Americana Rhythm Magazine Issue #70

September 2017

“Let life be like music.” ~ Langston Hughes ~ Many folks point to the 2000 Oh Brother movie with it’s old-time music sound track as the “re-birth” of string music. Some said it wouldn’t last. Some called the renewed interest in the time tested music a fluke. Probably more than anything, the sound track unveiled what we now lovingly call Americana music, to a whole new audience. Some 17 years later, what some thought would never last, has grown into an amazing experience as much as, and maybe more than, just a genre’ of music.

We just returned from the fifth annual Red Wing Roots Festival in Mt. Solon, Virginia where perhaps record numbers of folks attended. I remember thinking after the first year that I knew so many people who would have loved this festival had they been there. It’s amazing what five years and the right combination of artists, music, people, and community can become. This is just one example of what happens all over the world when people come together to create under the umbrella of song.

So, here’s to the the festival experience, everywhere. There are still so many more on the way this year. (See many advertised in this issue.) I heard someone from the crowd this weekend say, “Man, I’m hooked!” Yeah, it has a way of doing that to you. We’ll see you at the next one.

Questions, comments, suggestions: greg@americanarhythm.com

PUBLISHER

Americana Rhythm is published six times a year. All corresponCONTRIBUTORS dence should be sent to PO Box 45, Bridgewater VA, 22812 or Ed Tutwiler email to greg@americanarhythm.com. Copies of Americana Wayne Erbsen Rhythm are made available free at various pick up locations within Donna Ulisse the publication’s region. Subscriptions are available inside the United Shelby Gold States (only) for $18 US currency made payable by check or money Andrew McKnight order sent to, Subscriptions at PO Box 45, Bridgewater, VA, 22812.

Mark Whetzel Foreig n su bscrip tion req u ests shou l d b e sen t to Scott Perry greg@americanarhythm.com. Copyright 2017. All rights reserved.

DISTRIBUTION Reproduction of any content, artwork or photographs is strictly Ed Tutwiler prohibited without permission of the publisher or original owner. All Zebra Media advertising material subject to approval.

Associated Dist.

PUBLISHER/EDITOR IN CHIEF Greg E. Tutwiler Associate Editor Ed Tutwiler MARKETING & PROMOTION Mark Barreres (GrassRootsNetworking.com) ADVERTISING Letters, Comments, Suggestions Business office 540-433-0360 greg@americanarhythm.com advertising@americanarhythm.com www.americanarhythm.com

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The Workshop; A Retreating Experience

We all accept that a written sen-

tence consists of a noun and a verb strung together in sequence.

Choose this word sequence so it conveys a thought to a reader; begin that sequence with an uppercase letter; finish it with a period; and congrats; you are a writer— NOT! No, to be a writer, one must be able to modify those words with others so that the whole word grouping provokes emotional feeling as well as thought. Being able to do this last part over and over until a story emerges makes one a writer. As difficult a project as story writing is to perform, it is doubly difficult to make stories into poetry; and the most difficult task of all is to make poetry into songs. Thus, the songwriter faces the toughest writing task. You must realize that all of this difficult creative work is a lonely process—the writers, the poets, and the songwriters mostly work alone and face their creative barriers without help. With the increasing popularity of the Americana string music genre and the desire of its performing artists to play and sing original material, there is emerging a helping path around the creative barriers for songwriters. This path takes the form of songwriter workshops, and one such workshop is the subject of this story.

A regular feature in the pages of this magazine is the Before the Words column on song writing penned by Ms. Donna Ulisse.

Donna is the 2016 International Bluegrass Music Association’s Songwriter of the Year, and her creations are performed by many well known Americana artists as well as by herself as she tours the festival circuit. She has spoken often in her column of the uniqueness and difficulty of this craft and of the muse and methods she employs to build a song. Ms. Ulisse often takes part in songwriting seminars and discussion groups at the IBMA conference and other regional locations.

By Edward Tutwiler workshop project that she is hosting in her Tennessee home. In response, here is what she said, “We are truly so excited about this workshop. It is WORKING! The past attendees are so on fire to write, it makes me all gushy. The uniqueness in our concept is that they are actually co-writing with professional writers. They usually leave here with a couple of new songs that bear our name against theirs.”

Donna followed up with a fount of great information that made me want to immediately enroll in the next open session, and pack my bag for a trip to Tennessee.

Donna Ulisse’s songwriting workshop is a two-day session that she labels: the Little House Workshops.

She holds these workshops on a small farm on the outskirts of Nashville, TN, which she and Rick, her husband, purchased last year.

She says that these eight acres of country living has fed into this new adventure. Here is her take, “The moment my eyes rested on the field and the pole barn, I knew we were going to write great songs here.

There is a certain energy and peace that lays over this place making it ripe for composing.”

