Area Code Greetings

Behind The Scenes Look: The Shack Band at Dominion Riverrock

2013-05-24T18:57:00.000-04:00

It's only Rock and Roll

The Shack Band made their second appearance at Dominion Riverrock, last weekend as the only local group to make back to back appearances at the East Coast's premier athletic and music festival. As Stephen Lecky, Venture Richmond's Festival Manager, said from the stage during his introduction Riverrock "loves these guys."

With the chance of rain an ever present threat the crowd at the

Steve Lecky, Venture Richmond

beginning of the group's 4pm set was a little sparse but grew continually during TSB's hour long set.

Here are a few photographs from behind the scenes before, during, and after The Shack Band's set. If you want to see The Shack Band this summer you will have plenty of opportunity with the boy's playing Maryland, West Virginia, North & South Carolina, Georgia, and Virginia including Richmond, Norfolk, Chantilly, Roanoke, Aldie, Williamsburg, Lynchburg, Wakefield, Pulaski, and Stuart.

Mason Owen

Hunter Pease

Always have to keep an eye on the long hair dude.

Josh Crowley warming up back
stage under the Manchester Bridge.

Set List 5/18/13 Dominion Riverrock

Bobby Hudson chatting backstage.

Andrew Gillespie meets with fans following the group's set.

Josh Crowley & Bobby Hudson chat with fans prior to
The Shack Band's set.

Mason Owen working on advertising.

Bobby Hudson

Andrew Gillespie

Hunter Pease

Josh Crowley leaving the group's publicist to walk.

Sid Selvidge

2013-05-02T21:25:00.000-04:00

Sid Selvidge, Levitt Shell, Memphis, June 13, 2010

Sid Selvidge, husband, father, musician, and mentor, left us today. If you have never heard of him then you need to check out his biography and then listen to him. You will not be disappointed. These shots are from his 2010 tour with Amy Speace. It was during this tour that Mr. Selvidge was diagnosed with cancer.

Sid Selvidge, Levitt Shell, Memphis, June 13, 2010

Paul Thorn To Make Two Virginia Stops During His Current Tour

2013-04-29T22:56:00.000-04:00

Paul Thorn, New Daisy Theater, Memphis, 2010

I was fortunate enough to briefly meet Paul Thorn during his stop in Memphis a few years ago when he was touring in support of his LP Pimps and Preachers (2010) thanks to Bestie Brown (Blind Raccoon).

I ask Paul if I could shoot the show (I was there to shoot Jeremy Stanfill the opening act) and he was kind enough to let me photograph the show with no restrictions, something more acts ought to consider. Which is how I was able to get this shot of Paul from backstage.

For those unfamiliar with the Tupelo, Mississippi native, Thorn has worked in a furniture factory, jumped out of airplanes, and spent some time as a professional boxer -- Thorn fought against Roberto Duran and at one point held the Mid-South Middleweight Title -- before sharing his experiences with the world as a singer-songwriter.

Pimps and Preachers, his break out LP, topped the Americana charts for three weeks as well as making it into the Billboard Top 100. The disc exemplifies the vivid scope of his songwriting and illuminated a colorful family background. While his father is a Church of God Pentecostal Minister, his uncle (his father's brother) spent time as a pimp. Thorn influenced by both of these men used these "saint and sinner" scenarios to craft a disc that All Music Guide lauded as "a great rock & roll album," while The Nation labeled it "an incredible find."

Thorn's most recent release What The Hell Is Goin' On? (Perpetual Obscurity/Thirty Tigers) is a collection of covers. Thorn said of the songs he selected, "I would hear them in the tour van or I'd be at a festival and see someone perform them live, and I'd say 'That's a great song, I wish I had written it!'"

One thing all the writers of these songs have in common, according to Thorn, is that they are true artists. "They don't just write songs in an effort to become popular or follow trends," he explains. "At the risk of sounding corny, they write with their hearts. None of these songs are cookie-cutter tunes like you hear on the radio today. They all have real depth, which is very appealing to me."

The song-writers Thorn cover on What The Hell Is Goin' On? include Buddy Miller, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Foy Vance, Wild Bill Emerson, Buckingham/Nicks (Don't Let Me Down Again) and the Paul Rogers/Free tune Walk In My Shadow.

Paul Thorn and his band will be appearing in Roanoke at the Sidewinders Concert Series on May 1 at 8pm and at the historic Attucks Theater for the Discovery Music Series at 7:30pm. These are not to be missed shows.

Coo Coo Birds Record New Disc at Ardent Studios in Memphis

2013-04-25T12:49:00.000-04:00

Pictured in the Ardent Studios atrium beer garden are the Coo Coo Birds (L-R) Jonny Cat, Chris Tolan, Ryan Zweng, Sabina Begum, Ian Lightning, Chuck Gonzales.

As a former Foursquare mayor of Ardent Studios I take great pride in sharing the occasional goin' ons from Ardent.

San Francisco's Coo Coo Birds have cut their new album, "Mexican Cowboys," at Ardent Studios with recording engineer Adam Hill. Known for their colorful rock 'n' roll attitude and an era-spanning sound drawing from garage, psychedelic, and 50s rock, the Birds came to Memphis to record with Hill, known for his work with The White Stripes and others at the venerable studio.

"Chuck Gonzales had run into Adam," explained fellow Coo Coo, Ryan Zweng. "We love his rootsy, raw sound and coming to Memphis brought us to the heart of Americana music. Elvis, Johnny Cash, and one of our favorite groups, Big Star came from Ardent. It was great hanging out with their former drummer Jody Stephens, who is the general manager at Ardent."

Previous recordings by the Birds include "Don't Bring Your Boyfriends" and "Psychedelic Warriors." The new album was funded by the band with a Kickstarter campaign while touring and playing festivals like SXSW.

"This new album has a more robust drum sound and is definitely tighter all around," continued Ryan Zweng. "Our earlier work had more of a garage band sound -- this is a more cleaned up approach, but still has a lot of guts and is a good progression for us. We have a strong beat and an attitude in the lyrics and a playing style that speaks to the audience in a freeing way. We're a little controversial but definitely uplifting, not self-loathing like a lot of the music these days."

The band tours together with a posse of 12 Bohemian rock and rollers and partied at Ardent when the work was done. "We brought a keg into the atrium," added Zweng, "and our ladies fixed up some sandwiches for everyone at the studio. What a great atmosphere here at Ardent, and they treated us great, like ragged royalty."

See the Coo Coo birds at Ardent in this Youtube video:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=T1az6pjo5xI

Lucero Keyboard Wizard Rick Steff Releases His New EP "Rick's Booogie"

2013-04-20T13:10:00.000-04:00

With years of touring with Lucero, Hank Williams, Jr., and Cat Power under his belt keyboardist Rick Steff, the beloved sideman, is making some noise with a solo EP, Rick's Booogie.

Rick says his “booogie,” extra O and all, comes from his dad. After all, it was Dick Steff (a former member of the legendary Memphis Horns whose credits include Elvis Presley, Dusty Springfield and dozens of other legendary American Studios recordings) who encouraged his son to pursue the piano so Rick would always have work. “He started me playing at 5,” Rick says. “He taught me to watch the singer, serve the singer, and listen as much as you play.”

