THROUGH THE LENS: The Insider’s Guide to AmericanaFest 2023
Some of my AmericanaFest pals have expressed some disappointment in the lack of well-known names in this year’s lineup of showcases. But that is the very reason I am so excited — without the big-name distractions we’ll be able to catch many musicians who are on their way up,
BONUS TRACKS: Americana’s Lifetime Achievement Awards and More Music News
AmericanaFest is right around the corner — kicking off next Tuesday and taking over Nashville through Saturday. The Americana Honors & Awards Show is Wednesday evening, and while we’ll have to wait until then to hear the winners of album of the year, song of the year, and other awards,
ALBUM REVIEW: Lee Oskar’s Harmonica Sings for Peace on ‘She Said Mahalo’
In 1969, Lee Oskar went to war. But this one was not an armed conflict, but rather a war using words and music as ammunition against a system that fed young men into a shredder for political gains and ignored the basic rights of others.
Former Animals lead singer Eric
THE READING ROOM: ‘Prine on Prine’ Collects Decades of Interviews
When John Prine died on April 7, 2020, he left behind a sumptuous banquet of lyrically ingenious songs that captured the vagaries of the lives of individuals whom society had consigned to its margins. Prine was better than any other songwriter at evoking the loneliness of these characters and the
ALBUM REVIEW: Snapshots of Living Fully Fill Margo Cilker’s ‘Valley of Heart’s Delight’
Margo Cilker writes what she knows. Steep and dusty canyons, getting a fire going when the wind is just right, a cup of chili at diner near Santa Rosa, fragrant orchards of apricot trees, a night of heavy drinking and a subsequent hangover in Montana. These snippets of a life
ALBUM REVIEW: Jim Lauderdale and Po’ Ramblin’ Boys Pair Up for a Generation-Spanning Bluegrass Blend
For Jim Lauderdale, it’s another opportunity to extend his far-reaching legacy to a new generation. For the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, it’s a well-deserved badge of honor that further builds their bona fides. Together, on their new collaborative album, The Long and Lonesome Letting Go, they have crafted one