Each workshop is tailored to be an intimate experience as the enrollment is limited to a total of six to

eight attendees and three professional songwriters who are: Donna Ulisse, Jerry Salley, Rick Stanley, and sometimes a forth mystery guest writer when needed. The workshop groups the attendees into teams of two folks each; and over a two day time frame, each twoperson team gets a chance to work with each pro writer in a total of three writing sessions. Donna sums this up by saying, “At the end of the two days, it is our hope that you (the attendee) will walk away holding songs that are tri-written with one of the pro-writers and ready for commercial exposure.

There is no guarantee that a song will be completed on your first visit though it will not be for lack of trying. Learning through example and personal involvement with a pro-writer is like pole-vaulting to the next stage in songwriting. The collaborations will be fun and a true taste of what real Nashville co-writing is all about.”

Small But Powerful

In explaining how the concept for this intimate songwriting workshop experience came about, Ms. Ulisse had this to say, “My husband, Rick Stanley, and myself have been teaching songwriting workshops for quite a few years now and have enjoyed sharing what we have learned about the craft to other writers. One thing that we noticed after each of these workshops was the lack of one-onone time with the attendees. That kind of attention is nearly impossible, as most workshops have 10 or more students and only a small panel of pro writers to teach them.

Also, these workshops are usually

Getting Results

Recently, we reached out to Donna and ask her about a songwriting

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just one to three hours in length, leaving us breathless trying to share as much information as we can in this amount of time.”

Donna went on to tell us that she dreamed that they should do a limited seating weekend workshop that would allow an attendee to actually write a song with a pro writer, and that is what they did.

They knew that they needed another dedicated songwriting instructor so they reached out to a dear friend and co-writer Jerry Salley who agreed to come on board. Donna says, “Jerry Salley is a prolific songwriter with a very impressive list of songs that have been recorded over the years. As a teacher, Jerry is generous with information and effective in getting students to the next level in their writing. Having his name and talent associated with this unique idea of a workshop makes this a must do weekend.” Should they book beyond six students (and sometimes they do admit eight folks), they bring in a forth pro-writer.

Often the identity of this forth writer is kept secret until the students assemble for the first session.

Workshop attendees are asked to arrive at the workshop with three copies of a completed song ready for critique and some other song ideas to be presented during the triwriting sessions. I wondered if the workshop attendees also needed to be musicians, and Donna answered me this way, “We have lots of attendees that do not play an instrument. If they have a recorded representation of a song, we play it for our critique. If an attendee

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only has a lyric (or poem) we read through it and offer suggestions.

Sometimes we have folks that have never written a song in their life show up out of a desire to write.

That is just fine with me. Part of the magic of these workshop weekends is to pair up with a pro writer and another attendee in hopes of finding strengths from another writer that might offer ways to improve or strengthen your own writing. Learning by example has been a huge success for us.”

More Than Music

Of course, the workshop weekend is not all work and no play. Donna and Rick share their love for cooking and entertaining, by preparing soul food for the attendees and organizing a Saturday night songwriting round and jam session. She tells us that sometimes there are surprise guests in attendance on the Saturday evening events, which adds to the experience. Donna feels this experience serves to introduce the networking aspect of songwriting. Not only do the attendees get to write with Donna, Rick and Jerry they gain insight into how connections are made in the industry and what to do with a song once it has been

written. Here is Ms. Ulisse’s take on the experience, “I want to give folks a look at how I go about composing and what better way to do that than to have them in our home and writing a song with the same approach that I use on a daily basis. The hope is they will take some of what they see and do here and apply it to their writing. The added element of home cooked lunches and dinner shared at our table and an evening singing for them completes the weekend and the glimpse of life on farm Stanley.”

After having already held three successful events, Ms. Ulisse has decided to stage 10 Lil House Songwriting Workshops for 2018.

She will schedule these events throughout the year, and since the idea seems to be well received, Ulisse expects a quick sell-out for each of the dates as each session will only accommodate six to eight folks. Should you happen to be a budding songwriter, this little workshop sounds like something you might want to consider. For more information or to land a seat at one of these weekend events please call 615-509-4556 or send an email to donnaulisse@gmail.com

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released to sell at my gigs and help make some money while sailing.

But years later, unbeknownst to me, the song spoke to someone and carried it’s weight. It resonated in the ears of that listener, more than Christopher Cross or Jimmy Buffett. Consequently “Chesapeake” reached an audience I never dreamed of being in front of.

You Never Know It is funny how this musician, singer/songwriter life goes. Much of the time you are running down new roads but sometimes you find you have just circled back to a familiar road, one that you’ve traveled before. That circling back is what brought about this article. About 10 years ago, I wrote for a publication that Greg Tutwiler was involved with. Things evolve, that magazine ceased to exist but Greg and I loosely kept in touch. Then in April, at the 2017 MerleFest, Greg and I arranged to meet, he asked if I would like to climb back on this writing saddle, and I happily accepted.

