Live Review – Atlanta, GA’s ATLive welcomes Eric Church, Luke Combs and more

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Nov 212019
 

By Joshua Wallace
Photography By Joshua Wallace

This past Sunday November 17th, 2019, I had the opportunity to see Eric Church, Luke Combs, Brothers Osborne and Caylee Hammack live at the Mercedes Benz Stadium in Atlanta, GA.  This was the second night of the ATLive concert series promoted in Atlanta by Falcons owner Arthur Blank’s AMB Sports and Entertainment. According to the Atlanta Journal Constitution, this night was a sell out with 52,414 fans.  This was one of the biggest crowds I have ever been a part of for a music concert and it was an amazing night of good country music.

Caylee Hammack opened the night.  She was probably the most pop oriented singer of the evening.  She didn’t get a very long set and maybe did 5 songs. She did originals like “Preciatecha” and “Family Tree”.  She also did covers of Gloria Gaynor’s “I Will Survive” and Tom Petty’s “Mary Jane’s Last Dance”. I came out of her set feeling sort of indifferent to her music as she did some good covers, but her originals didn’t really grab me.  I was however, pumped for the rest of the night.

The Brothers Osborne mentioned that this was their last show of the year and they couldn’t have picked a bigger crowd to do it in front of.  The band kicked off their set with “Drank Like Hank” which is one of my favorites off their last studio album. They rely heavily on long jams during their set and John Osborne is one hell of a lead guitar player in that respect.  The longer jams help space out their more pop leaning songs through their set. During the nearly hour long set, they got to songs like “Shoot Me Straight”, “I Don’t Remember Me (Before You)”, “Burning Man” and wrapped it up with “It Ain’t My Fault”.  This last song was a killer jam that I feel like lasted at least past the 15 minute mark. There was an epic keyboard solo followed by John’s longest solo of the night. This song is one of those epic closing songs that will make anyone a fan that sees this live, even if you were on the fence throughout the rest of the set.

Luke Combs was the first double headliner for the night.  He played an hour and fifteen minute set full of hits and songs from his new record that are sure to be hits in the future.  This wasn’t a full set you would get at one of his own concerts, but I feel like we only missed a small portion of his usual set.  He came across very humble on stage and very real. The band kicked the night off with one of my favorite tracks from his first album titled “Honky Tonk Highway”.  He then immediately went into the hits with one of his biggest in “When It Rains It Pours” and you could hear the entire stadium singing along. In fact, it was like this the whole set for Luke Combs.  

Some highlights included the hit song “1, 2, Many” where after the line “So whatcha say we shotgun one?” he actually paused for a bit to shotgun a beer before going back to the song.  He performed “This One’s For You” largely acoustic before the band came back out to finish the song with him. He did one of my favorite tracks off the new record titled “Angels Workin’ Overtime” and I’m sure that one will be a hit at radio.  

Speaking of radio hits, Luke Combs announced that “Even Though I’m Leaving” is his 7th straight number 1 at country music radio.  That is an amazing run for any singer, let alone someone who is only on his second full album. He closed the set out with a Brooks and Dunn cover of “Brand New Man” and “Beer Never Broke My Heart”.  Before playing his final song, he announced that due to a bet with his keyboard player who was from Atlanta, he had to wear an Atlanta Falcons jersey for the final song of the night. Atlanta played his time the Carolina Panthers and beat them soundly earlier that day.  This was the first time I had ever seen Luke Combs live and this set only made me a bigger fan. I can’t wait to see him again but hopefully more up close next time.

The final act of the night was Eric Church.  I had seen him perform previously on the “Holdin’ My Own” tour in 2017 where he performed two sets in one night so I knew we were in for a long evening still.  He kicked the night off at the front of the stage on acoustic guitar doing a rendition of “Drowning Man” from his latest record Desperate Man. Eric Church’s live band brings a heavier rock and roll sound to the proceedings so it’s no surprise that he does things like add a tease of Black Sabbath’s “Sweet Leaf” to the end of “Smoke a Little Smoke”.  He also did an exceptional version of “Creepin’” from his The Chief album with his lead guitar player Jeff Hyde handling the dobro for the song. Before he got to one of his older hits “How Bout’ You”, he discussed playing a smaller venue in Atlanta called Wild Bills and how crazy it was to be at a sold out Mercedes Benz Stadium on this evening. Also, during “How Bout You” he did a full cover of Waylon’s “Are You Sure Hank Done It This Way” and a tease of Ram Jam’s “Black Betty” before closing out “How Bout You”. 

He performed one of my favorite songs called “Mr. Misunderstood” largely acoustic before the band joined him again halfway through the song.  It is my strong opinion that Eric Church is at his best in a more intimate acoustic setting. Following that, he kicked off a series of a few of my favorite songs of his.  He did a great tease of an “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” cover. Then he went into a string of songs that included “Cold One”, “Record Year” and “Round Here Buzz”. He did a spot during “Record Year” where he signed vinyl records that fans had around the stage.  He held up each one to the camera, including a vinyl record of Bruce Springsteen’s famous Born In The U.S.A. album which he signed. Before “Homeboy”, one of his guitar players came up front and did an awesome metal interlude with the band that was the heaviest bit of music of the night.  The set also heavily featured the vocal talents of his back-up singer Joanna Cotten. She was featured on the track “Mixed Drinks About Feelings” which features Susan Tedeschi doing a verse on the album cut. We got an amazing dueling guitar solo during the closing moments of a rousing rendition of “Pledge Allegiance To The Hag” that was awesome.  He closed out the night with “These Boots” where he signed a bunch of boots around the stage and one of his most popular songs in “Springsteen” which he says is his ode to a moment and the influence music can have on that moment and the power of a song to take you back to a specific moment in time. I know many people who were at this show will go back to this particular moment in time when they hear any of these songs that were played this night.  He came back out for a one song encore of the Jackson Brown song “The Load-Out” which is a perfect encore song for any band.

This was an amazing night of performances and while no one got to do a full set, it was a full night of great music.  Eric Church and Luke Combs were of course the highlights, but Brothers Osborne was awesome as well. I didn’t really get a chance to hear much of Caylee Hammack with her short set.  Overall, this was a great night and I can’t wait to hear many of these artists again. You can find out a full tour itinerary for all of the artists involved in this show on their respective websites.

Leftover Salmon Releases “Songs You’ve Left Unsung” on Backline

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Nov 132019
 
Leftover Salmon Releases “Songs You’ve Left Unsung” on Backline
In Memory of Jeff Austin
Written by Greg Garrison
Pay What You Wish – 100% of Proceeds Donated to Backline
DENVER, CO — Leftover Salmon releases “Songs You’ve Left Unsung” as a tribute to dear friend Jeff Austin in his memory. The song was penned by LoS’s bassist, Greg Garrison, and is out today, November 4, 2019 at Backline.care/songs-left-unsung/. All proceeds from the sale of it are donated to Backline.
Backline.Care is a hub for music industry professionals and their families to quickly and easily access mental health and wellness resources. Backline has partnered with leading support organizations and care providers to streamline access to a wealth of services and educational resources specifically geared towards this work and lifestyle. It is a hub to discover existing organizations, unique content, peer networks, and case managers who can help create a plan that addresses your unique mental health and wellness challenges–on and off the road. Their website was created by music industry professionals for music industry professionals.

Here is a note from Greg Garrison about “Songs You’ve Left Unsung”:
I first met Jeff Austin when we were in 7th grade. Through the 80’s and 90’s, we somehow always wound up in the same places at the same times…Rolling Meadows, IL as kids, Decatur and Urbana, IL during our college years, and eventually Colorado as adults. And then, maybe predictably, as members of touring bands in the same scene.

“Songs You’ve Left Unsung” is a reflection on some of these times…the verses move chronologically, starting in Illinois and winding up in Colorado. The chorus is meant to be bittersweet but also hopeful for those of us that are still here writing songs, experiencing music, raising families and living life with all of its turbulent ups and downs.

I wanted to release the song with Backline because I think their mission is exceptionally important; providing mental health and wellness support to people in the music industry while also providing an opportunity for those of us who deal with issues like depression, anxiety, and substance abuse to share our stories. Hopefully, these stories will provide comfort, clarity, support, inspiration and a helping hand to anyone who is in need.

On a personal note, I have always struggled with a certain amount of social anxiety (not the easiest thing when you’re in a band like Leftover Salmon); the kind of anxiety that makes you feel like you’re always in the way, that folks don’t really want to hear what you have to say, play or sing, always looking for a way out of conversations because “this person doesn’t really want to be talking to me anyway…”. It makes being a musician, which involves a healthy amount of“putting yourself out there” a difficult task at times. Thankfully, when the music is happening and I’m playing the bass, I can close my eyes, quiet my mind and feel at home.

I discovered that I suffer from low-level depression (called dysthymia) during one of my most difficult periods as a human and as a musician. When I parted ways with Punch Brothers in 2008, a lot of things came crashing down. While my amazing third child (Ella) had just been born, I was also in the midst of a crumbling marriage, had no steady gig or income (Leftover Salmon was still just waking up from its hiatus), and the band that I had put so much time, effort, and soul into was moving in a different direction. Lots of stress…lots of anger…lots of confusion…lots of self-doubt…lots of hopelessness. I know many musicians can relate to this scenario, it’s certainly not a unique one in our industry.

Fortunately, through counseling, I was able to get my proverbial “shit together” to some extent, and I started taking medication (which I still take to this day). It’s hard to admit you need help. I’m glad that I did. I was lucky enough to have some honest people around me who recognized what I was going through and pushed me to make changes.

Like many, I certainly wish I would have understood the extent to which Jeff was hurting, and that I could have given him a helping hand when it was needed. I’m glad that an organization like Backline exists now, as having the support of others who have gone through or are going through a similar situation will allow the healing to start and leave far fewer songs left unsung.

-Greg Garrison
To donate and download the song, please visit www.backline.care/songs-left-unsung.
For more about Leftover Salmon, please visit www.LeftoverSalmon.com. 

Live Review – Ward Davis, Lucero and Cody Jinks in Albany, GA

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Nov 122019
 

By Joshua Wallace
All Photography By Joshua Wallace


Ward Davis

This past Thursday on November 7th, 2019 I had the chance to see Cody Jinks live with Lucero and Ward Davis as opening acts.  I arrived at the Albany Civic Center shortly after 6pm.  That was the time printed on the ticket and on everything on social media, so I assumed it meant doors were at 6pm.  Nope, the show started at 6pm and I could hear Ward Davis already going as I got my ticket at Will Call. I walked into the Civic Center as Ward was playing “Old Wore Out Cowboys” from his 15 Years In A Ten Year Town album.  This song normally features Jamey Johnson and Willie Nelson on the record, but this time we had an early guest appearance from Cody Jinks who graced the stage for a verse in the song. The crowd was still filling in at this point as like me, I assume most people thought the show started at 7pm.


Ward Davis feat. Cody Jinks

Ward Davis put on a good set this evening with tracks like “Get To Work Whiskey” and his cover of “Big River”.  He also got around to “Good and Drunk” which is my favorite track off the Asunder EP he released last year. He rounded out the set on the keys playing tracks like “15 Years In A 10 Year Town”, “I Got You” and a rousing rendition of The Eagles hit “Desperado”.


Ward Davis

Lucero was up next and I admit, I’m not the biggest fan of theirs and I was hoping to get a better feel for the band in a live setting, but it didn’t work out that way this evening.  Between Ward and Cody, they were kind of the odd band in the sound mixing department and I don’t think that worked in their favor. I did pick up on a few songs they played like “On My Way Downtown” which is my favorite track from the 2012 Women and Work album. Ben Nichols did a stripped down version of what I think was “The War” from the 2005 release Nobody’s Darlings.  They also did “Texas & Tennessee” from their 2013 EP of the same name. They also played a newer song called “Hello My Name Is Izzy” which has been released as a single. They finished the set with a track from the 2002 release Tennessee titled “The Last Song”. I hope to be able to catch this band live again soon and catch a full set next time.


Lucero


Ben Nichols

You could tell this crowd is ready for Cody Jinks by the time he hit the stage.  Before we get into Cody’s set, I have to commend whoever was playing music before Cody came on.  They mixed classic country hits with songs from current artists like Paul Cauthen, Alex Williams, Whitey Morgan and others who many in this crowd might not have heard of as Albany, GA is a fairly new market for Jinks.


Cody Jinks

Cody Jinks started right away with music from his new records.  He kicked the set off with “Same Kind Of Crazy As Me” from The Wanting.  This set was heavy on new tunes, but he plays a long enough set list that you still get everything you want.  Speaking of the set list, he is doing something interesting with his set lists as of late. He has lines with two songs listed instead of one.  It seems like these are parts in the set where he has two songs in the same key lined up and can select either one. This is a very cool way of doing things.  It gives the band flexibility to read the room and it potentially gives fans a different experience each night instead of just having the same old set.

Jinks then went on with the title track off the Lifers album and followed that up my personal favorite off that record “Big Last Name”.  More new songs followed with “Tell Em What It’s Like” and “The Wanting”. After those tracks we got into “I’m Not The Devil” which had a special appearance from Ward Davis who sang a verse.  Albany, GA was also the site of the very first live version of “Where Even Angels Fear To Fly”. I really dig this one live and it is quickly becoming a favorite of mine off The Wanting album.


Cody Jinks feat. Ward Davis

We also got another favorite track of mine off The Wanting album with “Which One I Feed”.  I was especially looking forward to this one as it was one of my favorite preview tracks leading up to the albums release.  More new music soon followed with “Ain’t A Train”. This song is huge for the fiddle solo that hits you hard every time it drops in the song.  Well, the live band does not have a fiddle player so Austin “Hot Rod” Tripps grabs a dobro instead. While it’s a good track live, it’s just not the same without that hot fiddle solo.  Jinks mentioned that this is one of his most upbeat setlists he’s ever done before going into one of his biggest tear jerker tracks in “David”. It still hits hard in a live setting.


Cody Jinks and The Tone Deaf Hippies

Another new track followed with “Wounded Mind”.  This isn’t one that I had anticipated hearing live, but it’s a good one.  It’s a very good deep cut from The Wanting. Up next we had “Holy Water” from Lifers and “Think Like You Think” from After The Fire.  There is a bit of irony singing a song like “Think Like You Think” in front of a drunk and rowdy crowd on a Thursday night, but it’s a damn good song live.  “Cast No Stones” was one of the highlights of this night for me. It’s one of my favorite Jinks tracks overall, but this is especially good live as he brings the house lights up for an extended sing-a-long with the crowd.  “Must Be The Whiskey” and “Hippies and Cowboys” closed out the regular set. “Must Be The Whiskey” is a huge fan favorite off the album Lifers and it feels like a hit every time I hear it live. Jinks came out for a two song encore which included the acoustic leaning “The Raven and The Dove” and one of his biggest fan favorite songs “Loud and Heavy”.

This was my third time seeing Cody Jinks live and his show never disappoints.  From seeing him at the Ryman a couple of years ago to this show, he keeps getting better.  He’s upped his showmanship a lot recently. He picks out kids in the crowd and gives them guitar picks and acknowledges signs and interacts with the crowd in a meaningful way.  A lot of independent artists don’t do this level of crowd interaction but it is a must for bigger stages and crowds. Cody Jinks is riding high and the sky’s the limit. He’s always on tour and I can’t wait till the next time I get to see him live.  You can find out if he’s coming to a town near you at this link.

The Further Adventures of The Franklin County Trucking Company- The Franklin County Trucking Company

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Nov 112019
 

The Further Adventures of The Franklin County Trucking Company- The Franklin County Trucking Company

Luther Center

If you ever wondered what it might be like if a cowpunk band performed nothing but trucking songs, well… wonder no more!  The Franklin County Trucking Company, the brainchild of  “Skinny” Jim Rotramel answers the question. Their second album “The Further Adventures of ….” continues their mission of bringing 21st century country punk trucking songs to the people.  The band, an all-star agglomeration of sorts, features “Skinny” Jim (guitar) and Taylor Sprehe (drums) of The Number 9 Blacktops, Eddie Spaghetti (bass, vocals) of The Supersuckers, and Sean Hopkins (acoustic guitar, vocals) of Dallas Alice, performing a mix of new and old trucking songs, with the spirit of 60s and 70s country trucking  songs and hard core punk.  In addition, we get several guest appearances from Colonel JD Wilkes of Legendary Shack Shakers on some insanely punk harmonica work.

The album starts with a straight out punk rocker “Dodgin’ Scales”,  opining the risks involved with hauling an oversized load.  Starting the first song with the lines “I’m dodgin‘ scales and raising hell, Kentucky bound  headed down to the land of the Commonwealth, I got an oversized load and I’m runnin’ late, pushing 18 wheels to the Bluegrass state,” and with searing guitars reminiscent of Warner Hodges’ work with Jason and the Scorchers or Dan Baird and Homemade Sin, this song sets the tone for the entire album.

Next up is “Time is Money”, about getting the load in on time by “chasing that long white line,” and features a little 70s style CB chatter.

After that, we get a real treat, a full out cowpunk version of the old Eddie Rabbitt tune “Drivin’ My Life Away”, and this version flat out kicks A$$!

JD Wilkes shows up for the first time on “Truck Drivin’ Bastard, Me” and makes his presence known right away on this screamer with some WICKED harp work!

Next we have the tragic tale of a hard luck woman who becomes a truck stop prostitute,  encounters violence, and exacts her revenge in “Perryville, Missouri.”

“Runnin’ Strong” and “Lonely Life” describe the joys and the downfalls of trucking as an occupation.  “Runnin’ Strong” hits the highlights, describing the freedom that the vocation allows one, where “Lonely Life” brings the narrator back to real life and “a lonely life of masturbation and truck stop hot dogs.”

Following these two is a real treat, an incendiary cover of the Little Feat song “Willin’.”

Next is “T-R-U-C-K-S-T-O-P”, a rager that sounds a little like Social Distortion exhorting all of the glories of hitting up the truck stop for video poker, videos of Rawhide, cheeseburgers, strong coffee and hot showers.

Finally “That Darn Trucker”, about a hapless trucker who gets everything wrong… he gets lost, doesn’t drink coffee, doesn’t use his blinker, and can’t drive a stick shift.  It’s a hilarious end to a very very fun 31 minute album.

I don’t know if they’ll do any live shows in support of the record, but if they do, I know I’ll go see them.  If they don’t, be sure to go see The Number Nine Blacktops when they hit your town, as their leader, Jim Rotramel,  is the braintrust behind this collaboration.

I’d give this one 8.5 out of 10.

Go to www.number9blacktops.com/ to get a cd (and maybe a nice 2020 trucker calendar and personal note from Jim), or hit up Spotify to stream, or your usual place to purchase mp3s.


