Category: Entertainment News

MerleFest 2021 announces lineup additions

MerleFest, presented by Window World, will take place September 16-19. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

MerleFest, presented by Window World, is proud to announce additional performers for MerleFest 2021, which will take place September 16-19 in Wilkesboro, North Carolina. Sturgill Simpson, Margo Price, Shovels & Rope, Balsam Range, Jim Lauderdale, John Cowan, Peter Rowan’s Free Mexican Air Force with Los Texmaniacs, Amythyst Kiah, Yasmin Williams, and Brittney Spencer will be joining the annual homecoming of musicians and music fans on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains. These world-class bands and artists will join previously announced performers Tedeschi Trucks (Friday), Melissa Etheridge (Sunday), Mavis Staples (Sunday), LeAnn Rimes (Friday), Sam Bush (Saturday), Donna The Buffalo (all 4 days), Scythian (Thursday, Friday, and Saturday performances), and The Waybacks (Friday and Saturday). Additional artists scheduled to perform will be announced in the coming weeks. Tickets will go on sale Thursday June 10, 2021.  More information available online. (IV-PR, 2021)

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 multi-day event. MerleFest is the primary fundraiser for the WCC Foundation, funding scholarships, capital projects, and other educational needs.

MerleFest, presented by Window World, would also like to remind potential volunteers that the volunteer application period is now open and the Chris Austin Songwriting Contest (CASC) is accepting submissions until June 15. Information on all of these can be found online.

2021-09-16T13:05:00

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MerleFest 2021

Dallas Burrow finds a new kind of adventure on self-titled LP

Dallas Burrow’s new LP will be out July 23, 2021. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

A Texas-born Americana artist rooted in the tradition of his home state’s songwriting heroes, Dallas Burrow built a career on both sides of the Atlantic with his 2019 debut, Southern Wind. Recorded in Nashville, the album reached Number 25 on the UK Americana Chart and Number 4 on the US Alt-Country chart, paving the way for a string of cross-country shows alongside fellow road warriors like Charley Crockett. Dallas Burrow has built his own unique brand of American roots music. It is a sound rooted in folk, shaped by classic country, and heavily influenced by the Texan craftsmen who came before him. On July 23, he will be introducing a new side of himself on record, that of a newly sober man embracing the stability of fatherhood and family life. (IV-PR, 2021)

The full-length, self-titled album, Dallas Burrow, is a collection of songs about maturing and finding one’s path, recorded to two-inch analog tape by producer Bruce Robison and shot through with the rich storytelling, organic Texas twang, and authentic Americana that have all become Burrow’s sonic signature. Last week, Holler premiered the first single from Dallas Burrow, the groovy, slow-burn blues of “Born Down In Texas.” Holler praised the album’s old-school, straight-to-tape recording process, saying, “That live feel crackles throughout Dallas Burrow, which, when thread through Burrow’s singular voice, captures the humidity and haunts of the Texas countryside that formed him.” Fans can hear “Born Down In Texas” now at this link and pre-order or pre-save Dallas Burrow ahead of its July release right here.

The result is a 14-song collection of western Americana, sung by Burrow in a voice that bears both the road-worn weariness of a lifelong highwayman and the fierce fire of a man reborn. This is an album about craft and conviction, from the moody western folk of the opening song, “Country Girl,” to the woozily gorgeous closer, “Outlaw Highway.” The latter track features lyrics written long ago by Burrow’s father, whose own songwriting helped lay the brickwork for his son’s career. Album highlights “Easter Sunday,” “American Dream,” and the anthemic “Independence Day” double down on that family theme, with Burrow nodding to his new role as a father and husband. Dallas Burrow is a celebration of fresh starts and new beginnings. Burrow is not cheating death anymore; instead, he is rediscovering a new way to live, with this self-titled album serving as the soundtrack.

Dallas Burrow Track list:
Country Girl
American Dream
Born Down In Texas
Easter Sunday
Holy Grail
Independence Day
Look At Us Now
My Old Friend The Shadow
Father’s Son
The Other Side
Street Hustler’s Blues
River Road
Keep On Tryin’
Outlaw Highway

When Burrow is not making records or on the road, he is the owner and proprietor of the newly opened Redbird Listening Room in New Braunfels, Texas; an intimate listening room inspired by places like Nashville’s Bluebird Cafe and Kent Finlay’s Songwriter Circle at the Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos, TX, where Burrow and countless others cut their teeth.