We agreed I should pick up where I left off, sharing tales and lessons from many years and miles, past and present, that may help some of you on your journey. I write and perform in the vain of Americana, Roots, Country with an ocean view.

I’ve owned farms and shod horses for a living until I sold it all for a floating home on a sailboat. Over the years I have logged over 30,000 bluewater miles under the keel and have based out of the US, Canada, Spain, and Antigua. Luck smiled upon me with international cowriters, five tunes reaching the Top 30 on the US Country charts and one number 1 in Europe; and a small music festival (Aiken & Friends Fest), now in it’s 12th year. Touring has run the gamut with high highs and crash and burn moments.

Through it all, I love this life! I welcome this opportunity to write for Americana Rhythm and hopefully you and I can travel this particular stretch of road together.

The Road As A Metaphor The road can be literal and metaphorical for all the paths you travel and hats you need to wear to be a modern-day Indie musician. But one thing never changes: never underes-

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timate the impact of your music and the persona you project, who may hear your songs and what opportunities may arise as a result. This includes print media (like this paper); digital media including video, and all forms of listening. As an artist and performer, you strive to be in the public eye. You look for ways to get your name and music out there. You create content by recording songs, shooting videos, and building websites. You spread the word via press releases, spending hours engaging fans on social media, and doing interviews etc.

After all the time invested and dollars spent, at some point you will wonder, am I getting anywhere?

Am I reaching my goals? Are my goals the same as they were? Is my team (manager, publicist, agent) producing what I need? This is normal and valuable.

Similarly, I received an email asking if I was the Mike Aiken who had been written up in a certain sailing magazine three years earlier? I hardly remembered the interview and subsequent article but replied ‘yes’, that was me, ‘what can I do for you?’ This person said they had

We all go through this, no matter where we are in our careers and the answers are not always easy.

Results are difficult to quantify. I am not attempting to address these questions here in this article, we can do that another time. I am interested in giving you motivation to keep plugging away with a couple of things that happened to me that were completely unexpected.

A Wonderful Suprise

A few years ago my Facebook page started blowing up with congratulations. I honestly didn’t know why and thought it was a joke of some kind. Then I received a copy of Sports Illustrated Magazine where a song of mine, “Chesapeake,” was chosen as one of the Top 40 Sporting Songs of All Time! For sailing!

Who knew? To say I was astounded is an understatement. Not only was this song never released as a single, it was never promoted.

Neither was the CD it was on. It was one of my early CDs that I

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recently read the interview and would like to book me for an event, was that possible? Well, of course.

Private events are always welcome.

After the event we were talking and I asked him how he came across a three year-old magazine? He told me he found it in the men’s room of a marina and used it for reading material! I knew right then and there my career was on its way.

All jokes aside, never underestimate the power of your songs and the reach they may have. Make each one the best it can be because you just never know.

Until next time …

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You can reach Mike at www.MikeAikenMusic.com

September 2017

Birth Place Of Red Dirt Music

By Pamm Tucker

Like all types of music, RED DIRT grew in a specific place. Where, you might ask? The answer is very surprising. Stillwater, OK is the epicenter of where Red Dirt music was formed. On a dirt road, west of Oklahoma State University, on the west side of the road, you will find a garage and a few other brick and mortar buildings. This place is referred to as The Farm. A two story funky old five bedroom home

Farm, I felt a unique experience first-hand. On a very chilly May morning, in Stillwater, the campfire was stoked and memories flowed. Standing around the coals and ash, were the likes of John Cooper, Ben Han, Brad Piccolo (The Red Dirt Rangers), Zac Wenzell (upcoming Red Dirt Artist), Monica Taylor (The Cherokee Maidens), and many more. Visualization of the birth of

(no longer in existence due to a fire in 2003) was the birthplace of what we call RED DIRT.

RED DIRT could be heard in every story. While literally not a café, but simply an old red brick garage with no door, the sounds of a mandolin, an accordion and the strum of a guitar brought you back to a place where many outstanding musicians began their search to find their soul. Today is more than a re-­-union, it’s all about raising money for the RED DIRT Relief Fund, Inc.

Gathering At The Farm

The Farm is home to a musical brotherhood, a family - not a genre of music. Many musicians strummed on the porch, played in the garage (The Gypsy Café), and sang around the campfire. Among those, were Jimmy LaFave, Bob Childers, Tom Skinner, Cross Canadian Ragweed, The Red Dirt Rangers, Jason Boland and the Stragglers, Stony Larue & Monica Taylor, just to highlight a few. It was the sheer joy of creating music with friends that transcended all else.