Darrin Bradbury Announces “Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs”, Out September 20

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Nov 102019
 
Darrin Bradbury Announces New Full-Length
Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs
Album set for September 20th release on ANTI- Records, first single out now
July 24, 2019 – Nashville, TN – Like a more self-deprecating, decidedly morose John Prine, or perhaps a more jovial Guy Clark, New Jersey native Darrin Bradbury’s songs are riddled with hilarious, obvious-once-you-hear-them observations on mundane everyday life. The eleven songs on Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs, Bradbury’s new release on ANTI- Records, leave listeners singing along with sometimes ridiculous, often dark, but instantly familiar tunes. Take 60 seconds to learn more about Darrin Bradbury here.
Produced by Kenneth Pattengale (The Milk Carton Kids), Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs is a collection of songs born from dealing with depression and the pressures of life in the only way Bradbury knows; by poking fun at it. “It’s an album trying to combat depression, to laugh your way out of depression, and to be honest and accurate with that depression,” Bradbury quips. “I try to write things that make me chuckle, and that chuckling is usually making peace with the existential dilemma of both the times and life in general.” Today, Wide Open Country premiered the title track from Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs, calling it “philosophical” and noting that “Fans of John Prine, Steve Goodman and other lyricists who’re as quick-witted as they are hilarious will find a kinship with Bradbury.” The album is available for pre-order today.
With only one co-writer on the entire album—ANTI- label-mate, friend, and fellow esteemed Nashville musician, Jeremy Ivey—Bradbury’s one-of-a-kind style is allowed to shine brilliantly, unobstructed by outside opinion. The tracking of Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs was completed in a similarly simple way; using the same combo of musicians for every song on the record. Aside from producer Pattengale’s mellotron and vocal contributions and the aforementioned Ivey’s bass and piano playing, only two extra musicians were called to round out the band; Alex Muñoz on additional guitars and Dillon Napier on drums. The only exception is the lone guest vocalist on the album, modern outlaw country queen and longtime supporter of Bradbury, Margo Price, who adds a somber harmony to a track titled “The Trouble With Time.”
Of the eleven songs on Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs, only two of them are more than three minutes long. The shortest of which, “Strange Bird,” clocks in at one minute, seventeen seconds. “In the writing of this album, what was important to me was that the song was over when the thought was over. It wasn’t about having to fill a certain amount of space,” Bradbury says. “If I’m not motivated to say anything more about this particular thing, I won’t force it. I would rather have a minute-and-a-half song that I felt conveyed something unique.”
Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs will be Darrin Bradbury’s first release on ANTI- Records. “Darrin possesses a wonderful, darkly sardonic sense of humor and a matter of fact wisdom that reminded me of some of my favorite writers from Chuck Berry to Mose Allison to John Prine,” says ANTI- founder, Andy Kaulkin. “I haven’t heard anyone do this sort of thing on this level for a very long time. His songs keep me on the edge of my seat.”
“When I write, there are things that I want to get away with,” Bradbury says. “I want to get away with the line, ‘I woke up this morning and I got out of bed / Tripped on my pants and fell on my head.’ ” Overall, Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs is a beautifully refined version of Bradbury’s writing; going for broke, connecting the dots, and doing it with blunt honesty that brings it all home. “If I can get you to take that seriously, and not skip a beat when you listen to it, that’s what I want.”
Track listing:
1. Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs
2. Breakfast
3. Hell’s More or Less the Same
4. The Trouble with Time (feat. Margo Price)
5. Strange Bird
6. Nothing Much
7. The American Life
8. This Too Shall Pass
9. Motel Room, Motel Room
10. So Many Ways To Die (Frozen Pizza)
11. Dallas 1963
About Darrin Bradbury:
Darrin Bradbury writes about the way things really are in America— a singular perspective shaped by a natural gift for storytelling, a lingering battle with depression, and a sly sense of humor. A self-described folk satirist who has toured the country for more than a decade, Bradbury collects his oddball observations in his newest album, Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs.
Bradbury grew up in New Jersey with an early interest in performing, partly because of his mother’s career as a circus clown. At the age of 7, he felt certain that he would either become a songwriter or a cartoonist. He learned to play guitar as a vessel to tell his stories—and because his handwriting and grammar steered him away from being a novelist. By the age of 18, he’d discovered Bob Dylan, Jack Kerouac, and Paul Simon, and decided to hit the road.
At 25, he moved from Charlottesville, Virginia, to Nashville, to try making it as a songwriter. For three months, he slept in his car in a Walmart parking lot, and developed a local following by playing open mic nights. With a handful of self-funded EPs and albums, Bradbury steadily cultivated a national audience by touring constantly. Produced by Kenneth Pattengale of the Milk Carton Kids, Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs is Bradbury’s first release for ANTI- Records.

Now also friends It’s funny how all of these little pieces of the puzzle fit together so well. ANTI Records has released a couple good albums in 2019, as I just recently wrote a terrific article for his label mate Mr. Jeremy Ivey and Mr. Ian Noe at the Exit In. You can read that article by clicking on the above link on his name, and also HERE IT IS!

Initially I didn’t expect to go out tonight, because I have a LOT of doctor appointments and nerve shots to deal with this winter. I’m getting ready for deer hunting and some other things I enjoy like football games, and I need to manage my Rheumatoid Arthritis to do those things. You know how the doctor games hit your wallet, and I STILL manage to get out and support LIVE music.

A LOT of people ask me  “Gary, WHO do YOU think is the next BIG THING in local music?” Well, I’m going to elaborate on that answer for a few moments on this article. I have TWO answers to that quandary for you, my dear readers, after pondering over several factors, I did indeed come up with TWO.

The two I THINK will become the next big things are Mr. Ian Noe and also the Dead South both of whom released KILLER albums in 2019. I’m going to sit here behind my keyboard and rave about these two until well into next year when I hear some more good ones, but just because I temporarily omit them from a current rotation does NOT MEAN SHIT!

One of the MANY reasons I came down here to the Exit In to see this fantastic show. Another reason is the outstanding staff the Exit In has, their security staff and their door staff, as well as the entire bar staff need to be APPLAUDED right here on this website. One of the stage security people introduced himself to me as Mike, and was worried about my camera bag, and let me keep it low behind a speaker. They ALL make sure we have a SAFE no bullshit show that WE ALL can feel secure going to and anybody that gets out of hand drunk gets tossed out!

The title of  Mr. Jeremy Ivey’s 2019 debut album is called “The Dream And The Dreamer” and it is out now on ANTI Records. His band is called The Extraterrestrials, and I shall be delving into this band further in the upcoming months for darn sure, I PROMISE you that!

There is an all around different genre vibe on this album here, and to be honest I couldn’t refer to tons of artists he actually sounds like. I hate to be one of those people that don’t have any idea what to call it, and just lump it into “Americana”..IT’S JUST GOOD MUSIC! If you MADE ME call it something I suppose Alt-Country could be implemented here….but IT’S JUST GOOD MUSIC!

I mean you hear influences like Mr. Bob Dylan and others, but he maintains a distinct style of his own with rough references to political beliefs and his own upbringing in his songs. The first song called “Story Of A Fish” has a really hopping folk vibe to it, and could be enjoyed by fans of so many genres it is pretty much endless. He has spent a lot of time in the background as a member of many bands like Buffalo Clover, where he met his wife Miss Margo Price, who produced his debut album here.

Included in his set tonight was a song called “Ombrophobia” which is a common anxiety disorder found in kids and is basically a fear of rain. “White Shadow” was next, however the FIRST SONG that GRABBED ME was the title song on the album here “The Dream And The Dreamer”. I’m adopted as well, and spent a lot of time finding my real parents and my real place I came from in life. I had many feelings of struggle and swimming upstream like he refers to as a person.

This is a powerful ballad with a tale of the intense battle in humanity and the battle inside people’s heads. These lyrics are well thought out, and the songs make you THINK. I enjoyed that about him, they make you DWELL ON THEM and really LISTEN to them on a wider scale. I really liked the line about the fear on TV that might kill us first, I hardly turn on my television for anything, and I listen to music…for reasons like that.

He played a few songs acoustic like “Someone Else’s Problem” and the song called “Falling Man”  before the rest of the band came out, as well as his wife Miss Margo Price whom her met at a younger age. He sites her as a huge influence and they are big fans of one another, you can easily ascertain the unity they have for one another BOTH onstage AND offstage the same.

“Greyhound” was next, and on the album you can hear them singing together as well. It sounded REALLY GOOD live, and is about people that live on the road. You know, until I started this website traveling I never really realized how intense and difficult life on the road was. All along those yellow lines…indeed. Some of those people have hard times keeping track of what city they are in on what day.

“Diamonds Back To Coal” is pretty much an anti- modern day man song, and was his closing song. It’s a very political song, and his entire album is the same. If you are one of those that don’t appreciate that in your music, you won’t care for this album. But I truly did appreciate his set tonight, I thought it was thought provoking and insightful.

Mr. Ian Noe has been on my radar for some time now, and is number one on my “up and coming” list of people to achieve the Tyler Childers echelon of local music. he is about to bust open wide and trickle over toward the mainstream side of things. When some of you on social media start griping about his albums being overproduced, I’ll be over here yawning and giggling.

He opened tonight with “Letter To Madeline” the great song about a holed up bank robber being surrounded, as he laments about spending the money with his baby at home. All of his songs are so intensely well written and arranged that it’s so hard to not gush on every one as a journalist. EVERY SONG paints such a vivid picture in my mind, as I listen to them.

“Promised Land’ and the mighty “Barbara’s Song” was next about the famous train wreck in 1904, when the bridge collapsed and OH MY GOD the descriptions of what was going on with his lyrics…just absolutely non grandiloquent in any fashion. He speaks with authority and dumps those vocals out upon us in wicked fashion!

“Junk Town” is a soulful jam with a smooth and soft tempo to it. EVERYBODY loves “Irene (Ravin’ Bomb)” that the entire audience has created a sing along to this song…hmm..kind of when Childers says FIRE IN THE HOLE or a David Allan Coe crowd yells LET ME LET ME LET ME…this following has also created a nifty niche for him here. It just intensifies my saying that he HAS that connection with his crowd  few today possess, especially for his age and time out onstage. To have that power this early, he will be unable to stop in 10 years.

My favorite song “Meth Head” was next followed by his own version of “Rollin In My Sweet Baby’s Arms” and “Dead On The River” about bodies found in the river. “If Today Doesn’t Do Me In” was on the list along with “Canyon Falls Bound” and “Between The Country”

He closed with a song called “Strip Job Blues” and “P.O.W. Blues”. This was by far one of his best shows I got to see so far with a full band. This man is moving up in the world on a grand scale, and you can remember I said that NOW because in a few years when everybody else is ACTING LIKE THEY DID I’ll shove this article up their asses. Mr. Ian’s band was Mr. Erin Nelson on drums, Mr. Steve Daly on guitars, and Mr. Michael Zimmerman on the bass guitar tonight.

Darrin Bradbury Releases New Single “Breakfast”,
 Announces International Tour Dates
Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs set for September 20th release on ANTI- Records
August 21, 2019 – Nashville, TN – Mixing humor with obvious-once-you-hear-them observations on mundane, everyday life, Darrin Bradbury’s unique wit makes for songs that are instantly relatable; this is evident on “Breakfast,” the second single from his highly-anticipated new album Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs, slated for release on September 20 via ANTI- Records. Yesterday, The Bluegrass Situation premiered the new track and video; read more and watch here. Today, Bradbury announced that he will join Texas songwriter Jarrod Dickenson for a UK tour beginning in London, following U.S. dates supporting John Moreland (full schedule below). Talking Dogs & Atoms Bombs is available for pre-order today.
Produced by Kenneth Pattengale (The Milk Carton Kids), Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs is a collection of songs born from dealing with depression and the pressures of life in the only way Bradbury knows; by poking fun at it. “It’s an album trying to combat depression, to laugh your way out of depression, and to be honest and accurate with that depression,” Bradbury quips. “I try to write things that make me chuckle, and that chuckling is usually making peace with the existential dilemma of both the times and life in general.” Pattengale recounts, “For awhile there Darrin and I would meet about once a week at my neighborhood coffee shop under the guise of me dispensing advice to him, despite repeated warnings that I am NOT in the advice giving business. As these things go, there was not much to say, and not much to learn—just friendly commiseration about the torrential weather bashing at the faces of anyone who dares to attempt a career in music. So maybe it was apt that I took the wheel for Darrin’s album about depression. Captain and co-pilot leading a more diverse Ship of Fools in circles out at sea.”
Last month, Wide Open Country premiered the title track from Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs, noting that “Fans of John Prine, Steve Goodman and other lyricists who’re as quick-witted as they are hilarious will find a kinship with Bradbury.” Rolling Stone Country named the single one of the “10 Best Country and Americana Songs To Hear Now” and described it as a unique blend of, “Bradbury’s signature gumbo of countrified talking blues, oddball folk, and black humor, with some stoner-worthy philosophy about the origins of microwaves tossed into the pot.”
Described as a “stellar singer and songsmith” by Nashville Scene, Bradbury enlisted the help of only one other writer for the entire album—ANTI- label-mate, friend, and fellow esteemed Nashville musician, Jeremy Ivey. The tracking of Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs was completed in a similarly simple way; using the same combo of musicians for every song on the record. Aside from producer Pattengale’s mellotron and vocal contributions and the aforementioned Ivey’s bass and piano playing, only two extra musicians were called to round out the band; Alex Muñoz on additional guitars and Dillon Napier on drums. The only exception is the lone guest vocalist on the album, modern outlaw country queen and longtime supporter of Bradbury, Margo Price, who adds a somber harmony to a track titled “The Trouble With Time.”
Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs will be Darrin Bradbury’s first release on ANTI- Records. “Darrin possesses a wonderful, darkly sardonic sense of humor and a matter of fact wisdom that reminded me of some of my favorite writers from Chuck Berry to Mose Allison to John Prine,” says ANTI- founder, Andy Kaulkin. “I haven’t heard anyone do this sort of thing on this level for a very long time. His songs keep me on the edge of my seat.”
“When I write, there are things that I want to get away with,” Bradbury says. “I want to get away with the line, ‘I woke up this morning and I got out of bed / Tripped on my pants and fell on my head.’ ” Overall, Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs is a beautifully refined version of Bradbury’s writing; going for broke, connecting the dots, and doing it with blunt honesty that brings it all home. “If I can get you to take that seriously, and not skip a beat when you listen to it, that’s what I want.”
On Tour:
Aug 23 – Nashville, TN – WMOT’s Finally Friday
Sept 10-15 – Nashville, TN – AMERICANAFEST
Sept 30 – Baltimore, MD – Creative Alliance *
Oct 1 – Alexandria, VA – The Birchmere *
Oct 4 – Garwood, NJ – Crossroads *
Nov 22 – London – The Cavendish Arms ^
Nov 23 – Broadhempston – Broadhempston Church ^
Nov 24 – Shrewsbury – Henry Tudor House ^
Nov 25 – Manchester – Gullivers ^
Nov 27 – Halifax – The Lantern ^
Nov 28 – Norwich – Waterfront Studio ^
Nov 29 – London – The Cavendish Arms ^
Nov 30 – Liverpool – Prohibition Recording Studio ^
Dec 1 – Glasgow – The Blue Arrow ^
Dec 2 – Edinburgh – The Voodoo Rooms ^
Dec 3 – Newcastle – Cluny 2 ^
Dec 5 – Bristol – Rough Trade ^
Dec 7 – Belfast – Ulster Sports Club ^
* supporting John Moreland
^ supporting Jarrod Dickenson
About Darrin Bradbury:
Darrin Bradbury writes about the way things really are in America— a singular perspective shaped by a natural gift for storytelling, a lingering battle with depression, and a sly sense of humor. A self-described folk satirist who has toured the country for more than a decade, Bradbury collects his oddball observations in his newest album, Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs.
Bradbury grew up in New Jersey with an early interest in performing, partly because of his mother’s career as a circus clown. At the age of 7, he felt certain that he would either become a songwriter or a cartoonist. He learned to play guitar as a vessel to tell his stories—and because his handwriting and grammar steered him away from being a novelist. By the age of 18, he’d discovered Bob Dylan, Jack Kerouac, and Paul Simon, and decided to hit the road.
At 25, he moved from Charlottesville, Virginia, to Nashville, to try making it as a songwriter. For three months, he slept in his car in a Walmart parking lot, and developed a local following by playing open mic nights. With a handful of self-funded EPs and albums, Bradbury steadily cultivated a national audience by touring constantly. Produced by Kenneth Pattengale of the Milk Carton Kids, Talking Dogs & Atom Bombs is Bradbury’s first release for ANTI- Records.

2020 Music Festival News.

 News  Comments Off on 2020 Music Festival News.
Nov 102019
 

As most of my loyal followers already know, I report on a plethora of music festivals each year. I continuously make solemn efforts to maintain contact with each one on an even basis, and give each festival equal attention when it comes to my support. I do like to separate information for them, because some of them may feel like I’m trying to compete them but I’m NOT…not in ANY way!

This is going to be an ongoing mass informational article that I’ll be updating many times with information about TONS of nationwide festivals, complete with separate links for each one as I make them according to the time frame. This will be a MAJOR JOB that I’ll be promoting heavily.

Tumbleweed Music Festival May 28th-30th 2020 Kansas

One of my favorite jobs this year was Tumbleweed Music Festival. I’ll be doing my 2020 pushes for over 200 nationwide festivals here in the next few weeks. I keep in constant touch with directors from all over the nation on their festivals to bring YOU the BEST coverage possible.
Now, this is an email sent to me ( and if you join their mailing list, you got this also) that has some of the changes coming in 2020. At this juncture, I cannot say whether I’ll be there in person or have a team member there. I plan to change up my festival presence for 2020, but I also plan to “tie in” a few that coincide time wise and travel wise.
I mean WHY THE HECK NOT? Wouldn’t YOU WANT ME to cover Bluegrass and Red Dirt in a weekend?
See here is how I look at this…let’s create a LARGE national network of “stops” for ALL local music and ALL genres. Let’s juxtapose all of these scenes, and stop treating them like scenes. Let’s make them a big huge community.
One organization is doing JUST THAT and it’s Mr. Jim Guthrie  and his wife Miss Victoria from the Honky Tonk Hotel out in Missouri. Those two are taking some of the Appalachian artists and bringing them to the Midwest regions, and I applaud them. I mean, this gives people like me easier work and more access to other artists because they pass through. He is closely in connection with Tumbleweed, and he and I talk all the time about ways to improve music functions. He does a LOT for the artists, booking, lodging, and needs people like me to help promote the music. Most importantly to me..he takes NO income from what he does, and that is honorable in my opinion. It costs money to keep the water and lights on!
With all that being said I am currently in contact with 250 festivals to date, and getting information on 2020 dates, times, places, lineup announcements, new stages, less stages, and the whole nine yards. We got info coming for well over 250 festivals for you on this website, as I work with 6 other websites that deal with festivals directly.
The addition of a more intimate stage pleases me, this year Master Musician’s Festival did it. It went over VERY WELL, and gave us the fans more of an opportunity to get acquainted with the musicians and absorb the lyrics easier. Muddy Roots also does this with TWO stages but they are right off the main vendor area, so you still have clamor and loud talking. This announced stage area is WELL OFF the main area and will provide AMPLE QUIET for you..but I have one concern. Cross traffic on foot. There simply was not enough space to facilitate LARGE AMOUNTS of pedestrians crossing to the main stage…unless they move the main stage.
As of right now, the Tumbleweed head director has no more information to share with you via text last week. But he DOES what to say THANK YOU for being there, enjoying the festival, loving the music, and being a patron. HE NEEDS our input to make Tumbleweed the BEST festival possible, and on May 28th- 30th 2020, let’s make it happen….MORE TO COME!

If YOU HAVE A comment, question or suggestion you can contact them, they are good folks!

Based on your valued feedback and our commitment to delivering an outstanding festival experience, we are committed to the following improvements for Tumbleweed 2020.

MUSIC

Introducing a 2nd stage located in an intimate and shaded area (where archery was). This stage will run from about noon to 5pm and pick-up again at about midnight when the main stage ends. It’s a beautiful spot and the perfect size. Main Stage will run from approximately 5pm to midnight.