Judging from Rick’s career, it was good advice, but this time around,

Rick Steff, Alex Chilton
Tribute, Memphis, 2010

there’s no singer. Just Rick with his keyboard and a few old friends to back him up a little. In only three songs, Steff takes you from sparse to full and back again, from honky tonk to melancholy, and from one end of the 88 to the other.

Recorded at Archer Records’ Music+Arts Studio in Memphis by Daniel Lynn who also co-produced the disc along with Roy Berry and Steff. With the mastering work conducted by Kevin Houston.

Oh, and those friends who come along for the ride on track two are Ben Nichols, Roy Berry, Brian Venable, John Stubblefield, Scott Thompson and Jim Spake.

You will be able to find Rick Steff’s Rick’s Booogie May 7 via iTunes, Amazon and Archer-Records.com.

The Shack Band To Open For The Everyone Orchestra's NYC Show

2013-04-18T23:05:00.001-04:00

The Shack Band, the Richmond, Va., based funk rock quintet will open for The Everyone Orchestra at The Cutting Room in New York City, on April 20, 2013. (Doors: 8pm/Show: 9pm)

The Shack Band has a singularly deep desire to wow new crowds with their off-the-cuff, high-energy live shows melding funky rock ‘n’ roll and soaring harmonies with a strong emphasis on song-writing.

The group is excited to be working with CEG (Creative Entertainment Group) and The Everyone Orchestra on such a short notice. Mason Owen (the group's bassist) said when the opportunity presented itself "we jumped onboard."

The Everyone Orchestra is the creation of conductor/founder Matt Butler. Tuning in to Butler's energy, the band and audience utilize the conductor as their pivot to the set mood of each passing jam as he communicates with the musicians using hand signs, whiteboard and assorted mime suggestions.

A extremely short list of EO alum include members of The Flecktones, moe. The Grateful Dead, and Tea Leaf Green. Not to mention the live painters, chanters, choirs, fire spinners, stilt walkers, story tellers, and the such, hanging about.

The Shack Band is fired-up to be partaking in this unique collaborative performance that deeply encourages and requires audience interaction. The edge of your seat enthusiasm for what is next is the fuel behind the continuous musical experiment of The Everyone Orchestra.

Expected to appear are Al and Vinnie from moe., Kalmia and Alex from Rubblebucket, and Trevor and Reed from Tea Leaf Green.

POC: Chandler Moulton cmoulton@magazine33.com

The Shack Band's complete touring information (new dates added regularly):

04/19/13 Richmond, VA., The Tobacco Company, 10pm
w/ Atlas Road Crew
04/20/13 The Cutting Room opening for The Everyone Orchestra, NYC, 9pm
04/21/13 Charlottesville, VA, The Box, 10pm
04/27/13 Aldie, VA, Domefest,12pm
05/04/13 Williamsburg, VA, Private Party
05/05/13 Raleigh, NC, Southland Ballroom, 7pm
w/ Assembly of Dust
05/18/13 Richmond, VA, Brown’s Island, Dominion Riverrock Festival, 4pm
05/18/13 Richmond, VA, Tobacco Company, 10pm
w/ The Southern Belles
05/22/13 Awendaw, SC, Awendaw Green, 6pm, Barn Jam
05/23/13 Murrel’s Inlet, SC, Hot Fish Club, 9pm
05/24/13 Folly Beach, SC, Loggerhead’s, 9pm
05/25/13 Savannah, GA, Congress Street Social Club, 9pm
06/22/13 Wakefield, VA, Drewry Farms, Blueberry Jam Music Festival, 12pm
08/24/13 Bartow, WV, Camp Barefoot 7, 12pm
08/31/13 Stuart, VA, Spirit Haven Farm, 5th Annual Front Porch Fest, 12pm

###

Full Disclosure: I serve as The Shack Band's publicist.

Amy Speace To Perform In Roanoke on April 20.

2013-04-15T09:00:00.000-04:00

Amy Speace, Levitt Shell, Memphis, June 2010

I've been fortunate enough to catch Amy Speace on three occasions while living in Memphis. Once at the Memphis tribute to Alex Chilton (Big Star, Box Tops) where she preformed with current Big Star line-up Jody Stephens, Jon Auer, and Ken Stringfellow (both with The Posies), along with a number of other guest performers including Mike Mills of REM. Once with Sid Selvidge, and again at a songwriters in the round showcase during the 2010 International Folk Festival. Each performance was outstandingly good stuff.

Tomorrow, (April 16) Speace releases her new album, How to Sleep in a Stormy Boat, on Wind Bone Records. The LP features 11-songs and will also available with a six-song Deluxe Edition bonus EP, each produced by Neilson Hubbard and features collaborations with John Fullbright, Ben Sollee, and Mary Gauthier. An "intimate & epic, orchestral & acoustic," is how Speace describes the new disc and Dave Marsh, who wrote the album's liner notes, calls this "the most daring, confident, ambitious and beautiful album Amy Speace has made since she began recording."

The praise dosen't stop there, NPR has lauded Speace's "velvety, achy voice" a voice she almost lost in 2011 as she suffered from a sever case of acute laryngitis. As the storms of life raged, songwriting was her ballast and salvation, and she reached back to her roots in the National Shakespeare Company for inspiration. "I went back to read [Shakespeare's] plays and found this very modern lamenting of love, lust, longing, denial, betrayal, rage, sorrow - everything I was wrestling with myself, feeling isolated and lost: the madness of the dream," she says.

The songs of How To Sleep in a Stormy Boat come together like a short story collection, united by a common vantage point and common predicaments: in this case, catastrophes of the heart that persist long past their expiration date. For the tender duet "The Sea and the Shore," Speace recruited Grammy-nominated Oklahoma songwriter John Fullbright. "For a younger artist, he is wise beyond his years, and has this world weary quality that I thought would fit the song perfectly," she says. The title track, "How To Sleep in a Stormy Boat," presents a prayer for peace during emotional tumult. "I was thinking about King Lear a lot while writing this song," says Speace. "His storms were internal - his most beloved (his daughters) were turning against him, and he was going mad, and he ends up desperately raging against a literal storm."

Born in Baltimore and now living in Nashville, Speace was the first artist signed to Judy Collins' label (Collins later covered one of her songs) and has toured with Alejandro Escovedo, Guy Clark, Ian Hunter, and Nanci Griffith.

Speace will be appearing at the Kirk Avenue Music Hall in Roanoke, Va., on April 20 (8pm Eastern Standard Musician Time) in support of her new release.

Bryan Hayes & The Retrievers To Release EP "Tangle Me Up In You"

2013-04-14T19:32:00.000-04:00

I was in Memphis for awhile and unfortunately never saw Bryan Hayes on the floor. Hayes is an award-winning, Americana songwriter from Memphis, whose debut album Just A Man (2004) garnished him a loyal following in the Mid-South, as well as two “Best Of” Memphis Songwriter Awards.

Ciras Imaging

His second album Long Hard Road (2006) took Bryan and The Retrievers to the regional level, with radio play throughout the Southeast. Bryan's new EP, Tangle Me Up In You (release date April 27th, 2013), promises to grow Bryan's audience even farther.

