Jon Young

After Leslie Jordan’s estranged grandfather died in 1995, her family came into possession of a box of his writings – journals, poetry, and short stories – that was compiled over 30 years of his life. Though the Nashville singer-songwriter barely knew the man who had abandoned his family decades earlier, she

With voices soaring, beats pulsing, and spirits on fire, Southern Avenue’s thrilling Family could initially be mistaken for an old-fashioned gospel record. Between the irresistible grooves and unflagging positivity, it’s impossible not to feel reborn and uplifted after spending time with this dynamic quartet. Named after a street

The pairing of Irma Thomas, known as “The Soul Queen of New Orleans,” and the veteran Big Easy band Galactic goes so smoothly that it’s hard to believe they haven’t been collaborating for decades. In fact, she recorded one song with the group in 2010, but this is

Mississippi-born bluesman John Lee Hooker, who emerged in the late 1940s, played strikingly-original songs that helped fuel the 1960s’ blues-rock boom in England and the U.S., including “Boom Boom” and “Boogie Chillen’ ”; among the artists who recorded his tunes were Van Morrison, The Doors, and Tom Petty. Always more

The world is an alarming, scary place right now. But if you’re looking to escape the turmoil, Sunny War is the last person to turn to. Fiery and blunt, this eloquent singer-songwriter delivers powerful broadsides intended to keep the spirit of resistance burning hot on the rousing Armageddon in

Pat Kearns likes to tell stories. On the first Kearns Family album, the Mojave Desert resident unspools stark tales of cursed outsiders and sentimental fools with an empathetic touch, presenting these dusty sagas without passing judgement or romanticizing tough times. Sharing musical DNA with John Prine, Leonard Cohen, and other