Category: music

New album release: 3Sirens Presents: With Love Part 1

3Sirens Presents: With Love Part 1 featuring Andrew Combs, Dylan LeBlanc, Caitlin Rose, and more is available now digitally. It is the first of a two part EP series from 3Sirens Music Group; 6-song compilation of artist-chosen cover songs. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

The team behind East Nashville-based independent label and recording studio 3Sirens strives to adhere to a simple mission statement: build community and celebrate great artists all while having a little fun. Revolving around 3Sirens’ physical space/incognito recording studio/creative salon, the record label began as an outlet for the prolific output that artists dream up within its walls. 

“Building a 1960s style Laurel Canyon music community or a 1920s Parisian artistic movement, a la Gertrude Stein, has always been the dream of 3Sirens. A nostalgic fantasy perhaps but a good pursuit nonetheless,” say 3Sirens founders and head-dreamers, The Grahams. The beginnings of their efforts will be reaped in the form of 3Sirens Presents: With Love Part 1, a six-song digital mixtape of sorts all in the name of making music and having a good time doing so. Featuring artists like Andrew Combs, Dylan LeBlanc, and Caitlin Rose covering some of their favorite off-the-beaten-path songs from the 80s and 90s, With Love: Part 1 was recorded live with little to no overdubs. Stream and/or save 3Sirens Presents: With Love Part 1 now.

The EP’s first single was Andrew Combs’ cover of Radiohead’s “High and Dry,” of which Glide Magazine wrote that he “does a fine job of channeling Thom Yorke while letting his own gorgeously vulnerable vocals shine.” The EP’s second single was The Grahams’ cover of Mazzy Star’s “Fade Into You.” Alyssa Graham shares of the recording, “I always always wanted to cover that song. It spoke to me in a way that allowed me to wander through the magical world the band set up.” Hear their version here. 

The Grahams also sat down with the Bluegrass Situation to share their intention and inspiration for 3Sirens studio where this project was recorded. Read the full interview here and watch a studio tour of the space here. 

Want more of what 3Sirens is cooking up? Americana and alt-country music fans should keep eyes peeled for the upcoming full length from East Nashville hero Derek Hoke, the first official 3Sirens Music Group Artist. 

3Sirens Presents: With Love Part 1 track list:
“Big Love” by Fleetwood Mac, performed by Dylan LeBlanc
“One Way Or Another” by Blondie, performed by Caitlin Rose
“High and Dry” by Radiohead, performed by Andrew Combs
“Somebody to Shove” by Soul Asylum, performed by Kevin Kinney
“Something So Strong” by Crowded House, performed by Derek Hoke
“Fade Into You” by Mazzy Star, performed by The Grahams

3Sirens is a gathering spot for creatives and dreamers, a social salon. A studio built with the premise that to be creative one must exist in a creative space. Of course the state of the art gear and the thoughtfully curated collection of vintage and specialty instruments abound but it goes beyond the material into something less tangible. That such a space was dreamt up by lifelong lovers and dreamers, The Grahams, who themselves longed for a space to gather, to create art and play music, to collaborate, to stretch out and explore the “impossible,” and to let the intangible and unexplainable just happen. 3Sirens is a living, breathing space in East Nashville, Tennessee made better and more storied by each artist who creates within its walls. Welcome.

 

Fiona Apple joins Watkins Family Hour on upcoming album Vol. II

Fiona Apple Joins Watkins Family Hour On “(Remember Me) I’m The One Who Loves You” From Upcoming Album Vol. II due out August 19, 2022. Vol. II features guests Jackson Browne, Lucius, Madison Cunningham, and many more. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Watkins Family Hour is a collaborative musical project founded by musicians and siblings Sara Watkins and Sean Watkins and traditionally held at the beloved Los Angeles club Largo. Since the first Watkins Family Hour show in 2002, the duo has released three studio albums, debuting with their self-titled album in 2015, following with Brother Sister in 2020, and, most recently, releasing Vol. II in August 2022. Sean and Sara recorded Vol. II at Los Angeles’ East West Studios in early 2022 alongside a stacked roster of longtime and new Family Hour collaborators, including Fiona Apple, Jackson Browne, Madison Cunningham, Lucius, Jon Brion, and more. As with their debut, the band will tour in support of Vol. II, bringing the Watkins Family Hour experiences to stages far and wide. Vol. II will be released August 19, 2022. (Watkins Family Hour, 2022)