Bryan also contributed songs to several compilation albums. The Memphis Songwriters Association Members Only album (2010), included Bryan's Military tribute "Soldier's Prayer". In addition, Bryan contributed two songs ("Woman (You're Amazing To Me)"and "Small Town Amazing Grace") to the Retriever Records compilation album, B-Sides, Demos & Lies (2012). Most recently, Bryan was part of the Retriever Records' live album, Live At Farmhouse Studio: Retriever Records. The live CD contains "Long Hard Road" (title track from the 2006 release) and "Texas In A Bottle" (from the up-coming EP).

The new EP features six new original songs from Hayes, and was recorded by Kevin Cubbins, Dawn Hopkins, and Hayes at Farmhouse Studio (Moscow, TN). The disc was mixed and mastered by Hayes also at Farmhouse Studio.

The Retrievers are: Tony Rapp - Drums, Steve Dunavant - Bass, Brenton Woodall - Guitar, & Gee Brannon - Keyboards. In addition guest appearances were made by Memphis mainstays Eric Lewis (Mandolin, Fiddle, Dobro, & Pedal Steel) and Freddie Kirksy (Organ & Accordion).

The new CD will be available Saturday April 27th on Bryan's web site: www.bryanhayesmusic.com.

In addition, the CD will be available on Monday April 29th on: iTunes, Amazon.com, & CDBaby.

A release party will be held Saturday April 27th at 1884 Lounge in Minglewood Hall, Memphis at 7pm. Special guests include: Deering & Down and Rice Drewry. Doors at 7p, $10 cover includes a copy of the new CD.

Hayes occupies his time, when he is not writing and performing, as a producer and engineer at Farmhouse Recording Studio.(www.farmhouserecordingstudio.com)

Final East Coast Performance For Virginia Native Shane Cooley Tonight

2013-04-12T09:28:00.000-04:00

Virginia native Shane Cooley is returning to Richmond, for his final appearance on the east coast for awhile, with a special performance of his original music.

Shane Cooley, Snake Oil Recording

Cooley is a singer/songwriter with many awards under his belt. He was chosen as one of the finalists for "Best Male Artist" in the 2013 International Acoustic Music Awards (not to mention his first runner-up position in the same competition in 2010), took 1st Place at the singer/songwriter open mic at South by Southwest in 2011. Has placed his music in independent films, and has been spending this year touring the Western United States and performing at SXSW Music Festival in Austin, Texas.

"I don't know how I'd function if I wasn't a songwriter," said Shane, "It's my way of coping with life." With a baker's dozen EPs and LPs out his new album, When It Rains, It Pours,is his most visceral and haunting release yet.

You can catch Cooley tonight at the Captial Ale House Music Hall downtown for FREE (9pm)following the Bluz Catz (5pm).

Hellishly-Heavenly Jazz and World Music Collective TriBeCaStan Debuts in D.C.

2013-04-08T19:33:00.000-04:00

I listened to several cuts by these cats online recently and they are very interesting.

So if you are going to be in the D.C. area on May 1, check this out: Tribecastan are playing two sets on Wednesday May 1st at 8PM and 10PM at Washington D.C.'s legendary club, Twins Jazz.

Tribecastan are one of contemporary music’s most musically diverse bands, with The Washington Post hailing them as “an international jazz and folk festival unto themselves, fusing Balkan, Middle Eastern, Indian, Latin American, and African musical elements to bold and dazzling effect.” Simply put, “they’re the most hellishly heavenly world music band you’re ever going to hear,” writes Rootsworld Magazine.

However you describe it, the final package is the result of an exuberant, poly-stylistic collaboration of some of New York’s finest world music and jazz veterans. They’ve spent decades traveling to the most distant corners of the world, lovingly collecting hundreds of instruments along the way, and have collaborated with everyone from James Brown, Patti Smith, and Ornette Coleman, to John Corigliano, Allen Ginsberg, and Taj Mahal.

The band’s fourth studio album releases this coming August, 2013. Clever, mischievous, and poly-stylistic to the marrow, the band continues to look outward and inward. Whether it’s the far-away folk traditions of the world, or the Rock’n’Roll and bluegrass of their home country, at the end of day, writes TimeOut New York, “Tribecastan builds their own mythology around one simple construct: just play music that you haven’t heard yet.”

The Shack Band Gaining Regional Attention

2013-03-25T12:12:00.002-04:00

Folks are starting to take notice of Richmond based The Shack Band.

First, the University of Georgia's The Red & Black, then Mi2N featured The Shack Band in their Indie Spotlight, followed by this write up on Tommy Shine's Virginia Local Music blog, up next is the group's interview with Josh Urban on The Signalman Show to air on WDCE 90.1 (WDCE.org) on March 30 at 3pm.

There are some exciting events upcoming that have to be kept under the hat for a little while yet. But, never fear we will let you know as soon as we can what they are.

Full disclosure: I serve as The Shack Band's publicist.

The Jim O'Ferrell Band to Play 30th Annual Best Ranger Competition

2013-03-23T14:48:00.000-04:00

Photo courtesy of The J.O.B.

March 22, 2013 (Richmond, VA) - Independent modern rock group ‘The J.O.B.’ will be traveling from Richmond, Virginia to Columbus, Georgia to perform a special concert to open the 30th Annual Best Ranger Competition at Fort Benning on April 10th, 2013. This show is especially significant for ‘The J.O.B.’ since the band’s front man Jim O’Ferrell is himself a former US Army Airborne Ranger and a decorated combat veteran from the war in Iraq. The Best Ranger Competition is a grueling 3 day series of events among 2 man buddy teams from the world's most elite military units to determine who is the Best Ranger team in the world. It is the most prestigious competition of its kind and has been held at Fort Benning, Georgia since 1982.

“It is an incredible honor to have been selected to perform for this event,” said O’Ferrell. “After so many years as a Ranger with a ruck sack on my back and a rifle in my hands, it’s almost surreal to return to the home of the Rangers for this huge international event armed with amplifiers and guitars,” he mused.

‘The J.O.B.’ was formed after O’Ferrell’s return from Iraq in 2008. The band has released 4 albums since their inception and scored 2 songs on the FMQB AC Top 40 Chart in the United States. Their single “Feel” is currently #44 in the USA on adult contemporary radio after spending 20 consecutive weeks in the Top 40 (FMQB AC Top 200 3/21/2013). With an original sound often compared to Dave Matthews Band, Wilco, and the Black Keys, ‘The J.O.B.’ has an effective ‘do it yourself’ promotional effort that has garnered fans worldwide.

Learn more about this dynamic music group from their official website at http://www.thejoband.com and on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/thejoband. The band's official YouTube channel is at http://www.youtube.com/thejobandtv. Learn more about the Best Ranger Competition at http://www.bestrangercompetition.com.

WRIR Pledge Time

2013-03-13T23:16:00.000-04:00

Bo Hembree (l), Mama's Love, Athens, Ga. stopped
by WRIR studios last Friday night with Mason Owen (above)
of Richmond's own The Shack Band.

Don't be startled. There's nothing to be worried about. Just look deep into Mike Rutz eyes below, and you will begin to drift into the donor zone. Stare deep deep into Mike's eyes and think of all the local music WRIR features.

Mike Rutz, WRIR

Here's the live in studio line up for the remaining days of the fund drive:

Friday March 15

9pm Organ Donor on What The Fontaine!

