ALBUM REVIEW: Ronnie Baker Brooks' Alligator Records Debut Taps His Blues DNA
When Ronnie Baker Brooks says that blues is in his DNA, it's not an idle claim or a marketing ploy. His Grammy-nominated and Blues Hall of Famer dad Lonnie schooled him in the Chicago blues tradition. Lonnie took him on the road when Ronnie was 18, teaching him
ALBUM REVIEW: On ‘Oh Brother,’ Dawes Offer a Front Row Seat to Life as We Know It
With the shattering strike of a snare, Oh Brother comes to life and so, too, does the latest iteration of Dawes.
For the first time in nearly a decade, it’s just brothers Taylor and Griffin Goldsmith leading the charge. The 2023 departure of bandmates Wylie Gelber and Lee Pardini
FRESH TRACK: Wreckless Strangers - "Lost Souls"
“Lost Souls,” is the focus track of Wreckless Strangers' new EP Blue Sky Fantasy. It was written by Bill Champlin and Bruce Gaitsch. It was recorded by Wreckless Strangers and features Bill and Tamara Champlin on background vocals. Wreckless Strangers’ vocalist Amber Morris shared, “The Champlins have been a
THROUGH THE LENS: IBMA’s World of Bluegrass Bids Farewell to Raleigh, North Carolina
This week's column looks at the International Bluegrass Music Association’s (IBMA) 2024 World of Bluegrass that was recently held in Raleigh, North Carolina. It was a multi-headed beast of a roots music festival that’s comprised of four components:
1. Conference (September 24-26)
2. IBMA Bluegrass Ramble
BONUS TRACKS: How to Help the North Carolina Roots Music Community
By now, you've probably seen plenty of images of a completely inundated Western North Carolina. Water up to the roof of a Wendy's on Biltmore Avenue in Asheville. An 18-wheeler floating through floodwaters toward the U-Haul building on Swannanoa River Road. The roofs of houses like
SPOTLIGHT: With Debut 'Tell It to the Wind,' Joy Clark Is Finally Having a Moment
Contradictions form the foundation of Joy Clark’s musical life: was bandleader at the church her family ran while still a closeted teenager. She made her mark as a singer-songwriter in New Orleans, a town best known for funk and jazz. Now she’s crafting songs in a genre that