Category: Music News

The Local Honeys announces self-titled album

The Local Honeys, Kentucky’s favorite duo, will release their self-titled album with La Honda Records on July 15, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

When a master songsmith like Tom T. Hall calls someone “a great credit to a wonderful Kentucky tradition,” it is time to pull up a chair and pay attention. As it pertains to the nearly-decade-running duo The Local Honeys, he was right on the money. The duo—Linda Jean Stokley and Montana Hobbs—have long been an integral part of Kentucky’s musicscape, and on July 15, they will be adding a new entry into the Bluegrass State’s rich musical canon. Their first release on La Honda Records (Colter Wall, Riddy Arman, Vincent Neil Emerson), The Local Honeys features ten winsome vignettes of rural Kentucky, conjuring 90’s alternatives sounds with hillbilly Radiohead lilts, soaring above layers of deep grooves and rich tones masterfully curated by longtime mentor Jesse Wells, a GRAMMY-nominated producer, musician (currently a member of Tyler Childers’ band The Food Stamps), and Assistant Director at the Kentucky Center for Traditional Music at Morehead State. (The Local Honeys, 2022)

The Local Honeys shared their first taste of the new album with “Dead Horses,” an emotional look at the tragedy of animal husbandry. With lines like “Suppose we’re all just animals with slightly different hides,” Stokely displays a cut and dried existence on the farm and the world at large while drums and banjo meld together propelling the tune from verse to verse. The accompanying music video finds Stokley and Hobbs surrounded by nostalgic photos of their equine counterparts, contributed by the band’s fanbase, adding weight to the meaning of the song itself. The “Dead Horses” video is available here and fans can pre-order or pre-save The Local Honeys ahead of its July 15 release at this link.

Over the years, The Local Honeys have paid their dues, garnering countless accolades and accomplishments (tours with Tyler Childers, Colter Wall, praise from the New York Times), and have become the defining sound of real deal, honest-to-god Kentucky music. With The Local Honeys, Stokley and Hobbs ended up with the most nuanced, moody, deep-holler sound they have captured to date. “This is the first time we’ve actively gotten to express who we are and where we’re from” says Linda Jean, “The songs on the album speak for us,” adds Montana “they’re about what we know, reflections of us as people. We realized we have the power to add our own narrative into Kentucky music.”

Throughout The Local Honeys, the duo demands to be interpreted as creators and storytellers, not just purveyors of tradition. Similarly, the sounds captured within the project cement their place as innovators and rule-breakers. Rollicking banjo meets overdriven guitar hooks and blue-collar rural grit is met with lush melodies and nimble harmonies; it is a project filled with juxtaposition and it is not by accident. It is reflective of who they are and who they run with. Wells, along with the rest of Childers’ band The Food Stamps – Rod Elkins (percussion) Craig Burletic (bass) and Josh Nolan (guitar) from Clay City, Kentucky, all lent their expertise and signature groove as collaborators during the session creating a fluidity, warmth, and cohesion that can only be created through friendship.

The songs on The Local Honeys speak to a new generation, a new Appalachian, the people who understand the beauty, the struggle, and the complexity of contemporary Appalachian life. In “The Ballad of Frank and Billy Buck,” Hobbs describes the grace, humor, and irony of an aging hillbilly leading up to the final moments of his unjust demise. Or there is “If I Could Quit,” a song that grapples with the horrors of the ongoing opiate epidemic and the guttural pain of watching a friend deteriorate through addiction. Pride and sense of place run deep in songs like “Throw Me in the Thicket (When I Die),” a love letter about Linda’s family orchard in Central Kentucky. Playful colloquialisms and regional idiosyncrasies also permeate throughout the record as illustrated in “Better Than I Deserve,” a song built around an informal greeting Montana’s Papaw used throughout her childhood. The album is rounded out with “The L & N Don’t Stop Here No More,” (the only cover on the record written by Appalachian royalty and kin to Hobbs, Jean Ritchie) a song highlighting the hardships of post-coal communities painting an all too familiar scene of contemporary rural Appalachia. Reflecting upon these songs Linda notes, “Songwriting can freeze people in time like a photograph, preserving little nuances particular to specific cultures and I love that.”

Catch The Local Honeys on tour:
June 10 – Charlotte, NC – Neighborhood Theatre
July 10 – Crossville, TN – Byrd’s Creek Music Festival
July 15- Nashville, TN- The Basement (album release show)
July 17- Knoxville, TN- Barley’s Taproom
July 19- Asheville, NC- The Grey Eagle
July 20- Decatur, GA- Eddie’s Attic
July 21- Memphis, TN- Hernando’s Hideaway
July 22- St. Louis, MO- Off Broadway
July 23- Kansas City, MO- Knucklehead’s
July 26- Denver, CO- Lost Lake Lounge
July 28- Red Lodge, MT- One Legged Magpie
July 29- Emigrant, MT- The Old Saloon
July 30- White Sulphur Springs, MT- Red Ants Pants Festival
July 31- Bozeman, MT- Live from the Divide