RESTROOMS

More units, more locations, easier access, cleaned twice daily

TRANSPORTATION

Campers! fixed-price $5 per person, includes camping gear from the parking to camping on horse wagons. Established “taxi stands” at main stage, camping and parking for easy ride-hailing. We’re exploring gear drop-off at the forest for Thursday arrivals!

VIP

VIP-exclusive bathrooms and shade tent at main stage with dedicated bar in that tent serving all levels of VIP. No pre-set chairs/reserved seats in VIP, but able to place personal chairs daily. A late-night VIP dance party will kick-off after the last main stage act goes off – around midnight. The country dance party is held in the VIP Tavern.

GA

The GA+ section will be closer to the stage than this year’s placement, with vendors pushed back to allow more room on each side. GA+ is essentially GA from this year. We’ve introduced GA+ to allow for a lower-price “GA” ticket. The lower price GA ticket is for fans who are tight on funds and don’t mind distant viewing of the stage.

CAMPING

The General Store returns with its essentials, including ice! No vendors will be located in camping, eliminating the generator noise.

TICKETING/AMBASSADORS

To maintain ticket integrity, we’re discontinuing the Ambassador Program. The least expensive tickets are always available online at TumbleweedCountry.com. The ticketing schedule remains in-place, with price increases following the ticket schedule announced and published at TumbleweedCountry.com

Tumbleweed 2020 tickets launch on August 5th for a one-week massive sale… the lowest prices of the year. We appreciate your support of Tumbleweed’s authentic and independent country music experience! If you have any questions, don’t hesitate to reach us at Tumbleweed@bordaproductions.com.

Suwanee Spring Reunion March 19-22nd 2020 Florida.

By Joshua Wallace

Friends, you might remember my coverage of the Suwannee Spring Reunion 2019 and how awesome that festival was.  Well, it’s almost time for the 2020 edition and I’m here with some dates and the initial lineup announcement.  The 2020 edition of the Suwannee Spring Reunion will happen March 19th – 22nd at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, FL.  This year’s initial lineup announcement features some familiar faces and new ones too.  I’m looking forward to covering this event right here on Gary Hayes Country.

Suwannee Spring Reunion 2020 Initial Lineup

Donna the Buffalo
Peter Rowan Free Mexican Airforce featuring Los Texmaniacs
The Duhks
Darrell Scott
Jim Lauderdale Band
Verlon Thompson
Shawn Camp Band
Roy Book Binder
Jeff Mosier Ensemble
Quartermoon
Sloppy Joe

And many more to be announced!

For more information, tickets, and to reserve camping, please visit www.suwanneespringreunion.com.
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Looking for a gift idea for a music lover on your list?
We’ve got the perfect thing…
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A Festival Ticket gives the gift of an experience like no other and brings with it memories forever.
Consider giving the 2020 Combo Festival Ticket which is one Weekend Festival Ticket for both Suwannee Spring Reunion™ and Suwannee Roots Revival™.  The combo is $260 and is available until January 6th, 2020.
The 2020 Combo Ticket and the Suwannee Spring Reunion™ Early Bird Ticket are both available at SuwanneeSpringReunion.com.
The 2020 Suwannee Roots Revival Early Bird Ticket is available at SuwanneeRootsRevival.com.
A printable pdf Gift Certificate is available by emailing Beth@musicliveshere.com with your order number and gift details.  This Gift Certificate is not redeemable at the gate but will give you something to wrap until you get the tickets!
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2020 Initial Line Up
More Line Up will be announced soon!
Bela Fleck and The Flecktones
Collection of simple christmas themed borders divider graphics including holly border candy cane pattern christmas trees and more
Get Prepared with Tickets and Camping
Tickets are on sale now.  Suwannee Spring Reunion™ offers a multi-day Weekend Ticket that includes festival admission for four days of music, as well as primitive camping on Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday nights. Early Bird Tickets are $140, Students and Military with a valid ID are $130.  Children 12 and under are free if accompanied by a parent or legal guardian.  Get your tickets now before they rise to the next price tier.  Single Day Tickets will be available at the Gate only.  Please note, Single Day Tickets do not include primitive camping or campground access.
If you are planning to attend our sister festival,Suwannee Roots Revival™ on October 15-18, 2020, you can get a Special Combo Spring Reunion/Roots Revival Weekend Ticket for $260 total and this is available until 1/6/2020, so get them now to take advantage of the deal. Each Weekend Ticket includes Thursday, Friday, Saturday, and Sunday venue access to music as well as primitive camping Thursday through Sunday.
For more information and to purchase tickets and reserve camping, please visit www.suwanneespringreunion.com.  You may call the SOSMP park office at (386) 364-1683 for questions about camping, cabins, golf carts or other campground amenities.
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SOSMP is located between Jacksonville, Florida & Tallahassee, Florida about 30 minutes south of the Georgia State line, about 45 minutes north of Gainesville and is host to a variety of events.
For four days in March, you can slip your shoes off and dance under the bright blue vistas and star-studded skies. Wander the endless trails along the Suwannee River, tell stories around the crackling campfire or simply lie back and watch the Spanish moss that drapes the sheltering Live Oaks that sway in the breeze. Dance the days away at the Stages and while away the late night hours around the “Picking Parties” that spring up into the dawn’s early light. There are no wrong choices when you arrive at your home and the place where live music lives for the founding of a new tradition, built on the love of the past, the Suwannee Spring Reunion.

Old Settler’s Music Festival  April 15th-19th Texas.

This one here in Tilman Texas is our friends at Old Settler’s Music Festival and they have recently annonuced a partial lineup of their 2020 acts. I’ll tell you what we have an amazing list of festivals to satisfy ALL of our readers here, JUST KEEP READING!
Hi Everyone,

We are excited to bring you “a little sneak peak” at the 2020 Lineup.  We’ll certainly have more artists to unveil soon – about two dozen more! We picked this first bunch because it’s a mix old favorites and what we believe will be new favorites. Returnees include the unmistakable joy and energy that is Shinyribs, merry prankster Steve Poltz, descendants of bluegrass royalty The Travelin’ McCourys, transcendental folk locals The Deer, and globetrotting string band Della Mae.

New OSMF favorites …

  • American Aquarium’s well loved, hardscrabble roots rock.
  • Charley Crockett’s musical gumbo of Delta blues, honky-tonk, gospel and Cajun jazz.
  • Brilliant young guitarist, singer, songwriter and multiple award winner Molly Tuttle
  • The country noir of Logan Ledger, who so impressed Americana legend T. Bone Burnett that he produced Logan’s debut album.
  • Real deal hill country blues artist Cedric Burnside, one the best shows we saw at SXSW last year.
  • The Hogslop String Band – a band that absolutely oozes charm while raising a ruckus, complete with washtub bass.
  • And 2019 Youth Competition Winner Elijah Delgado.

Stay tuned – there’s plenty more surprises and Old Settler’s news to come!
Thank you so much for being part of our family. We can’t wait for April 2020.

— The folks at Old Settler’s

PS Scroll down for a link to our Spotify playlist which we add to as we release more artists!
Get Tickets

OLD SETTLER’S MUSIC FESTIVAL
2020 PARTIAL LINEUP BY DAY

*Additional artists to be announced soon.

THURSDAY

Cedric Burnside, Della Mae, Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Steve Poltz, and more

FRIDAY

ST. Paul & the Broken Bones, Tanya Tucker, Jade Bird, Shinyribs, Steep Canyon Rangers, Della Mae, Steve Poltz, Sierra Ferrell, and more

SATURDAY

The Head and the Heart, J.J. Grey & Mofro, Sam Bush, Shinyribs, The Travelin’ McCourys, Hiss Golden Messenger, Charley Crockett, Molly Tuttle, American Aquarium, The Deer, Hogslop String Band, Elijah Delgado, and more

SUNDAY

Shinyribs, Bonnie Bishop, House of Songs, Logan Ledger, and more

Merlefest April 23-26th North Carolina

One of the festivals I have on my radar this next festival season is the North Carolina based Merlefest, which is a non camping festival held on a college campus.
Initial Lineup Announced For MerleFest 2020
Willie Nelson & Family and Alison Krauss atop billing;
Chris Austin Songwriting Contest entry still open
November 12, 2019 – Wilkesboro, NC – MerleFest, presented by Window World, is proud to announce the initial lineup for MerleFest 2020, which will be held April 23-26. The annual homecoming of musicians and music fans returns to the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. “For over 30 years, one of the major factors that has built and sustained MerleFest has been the quality of the artists and performances that our guests see over the 4-day festival,” says Ted Hagaman, Festival Director. “People truly feel that the festival is a great value and that is why music fans and families return year after year. We feel that the 2020 lineup again reflects the diversity and quality of performers, and we look forward to another successful festival in April.” The complete lineup for MerleFest 2020 will be announced over the next few months.
Today’s lineup announcement includes Willie Nelson & Family, Alison Krauss, The Jerry Douglas Band, Sam Bush, Jim Lauderdale, Kruger Brothers, The Waybacks, Scythian, Donna The Buffalo, Peter Rowan and the Free Mexican Airforce, Tommy Emmanuel, Shinyribs, Charley Crockett, Darrell Scott, The Steel Wheels, Robbie Fulks, Amythyst Kiah, Cordovas, Alison Brown, Andy May, “B” Townes, Banknotes, Bill & The Belles, Bryan Sutton, Carol Rifkin, Charles Welch, Chatham Rabbits, Che Apalache, The Cleverlys, Creole Stomp with Dennis Stroughmatt, David Holt, Fireside Collective, Flattop, Happy Traum, Hogslop String Band, InterACTive Theatre of Jef, Irish Mythen, Iron Horse Bluegrass, Jack Lawrence, Jeff Little Trio, Jody Carroll, Joe Smothers, Ken Crouse, Laura Boosinger, The Local Boys, Los Texmaniacs, Mark Bumgarner, Mary Flower, Mitch Greenhill, Pete & Joan Wernick, Piedmont Bluz, Presley Barker, Rev. Robert Jones, Roy Book Binder, Sierra Ferrell, String Madness, T. Michael Coleman, Tony Williamson, Wayne Henderson, The Moore Brothers, The Williams Brothers, and Wyld Fern.
Tickets for next year’s festival go on sale November 12, 2019, and may be purchased atwww.MerleFest.org or by calling 1-800-343-7857. MerleFest offers a three-tiered pricing structure and encourages fans to take advantage of the extended early bird discount. Early Bird Tier 1 tickets may be purchased from November 12 to February 16, 2020; Early Bird Tier 2 tickets from February 17 to April 22. Remaining tickets will be sold at the gate during the festival.
New for MerleFest 2020 is “The Patio at MerleFest.” This ticket-upgrade includes comfortable seating in a covered area with great views of the Watson and Cabin stages, access to the friends and family seating area (formerly named VIP), a deluxe air-conditioned mobile bathroom unit, snacks and beverages, and live video displays from the Watson and Cabin stages. Fans wanting to gain access to this exciting new addition to MerleFest should act quickly, as seating is limited.
MerleFest would also like to remind potential participants that the entry period for 2020’s Chris Austin Songwriting Contest is still open. Now in its 28th year, CASC is an extraordinary opportunity for songwriters to have their original songs heard and judged by a panel of Nashville music industry professionals, under the direction of volunteer contest chairperson, Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Jim Lauderdale. Aspiring songwriters may submit entries to the contest using theonline entry form at MerleFest.org or by mailing entries to MerleFest/CASC, P.O. Box 120, Wilkesboro, NC, 28697. All entries received during October and November will receive an early-entry discount price of $25 per entry, while submissions received in December and January will require a $30 fee per entry. All lyrics must be written in English and no instrumental entries will be accepted. The deadline to enter is February 1, 2020.
About Willie Nelson & Family
With a six-decade career and 200 plus albums, this iconic Texan is the creative genius behind the historic recordings of “Crazy,” “Red Headed Stranger,” and “Stardust.” Willie Nelson has earned every conceivable award as a musician and amassed reputable credentials as an author, actor, and activist. He continues to thrive as a relevant and progressive musical and cultural force. In recent years, he has delivered more than a dozen new album releases, released a Top 10 New York Times’ bestsellers book, again headlined Farm Aid, an event he co-founded in 1985, received his 5th degree black belt in Gong Kwon Yu Sul, headlined the annual Luck Reunion food and music festival at his ranch in Luck, Texas, during SXSW, launched his cannabis companies Willie’s Reserve and Willie’s Remedy, and graced the covers of Rolling Stone and AARP The Magazine.
In 2015, Nelson published “It’s A Long Story: My Life,” the unvarnished and complete story of his life that landed him on the New York Times’ bestsellers list. He also released a new studio album with Merle Haggard titled Django And Jimmie, which debuted at #1 on Billboard‘s Country album chart and #7 on Billboard’s Top 200 album chart. In November 2015, the Library of Congress honored him with their Gershwin Prize for Popular Song for his contributions to popular music. He is the first country artist to receive the distinguished award. The following year began with the release of “Summertime: Willie Nelson Sings Gershwin,” a collection of 11 newly recorded Gershwin classics. The album debuted at #1 on both the Top Current Jazz chart and the Top Traditional Jazz chart, as well as earned him a Grammy Award for Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album. In September 2016, came “For the Good Times: A Tribute to Ray Price,” an album of newly recorded interpretations of 12 Ray Price songs. In 2017, he released two albums of newly recorded performances: “God’s Problem Child,” with 13 new songs that debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Country album chart and #10 on the Billboard 200, and “Willie Nelson and The Boys (Willie’s Stash, Vol. 2),” that includes 11 country classics and one brand-new song performed by Nelson and his sons Lukas and Micah. For 2018, he released “Last Man Standing” in April to celebrate his 85th birthday. It is comprised entirely of songs newly-penned by Nelson (and longtime collaborator and producer Buddy Cannon).
In September, he released the album “My Way,” a collection of newly-recorded standards and classics originally made famous by Nelson’s close friend and musical colleague Frank Sinatra. It went on to win the GRAMMY Award for Best Traditional Pop Album. For 2019, he released “Ride Me Back Home,” a new studio album with 11 recordings that are a reflective upbeat journey through life, love, and time’s inescapable rhythms viewed from Willie’s inimitable perspective. These new songs and performances add to his classic catalog and find Willie Nelson rolling at a creative peak, writing and singing and playing with the seasoned wit and wisdom that comes from the road, which he still travels along performing for fans. Willie Nelson & Family performs Thursday, April 23, 2020.
About Alison Krauss
Born in Champaign, Illinois, Alison Krauss grew up listening to everything from folk to opera to pop and rock music, but quickly fell in love with bluegrass when she began playing fiddle at the age of five. Shortly after, Krauss began entering fiddle contests. At the age of 14, Rounder Records signed her to her first record deal, and she went on to release her debut solo album two years later. The accomplished bluegrass musician became a member of the Grand Ole Opry at age 21.
Since 1985, Krauss has released 14 albums including five solo, seven with her longtime band and musical collaborators Union Station, and the Robert Plant collaboration “Raising Sand,” which was certified platinum and won five Grammys, including Album of the Year and Record of the Year. She’s sold more than 12 million records to date, and her honors include 27 Grammys, nine Country Music Association Awards, 14 International Bluegrass Music Association Awards, two Academy of Country Music Awards and two Gospel Music Association Awards.
“Windy City,” her latest solo album, debuted at No. 1 on the Billboard Top Country Albums and Top Bluegrass Albums charts and received two Grammy nominations. The album was produced by Buddy Cannon, whose vocal harmonies Krauss grew up listening to and were the soundtrack to her childhood. “Buddy sang harmonies on everything back then,” Krauss says. She also reveals of Cannon, “I don’t do something unless I feel like I’m called to do it. That’s what I felt like, so I honored it. It’s like the same feeling of when you know something is right musically, with a song or a batch of songs –the same feeling, but this was attached to a person instead of a batch of songs.”
Krauss frequently collaborates with artists from numerous genres, including Dolly Parton, Taylor Swift, Kenny Rogers, Emmylou Harris, Gillian Welch, Vince Gill, The Chieftains, James Taylor, The Cox Family, Yo-Yo Ma, Johnny Mathis, Cyndi Lauper, Heart, Bad Company, and Phish. She has recorded and toured with Willie Nelson, whom she honored with a performance during the 2015 Gershwin Prize Tribute Concert. She will reunite with Nelson this summer on a co-headlining tour throughout North America.
“Whiskey Lullaby,” a duet which she performed with Brad Paisley won two CMA Awards in 2004. She has also produced albums for Alan Jackson, Nickel Creek, and The Cox Family. Some of these collaborators were also formative to Krauss, and she lists influences including Tony Rice, Ricky Skaggs, Dolly Parton, Larry Sparks, The Cox Family, and Ralph Stanley. Alison Krauss performs Thursday, April 23, 2020.
About MerleFest
MerleFest was founded in 1988 in memory of the son of the late American music legend Doc Watson, renowned guitarist Eddy Merle Watson. MerleFest is a celebration of “traditional plus” music, a unique mix of traditional, roots-oriented sounds of the Appalachian region, including old-time, classic country, bluegrass, folk and gospel, and blues, and expanded to include Americana, classic rock, and many other styles. The festival hosts a diverse mix of artists on its 13 stages during the course of the four-day event. MerleFest is the primary fundraiser for the WCC Foundation, funding scholarships, capital projects, and other educational needs.
About Window World
Window World, headquartered in North Wilkesboro, N.C., is America’s largest replacement window and exterior remodeling company, with more than 200 locally-owned offices nationwide. Founded in 1995, the company sells and installs windows, siding, doors, and other exterior products, with a total of over 14 million windows sold to date. Window World is an ENERGY STAR partner, and its window products have earned the Good Housekeeping Seal for 10 consecutive years. Additionally, through its charitable foundationWindow World Cares, the Window World family provides funding for St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital, which honored the foundation with its Organizational Support Award in 2017. Since its inception in 2008, Window World Cares has raised over $7 million for St. Jude. Window World Inc. also supports the Veterans Airlift Command, a non-profit organization that facilitates free air transportation to wounded veterans and their families. For more information, visitwww.WindowWorld.com or call 1-800 NEXT WINDOW. For home improvement and energy efficiency tips, décor ideas and more, follow Window World onFacebook andTwitter.
 For more information, visit www.MerleFest.org.

Americanafest September 15-20th Tennessee

Folks this is one that I usually end up regrettably missing BUT this year I DID NOT miss out on the action coming from all over Nashville.
Take a Look at Our 2020 Pricing Schedule Below Before Passes Go On Sale Next Friday, Nov. 15

Photos: Nathan Zucker

Planning is already underway for next year’s AMERICANAFEST®, our music festival and conference taking place Sept. 15-20, 2020 in various venues across Music City.

Before passes go on sale, we want to make sure you have all the information you need to buy your 2020 Conference Registration at the right time that works well with your budget.

The earlier you buy, the more you’ll save. Starting next Friday, you can take advantage of our Early Bird Discount of $349 ($249 for Americana Music Association® members) before the normal rate kicks in on February 4. See the table below for details.
2020 Conference Registration Price Points
Standard Rate / Americana Music Association Member Rate
November 15 – February 3
$349 / $249
February 4 – June 8
$499 / $399
June 9 – September 7 
$599 / $499 
September 8 – 20 
$649
Mobile users: Rotate your device to properly view the table above.