Saturday March 16

9am Paul Ivey on British Breakfast

3pm The Blue & The Grey on New Breakfast Snob

5pm Olde Shame on River City Limits

Sunday March 17

11:00 am Larri Branch Jazz Trio on Bebop and Beyond

(l) Lindsey Spurrier (WRIR) (r) Ricky Tubb (Waking Hours)

Did you know that you can drop by WRIR during pledge time and say howdie. Maybe run into some folks you know or make some new friends. There is normally some good food hanging about to help ease your contribution. That's right you can donate right there while munching on free food.

Ok, that other pic made Rick look like a stalker, so here he is in a more
pensive mood.

If you can't make down to the studio in person just roll your mouse right over here and click on this link and you will be able to make a donation right on WRIR's web-site. If you rather talk to real live walking breathing person you can call 804.622.9747

But seriously, WRIR DJ Fontaine was interviewing Rick and he came downstairs to The Camel and rounded up Bo, Mason, to go on air for a wee bit to chat about their music, I just tagged along like I belonged.

How many other stations in Richmond can this happen?

Bluegrass Marathon Jam #4 Raises $13,000 For Fisher House

2013-03-12T20:58:00.001-04:00

Richmond Fisher House, Photo Courtesy RFH

The Richmond Fisher House (RFH) is a gift to the Veterans Administration from the Fisher House Foundation. The house serves as a ‘home away from home’ for the families of veterans receiving care at the Hunter Holmes McGuire VA Medical Center.

Fisher House Foundation is best known for the network of comfort homes built on the grounds of major military and VA medical centers. Fisher Houses are 5,000 to 16,800 square-foot homes, donated to the military and Department of Veterans Affairs, where families can stay while a loved one is receiving treatment.

Don Leister

Here in Richmond over the last four years the Bluegrass Marathon Jam has been a major supporter of RFH. According to Brian Sullivan (Jam organizer/East of Afton) the first three years of the event raised roughly $20,000 for RFH. This year, with the Jam's growth in size, now with two stages and twenty bands, a small market area with violin maker, Don Leister, sitting up shop, the festival raised $13,000 this year. Bringing central Virginia's bluegrass community's donation to just about $33,000.

If you wish to make a tax deductible donation to help out The Fisher House you can do so right here.

I made it out to the Cultural Arts Center at Glen Allen for a couple hours and snagged a few shots of the event. Check 'em out below and there are additional photographs of the event over at Magazine33's Facebook page.

Bluegrass Suitcase

James Mosher, Sassafras Warthog, Bluegrass Marathon Jam, Richmond
Va., February 23, 2013

Creekside Pickers, Bluegrass Marathon Jam,
Richmond, Va., February 23, 2013

Bob Tierney, Notch 8, Bluegrass Marathon Jam,
Richmond, Va., February 23, 2013

Doug Mitchell, Highway 249, Bluegrass
Marathon Jam, Richmond, Va., February 23, 2013

Taylor Leverty, Notch 8, Bluegrass Marathon
Jam, Richmond, Va., February 23, 2013

Charlie Llewellyn, Willis River, Bluegrass
Marathon Jam, Richmond, Va., February 23, 2013

Paul Birch, Copper Ridge, Bluegrass Marathon
Jam, Richmond, Va., February 23, 2013

Whitney Perkins, Willis River, Bluegrass
Marathon Jam, Richmond, Va., February 23, 2013

Brian Miller, Sassafras Warthog, Bluegrass
Marathon Jam, Richmond, Va., February 23, 2013

Dan Shikenjanski, Copper Ridge, Bluegrass Marathon Jam, Richmond,
Va., February 23, 2013

Scott Deffenbugh, Highway 249, Bluegrass
Marathon Jam, February 23, 2013

Creekside Pickers, Bluegrass Marathon Jam,
Richmond, Va., February 23, 2013

Dan Shikenjanski, Copper Ridge, Bluegrass Marathon Jam, Richmond,
Va., February 23, 2013

Blues, Bluegrass, Radio, & Rock

2013-03-10T14:57:00.000-04:00

Lisa Lim, Capital Ale House, Richmond, Va.,
March 8, 2013

I woke up Friday morning with a half numb left foot for some odd reason. I think a rouge band of Lilliputians spent the night stabbing my foot with little spears. It grew a little better as the day progressed so I managed to catch some early music before meeting with The Shack Band at The Camel.

It proved to be a pretty good night. Three styles of music, blues, bluegrass, and rock, as well as photographing two new bands (for me) starting with Lisa Lim at Capital Ale House's Music Hall downtown. Not sure if it was intentional or not but on International Women's Day (Woman's?) Cap Ale had two dynamic women performers with the reigning queen of the Hampton Roads blues scene, Jackie Scott taking the stage for the late show.

Steve Cresenze, Lisa Lim Band, Capital Ale House,
Richmond, Va., March 8, 2013

Lisa Lim, currently based out of DC, has been knockin' around the blues scene for awhile now and this was my first opportunity to hear and photograph her show.

Lim recently lost both her mother and paternal grandmother both within six months of each other. The loss Lim writes found her "having so much to write about, so much new music was playing in my mind all the time. I was grieving, adjusting, dealing with enormous change and loss. So, I started writing again and I kept writing."

Her producer Thomas Johansen urged Lim to get into the studio once a week with new material. Lim says of the experience "Sometimes I'd enter the studio and my new tunes were embraced, then other times, I'd be told, shelf it and keep writing."

Gill Oliver, Lisa Lim Band, Capital Ale House, Richmond,
Va., March 8, 2013

"So, that's what I did. I wrote what seemed 24/7, between working, traveling and getting up in the middle of the night from a dead sleep with ideas racing thru my mind. There was no rhyme or reason how it came to me, other than from my heart and soul."

People often wonder what producers do, what they bring to the effort. In Johansen's (The Paperboats, Mumford and Son) case he produced, engineered, mixed, provide some Hammond organ and piano, along with some percussion. But according to Lim, Johansen provided something much more important:

Thomas managed to get me to tap into the emotion, where it was, that each song came from, deep within me. Each take, I'd get a little closer to what it was I was trying to convey and capture in the song. I can honestly say it was grueling, but well worth the effort. But, after I got thru it and he got the take that he just knew was the one, it all seemed so worth it.

Lim has a Kickstarter fund going to cover the additional expenses of mastering the tracks, as well as artwork and graphics, disc pressing, and a little for promotion and distribution, help her out if you can.

I left Blues & Brews heading for Beers & Banjos at The Camel (music and beer makes me want to have an ale sometimes) following Lim's first set to catch a little bit of the Cary Street Ramblers.

Cary Street Ramblers, The Camel, Richmond, Va., March 8, 2013

I seem to have run into a streak of bluegrass here lately. It started with the Bluegrass Marathon Jam to benefit the Fisher House, continued with stumbling on Grace & Tony's punkgrass, and continued Friday night with Cary Street Ramblers one of Richmond's finest bluegrass groups. They play a high energy, foot stompin’, can’t help but dance to old-time Appalachian string band music.

Mason Owens, The Shack Band, WRIR,
Richmond, Va., March 8, 2013

After load in Mason Owens (The Shack Band) and Bo Hembree (Mama's Love) made a stop at WRIR 97.3 LP, whose studios are located directly above The Camel, to help with the station's fund raising drive.