The group shared “(Remember Me) I’m the One Who Loves You” from Vol. II; a track that features former Family Hour touring band member, longtime fixture at Largo, and wholly singular artist in her own right, Fiona Apple. Watkins Family Hour’s “(Remember Me)” kicks off with long-time Heartbreaker Benmont Tench’s honky-tonk piano and ends with Greg Leisz’s slinky pedal steel; the two enveloping a smile-inducing performance crowned by Sara, Sean, and Fiona’s three-part blend in the song’s iconic choruses. “I first heard this Stuart Hamblen song while going down an Ernest Tubb rabbit hole,” remembers Sara. “It’s hard for us to resist a country shuffle with attitude like this one. It’s our favorite kind of thing to sing with Fiona Apple.”

Fans can hear “(Remember Me) I’m the One Who Love You” now and read the premiere on Consequence of Sound. Check out WFH’s previously-released Tune-Yards cover “Hypnotized,” and pre-order or pre-save Vol. II ahead of its August 19 release date.

Vol. II follows Watkins Family Hour’s sophomore album Brother Sister, which they released as the COVID-19 pandemic began taking hold of the globe and, in turn, shut down the live music industry. That record was, serendipitously, a quieter affair, showcasing the musical interplay between Sara and Sean that keeps the Family Hour heart beating. In many ways, it is also a successor to Watkins Family Hour, the self-titled 2015 album that introduced the band to a broader audience and sent them, along with some of their closest collaborators, out on the road to tour.

As both Sean and Sara continue to work on their own solo music, as well as with their other bands like Nickel Creek and I’m With Her, Watkins Family Hour remains an invaluable resource and respite for them both, offering a familiar but ever-evolving space to test new ideas, meet new collaborators and, most importantly, have a good time doing what they love.

“It’s been really exciting to be part of this thing that is happening and growing and enables us to dig deep into this musical community,” Sean says. “The consistency has been invaluable to both of us, as musicians.” Sara adds, “But also, in life, the Family Hour has been and continues to be a huge part of making us feel anchored in the crazy city of Los Angeles.”

Vol. II track list:
The Way I Feel Inside (Ft. Lucius)
Hypnotized
Pitseleh (Feat. Madison Cunningham)
Thanks a Lot (Ft. Jon Brion)
The Late Show (Ft. Jackson Browne)
Tennessee Waltz (Ft. Benmont Tench)
She Left Me Standing on the Mountain (Ft. Willie Watson)
We Were Meant to Be Together
On the Outside (Ft. Gaby Moreno)
(Remember Me) I’m the One Who Loves You (Ft. Fiona Apple)
Grief and Praise (Ft. Madison Cunningham)

Catch Watkins Family Hour on tour:
August 13 – Lexington, VA – Lime Kiln Theater
August 14 – York, PA – Susquehanna Folk Festival
September 16 – Cincinnati, OH – Longworth-Anderson Series at Memorial Hall
September 17 – Nashville, TN – Americana Fest
September 18 – Indianapolis, IN – The Toby Theatre
September 20 – Ann Arbor, MI – The Ark
September 21 – Kent, OH – Kent Stage
September 22 – Ft. Wayne, IN – Clyde Theatre
September 23 – Bay Harbor, MI – Great Lakes Center for the Arts
September 24 – Chicago, IL – Old Town School of Folk Music
September 25 – Chicago, IL – Old Town School of Folk Music
November 13 – Beaverton, OR – The Reser

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Americana trailblazer Jim Lauderdale announces new album Game Changer

Jim Lauderdale’s new album Game Changer will be out August 26, 2022. That Kind of Life (That Kind of Day) is the new single from the album. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