How do I know if a Conference Registration is the right pass for me? Conference Registrations are for attendees who are not only interested in experiencing the nighttime music festival but also learning about today’s industry topics at our comprehensive business conference. This pass is also the best option for networking at many special events throughout the week and for the first chance at purchasing Americana Honors & Awards tickets.*

To make sure you have the right AMERICANAFEST experience next year, click the button below to learn more about our passes.
Explore Our Passes Here

Nashville Boogie October 2-4th Tennessee

Another GREAT festival I have attended EVERY ONE OF is none other than Muddy roots Nashville Boogie

Nashville Boogie Vintage Weekender
“NEW AND IMPROVED”
We’ve reworked this entire event and it’s got folks super excited! We haven’t even announced the full lineup yet and there are already less than 400 tickets left for sale. Grab yours right now!
Here’s what’s new:
1) We’ve moved entirely away from the Opryland Resort.
2) All the bands are scheduled for the Nashville Palace and the Scoreboard Grill
3) The Scoreboard Grill can serve beer 23 hours a day.
4) The car show is still behind the Palace. We are not yet taking submissions
5) The vendors will be in store fronts and throughout the parking lot. Open to public.
6) We are now utilizing the entire Music Valley lot for the Boogie events
7) The Western Fashion Show is now at the Palace
8) The record convention is still at the Palace on Sunday
9) You can still bring your kids but they have to be out of the bars before 10pm
10) Oh, and we moved the date! It is now October 2-4, 2020. The driest month in TN.
That’s pretty much it for now. It was nice rocking that resort but we’re wanting to get back to our roots. We never wanted to be the biggest rockin’ event in the world. It was the biggest venue but we want the best damn party. And an old school honky tonk with a big dance floor and a neon guitar on the ceiling is just right. It’s where the stars played for decades. We will carry on their tradition.
Please keep in mind. We are downsizing this event by a few thousand attendees. This will absolutely sell out and we predict it will be this month now that we are promoting our flyers.

 

Mardi Gras Texas Style February 22nd Texas

MARDI GRAS TEXAS STYLE! 2020

The first round of artists playing Mardi Gras Texas Style! have been announced! Come on down February 22nd, 2020 to the Fair Park Automobile Building in Dallas to see Flatland Cavalry, Shane Smith & The Saints, Roger Creager, Josh Ward, Josh Weathers and more! Stay tuned, another huge artist will be announced on Sunday night 12/29! Get your tickets now!

MARDI GRAS TEXAS STYLE! 2020

It’s that time of year again……..The Mardi Gras Texas Style! presale begins now.
Use promo code: txstyle! to get your tickets now at the lowest price.

Food, fun and flavor… Don’t miss Texas’ best Mardi Gras celebration combined with 20 of the hottest Texas Country Music acts on 5 stages.

Get presale general admission tickets now for only $28.50* by entering the promo code: txstyle!  These presale tickets are limited in quantity, and ticket prices will rise once we start to announce the lineup later this year, so don’t miss getting tickets at the lowest price possible, for a limited time.
BUY TICKETS – USE PROMO CODE: txstyle!
VIP PRESALE TICKETS – USE PROMO CODE: txstyle!
Feeling VIP and are 21+? Purchase a VIP ticket for access to a mixed beverage bar AND exclusive acoustic sets played by your favorite artists.  Get your presale VIP tickets for only $59.75* by entering the promo code: txstyle!
VIP TICKETS INCLUDE
– Priority entrance for easy entry
– Exclusive access to mixed beverage bar
– Up-close and personal acoustic sessions with Mardi Gras Texas Style! artists
– Express lane for quick access to both stages
– Private restrooms
….and more!
*Must be 21 to purchase VIP Ticket*

Mardi Gras Texas Style! 2019 Recap Video
Last year we danced to Turnpike Troubadours, Koe Wetzel, Shane Smith & Saints and more. We will be announcing the lineup later this year!

SPECIAL MARDI GRAS TEXAS STYLE! 2020 SALE

From Black Friday through Cyber Monday it is time to get your Mardi Gras Texas Style! 2020 tickets at the lowest price of the year! No code, no password, just Mardi Gras Texas Style! tickets for you and your friends. Get 4 General Admission tickets for only $100*. This is your last chance to get discounted tickets before the public on-sale on Tuesday.
GET 4 GENERAL ADMISSION MARDI GRAS TEXAS STYLE! TICKETS FOR $100*
We would never forget about the VIPs! For Black Friday, and Cyber Monday get 4 VIP tickets for $220*! You don’t need a code nor a special link, but we are only giving away 25 of these special priced ticket bundles!

Purchase a VIP ticket
for access to:

– Priority entrance for easy entry
– Exclusive access to mixed beverage bar
– Up-close and personal acoustic sessions with Mardi Gras Texas Style! Artists
– Express lane for quick access to both stages
– Private restrooms
– ….and more!
*Must be 21 to purchase VIP Ticket*
GEt 4 VIP MARDI GRAS TEXAS STYLE TICKETS FOR $220*

The Musicfest At Steamboat January 5th- 10th Colorado.

Nov 23, 2019
4 Day Passes are good January 6th, 7th, 8th & 9th, 2020 at all official MusicFest concerts and activities. Tickets for single days or individual MusicFest concerts are NOT for sale. Restrictions apply and are noted on the festival credentials and/or The MusicFest Tour Terms and Conditions (“Agreement”) available on the festival website – www.TheMusicFest.com. The MusicFest Tour Terms and Conditions
(“Agreement”) apply to ALL ticket holders. Do not purchase passes without fully agreeing to the The MusicFest Tour Terms and Conditions (“Agreement”). Passes are non-transferable and non-refundable. Details on how to pick up your 4-Day MusicFest Pass will be noted on the ticket. MusicFest Program/ Schedule will be provided when you claim your MusicFest credentials on site.
NOTE: 4-Day MusicFest Passes are limited and sell on a first come, first served basis. Passes do NOT include ski lift tickets. Due to variety & varying sizes of venues and shows your pass does not guarantee entrance into all performances. Once a venue is filled to capacity a one-in/one-out policy will be in effect.
*Limit 6 Tickets Per Person
Dec 18, 2019
The app costs $2.99 for first-time buyers.
If you’ve already purchased the app, the update is free!
For existing Android users: a promo code will be sent out for a free download of the updated app, please turn your notifications on to receive the code.
Any Changes made to your reservation must be emailed to info@dicksonproductions.com. A D.P. representative will reply to confirm changes. Payment for these changes must be completed at check-in on the mountain. Change fees on the mountain are cash only.
For any other questions please visit the FAQ’s page at TheMusicFest.com
*All shows and times subject to change
The Panhandlers Debut Show
Monday, January 8th
Gondola Doors at 7:00pm*
Titans of Texas music, Josh Abbott, Cleto Cordero (Flatland Cavalry), William Clark Green and John Baumann have banded together as The Panhandlers to share songwriting talent and make their live debut at The MusicFest ahead of a self-titled album produced by Bruce Robison and released on The Next Waltz.
Rockin’ to The Rhythm of The Judd’s
Tuesday, January 9th
Doors at 2:00pm*
After last year’s mind-blowing performance tipping their hats to the Dixie Chicks in the MusicFest Grand Ballroom, Courtney Patton and Jamie Lin Wilson are returning to send you on a journey with the melodic music of The Judds. This Matinee performance will showcase two extremely talented artists paying respect to those who paved the way before them. True staples, The Judds were once the most commercially successful duo in country music history. From 1984-1989, this mother and daughter powerhouse obtained an astonishing 14 number one singles ranking them as one of the most popular country acts of the decade. Rejoin Courtney and Jamie Lynn in the Grand Ballroom this year as they reenact hits such as Grandpa and Why Not Me, giving them new life. Get ready for an unforgettable experience. Only at MusicFest.
ALL NEW!
Steamboat’s bigger, better, faster world-class gondola will whisk you to the top of the mountain for spectacular sunsets and Rocky Mountain views along with your favorite Texas/Red Dirt entertainment. MusicFest attendees will surely enjoy the easy uploads and faster rides to reach these unique, one of a kind MusicFest venues.
MORE MUSIC
THUNDERHEAD SHOWS EXTENDED TO ALL 4 NIGHTS!
Doors 7:45pm Via Gondola*
*weather permitting
This lofty listening room is one of the festival’s signature, one-of-a-kind venues. Only at The MusicFest can you take a picturesque gondola ride up 3,000 feet for a high-altitude music experience like no other. This year’s peak performances will include a special “Boys from Oklahoma” show with Stoney LaRue, Cody Canada and Mike McClure. The next night will feature a not-to-be-missed song swap with Jack Ingram and Wade Bowen, opened up by Sum Brothers. Wednesday night don’t miss a performance by Josh Ward closing out with Chris Knight, who is hot off his first album in seven years. To finish out the week up top, Cory Morrow and Kody West will be will be tearing it up together swapping songs, and afterword, The Texas Trio, which is comprised of some of the most talented musicians in the game and offers the vocals of popular Texas country artist Kyle Park, two time Grammy-winning Jason Roberts on fiddle, and the George Strait Ace in the Hole Band’s own John Michael Whitby, will close out the festival up high. No need for a lift ticket: your MusicFest wristband is your backstage pass to the top of the mountain. See the MusicFest mobile app for details. These rare mountaintop concerts are a truly uplifting experience, both musically and in reaching the Thunderhead destination!

Rooster Walk May 21st – 24th 2020 Virginia
MORE THAN A FESTIVAL
    RW12 * POP’S FARM  *  MAY 21-24, 2020

RW12 tickets go on sale Tuesday!

     Mark your calendars for noon EST on Tuesday, Nov. 26th – that’s when early bird tickets for the 12th annual Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival go on sale! You can check out ticket options and prices now at THIS LINK, so that you’re ready to rock the moment the tickets go on sale.
     We’ll also be announcing a Sneak Preview band announcement at the same time tickets go on sale, to give you a small taste of what’s to come!
     Rooster Walk 12 will take place Thursday-Sunday, May 21-24, 2020 at Pop’s Farm, located in the rolling countryside surrounding Martinsville, Va. For more info, visit www.RoosterWalk.com.
TICKET INFO

Sign up today for the VIP-RV ticket lottery

     VIP RV tickets sold out in less than 3 minutes last year, so this year, to make it more fair, we are opening a ticket lottery system for Large & Small VIP RV tickets.

     Keep in mind, everyone staying in and visiting a VIP RV during the festival must be a VIP ticket holder.

If you would like to participate in the lottery, please click the button below and fill out the form by Monday, 11/25 at Noon EST. Winners will be notified via email by Monday, 11/25 at 5pm EST.

General Admission RV tickets will not be part of the lottery system. These can be purchased during public on sale at RoosterWalk.com, starting on Tuesday, 11/26 at Noon EST.
SIGN UP FOR THE VIP-RV LOTTERY

BIG Something concert is set for Sat., Nov. 30th

     Nationally touring jamband BIG Something will play the next “Rives on the Road” concert on Nov. 30th when they hit the stage at The Heritage Conference & Event Center in Bassett, Va. Tickets to the show cost $20 adv // $25 DOS; Rives Theatre season passes will be accepted. Music starts at 9 pm.
      As most of you know, the historic Rives Theatre burned down in early September, but we are committed to keeping the music going in MHC. Please join us at The Heritage (formerly the Bassett Country Club) for an awesome post-Thanksgiving party!
BUY BS TICKETS

Del Fest May 21st-24th Maryland
DelFest Announces Initial Lineup for 2020
May 21-24 in Cumberland, MD
November 21, 2019 – Cumberland, MD – DelFest, the festival brainchild of Del McCoury and his extended McCoury family now in its 13th year, in partnership with High Sierra Music, announced an initial star-studded lineup today. Held at the Allegany County Fairgrounds in beautiful Cumberland, MD, DelFest originated from the desire to create a family-friendly music festival celebrating the rich legacy of McCoury music while creating a forum for world-class musical collaborations and to showcase fresh new talent. On May 21-24, 2020—Memorial Day Weekend—DelFest will stay true to their original mission statement with musical performances from The Del McCoury Band, The Travelin’ McCourys, Old Crow Medicine Show, St. Paul & The Broken Bones, Béla Fleck & The Flecktones, Punch Brothers, Sam Bush, Billy Strings, Mandolin Orange, The Infamous Stringdusters, Sierra Hull, and emcee, Joe Craven with many more to be announced.
Fans are encouraged to take advantage of discounted Advance 4-Day passes which are available now at DelFest.com. All other passes including DELuxe VIP packages, on-site RV passes with and without hookups, and parking will go on-sale Dec. 3rd at 12p EST. Once again, DelFest Academy will serve as a prelude to the festival, taking place May 17-20 at the Allegany County Fairgrounds, with registration also opening on Dec. 3rd. The Academy is a 4-day instrument-specific deep dive led by The Travelin’ McCourys and other star players, and students of all ages and skill levels, from children to adults, are welcome.
Stay tuned for more artists and ticket information to be announced in the coming weeks. Relive the magic from DelFest 2019 with Osiris’ Brokedown Podcast who was on-site recording exclusive interviews with last year’s artists. Please visit DelFest.com for more information or to purchase discounted Advance 4-Day passes.
About DelFest:
Produced in association with High Sierra Music, the 13th Annual DelFest will again offer a quality festival experience stamped with the unique McCoury touch. Personally chosen by Del McCoury, the Allegany County Fairgrounds in Cumberland, MD serves as the perfect location for DelFest–nestled along the Potomac River in the scenic Appalachian Mountains, the Fairgrounds are convenient to four major airports and easily reached by rail or road. The city of Cumberland is also a great host, offering multiple hotel options, a charming downtown and great amenities including biking, a steam train engine and museum, and top-notch dining.
In addition to traditional stage sets by these world-class artists, attendees can again expect to see one-of-a-kind collaborations, special guest sit-ins, various tributes to Del McCoury and his musical legacy, intimate appearances, both at unique “playshops”—informal workshops where the emphasis will be on performance rather than instruction—and in late-night indoor performances and picking sessions.

Larry Joe Taylor Festival April 20th-25th Texas
Cyber Ticket Sale 12/2/19!
Larry Joe Taylor Texas Music Festival 
Stephenville, TX – April 20-25, 2020 
  • Cyber tickets will be at the lowest prices for LJT Fest 2020. Plus, receive your hard tickets before Christmas!
  • Cyber sale begins at Midnight (12:01am) Monday 12/2/19. Limited amount of tickets available. Tickets available HERE
  • NEW! This year we have partnered with Affirm payments to allow buy now and pay later for purchase of tickets and camping. Click Affirm payments at check out. See below for details.
  • First artist announcements will be posted Monday 12/2/19 HERE
  • Camping Reservations: Return camping reservations can be made HERE, New camping reservations can be made HERE
    We have added a new “ALL IN” option to camping reservations.

    The ALL IN option is valid for up to 8 days (at a discounted rate), which will allow you to bring in and set up your campsite on Saturday 4/18/2020 before the festival begins. No additional upgrade charges at the gate.

  • VIP tickets and VIP camping are on sale now at 10%, use code ljt10off  VIP tickets, VIP camping and sponsorships available HERE
LJT 2020
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ROMP Music Festival June 24-27th Kentucky

Rio Frio Fest March 11-14th Texas
Nov 26, 2019
A TEXAS STYLE SPRING BREAK!
A GREAT VALUE
BIG RIVER LODGES
15+ CONCERTS
FREE SHUTTLES

Bristol Rhythm And Roots Reunion September 11th-13th Tennessee and Virginia.
Holiday Open House at The Museum Store
Sunday, December 1 | 1:00-5:00 PM
  • 20% off ANY single item
  • Door Prizes (including artisan items!)
  • Live music 2:00-4:00 PM
  • Delicious store tastings
  • Meet Local Artisans
Learn More About The Open House
2020 Bristol Rhythm Weekend Wristbands
Go on Sale This Friday, November 29!
$75

Festival Wristbands*

*Plus taxes and fees. $75 Wristband available 11/29/2019 – 12/2/2019.
Wristband price will increase on 12/3/2019 to $90.
Bristol Rhythm Wristbands
Go On Sale at 10:00 a.m. on November 29
Buy Online at BristolRhythm.com or Shop at the
Birthplace of Country Music Museum
Take a look back at Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion 2019!
Learn More About Festival Tickets

Podunk Music Festival August 6-9th Connecticut
2020 TICKETS ON SALE NOW
WEBSITE WEBSITE
F A C E B O O K F A C E B O O K
2019 PHOTOS 2019 PHOTOS
2019 Drone Video 2019 Drone Video
2019 Grounds Video 2019 Grounds Video
EARLY BIRD
PRICING IN EFFECT NOW THROUGH
DECEMBER 15TH
PURCHASE YOUR TICKETS TODAY

Who’s coming to Podunk in 2020?

Here is the Main Stage lineup so far:

Michael Cleveland and Flamekeeper
Billy Droze
The Jacob Joliff Band
The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
The Farm Hands
The  Slocan Ramblers
Dave Peterson & 1946
Circus No. 9
AJ Lee & Blue Summit
Marija Droze
Bill and The Belles
McKay & Leigh
The Plate Scrapers
Man About a Horse
Grain Thief
Zink & Company
A Night At The Opry! – Michael Cleveland And  Flamekeeper
CLICK TO VIEW VIDEO 

Michael Cleveland Claims
12th Fiddle Player of the Year Honor
Flamekeeper Receives Sixth Instrumental Group

Michael Cleveland continued his winning streak with the International Bluegrass Music Association when he was named their Fiddle Player of the Year for the 12th time during the 30th Annual IBMA Awards on September 26, 2019. He is the association’s most awarded fiddler. Additionally, Cleveland and his band, Flamekeeper, were named Instrumental Group of the Year for the sixth time.

The International Bluegrass Music Awards, part of the annual week-long World of Bluegrass Conference, were held at the Duke Energy Performing Arts Center in Raleigh, North Carolina. Awards were voted on by the professional membership of the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA).

Cleveland has had an extraordinary year with the release of Flamekeeper: The Michael Cleveland Story, a critically acclaimed documentary on his life, and the August release of Tall Fiddler, his latest album on Compass Records, featuring his award-wining band alongside a handful of heavy hitters including Tommy Emmanuel, Dan Tyminski, Del McCoury, Sam Bush, Tim O’Brien, and more.

Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper continue a solid touring schedule in 2019 with upcoming performances in Ohio, Oklahoma, Tennessee, Alabama, Indiana, and North Carolina. For more on Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper, visit www.FlamekeeperBand.com.

 

The Voice of Podunk Kids

A singing contest for children ages 7 to 17.   This is not a bluegrass music contest. The child chooses the song and the genre. A single accompanying instrument is allowed.   A guitar player can be provided for kids who do not play an instrument.

Participants can be a solo, a duet, a trio or even a quartet. The contest will take place the morning of August 11 at the festival. Kids will perform their songs on the Workshop Stage. to sign up contact Myrna Riquier 860-455-9400 or natchaugmusic@gmail.com
Songwriting Competition

Top three winners receive cash prizes and other amenities, including the opportunity to appear on stage during this year’s festival.  Contest entry deadline is May 1.  Podunk’s competition goes through a two stage judging, first with a panel of professionals to determine the top five songs. They are then sent to three different judges for a blind listening and judging based on seven categories to determine the top three who will receive a chance to perform and receive cash prizes.
For more information click HERE

Red Wing Roots July 10th-12th Virginia

This is what you need to know for Dec 4th at 10am-EST.

Let’s plan for July!

Early Bird Tickets and Camping available on Dec. 4th at 10am-EST!

As part of our Red Wing family, you know that tickets and camping go fast on launch day. Everything you need to know to plan ahead is included in the information below.

On December 4th at 10am, 400 Early Bird Tickets ($105/ea) will be available for purchase. When they sell out, and it is almost instantly, Round 1 Tickets ($121/ea) will automatically open. Whether you’re planning to purchase tickets and camping, sign up to volunteer or register your child for the Red Wing Academy, it all starts on December 4th.