Shortly thereafter Mama's Love, Athens, Ga., took the stage with a set of high powered rock. The group formed in 2007, and like Athens, their sound is progressive with hints of classic tones.

The Camel (bottom), WRIR (top)

After five years of heavy touring these guys are tight with layered harmonies, an awesome rhythmic foundation, and guitars accenting the sound with strong rhythm and piercing solos. With flavors of classic rock, funk, soul, and Americana, not just thrown together but blended thoroughly, Mama's Love has formed an unique musical treat.
I would recommend catching any of these acts when they are near you.

Bo Hembree, Mama's Love, The Camel, Richmond,
Va., March 8, 2013

Russ Bogan, Mama's Love, The Camel, Richmond,
Va., March 8, 2013.

Bill Baker, Mama's Love, The Camel, Richmond,
Va., March 8, 2013

Thomas Galloway, Mama's Love, The Camel,
Richmond, Va., March 8, 2013

Richard Chamberlain, Mama's Love, The Camel, Richmond,
Va., March 8, 2013

Punk What? Punkgrass!

2013-03-07T13:28:00.000-05:00

I spend a considerable amount of time online looking for things to cover not only for this blog but for Magazine33's FB page, you then throw in acting as publicist for Richmond based The Shack Band, it adds up to whole bunch of hours. While most hours are pretty uneventful I do occasionally fall over some pretty good stuff.

Sometimes I wonder just what Bill Monroe would think, would he want his music fondled and abused this way?

Grassphemy

Exhibit number one: Grace and Tony (Grace Shultz & Tony White) a punkgrass duo out of Nashville that popped up last week. I exchanged e-mails with White this past week to learn a little bit more about this odd musical collaboration.

The duo, born and raised in bluegrass country, had the influences of bluegrass running deep within them even if they weren't manifesting themselves on the surface. Even more so with Shultz who was raised on southern gospel as well as bluegrass though she has a love for heavy music. Grace has previously played in Pushing up Daisies.

White on the other hand became enamored with the simplicity of punk rock melodies and arrangements with a background in hardcore/punk. White has played with groups Sunday Morning Massacre and What's Below.

I ask White how the duo managed to get together coming from such diverse backgrounds. "I heard Grace play and sing years before, and not only was amazed by her talent, but completely fell for her. Finally approached her about a collaboration years later, fell in love, and here we are...and once my punk rock band became me and an acoustic guitar, meeting Grace was simply the last organic step towards Punkgrass. She was learning banjo and mandolin at the time, so nothing was really forced. What came out was really innocent and fun for us, a real love affair."

They began honing their sound on the sidewalks of Nashville before booking shows in Nashville then throughout Tennessee. While their bookings increased in 2011 the duo went into Villain Place in Nashville and working with Stephen D Jones and Lloyd Aur Norman emerged with their first seven track EP the aptly entitled Inside a 7 Track Mind.

Later this year the duo will make a six show, five city, tour of the UK. Not bad a bad step up from busking on the streets of downtown Nashville.

2011 also found the two busy in the studio. Working with Stephen D Jones and Lloyd Aur Norman, at Villain Place in Nashville, Grace and Tony emerged on Dec 15, 2011, with their first seven song EP. Inside a 7 Track Mind takes songs of murder, addiction, lost love, and shame,[and] wraps them with a happy twist. A number of songs on this EP were written for White's punk band, What's Below.

On March 30, Grace and Tony will release their first long player, November, once again under the tutelage of Jones (engineer) & Norman (producer). November features guest appearances from members of The Hardin Draw, Fireworks Over London, the Radio Symphonic, and a number of talented studio musicians located in the Nashville area. Once released both November and Inside a 7 Track Mind will be available on iTunes and Bandcamp.

I asked White how the reception had been from the bluegrass and punk communities: "We have actually been welcomed by both groups thus far, which has been a pleasant surprise. Only the most traditional purists of both would be threatened by us."

So what type of gear does a punkgrass duo play on? White plays a Takamine guitar while Shultz picks a Kentucky Mandolin and a Flinthill banjo by Goldtone. White stresses there is "[n]ot a lot of science, bells, or whistles that go into our sound. We are not consumed by tone, and it's not about chops, or theory with us. It's always been about the songs. Just let us play you our songs."

And I was wrong when I decided I would never meet somebody like you, you saved this life.

November

You can watch a video of November's title track here.

Upcoming Tour:

U.S.

Mar 7 2013 6:00pm @ Loretto High, Loretto, TN
Mar 30 2013 7:00pm @ Loretto High, CD release show Loretto,TN
Apr 28 2013 9:00pm @ Longbranch Saloon Knoxville, TN
May 4 2013 8:00pm @ Brew Coffee House Manchester, TN
May 12 2013 8:00pm @ The Well Knoxville, TN

U.K.

Jul 5-6 2013 tba @ Maverick Festival Surrey, UK
Jul 7 2013 tba @ Straight and Narrow Lincoln, UK
Jul 10 2013 tba @ Music Box London, UK
Jul 12 2013 tba @ Brewery Arts Centre Cirencester, UK
Jul 13 2013 tba @ Loves Cafe Weston-Super-Mare, UK

Photographs courtesy of Grace and Tony.

Star & Micey's Star Continues To Rise

2013-03-05T21:36:00.000-05:00

Memphis based Star & Micey's rise in the public consciousness continues with tweets from NPR:

Hear two breezily catchy songs from the Memphis folk-pop trio @starandmicey, courtesy of @worldcafe. n.pr/UNnqnv
— nprmusic (@nprmusic) January 15, 2013

and being added to The Outlaw Roadshow in Austin during the group's fourth consecutive appearance at SXSW.

Not to mention their smashing success at the 2013 Folk Alliance Conference in Tronto:

Last night @starandmiceygave an amazing performance in a Toronto hotel room. #FolkMagic twitter.com/lindsaymic/sta…
— Lindsay Michael (@lindsaymic) February 23, 2013

Which all has led to some new developments on the business side of things for Star & Micey. They have signed on with Kirby Desmarais of Everything Independent to take over managing duties:

I'm proud to announce this week we've welcomed @starandmicey to the Everything Independent family. Let the new band spam begin!
— Kirby Desmarais (@kirbyamour) March 2, 2013

But the fun didn't stop there. No sir, the fellows then went out and signed with the Skyline Music for booking:

Fresh from @folkalliance, @starandmicey have joined the @skylineagency roster. Check them out: starandmicey.com
— Skyline Music (@skylineagency) March 1, 2013

I have photographed Star & Micey more than any other group, I think 35 times as of last count. I'm thankful that the boys have invited me into recording, radio, television (even if it was a mall) studios, and a video set, not to count shows in four states, and the District of Columbia.

And done of this would have happen but for a miraculous escape from a hoard of zombies. Check out that story right here.

So here's four never before published photographs (well three the first one is iffy) of the fellows:

Joshua Cosby, Star & Micey, WREG Live @ 9
This one might have been published.

Jeremy Stanfill, Star & Micey, Ardent Studios

Nick Redmond, Star & Micey, KTCU Radio, Ft. Worth

Geoff Smith, Star & Mciey, Memphis

"Hell Yeah!!!" SoHo's Blind Pig Records Debut Easy Livin' Drops March 12

2013-03-02T15:12:00.001-05:00

Victor Wainwright, Blues Tavern, Mobile Al., 2012

When news broke that roots/blues super-group Southern Hospitality's (SoHo) first CD Easy Livin' would be released on March 12, keyboardist Victory Wainwright exclaimed "Hell yeah!!!" on his Facebook page.