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Jaret Ray Reddick’s debut country album Just Woke Up

Jaret Ray Reddick’s Just Woke Up is available now. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Critically-acclaimed Texas musician Jaret Ray Reddick’s debut country album, Just Woke Up (Brando Records/Que-So Records), is now available worldwide. Just Woke Up is a sincere love letter to Texas and pays homage to the greats before him while giving a refreshing, unique spin on the genre, with one example being his single “One Of The Good Ones,” which blends elements of both country and rock. Written by Reddick alongside Zac Maloy, the track is now at Texas Country Radio and is currently climbing the charts. (Jaret Ray Reddick, 2022)

“Making this album is a long time coming for me. And part of all of that was being able to write songs from the heart and not hold back. ‘One Of The Good Ones’ is a song written with a few folks in mind and how much they mean to me. Friends are rampant in life. But, sometimes, we are lucky enough to find those folks that not only make us better people but can also soften the blows that take the wind out of us.” – Jaret Ray Reddick

Jaret Ray Reddick might be a name you recognize, but his voice is one that pretty much everyone will know, whether it is from being the singer of pop-punk pioneers Bowling for Soup with hits like “1985,” “Girl All The Bad Guys,” or “High School Never Ends,” to voicing Chuck E Cheese or singing the theme to Disney’s long-running hit series Phineas and Ferb. 

Born in Grapevine and raised in Wichita Falls, Texas, Reddick’s country roots run deep as his pride for the Lone Star State. His parents were Country music fans, and Willie, Waylon, and other classic country artists were on regular rotation at home. Music from fellow Texan The Red Headed Stranger and his outlaw friends would prove vital in his development as a musician and remain a crucial rock throughout his career.

Those familiar with his work as the front man of Grammy-nominated pop-punk band Bowling for Soup will find a familiar voice and sense of humor in the music and lyrics. The album features some special guests, most notably one of Reddick’s favorite musicians and good friend Frank Turner, who lends his vocals on “Drunk as It Takes.” There is also a cameo by Uncle Kracker on the album opener “Way More Country,” Descendents guitarist Stephen Egerton performs on “Natalie,” and Cody Canada of The Departed appears on “You and Beer.”

Other highlights include the home state anthem “Songs About Texas,” the family tribute “Royal Family,” and “One of the Good Ones.” There are also country re-workings of two of Bowling for Soup’s most popular songs, “Ohio (Come Back to Texas)” and “The Bitch Song,” which are likely to please fans old and new alike. 

Just Woke Up track list:

  1. “Way More Country” (feat. Uncle Kracker) (Jaret Ray Reddick, Zac Maloy
  2. “One of the Good Ones” (Jaret Ray Reddick, Zac Maloy
  3. “Songs About Texas” (Jaret Ray Reddick, Zac Maloy
  4. “Ohio” (Come Back to Texas)” (Jaret Ray Reddick, Ted E Bruner, Zac Maloy
  5. “Royal Family” (Jaret Ray Reddick, Zac Maloy)
  6. “Doggonit!” (Jaret Ray Reddick, Zac Maloy
  7. “Drunk as It Takes” (feat. Frank Turner) (Jaret Ray Reddick, Rodney Clawson, Zac Maloy
  8. “You and Beer” (feat. Cody Canada) (Jaret Ray Reddick, Zac Maloy
  9. “Natalie” (feat. Stephen Egerton) (Charles R Jones
  10. “My Truck Up and Left Me” (Jaret Ray Reddick, Zac Maloy
  11. “Back In 83” (Jaret Ray Reddick, Zac Maloy)
  12. “The Bitch Song” (Jaret Ray Reddick)

The Red Clay Strays announce debut album Moment of Truth

The Red Clay Strays’ debut album Moment of Truth is available now. Photo: Macie Bowden, used with permission.

After cutting their teeth in the Gulf Coast scene touring for five years, The Red Clay Strays released their debut album Moment of Truth in April. The album is available now worldwide. This 12-track album blends its unique individualities and influences to create a project that breathes raw honesty. Band members Brandon Coleman (lead vocals/guitar), Drew Nix (vocals/electric guitar/harmonica), Zach Rishel (electric guitar), Andrew Bishop (bass), and John Hall (drums) collaborated to create Moment of Truth. Each member, including the band’s videographer, Matthew Coleman, had a hand in writing this project, which strives to bring the public songs with a purpose that embody real-life experiences. (The Red Clay Strays, 2022)

“Moment of Truth strives to bring audiences something real to experience,” the band continues. “The music and lyrics have a purpose to them. These songs have more purpose to them – a mission if you will. They usher in love and deeper thoughts about the situations we humans find ourselves in. ‘Ghosts’ has a clear message about not hanging on to baggage from your past and moving on with life. ‘Forgive’ is about not being able to move on until you let go of that baggage. ‘Sunshine’ is about walking that line and staying within God’s grace and light. The album is loaded with tunes that we hope evoke people’s thoughts and guide them to a better way of thinking.”