A few weeks ago, I was invited to attend a gathering, a reunion of sorts at The Farm. Never having been to The Gypsy Café or The

According to Monica Taylor, she had been searching for her soul a long time when she happened on to The Farm. Monica found that she couldn’t stay away from The Farm and eventually brought a tent and began to live on the grounds. Eventually she left the tent and put a tarp up between two buildings. Taylor remained at The Farm, with her dog, under the stars and eventually found her soul, her cont.

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Gypsy soul, as she called it. Today Taylor is one of over 70 performers who will take the stage to raise donations for a relief fund for musicians that began here.

Red Dirt Rangers

The trio, Cooper, Han and Piccolo (The Red Dirt Rangers), were victims of a near fatal helicopter crash in Oklahoma in 2004.

Guitarist Piccolo states “ That day brought us back to our roots, back to Stillwater, and back to the Farm.”

Cooper said, “ I thought I am going to die today in a helicopter crash.”

Ben Han while bleeding profusely and hanging on to fuselage for his dear life, thought it was all over as well. After months of medical costs, these three musicians decided that they needed to do something for the rest of the RED DIRT family. They dreamt of forming a charity, the RED DIRT Relief Fund, INC. which would turn tragedy into something much more, assistance for those in need.

“The RED DIRT Relief Fund was formed from meeting with Katie Dale, Tim Holland (Eskimo Joe’s), and myself at The Farm when we

can fill out an application, we review it, (the board does) and we make a decision. We have helped with medical bills, buying instruments that were stolen, paid utility bills, and helped with those that have lost work due to Mother Nature. “ As most of us know, musicians don’t have insurance.

They throw benefits, jam sessions and that is what today is all about.”

What is Red Dirt Music, you may be wondering? With no definitive sound that can be attributed to just one music type, Red Dirt is a mix of many genres. A Fusion of a little this and little that, a recipe for RED DIRT Music might go as follows: A blend of folk music A dash of Rock A Cup or two of Country A jigger of bluegrass A Tablespoon of Blues A Teaspoon of western swing 2/3 cup of Honky Tonk Pour this in a sifter and mix gently.

Add a little mandolin, a guitar, great vocals, and most important soul. And there you have RED DIRT music. It is not a genre it’s a state of mind.

Red Dirt Rangers Board of Dorectors

were planning the first Gypsy Cafe. Katie, then working for Red Bull, approached us with the idea for a concert. She also said that part of the proceeds they (Red Bull) would like to give to the charity of our choice. I said we don’t really have one in mind, but there’s a charity we’d like to start, and Katie said let’s do that. Wallah!”, John Cooper stated.

The first year the services were limited to The Red Dirt Family, but Cooper said: “We realized that all musicians are family, and opened our funds up to every person, whether you play an instrument, are a roadie, or a songwriter, you

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Jim Blair, Executive Director of the Oklahoma Music H all of Fame, shared stories of getting his funk on at The Farm; he also donated his performance to raise money for the RED DIRT relief fund.

To sum up, it was a long day, but a fun day. I interviewed Red Dirt artist, John Fulbright. He reiterated the same thing that I had been told all day “ Red Dirt is all about family.” As a fellow performer, Thomas Trapp, walked by and said “I love you man.” Fulbright looked at me, smiled, and said, “you see that, that’s what I mean.”

Although when I was asked to attend this fundraiser I said I wasn’t much into RED DIRT music, I can say that NOW I am a fan! And I can only hope to be called a part of the RED DIRT Family.

Donations accepted with a smile, at www.reddirtrelieffund.org.

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Oh, to be a fly on the walls of my mind ... These days I am not just writing songs. I have released nine solo CD’s and almost ready to ship the tenth one that I am currently trying to finish up. I am extremely excited about it. I tour across the country with my band. I’ve written one book and frantically working on the second book. I teach songwriting workshops on a regular basis and also spend time doing one-on-one mentoring and song editing for writers out there needing a little help. I enjoy serving on the International Bluegrass Music Association committee for the promotion of songwriting, and last but not least I joyfully contribute my ramblings to this Americana Rhythm magazine. There is a hiccup though, for I am still trying to honor my daily attempt at carving on a song. So, after listing all the things that fill my days, I feel led to talk

about how I accomplish my goals with hopes that it will help you do the same.

To be a serious songwriter, sacrificing is a must. I have to choose daily where to place my time and what to prioritize. One thing I do without fail is pray/ meditate first thing in the morning and the last thing in the evening to clear my mind of the clutter that can shut me down. I find that this time to “chill” resolves lots of the everyday issues I juggle. After my peaceful, mindful retreat in the mornings, I try to start a new tune or tidy up an old song while sipping my coffee. Most days there will not find a guitar in my hands, just a yellow mug filled with strong java.

On my lap is the ever-present iPad with a lyric reflected on the screen.

