THROUGH THE LENS: Rooster Walk & Railbird Festivals Offered Contrasting Takes On Appalachian Music Festivals
This week’s column highlights two Appalachian roots music festivals: Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival, held in Martinsville, Virginia, and Railbird Festival, held in Lexington, Kentucky.
Rooster Walk returned for a 16th year (May 21-24, 2026) just months after being selected as the best music fest in Southeast
SPOTLIGHT: River Shook Finds Security in The Unknown on Self-Titled Solo Debut
Editor's Note: River Shook, whose new, self-titled LP comes out June 26 via Blackberry River, is No Depression's Spotlight Artist for June 2026. Read more about the debut solo venture from the Sarah Shook and The Disarmers frontperson and stay tuned for more from them
BONUS TRACKS: World Cup Fever, New Music From Wynonna, Peggy Seeger, American Aquarium, and More Roots Music News
Happy World Cup season, everyone! The international soccer/football competition actually has a rich musical history, with global superstars like Shakira performing this year in Mexico, classical and operatic performances in Italy in 1990, and K-pop phenomenon and BTS member Jungkook in Qatar in 2022. For anyone looking to
NO DEPRESSION SESSIONS at Chelsea Studios NYC: Joe Pernice
The batch of songs that turned into Joe Pernice's new record Sunny, I Was Wrong, started out as a trickle of demos shared between Pernice and his longtime friend Warren Zanes, and before long, the trickle turned into a flood. Zanes asked if he could help organize an
ALBUM REVIEW: Samantha Fish Burns the House Down
Heading towards her second decade as a blues phenomenon, Kansas City guitarist/vocalist Samantha Fish’s Paper Doll (Live at the Bijou) asserts her veteran status with a blast of high-octane grunge.
Over her career, Fish has explored a range of styles, from the country Americana of 2017’s
ALBUM REVIEW: Duane Betts' Cinematic ‘Isle of Hope’
The warm tones on Isle of Hope, the latest album from Duane Betts (son of Dickey Betts of Allman Brothers fame), hit with an emotional resonance that transports listeners through shadows into light. On his second album, the guitarist, songwriter, and singer navigates loss and embraces hope in and songs