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Henry Carrigan

With ‘A Southern Gothic,’ Adia Victoria Tells Her Own Story of the South

With ‘A Southern Gothic,’ Adia Victoria Tells Her Own Story of the South

The phrase “Southern Gothic” brings to mind moss-draped drives to plantations, grotesque scenes peopled by mean-spirited men or by sideshow freaks, and haunted woods and houses with the skeletons of slavery filling the closets. In his novel Absalom, Absalom!, William Faulkner has one of his characters ask another to “Tell

THE READING ROOM: Fall Music Books to Look Forward To

THE READING ROOM: Fall Music Books to Look Forward To

As the doldrums of summer fade into the gentle zephyrs of autumn, it’s time to put aside the thrillers and mysteries of summer and pick up a few new music books that offer chances to dive deeply into the lives and music of artists. While fall is the busiest

Sierra Ferrell and the Winding Road to ‘Long Time Coming’

Sierra Ferrell and the Winding Road to ‘Long Time Coming’

As the title of her new album indicates, this moment has been a Long Time Coming for Sierra Ferrell. Growing up, she loved listening to music and singing, but she never really considered it as a career path. But over the past few years she’s been steadily building a

On ‘Have a Seat,’ Maggie Rose Sits Down with Soul Greatness

On ‘Have a Seat,’ Maggie Rose Sits Down with Soul Greatness

From the opening note on Have a Seat, Maggie Rose’s third album, Rose finds herself mingling among the soul sisters who wring every drop of emotion from songs in their soaring, emotional, gut-wrenching vocals: Aretha Franklin, Bonnie Bramlett, Dusty Springfield. Rose inhabits these songs in such a way that

THE READING ROOM: An Excerpt from 'Saved by a Song,’ Mary Gauthier’s Memoir and Guidebook

THE READING ROOM: An Excerpt from 'Saved by a Song,’ Mary Gauthier’s Memoir and Guidebook

When Mary Gauthier was 7 years old, she and her mother would head to the bookmobile on Saturday mornings near their home in Baton Rouge. It was her favorite day of the week. After she got inside the mobile library, she took her time selecting her books: “Kids were allowed

THE READING ROOM: Picture Books for Pint-Sized Country Music Fans

THE READING ROOM: Picture Books for Pint-Sized Country Music Fans

The late, great Shel Silverstein left us with wry, tongue-in-cheek nods to the vagaries of life in songs such as “A Boy Named Sue,” “One’s on the Way,” “Big Four Poster Bed,” “Marie Leveau,” and “The Cover of the Rolling Stone.” Yet, Silverstein might be best remembered, and most

On 'Laysongs,' Chris Thile Explores Community and Communion

On 'Laysongs,' Chris Thile Explores Community and Communion

When the world went into lockdown in spring 2020, Chris Thile’s radio show, Live From Here, which he had hosted for four years, was canceled, his touring stopped, and he was both relieved and terrified of the prospects of having so much time. He had been thinking about making