Moment of Truth is a collection of songs formed into a tangible album because of the band’s hard work and dedicated fanbase. On February 25, the band started a crowdfunding campaign on their Strays & Friends Facebook group page to see if fans would graciously donate money to go towards the album in exchange for merchandise and the opportunity to receive exclusive content. Over a weekend, that small group of Facebook fans donated a total of $17,000.

On February 27, the Red Clay Strays made their campaign public and raised over $48,000 within the next week, confirming that crowds love the Strays music and believe in their cause to bring their career to the next level. The campaign ended with a total of $57,715 raised – well exceeding their goal of $40,000.

With a sound both modern and reminiscent of a Sun Records vinyl, The Red Clay Strays are forging a new path with their spellbinding genre-bending brand of tunes. Inspired by the vibrant heyday of southern music, the band finds its origins in the styles of classic country, rockabilly, and gospel-fed soul, all the while ushering in a new era of rock-and-roll that is as distinctive as the men who form it.

Born and bred in the red dirt clay of south Alabama, Brandon Coleman (lead vocals/guitar), Drew Nix (vocals/electric guitar/harmonica), Zach Rishel (electric guitar), Andrew Bishop (bass), and John Hall (drums), blended their unique individualities and influences to create a band with a rare sincerity that is not often seen in today’s industry. The band is following their album release with a Moment of Truth tour.

Moment of Truth track list:

1. “Stone’s Throw” (Drew Nix and Eric Erdman)
2. “Moment of Truth” (Matthew Coleman)
3. “Do Me Wrong” (Drew Nix)
4. “Wondering Why” (Brandon Coleman, Drew Nix, and Dan Couch)
5. “Forgive” (Matthew Coleman)
6. “Heavy Heart” (Matthew Coleman)
7. “Ghosts” (Drew Nix)
8. “She’s No Good” (Drew Nix and John Hall)
9. “Don’t Care” (Brandon Coleman)
10. “Killers” (Matthew Coleman)
11. “Sunshine” (Matthew Coleman)
12. “Doin’ Time” (Drew Nix)

New album release: Corner House’s How Beautiful It’s Been

Eclectic quartet Corner House brings musical levity to the breakup song segment with the first single ‘South of the City’ from their new full length album How Beautiful It’s Been. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Emerging from varied genre backgrounds, Boston-formed quartet Corner House’s unique strength is their desire to learn from one another—not only in musical skill and style, but in life experience—such that every challenge overcome by one band member becomes part of the group’s shared musical and personal DNA. On their new full-length debut, How Beautiful It’s Been, the band—songwriter and guitarist Ethan Hawkins, Scottish fiddle player Louise Bichan, bluegrass mandolinist Ethan Setiawan, and cellist Casey Murray—reveals the sublime result of that growth mindset, with a singular sound that incorporates old time, Scottish, progressive bluegrass, and folk music, with the help of their collective mentor and the album’s producer, Scottish harp virtuoso Maeve Gilchrist. Americana Highways premiered Corner House’s first single from How Beautiful It’s Been, “South of the City.” Leaning well toward the upbeat end of the break-up song spectrum, this waltzing number showcases not only Hawkins’s songwriting but the band’s stellar, accurate-yet-soulful musicianship as well. Fans can hear “South of the City” now at this link. (Corner House, 2022)

Corner House’s first full-length offering features five lyrical songs and four instrumentals, which serve as soundscape meditations between each lyrical offering. Several of the instrumentals, such as “Two Rights Make a Chicken,” showcase the Celtic influence in the band, with gorgeous cello and fiddle melodies calling Alasdair Fraser and Natalie Haas recordings to mind. In this context, however, they are also accompanied by rhythmic and arpeggiated mandolin and guitar, emerging into improvised solos before returning to the melodic backbone of the tune. Although Hawkins is the sole lyric writer, the subject matter of the group’s songs is a reflection of their collective experience. One such song is “Angel Falls,” one of the album’s standout tracks which Hawkins wrote after a long discussion with Murray about her experiences with religion as a queer person. “I am human / I have choices / To love who I want to love / I have a right.”

In many ways, Corner House is the band we all wish we could be a part of. Mutually inspired, learning from one another, and open to any and all ideas, the group is a beautiful representation of their generation; not only tolerating but embracing diversity in every aspect of their music making. If we listen closely enough, we may be able to learn just as much from them as they have from one another.

Catch Corner House on tour:
June 11 – Pamet Harbor Club – Truro, MA
June 23 – House concert – Baltimore, MD
June 24 – Red Wing Roots Music Festival – Mt. Solon, VA
June 26 – Stone Room Concerts – Arlington, VA

Originally hailing from Boston, MA, Corner House takes their name from the place where the four young band members found a musical family in one another—their shared home in Brighton, as students at Berklee College of Music. Made up of songwriter and guitarist Ethan Hawkins, Scottish fiddle player Louise Bichan, cellist Casey Murray, and bluegrass mandolinist Ethan Setiawan, Corner House are students of a wide variety of musical traditions. For their debut full-length record, they enlisted harp virtuoso Maeve Gilchrist, a past mentor to all four band members, to produce.