Wainwright's enthusiasm is well founded with early reviews of the handful of shows the group (Damon Fowler--lap steel guitar, JP Soars--guitar, Wainwright--keyboards, Chuck Riley--bass and Chris Peet--drums) has performed have received critical acclaim. Blues Revue said of SoHo "[t]here's a new entity in the blues world, a diverse, powerful group with enormous potential."

The praise doesn't stop there with BluesWax noting that "Southern Hospitality, after a single gig, has significant players in the blues world taking notice. Fowler, Wainwright and Soars share much love for the songs of the South. The hot jazz and funk of New Orleans, classic country, gospel, soul, and blues that became rock 'n' roll in Memphis and went global by way of a trucker named Elvis."

Damon Fowler is a master of the six string, slide guitar, lap steel and Dobro who in the 2008 "Best of Tampa" poll (Creative Loafing magazine) was named "Best Guitarist... And Slide Guitarist... and Lap Steel Player... And Dobro Player."

Fowler's five solo releases have garnered praise with Hittin' the Note writing, "Damon Fowler has become one soul-oozin', rock 'n' rollin', swamp stalkin' blue monster of a talent."

JP Soars won the Blues Foundation's International Blues Challenge in 2009 along with the Albert King award as the outstanding guitarist in the competition. Soars is nominated for a Blues Music Award this year as "Contemporary Blues Male Artist." Which is a long way from his time with Divine Empire a death metal group that recorded four albums and toured Europe.

The switch to roots/blues has served Soars well with his 2011 release, More Bees With Honey, voted the 2nd "coolest CD of the year" by Little Steven and his Underground Garage station on Sirus/XM and spent several weeks in the top 5 on BB King's Bluesville Sirus/XM station.

Memphis-based Victor Wainwright is known for his high-octane boogie piano, big soul sounds, powerhouse blues, and roots rock 'n' roll. Victor has been nominated this year (and last year) for the "Pinetop Perkins Piano Player" Blues Music Award. A long way from his air traffic controller background, Wainwright has earned accolades for his three long players Piana from Savannah, Beale Street To The Bayou, and 2011's Lit Up!, which hit number one on BB King's Bluesville.

Living Blues magazine said of Lit Up!, "Every track is brilliant, a riotous, intoxicating run through all kinds of exciting blues territory... a sophisticated album where songwriting, performance, production, and pure talent come together just right. Don't miss it!"

Victor Wainwright, Wet Willies, Beale St. Memphis, 2008
(l) Greg Gumbel (r) Leo Goff

We're going to take a little side track here or you can skip these next couple or so paragraphs and continue on to the real article that restarts at Easy Livin'. I believe Wainwright may still have been working as an ATC the first time I saw him on Beale St. in 2008--he was transferred to Memphis in 2007 and continued to work as a ATC for awhile thereafter.

I've been pretty fortunate to photograph Wainwright not only in Memphis (his regular haunt was Wet Willies) but also in Mobile, Al., and Washington D.C. as well. And if you rummage through the ACG archives who will find an article or two and a few photographs of Wainwright as well. The photographs in this article (less the lead photo) have not been published before.

Victor Wainwright, Wet Willies, Beale St., Memphis, 2011

That's an advantage of hanging out and photographing musicians that appreciate your art as a photographer and don't mind letting you hang around, you develop a pretty nice archive to work with. I've photographed 400 bands many of them multiple times and I've got to say Victor is one of the guys I want to hear and photograph again and again. Hopefully, in a little larger venues with a bit better lighting. Enjoy the pics and get out to catch these guys if they get near you.

Victor Wainwright, Madam's Organ,
Washington D.C., 2012

Easy Livin' was produced by best-selling artist Tab Benoit, winner of three Blues Music Awards in 2012, including the prestigious "B.B. King Entertainer of the Year," and recorded at Benoit’s Whiskey Bayou Studio in Louisiana. This long player takes you on a southern musical journey with echoes of Muscle Shoals, Macon, New Orleans, and Memphis, heard throughout.

Says Benoit, “Damon, Victor, and JP are the future of roots music."

Tracks:

1 Southern Livin’
2 Long Way Home
3 Kind Lies & Whiskey
4 Mile After Mile
5 Certified Lover
6 Fried Neck Bones and Home Fries
7 Shoestring Budget
8 Don’t Feel Like Going There Today
9 Come Back Home
10 Powered For the Mountain
11 Don’t Boogie Woogie
12 Sky Is What I Breathe

Tour Dates:

Date Location Venue

Mar 8, 2013 Bonita Springs, FL Bonita Blues Festival

Apr 7, 2013 Boca Raton, FL Funky Biscuit

Apr 11, 2013 New Port Richey, FL Chasco Fiesta

Apr 12, 2013 Tallahassee, FL Bradfordville Blues Club

May 4, 2013 Ospel, Holland Moulin Blues Festival

May 7, 2013 Bratislava, Slovakia Muzeum Obchodu Bratislava

May 17, 2013 Clarksburg, WV PJ Kellys

May 18, 2013 Charleston , WV Charlie West Blues Fest

May 19, 2013 Annapolis, MD Chesapeake Bay Blues Fest

May 22, 2013 Tuscarawas, OH Canal House

Jun 29, 2013 Winter Park, CO Blues from the Top Fest

Aug 9, 2013 Somers Point, NJ Somers Point Beach

Aug 24, 2013 Bean Blossom, IN Bean Blossom Blues, Brews

& BBQ Festival

Article compiled from various sources including Blind Pig Records web-site and the BMA's web-site.

2013 Beale St. Music Festival Line Up Released

2013-03-01T14:02:00.000-05:00

The 2013 Beale St. Music Festival (BSMF) line-up was released yesterday and it looks pretty good. I've been trying to win a free pass but so far no luck. I've been to two BSMFs in the past and they are normally wet, muddy, and full of great music.

Matt Isbell, Ghost Town Blues Band

While I may not make it to Memphis to attend this year's festival I do have a little connection with it this year. This shot of Matt Isbell (Ghost Town Blues Band-2013 International Blues Challenge Finalist) is being used with Isbell's profile. He will be playing some acoustic at the SoCo Blues Shack.

Of the 50 or so acts performing I have been fortunate enough to photograph 14 of them. Well, 13, I haven't shot the Black Crowes but I have photographed The Chris Robinson Brotherhood which has Adam MacDougall from the Crowes, and I've shot Luther Dickinson several time also a member of the Black Crowes' so let's call it 13.5.

I thought I would share some previously unseen photographs (I believe) of some of the folks I've photographed and who will be appearing at this year's BSMF. You can see the full list, with links to each profile on the BSMF web-site, below.

Alijca Trout, River City Tanlines

Alex Ebert, Edward Sharpe & The
Magnetic Zeros

(l-r) Geoff Smith, Joshua Cosby, Nick Redmond, Star & Micey

Al Kapone

(l-r) Chris Robinson, Adam MacDougall, Chris Robinson
Brotherhood

Ben Nichols, Lucero

Jimbo Mathus, Jimbo Mathus & The Tri-
State Coalition

Blind Mississippi Morris

The Black Keys - Alice in Chains - Bassnectar - Daryl Hall & John Oates - Flaming Lips - Phoenix

The Smashing Pumpkins - ZZ Top - The Black Crowes - The Roots - Sheryl Crow - Gary Clark Jr.