In a flurry of steel guitar and raucous drum beats, Americana renaissance man Jim Lauderdale kicks off Game Changer—his 35th full-length album—with “That Kind Of Life (That Kind Of Day),” a rollicking ode to what Jim calls “the sentiment and wishes for others to have a good life.” Lauderdale had the instrumental twin guitar/steel hook in his head when he sat down to write “That Kind Of Life.” American Songwriter premiered the track and called it “a message of the times, delivered like only Lauderdale can in a blended Americana fuse.” Fans can listen to “That Kind Of Life (That Kind Of Day)” now and pre-order or pre-save Game Changer ahead of its August 26 release. (Jim Lauderdale, 2022)

In addition to the exciting news of Lauderdale’s new album, he has also just been named a 2022 nominee for the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. Lauderdale, along with eleven other of his contemporaries, will be celebrated at the Songwriters Hall of Fame Gala in October where the Class of 2022 Hall of Fame inductees will be announced.

Operating under his own label, Sky Crunch Records, for the first time since 2016, Lauderdale recorded Game Changer at the renowned Blackbird Studios in Nashville, co-producing the release with Jay Weaver and pulling from songs he had written over the last several years. “There’s a mixture on this record of uplifting songs and, at the same time, songs of heartbreak and despair—because that’s part of life as well,” he says. “In the country song world especially, that’s always been part of it. That’s real life.”

At any given time, you are likely to find Jim Lauderdale making music, whether he is laying down a new track in the studio or working through a spontaneous melody at his home in Nashville. If he is not actively crafting new music, he is certainly thinking about it. “It’s a constant challenge to try to keep making better and better records, write better and better songs. I still always feel like I’m a developing artist,” he says. This may be a surprising sentiment from a man who’s won two Grammys, released 34 full-length albums, and taken home the Americana Music Association’s coveted Wagonmaster Award. His forthcoming album Game Changer is convincing evidence that the North Carolina native is only continuing to hone his craft.

Catch Jim Lauderdale on tour:
August 13 – Maggie Valley, NC – Songwriting Camp
August 26 – Nashville, TN – Grand Ole Opry
August 31 – Nashville, TN – 3rd & Lindsley album release show
September 11 – Bristol, VA – Bristol Rhythm and Roots
September 13-17 – Nashville, TN – AmericanaFest
September 24 – Nashville, TN – Tommy Emmanuel’s CMA Theatre
September 25 – Nashville, TN – Tommy Emmanuel’s Guitar Camp
October 7 – Augusta, GA – Summer Series
October 8 – Pelham, TN – Cave Fest @ The Caverns
October 12 – Jacksonville Beach, FL – Blue Jay Listening Room
October 13 – Live Oak, FL – Suwanee Roots Revival 2022
October 21 – Pomeroy, OH – Songwriter Weekend Fur Peace Ranch
November 3 – Los Angeles, CA – Outlaw Country West 2022

 

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Musician interview: a conversation with Jacob Jolliff

Jacob Jolliff’s new album The Jacob Jolliff Band is available now. Courtesy photo, used with permission

Known for his stunning cross-genre virtuosity and his collaborations with musicians from across the musical spectrum, acoustic musician Jacob Jolliff recently announced the release of his album The Jacob Jolliff Band via Adhyâropa Records. Featuring tight vocal harmonies as well as the customary instrumental fireworks of a collaborative ensemble made up of fellow young stars, this album marks a major milestone in Jolliff’s evolution and the arrival of an authority on bluegrass mandolin. The Jacob Jolliff Band is available now for purchase. (Adhyâropa Records, 2022)

With his new album releasing today, I recently asked Mr. Jolliff a series of questions regarding his background and musical inclinations and this is what he had to say:

Sandra Cruz: You are known as a mandolin player. Do you play another instrument? Which one would you like to learn to play, if any?
Jacob Jolliff: I’ve mostly focused on the mandolin for the last 25 years. I play a bit of guitar, piano, and I sing. I’m finally moving in to an apartment that has a piano, and I’m really looking forward to practicing that!