Upcoming album release: Andrew Duhon’s Emerald Blue

‘Castle on Irish Bayou’ is the first single from Emerald Blue. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

“The more I love, the less I trust in money / The more I get to know the soul of my fellow man,” sings New Orleans’s prodigal Americana son Andrew Duhon in the opening song of his new album Emerald Blue, due out July 29, 2022. Empowered by a wealth of songs crafted and collected throughout the great shutdown and inspired by adventures well-beyond his home in Orleans Parish, Duhon put his poetry in motion and nailed down eleven tunes representative of his view of the world in its current state: politically, socially, and personally. “The more I travel, the more I feel that I’m a man without a country / Is there truth in the story of the promised land?” But Duhon’s deep well of influences—from John Prine and Jim Croce to his city’s greats like Dr. John and Allen Touissant and beyond—and his sense of songwriter self-awareness keep what could have been a sad recollection of his forced time-off impressively light and grooving, a skill that his Louisiana predecessors have been refining for centuries. (Andrew Duhon, 2022)

Duhon released a music video for Emerald Blue’s first single, “Castle On Irish Bayou,” a thumping, bottleneck slide guitar-carried ode to escaping Midcity living for an actual, albeit modestly-sized, castle outside of New Orleans. It is one of Emerald Blue’s lighter commentaries. Admittedly more clever than true, “Castle On Irish Bayou” is infectious enough to convince even the most discerning real estate investor to uproot and move into the majestically out of place dwelling. “As I’m getting old enough to consider graduating from living under a landlord, the real estate prices just about everywhere in town scare me to the outskirts, and get me thinking about what’d be like to be ‘king of the Irish Bayou,’” jokes Duhon, but the resulting song will surely plant the same idea in the heads of listeners worldwide. Fans can now watch the “Castle On Irish Bayou” music video and pre-order or pre-save Emerald Blue here ahead of its July 29 release.

The tracks on Emerald Blue show serious time spent in listening mode—both to himself, and to the world around him. From the rich Americana twang and propulsive, clacking percussion of “Promised Land” to the vintage rhythm-and-blues grooves of “Digging Deep Down,” Duhon meditates on what it means to be present and true, whether to yourself and your ambition (“Down From The Mountain” and “As Good As It Gets”) to a lover (“Southpaw” and “Plans”) or to a wider world whose fraught and violent track record demands meaningful acknowledgement, reckoning, and change. The meditative “Everybody Colored Their Own Jesus,” is an appreciation of some basic wisdom from his church-school days: that faith, respect, and love are boundless and have no particular colors, traits, or rules. These are songs that come from a very particular time and place, when so many of us—often alone with our flaws and feelings, with few of our regular, dependable distractions—were forced to face hard truths. And yet, using the time-tested language of folk, of the blues, storytelling and soul-searching, voice and keys and strings, Andrew Duhon proves himself worthy of heroes like John Prine—who makes a fantasy cameo in “As Good As It Gets,” the album’s closer—by similarly crafting four-minute worlds in song, that feel purely timeless, as old or as young as the chronic condition of stumbling across Earth with a human heart.

Emerald Blue shows us the vast worlds that can be discovered and traveled when we sit still, and the breathtaking vistas on view when we look within—or at the people right beside us.

Catch Andrew Duhon on tour:
7.7 – Cambridge, MA – Club Passim
7.15 – Pueblo, CO – Brues Alehouse
7.16 – Winter Park, CO – Cooper Creek Square
7.17 – Boulder, CO – Gold Hill Inn
8.10 – Port Townsend, WA – Wheeler Theater
8.11 – Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern
8.12 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir
8.13 – Kingston, WA – Concerts in the Barn
8.14 – Nine Mile Falls, WA – Live at Andre’s
8.17 – New York, NY – Cafe Wha?
8.18 – Wayne, PA – 118 North
8.21 – Exeter, NH – The Word Barn

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Master Musicians Festival in Kentucky honors seasoned musicians and up-and-coming acts

Master Musicians Festival will be held in Somerset, Kentucky in July. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

When festival organizers dreamed up the Master Musicians Festival nearly three decades ago, their idea was simple: to honor those whose contributions have had a significant effect on their respective genres and to highlight the up-and-coming acts who are carrying the torch of their forebears. For every Guy Clark they booked, a Jason Isbell shared the bill, for every Doc Watson, a Nickel Creek, and for every Willie Nelson, a Tyler Childers, highlighting a thread that runs through all generations of world-class musicians; a bonafide mastery of their craft. Tickets as well as more information about the festival is available online. (Master Musicians Festival, 2022)

This year, over the weekend of July 15-16 in Somerset, Kentucky, Master Musicians Festival, presented by the City of Somerset, will welcome GRAMMY-nominated roots-rock mainstay Grace Potter, the eclectic influences of super-trio The Wood Brothers, a long-time favorite of music fans and fellow musicians-alike, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, and the easy-going swagger of Rayland Baxter to the Horse Soldier Bourbon main stage. This same stage has seen the likes of the aforementioned Doc Watson, Guy Clark, and Willie Nelson, plus many more—the festival’s last few years alone saw Steve Earle, The Counting Crows, and the late, great John Prine take the stage. Additionally, acts like Boy Named Banjo, John R. Miller, and Leah Blevins will give Master Musicians Festival a taste of what the well-equipped future of this music holds.