We are excited to expand our family-friendly activities every year. Check out our updated Kids Events page to see the ways Red Wing works for kids of all ages. Children under 6 get in free. Weekend passes for children (ages 6-12) are $19 and for teens (ages 13-17) are $75.
Early Bird Tickets & Camping – Dec 4th at 10am

Red Wing VIII Camping Options

We understand that not everyone will get their first choice of camping. So, we work hard to create several optimal camping options for the festival each year. Listed below are five camping choices for Red Wing VIII, including some updated information for Chimney Ridge and Z-lot Dry RV Camping.

Natural Chimneys Premium RV Campsites

Price: $435, One premium campsite purchase per person/order

These spacious RV Campsites include electric and water hook-ups and are good for 4 nights (Thurs 11am – Mon 10am). Each site allows one RV/trailer/popup plus two tents (or if no RV, four tents total) and two parking permits for your site. A picnic table and fire ring are provided at each site. 12 people max per site. 3-day wristbands are required for all camping guests!  NO PETS.

Super Group Campsites

Price: $2500, Limited number of sites available

One way to make your quest for a Premium RV site a little easier is to gather a group of friends and family and go in on one together! This package includes a Premium RV campsite, twelve 3-day General Admission passes, one extra General Admission parking pass, one festival poster signed by The Steel Wheels, and a gift bag of Red Wing festival merch valued at $75. All Premium RV Campsite rules apply.

Z Lot Dry-RV Camping

Price: $175, Located between the Music Meadow and Hill Stage

6 person and 1 vehicle max per site. Good for 4 nights (Thurs 1pm – Mon 10am). Z Lot is situated between the Music Meadow and Hill Stage. Just drive into the field and park your RV or camper. Your plot will be assigned when you arrive at the festival. No hook ups for electricity or water and no fires. You may bring quiet, clean generators for your RV. Once the festival begins on Friday, there will be limited access to drive into Z Lot. Basically, once you’re there, plan to stay! ONE STEERING WHEEL PER SITE. If you drive an RV, then no other vehicles allowed. If you tow a camper, your truck is your vehicle. 3-day wristbands are required for all camping guests! NO PETS. Click HERE for more info on Z Lot.

Chimney Ridge Camping

Price: $110, Choose your own spot or Camp by your car

2 tents, 4 people and 1 vehicle max per site. Good for 4 nights (Thurs 11am – Mon 10am). Two options for Chimney Ridge camping: 1) Camp beside your car; or 2) Park and walk to a spot of your choosing. When you arrive at Chimney Ridge, festival staff will direct you to the area of your choosing. New in 2020: Small campers without generators are allowed, click HERE for specific guidelines. Once the festival begins on Friday, there will be limited access to drive into Chimney Ridge. Basically, once you’re there, plan to stay! 3-day wristbands are required for all camping guests! NO PETS. Click HERE for more info on Chimney Ridge.

No Frills Tent Camping

Price: $70, Close to the action and The Kinfolk Stage

2 tent and 6 person max per site. Good for 3 nights (Fri 9am – Mon 10am). These sites are first-come, first-serve and offer a nice, flat 15′ X 15′ plot to set up your tent(s), chairs and maybe even a foosball table…as long as it fits, go for it! No hook ups for electricity or water, no fires, and most importantly, no cars. Folks camping here must park in the general admission parking lot and walk in with their stuff, so pack smart and don’t forget to purchase a parking pass, as well. 3-day wristbands are required for all camping guests! NO PETS.
Early Bird Tickets & Camping – Dec 4th at 10am

Volunteer for Red Wing VIII

Each year we count on a stellar group of folks to help us throughout the festival weekend – our volunteers! We have several work and shift options available and would love to have you join us for 2020. Learn more now and sign up on Dec 4th.

Red Wing Academy Registration

With Early Bird comes Red Wing Academy registration! Red Wing Academy is hosted by Eric Brubaker of The Steel Wheels as a four-day intensive camp held July 5-8, 2020 at Eastern Mennonite University. The academy experience culminates with a performance on stage with The Steel Wheels, Friday during the festival.

Red Wing Academy is open to non-beginner violin, viola, cello, bass, guitar, mandolin & banjo students. Is this something your strings-player might enjoy? Learn more about Red Wing Academy.

Earl ScruggsFestival September 4th and 5th North Carolina

Inaugural Earl Scruggs Music Festival Announces New Additions to Lineup: The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Jim Lauderdale, Chatham County Line, and the Earls of Leicester

JT Scruggs Announced as Festival Director, Full Festival Team Announced As Well

Coming September 4-5, 2020 in Mill Spring, NC

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

The Earl Scruggs Music Festival is proud to announce new additions to the festival lineup for the upcoming 2020 festival: The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Jim Lauderdale, Chatham County Line, and the Earls of Leicester.

Touring for over fifty years, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band remains one of the most accomplished bands in American roots music. Grammy award-winning Americana star Jim Lauderdale recorded his seminal 1979 album with Roland White in Earl Scruggs’ basement in Tennessee. Much loved and hard touring Chatham County Line represents Scruggs’ North Carolina heritage, and the inclusion of the Earls of Leicester is a nod to their roots as a Flatt & Scruggs supergroup tribute band.

These artists will join the initial lineup announcement for the Earl Scruggs Music Festival including Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives, Jerry Douglas, Alison Brown, Dom Flemons, Radney Foster, The Barefoot Movement, Darin and Brooke Aldridge, The Po Ramblin Boys, and Unspoken Tradition. Each of these artists will perform over the festival’s two days at Tryon International Equestrian Center, located in Mill Spring, NC.

After-hours festivities will take place on the festival grounds following the main stage performances on Friday and Saturday evenings. These events require a separate ticket and space is limited– these tickets will be available soon.  General tickets are available now, as are reservations for tent and RV camping. 

The Earl Scruggs Music Festival is also announcing their full festival team, starting with JT Scruggs, Earl’s nephew, as Festival Director.

“The Earl Scruggs Music Festival is very special to me and I’m honored to have a part in it,” says JT Scruggs. “I believe that this event will allow us to continue to promote the Earl Scruggs Center and help us to continue providing wonderful exhibitions and programs. Most importantly, this festival will help us to honor the life and incredible legacy of Earl Scruggs in a major way.” 

JT will be joined by co-Assistant Festival Directors Mary Beth Martin, Executive Director of the Earl Scruggs Center, and David Kester of WNCW.

“We are bringing some incredible Americana and bluegrass artists to the festival, many of whom personally knew Earl Scruggs. All of them were influenced by him and his music in some way” says Martin, “This community and part of the state has a long history of producing great musicians and appreciating good music, so we want to celebrate that tradition with the inaugural Earl Scruggs Music Festival.” 

The directors will be joining Artistic Director and Festival Consultant Steve Johnson, a well known manager and agent in North Carolina. Also joining the team is Social Media Manager Maggie Rainwater of HoosierDevil, whose grandfather played in the Foggy Mountain Boys with Earl Scruggs!

More Information About The Earl Scruggs Center

http://earlscruggscenter.org/about-us/the-center/

The Earl Scruggs Center combines the life story of legendary five-string banjo master and Cleveland County native, Earl Scruggs, with the unique and engaging story of the history and cultural traditions of the region in which Mr. Scruggs was born and raised. It was in the nearby Flint Hill community where Mr. Scruggs learned to play banjo and began the three-finger playing style that has come to be known around the world as “Scruggs Style.” The Earl Scruggs Center explores Mr. Scruggs’ innovative career and the community that gave it shape while celebrating how he crossed musical boundaries and defined the voice of the banjo to the world. Mr. Scruggs embraced tradition while also adapting to the changing times and looking toward the future—themes which resonate throughout the Center. Engaging exhibits, special event space and rich programming provide a uniquely rich experience for visitors.

More Information about Tryon International Equestrian Center

https://tryon.coth.com/

Tryon International Equestrian Center at Tryon Resort is the ultimate international destination for all who love horses, outdoor living and an active lifestyle. As host of the FEI World Equestrian Games™ Tryon 2018, Tryon International Equestrian Center offers first-class facilities for all FEI disciplines in addition to showcasing hunter/jumper, equitation, steeplechase, polo,  and multidiscipline events in Mill Spring, NC. From carousel to competition, the mission of Tryon Resort is to celebrate the magic of the horse, grow equestrian sport, and increase access to this majestic animal. A haven for equestrian competitors and enthusiasts alike, Tryon Resort is an iconic, year-round destination for connoisseurs of diverse cuisine and shopping, lodging getaways, and family entertainment.

 

 

 

Muddy Roots Music Festival Labor Day Weekend Tennessee

Star Date | October 25th, 2019
Muddy Roots Music Fest 20/20
First Two Stages Announced
I invited many of the lost children of Black Sabbath in to the field in 20/20.
This flyer represents the first two stages at Muddy Roots. We’ll be inviting back all the roots classics and a handful off bad ass rock bands. But for now, we bring new souls in to show them what the Mud is all about! You were that new person in the field once.
IT’S GOING TO GET WICKED AS HELL.
We’ve already sold-out the first two tiers of ticketing. We believe the third tier will go soon now that the first wave of bands are announced. Priced currently at $125 each but will eventually be $200. All tickets include free camping and access to free hot showers.
And don’t forget about that waterfall!!

Under The Big Sky July 18th and 19th Montana
UNDER THE BIG SKY ON SALE NOW

Hey ya’ll! Tickets are are ON SALE NOW for our Summer weekend on the Ranch with Jason Isbell, Tyler Childers, Brothers Osborne, The Head and The Heart, Emmylou Harris, Shovels and Rope & so many more! Tickets start at $99 for GA and $250 VIP + fees.

Plus we’re bringing back the rodeo, petting zoo, & all those delicious local beers and eats!

GET TICKETS: bit.ly/underbigskyfest20

All Ages // July 18 + 19 // Local Craft Beer // Arts // Rodeo // Petting Zoo // Trail Rides

Follow us on Instagram and Facebook for all the latest!

 

CAMPING

We are happy to share our preferred camping option for 2020!

Scout & Gather has 40 acres of land and is located less than three miles from the festival site. Shuttles will be provided through the duration of the festival.

Camping is on sale NOW!

For complete information and to reserve your campsite, please head to www.campscoutandgather.com.

For all inquiries, please contact info@campscoutandgather.com.

*Please note you must have purchased a Festival ticket to be eligible to purchase camping*

Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival : July 15th -19th : New York

Merry Joyful Holidays, Everyone! Whatever you believe or whatever traditions you practice, we feel that music brings people together in wonderful ways. To add to the season’s joys, we have great news for you!

Announcing
2020 Grey Fox Artist in Residence,
Dobro Master, Jerry Douglas!

Jerry1024x667
14-time Grammy winner, 3-time CMA Entertainer of the Year, National Endowment
Endowment for the Arts Fellow, Jerry Douglas. Photo by Greg Vorobiov.
Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival is thrilled to announce Jerry Douglas as its 2020 Artist in Residence. The GRAMMY, CMA, and IBMA award winning Dobro player, band leader, composer, and music producer will spend July 16, 17, and 18 performing with an all-star ensemble. He’ll also sit in with several other artists throughout the festival. Fans will get three days to discover—or be reminded—why Jerry Douglas is an astonishing instrumentalist and consummate entertainer.
Jerry Douglas is to the resonator guitar what Jimi Hendrix was to the electric guitar—elevating, transforming, and reinventing the instrument in countless ways. Additionally, Douglas is a freewheeling, forward-thinking recording and touring artist who incorporates elements of country, bluegrass, rock, jazz, blues, and Celtic into his distinctive musical vision.
Called “Dobro’s matchless contemporary master” by The New York Times, the 14-time GRAMMY and three-time CMA Musician of the Year award recipient Jerry Douglas is one of the most innovative recording artists in music as a solo artist, band leader for The Jerry Douglas Band and his GRAMMY winning bluegrass band, The Earls of Leicester, as well as a member of groundbreaking ensembles such as Alison Krauss & Union Station, J.D. Crowe & the New South, The Country Gentlemen, Boone Creek, and Strength In Numbers. Whatever the setting, solo or with another great artist, Douglas shines and soars.
His distinctive sound graces more than 1500 albums with artists such as Garth Brooks, George Jones, Paul Simon, Little Big Town, James Taylor, Emmylou Harris, Elvis Costello, Earl Scruggs, Ray Charles, Dierks Bentley, and Tommy Emmanuel, among many others.
In addition to touring, Douglas has co-produced and performed on a series of platinum albums. He has produced albums for Alison Krauss, The Del McCoury Band, Maura O’Connell, The Whites, Jesse Winchester, and Steep Canyon Rangers. He is co-music director of the acclaimed BBC Scotland TV series Transatlantic Sessions. In 2004, Douglas was recognized by the National Endowment for the Arts with an American Heritage Fellowship, and he served as the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum’s Artist in Residence in 2008.
As Jerry Douglas continues his incalculable influence on country, Americana, bluegrass and their many related genres, he forges ahead as a true pioneer in American music.
Jerry Douglas Little Martha 2
Above, Douglas performs “Little Martha” by Duane Allman, in an excerpt of David Holt’s The State of Music in October of 2018. Click on the YouTube image or paste link into browser to hear the Dobro master at work. https://youtu.be/3wqkXQWczPI
Grey Fox Bluegrass Festival will take place July 15-19, 2020, on the Walsh Farm in Oak Hill, NY. Tickets go on sale Saturday, January 4th at noon. The full lineup, consisting of bluegrass music’s top touring artists and exciting, young emerging artists, will be announced on Valentine’s Day, February 14. Thousands of fans from over 30 states and a dozen countries consider Grey Fox the place to be every third weekend in July. Tickets and information at www.GreyFoxBluegrass.com.
Stay tuned for upcoming news about our ticket sale kickoff!

GF17-LogoColorBlueGreenWhite

Telluride Bluegrass Festival : June 18th – 21st : Colorado

47TH ANNUAL

TELLURIDE BLUEGRASS FESTIVAL

Initial Lineup Release

The Great Blue Heron July 3. 4rth and 5th Heron New York

You may or may not know that my family acquired the beautiful land we all now lovingly refer to as “The Heron” back in 1974.

It was a rustic campground, where families could go to escape the hustle and bustle of everyday life and immerse themselves in nature.
Photo from the 1980’s
Back then there were – as there still are – critters wandering the campsites and woods, frogs jumping around each of the ponds and majestic blue herons flying over the rolling hills that surround us.

It’s a beautiful place and I am honored to call it home and to have shared it with good people, like you, throughout the years.

In 1992 David Tidquist and I conceived The Great Blue Heron Music Festival with family and friends. Together we built the Main Stage.
Photo from 1992
We thought the first festival was a huge success with eight hundred attendees.

Little did we know that attendance would grow exponentially in those early years.

In 2019 we welcomed 5,600 people to our 28th festival.
Expanding organically has always been important to us.

We’ve never taken loans or over-extended ourselves.

Buildings were added as we felt they were needed, like the Merch Booth, Festival Kitchen, First Aid and Café in the Woods.

Friends have always been willing to pitch in. We’re so appreciative of this.
The place has always been a family collaboration.We are so thankful for you and everyone who has had a part in making The Heron the magical gathering place that it has come to be.

We love our Heron Family.

But now it’s time for a leap of faith………….well, TWO leaps actually…

FIRST, in the magical way life has unfolded for us, this Fall a group of 45 friends bought the property next door to The Heron with Steve & I.

That was Pure F*ing Magic!

We NEVER saw this coming!!!
Now we have a 130-year-old house, a huge barn and 63 acres, all with unlimited possibilities. The vision of the new group (PFM Ventures, LLC) is to provide a space to host retreats and create ways to enrich our community.
What we thought we were going to do this Fall was to build a new BATHHOUSE!

But not JUST a Bathhouse; but a new Community Building for all of us to use for years to come.
After countless design conversations, and suggestions from friends, like you, we now have architectural plans in hand.

This eco-friendly building will have showers, bathrooms, a family changing room and will make your experience here better than ever!

The second floor is what’s really exciting! It’ll gives us space to host farm to table dinners, meet and greets, and more ways to bring people to The Heron. It will have spectacular views of our valley, plus views of the Main Stage and festival grounds.
 We excavated a pad for the building this fall:
Here is where the second LEAP OF FAITH comes in….We don’t have the funds secured for this major project.

Before we can begin construction this spring we need to raise $100,000.

Will you help us?
Here’s how:
If our Heron Community will purchase 1,000 personalized, custom bricks this winter we will have the $100,000 needed to begin erecting this new building this spring.We’ve sold 42 bricks so far. Thank you for those.These bricks are so cool because they can be engraved with whatever YOU want to say on them.  It would be YOUR Heron Forever brick!Each custom brick will be built into the project and you will be remembered at the Heron for being a close friend, a believer and for helping make this building come to life.You & your brick can be part of the The Heron Forever and help bring this dream into reality……
Click Here to join us and purchase your brick today
Feel free to forward this email to family members asking what you want for Christmas this year or friends who might be interested in becoming a part of The Heron, forever.

Thank you for sharing The Heron with us. You are a vital piece of The Heron’s history and we hope you will be with us forever.

Happy Holidays!

With Gratitude,
Julie  & Steve Rockcastle

P.S. If you’re interested in helping purchase larger pieces of the project, please call us directly to discuss.

 

John Hartford Memorial Festival May 27th- May 30th Indiana

The Hartford Festival Herald
– First Tier of 500 Tickets Sold In Record Time
– New Credit Card Payment System
– Please Confirm Your Ticket Purchase (If Applicable)

– See You May 27 – May 30, 2020
First Tier of 500 Tickets Sold In Record Time:

Thanks to all of you who opened, read and acted on our email announcing the initial lineup and the sale of tickets for the 10th annual John Hartford Memorial Festival. We sold all 500 of our first tier

First Tier of 500 Tickets Sold In Record Time:
Thanks to all of you who opened, read and acted on our email announcing the initial lineup and the sale of tickets for the 10th annual John Hartford Memorial Festival. We sold all 500 of our first tier of tickets in less than 14 hours! Tier two tickets are now on sale.

of tickets in less than 14 hours! Tier two tickets are now on sale.
New Credit Card Payment System:

You spoke, we listened. We heard many of you were having problems dealing with the PayPal payment system. We now have a standard credit card payment system on our Brown Paper Tickets page. This makes for a quick and easy payment and confirmation. You can still use the PayPal system if you chose by simply checking that option when paying. From what we were told, and deduced, our success was PayPal’s downfall. Their security kicked into high gear when our sales opened up and PayPal started rejecting purchases for no reason other than the high percentage of tickets selling in a short period of time. Click Here to buy tickets.
Please Confirm Your Ticket Purchase (If Applicable):
If you have purchased a ticket you should have a confirmation from PayPal and Brown Paper Tickets. If you did not receive a confirmation from Brown Paper Tickets; please check your junk mail first and if you still can’t find it, send us a message on our web site by clicking here. Please include your name, any other names on additional tickets, as well as the email used with the order. We will then confirm your payment and ticket purchase.
Initial 2020 Lineup:
See You May 27 – May 30, 2020:
Where in the world can you go to sit back, relax, leave your worries at the gate, enjoy the campground atmosphere and listen to or participate in campfire jamming?  Where can you go to experience the most exciting, thoroughly entertaining bunch of pickers and singers ever assembled in the most laid back atmosphere in the country? Join us May 27 – May 30, in Bean Blossom, Indiana at the Bill Monroe Music Park & Campground for the 10th annual John Hartford Memorial Festival, “The Most Laid Back Festival in America!” That’s where it all takes place.