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Release of Dallas Burrow’s new LP

Bluegrass Pride to kick off Porch Pride with Lavender Country Live

First weekend of Pride Month festivities will feature Lavender Country. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Bluegrass Pride, a California-based non-profit with a mission to uplift LGBTQ+ folks in roots music, is proud to announce the first weekend of their month-long pride celebration and virtual festival, Porch Pride, which will feature Lavender Country Live! On Sunday, June 6 at 1p.m. PDT / 4p.m. EDT Bluegrass Pride members, followers, and fans are invited to join the organization in kicking off Pride Month with music, conversation, and fellowship with seminal Pacific Northwestern queer country group, Lavender Country, featuring Patrick Haggerty. The event will be hosted by Bluegrass Pride board member, acclaimed roots musician, and scholar Jake Blount. (IV-PR, 2021)

All Porch Pride events are FREE to attend, but Bluegrass Pride encourages those who are able to donate to support all of the artists on the Porch Pride lineup as well as supporting the ongoing work of Bluegrass Pride.

Lavender Country blazed onto the PNW country scene in 1973 with a beautifully transgressive and controversial self-titled, self-released album that made waves with its first single, prompting the industry to blackball Lavender Country and frontperson Patrick Haggerty for decades. Since then, Haggerty and the band have remained committed to their radical, activist, anti-fascist roots. In recent years, they have received ample acclaim for their trailblazing efforts in the ‘70s and beyond and they have collaborated with artists and icons such as Trixie Mattel and Orville Peck.

Bluegrass Pride is excited to open their Porch Pride festivities with Lavender Country, deliberately and overtly paying tribute to the radical, progressive, and anti-fascist roots of the modern queer rights movement, of LGBTQ+ Pride, and of American roots music.

Tune in on Sunday, June 6 at 1p.m. PDT / 4p.m. EDT for Lavender Country Live with Bluegrass Pride! via Bluegrass Pride’s website, YouTube Channel, or Facebook page.

Porch Pride is the headline fundraising event for Bluegrass Pride, raising more than $22,000 in its first year. All of the event’s virtual programs are free to view and attend – and will be available to view on their website and channels after air – members, fans, followers, and listeners are encouraged to donate to support the musicians performing on Porch Pride, as well as the ongoing work of BGP.

Porch Pride will take place all month long during June 2021. Over the course of Pride month, Porch Pride will feature performances by folks like Lavender Country, Rainbow Girls, Gangstagrass, Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, Jake Blount, Sunny War, and many more, plus a virtual Bluegrass Pride Brunch and open house, a beginner-friendly jam-along, and so much more. Schedule of events include:

June 6, 2021 – Lavender Country Live with Bluegrass Pride, hosted by Bluegrass Pride Board Member Jake Blount

June 12, 2021 – Bluegrass Pride Brunch & Information Session, an informal gathering and Q&A period hosted by Bluegrass Pride Board Members. Open to all members, fans, followers, and folks new to Bluegrass Pride.

June 13, 2021 – Beginner-Friendly Jam-Along with Luisa Lopez, “bring” your instruments and voice to play and sing along with protest songs and movement music. Lyrics and chord sheets provided

June 19, 2021 – Juneteenth: A Rainbow Revival, featuring Sunny War, Jake Blount, Yasmin Williams, Faith Nolan, Jackie & Resa, Stephanie Anne Johnson, and Lenworth O’neal. An evening of musical performances curated by Brandi Pace of non-profit Decolonizing the Music Room that will highlight the essential contributions of Black queer, trans, and non-binary folks to roots music and the Pride movement.

June 26 & 27, 2021 at 3p.m. PDT / 6p.m. EDT – Porch Pride: 5th Anniversary Celebration. The headline festival returns celebrating five years of Bluegrass Pride and featuring performances by:
Saturday, June 26:
Mya Byrne
Ben Garnett
Crys Matthews
BOOJUM
Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
Gangstagrass

Sunday, June 27:
Willi Carlisle
Maddie Witler
Amanda Fields
Hasee Ciaccio & Friends
Stephanie Anne Johnson
Rainbow Girls

Hopscotch May events and more

Hopscotch welcomes the month of May with a variety of new programming including live music, yoga, Mother’s Day specials, and more. Photo: Hopscotch, used with permission.