Dwight Yoakam - Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros - Public Enemy - Three Days Grace

Gavin Degraw - The Wallflowers - Big Boi - Deftones - Jerry Lee Lewis - Patti Smith - Porter Robinson Mavis Staples - AWOLNATION - Papa Roach - MiM0SA - Gov’t Mule - The Joy Formidable - Lucero Cracker - Yngwie Malmsteen - Charles Bradley - Al Kapone - Deer Tick - Vintage Trouble - Jake Bugg Coco Montoya - Louise Hoffsten - Davy Knowles - Sonny Burgess and the Legendary Pacers

Shannon McNally - Pickwick - Zac Harmon - The Slide Brothers - Star and Micey - Ronnie Baker Brooks River City Tanlines - Heritage Blues Orchestra - James SuperChikan Johnson - Jimbo Mathus & The Tri-State Coalition - Royal Southern Brotherhood - Will Tucker - Don Trip - Heartless Bastards

Kenny Brown - Brandon Bailey - Marcus James & Kinney Kimbrough - Matt Isbell - Barbara Blue

Kingston Springs - Brad Webb - Blind Mississippi Morris - Fuzzy Jeffries & the Kings of Memphis

Richmond's Friday Cheers Schedule Released

2013-02-28T11:46:00.000-05:00

Brian J & The Pimps of Joytime

The Friday Cheers scheduled is released and the folks at Venture Richmond, especially Steve Lecky Venture's Festival Manager, have put together a solid and diverse national line-up with performances scheduled from some of Richmond's top groups.

Running May 3 through Jun 28 on Brown's Island Friday Cheers offers a great way to start the weekend. Ticket cost for shows will be $5 or $10, with a $35 season pass available throughout March with an increase to $45 on April 1.

Geoff Baker of Former Champions

May 24 is RVA Music night and will feature NO BS! Brass Band, Murphy's Kids, and Former Champions.

ARichmond presence will also be felt May 31 when Richmond's own Black Girls open for Head and the Heart. On June 7 members of Skydog, No BS!, and the DJ Williams Projekt get together and introduce The Root Downs. You can expect some funky grooves from this Richmond "super" group. Richmond will be represented on the final evening of the series, as well, when Richmond based alt-country group James Justin & Co. takes the stage.

JJ&Co have become favorites at major festivals, including FloydFest, and have developed a faithful following from the southeast coast to Colorado. They have open for the likes of Taj Mahal and, as is the case on June 28, the Infamous Stringdusters.

Here's the complete schedule:

The Last Bison's Inheritance Out March 5 on Republic Records

2013-02-26T14:19:00.000-05:00

The Last Bison

THE LAST BISON (Chesapeake, Va.) will release their full-length debut album, Inheritance, for Republic Records on March 5, 2013, the long player will be available online and in stores. The group has already started their spring tour in support of the release. A tour which has them traversing the US from February through April, including stops at several music festivals and SXSW along the way. (You can see a track listing and tour dates below.)

Ben Hardesty

The group signed with Republic Records a little bit after the 2012 Veer Music Awards. Republic, a division of Universal Music Group, is home to an all-star roster of multi-platinum, award-winning legends and superstar artists such as 3 Doors Down, Amy Winehouse, Black Sabbath, Enrique Iglesias, Florence + the Machine, Godsmack, Owl City, The Voice (NBC-TV), and Mayer Hawthorne, along with many others.

NPR referred to The Last Bison's sound as "classical-influenced Southern folk-rock." The praise does not stop there: PopMatters named them "a band to watch in 2013," and Absolute Punk wrote
"[w]hen atistry is this well-executed, it is something truly entrancing and an absolute delight to behold."
Ben Hardesty leads The Last Bison, joining him are his dad, Dan, sister, Annah, and close friends Andrew and Jay Benfante, Teresa Totheroh, and Amos Housworth.

Annah Hardesty

The septet channels a rustic spirit through an artful blend of folk, classical, and rock, transporting listeners into the untamed heart of Virginia through sweet melodies and intricate instrumentation. These elements converge and yield the band's self-proclaimed "mountaintop chamber" sound.

In addition to the four songs from their Inheritance EP, the full length album adds an additional seven sonic ponderings. With vivid lyrics, the first single "Switzerland" echoes the beating heart of a world traveler seeking shelter from the winter cold. Meanwhile, tracks like "Autumn Snow" and "Quill" are both pensive and poetic. The entire album remains an epic journey that's both intimate and expansive in scope.

Dan Hardesty

Meet The Last Bison here.

Concert photography from the 2012 Veer Music Awards, Naro Expanded Cinema, Norfolk, Va.

TRACKLISTING:

Inheritance
Quill
Switzerland
Dark Am I
River Rhine
Tired Hands
Take All the Time
Watches and Chains
Autumn Snow
Distance
Sandstone

UPCOMING TOUR DATES:

2/27 – Durham, NC – Motorco Music Hall
2/28 – Charlotte, NC – The Evening Muse
3/01 – Jackson, TN – Barefoot Joe’s @ Union University
3/02 – Augusta, GA – Sky City
3/04 – Jacksonville, FL – Underbelly
3/05 – Athens, GA – The Melting Point
3/06 – Decatur, GA – Eddie’s Attic
3/07 – Savannah, GA - Savannah Stopover Music Festival
3/10 – Denton, TX – 35 Denton Music Festival
3/11 – Houston, TX – Fitzgerald’s Downstairs (free show)
3/18 – Denver, CO – The Soiled Dove Underground
3/20 – Salt Lake City, UT – Kilby Court
3/21 – Boise, ID – Tree Fort Music Festival
3/22 – Wenatchee, WA – Caffe Mela
3/23 – Seattle, WA – Tractor Tavern
3/24 – Vancouver, BC – Media Club
3/26 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge
3/29 – San Francisco, CA – The Rickshaw Stop
3/30 – Los Angeles, CA – The Mint
4/02 – La Jolla, CA – The Loft (UCSD)
4/05 – Kansas City, MO – The Record Bar
4/06 – Ames, IA – The Maintenance Shop (Iowa State University)
4/08 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue & 7th Street Entry
4/09 – Milwaukee, WI – Club Garibaldi
4/10 – Chicago, IL – Schubas Tavern
4/12 – Bloomington, IN – The Bishop
4/13 – Cleveland, OH – Beachland Ballroom
4/14 – Louisville, KY – Uncle Slayton’s

Hunter Wolfe & A.R.E. to Record a Traditional 45" Single

2013-02-25T08:00:00.000-05:00

Hunter Wolfe

Hunter Wolfe (2008 National Slide Guitar Champion) and his sister A.R.E. will be returning to the studio to work on a recording at Small World Audio, Charlottesville, Va., here shortly. Once again they will be working with Bobby Read (Small World Audio owner) on the board as they did for their 2011 release The Go.