“The MMF family is not only a collection of artists who have performed on our stages, it is a family in the most literal sense. Many of our board members over the years have been sons and daughters of founding members; many families and friend groups in our community have made attending MMF an annual tradition. Festivals like ours cement a generational love of and appreciation for music and community. And that is the reason we devote ourselves as volunteers to the cause—to ensure that love lives on.” – Master Musicians Festival President and Media Director, Julie Harris.

The full lineup of July 15-16’s Master Musicians Festival includes Grace Potter, The Wood Brothers, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, Rayland Baxter, Boy Named Banjo, John R. Miller, Bendigo Fletcher, Leah Blevins, SG Goodman, Justin Wells, Cole Chaney, Tee Dee Young, Multi Ultra, Short & Company, Eric Bolander, The Minks, The Jessie Lees, Ciggy Tuna, Don Rogers, If Birds Could Fly, Daniel Stroud and the Sleeping Dogs, Dark Moon Hollow, Tommy Cate’s Kids Jam, and Sydney Adams.

On that list is a multitude of Kentucky’s finest musicians—pickers and singers who have been steeped in some of America’s finest musical traditions since birth—further cementing the Bluegrass State’s legacy in history, written and yet-to-be. Beyond tradition, the land that straddles the Mason-Dixon line and the folks who inhabit it have long been influential on the music being written in Kentucky. Like the state itself, Master Musicians Festival has spent the last 28 years reaching into what it means to be from Kentucky—what makes the artist’s soil so fertile—and translating the feeling into a shared musical experience for the world to see.

Passing the torch along to the next generation is a cornerstone of the Master Musicians Festival ideology, so it only makes sense that the festival is exciting for fans of all ages. Kids 12 and under receive free admission with a ticket-holding adult and there are a plethora of activities for youngsters to enjoy. MMF partners with The Shine House Art Studio to offer a free kids camp throughout the weekend. Kids can participate in instrument making, water balloon fights, bubbles, making glow jewelry, and participating in a special music set curated just for them. This year, local Master Musician and harmonica player Tommy Cate will host the kids’ jam at 3:50p.m. Saturday in the Somersession Tent. More details will be available on MMF’s website as the event approaches.

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Cristina Vane announces much anticipated sophomore album Make Myself Me Again

Make Myself Me Again is set for release on May 20, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

If Cristina Vane’s critically acclaimed debut Nowhere Sounds Lovely was her “road trip” album, then her much anticipated follow up represents the return home; musically and personally. Out May 20 on Red Parlor Records, Make Myself Me Again finds rising slide-guitar star Vane growing roots in her Nashville home and taking a moment to grow into herself as well. “I’ve been trying to peel back the layers, to understand who I am, and I think that process has translated to this record,” she explains, “The production is straightforward, more minimal, and a bit of a return to my rock roots but still paying homage to the music I’ve explored since then.” Make Myself Me Again was co-produced by Brook Sutton and Jano Rix and features appearances by Vane’s world-class musician friends like Bronwyn Keith-Hynes and Billy Contreras. (Cristina Vane, 2022)

DittyTV premiered the music video for the album’s first single, “How You Doin’,” calling it “a feel-good piece of movie magic released in support of her innovative and infectiously-good upcoming studio album, Make Myself Me Again.” Guitar Girl Magazine also sat down with Vane to talk about the inspiration behind the single, how her sound has evolved over the years, guitars, and much more. Fans can check out the video now and listen to “How You Doin'” right here.

Many songs on Make Myself Me Again delve into Vane’s personal relationships, and document her quest to find strength and independence in a new town. The album’s title track rings of tenacious resilience, with Cristina’s beautiful yet understated fingerstyle and slide guitar playing. It is the sound of the calm that comes with finally feeling at home with one’s self, conceived from the place of optimism that sometimes comes after a brutal shakedown. “Sometimes I lose, sometimes I win” sings Vane, “I’m gonna make myself me again…I’m giving up on giving in / I’m gonna make myself me again.” Despite the myriad of musical touchstones, the record remains cohesive, centering itself around Vane’s experiences and musicianship. “After being exposed to all of this music that I love, I’m slowly figuring out how to find my own voice,” she says, “It is the sound of growing up.” With class and adventure, Vane brings us all back home to ourselves on Make Myself Me Again, an album so honest that you would be hard-pressed not to root for it, along with its vulnerable and tenacious creator.

