that needed my full attention. I am slowly getting back into the position of being able to travel a little, so I slid up to West Virginia to The Loud ( formerly The V Club ) for the birthday party of Mr. W.B. Walker, who created The Old Soul Radio Show.
Even though I have not been out much, I have been buying vinyl and other forms of music, and I have maintained my collection of posters and the like. I been watching videos and keeping an eye on what’s going on with local music, through my friends that feature it like my friend Ol’ W.B.Walker.
I guess one could say this year, I went back to my roots and attended the 2 functions that helped launch what I do so ardently here. W.B.Walker, and Muddy Roots Music Festival both were catalysts to my 12 years as a hobby journalist.
I really don’t consider myself a media source, or even a major journalist like other websites. I guess I am more of a blogger in some ways, and I consider each reader a blessing and a friend. If YOU are reading this on my behalf, W.B.’s behalf or ANY of these fine artists behalf…..I THANK YOU. I love each and every one of you, and trust me…I’m grateful to still be alive here. I been through a lot in the last 2 years, and many of you have been my friends through it all..and that is more than a man can ask for.
I am going to approach this article and several others this year in a different form. I did not attentively sit down and watch EVERY SONG from EVERY artist like I normally do. BUT I’m adamant that you will still enjoy this article I made. As I have previously stated, I will eventually go back to the magnificent way I once reported on music shows, but for now I am enjoying just being a fan and a building block for the music and venues I love.
My friendship with Mr. W.B. Walker began many years ago, back when he first had the ideas of his podcast. We both had one of the same friends in Mr. Chris Miller, who at that time hosted Blue Ribbon Radio, one of the first podcasts I ever listened to myself. See, I started this underground music lust during the Myspace era, where I found many of these people first.
He contacted me just to talk as friends, as he fished for ideas from different perspectives on what he wanted to do. By God, O’l Mr. W.B. done went and created an empire for local artists in the Appalachian region of the United States. When I got with him for a picture, he said to me “Man, you been here since day one”.
Within those years, the two of us have turned one another onto some truly terrific bands and artists. We turned around and used various forms of outreach to expose those artists to the world in our own way. Now, Ill be honest in one aspect…Ol Mr. W.B. has an exponentially larger fan base than I do, and his sharing a podcast of a band is by far more helpful than my articles, in my opinion.
I worked diligently in 2010 to bring the Roots Music to the world, working with all of these festivals for bands like The Tillers, Joe Huber, Matt Woods and others. I was attending many festivals for many different types of music, like Bluegrass and ( what people call ) Jamgrass, and I also sometimes feature Rockabilly.
However, when this new community of music trickled out of the Appalachian regions of the United States, Mr. W.B. was one of those responsible for bringing many of them to light. This is NOT to say that others did any less or or did not equally promote this music as well, but for me as a fan, I learned more about that community from him, and a group out of West Virginia called The Honky Tonk Heroes.
I’m most likely going to jump all over the lineup here, as it changed a little, and there were a few changes. There were special songs that a few of them play, that I finally got to hear live tonight. I had such an enjoyable time catching up with my friend Miss Tammy, Mr. Andy Nickles and others, that I did not watch all the music the whole night. I was outside on the patio area for a while, so we weren’t talking during the performances.
The Winetree is a duo that I do not get to see often, but when I do, I absolutely admire their soft, close knit harmonies and their home grown demeanor. They write some damn fine songs that are elaborate, in an easy to understand fashion.
Mr. Ryan Harvey and Mr. Isaiah Miller have been friends of mine for a while now, and I have enjoyed their music in many different places in my years of doing this stuff. I always enjoy seeing them and listening to thier harmonies on songs like “Kentucky” and others.
As I previously stated, I didn’t focus on every song this time around. So, I think what I’d like to do here is focus on some of the songs I like by these artists, on top of mentioning what songs I did see them play. I thought a lot about how to get back into the game here, and this was the best way to go.
One of my favorite songs they play is called ” Banks Of The Ohio” because it’s one of those beautifully written easy going songs you can relax to. ” Bottle Rockets” is another one of their good songs I have heard in the past. The past is exactly where their sound emanates from, and that’s not exactly a bad thing in any fashion, I hope they continue to bless us with their music at future events that Ol W.B Walker hosts.
One of the many people I looked forward to seeing tonight was a dear friend of mine, Miss Chelsea Nolan. She is a major part of this Appalachian community of music, as well as her brother Mr. Josh Nolan. There has been many festivals I have had the pleasure of covering their show at, however the first time I heard her music was on the Old Soul Radio Show podcast.
Many years and many different states have I traveled to festivals and shows, where she was a part of. Every one of her sets are amazing, filled with laughter and an all out appetency to bring joy to her audience.
Although two of the only original songs I recall was ‘Build A Fire”, and a new song that I did not recall the title of. But what made this set so special to me, was her eclectic choice of cover songs like “Pinball Wizard”, from the Who’s movie album called “Tommy”.
You know, may artists have a set list that is really just a litany of the same songs over and over. Sometimes I really enjoy some new cover songs, like her version of “Mercedes Benz” in the style of Miss Janis Joplin, on her classic album “Pearl”.
Mr. David Jameson stopped by tonight to join us in celebrating his birthday tonight, as he shared some of the songs from his forthcoming debut album that I shall talk about in future articles. But, for right now I am just checking out his promo package here with great enthusiasm!