Hopscotch, the new immersive art gallery in downtown San Antonio, is excited to announce a variety of programming, specials, and more for the month of May. (Hopscotch, 2021)

Hopscotch is an immersive and experiential brand that brings together artists in collaborative environments to create distinctive shared experiences. Co-founded by entrepreneurs Nicole Jensen and Hunter Inman, Hopscotch provides distinct experiences through the curation of local-centric, immersive, and experiential art. Hopscotch creates platforms for local, national and international artists to experiment with a wide spectrum of mediums and technology. Hopscotch’s aim is to elicit a sense of joy and wonder in the curated spaces, where guests may explore beyond their day to day reality. Hopscotch strongly believes in cultivating lasting relationships and a synergy with artists and their local communities.

Hopscotch’s May 2021 offerings include:

Expanded Hours – Starting May 7, 2021. Just in time for the summer months, Hopscotch will begin staying open longer for visitors to enjoy. The new hours are as follows:
• Friday: 11a.m. – Midnight
• Saturday: 11a.m. – Midnight
• Sunday: 11a.m. – 7p.m.
Guests can purchase their tickets online. 

New Seasonal Cocktails
Along with their expanded hours, visitors to Hopscotch can find new cocktails for the season, like the crowd favorite Sangrita Swirl which combines the new Secret Sangria and Hopscotch’s frozen Rabbit Hole Rita, perfect for spring and summer days on the patio.

Backwoods BBQ & Tacos + ChipKabobs Residency at Hopscotch every weekend in May
Backwoods BBQ & Tacos, a food truck and DJ booth combined, will be stationed at Hopscotch every Friday through Sunday on the patio. The truck will offer items like brisket grilled cheese sandwiches, chopped BBQ sandwiches, mini tacos, and quesadillas. ChipKabobs will also be available every Friday and Saturday from noon to 5p.m.

Hopscotch Live featuring Sunday Salsa – Select Sundays from 2p.m. – 5p.m.
Guests can now visit Hopscotch to hear various live music acts each weekend such as the musical stylings of Jose Amador. Visitors to Hopscotch are encouraged to stop by the gallery to listen to Latin Jazz and Salsa favorites on the Hopscotch patio while sipping on a cocktail and enjoying food from the Backwoods BBQ & Tacos food truck. There is no cover charge to attend. Jose will be performing at Hopscotch on the following dates:
• Sunday, May 2, 2021
• Sunday, May 16, 2021
• Sunday, May 30, 2021
• Sunday, June 13, 2021
• Sunday, June 27, 2021

Parents Rock! – Sundays in May and June 2021
In celebration of Mother’s Day (May 9) and Father’s Day (June 20), Hopscotch is recognizing parents for all their hard work. Moms and Dads can use the code PARENTSROCK at checkout to receive 20% off their ticket order for the gallery every Sunday in May and June. Moms and Dads can also enjoy live music from Brass Tacs, complimentary Pop Rocks candy, and drink specials on May 9 and June 20. The 20% off tickets offer is valid on Sundays in May and June of 2021 only.

#OnlyinSA Mural Launch Weekend – Friday, May 14 – Sunday, May 16, 2021
In connection with Centro San Antonio, Wide Awake Creative, and the San Antonio Parks Foundation, Hopscotch will be celebrating the launch of a new mural in Travis Park on Friday, May 14. Hopscotch will offer drink specials, music, and more during the launch weekend, which will be free to the public (please note: the launch at Travis Park and in the Hopscotch lounge and patio is free but guests must still pay for tickets to experience Hopscotch).

Third Eye Awakening – Every 4th Saturday in May – August at 9:30a.m.
Guests are invited to unroll their mat in a consciously curated yoga and art experience designed to awaken the mind and body while inspiring the soul with the immersive masterpieces at the gallery. Inspired by the mural Conscious by local artist Los Otros, the yoga class led by Mobile Om will interweave breath, mindful movement, and meditation into a holistic experience aimed to unlock guests’ connections to their third eye consciousness, the home of their intuition and imagination. After a blissful savasana, guests can awaken their taste buds with a refreshing Rabbit Hole Rita to sip while they enjoy exclusive access to browse the Hopscotch gallery. Mobile Om Yoga will set up at Hopscotch every fourth Saturday over the summer. The yoga sessions begin at 9:30a.m. and space is limited. Guests are required to bring their own mats. Dates for Third Eye Awakening include:
• Saturday, May 22, 2021
• Saturday, June 26, 2021
• Saturday, July 24, 2021
• Saturday, August 28, 2021

Tickets for Third Eye Awakening are $45 and can be purchased online. 

