THROUGH THE LENS: Joni Mitchell, Paul Simon, and More 2022 Newport Folk Festival Highlights
We were most fortunate to have two veteran photojournalists, Anthony Mulcahy and Jim Brock, in the photo pit for the phenomenal, unforgettable, high-water mark that was the 2022 Newport Folk Festival, the epitome of roots music festivals. As both Mulcahy and Brock have attended the festival on numerous occasions,
Madeleine Kelson – 'Make You Proud'
Nashville-based artist Madeleine Kelson has been writing and performing music since childhood, developing a unique, country-leaning style of Americana laced with elements of rock and blues. She spent her early career performing with her twin sister as The Kelson Twins in Chicago before branching off to launch her
The Black Opry's Road to Newport Folk Festival
When the Newport Folk Festival approached Black Opry founder Holly G last November about curating a set at the 2022 fest, her initial response was disbelief. At that point, her organization only had one live show — the first-ever Black Opry Revue at the Rockwood Music Hall in New York
ALBUM REVIEW: On Josh Rouse’s ‘Going Places,’ The Familiar Takes Flight
While any long-running catalog is going to have its outliers, Josh Rouse’s impressive body of work has largely provided listeners with a casual companion for life’s most lived-in moments. Rouse’s easygoing melodies have always felt like the ideal accompaniment for a meandering stroll through familiar
ALBUM REVIEW: Team Spirit and Thoughtful Songcraft Animate ‘The Very Best of Fantastic Cat’
One highlight of The Very Best of Fantastic Cat — a debut album, not a compilation — is “Amigo,” a sweet, toe-tapping ode to friendship that proclaims, “I don’t care if we ain’t blood, oh we’re brothers, don’t you know.” Such gentle positivity would suit an uplifting
ALBUM REVIEW: Amanda Shires Shines Through on ‘Take It Like a Man’
Reverberating guitar chords open the haunting, minor-chord “Hawk for the Dove,” the first track on Amanda Shires’ new album, Take It Like a Man. Shires’ vocals, with Brittney Spencer adding backup, drip with sexual longing, and the roving, stalking rhythms of the song evoke the lover’s own passion