Heading into its tenth year, the John Hartford Memorial Festival is on a mission to preserve and continue the legacy, music, and ideals of John Hartford; one of America’s most beloved songwriters, performers, and musicians.
Welcome To The 10th Annual John Hartford Memorial Festival:
Ten years ago festival founder John Hotze gathered in Bean Blossom, IN with a hundred of his friends and family and celebrated the life of his childhood friend, John Hartford. This inaugural gathering took place in the most appropriate form of jubilation, that of a festival. The first year included performances from people who worked with, and were inspired by Hartford, and ten years later we are delighted to continue that same tradition. John Hartford was a trend setting, genre bending, creative force that left a culturally rich legacy of musical history. We hope that our event, your event, honors this legacy and continues to inspire the next generation of pickers and grinners.
Speaking of pickers and grinners, we are so proud and happy to have felt the love from all of you, our loyal festival family. We ask you each year to bring someone you love, and you do. Just imagine who you would love to see dancing, jamming, camping next to you, tell them that you’ll be in Bean Blossom, IN from May 27 – May 30, 2020.
We’ve got a major announcement about tent camping. For the first time in our 10 year history, free primitive tent camping at the Bill Monroe Music Park & Campground is included with all 4-Day Full Festival tickets! The Voils family (owners of the campground) have also re-opened the museum and cleaned up the lake to create a “Hillbilly Water Park” complete with a beach, rope swings, swim platform and a water slide. As the Hartford lyric goes, “Just when you think it can’t get no better then it does.”
Without further ado, we are tickled to announce the first wave of entertainers for the 10th annual John Hartford Memorial Festival “The Most Laid Back Festival in America”. Stay tuned, as more bands will be added to the lineup.
The 2020 Initial Lineup:
Sam Bush, The High Hawks, The Dillards, Bad Livers, Horseshoes & Hand Grenades, Great American Taxi, The Freight Hoppers, Kind Country, Henhouse Prowlers, Damn Tall Buildings, The Slocan Ramblers, The Lonesome Ace Stringband, Julian Davis and the Situation, Never Come Down, David Davis & the Warrior River Boys, The Sweet Lillies, Good Morning Bedlam, The Whipstitch Sallies, Phillip Steinmetz and His Sunny Tennesseans, Short Round Stringband, Avocado Chic, One Way Traffic & More TBA
Tickets Now On Sale:

See below for special E-Blast password.
Tickets are now on sale and today we released the first tier of 500 Discounted 4-Day Early Bird tickets. We suggest you get ’em now before they sell out and then the price increases. This tier of tickets has sold out quickly for the past four years. Our ticket prices are structured to give a break to the first 500 sold. Once a tier sells out ticket prices increase to the next tier.
From now until Tuesday, Dec 3, at 4:20am ET, you will need a password to buy a 4-Day Early Bird Ticket.
Your password is jhmf10 the password is all lowercase and no spaces.
Once you get to our Brown Paper Ticket Page select the hyperlink that says “Enter a Password or Discount Code. Enter the password and select the “jhmf10 Promo 4 Day Ticket” option. Remember, the password is jhmf10 all lowercase and no spaces. Click Here to buy tickets.
There Is A Ticket Cap & Free Primitive Tent Camping:
Around five years ago we made a decision to cap ticket sales. We did this to preserve the unique vibe of the festival. Thanks to you, our festival family, we have built a community where you have gotten to know your neighbors.
We will continue to limit the amount of multi-day tickets sold to just 2,000 Full-Festival Tickets. We want to make sure that you continue to have ample wiggle room. Single day tickets will go on sale at a later date. Don’t forget, for the first time ever, all 4-Day Full Festival ticket holders get free primitive tent camping!
Booking Philosophy:
Our talent scouts travel every year to music conferences, festivals, concerts, backyard shindigs and everything else in between to find both budding and established talent. We pride ourselves on presenting artists that are on the cusp of rising to fame along with headliners that we feel are sure to please the crowds. There is a magical moment that happens when you first witness a band that you knew nothing about and they immediately turn into your new found passion. If you enjoy those rare moments then we suggest you attend JHMF10.
Camping Information:
The campground and the facilities are maintained and operated by The Bill Monroe Music Park & Campground.
Primitive tent camping for May 27-30 is included with your 4-day full festival ticket. Camping for 12 and under is free.
Primitive camp sites are located throughout the park and are first come, first serve. No camping passes will be sold on our web site. Early arrival as well as single and two day primitive tent camping passes will be available for purchase at the gate.
If you would like to reserve an RV site or you have any camping questions, please call the Bill Monroe Music Park & Campground at (812) 988-6422.
Songwriter’s Challenge & Band Contest:
2019 Winners Good Morning Bedlam &
Barker Thompson
Folks, it’s time to tap the muse and write a song for our JHMF Songwriter’s Challenge. Be one of four winners invited to perform your song on the Hartford Main Stage at JHMF10! We will start taking entries for the Songwriter’s Challenge on Wednesday, January 1. Complete rules and guidelines for the Songwriter’s Challenge is on our web site.
Want to get booked at JHMF11? We will start taking entries for the John Hartford Memorial Band Contest on Wednesday, January 1. Finalists will perform on stage at JHMF10, with the final four performing on the Hartford Main Stage. The winner is guaranteed a Hartford Main Stage slot for 2021. Contestants have a chance to win cash prizes and other cool stuff! Read all about our contests and the interviews with past winners like Barker Thompson (songwriting) and Good Morning Bedlam (Band contest) on our web site. Just select “contests” from the menu and while you’re there, sample our playlists from past contests. Complete rules and guidelines for the Band Contest is on our web site.

The 2020 JHMF Band Competition Prizes are:

  • 1st Place $1000, a Hartford main stage slot at the 2021 John Hartford Memorial Festival
  • 2nd Place $500
  • 3rd Place $300
  • 4th place $200

Our John Hartford Song Challenge Prizes are:

  • 1st Place $200, two full fest tickets, Song Challenge Showcase performance on the Hartford Stage, an invitation to return for our 2021 Song Challenge Showcase and more.
  • 2nd Place $150, one full fest ticket and Hartford Stage Showcase performance.
  • 3rd Place $100, one full fest ticket and Hartford Stage Showcase performance.
  • 4th Places $50 and one full fest ticket each and Hartford Stage Showcase performance.
Our top ten songs will be added to our Top Ten Playlist on our website. More prizes to be announced later. All of our contest entries are considered for booking. We pride ourselves in booking past contestants.
Announcing The John Hartford Fiddle Tune Project:
Our great friends and festival supporters, Eric and Katie Harford Hogue, have been busy! Starting with a newly re-tooled website, www.johnhartford.com, that features a unique timeline chock-full of John Hartford history and notes, this site is loaded with music and Hartford merch. The family of John manages the site and is steadily researching and releasing newly discovered music, as well as re-mastering and re-releasing many old Hartford recordings.
While pouring through the archives, the family unearthed over 60 handwritten music journals he had been using to compose fiddle tunes since the early ’80s. Katie Harford Hogue (John’s daughter), told us “I suspect the journals contain over 1,000 tunes. It’s fascinating to look through them. Jamie worked with Dad in reading and writing music and Dad got busy right away. Dad amassed a lot of research and stuff, and he was a prolific creator. One of the interesting challenges we’ve had over the years is figuring out how to take his unfinished projects and ideas and develop them into ‘new’ material to continue his legacy.  The fiddle book idea has been bouncing around in our heads ever since we discovered the journals.” John Hartford’s Mammoth Fiddle Tune Collection came to fruition in 2018 and was released at the 8th Annual John Hartford Memorial Festival.
Complete details, along with 176 solo tunes from the book, recorded by original John Hartford Stringband member, Matt Combs, can be found by clicking here. Moving forward, Eric Hogue and Katie Harford Hogue are completing a recording of songs featured in the book. The CD will be released this spring. It features former members of the Hartford String Band, including Matt Combs, Chris Sharp, Mike Compton, Mark Howard, and Dennis Crouch along with Tim O’Brien, Chris Eldridge, Alison Brown, Noam Pikelny, Ronnie McCoury, Brittany Haas, Tristan Scroggins, Megan Lynch Chowning, Paul Kowert,  Jordan Tice, and Dominick Leslie. To learn more and pre-order, visit hartfordsmammothcollection.com
Welcome back Whipstitch Sallies:
The Whipstitch Sallies musical proficiency and sibling-like harmonies, along with mighty fine
songwriting, which when combined, stirs the term Old Time Punk, quickly earned them the love of our
fest family to the point that they were booked consecutively from JHMF2 – JHMF 6, which was their last fest as a band. The Sallies are getting together for a very special JHMF10 Reunion. Read the whole story in our “Morning Bugle Blog” by Ernie Hill click here.
See You May 27 – May 30, 2020:
Where in the world can you go to sit back, relax, leave your worries at the gate, enjoy the campground atmosphere and listen to or participate in campfire jamming?  Where can you go to experience the most exciting, thoroughly entertaining bunch of pickers and singers ever assembled in the most laid back atmosphere in the country? Join us May 27 – May 30, in Bean Blossom, Indiana at the Bill Monroe Music Park & Campground for the 10th annual John Hartford Memorial Festival, “The Most Laid Back Festival in America!” That’s where it all takes place.

Heading into its tenth year, the John Hartford Memorial Festival is on a mission to preserve and continue the legacy, music, and ideals of John Hartford; one of America’s most beloved songwriters, performers, and musicians.

Highwater Festival April 18th and 19th South Carolina

ICYMI: Lineup Is Out & Tickets Are On Sale Now!

Lock in 2 blissful days of music, food, and libations with performances by Wilco, Nathaniel Rateliff, Brittany Howard, Shovels & Rope, and more for as little as $38 down today!

Plus, add the High Water 2020 Limited Edition Comfort Colors® Pocket Tee to your ticket order, before pre-orders close THIS Sunday!

Forgtt to add your t-shirt during checkout? No problem! Grab one from our online merch store here ➜
Get Tickets
Keep scrolling to explore everything High Water has to offer!

Rock The Riverfront

High Water brings musicians from all over the world to the beautiful Riverfront of N. Charleston. With two alternating stages, you’ll be able to catch your current favorites and discover some exciting, eclectic new bands too!
Explore The Lineup

Eat. Drink. Be Merry!

Here in Charleston, we know how to eat VERY well, and we make sure High Water reflects that culinary quality! Whether you’re grabbing a bite to eat in The Refuge, sipping a cold brew on The Porch, or partaking in a culinary experience included with a VIP or Platinum Pearl Experience weekend pass, High Water offers you an authentic taste of the Holy City’s world-renowned culinary perspective!
Yes, Please!

It Doesn’t Stop There

Between the music, food, and libations, there’s even more to explore on the Riverfront! Shop from regional vendors in The Market, shuck a dozen oysters during an Oyster Education Class, or snap a selfie next to a large-scale art instillation.
More To Explore

Five Start Amenities

Take your High Water weekend to the next level with our VIP and Platinum Pearl Experience weekend passes. Enjoy Riverfront lounges, gourmet happy hours, and more!

See Perks + Access
Compare the access and amenities of GA, VIP, and Platinum Pearl Experience to find the ticket type that’s right for you!
Tickets On Sale Thursday at 10 AM EST!

Secure Your Spot For Only $35 Down!

The 2020 High Water Festival Lineup has been revealed! Now, it’s time to get your tickets.

The Previous Buyers Pre-sale begins tomorrow, Wednesday, November 6th at 10 AM EST and the Public On-sale kicks off Thursday, November 7th at 10 AM EST.

Set your alarms, tell your friends, and get ready to lock in your rock ‘n’ roll adventure for as little as $35 down!
Explore Tickets

See Jeff Tweedy’s Intimate Chapel Performance!

We’re thrilled to announce Wilco’s lead singer, Jeff Tweedy, will join us for an intimate chapel performance at the historic Eternal Father Of The Sea Chapel Sunday of High Water.

The chapel performance is included and available exclusively for Platinum Pearl Experience weekend pass holders. As you weigh your options, explore the brand NEW ticket type and its many amenities, including a backstage lounge with up-close culinary demonstrations by world-class chefs, a complimentary oyster raw bar with shucking lessons, pit viewing at both stages, and more!
Show Me The Perks

Download The App!

Download the official High Water festival app and opt-in for push notifications to stay on top of all upcoming announcements including experiences, artist info, and other important festival details!
Download The App

NEW This Year!

Jump into the High Water spirit and add the High Water 2020 Limited Edition Comfort Colors® Pocket Tee to your ticket order.

This shirt will be available for a limited time only with sales ending November 17th in order to ship mid-December!
Visit The Store
This shirt will not be available on site at the festival.

Country Roots Campout  Tennessee
Country Roots Campout
First Bands Announced
How’s about a weekend of Country Roots music and canoes in Tennessee?
We’re hosting the Country Roots Campout at the Canoe The Red River property on the Red River. That’s just about 35 miles North of Nashville, near the Kentucky border. Just about 10 minutes from Clarksville. Camping is free with all tickets. RV spots can be rented directly from the venue. This place is great! They even have indoor restrooms and a laundry room.
The first 7 bands have been announced and they are show stoppers! Some real country legends in there. We have 9 more to go. The roster is already worth twice the price.
These events do have a limited amount of supply. It’s what keeps them comfy. Go ahead and get yours now. Heck, give them as Christmas gifts if ya like! We’ll be mailing commemorative hard copy tickets out.

Moonrunners Music Festival May2nd and 3rd Illinois

MoonRunners Music Festival is a one of a kind festival that takes place at Reggies in downtown Chicago. Focused on bringing artists from all types of punk, country and roots music, MoonRunners blends genres of music and groups of people that go surprisingly well together.

Whether it’s a solo artist in the Music Joint or a big band in the Rock Club, these musicians are sure to bring you something you’ve been missing from your life!

Come be a part of one of the most unique festivals that the Midwest has to offer!

Get your tickets today!

Ian Noe And Jeremy Ivey At The Exit In.

 News  Comments Off on Ian Noe And Jeremy Ivey At The Exit In.
Nov 092019
 

Initially I didn’t expect to go out tonight, because I have a LOT of doctor appointments and nerve shots to deal with this winter. I’m getting ready for deer hunting and some other things I enjoy like football games, and I need to manage my Rheumatoid Arthritis to do those things. You know how the doctor games hit your wallet, and I STILL manage to get out and support LIVE music.

A LOT of people ask me  “Gary, WHO do YOU think is the next BIG THING in local music?” Well, I’m going to elaborate on that answer for a few moments on this article. I have TWO answers to that quandary for you, my dear readers, after pondering over several factors, I did indeed come up with TWO.

The two I THINK will become the next big things are Mr. Ian Noe and also the Dead South both of whom released KILLER albums in 2019. I’m going to sit here behind my keyboard and rave about these two until well into next year when I hear some more good ones, but just because I temporarily omit them from a current rotation does NOT MEAN SHIT!

One of the MANY reasons I came down here to the Exit In to see this fantastic show. Another reason is the outstanding staff the Exit In has, their security staff and their door staff, as well as the entire bar staff need to be APPLAUDED right here on this website. One of the stage security people introduced himself to me as Mike, and was worried about my camera bag, and let me keep it low behind a speaker. They ALL make sure we have a SAFE no bullshit show that WE ALL can feel secure going to and anybody that gets out of hand drunk gets tossed out!

The title of  Mr. Jeremy Ivey’s 2019 debut album is called “The Dream And The Dreamer” and it is out now on ANTI Records. His band is called The Extraterrestrials, and I shall be delving into this band further in the upcoming months for darn sure, I PROMISE you that!

There is an all around different genre vibe on this album here, and to be honest I couldn’t refer to tons of artists he actually sounds like. I hate to be one of those people that don’t have any idea what to call it, and just lump it into “Americana”..IT’S JUST GOOD MUSIC! If you MADE ME call it something I suppose Alt-Country could be implemented here….but IT’S JUST GOOD MUSIC!

I mean you hear influences like Mr. Bob Dylan and others, but he maintains a distinct style of his own with rough references to political beliefs and his own upbringing in his songs. The first song called “Story Of A Fish” has a really hopping folk vibe to it, and could be enjoyed by fans of so many genres it is pretty much endless. He has spent a lot of time in the background as a member of many bands like Buffalo Clover, where he met his wife Miss Margo Price, who produced his debut album here.

Included in his set tonight was a song called “Ombrophobia” which is a common anxiety disorder found in kids and is basically a fear of rain. “White Shadow” was next, however the FIRST SONG that GRABBED ME was the title song on the album here “The Dream And The Dreamer”. I’m adopted as well, and spent a lot of time finding my real parents and my real place I came from in life. I had many feelings of struggle and swimming upstream like he refers to as a person.

This is a powerful ballad with a tale of the intense battle in humanity and the battle inside people’s heads. These lyrics are well thought out, and the songs make you THINK. I enjoyed that about him, they make you DWELL ON THEM and really LISTEN to them on a wider scale. I really liked the line about the fear on TV that might kill us first, I hardly turn on my television for anything, and I listen to music…for reasons like that.

He played a few songs acoustic like “Someone Else’s Problem” and the song called “Falling Man”  before the rest of the band came out, as well as his wife Miss Margo Price whom her met at a younger age. He sites her as a huge influence and they are big fans of one another, you can easily ascertain the unity they have for one another BOTH onstage AND offstage the same.

“Greyhound” was next, and on the album you can hear them singing together as well. It sounded REALLY GOOD live, and is about people that live on the road. You know, until I started this website traveling I never really realized how intense and difficult life on the road was. All along those yellow lines…indeed. Some of those people have hard times keeping track of what city they are in on what day.

“Diamonds Back To Coal” is pretty much an anti- modern day man song, and was his closing song. It’s a very political song, and his entire album is the same. If you are one of those that don’t appreciate that in your music, you won’t care for this album. But I truly did appreciate his set tonight, I thought it was thought provoking and insightful.

Mr. Ian Noe has been on my radar for some time now, and is number one on my “up and coming” list of people to achieve the Tyler Childers echelon of local music. he is about to bust open wide and trickle over toward the mainstream side of things. When some of you on social media start griping about his albums being overproduced, I’ll be over here yawning and giggling.

He opened tonight with “Letter To Madeline” the great song about a holed up bank robber being surrounded, as he laments about spending the money with his baby at home. All of his songs are so intensely well written and arranged that it’s so hard to not gush on every one as a journalist. EVERY SONG paints such a vivid picture in my mind, as I listen to them.

“Promised Land’ and the mighty “Barbara’s Song” was next about the famous train wreck in 1904, when the bridge collapsed and OH MY GOD the descriptions of what was going on with his lyrics…just absolutely non grandiloquent in any fashion. He speaks with authority and dumps those vocals out upon us in wicked fashion!

“Junk Town” is a soulful jam with a smooth and soft tempo to it. EVERYBODY loves “Irene (Ravin’ Bomb)” that the entire audience has created a sing along to this song…hmm..kind of when Childers says FIRE IN THE HOLE or a David Allan Coe crowd yells LET ME LET ME LET ME…this following has also created a nifty niche for him here. It just intensifies my saying that he HAS that connection with his crowd  few today possess, especially for his age and time out onstage. To have that power this early, he will be unable to stop in 10 years.