Love, Tito’s – Charity Event benefiting San Antonio Pets Alive – Friday, May 28, 2021
Hopscotch is Partnering with Tito’s Vodka to announce a monthly partnership that will benefit local nonprofit organizations. Their inaugural event, Bark on the Park will benefit San Antonio Pets Alive. The event will feature live music, give back opportunities, swag, and cocktails from Tito’s including Hair of the Dog (a Bloody Mary) and Tito’s Greyhound, a grapefruit and vodka concoction. Guests are invited to kick off Memorial Day weekend with their pups on Hopscotch’s patio at the Bark on the Park event and learn more about volunteer and adoption opportunities.

Mexican rock and pop-punk band The Supuestos release second single and video

The Supuestos’ ‘Apuesta En Mi’ is an animated video inspired by love lost during the pandemic. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Mexican rock and pop-punk trio The Supuestos are excited to present their second single and animated video “Apuesta En Mi.” Featuring energetic guitar riffs and heart-pounding drum lines, the song takes listeners on a musical roller coaster ride while the video immerses viewers deeper into the vibrant, animated world of The Supuestos, with the band being trapped by the same group of aliens that captured the woman in their first video. It also depicts a fight against a succubus-like demon inside a casino and other out of this world imagery. (Vesper Public Relations, 2021)

The single’s lyrics explore the themes of love and relationships, emphasizing how we occasionally need to take chances. Founder Kenio Chavero comments, “I once had a girlfriend who was scared to take our relationship to the next level. My feelings of longing for her to take a bet on me came out while writing the song.”

Chihuahua based The Supuestos was born during the COVID-19 pandemic and includes members of the Mexican punk band Seis Pistos. With no venues to perform live, Kenio, Yorsh and el Shinobi found refuge by rehearsing and recording, giving birth to The Supuestos. The new band is driven by two universal powers: rock ‘n’ roll and love. These two pillars serve as both emotional and artistic sustenance for the members as they continue developing their sound.

Their first single, “No Me Digas Adiós,” is a fast-paced, headbanging song that reflect upon the difficulty of ending a relationship and is accompanied by a colorful animated video by the illustrator Manuel Fermont and Sergio Jaso featuring aliens, milkshakes, skateboards, and a re-kindled romance. Tight guitar lines and drum rhythms sustain the drive from start to end.

Music, animation, and virtual reality are equally important for The Supuestos. The band’s goal is to immerse listeners and viewers in a cartoon-like world with a wild and fun soundtrack. Each of their videos are chapters of a longer story.

Movie adaptation: ‘Without Remorse’ by Tom Clancy

The movie adaptation of Tom Clancy’s ‘Without Remorse’ will be released on Prime Video on April 30, 2021. Photo: google

Tom Clancy was an international thriller author. Starting with “The Hunt for Red October,” all thirteen of his previous books have hit #1 on the The New York Times bestseller list. His books, “The Hunt for Red October,” “Patriot Games,” “Clear and Present Danger,” and “The Sum of all Fears” have been made into major motion pictures. The latest one is “Without Remorse,” which shows how an ordinary man crossed the lines of justice and morality to become the CIA legend Mr. Clark. It is a spin-off of the Jack Ryan film series and stars Michael B. Jordan, Jamie Bell, Jodie Turner-Smith, and Guy Pearce. Release date on Prime Video is Friday, April 30, 2021. (amazon, 2021)

“Without Remorse” is set during the Vietnam War, it serves as an origin story of John Clark, one of the recurring characters in the Ryanverse. It introduces Clark as former Navy SEAL John Kelly and explains how he changed his name.

Movie synopsis: (Wikipedia) In a war-torn region of Syria, an elite team of US Navy SEALs led by Senior Chief John Clark rescues a CIA operative taken hostage by ex-Russian military forces. Three months later, in apparent retaliation for his role in the mission, Clark’s pregnant wife Pam is murdered by a squad of Russian assassins. Despite being shot multiple times himself, Clark manages to kill all but one of the attackers before being rushed to the hospital. In Washington D.C., Clark’s friend and former SEAL team member Lt. Commander Karen Greer meets with CIA officer Robert Ritter and Secretary of Defense Thomas Clay to discuss response options. Leaked news of Russia’s unprecedented attack on American soil has caused the already-strained relations between the two nations to sour further. If something is not done soon, the result could be a full-scale war. Healed from his injuries, Clark tracks down a corrupt Russian diplomat who issued the passports to his wife’s murderers and at gunpoint forces him to give up the name of the surviving assassin.