Reading a lyric in progress is my way of easing into the day and also plays an important role in my editing process because a little distance and a good

read through can point out lines that might need clarification or total rewrites. At this time, if the mood strikes, and I feel the urge to grab the guitar and start writing, I will leave a little of the morning to write. Over the years I have learned to stop and write when the spirit moves me. If I don’t I might let a wonderful chance slip by. All the best intentions to remember a song idea for a later time is a gamble that I’ve quit betting on.

Another thing that keeps me focused is a good old list! That’s right, I number them in the order of importance and get cracking after my quiet time.

On any given day, the time for sitting down and writing songs might hold a number lower down the page but I work as hard as I can to get to that hour. I make an appointment with myself if there is not already a co-writing appointment on the books and try

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to stay honest. A wee voice always reminds me to keep the creative juices rolling so that I can stay on the writer’s journey forever.

I know that many of you have incredibly busy lives and devoting the bulk of your day to music is just not realistic but if you have the burning desire to write, let me give you my mantra and feel free to make it your own. Do something for your songwriting every single day without fail. Find a 10-minute window to write in a journal, read an old lyric, record a fleeting idea into a voice recorder, think about an event that might have happened during your day that could later become a storyline in a new song and write it down. This selfish 10 minutes of devotion will fortify your craft and the reward will shine inside your song!

Until the next time…write on!

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90 Years In the Making In the past I have written about

my mother and the string music that she served up to my ears during the late 1940s and early 50s through the radio broadcasts and the hand-cranked record player that set in the front room of our four room tenet house. At that time, I did not realize that we were only 25 to 30 years removed from the origins of the ability to have that experience. It is now the 21st. century as we sit here today and reflect upon the fact that this year is the 90th anniversary of the Bristol Sessions That event has become known as the big bang of country music, or as it was known at the time of my first exposure to it, Hillbilly Music. (By the way, The Gibson Brothers in a line of one of

their songs say they just call it Music.) Nevertheless, in the early to mid 20th century (the late teens and 20s), folks were playing, singing, and listening to this music of the common man and recording companies were taking notice (the shiny glint of coinage did not hurt the notice either, I’m sure).

Bristol Sessions Celebrates

We here at the magazine recently received a reminder that the Birthplace of Country Music (BCM) is celebrating this 90th anniversary of the legendary 1927 Bristol recording sessions held by Ralph Perr of the Victor Talking Machine Company. You may remember from past stories we have published that these sessions included the first recordings of the legendary Carter Family and Jimmie Rodgers,

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By Edward Tutwiler

among others. The 1927 Bristol Sessions ushered in a new era for the commercial music industry due to their commercial success and the state-of-the-art technology used to record them.

The summer celebration includes a series of diverse activities showcasing the deep impact of the Sessions. The celebration begins on July 15th with a symposium featuring Ralph Peer II, Barry Mazor, and the producers of the PBS documentary American Epic. The celebration continues through the award-winning Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival held on September 15—17, 2017 (editor note: If you have never attended this amazing street festival, you are missing a real unique musical treat).

Leah Ross, Executive Director of BCM, said, “Ours is a story that isn’t often told, yet the events that happened in Bristol in 1927 revolutionized the country music industry.

This celebration honors the legacy of the Bristol Sessions and its lasting impact on the soundtrack of our lives.”

If you are a musical history devotee, we urge you to explore this important history in Bristol and take part in the events during these 90th anniversary festivities. By all means, catch the Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion music festival if at all possible.

(We here at AR consider it one of the highlights of our summer festival circuit and hope to see you there.)

To see a full list of the summer long celebration’s activities, point your computer browser to 1927 bristolsessions.org. Click on BristolRhythm.com for the complete festival talent lineup and to purchase tickets to the street festival in September

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September 2017

A Band Called The Wooks

By Greg Tutwiler

evolved now like everywhere else, but there are still a lot of cool things musically happening all across the state. Roots music, as a whole, is on the up in our area.”

I first heard The Wooks one afternoon coming out of my in dash XM Radio. Bluegrass Junction was spinning up something new, and I knew right then that I needed to find out more about this band.

Turns out, these five guys from Eastern Kentucky haven’t been together that long, but they’re already making an impact on the bluegrass/Americana music scene.

Arthur Hancock (Banjo), CJ Cain (Guitar), Galen Green (Mandolin), Jesse Wells (Fiddle), and Roddy Puckett (Bass) make up this quintet formed around 2013.

Getting It Together

“We all had relationships with each other and knew each other from other musical experiences and seeing each other in different bands,” Arthur told me recently. “Galen and I grew up together playing music in high school. Roddy and Jesse had already become pretty established in the Kentucky music scene. CJ and I met later in life, around 2012, and began playing music together. Galen eventually moved closer to us, and we began playing music together again along with CJ almost immediately.”

