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Amos Perrine

THROUGH THE LENS: Ruthie Foster, Gretchen Peters, and Other Outstanding Roots Music Releases on the Horizon

THROUGH THE LENS: Ruthie Foster, Gretchen Peters, and Other Outstanding Roots Music Releases on the Horizon

I don’t know about you, but I always get excited to hear about upcoming albums. The anticipation is like Christmas morning. This week I am particularly excited about revisiting the Outlaw Movement, a fabulous live album by Ruthie Foster, Nicole Atkins' painterly eighth album, and, perhaps most of

THROUGH THE LENS: John Prine Was One of Us

THROUGH THE LENS: John Prine Was One of Us

“I guess I just process death differently than some folks. Realizing you’re not going to see that person again is always the most difficult part about it. But that feeling settles, and then you are glad you had that person in your life, and then the happiness and the

THROUGH THE LENS: Martha Spencer on Love and Endurance in the Time of Coronavirus

THROUGH THE LENS: Martha Spencer on Love and Endurance in the Time of Coronavirus

Born in the mountains / Fifty years ago / I traveled the hills and valleys / Through the rain and snow / Seen the lightning flashing / I've heard thunder roll / I've endured, I've endured. — Ola Belle Reed (Martha Spencer's cousin) I have written several times about

THROUGH THE LENS: Cayamo 2020 – Roots Music on a Caribbean Love Boat

THROUGH THE LENS: Cayamo 2020 – Roots Music on a Caribbean Love Boat

I don’t know how it keeps happening, but the annual Cayamo "Journey through Song" cruise just seems to get better and better. As evidenced by the narrative below by Brenda Rosser and Boom Baker, as well as their photos and the photos of Larry John Fowler and

THROUGH THE LENS: Tami Neilson, Marty Stuart, Phil Madeira, and More Roots Music Releases

THROUGH THE LENS: Tami Neilson, Marty Stuart, Phil Madeira, and More Roots Music Releases

While 2019 was a stellar year for roots music, by taking a look at what's coming down the pike in next couple of weeks, 2020 just might be even better. Below are six albums that have been in constant rotation at my house, the car, the office, and

THROUGH THE LENS: Seven Overlooked Roots Albums of 2019

THROUGH THE LENS: Seven Overlooked Roots Albums of 2019

With every music writer busy at work compiling lists for year-end reviews, on this last Tuesday in November before that deluge begins next month, three ND photographers — Boom Baker, Mark J. Smith and Carol Graham — and I have chosen seven neglected roots albums that just did not get the attention,

THROUGH THE LENS: The Women Who Are Taking Back Country Music

THROUGH THE LENS: The Women Who Are Taking Back Country Music

“What I love the most are sad songs. My heart was broken and, I dunno, I guess when my heart breaks, pedal steel comes out.” So said Karen Pittelman (Karen & the Sorrows) in a 2017 Bluegrass Situation article exploring the assumptions behind who owns country music and who’s