THE READING ROOM: Where Politics and Country Music Collide
Some listeners these days like their concerts to be politics-free zones. They want the shows they attend to be entertaining, and they’re there for the music; they leave their political debates at the door to the venue, and they won’t hesitate to tell artists to “Shut up and
The Lil Smokies Keep Progressive Bluegrass Going on 'Tornillo'
Missoula, Montana five-piece The Lil’ Smokies cross folk songwriting and bluegrass instrumentation with a sense of rock and roll rebellion throughout its third album, Tornillo. Members Matt Cornette (banjo), Andy Dunnigan (vocals, dobro), Scott Parker (bass), Matt “Rev” Rieger (guitar, vocals) and Jake Simpson (fiddle, vocals) went to Tornillo, Texas,
THE READING ROOM: Martin Luther King, Jr. and Jazz
Martin Luther King, Jr. once called Mahalia Jackson his favorite singer. She was with him before and after he delivered his “I Have a Dream” speech at the Washington Memorial on August 28, 1963. King asked her to sing the familiar spiritual “How I Got Over” before his address, and
A New World Breaks Through on Terry Allen’s 'Just Like Moby Dick'
In the middle of his “American Childhood” three-song suite, Terry Allen sings with an ominous confidence, “It’s just the war, same fucking war, it’s always been. It never ends.” That stark hopelessness in “Bad Kiss,” the second song in the suite, is hilariously countered with the memory of
Gill Landry’s 'Skeleton at the Banquet' Tells a Dark, Conflicted Story
Gill Landry wrote his newest batch of songs, Skeleton at the Banquet, while spending a summer in small-town Western France. In a press release, he says this vantage point gave him a better perspective on the subject matter for his album, which is “a series of reflections and thoughts on
THROUGH THE LENS: Tami Neilson, Marty Stuart, Phil Madeira, and More Roots Music Releases
While 2019 was a stellar year for roots music, by taking a look at what's coming down the pike in next couple of weeks, 2020 just might be even better. Below are six albums that have been in constant rotation at my house, the car, the office, and