SC: You have played with many notable musicians; who is your favorite?
JJ: I’ve been lucky to play with a lot of incredible musicians in my life—here are some that have had a huge influence:
—My dad, Bill Jolliff. My first gigging, recording and touring experiences were with dad, and his musical sensibilities have a big impact on me to this day.
—Alex Hargreaves. Alex is one of the best fiddlers in the world and we grew playing together, went to college together, and lived together in NYC. He’s been a huge influence.
—Tony Trischka and Béla Fleck. I’ve been lucky enough to perform with Tony and Béla, and they’re both huge heroes of mine.
—Some other peers of mine that have impacted me musically are: Wes Corbett, Stash Wyslouch, Mike Barnett, Grant Gordy, Lee Dynes, Mike Robinson, Sierra Hull, Michael Daves.

SC: Do you see yourself playing music many years down the road? Would you ever retire?
JJ: Yes! I hope to play my whole life!

SC: Do you prefer playing in front of big audiences or smaller, more intimate venues?
JJ: I like it all! It’s more dependent on who I’m playing with, and the level of attention of the crowd! I’ve really enjoyed everything from house shows to Red Rocks!

SC: What type of music do you listen to on your leisure time?
JJ: Lots of stuff! I’ve been particularly in to Sonny Rollins, Mulgrew Miller and Jason Isbell these days!

SC: Is there anything you would like your fans to know about you? Any messages to them?
JJ: Come to a live show! That band really brings it live!

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Scott Krokoff announces new single Fortunately

Scott Krokoff’s new single Fortunately. Cover art by enchanted.marvel.

With a rich sound drawn primarily from his love of 60s and 70s music, New Yorker Scott Krokoff weaves elements of folk rock and country pop into confessional and compelling Americana. He is an evocative and introspective songwriter with a style that is reminiscent of Tom Petty and James Taylor and a voice that sounds like a mix of Jackson Browne and Steve Winwood. People of all ages find Scott’s music appealing and inspirational, relating to his music not only because of the infectious rhythm and energy each song possesses but because he represents the desire we each have to dream big and live life to the fullest. His latest single Fortunately, is now officially out and available for streaming on all platforms. It is a love song written for his wife in the bossa nova style reminiscent of those classic bossa sounds from the 60s. (Scott Krokoff, 2022)

He will be appearing at the Mercury Lounge in New York on Friday, August 5 along with Rory D’Lasnow and Victor V. Gurbo. Tickets are $10 and are available through Ticketmaster. Each be playing 30 minute full band sets.

To date, Scott has released 3 albums and several singles, including three singles with over 100,000 streams on Spotify (Far Too Many Times, My Own Terms and Groundhog). PopWrapped calls Scott “an artist to watch” and Music Crowns calls Scott’s latest release – 2022’s Fortunately – “a song you’ll want to hold your loved ones close to, and find harmony with one another while swaying along to the music.”

Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Teddy and the Rough Riders’ new single from upcoming new album

Teddy and the Rough Riders skip town to start a farm on groovy new single ‘Livin in the Woods.’ Their new LP, Teddy and the Rough Riders, will be out July 1, 2022. Courtesy photo, used with permission.

Teddy and The Rough Riders is probably your favorite country band’s favorite country band. With a sound that sits somewhere in the middle of “down-home” and “far out,” the Nashville-born-and-bred band proudly and prolifically drops retro-sounding, feel-good songs that would fit right in on a Grand Ole Opry radio broadcast or a late-night slot at Bonnaroo. Masked alt-country darling Orville Peck decided to take Teddy and The Rough Riders on a nationwide tour this year that included a stop at the band’s hometown Ryman Auditorium—a bucket list venue for performers from around the world—and current queen of the country underground, Margo Price, loves the band so much she decided to produce their upcoming LP, Teddy and The Rough Riders. On July 1, via Appalachia Record Co., that great uniting can begin with the release of the Price-produced LP Teddy and The Rough Riders. (Teddy and The Rough Riders, 2022)

The band recently released their first preview of the album with “Livin in the Woods,” a grand idea of leaving town and disappearing into the woods to start a farm with friends. The track premiered with The Boot who hailed the band and called the trio, “a must watch act to watch in 2022.” Fans can hear for themselves by checking out “Livin in the Woods” now at this link. Teddy and The Rough Riders can be digitally pre-ordered or pre-saved ahead of its July 1st release right here and physical pre-orders, including vinyl, can be found here. 

