NO DEPRESSION SESSIONS at MerleFest: Emily Nenni
No Depression set up the "studio" at the 37th annual MerleFest for a dozen sessions with legends and legends-in-the-making. The festival was founded in 1988 in memory of Doc Watson’s son Merle, and features “traditional plus” music, meaning a broad range of styles from the sweet falsetto
ALBUM REVIEW: Ken Yates Screens Cinematic Songcraft on 'Total Cinema'
That all-consuming magic of escapism that happens in a darkened movie theater? Ken Yates harnessed it with his 2022 album Cerulean, and with its aptly named follow-up Total Cinema, he’s bottled it. Cerulean—an engrossing and deeply emotional album that captured the grief and anxiety of a nearly post-pandemic
ALBUM REVIEW: Ben de la Cour Embraces the Night on 'New Roses'
With New Roses, Ben de la Cour delivers the sonic equivalent of that eerie feeling you get when the beams from an oncoming set of headlights brush over you on a rainy day. It’s not quite a run in with your mortality, but there is a sense of a
ALBUM REVIEW: North Mississippi Allstars are 'Still Shakin'' After All These Years
On their twelfth album, the North Mississippi Allstars celebrate the sounds that brought them together on their 2000 debut, Shake Hands with Shorty. Still Shakin’, delivering a rousing blend of funky Memphis soul, Mississippi Hill Country blues, swampy rock and roll, and glittering jazz blues fusion.
Jojo Hermann’s ethereal
THROUGH THE LENS: Rooster Walk & Shakori Hills Roots Music Festivals Thrive in Appalachia
This week’s column highlights two Appalachian roots music festivals: Spring Shakori Hills Grass Roots Festival of Music & Dance (Pittsboro, North Carolina, May 1-4, 2025) and Rooster Walk Music & Arts Festival (Martinsville, Virginia, May 22-25, 2025).
In addition to presenting a wide array of roots musicians in a
No Depression’s Best of May 2025 Playlist
Spring is never lacking in new growth, discoveries, and opportunities, and May's Best of the Month playlist features more than 50 musical blooms. Last month included Spotlight artist Kristina Murray, as well as fellow newcomers and new discoveries like Amble and Ken Pomeroy. Additionally, May's flowers