Catch Cristina Vane on tour:
May 20 – Nashville, TN – Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge – Album Release Show*
May 21 – Louisa, KY – Fallsburg Summer Stage*
June 2 – Knoxville, TN – Barleys Taproom*
June 3 – Lexington, KY – The Burl (supporting Town Mountain)*
June 4 – Asheville, NC – Isis Music Hall*
July 7 – Nescopeck, PA – Briggs Farm Blues Fest*
August 18 – Minturn, CO – Minturn Summer Concert Series
August 31 – Prescott, AZ – Folk Session @ Kiwanis Amphitheater
September 2 & 3 – Pagosa Springs, CO – Four Corners Folk Festival
October 22 – Greenville, SC – IPI Festival

*Denotes full band shows

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The Sheepdogs promise non-bummer pandemic rock and roll with new album Outta Sight

Outta Sight will be out June 3 via Warner Music. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Hailing from Saskatoon, The Sheepdogs are one of Canada’s most successful bands amassing a legion of fans worldwide with their rich harmonies, rounded guitar tones and classic rock influenced sound. The Sheepdogs have had 9 top 20 songs including 3 number one singles in their native Canada. Their albums Learn & Burn and The Sheepdogs both went platinum and yielded the platinum singles “I Don’t Know” and “Feeling Good.” They were the first unsigned band on the cover of Rolling Stone Magazine, performed on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon twice and have been nominated for 10 Juno Awards, winning four. Their new album Outta Sight will be out June 3 via Warner Music. (The Sheepdogs, 2022)

The Sheepdogs took all of their pandemic-induced feelings from the past two years and channeled them into the one thing that made sense: good, old-fashioned, non-bummer rock and roll music. The band—Ewan Currie, Ryan Gullen, Sam Corbett, Jimmy Bowskill, and Shamus Currie—were, like the rest of us, confused, cast ashore, and feeling isolated during COVID, but their output during that time produced the grooviest, simplest, and most penetrating album of their career, Outta Sight. With no roadmap and an overall uncertainty hanging over the universe, the band circled up, plugged into their amps, shared riffs and melodies, and leaned on each other for inspiration. The guys say it was the least prepared they have been while cutting a record since their self-titled album in 2012, but bassist Ryan Gullen calls the music they made a “life raft,” claiming that their initial sessions for Outta Sight saved them from their anxieties. “Playing rock music kept us grounded…kept us going.” 

The Sheepdogs shared another piece of Outta Sight with album-track “So Far Gone,” a J.J. Cale-sounding slow burner recorded with a vintage Rhythm Ace drum machine and fuzzy, straight-into-console electric guitars. Keeping with a simple “get in the room and play the song” mentality, the band landed on most of the album’s final tracks within three or four takes, letting a vibe, rather than a concept, guide their hands. Fans can hear “So Far Gone” now at this link, check out the Sheepdogs’ previously-released single, “Find The Truth,” right here, and pre-order or pre-save Outta Sight ahead of its June 3 release here. The Sheepdogs’ North American tour throughout the fall is on sale now. A full list of tour dates can be found below.

The strength of The Sheepdogs in full throttle straight-up appeals to your senses. Without pretension, it is urgent, rhythmic, clear, and fun; it is a break from slick production and gazing at your navel and proclaims the joy and jubilation of drums, bass, horns, and electric guitar. The Sheepdogs make tunes that make you nod your head. The artistry, however, beneath the stadium riffs—the harmonies, the multiple guitar parts, the groove behind a rhythm section that hangs out together when they are not on the clock—is battle-honed and spit-shined between vans, garages, thousands of soundchecks, and, yes, headlining shows. 

“Rock ‘n’ Roll is about cheering us up. Simple as that. We hope our music does the same for the listeners at a time where things still can feel very tough. There’s no greater truth than rock ‘n’ roll.” – Ewan Currie

Catch The Sheepdogs on tour:
September 16 – Fredericton, NB / Harvest Music Fest
September 18 – Charlottetown, PEI / PEI Brewing Company
September 20 – Burlington, VT / Higher Ground
September 22 – Montreal, QC / MTelus
September 23 – Quebec City, QC / Palais Montcalm
September 24 – North Bay, ON / Capitol Centre
October 7 – Bristol, UK / Thekla
October 8 – Manchester, UK / Gorilla
October 9 – London, UK / Electric Ballroom
October 13 – Toronto, ON – Massey Hall
October 14 – Belleville, ON – The Empire Theatre
October 15 – Woodstock, NY – Levon Helm Studios
October 17 – Boston, MA – The Sinclair
October 18 – New York, NY – Bowery Ballroom
October 20 – Ardmore, PA – Ardmore Music Hall
October 21 – Washington, DC – Union Stage
October 22 – Durham, NC – Motorco Music Hall
October 24 – Asheville, NC – The Grey Eagle
October 25 – Nashville, TN – Basement East
October 26 – Atlanta, GA – Masquerade – Purgatory
October 28 – Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall (Upstairs)
October 30 – Dallas, TX – Tulips
November1 – Austin, TX – The Ballroom
November3 – Indianapolis, IN – Hi Fi
November4 – Detroit, MI – El Club
November5 – Kitchener, ON – Centre In The Square
November18 – London, ON – London Music Hall
November19 – Chicago, IL – Lincoln Hall
November20 – Minneapolis, MN – Turf Club
November22 – Winnipeg, MB – Burton Cummings Theatre
November23 – Regina, SK – Casino Regina
November25 – Saskatoon, SK – TCU Place
November26 – Calgary, AB – The Palace Theatre
November27 – Edmonton, AB – Midway
November28 – Red Deer, AB – Bo’s Bar & Grill
December 1 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
December 2 – Vancouver, BC – Commodore Ballroom
December 3 – Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern
December 4 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
December 6 – San Francisco, CA – The Independent
December 7 – Los Angeles, CA – The Moroccan Lounge
December 8 – San Diego, CA – The Casbah
December 9 – Phoenix, AZ – Valley Bar
December 11 – Denver, CO – Globe Hall
December 12 – Omaha, NE – Slowdown
December 14 – Lexington, KY – The Burl
December 15 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom
December 16 – Buffalo, NY – Town Ballroom