My favorite song “Meth Head” was next followed by his own version of “Rollin In My Sweet Baby’s Arms” and “Dead On The River” about bodies found in the river. “If Today Doesn’t Do Me In” was on the list along with “Canyon Falls Bound” and “Between The Country”

He closed with a song called “Strip Job Blues” and “P.O.W. Blues”. This was by far one of his best shows I got to see so far with a full band. This man is moving up in the world on a grand scale, and you can remember I said that NOW because in a few years when everybody else is ACTING LIKE THEY DID I’ll shove this article up their asses. Mr. Ian’s band was Mr. Erin Nelson on drums, Mr. Steve Daly on guitars, and Mr. Michael Zimmerman on the bass guitar tonight.

Album Feature – Luke Combs – What You See Is What You Get

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Nov 082019
 

By Joshua Wallace

Luke Combs is on a monster tear through country music history off the heels of his last album titled This One’s For You and it’s deluxe packaging titled This One’s For You Too.  Earlier this year, he released the mega successful EP titled The Prequel. That EP featured the first 5 songs on this new album titled What You See Is What You Get. What You See Is What You Get is finally the follow up to This One’s For You that the world has been waiting for.  Does it live up to the hype? I’m here to tell you that yes, yes it does. If his last album is any indication, Luke Combs has another massive collection of hits on his hands.

The album kicks off with the mega hit “Beer Never Broke My Heart”.  The track kicks off with a quick banjo riff before going into heavy twangy guitars that are often the signature of this album.  It’s a fun track that is both fun to throw on at a party and fun to experience live. Another great single released ahead of this record is “1, 2, Many”.  This is more of a honky tonk drinking song and the chorus is infectious. Brooks & Dunn make a fun cameo near the end of the song. It’s great to hear something like this getting radio play.

The track “Every Little Bit Helps” is a bit of a smoother throwback to 90’s country radio.  This song was released by Luke as an acoustic video back in July and at that time it was a slower acoustic demo.  It’s fun to hear how the song has changed since then with this final version of the track. Another track that got that same early release is “Dear Today” which has an acoustic live version floating around out there.  It starts off like that on the record, but the band slowly creeps into the track and it’s such a smooth tear jerker of a song. This will be a mega hit on country radio before this album cycle is up, it’s that good of a song plus I love the solo on this one.

Another track that fans are looking forward to eagerly is “Does To Me (feat. Eric Church)”. It’s more of a feature than a duet as Eric Church doesn’t come in till the end.  He gets to name drop Don Williams which is cool in my book and it’s a damn good song to boot. “Angels Workin’ Overtime” takes the 90’s country sound and brings into more southern rock territory on a track about being overworked and underpaid. “Nothing Like You” is a ballad about being on the road but missing what you have back home.  It’s a stripped down affair and is one of the softer Luke Combs moments, until you get to the finale of the record. “Better Together” a song dedicated to Luke’s fiance Nicole and it’s just him and his big voice against a piano. This is one of Luke’s better moments on this record and I can’t wait to hear it live.

Luke Combs is on a run like none other in country music and I don’t think he’s stopping any time soon.  What You See Is What You Get picks up where his debut album left off and it’s another collection of hits waiting to happen.  I hope I get to see Luke live sometime in the near future and if I do I will report on it here. The sky’s the limit for Luke Combs right now and it’s only getting crazier from here.  What You See Is What You Get is out everywhere on Friday November 8th, 2019.

Favorite Tracks : Beer Never Broke My Heart, 1, 2, Many, Every Little Bit Helps, Dear Today, Does To Me (feat. Eric Church), Angels Workin’ Overtime, Nothing Like You, Better Together

Luke Combs – What You See Is What You Get (2019)

  1. Beer Never Broke My Heart
  2. Refrigerator Door
  3. Even Though I’m Leaving
  4. Lovin’ On You
  5. Moon Over Mexico
  6. 1, 2, Many (feat. Brooks & Dunn)
  7. Blue Collar Boys
  8. New Every Day
  9. Reasons
  10. Every Little Bit Helps
  11. Dear Today
  12. What You See Is What You Get
  13. Does To Me (feat. Eric Church)
  14. Angels Workin’ Overtime
  15. All Over Again
  16. Nothing Like You
  17. Better Together

Album Feature – Erin Enderlin – Faulkner County

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Nov 052019
 

By Joshua Wallace

If you’re a fan of sad country songs with thick pedal steel, this album is for you.  Erin Enderlin has issued her follow up to 2017’s amazing Whiskeytown Crier with Faulkner County.  This album picks up where that left off with some of the saddest country songs you’ll hear all year.  The pedal steel is thick throughout this record with tracks with Dan Dugmore, Paul Franklin, and Smith Curry handling the instrument throughout the record.  Let’s dig into some of these tracks.

One of my favorites is the track “Whatever Gets You Through The Night”.  I dig the smooth jazz sounds on this one as Erin Enderlin goes through all the different ways you can try to get through a rough night.  I love the way the piano plays with the pedal steel here. If you’re looking for more great piano licks, look no further than “The Queen Of Marina Del Rey”.  It’s a song about a woman trying to make it famous out in L.A. and struggling to do so. It’s a great tune and I dig the guitar solo on this one. One thing to note, there is a track “Till It’s Gone” that repeats from the Whiskeytown Crier album.  It appears to be a re-recorded version of the original with a shorter run time. It’s a good inclusion here though as it does fit with the overall sound of this album.

Who doesn’t love a good trucking song?  “A Man With 18 Wheels” provides just that but from the truck driver’s wife or significant other’s perspective.  I love the line in this one that says “His home away from home is in the house that Peterbilt”. Another favorite is “These Boots”.  This version is listed as the “Full Band Version”. An earlier cut of the track was released as a single in 2018. This version is smoother and the acoustics fit in with the album as a whole better.  Finally, “Old Flames (Can’t Hold A Candle To You)” is a twist on the traditional country music cheating song in that it’s about not cheating. You don’t hear songs like this often enough and I’m happy to hear it here.

This album was released as several EPs throughout the year, but I’m glad to have it as a whole.  The entire package makes sense as you can imagine these songs being about characters living in or being from a small rural county called Faulkner County.  I’ve been a big fan of Erin Enderlin since her 2017 record Whiskeytown Crier and this one doesn’t disappoint. Jim “Moose” Brown & Jamey Johnson returned to produce this new effort and you can definitely hear their influence on the sound here.  If you’re looking for a great traditional country record in 2019, look no further than Erin Enderlin’s Faulkner County which is out November 1st, 2019.

Favorite Tracks : Whatever Gets You Through The Night, The Queen Of Marina Del Rey, A Man With 18 Wheels, These Boots, Old Flames (Can’t Hold A Candle To You)

Erin Enderlin – Faulkner County (2019)

  1. I Can Be Your Whiskey
  2. Whatever Gets You Through The Night
  3. The Queen Of Marina Del Rey
  4. Tonight I Don’t Give A Damn
  5. Use Me Again
  6. Broken
  7. Hell Comin’ Down
  8. A Man With 18 Wheels
  9. Hometown Jersey
  10. Till It’s Gone
  11. These Boots (Full Band Version)
  12. Old Flames (Can’t Hold A Candle To You)
  13. Sweet Emmylou
  14. Run Baby Run

The Tyler Childers Phenomenon Of 2019.

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Nov 022019
 

Mr. Tyler Childers. This name has become a brilliant beacon of light for good Country Music. I’ll be catching up with him at the fifth annual Kickin It On The Creek. He is a driving force in local music, an inspiration to all local musicians and bands alike, and a beacon of hope for REAL Country Music and independent music as a whole.

Now I’m going to be completely honest here, as I always am on this blog, we know each other. But I don’t go WAY BACK with him like others do, and we don’t visit each other on holidays, and if I led you to believe that I’d be lying through my teeth. My West Virginia friends like Mr. W.B.Walker and Mr. J.J.Waters both know him from YEARS BACK and when they speak of his past THEY SPEAK of the stories you need to listen to NOT MINE.

This young man absolutely dominated my Facebook, twitter and Instagram feeds throughout 2019 in many ways. He played his first time at Red Rocks Amphitheater in Colorado ( Mr. Luther wrote a GREAT article for us there), and played again at the Opry. As we speak I am catching up with a PLETHORA of things from 2019, and I’m writing about his fabulous performance at Kickin It On The creek like I just mentioned.

Tyler Childers And The Food Stamps have indeed blazed a trail through independent and underground music in the last few years with only two major label albums, and just recently he announced an arena tour with powerhouse artist and producer Sturgill Simpson. More on that later in this article here.

He has a four day Ryman Auditorium run in early 2020 before going on that tour with Sturgill, and here are the dates for the powerhouse arena tour as mentioned above. I’m going to be completely honest, I really don’t think there are many fans of Mr. Strugill Simpson that aren’t fans of Mr. Tyler already. However these venues just keep growing, I see a great propensity in these artists to become more agile as they get accustomed to bigger crowds.

He guest stared on Jimmy Kimmel Live and he did a wonderful job on there, and it brought his music to whole new echelon of listeners. All together that has been transpiring all over for him and his music from all of the different avenues of exposure of his music. Actually, he was on several different talk shows this year, but the one that I got to see was this one here.

I met these folks at this year’s Kickin It On the Creek, and promised to include them on some of my work. This is their mission from their website:

September 27,2020

Click to Learn about Healing Appalachia

Our Reason

Drug overdose is the leading cause of death for people under the age of fifty in the United States. The Appalachian region has been dramatically impacted by the opioid and heroin epidemic. West Virginia in particular, the only state entirely within the Appalachian region, gained national and international notoriety after 26 people overdosed near a housing development in Huntington on August 15, 2016. West Virginia has the highest rate of fatal overdose in the nation. Tragically, rates of death due to overdose have exponentially increased across the country from 2015 to 2016. In 2016, 52 out of 100,000 West Virginia residents fell victim to an accidental overdose. Preliminary data for 2017 shows no improvement according to public health officials despite efforts to make life-saving drugs like Naloxone or Narcan more easily accessible.

The causes for this epidemic are complex. Many sources point to the economic decline and continuing loss of decent jobs through ongoing deindustrialization that has particularly impacted the region. Multiple legal settlements from drug companies to states and local units of government verify that pharmaceutical opioid marketing and prescribing practices set the stage for

opioid and, later, heroin addiction. Topic experts like Sam Quinones, author of Dreamland, point to the decline of community by decreased funding of public services. Indeed, addiction thrives in isolation. However, recovery communities are forming. Many of the same people who have been revived with Naloxone are helping others find recovery. The scourge of the epidemic remains, but there is reason to hope that people and communities can overcome this problem. At present, addiction-related charities receive around $25 million in private funds annually, in contrast to $390 billion given to all charities based on Facing Addiction and Giving USA 2016 data. This is approximately 0.00006 percent of all charitable funds raised.

In closing here folks, I’m quite adamant on the fact that we will only see this young man and his band rise to the top of the food chain here. He is achieving his dream’s through hard work and dedication to his craft, his attention to his style and his knack for kicking you in the nuts with his lyrics and his harsh realist attitude.

I think he will be appearing in many festival lineups in 2020, and many more road shows with his crazy hilljack band The Food Stamps….SEE YOU IN THE CROWD!

Americanafest 2019.

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Nov 022019
 

For the third time in my many years of doing this website ( yeah I’m old) I went down to the big Nashville gala that assembles downtown mostly in September each year that is called Americanafest. Now in 2020 the official dates will be September 15-20th, just a few days after this year’s times.

Honestly I cannot approach this festival like all of the others I write about for many reasons. I mean honestly I LOVE the music and the people here, but it doesn’t replace the people that make Kickin It On The Creek or Muddy Roots happen. It doesn’t replace that feeling of HOME, or the welcome of rolling up those beautiful roads into that community of friends.

I took in many of the panels and offerings of the first couple days there and didn’t go to any of the shows until Friday but I’m going to write about many of the shows I DID see, the first day I actually saw music was The Fourth Annual Bloodshot Records Backyard Bash.

Bloodshot Records’ 25th anniversary celebration continues as we return to the heart of hip East Nashville for the fourth annual Backyard Bash at The Groove record store during AmericanaFest! Please join us in the peaceful backyard at 1103 Calvin Avenue from 5PM to 8PM on Friday, September 13th (spooky!). As always, the party is free and open to the public. All are welcome: fans, friends, industry bigwigs, smallwigs, and no-wigs. Come one, come all. Bring the kids. Bring grandpa. Heck, bring your pet raccoon and a jar of lightning bugs.

Enjoy special performances some of our best and brightest stars…

Sarah Shook & the Disarmers
Banditos
Vandoliers
Jason Hawk Harris
Ruby Boots

…while you enjoy complimentary cocktails by Deep Eddy Vodka, as well as beer from Lagunitas Brewing Co!

Our longtime friends at Recording King will be giving away guitars (yes, actual guitars!) to some lucky fans. And our literary-minded Chicago neighbors at Field Notes will have a special gift for all attendees! More details on that soon.

The Rolling Feast truck will be on hand to keep everyone good and nourished.

We hope to see you in Music City for one of our favorite Bloodshot events of the year!

Bloodshot Records Backyard Bash AmericanaFest Four IV

Man it was HOT this festival season, for the majority of the year. This backyard was CRAMMED and HOT until the sun set later on, but the FREE WATER was SUCH a blessing all weekend. There was so much FREE STUFF out here, I mean WHO in their RIGHT MIND wouldn’t want to attend this?

Many of these bands and artists I have covered in the past at other festivals and house shows across America. But the first young lady called Ruby Boots, I have never saw live yet. She is from Western Australia, and at a very young age, she took it upon herself to venture out into the world to escape a bad environment.

My main man Mr. Joshua wrote a review about her last album (which was her Bloodshot debut) and you can read about that HERE. She played a set with another guitarist beginning with a breakup song called ‘I’ll Make it Through”. I liked her solo style just as much as I enjoy her full band on the album, and to truly absorb her music, I’ll have to see her with a full band. Before deciding if I would see her multiple times I would have to consider many other things, but if she was on a festival bill I would make it a BIG point to catch her set.

“It’s So Cruel” was next, now this one sounded VERY different on the album than it did today. I enjoyed the album version better on this song, and the other songs like “I Am A Woman” showcased her vocal better. She spoke to me on this song as a person, and allowed me to look into her heart more. Now, myself as a music lover I sometimes identify less with the women than I do the men, because being a man I haven’t been through what they are singing about. But I try my best to put myself in their shoes, or position.

However I WILL say this as a music FAN I enjoy the women more than the men onstage. I think that they put more fire into their performance, and have a better ambiance overall. This round here, I took in more of the gals than I did the guys at Americanafest simply because the offerings were better to my tastes.

One thing about her new album last year was that the songs were all over 4 minutes long, and that is unusual to be honest for ALL of them to be that long. Her last two songs on the set were “Somebody Else” and she closed with “Believe In Heaven”.

The Banditos have a new album in the works to follow up from 2017’s Visionland, so a few of the titles I didn’t recognize today. This was my very first time to see Miss Mary Beth Richardson wail those songs upon us in furious fashion.  Mr. Corey Parsons, and Mr. Stephen Pierce started the band in 2010, and actually today was Mr. Danny Vine’s last show with them. Mr. Randy Wade and Mr. Jeffery Salter make up the remainder of this band.

Their 2015 self titled album boasted the song called “Still Sober (After All These Beers). They announced that their new record will be available in about another month, so we will keep our eyes peeled for that one for sure.

Mr. Jason Hawk Harris put out a GREAT debut album on Bloodshot Records called Love And The Dar. But when I finally got to see him live I got to witness his fabulous guitar abilities with songs like “Cussing At The Light”. Songs of drinking and despair come from his soul on stage as he sings about medicating his beat down heart with alcohol and party life.

He opened with a song called “Phantom Limb” which on the album had some really good twang, and it didn’t sound as good live accept for his vocals. HIS VOCALS are absolutely flawless live, and they vividly shine through his audience with creative vigor.

He closed with a song called “Giving In” that spoke to me REALLY close because I TOO wish that where I am is where I’ve been. TODAY I am recovered as an addict, and I have a GREAT JOB with a good life. I used to be a REALLY bad mess and honestly didn’t think I’d be alive to see 40.

Sarah Shook And The Disarmers you have read about on here from MANY festivals and shows. But THIS TIME she is playing some NEW material for us in hopes to release a new album soon. The new song she played was called “Goodbye From Kansas”, and I’ll maybe chat with her in the future about her plans. I consider her a good friend, and I love her to death, many times I enjoy their news in private just as a fan myself. MANY TIMES they tell me things I DO NOT print because I do this for enjoyment not for hits or attention.

“Good As Gold” was her first song, and she closed with “New Ways To Fail” both songs coming from her latest album called “Years”. And as we all enjoyed this music in this intense heat, she jokingly recalled how many times I have been to her shows in crazy hot weather. This summer was really arid and HOT, all of our tobacco crops were good from all of our spring rain, but our beans dried up BADLY. We had 90 days of 90 degree heat and NO RAIN!

They played “The Bottle Never Lets Me Down” however I’ll tell you this, she hasn’t been drinking lately as an individual, and I applaud her for that. Miss Sarah, if you read this I’m quietly rooting for you, and I love you very much my friend. ANYTIME you need me please call upon me!

I moseyed onto other venues and other shows tonight, see this is how Amercianafest operates. There are SO MANY venues involved, and SO MANY side shows to see all over town. You need to download a phone app to see the daily and hourly schedule to take this festival in. ALSO BUY A LINEUP SHIRT EARLY, because they sold out by Friday.

Miss Carson Mchone is a gal that I had on my stage I sponsored in 2014 in Kansas City called the Westport Roots Festival and she was fabulous. She is talented, beautiful and a GREAT person to be around. I quickly sprinted over to the The Basement to see her play a FANTASTIC SHOW.

Off the 2018 Carousel she played “Sad” and “Drugs” now, that song showcases her vocals SO WELL, and I LOVE it on the album with that warm tone steel guitar tone. From her 2015 album called “Goodluck Man” she played “Poet” that was a good song live. Her vocals on the song “Really Good Friends” is also amazing, I LOVE that curl she puts on the end of words, she has a voice of gold.

Many of her songs are so well written, and I think she is VASTLY overlooked by MANY independent music sites and podcasts, and radio. Besides me, I only know of a few blogs that give her any love, and folks that needs to change NOW, because she is amazing on stage!  “Ain’t You Lucky I Love Being Lonely” is amazingly written in my opinion, and it’s one of her best songs.

I’m going to rave about her because she has been banging around the Texas local clubs before she was even legal to drink, and she has put in more dues than many of  the other local gals you would call her peers. She has many musicians backing her up nowadays, like the song “Dram Shop Gal” where I have heard it played many different ways live. This is just an amazing song with amazing lyrics.

She closed her set with “GTDB ( Good Time Daddy Blues)” from her first album, and I really didn’t get to hang around very long to talk to anybody, because on this festival you need to MOVE or you will not get to see everything you want to see. Someone like me that loves all types of music has to move all over the city, I mean you are literally at 10 venues in a weekend there. It’s insane to try to do, but kind of a fun challenge to amass such a plethora of sets in such a short span of a week.

After that show I went over to the Mercy Lounge and The Cannery Ballroom, and the High Watt, which is pretty much the hub or epicenter of the entire festival here this week for the music. The panels are actually all over the city, and there are side package shows all over as well.

On Saturday I attended two of them like that, and they were great. Friday night I covered one of the bands that is releasing a new album tomorrow ( as I write this ) November 1st, called Long Time Comin’. Mickey And The Motorcars started out in Idaho, but quickly delved into the Texas Red Dirt community.

