[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qEIBmGZxAhg] Jimmie Rodgers (1897-1933) was one of the first “stars” of country music. Often known as the Singing Brakeman, Rodgers set the standard for future generations: Jimmie Rodgers’s first Blue Yodel, which became known as “Blue Yodel No. 1 (T for Texas) ”, was recorded on 30 November 1927 in the Trinity Baptist Church at […]
When You Say Nothing At All
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QjsjZWlRVvo] Happy Valentine’s Day
Alison and Robert Sand the Grammys
Last year I was Grumpy about the 50th Annual Grammy Awards. I can’t be grumpy this year. My gal Alison Krauss cleaned up. Producer T-Bone Burnett worked his magic on her duet album with Robert Plant, Raising Sand [ Rounder]. Record of the Year Album of the Year Best Pop Collaboration With Vocals Best Country […]
The Day The Music Died
Today is the 50th anniversary of The Day The Music Died. On 3 February 1959, in a field outside Clear Lake, Iowa, a small plane carrying Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson, crashed and killed everyone on board, including pilot Richard Peterson. As we all know, Waylon Jennings gave up his […]
At the Root of the Music
Uncle Tupelo is the fulcrum of my ROOTS music universe. All things good, bad and ugly; happy, melancholy and sad, flow thru the music and the people and the places of the boys from Southern Illinois. The melancholy is mine–youth is wasted on the young they say. While I was navel-gazing up at Urbana, potential […]
All Alone In This Together
there are a very few times in this life when a melody hits me
Far & Away 2008
Freeform American Roots DJ picks for 2008
The Marfa Spark with Tift Merritt
Over on Last.fm, Marybeth d’Amico put up a very short journal last week. It doesn’t get much better than this. Tift Merritt recently interviewed Patty Griffin on her radio show, Spark. Listen here: http://www.marfaspark.com/audio/pattygriffininterview.mp3 Don’t know how soon Marfa (TX) Public Radio will cycle to a new interview, but go listen to this now. Grab […]
JC’s Top Americana Music 2008
(the not-all-new-music edition) Most Top Albums lists concentrate on New Music released that year. I would, too, but I’m not. For one, I discovered a good bit of old music via lost.fm this year’s that’s still new to me. I also finished up my exercise to listen thru all the CDs in my music library. […]