Up until the sessions for Teddy and the Rough Riders in 2019, the band—Jack Quiggins (vocals, guitar), Ryan Jennings (vocals, bass), Nic Swafford (drums), and Luke Schneider (pedal steel)—had mostly recorded at home. This was their first big studio effort with a producer, engineer, session players, and the goal of an audible fidelity change. After narrowing down their best demos, the band recruited Margo Price to produce because of her creative vision and “let’s roll” Neil Young-inspired recording philosophy. They rented out Club Roar, brought in engineer-producer Jake Davis and spent a few days holed up in the studio to capture the magic of the session. What resulted from those days of close collaboration in the studio on the final version of the album, mixed by Davis and mastered by John Baldwin, is some of the most original country rock to come from Nashville in a while.

In the years leading up to their new self-titled LP, Teddy and The Rough Riders have released a home-recorded EP and LP, and several singles, including a 7” record from Third Man Records. They have shared bills with artists such as Margo Price, Jeff the Brotherhood, and Soccer Mommy, and have been the backing band in most of Emily Nenni’s recordings and live shows. Musical collaborators include Skyway Man, Erin Rae, Sean Thompson, and David Leonard, among others. After years of touring, playing bars and recording a prolific back catalog of work, Teddy and The Rough Riders first “big studio” effort, produced by Margo Price, will be released on July 1 via Appalachia Record Co.

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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 Po’ Ramblin’ Boys announce new LP Never Slow Down

The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys connect bluegrass past and present with Never Slow Down, due out March 25 via Smithsonian Folkways. Photo: The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, used with permission.

Necessity is what brought GRAMMY-nominated, IBMA Award-winning bluegrass group The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys together in the first place—and it is necessity that keeps them fueled today. Initially, a basic need for entertainment at an East Tennessee moonshine distillery brought the band’s original lineup together, but now, after miles and miles of touring and multiple albums recorded, their need is to continue connecting the past to the present, breaking new ground in the unknown future of the “high, lonesome sound.” The quintet symbolizes not only the tradition, legend, and lore that is bluegrass music, they possess a key trait of the ancient tones all too easily forgotten in the 21st century—rebellion. This spirit is at the center of their newest album, Never Slow Down, out March 25 on Smithsonian Folkways, which is also their first album featuring fiddler Laura Orshaw as an official member of the band. Taking on material by their heroes the Stanley Brothers, Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard, George Jones, and more, The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys bridge the gap between the past and present, proving the eternal importance of bluegrass and making it accessible to all. (The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, 2022)

“We know what bluegrass is. We know the history. And we respect the history. But, we’re looking to expand the boundaries of bluegrass—that’s the truth of the matter,” says The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys’ lead singer and mandolinist, C.J. Lewandowski. “A good song is a good song. We want to honor the past, but we also want to do our own material—to have our own sound, and to play our own way.” American Songwriter premiered the lead single “The Blues Are Close at Hand,” calling the single “high-energy” and taking note of the band’s “skilled and respectful approach to bluegrass traditions.” Fans can click here to hear “The Blues Are Close at Hand” and pre-order or pre-save Never Slow Down ahead of its March 25 release at this link.

Never Slow Down also represents the latest chapter of The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys with the addition of fiddler Laura Orshaw as an official band member. Though Orshaw had made appearances on previous offerings from The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, her new full-time member status is front and center on Never Slow Down, whether it be taking the lead vocals on certain melodies or letting her intricate fiddle work shine through with its razor-sharp tone. “Having the fiddle in there really completes that signature lineup of what bluegrass music is,” Lewandowski says. “And with Laura, we’re able to open up all kinds of harmony structures, which gives each of us more opportunities to expand our palette of what we want to ultimately create and perform live.”

