THE LONG HAUL: Musicians Carry a Heavy Load from Student Debt
EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the first of a three-part series exploring financial challenges that affect musicians and their careers.
Musicians and money is an often mysterious space that few know or understand, including, at times, musicians themselves. With Biden’s presidency now in full swing, the United States is
Mandolin Orange’s Andrew Marlin Turns Inward for Pair of Instrumental Explorations
Credit Andrew Marlin for investing his time meaningfully over the last year. Like the rest of us, Marlin and his bandmates in Mandolin Orange were forced to shelve numerous live dates and whatever other musical activities they had planned in 2020 due to a global pandemic. As the world turned
Giant Box Set Commemorates John Mayall’s Beginnings
If you ever wanted virtually every musical utterance John Mayall made on his way to becoming the Godfather of British Blues, your homework is already done. The staggering 35-CD box set The First Generation: 1965-1974 features many of the Brit blues supergods — including Eric Clapton, Peter Green, Mick Fleetwood, John
Shovels & Rope Create a Children's Album for Everyone with 'Busted Jukebox, Volume 3'
If you were to judge Shovels & Rope's new record by its cover, you wouldn’t be wrong to think it was a full-blown kid’s album. As the third release in their cover series known as Busted Jukebox, this volume is affectionately nicknamed "Busted Juicebox"
ROOTS IN THE ARCHIVE: ‘This Land’ and Sea Shanties on the World Stage
When roots music fans look back on January 2021, we’re likely to remember two things: the events at the U.S. Capitol and the sudden explosion of sea shanties on social media. This month I’ll highlight some archival treasures held by the American Folklife Center that are related
Curtis McMurtry Digs into the Darkness on ‘Toothless Messiah’
“How are you adjusting to the new regime?” Curtis McMurtry asks with more than a hint of a snarl in the spoken-word opening of his new album, Toothless Messiah. It’s less a question than an accusation, and the songs that follow find him inhabiting the range of reactions on