The three friends got an offer to play a party. Knowing they might

need a little help, they sought the services of Roddy and Jesse. “We already knew we liked them, so we asked them to play with us for that gig. After we played one time we realized it was a lot of fun and we wanted to do more of it. That’s really how this whole thing started,” Arthur said. “They had been playing in some pretty prominent bands that we had followed ourselves, so it was a pretty cool thing to finally get to play with them,” CJ added.

“I wasn’t really a huge bluegrass fan until I went to a bluegrass festival with someone in high school,” CJ said.

“You see all these people playing in the campground that maybe didn’t even know each other before. It was a pretty amazing thing to witness. There was very good

music being made without even trying that hard. Everybody speaks the same language there, which I found very interesting, and made me think that it is was certainly worth pursuing. It only takes hearing one or two bands, and before you know it you’re wrapped up in the whole thing. For me it was Seldom Seen and Tony Rice.”

“For me it was my dad and my uncle who had been playing bluegrass since I was born,” Jesse added. “They were attracted to music later in life seeing older people in their community playing music. When dad came back home from the Viet Nam war he made the connection to Eastern Kentucky through the music and literature of the area. By being gone, that was his impetus for learning how to play the fiddle. I had no choice but to fall in love with it after being around it so much.” continued

Musical Beginnings

Most all the guys grew up around music and came to be musicians though some sort of family influence, “ except maybe Galen,” Arthur said. Although at one time Western Kentucky was very heavily populated with bluegrass, CJ said that today it’s not as popular as you’d think. “It just seems like music goes through cycles. In the 60s and 70s Lexington was the big place to be,” added Arthur. “At one point, there was a lot of pretty famous bluegrassers all living here at the same time. For instance, J.D. Crow’s band was playing five or six nights a week at the Holiday Inn here at one time. It was a really happening place but it’s very hard to sustain that. Kentucky has

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The Wooks continued When I asked them if they were able to call it a full time venture yet, Arthur said, “I haven’t had a job in like 18 month.” “We’re in the process,” another chimed in.

Jesse teaches music at Moore Head State University, “so that doesn’t really feel like a job.” But the rest of the guys seem to be able to call this a full time situation at the moment.

thing your own way. If you do that and the crowd is engaged, at that point it doesn’t really matter what kind of music you’re playing. If the crowd is connected with you, then essentially all of the genre stuff pretty much goes out the door.

Whereas, if they’re just spectating, they might not like it if you venture outside of what they are used to. If you have good energy, then your energy comes across.

PHOTO Jennifer Buckler

More Than Bluegrass

Obviously rooted and centered in bluegrass, the Wooks, not unlike any other band, strive to generate a unique sound of their own.

They’ve been able to find something that’s just a little different than other groups. “It’s just kind of hard to put a name on what we do. We don’t really stay in one kind of sound for very long in any given set. Jesse is an incredible electric guitar player and he can approach the fiddle like he does the guitar with some of these rock and roll songs, more jam type tunes. But then, when we do an old time tune that might just feature a fiddle and banjo, or the fiddle and mandolin almost the whole way through, it fits too. The good thing is, we believe there something for everybody. I think the biggest thing is that we just play music that we actually really like. There’s not really any song in our set list where I feel like when I get to it, I think, ‘oh, I gotta play this thing?’ Jesse is really adamant on this idea that you can’t go out there and do what a bunch of other people have already done. You have to do some-

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Little Circles

The band wrote eight of the 11 tracks on the current CD, Little Circles. “At times we play a twoset show, so with just one record out, we obviously do cover some other tunes along the way,” CJ said. “Roddy brings a lot of Greatful Dead and Jerry Garcia stuff to the band. Arthur was very influenced by Robert Earl Keen, and I’m into Guy Clark and John Prine. We play a lot of stuff by The Band as well. That group seems to influence this group’s music quite a bit.”

“Bluegrass is a lot like jazz; everybody has an opinion on what it is.

That can be very hard to overcome at times for bands. And there’s really not that many bands out there anymore that truly sound like Bill Monroe or Flatt and Scruggs. If Bill Monroe haden’t broken the rules we wouldn’t have bluegrass in the first place. I think what we do is just make good music, and we let the audience decide what it is. If they like it, then we’re good with that ”

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September 2017

Listen to the expanded interviews at www.spreaker.com/show/ americana-music-profiles, or search Americana Music Profiles in iTunes!

Charly Markwart Charly Markwart was born and raised in rural Michigan.

However, it was a love and a quest for Appalachian music that led her to pursue an education at Bluefield College near the Appalachian Mountains of Southwestern Virginia.

“Growing up I listened to a lot of country music, that was always my favorite,” Charly said. “I was more inclined towards the older music like Patsy Cline and Merle Haggard. But I also liked the singer/songwriter kind of music too.”