Read, as some of you may be aware, is Bruce Hornsby's sax man and has two Gold Records to his name. Wolfe in our email exchanges said this about being a young a performing working with Read:

"You don’t find many people like Bobby Read; his attention to detail and what he can hear in music truly floors me every time, in a very good way, of course. You can see that he loves music with every ounce of his soul. Working with Bobby is an experience all in its own; he knows how to get the very best out of you every time. It is a true honor to work with someone that has that level of dedication to his craft."

A.R.E.

And while I tried to bribe the names of the two cuts that will make up the release with a foot-long banana split with all the toppings Wolfe was adamant that the song titles remain secret "until closer to the release" date. Think I should have tried throwing in a chocolate ice cream, chocolate milk, chocolate syrup, milkshake. Wolfe did write me "that it [the single] is going to be a two track single, truly a 45”, like back in the day."

Right now Wolfe & A.R.E. are looking for an end of April release, "[i]deally," Wolfe continued, "I would like the official release to be on Record Store Day," Wolfe wrote.

National Record Story Day is for April 20, 2013 and you can check out the National Record Store Day website (or see the related article below) and see what this year's ambassador Jack White has to say about supporting your neighborhood record store. The single release will occur in digita, CD, and vinyl, formats. Having an actual 45" vinyl pressing is something Wolfe and A.R.E. are very excited about fulling a dream. They can take one item off their bucket list -- Music on Vinyl -- check.

Tour dates are in the works and according to Wolfe "[t]here will be a sonically driven surprise within the single, one you have to look for. As musicians, everything we do revolves around sonic delivery. This hidden surprise inside the single is one that I have always wanted to do."

If you don't want to wait for the single to come out you can catch Wolfe & A.R.E. at the Jefferson Theater in Charlottesville, Va., Friday, March 8. The duo will be opening for the Fighting Jamesons and Bloody Angle. Click here for event information and more.

Barbara Nesbitt & The Whiskey Sisters To Release Debut Long Player

2013-02-21T12:42:00.000-05:00

Many of us in Virginia especially those in the Hampton Roads area will remember Barbara Nesbitt (Tim Flannery & the Lunatic Fringe) from her time with Rare Daze as a wee lass with a big big voice.

Now-a-days Nesbitt is living in Austin and has teamed up with Teal Collins (The Mother Truckers) just about a year ago to form the six piece group The Whiskey Sisters a powerhouse harmony driven Americana Rock n' Roll band. The group has been packing a crowd in at their residency at the Continental Club in Austin ever since. After a very successful record funding campaign, and a Garrison Brothers Whiskey sponsorship (the only legally made Whiskey in TX) provided the means to get into Congress House & Summit Studios in Austin to recorded under the group's production.

The Whiskey Sisters released their self-titled debut studio long player this past Tuesday. The disc captures the group's tight arrangements and fiery musicianship, showcasing 12 all-original compositions, and features special guest Josh Zee of The Mother Truckers on guitar.
The Whiskey Sisters will kick off a tour in support of the new CD making stops at a number of celebrated Texas venues, including historic Gruene Hall in Gruene, Texas, and the Continental Club in Houston, TX. The band will also be appearing at a number of summer festivals and will performing an official showcase at SXSW Music Conference.

Here are some of The Whiskey Sisters show dates

Friday, February 22nd, 10pm, @ The Continental Club, Austin

Saturday March 2nd, 10pm, @ The Continental Club Houston

Sunday March 10, 5pm, @ Gruene Hall, Gruene, Texas

Nashville Based Carolina Story Signs With Razor & Tie

2013-02-20T12:04:00.000-05:00

Ben & Emily Roberts, Carolina Story, Ebeneezer's Coffee
House, Sound Check, Washington DC, 11/01/12

You know when it comes to snagging some cash with your music there are more ways then just CD and single sales. A licensing deal may just add a few pennies into the piggy bank. Now in full disclosure I personal know Emily and Ben Roberts the husband and wife duo that make up the Nashville based Carolina Story. They serve as a great example as to what can happen with great song writing and a sound business approach. Here's the press release:

Emily Roberts, Carolina Story, Ebeneezer's Coffee House
Sound Check, Washington DC, 11/01/12

RPM Management’s Americana duo, Carolina Story, has signed a licensing deal with Razor & Tie. The duo’s song, “Someone Else,” found on the husband-and-wife’s album, Home, receives song placement on The CW’s Hart of Dixie, tonight (Feb. 19) at 8 p.m. EST.

“Emily and Ben have such a full catalog of great music and we are thrilled to sign such an emerging talent to a licensing deal,” says Razor & Tie executive Brooke Primont. “We have had a great response for music placement and look forward to what’s in store for the duo.”
Carolina Story has had other songs placed on MTV’s Teen Mom and VH1’s Rehab with Dr. Drew.

Carolina Story is comprised of husband-and-wife Ben and Emily Roberts. They formed as a duo in 2008 and have independently released two studio albums, including their most recent Home. Carolina Story is currently working in the studio with producer Blake Chancey.

Ben Roberts, House Concert, Richmond,
Va., 07/22/12

Emily Roberts, Overton Square, Memphis,
Tn., 06/15/12

Perhaps you ought to start looking into licensing your music. I'm not a regular watcher of Hart of Dixie, but I know at least three musicians that have had a song placed on this show.

The photographs accompanying this piece are from three different shows of Carolina Story that I have photographed ranging from Memphis to Washington DC.

Posies & Big Star Member Ken Stringfellow To Perform At Gallery 5

2013-02-18T13:31:00.000-05:00

Ken Stringfellow

Ken Stringfellow has played in some of power pop most influential bands during his career including The Posies, REM, and Big Star. Richmond is in for a treat when Ken Stringfellow comes to Gallery 5 on Monday, February 25 for an 8pm show with Richmond's Canary oh Canary and Horsehead on the opening bill. Stringfellow will also perform a duet with local artist Julie Karr. Stringfellow will be preforming songs from his latest solo release Danzig in the Moonlight.

Stringfellow writes on his website that Danzig in the Moonlight is the "culmination of all I have learned and experienced in over 30 years of performing, producing, writing, and conceptualizing music. The album reflects my wide interests, from avant-garde 20th century composers to generation Pitchfork and many stops in between and beyond."

As I mention, Stringfellow is best know as a founding member of The Posies, his long relationship with REM both on stage and in studio, and with a reformed Big Star featuring original members Alex Chilton and Jody Stephens and Posies band mate Jon Auer. Unfortunately, Chilton's untimely death at 59 in his adopted hometown of New Orleans.

Ken Stringfellow

What many don't know is that Stringfellow also has four solo albums of his own and has produced albums for Long Winters, Damien Jurado, Minky Starshine & the New Cardinals, among many others in his twenty-five year long career as producer/engineer/ mixer/recording artist.

Here's what others are saying about Stringfellow:

"An artist worthy of respect and a listen from any true fan of classic pop....uniformly flawless" - PITCHFORK

"Stringfellow is one of the most underrated songwriters of our generation" - BILLBOARD

"Stringfellow's clear, composed croon forgives all sins" - ROLLING STONE

"Lush pop perfection" - MOJO

I met Stringfellow briefly ("Hello, great to meet you.") at the Alex Chilton Big Star Tribute Show in Memphis. The photographs with this article are from that show.

(L-R) Jody Stephens, Jon Auer, Amy Speace, Ken Stringfellow

7$ doors 7pm show 8pm SHARP

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