Right now, he released a single from the album called “25 To Life”. The song is a poignant tale about life in a Texas prison, and how the days just linger on and on. It has a terrific and rugged western tinge to it, being an old sounding outlaw tale.
Mr. David is already a seasoned traveler of the WORLD, let alone just our country here. There lies no doubt in my mind, he is currently planning a major assault on the music community. That is a truly fine thing to assume about this young man here, and I’m glad that it was brought to light by O’l W.B.
Mr. Tony Logue is a songwriter from west Kentucky that reached out to the both of us in the past few years, and sent us his music for us to enjoy, and share. We both became instant fans of his honest and straight edged Kentucky music. He sings of down home heartaches, and fear of loosing your job, the centerpiece of your identity and income. “The Storm” truly touches on areas of life that make the listener very cognizant to the struggles of many in this area of Kentucky.
He actually JUST FINISHED recording his latest album, and he played a few songs from that album tonight. At this time, I cannot divulge any information to you about the album other than it will be a fall release date.
Mr. Tony and I have been around the block on the traveling game with one another, and I have had the privilege of seeing each other all over America. He is becoming an integral part of the national local music community, and a part of the Appalachian local music community as well.
Mr. Dalton Mills was one of the people that had an album on my TOP 50 OF 2020, with a MASTERPIECE of an album with songs like “John On The Run” and vivid story songs like “Runaway Dorothy Gale”. When you go to see his set, you have to listen REALLY listen to his lyrics, to get the full effect of his music.
“Mountain Call”, is a poignant, well written tale laced with some really fine steel guitar that gives this song a nefariously warm push, as it rolls past your ears. Many of his songs are waltzes, and old time sounding tunes with lyrics that many Country Music fans will salivate over.
I have been keeping a close eye on this man here, this “Son Of Sin” here. You know there are literally hundreds of websites like mine making articles about Mr. Coleman Williams AKA IV And The Strange Band. Now me, I am ardently trying to approach all of this from a different perspective than all the rest.
Each one of the members of the Williams family has their own signature unique sound that I feel differentiates them all. You may seek to disagree with me, but I do not feel that he is trying to be “another Hank III”, and I do not think it’s fair to even try to compare them. In fact, I have no intention to even go to one of his shows and try to compare him to anyone but him. I go to his show to allow his own music to speak to me, and to support his travels.
As his album fully releases, I’ll be touching more on his songs and music as he brings forth his sound that juxtaposes Doom Metal, with banjo laced Country..and a little bit of everything else along the spectrum. I can tell you some of the song titles like “Deep Down” and another called ‘Inbred”.
As a devout lover of Heavy Metal myself, I am enjoying his covers of Bad Brains songs among his other original songs. I also really like his signature touch of blending the many different influences into his thing.
Three of the greatest discoveries this year for me were these three following artists, Mr. Logan Halstead, Mr. Cole Chaney and Mr. Drayton Farley. Tonight, I had the opportunity to see all three of these play their songs. I’m going to be intensely studying these artists music, and bringing it all to you, my dear readers.
Mr. Logan Halstead has a really good song about coal mining, called “Dark Black Coal”. This song is a true lament of a modern day coal miner wishing a different outcome for his own kids. I see many influences in this new ilk of young artists coming around the bend in Eastern Kentucky and places like West Virginia, where he is from.
He is a self admitted metalhead, that was also influenced by many of the artists in this area that are becoming quite the success story. To that effect he decided to turn his asperations toward playing this mountain sounding music, as he found it spoke to him just as much as other genres.
I’m going to include the video show W.B. Walker has been working on for the last few months leading up to this birthday show here.
You have Mr. Cole Chaney as well, whom released a truly fine album this year, with a twelve song collection of songs he wrote, that you will surely enjoy. His album opens with a fiddle laced song called “Ill Will Creek”, which displays a VERY unique vocal delivery, and an ability to dominate the local market with his songwriting skills. There is indeed a devil in those hills for sure,
Back in the 70s, when Country Music was all about drinking and cheating…this area of artists talk about another common subject here, and that is the perils and laments of coal mining. The song called “Coalshooter” is just that appropriate song for those people.
Through the next few weeks I will be further looking into their shows, and striving to support them more often, as I can. I’m still slowly trickling back into the world of music, from taking care of some personal issues. But it just slows my mind that people so young can write such advanced songs, filled with adult issues.
Last but not least, we had Drayton Farley, another independent singer and songwriter from Alabama, whom equally belongs mixed in with these other fellows. He also released a debut album this year in late January , with a terrific line up of fourteen songs.
His song “American Dream ( Hard Up)” really spoke to me as a beat up old factory worker, who is supposed to be pursuing this dream..I strive not to. in fact, I strive to break that mold and pursue a career in the music business.
I’m quite confident that this man’s album will be heralded upon many “Best of the year” lists among many of the websites like mine that feature this type of music, and you can find out more about their music from people like W.B. Walker.
This entire evening was choked full of newfound talent that a behemoth radio show like The Old Soul Radio Show can pull off. I’m telling you that he has always had a knack for bringing us the best new talent in his area…and hell all over the United States.
I have included the link over to his website in several places on this article, as well as the websites for all of these artists on where to buy their music and merchandise. It’s true that I have not truly been out there as much in 2021 as I usually am, however I am slowly getting back into it, and I am quite adamant on the fact these artists will all be a solid part of the music community.