In signing with Smithsonian Folkways, the group has become a part of a nearly century-long legacy of musical celebration and preservation as they join the ranks of Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard, Del McCoury, Bill Monroe, The Stanley Brothers, and many other innovators of previous eras of Bluegrass that have material in the label’s fabled catalog.

The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys are gearing up for their next, unwritten phase with an album release tour and spring festival engagements right around the corner, and carrying bluegrass into the future will always be their number one focus. “The beauty of bluegrass music is not just the tradition of it, but also its constant evolution,” Lewandowski says. “No matter what we do, we’re always going to be honoring something in some kind of way. And that because it’s just what we like to do—it’s part of every one of us in this band.”

Never Slow Down track list:
Missing Her Has Never Slowed Me Down
Where Grass Don’t Grow
Lonesome
The Blues Are Close at Hand
When Are You Gonna Tell Me?
Take My Ashes to the River
Little Glass of Wine
Ramblin’ Woman
Woke Up With Tears in My Eyes
Mason’s Lament
Old Time Angels

Catch The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys on tour:
April 9 – Bristol, VA – Bristol Spring Bluegrass Festival
April 23 – Oakboro, NC – Big Lick Bluegrass Festival
April 30 – Floyd, VA – Floyd Country Store
May 4 – Branson, MO – Silver Dollar City
May 5 – Branson, MO – Silver Dollar City
May 6 – Webster, KY – The Randall Barn
May 7 – Cincinnati, OH – Appalachian Festival
May 26 – McClure, VA – Dr. Ralph Stanley’s Hills of Home Bluegrass Festival

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New album: Surely Will Be Singing by Tammy Rogers and Thomm Jutz

Surely Will Be Singing is the new album by Tammy Rogers and Thomm Jutz, available now everywhere. Photo: Tammy Rogers and Thomm Jutz

Parallel creative paths and a singular chance meeting of Tammy Rogers and Thomm Jutz are the origins of the duo’s forthcoming album, Surely Will Be Singing which released on January 21 via Mountain Fever Records. Bluegrass and Americana fans are treated to the album’s final single, “Long Gone”—available to stream everywhere at this link. Rogers named the song, taking the classic bluegrass train theme and turning it on its head. (Tammy Rogers/Thomm Jutz, 2022)

“In my mind, ‘Long Gone’ is set in the 1920s, a time of great social movement and upheaval. I picture a young man from the country who is either going to catch the train his lover is on, or stay left behind. What’s he going to do? Stick with the old or go somewhere new? This song is a reminder to all of us that no matter what we do, time is short, and we had better get to doing what we’re supposed to do.” – Thomm Jutz.

Surely Will Be Singing is a twelve-song collection selected from the 140+ songs King and Jutz have written over the years. “We’d always talked about making a duo record,” Jutz says. “We’re both very serious about what we do but we’re also very easygoing in the way we approach things. That’s at the heart of how we write. We’re both willing to see where things naturally go. I love that because at the end of the day, we usually wind up with something I wouldn’t have come up with on my own.” Rogers adds.

Previously, Rogers and Jutz released “The Tree of Life,” another single from the album which explores the concept of duality, something the duo were discussing after having read the writing of Joseph Campbell. Fans can hear “The Tree of Life” now at this link.

When Tammy Rogers was around five years old, her family moved from Rogersville, Tennessee, to Texas. Her father bought her a three-quarter size fiddle a few years later and it immediately became an extension of herself. Along with playing and touring with her family’s bluegrass band, she absorbed the music of her grandmother’s records whenever she would travel back to Tennessee in the summertime. Rogers landed her big break when she was hired to play fiddle in Patty Loveless’ band in 1990. Later in that decade, she co-founded one of Nashville’s earliest alt- country indie labels, Dead Reckoning Records. In 2016, Rogers won her first Grammy with the SteelDrivers for their album, The Muscle Shoals Recordings, which was awarded best bluegrass album.