The two Braun brothers that are in the band started the Red Dirt festival in Idaho called The Braun Brothers Reunion. From the 2008 Naive album they played the song called “Twilight” before bringing up Alejandro Escovedo to play a song called ‘Sister Lost Soul”.

They played another song with Mr. Alejandro and played some Bob Dylan songs before showcasing some new songs for us, and by the time I complete this article, Mr. Joshua will have a nice album review up for this album I will link in here. There were a plethora of bands putting out new albums here during this week, so many of these sets contained new music.

“Rodeo Girl” was a new song which will be track number 2, “Stranger Tonight” which is track number 9. This was a song about finding a gal that is getting over a breakup, and a man that is looking for a stranger. Perhaps he is also just getting over a breakup as well. In either case it’s a song about a one night stand. They closed their set with track number 7 called “Break my Heart”.

The one complaint I had about the main venue here was the loud talking during the music. I HATE a rough and rowdy, obstreperous crowd. Back toward the bar area I had so many people rudely chattering about stupid crap they could talk about outside, that it ruined the enjoyment of the new songs.

I got to see some of Lilly Hiatt set that was right after the Motorcars at the same bar. Actually, i closed the entire night out at this main venue here with American Aquarium whom are also fresh on a new album called Lamentations.

Miss Lilly Hiatt played “Everything I Had”, and the other song I got to watch her play was called

American Aquarium played the Mercy Lounge at 11pm, and I got pretty tired so I quit for the night after their set. Like I said they played so many new songs as well, and most of them were good. I just simply couldn’t get up close to the stage here, from moving venues so often, and with such a large crowd of people. I’ll tell you what it was hard to even buy merch, it was THAT PACKED!

From the 2018 Things Change album they played “The World Is On Fire”, which was my favorite song on this album for sure. Mr. B.J. Barham is now a sober and focused front man for a solid well oiled machine, that blasts songs down your throat with vigorous fury.

Mr. Shane Boeker  is on lead guitar, drummer  is Mr.Joey Bybee, the bassist is Mr. Ben Hussey, and Mr. Adam Kurtz is currently on pedal steel and electric guitar. I didn’t get any good pictures of their set tonight, but I REALLY enjoyed their music toward the back of the venue, as they played “Tough Folks”.

I went back down to Grimey’s on Saturday for their wonderful party they had, in that wretched heat.  When I got there it was bustling with excitement as Mr. Orville Peck played a set and was signing albums of his 2019 release called “Pony”. Just as Mr. Paul Cauthen was there performing songs from his new album called “Room 41′.

Mr. Paul Cauthen just played some of his new songs acoustic, but his new album is packed full of exciting new sounds, while maintaining his signature unique vocals. To be honest, there is nobody else quite like him out there today. He played the song called “Holy Ghost Fire” , that opens this album on the first track.

This is a upbeat partying album that is a little Bluesy, some Country and some soulful rock and Roll. This album is a nice sophomore album to his 2016 My Gospel album. He played the song  “Prayed For Rain” and also the JAM song on this album called “Cocaine Country Dancing”. That song is a complete JAM either with full band or acoustic version as well.

“Angel” and “Slow Down” were also both included in his brief set. This album has a very solid 70’s disco vibe to it even, and it often references the hard party life of that time as well. I GET IT, and I like to sometimes veer off of a strict Country diet and onto this record and some Aaron Lee Tasjan and others that fit this little niche. It’s not in any way a bad deal here, and it encompasses a temporary getaway for me as a listener to envision a club on a red carpet with ladies falling at my feet.

I went over to the Westin Nashville where they had a HUGE party package upstairs on the rooftop stage area. There were a few other bands before the target one I wanted, and that was Mr. Corb Lund, who also has a new album out called “Cover Your Tracks”.

I have been a BIG Corb Lund fan for many many years now ever since I first heard Hair In My Eyes Like A Highland Steer in 2005, he was one of the first Red Dirt artists I began to enjoy. Now, this new album here has many covers, and a few originals he co wrote with other people like Mr. Hayes Carll.

Like the vastly inventive song “Cover Of The Rolling Stone” which he played tonight here, and is a damn fine song about getting famous and not getting famous within his style of music. Now, from this second album here called Hair In My Eyes Like A highland Steer, he played that thumping good tune called “Good Copenhagen”.

That song had some GREAT steel guitar twang and solos in it on the album, which he brought out to us live here tonight. “Gonna Shine Up My Boots” was included in this set as well, that song came off 2014’s Counterfeit Blues and I have heard him include that song a few times.

“Bible On The Dash” is another superb song that he wrote with Mr. Hayes Carll, and is also one of his Honky Tonk thump songs with those awesome Country lyrics. This is indeed the bible belt and this is a funny story where these boys are rolling around with guns and drugs, and they get away with it all because of a Bible on their dash.

He ended his iconic set with his timeless piece of “Rye Whiskey/ Time To Switch To Whiskey” , and as I moved onto my next venue I wiped off my sweaty head and ate some free food. You know, I’m going to say this for real though…all the free drinks and food cannot replace the fine folks at Kickin It On The Creek or Muddy Roots..those festivals are HOME. However I did indeed have fun nonetheless here this week.

One of the ladies names you WILL SEE on MANY Top 50 lists of 2019 is none other than Miss Michaela Anne, I can already promise you’ll see her on mine. This new album was pure fire on a major scale! And I was pleasantly surprised at how good the basic cheeseburger was at the City Winery In Nashville. I was initially not impressed with their fancy food they offer there, but my waitress assured me they can make basic country food.

Her set tonight was nothing short of amazing, and he vocals were on point tonight. I’ll be featuring her shows more into the future, as I highly anticipate her rise. This third album was by FAR her best, and she has not yet reached her zenith yet..oh no. She WILL become a powerful entity within Country Music for sure.

She opened with “Just look At Us” but the BEST song of the set and in my opinion one of the best on Desert Dove period is the song “Child Of The Wind”. This song is VERY well written and enjoyable, it spoke to me as an individual and it displayed her growth in her writing skills. This song presented a strong mental picture to me as a listener and I can sit back and just let my mind wander within the story.

“One Heart” was next and this was one that was more personal from her to us. I think this album overall shows us more of a personal side into her own mind and soul, and that is a powerful gift for any artist to share with us fans. The more I listen AND I MAN REALLY LISTEN to this album the more I understand HER as a person. “If I Wanted Your Opinion” is indeed a good song right there, even though it’s comical, it has twang and rhythm. It’s totally powerful to the female cause that rejects the concept that women are objects.

I REALLY enjoyed the purpose and subject of this song, and this set here pretty much solidified my answer that the ladies outdid the men at Americanafest overall. I just enjoyed their songs and presentation overall more than the men I saw this week, and I’m not afraid to say that on record!  “I’m Not The Fire” was included in this set tonight, and it was a good solid addition to her set as well. I’m not the fire, I’m just the coals is a GREAT line here, this song is a MASTERPIECE of writing for her, hell for anybody. You ever hear a song and say “I’m jealous I didn’t write that”? ….yeah I’m jealous for sure.

The Cannery Ballroom boasted the final bands of this festival for me. The POWERFUL all gal string band called Della Mae that consists of lead vocalist/guitarist Miss Celia Woodsmith, 2-time national champion fiddle player Miss Kimber Ludiker,mandolinist  Miss Jenni Lyn Gardner, and upright bassist Miss Zoe Guigueno.

Now if you want GREAT HARMONIES and AMAZING musicianship then these ladies are what you want right here. The only bad thing is that we haven’t had a new album for 4 years from them yet. However many of these were new songs I believe.

This band just absolutely KILLS IT on stage, and they are one of my personal favorite women bands, and are VASTLY overlooked by ALL of the underground websites and media. I think many of their songs they played here tonight were new songs, because I didn’t recognize some of them, and I know their albums WELL.

There is SO MUCH FUN to have this week in town, and even though I say other festivals are more of a family type welcome feel, I’m NOT telling you to OMIT Americanafest totally as a whole. I mean if you sit and figure out the bands I got to see for the 100.00 a patron spends I TOTALLY got my ticket money’s worth. Although I had a media pass I spent a LOT in merch money!

There were SO MANY places to watch music and eat, if you cannot find music to watch here this week, stay home. Because I’m going to warn you, the traffic is HORRIBLE, the parking is hard, and the venue changes are rapid, but with the shuttle service it’s easier. If you LOVE MUSIC then this a GREAT way to find bands in the afternoons, and MANY of the record stores have GREAT sales going on.

This community is a GREAT opportunity to make business deals and network with other people that do what you do, and to expand your audience no matter what you do in the music business. I will always continue to patronize this solid week of agonizing schedule wreckage, to further my hunger for new music.

Full List Of Local Tennessee And Kentucky Shows.

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Nov 022019
 

YOU have a show YOU would like added to my list PLEASE email me at garyhayes2@yahoo.com. I literally watch more than 40 venues in Nashville plus belong to many concert websites in order to bring you this coverage. NEW IN 2018, folks I am always looking for ways to enhance what I do for you. So this year I’ll be reporting on further Kentucky shows, and further Tennessee shows as well.

Mr. Joshua, Mr. Luther and I cover hundreds of shows a year, and many festivals in person. Online, we cover 200 festivals yearly and bring a LOT of news to the masses. Folks WHATEVER YOU DO PLEASE support live venue and local music.

Erin Enderline
Texas Troubadour Theater December 14th

Reverend Horton Heat
Cannery Ballroom December 18th

The PO Rambling Boys
The Station Inn December 6th

Nikki Lane
Jim Lauderdale
Aaron lee Tasjan
3rd And Lindsley December 10th

Ward Davis
Josh Morningstar
Songbird’s December 13th

Lucero
Minglewood Hall December 13th

Chris Gantry
Two Old Hippies December 14th

Kristina Murray
Jeremy Pinnell
Southgate House December 16th

Ronnie Milsap
Country music Hall Of Fame January 17th

Paul Cauthen
Minglewood Hall Decemnber 18th

Dan Tyminski
Bluegrass Hall Of Fame December 19th

Emi Sunshine
3rd And Lindslaey December 20th

David Ball
American Legion Post 82 December 21st

Chris Knight Album Release
Southgate House revival December 21st

Jd McPherson
Basement East December 22nd

Mac MacAnally
City Winery December 28th

Michaela Anne
3rd And Lindsley December 29th

Po Rambllin’ Boys
Bluegrass Hall Of Fame December 30th

Old Crow Medicine Show
Ryman Auditorium December 30 and 31st

Ward Davis
Josh Morningstar
Southgate House December 31st

Kristina Murray
Whiskey Bent Saloon December 31st

Unknown Hinson
Exit Inn December 31st

Cash ORiley And The Hellbilly Hobohemian
440 Main Bowling Green Ky January 31st

Blackberry Smoke
Nashville City Winery January 3rd

Luke Dick
Natalie Hemby
Basement East January 9th

Sunny Sweeney
Spillway January 9th

Whiskey Myers
Nashville INDIANA January 9th

Russell moore and IIIrd Tyme Out
Shepherdsville Ky January 10th

Unknown Hinson
exit In January 10th

Sunny Sweeney
Erin Enderlin
Southgate House Revival January 11th

The Travelin McCourys
Marathon Music Works January 11th

Tanya Tucker
Ryman Auditorium January 12th

Ronnie Milsap
CMA Theater January 17th

Brandi Carlile
January 14,15th and 16th 2020
Ryman Auditorium

Emmylou Harris
War memorial Auditorium January 11th

Sunny Sweeney
Erin Enderlin
Matt Woods
Southgate House Revival January 11th

Drew Holcomb
Tivoli Theater Chattanooga Tn February 12th

Tyler Childers
Ryman Auditorium February 5th 6th 15th and 16th

Joe Diffie
Plaza Theater Glasgow Ky January 17th

Hogslop String Band
Station Inn January 17th

Ward Davis
The Shed Maryville Tn January 18th

Charley Crockett
Jaime Wyatt
Southgate House Revival January 22nd

Charley Crockett
Jaime Wyatt
Basement East January 23rd

Sunny Sweeney
Erin Enderline
1884 Lounge Minglewood Hall Memphis January 23rd

Mike And The Moonpies
Vagabonds
The High Watt January 23rd

Miranda Lambert
Cody Johnson Band
Bridgestone Arena January 24th

Justin Townes Earle
Cannery Ballroom January 25th

The Steel Wheels
City Winery January 26th

Parker McCollum
Exit In January 30th

Doyle And Debbie
Station Inn Feb 4th, Feb 11th, Feb 25th, March 3rd, 10th, March 24th, March 31st,

Wayne Hancock
Southgate House Revival January 31st

The Devil Makes Three
Cannery Ballroom Feb 1st

Billy Strings
Lexington Ky Feb 6th

Billy Strings
Louisville Ky 7 and 8th

William Clark Green
Flatland Cavalry
Basement East Feb 7th

Steel Woods
3rd And Lindsley Feb 7th and 8th

The Eskimo Brothers
Southgate House Revival Feb 7th

Chris Stapleton
Tanya Tucker
Bridgestone Arena February 10th 2020

Jamey Johnson
Schlemerhorn Symphony Center Feb 13th

Ashley McBryde
Luke Combs
Rupp Arena February 14th

Paul Cauthen
Basement East Feb 15th

Jason Boland And The Stragglers
3rd And Lindsley Feb 21st

Rye Davis
Southgate House Revival Feb 22nd

Lost Dog Street Band
Basement East Feb 23rd

Town Mountain
Southgate House Revival February 27th

Chicago Farmer
Southgate House Revival February 28th

Cory Branan
The Cowan Feb 28th

Railroad Earth
Caverns February 29th

Ward Davis
3rd And Lindsley February 29th

Henhouse Prowlers
Mercy lounge January 31st

Bart Crow
Southgate House Revival March 7th

Whiskey Myers
Plaza Theater Glasgow Ky March 13th

John Moreland
Basement East March 20th

Ricky Skaggs And Kentucky Thunder
Caverns Pelham Tn March 21st

Rye Davis
Southgate House Feb 22nd

Lost Dog Street Band
Southgate House Revival March 13th

Lost Dog Street Band
Southgate House Revival March 18th

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band
Southern Kentucky Performing Arts Center In Bowling Green March 20th

John Moreland
Basement East March 20th

David Frizzell
texas Troubador Theater March 28th

Randy Rogers
Wade Bowen
Ryman Auditorium April 3rd

Drivin And Cryin
Caverns April 4th

Ian Noe
Ryman Auditorium April 4th

The Lil Smokies
Basement East April 16th

Ray Wylie Hubbard
3rd and lindsley April 17th and 18th

Allison Krauss
Caverns April 24th

Drive By Truckers
Ryman Auditorium April 25th

Travis Tritt
Lynyrd Skynrd
Appalachian Wireless Arena Pikeville Ky May 8th

Tyler Childers
Sturgil Simpson
Bridgestone Arena May 21st and 22nd

The Mavericks
Caverns June 5th

Rhonda Vincent And The Rage
Cavrens June 6th

Todd Snider
Rhonda Vincent
The Caverns Pelham Tn June 20th

Charlie Daniels
Bridgestone Arena July 17th

Alabama
Bridgestone Arena July 18th

Alan Jackson
Bridgestone Arena August 7th 2020

B.J. Thomas
SkyPAC Bowling Green Ky September 19th 2020

Album Feature – Micky & The Motorcars – Long Time Comin’

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Nov 012019
 

By Joshua Wallace

Alt-country band Micky & The Motorcars have returned with their first studio album since 2014’s Hearts From Above.  If you were a fan of that album, the new record Long Time Comin’ picks up where that left off with guitar heavy red dirt music with an alt country flare.  Micky and Gary Braun are still the centerpieces of this band, however Gary takes more time up front writing half the songs and singing them. Let’s take a look at some of the tracks you’ll find on the album.

One of the preview singles is the opening track “Road To You”.  It’s a cleverly written road song with a driving rhythm perfect for any road trip playlist.  It’s worth noting that Courtney Patton shares a co-write here with Micky. It’s a great opener to reassure long time fans that the band hasn’t changed anything.  Another favorite is “Lions Of Kandahar” which evokes middle eastern vibes in a track that describes a deployment in the middle east. It’s a first person story song that really showcases Gary’s songwriting ability.  I particularly love the last verse which addresses the PTSD soldiers experience after coming home from war.

The track “Thank My Mother’s God” was written by Micky and Jeff Crosby.  It’s a good tune that pays tribute to mothers and their devotion. I particularly love the line “Throw your heart in the river and hope it sees the ocean someday”.  Finally, the track “Stranger Tonight” is another rocking track that is that is about the search for comfort, even if it’s not in love. I love the grungy guitars throughout this track and it really highlights the alt country rocking part of their sound.

Micky & The Motorcars haven’t missed a beat since their last studio album 4 years ago.  If anything the band has improved with Gary taking more of an up front role on this album sharing those duties with his brother Micky.  I hope to see the band live at some point if they ever make it to the southeast. In the meantime, Long Time Comin’ is out everywhere you can find good music on Friday November 1st, 2019.

Favorite Tracks : Road To You, Lions Of Kandahar, Thank My Mother’s God, Stranger Tonight,

Micky & The Motorcars – Long Time Comin’ (2019)

  1. Road To You
  2. Rodeo Girl
  3. Alone Again Tonight
  4. Lions Of Kandahar
  5. All Looks The Same
  6. Thank My Mother’s God
  7. Break My Heart
  8. Run Into You
  9. Stranger Tonight
  10. Hold This Town Together
  11. Long Time Comin’

Album Feature – Stoney LaRue – Onward

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Nov 012019
 

By Joshua Wallace

Red Dirt country legend Stoney LaRue has returned with another studio album in Onward.  It is his first studio release since his 2016 covers album Us Time and his first album of original tunes since 2014’s Aviator.  I was a big fan of Aviator and I’ve been looking forward to another album of Stoney LaRue tunes. This new record Onward does not disappoint, so let’s get straight into some of these tracks.

“Hill Country Boogaloo” was one of the album’s pre-release singles and it’s a barn burner.  It’s a killer rocking track that takes you to a groovy honky tonk and it’s bound to be a live crowd favorite.  Another highlight is the Gary Nicholson cover of “Falling and Flying”. I’ve always been a fan of this song and this version does not disappoint.  “Evil Angel” might be my favorite track on the record. It keeps the funk of “Hill Country Boogaloo” while adding a hint of southern gospel to the mix.  The album rounds out with a duet version of Brandon Jenkins track “High Time” in tribute to the red dirt legend who passed away last year. It’s a nice tribute to a singer who left us way too soon.

Stoney LaRue does not disappoint with this new record Onward.  I only hope we don’t have to wait another 4 years for the next batch of new original tunes.  If you need some red dirt in your playlist this year, this album hits the spot. It has features from the likes of Brandon Jenkins and Tanya Tucker rounding out the album.  Once again, I highly recommend checking this out. It is out everywhere Friday November 1st, 2019.

Favorite Tracks : Hill Country Boogaloo, Falling And Flying, Evil Angel, Worry Be Gone, Let’s Chase Each Other Round The Room, Thought You’d Want To Know


Stoney LaRue – Onward (2019)

  1. You Oughta Know Me By Now
  2. Hill Country Boogaloo
  3. Falling And Flying
  4. Not One Moment
  5. Meet In The Middle feat. Tanya Tucker
  6. Message In A Bottle
  7. Evil Angel
  8. Drowning In Moonlight
  9. Worry Be Gone
  10. I Can’t Help You Say Goodbye
  11. Let’s Chase Each Other Round The Room
  12. Thought You’d Want To Know
  13. High Time feat. Brandon Jenkins