The Back Porch News

Fat Man & Little Boy: The Atomic (Music) Duo

Sharon — Sun, 07 Mar 2010 22:21:46 +0000

Fat Man & Little Boy’s new album The Atomic Duo has been in my CD stack for a while now; I enjoyed listening to it on a Thanksgiving trip, so that tells you. I wanted to share it with you in case you had not already read a review of it elsewhere. Although this is [...]

Musical Life of Bob Dylan on Open Salon

Sharon — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 04:32:28 +0000

In case you haven’t already seen it, there is a series in progress over at the Open Salon site about Bob Dylan and the musicians who influenced him. Three posts so far, all thought-provoking for anyone interested in early folk music and blues. The author plans to take this through ten posts in all over [...]

Haitian Music Recordings by Alan Lomax May Benefit Earthquake Victims

Sharon — Mon, 01 Mar 2010 04:09:01 +0000

Music historian Alan Lomax recorded folk musicians not only throughout the southeastern United States but also in various other countries. During the mid-1930s he made extensive recordings of musical performances in Haiti. The recordings....

Larry Stephenson Band Releases 20th Anniversary Album

Sharon — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 19:58:24 +0000

The Larry Stephenson Band recently released a 20th Anniversary CD commemorating the band's twenty years in business. Stephenson, a mandolinist and award-winning vocalist, has been a professional musician for over thirty years but his current band was formed in 1989. The numerous guest performers on the album include country artists Connie Smith, Marty Stuart and Ricky Skaggs and bluegrass musicians Del McCoury and Kristin Scott Benson. Listening to sound clips, I immediately begin to imagine an old cabin floor with all the chairs pushed back, dancers twirling each other around and lots of laughter going on....

Peggy Seeger and Cairde To Play New Zealand Benefit

Sharon — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 05:47:29 +0000

American folk musician Peggy Seeger and New Zealand Celtic group Cairde team up Saturday night in a benefit performance for the Nelson Women's Centre in Nelson, New Zealand. The Centre was partially burned by arsonists a few years ago. Seeger being very active in gender issues, this is a project dear to her heart. Irish singer Irene Pyper-Scott and New Zealand instrumentalist Nathan Torvik will join Seeger on stage....

Smithsonian Folkways Releases Classic Appalachian Blues

Sharon — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 06:36:05 +0000

Smithsonian Folkways now offers the fourth blues album in their Classic series. The album includes music by Etta Baker, Lesley Riddle, Sticks McGhee, Pink Anderson and numerous other musicians. Check out the link for a free download of one of the songs.

Cohen and Raitt in Hall of Fame Lists

Sharon — Wed, 24 Feb 2010 06:11:19 +0000

Leonard Cohen is one of several artists scheduled to be inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame in June. Cohen, who received the Lifetime Achievement Award at the Grammys in January, recently postponed his tour due to health issues. Bonnie Raitt will be inducted into the Blues Hall of Fame in May.

Gordon Lightfoot Surprised by News of His Own Death

Sharon — Fri, 19 Feb 2010 05:03:54 +0000

It’s not often someone gets to hear their own death announced over the radio. It seems someone started a rumor of the death of Canadian folk singer Gordon Lightfoot and too many people believed the news and passed it on. Lightfoot was quick to inform the world that he was alive and doing just fine, [...]

International Folk Alliance Conference February 17-21

Sharon — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 05:19:03 +0000

The 2010 International Folk Alliance Conference is being held in Memphis Wednesday through Sunday. Public events include a Roots Music Spectacular on Friday and Songwriters in the Round on Saturday, both free at the Center for Southern Folklore, and paid performances at the Bartlett Center of a Sacred Steel Gospel Review on Friday and Songwriters in [...]

Stephanie Ledgin Releases New Folk Music Book

Sharon — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 03:51:01 +0000

Journalist and photographer Stephanie Ledgin has released her latest book, Discovering Folk Music. Ledgin is a former board member of the International Bluegrass Music Association. In addition to directing folk festivals, running radio shows and writing extensively about bluegrass and other forms of roots music....

White House Concert Features Folk Music from Civil Rights Movement

Sharon — Thu, 11 Feb 2010 05:26:06 +0000

The White House hosted two special events Tuesday in honor of Black History Month: a high school workshop in the afternoon and a concert Tuesday evening. Both featured performances by noted folklorist and musician Dr. Bernice Johnson Reagon. Concert artists included, among others, Yolanda Adams, the Blind Boys of Alabama, Smokey Robinson, Joan Baez and [...]

Brother Sonny and His Ukuleles

Sharon — Mon, 08 Feb 2010 01:21:32 +0000

Todd B. loves his ukulele. Or make that ukuleles. He has gone so far as to write a song about his collection, which you can see in this video. Todd, an enterprising musical moonlighter nicknamed "Brother Sonny" who does not disclose his last name on his web site, has written several original contemporary folk songs and has performed the work of various folk artists including Burl Ives and Bascom Lamar Lunsford.