TCM Classic Film Festival 2021 coming up in May

This year’s TCM festival will include Michael Douglas introducing One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest on HBO Max. Photo: Turner Classic Movies, used with permission.

Calling all film fans – Yesterday Turner Classic Movies (TCM) released the extensive lineup of talent, films, and exclusive content for the 2021 TCM Classic Film Festival, airing from Thursday, May 6 through Sunday, May 9 at two virtual venues: the TCM network and the Classics Curated by TCM Hub on HBO Max. The virtual festival features more than 100 films and over 30 special guests across Turner Classic Movies Channel and HBO Max. (EG-PR, 2021)

Last year’s Special Home Edition of the TCM Classic Film Festival was one of the first festivals to shift to an all-virtual experience at the onset of the pandemic, and this year, viewers can expect even more stars, movies, and ways to watch.

Programming and Talent highlights of the Festival include:

  • Opening Night on Thursday, May 6 at 8p.m. ET features the 60th anniversary screening of West Side Story (1961) with stars Rita Moreno, George Chakiris and Russ Tamblyn giving new and exclusive interviews. Opening Night will premiere simultaneously on TCM and HBO Max
  • The Masters collection on HBO Max, featuring interviews with directors Barry Levinson (Good Morning, Vietnam) and Barbara Kopple (Harlan County, USA) 
  • Debbie Allen introduces Fame (1980) and sits down for an exclusive interview
  • Michael Douglas introduces One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest (1975) on HBO Max
  • Jacqueline Bisset introduces Bullitt (1968) on TCM and on HBO Max
  • The world broadcast premiere of Bill Morrison’s latest short film on TCM, let me come in (2021), featuring decayed film reels from the lost German silent film Pawns of Passion (1928) and co-presented by the Los Angeles Opera
  • A tribute to iconic comedian Martin Short with Clifford (1994) and Innerspace (1987) on HBO Max 
  • SF Sketchfest Presents a table read of Ed Wood’s Plan 9 From Outer Space (1959) on TCM, adapted by comedian Dana Gould and featuring Maria Bamford, Bobcat Goldthwait, Oscar Nuñez, Laraine Newman, Bob Odenkirk, David Koechner, Janet Varney, Jonah Ray, Paul F. Tompkins, Gary Anthony Williams, Baron Vaughn, Deborah Baker Jr. and Kat Aagesen

Fans will also be able to engage with the Festival at live virtual events and experiences throughout the weekend including:

  • The return of fan favorite Meet TCM panel where network execs share insight into the network, how programming is scheduled and produced, and a preview of upcoming events and series, will be live on Wednesday, May 5
  • Club TCM, a staple at the in-person Festival, is going virtual this year. Fans can join on Zoom to hear from TCM hosts and festival talent, learn something new, and share their love of classic movies with fellow fans
  • Live Tweets and Instagram Lives with Festival talent and hosts – follow along with #TCMFF 
  • The official TCM Classic Film Festival Boutique featuring limited-edition merchandise such as a new host pin set, mugs, t-shirts, popcorn salt, and more

Turner Classic Movies (TCM)  is a two-time Peabody Award-winning network that presents great films, uncut and commercial-free, from the largest film libraries in the world highlighting the entire spectrum of film history. TCM features the insights from Primetime host Ben Mankiewicz along with hosts Alicia Malone, Dave Karger, Jacqueline Stewart and Eddie Muller, plus interviews with a wide range of special guests and serves as the ultimate movie lover destination. TCM produces a wide range of media about classic film, including books and DVDs, and hosts a wealth of material online at tcm.com and through the Watch TCM mobile app. Fans can also enjoy a TCM curated classics experience on HBO Max.

HBO Max® is WarnerMedia’s direct-to-consumer platform, offering best in class quality entertainment. HBO Max features the greatest array of storytelling for all audiences from the iconic brands of HBO, Warner Bros., DC, Cartoon Network, Adult Swim, Turner Classic Movies and much more. The streaming platform initially launched in the United States in May 2020. This year, it will expand into Latin America and the HBO-branded streaming services in Europe (the Nordics, Spain, Central Europe, the Baltics and Portugal) will be upgraded to HBO Max.