Thomm Jutz’ pivotal moment came when he watched Bobby Bare singing “Detroit City” and “Tequila Sheila” on a German television show. That epiphany set him on a course of learning to play guitar and seeking out as many bluegrass and folk records as he could. After writing songs for the bands he formed in high school, Jutz began to study the craft. Following his lifelong dream, and inspired and encouraged by his mentor, songwriter Richard Dobson, Jutz moved to Nashville in 2003. Now firmly established as a producer, musician, and songwriter, Jutz received his first Grammy nomination, in the Best Bluegrass Album category, for his 2020 set, To Live in Two Worlds, Vol. 1. He has written or co-written innumerable bluegrass radio hits, recorded by artists like John Prine, Balsam Range, and The Steeldrivers and most recently, in 2021, Jutz was named IBMA’s songwriter of the year.

 

Mariachi Herencia de México presents ‘It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year’

Mariachi Herencia de México’s new mariachi take on ‘It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.’ Courtesy photo, used with permission.

The Latin GRAMMY®-nominated group of young Mexican-American musicians ring in the holiday season with a new mariachi take on “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year.” Mariachi Herencia de México, composed of both male and female musicians from Chicago, recreate the Andy Williams Christmas classic with a fresh and modern sound that is sure to leave you filled with holiday cheer. It is available now on all music platforms. (Mariachi Herencia de México, 2021)

“We’re excited to release our own version of this Christmas classic. It’s the perfect track for everyone’s holiday playlist. We made the track for everyone to enjoy, no matter where you’re from or how old you are, everyone loves Christmas.” – Ruben Núñez, lead vocalist and trumpet player for the band

Composed by Eddie Pola and George Wyle, “It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” was originally recorded and released in 1963 by pop singer Andy Williams. For this version, Mariachi Herencia de México collaborated once again with the band’s musical director Rigoberto Alfaro ( Latin GRAMMY® winning producer), one of the most revered and innovative composers of the mariachi genre credited for his work with the likes of Vicente Fernandez, Juan Gabriel, Joan Sebastian, Rocio Durcal, Alejandro Fernandez just to mention a few.

“Maestro Alfaro wrote a beautiful arrangement that combines references from traditional mariachi music, with the timeless pop sound of the original recording. The song has such a happy and uplifting vibe, which is exactly what we wanted to share with our fans this Christmas season.” – Melanie Juárez, lead vocalist and guitar player for the band

“It’s the Most Wonderful Time of the Year” features a beautiful duet, a fusion of both male and female voices, with lead vocals from both Núñez and Juárez.

“It’s a masterpiece. This is mariachi music at its most sophisticated and most modernistic. It’s almost the antithesis of folklore, almost futuristic. Maybe 20 or 30 years from now, all groups will sound like this, I don’t know. But it is state-of-the-art.” – Jonathan Clark, a mariachi expert and historian

Mariachi Herencia de México was formed in Chicago and is composed of eighteen young musicians between 17 and 22 years old. The Latin GRAMMY-nominated band has released four highly acclaimed studio albums with chart-topping debuts on both the Billboard and the iTunes Latin Albums charts, defying a music industry trend and pointing to a revival in recorded mariachi music.

“In every recording, this group proves their commitment to Mexican music. These young musicians understand the essence of our music. They have an important role to play in helping to preserve mariachi music with new generations.” – Cesar Maldonado, the band’s Director and Founder.

To celebrate the Christmas season, Mariachi Herencia de México embarks on a special holiday tour titled “A Very Merry Christmas” on December 17, 18 and 19, 2021 at Chicago’s Thalia Hall and the Old Town School of Folk Music. Tickets are on sale now.

Signed to IMG Artists, a major international talent agency, Mariachi Herencia de México has toured throughout the U.S., Mexico and Canada. The band has performed alongside major artists like Lila Downs, Aida Cuevas, Los Lobos, Pedro Fernández, and Mariachi Vargas de Tecatitlán, demonstrating that this group of young musicians has the talent, training and bravado to hold their own with the best in the world.