Charly said that ever since she was little she always knew she wanted to grow up and be a singer and a songwriter. She never really did anything with it until she went to college. “I knew that was where the roots of acoustic and Americana music were,” she said. “That’s where I actually learned to play music. I went to all these jams in the area at first and started picking it up organically.”

Charly said she made the decision intentionally to go to school at that location because she had studied about the music and knew that was where she would get to experience it first hand. “I went to that area with the hopes of being exposed to it,” she said. “There were a lot of veteran musicians that were very willing o help me along.”

Eventually, learning to play the mandolin, she gained enough experience to start her own band, Diamonds in the Rough, in honor of the Carter Family’s sacred tune, and played throughout the Appalachian region until recently moving back home to be closer to her family.

Charly is close to finishing her first solo project, No Direction Home, and hopes to get out on the road soon to tour with her new music. This will be all original music from her catalog of songs. Although it’s a move away from her original bluegrass sound, “it’s still very rootsy and acoustic sounding,” she said.

Over The Moon

The Two Tracks

Craig Bignell and Suzanne Levesque make up the acoustic duo called Over The Moon. Their new CD, Moondancer, recorded recently, is already earning favorable reviews. But it’s just the continuation of years of music history. Today, Craig and Suzanne live on an isolated ranch about an hour and a half southwest of Calgary, Canada. But there’s another side to this musical story.

David Huebner (cello, electric guitar, vocals), Julie Szewc (guitar/vocals), Fred Serna (drums/percussion), and Russell Smith (upright bass) combine to produce the rich Americana sounds of Wyoming’s The Two Tracks on their latest project, Postcard Town. It’s a telling travelogue of stories.

Craig and Suzanne are also musicians for hire, playing drums and bass for other artists who need fill in musicians. Craig’s roots run deeper still. About 12 years ago, he played on some demo recordings for a session in Ontario. “Somehow the songs found their way to John Cowan. He sought me out because he liked how I felt when I was playing the drum parts,” Craig told me. “He called me out of the blue and invited me to come to his house to set in with his band. I had just recently bought a banjo not even knowing what bluegrass music was. So I went to a CD store to see if they had any bluegrass music, and all that they had was a New Grass Revival CD – John Cowan’s old band. I put it on and it blew me away. I love it, and now John’s calling me!”

After a season playing with John and several of his other idols, Craig played a session for a trio called The Traveling Mabels, who just happened to feature a bass player named Suzanne Levesqu e. They eventually met when she, and Craig puts it, “rescued me from a struggling guitar/singing solo performance with her beautiful voice and bass guitar.”

“I fell in love with her instantly,” Craig said. The couple has been singing together ever since and even have had people ask if they were related, as their voices blend together so well that they sound like family. Craig and Suzanne were married not long after, and are now writing the next chapter with their music and their voices.

To find out more, visit www.overthemoonband.com

To find out more, visit www.charlymarkwart.com Check out

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The Two Tracks have been together for several years now Dave told me. Dave got his start in classical music playing the cello. He eventually moved away from classical music for a season of learning to play the guitar and write songs. He eventually migrated into folk/Americana/bluegrass music where a few of his friend encouraged him to get his cello out and jam with them. “I really didn’t think the cello had a place around the campfire but it turns out that it’s very well suited to bluegrass and folk, and even rock and roll,” Dave said. “I usually alternate between emulating fiddle styles to the rhythmic bassy grooves,” he said.

Julie started playing guitar in high school. “We’d sit around the campfire and I’d just try to keep up with them,” she laughed. “I eventually started writing songs, and played solo shows, and duos for years. When I moved to Sheridan (Wyoming) I originally had met a drummer friend, and he and I started The Two Tracks.” When the band finally went into the studio to record their first album, they hired Dave to be part of the sessions. “Since that album came out, Dave joined the band full time.”

Their latest project, Postcard Town, released in May this year, No Depression magazine described it as “creating an instant connection ... in truth there’s not a single offering here that doesn’t engage the listener practically from the get go.”

The CD was produced by the legendary Will Kimbrough, with 11 new tracks and features contributions from special guest Bruce Bouton, Garth Brooks’ long time pedal steel guitar player.

To find out more, vivit www.thetwotracks.com

on iTunes www.AmericanaRhythm.com

September 2017

Listen to the expanded interviews at www.spreaker.com/show/ americana-music-profiles, or search Americana Music Profiles in iTunes!

Barbara Jo Kammer Barba ra Jo Kammer has been making music for quite a while. Her career as a music therapist working with the elderly and folks suffering from addiction keeps her quite occupied.

When she’s not doing that, she entertains guests at the local coffee house with band, The Hippie Buckaroos.