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TCM Classic Film Festival

Tropical music star Emir Pabón releases Rigo Tovar tribute album

‘Rigo Puro Amor’ is a tribute album to Mexican pop culture cumbia icon Rigo Tovar. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Tropical music star Emir Pabón presents the tribute album ‘Rigo Puro Amor’ in honor of his godfather, the Mexican Cumbia icon Rigo Tovar. While recreating the greatest hits that made Rigo Tovar a legend, the percussionist, producer, and composer Emir Pabón remembers the impact that this idol had on Mexican culture while also recalling his personal connection to the artist as his godson. Pabón, who also serves as the percussionist for Grupo Cañaveral, is proud to now present ‘Rigo Puro Amor.’ (Vesper Public Relations, 2021)

As a celebration of both the anniversary of Rigo Tovar’s birth (March 29) and his death (March 27), Pabón has reimagined Tovar’s greatest hits. This new tribute album, which also happens to be Pabón’s debut full length release, features collaborations with esteemed artists such as Mariana Seoane, Percance, Jorge Medina, Grupo Cañaveral, Los Rojos, Fátima Campo, and PeeWee. Listeners will be able to enjoy cumbia classics such as “La Múcura,” “Amor Sincero,” “¿Quién Será la Mujer?,” and “Quítate La Mascara.” Emir Pabón is known as an artist who likes to reinvent himself and be at the vanguard. Adapting different sounds is part of his artistic essence, which he continues to do with ‘Rigo Puro Amor.’

‘Rigo Puro Amor’ is now available on all digital formats.

‘Rigo Puro Amor’ – Track list
“Oh Qué Gusto De Volverte A Ver” ft. Jose Adán Esparza Y René Esparza
“El Sirenito” ft. Pedro Fernández
“Mi Matamoros Querido” ft. Lemongrass
“Cómo Será La Mujer” ft. Jorge Medina
“El Testamento” ft. PeeWee
“Quítate La Máscara” ft. Los Rojos
“No Que No”
“Carita De Angel”
“Mi Tinajita” ft. W Corona
“Perdóname, Mi Amor Por Ser Tan Guapo” ft. Chico Che Chico
“Cuando Tu Cariño”
“Amor Sincero” ft. Grupo Cañaveral
“Lamento De Amor” ft. Carolina Ross
“Dos Tardes De Mi Vida” ft. Sandoval
“Me Quiero Casar” ft. Fátima Campo
“Así Soy Yo” ft. Percance
“Mi Amiga, Mi Esposa, Mi Amante” ft. Claudio Alcaraz
“La Calandria Canta” ft. Jonaz
“La Múcura” ft. Mariana Seoane
“Carta De Recuerdo” ft. Buyuchek

Mexican by birth and Colombian at heart, Emir Pabón was born in Mexico City and began his musical career by attending his father’s concerts. He eventually joined his father’s legendary band Grupo Cañaveral as a percussionist and has served an integral role in the ensemble for the past 23 years. In addition to a percussionist, Pabón is also a producer, businessman, actor and composer.

Pabón began a new phase of his career in 2019, releasing several singles as a soloist including “Echa pa’lante,” which invites listeners to overcome their problems with a positive attitude, as well as “Swing,” a collaboration with the acclaimed reggaeton artists Nacho and Joey Montana. In 2020, Grupo Cañaveral celebrated their 25th anniversary and Emir finished up recording his debut solo album – a tribute to his godfather, the Mexican icon Rigo Tovar.

Emir Pabon. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

New album: John Smith’s The Fray

The Fray is John Smith’s new album. Photo: google

British songwriter John Smith was born in Essex and raised on the Devon seaside. Known for his intimate songwriting, his honey-on-gravel voice, and pioneering guitar playing, he has spent the last fifteen years touring internationally and has amassed over 40 million streams on Spotify. As a session musician, he has played guitar with artists as diverse as Joan Baez, David Gray, Joe Henry, Lianne La Havas, and Tom Jones.  He holds on to optimism with his new album The Fray. (IV-PR, 2021)

The song ‘Hold On’ embodies a thread of hopefulness in a blanket of bad news; a thread that runs throughout his new full-length album, The Fray—available now to stream or purchase at this link. Smith co-produced The Fray with long-time friend and producer Sam Lakeman at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studio. Calling on an all-star band—pianist Jason Rebello, bass player Ben Nicholls, Drummer Jay Sikora, and Jessica Staveley-Taylor of The Staves—Lakeman and Smith honed an honest sound not unfamiliar to existing fans; a focus on the songs as well as the beautiful way in which Smith picks and plucks them. Not allowing a global pandemic to prohibit collaboration, Smith’s guests on the album recorded remotely and sent their contributions digitally over international borders—Sarah Jarosz, Courtney Hartman, The Milk Carton Kids, and Bill Frisell from the Americas and Smith’s frequent touring partner Lisa Hannigan via a virtual studio session in Dublin. 