Blue Dogs are back with new album Big Dreamers

South Carolina good times rockers Blue Dogs are back with new album Big Dreamers, due out June 3, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

With a wild drum fill and a swirl of chorus-affected guitars, Carolina’s favorite band Blue Dogs kick off their brand new single “That’s How I Knew”—their first studio-recorded music released since 2004’s Halos and Good Buys. For fans of the long-running band, it is only the first of more to come from an entire album of new music. Big Dreamers is set for release on June 3, 2022. (Blue Dogs, 2022)

Produced by accomplished guitarist and longtime Blue Dogs fan—and at times, guitar player—Sadler Vaden (Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit), Big Dreamers marks a long-awaited comeback for the band and an inevitable full-circle moment for their producer. “I have a history with these guys,” Vaden says. “They used to hire me when I was 18 or 19 years old to play with them. I’ve always admired their sound, even on their albums before I started playing with them, but this record represents the best part of the Blue Dogs in my mind. It’s return to form that also brings out the highlights of their last record. Some things are polished and some things are a little more raw.” Vaden is not the only fan of Blue Dogs contributing to Big Dreamers; legendary Texas songwriter Radney Foster sings background vocals on “That’s How I Knew,” which he co-wrote with Bobby Houck along with the greasy, mid-tempo “If Ever,” and dobro master Jerry Douglas joined the boys on the bluegrass-inspired “The Road You Don’t.”

JamBase premiered the music video for “That’s How I Knew,” Blue Dogs’ irresistible ode to finding the right relationship, and BrooklynVegan highlighted the track, calling it, “a warm, breezy song that finds the long-running band in fine form.” Fans can watch the video at this link and pre-order Big Dreamers ahead of its June 3 release. The band will be celebrating the release of Big Dreamers with a concert at Isle of Palms, South Carolina’s famed Windjammer beach stage on June 3. Tickets are still available.

Founded in 1987 and based in Charleston, the group is still led by songwriters Hank Futch (bass) and Bobby Houck (lead singer, acoustic guitar), who grew up together in Florence, South Carolina. After nearly two decades on the road, the Blue Dogs took an extended break from touring in 2007 as Futch and Houck accepted jobs outside of music to support their new families. Yet they both filed away occasional phrases and potential titles just in case they ever had a chance to make another album together. For this project, they were joined in the studio by guitarist Dan Hood, steel guitar player Charlie Thompson, and longtime drummer Greg Walker. Keeping it all in one big Blue Dogs family, former member Phillip Lammonds co-wrote three of the new songs.

“We’re doing this to follow that dream of playing music and sharing our sound with whoever wants to listen,” Futch says. “We’ve probably been Americana before that became a term. But we didn’t feel like we had to be anything other than ourselves to write these songs.” Houck adds, “We still have something to say. We can write good songs that we like, knowing other people will like them too. We’ve got a lot more to do, more places to play, and maybe bigger places to play. Because of this album, we get to live this dream longer than we thought.”

Big Dreamers track list:
The Good Ones
Big Dreamers
Young Love
All Night Long
That’s How I Knew
Love Is Love Is Love
The Good Road
If Ever
The Road You Don’t
Carolina Grand
All Out Of Time

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Nitty Gritty Dirty Band announces new album: Dirt Does Dylan

Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s Dirt Does Dylan will be released May 20, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Five-decades-running Americana pioneers Nitty Gritty Dirt Band have already played a major role in the preservation and popularity of folk music—their Will The Circle Be Unbroken album series introduced droves of new fans to folk, country, and bluegrass and earned the band multiple Grammy awards. Now, the long-running group has taken on another American institution near and dear to their hearts; the Bob Dylan songbook. On May 20, the band will be releasing Dirt Does Dylan, a ten-track album highlighting some of the gems from Dylan’s vast catalog with the help of three new band members: fiddle specialist Ross Holmes; singer-songwriter and bass player Jim Photoglo (who wrote one of the Dirt Band’s biggest hits “Fishin’ in the Dark”); and Dirt Band founder Jeff Hanna’s son, the absurdly talented singer and guitarist Jaime Hanna. Produced and recorded by Ray Kennedy at Room & Board Studio in Nashville, Tennessee, Dirt Does Dylan finds a generation-spanning Dirt Band paying an appropriately great tribute to arguably the greatest songwriter of the 20th century with the help of friends like Jason Isbell, The War & Treaty, Steve Earle, and Rosanne Cash, to name a few. (Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, 2022)

Billboard premiered the Dirt Band’s cover of “I Shall Be Released,” which Dylan originally recorded with The Band during their infamous Basement Tapes sessions. On this version of the tune, sisters Rebecca and Megan Lovell—better known as accomplished blues-rock duo Larkin Poe—lend their perfectly-blended voices and Megan’s lap steel guitar skills to the mix. Carpenter takes the first verse vocals while the Hannas handle guitar duties. Aside from the fine songwriting itself, Jeff Hanna and Megan Lovell’s infectious guitar interplay carries the song from verse to verse, culminating in the song’s final solo section. Fans can watch the band record “I Shall Be Released” in its official music video at this link, check out the previously-released single, “The Times, They Are A-Changin’,” and pre-order or pre-save Dirt Does Dylan ahead of its May 20 release.

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band formed in 1966 as a Long Beach, California jug band, scored its first charting single in 1967, and embarked on a self-propelled ride through folk, country, rock ‘n’ roll, pop, bluegrass, and the amalgam now known as “Americana.” The first major hit came in 1971 with the epic “Mr. Bojangles,” which, along with insistent support from banjo master Earl Scruggs, opened doors in Nashville. Earl Scruggs, Roy Acuff, Doc Watson, Mother Maybelle Carter, Jimmy Martin, and others collaborated on a multi-artist, multi-generational, three-disc 1972 masterpiece: Will the Circle Be Unbroken. In the 1980s, the Dirt Band reeled off 15 straight Top 10 country hits, including chart-toppers “Long Hard Road (The Sharecropper’s Dream),” “Modern Day Romance,” and “Fishin’ in the Dark (co-written by Jim Photoglo, who would join the band in the second decade of the new century). The year 1989 brought a second Circle album, this one featuring singer-songwriter talents including John Prine, Rosanne Cash, and John Hiatt and garnering two Grammy awards for the band. Circle II also won the Country Music Association’s Album of the Year prize. Circle III was released in 2003, featuring collaborations with Johnny Cash, Dwight Yoakam, Emmylou Harris, Taj Mahal, and more.

Track listing:
1. Tonight I’ll Be Staying Here with You
2. Girl from the North Country
3. It Takes a Lot to Laugh, It Takes a Train to Cry
4. Country Pie
5. I Shall Be Released (ft. Larkin Poe)
6. She Belongs to Me
7. Forever Young
8. The Times They Are A-Changin’ (ft. Rosanne Cash, Jason Isbell, Steve Earle, and The War and Treaty)
9. Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right
10. Quinn The Eskimo (The Mighty Quinn)

Catch Nitty Gritty Dirt Band on tour:
May 13 – Lancaster, PA – American Music Theatre
May 14 – New York, NY – City Winery
May 15 – Philadelphia, PA – City Winery
May 19 – Mankato, MN – Vetter Stone Amphitheatre
May 20 – Papillion, NE – Sumtur Amphitheater
May 21 – Chesterfield, MO – Chesterfield Amphitheatre
May 22 – Louisville, KY – Iroquois Amphitheater
June 9 – Eureka Springs, AR – Eureka Springs City Auditorium
June 10 – Kansas City, MO – Uptown Theater
June 11 – Salina, KS – Stiefel Theatre for the Performing Arts
June 24 – Grand Junction, CO – Country Jam 2022
June 25 – North Platte, NE – Nebraskaland Days
July 14 – Davenport, IA – Rhythm City Casino Resort
July 15 – Decorah, IA – Winneshiek County Fair
July 16 – Chicago, IL – City Winery
July 21 – Marietta, OH – Peoples Bank Theatre
July 22 – Shipshewana, IN – Blue Gate Performing Arts Center
July 23 – Twin Lakes, WI – Country Thunder Wisconsin 2022
August 3 – McMinnville, OR – Yamhill County Fair & Rodeo
August 4 – Boise, ID – The Egyptian Theatre
August 6 – Bellvue, CO – Mishawaka Amphitheatre
August 12 – Hinckley, MN – Grand Country Nights 2022
August 13 – South West Fargo, ND – Lights Amphitheater
August 18 – Three Forks, MT – Headwaters Country Jam 2022
August 19 – Rexford, MT – Abayance Bay Marina
August 27 – Gilbert, AZ – Higley Center For The Performing Arts
August 28 – Tucson, AZ – Rialto Theatre
September 2 – Orange Park, FL – Thrasher-Horne Center
September 3 – Mill Spring, NC – The Earl Scruggs Music Festival 2022

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