Throughout The Fray, Smith touches on not just his own emotional turmoil experienced over the past year, but also his observance of the pain of those around him. But it is Smith’s stubborn optimism that shines through and differentiates his experiences and songs from his influences and contemporaries, which PopMatters and Americana Highways recently touched on, the latter highlighting his “excellent, consistent songwriting.” His traits of holding onto hope, forgiving transgressions, and reckoning with his place in a world which does not always reciprocate are not only necessary for Smith to deal, but they are also contagious to anyone who finds themselves in similar situations, adrift in the wind. Atwood Magazine commented, “Pain, loss, isolation, sadness—these are all a part of life, and they will knock us down. Smith’s music reminds us that we will rise again, stronger than before.” For those who echo that sentiment, from experience, Smith shares his message on The Fray; “If we don’t hold on, we’re lost.”

On April 11, Smith will be hosting a Behind the Music livestream in which he will discuss what it takes to put an album together; from writing and arranging to production and recording. For more information and to purchase a pass, please visit Mandolin online. 

The Fray Track listing: 

  1. Friends
  2. Hold On
  3. Sanctuary
  4. Deserving
  5. The Best Of Me (feat. Bill Frisell)
  6. Star-Crossed Lovers (feat Lisa Hannigan)
  7. To The Shore
  8. Eye To Eye (feat Sarah Jarosz)
  9. Just As You Are
  10. The Fray (feat. The Milk Carton Kids)
  11. She’s Doing Fine
  12. One Day At A Time

Ervin Stellar’s new EP Nothing to Prove out now

Ervin Stellar’s feel-good Americana EP, Nothing to Prove. Photo: google

Ervin Stellar channels the energy and integrity of American roots music with his new EP, Nothing to Prove. Using the name Ervin Stellar as his public persona, Nashville musician Andrew Jordan self-produced and mixed the five-song project and released it independently. During his 12 years living in Brooklyn, New York, Jordan discovered a community of session players who were as comfortable with country as they were with jazz. By blending those styles into his own music—from banjo and pedal steel to drums and electric guitar—Ervin Stellar brings a compelling perspective to Americana music. (IV-PR, 2021)

“I left New York City with a gold nugget in my pocket,” sings Ervin Stellar in the opening line of the opening song on his new EP Nothing to Prove. A dancing, melodic bassline and tastefully twangy guitar flourishes could slip in unnoticed on Dylan’s Blood On The Tracks were it not for Stellar’s smooth, intimate vocal delivery. An album that will certainly warrant more than one listen to catch each impeccably crafted line, Nothing to Prove is a shining example of how Stellar pulls off a balancing act of being earnest, lighthearted, and virtuous—one song at a time. Fans can now hear Nothing to Prove in its entirety at this link.

Ervin Stellar is the public persona of Andrew Jordan, who moved from New York to Nashville following his 2018 album, The Moment. That relocation is referenced in the first line of Nothing to Prove’s title track, setting up a series of musical snapshots that encompasses three original songs and two well-chosen covers—all of which are executed in a hard-to-pin-down mix of organic tones and greasy grooves. His sound reflects his youth in Southern Michigan, where his mother preferred country on the radio while his dad enjoyed playing jazz records at home.

In addition to his three outstanding originals on Nothing To Prove, Jordan included covers of Jonathan Edwards’ “Shanty” and John Fogerty’s “Who’ll Stop the Rain.” Jordan recalls hearing “Shanty” every Friday afternoon on the radio in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and decided to work it up after realizing it fit the lockdown vibe. As for “Who’ll Stop the Rain,” Jordan slows down the tempo of the Creedence Clearwater Revival original, though the message resonates as much as ever.

Nothing To Prove Track listing:
Nothing To Prove
Love Is Love
Who’ll Stop The Rain
S.O.S.
Shanty