“It’s been a dream come true,” she told us recently, referring to getting to record her very first CD ever, at the age of 62. She proudly shared that she’s been in recovery from alcohol addiction for 10 years now, and hopes that her own journey and celebration in recovery through music can provide inspiration to others.

Her CD, scheduled to come out in September is called, One Song At A Time. “It’s never too late to follow your dream,” she said. “And I feel like I living it, right now. It’s an amazing opportunity to make a debut solo album at this stage of my life.”

“It’s only because of my recovery and sobriety that I have this opportunity,” she stressed. “If I can do it, anybody can do it. If I can give hope to someone that’s struggling, or knows someone who is, then it’s been worth it.”

Barbara Jo even got to write her first song for the project. “I’ve never written a song before. My wonderful producer Casey Grove suggested I write one for the CD.” Barbara Jo resisted at first but the Colorado resident says it was her daily walks with her dogs around a nearby lake two weeks before she went into the recording studio that inspired her to want to create a song for this project.

“Each day I would go back home and write down what had come to me on the walk. Sometimes it was the melody, and sometimes it was the words. It’s the last song on my album and I can’t even tell you how happy I am to have that on there.”

Marc Daniels

Jason Lee McKinney Depending on which set you happen to catch of the Jason Lee McKinney Band, you might think they were a different band on another night. Jason says it’s because the band teeters on the edge of several different genres. It’s an alternative country sound at the heart, yet at any given show they could lean to the rock, to the singer/songwriter side, or even to Texas country.

For their fifth release, they decided to do something completely different, as if releasing the previous album as a double vinyl wasn’t. This time, their new release simultaneously came out as three seperate EPs. Sacred, Southern, Soul is what some call “sanctified, chicken fried, roots revived, with an American soul.” “It’s an opportunity to showcase each essence of the band at its own merit,” Jason said.

“One is more Sacred sounding, one focuses on Southern influences, and the third packs a soulful punch.”

McKinney, was born and raised in Evansville Indiana, “not far from Kentucky, across from a cornfield,” he said. “My dad was a huge music fan, and I grew up around it, going to concerts all the time.”

But it was a showing of the movie, Purple Rain, that set in motion the wheels of music for Jason. “At the end, when Prince played that song, I remember thinking then as a little kid, ‘I wanna make people feel like this too.”

In college, Jason ended up signing a major record deal in the Christian music industry becoming label mates and tour buddies with Katie Perry. When that fizzled, he moved to Nashville and took up residence as a staff writer in the music publishing business.

“It just wasn’t for me,” he said. Another swing at music, and then a season of dealing with adult life took him out of the game for a while. “I got bord (eventually),” he said. “I ended up hanging out with some buddies, and the only buddies I had were in music. Here we are, five records later.”

To reach Barbara Jo, bjkammer1@msn.com

Marc grew up like many other kids who are exposed to music – learning to play the piano. Rural Spokane, Washington was home most of his early life before moving to California and pursuing a professional music career.

“I grew up in a musical family of very talented musicians,” he said, “so it sort of created this path for me that since everyone else was a musician, I was going to be one also. But I didn’t realize there was much talent there for me though, because when your brothers and sisters can all sing and play instruments, you just assume the whole world is like that.”

It took Marc a while to realize that music was a career possibility for him. He was in his early 20s before he started singing in bands. He was a karaoke singer, “for fun mostly.” He said. “And I started getting a lot feedback saying things like, ‘wow, you’re really good, you should sing in a band,’ and then I got the bug to try it,” he said.

That desire transitioned into Marc finding bands and other musical projects including time as a semirock musician. “The country rock overtones were there,” he said. “But this is the first album where I’ve gotten to explore what I think is my truest sound,” referring to his current CD, The Starting Line. “People who liked my music before have said since I switched to country, ‘oh my gosh, this is really good.”

The other gratifying thing for Marc is the response from those who didn’t know him. “People who weren’t aware of me before are discovering my music and really liking it. That’s been great,” he said.

The album has generated a couple of significant singles as well. The first single, “Redhead,” which was also his first video is getting quite a bit of attention, and the second, “Summer Song,” Marc feels like it will generate some great commercial response with it.

To find out more, visit www.josephhenrymusic.com Check out

To find out more, vivit www.marcdanielscountry.com on iTunes

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

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September 2017

Thanks to our partnership with ReverbNation (www.reverbnation.com) we are honored to give you a peak at a few of the nation’s hardest working indie artists. Each month we select one entry to showcase for you here. Enjoy!

THIS MONTH’S FEATURE:

and everyday person. Moses is the name of a prophet and Jones is a common name and represents us all. Together the name symbolizes the connection between the music, the band members, and the audience.”

By Greg Tutwiler

Moses Jones

FEATURE ARTISTS

“We’re still not settled fully on the sound and direction of the band. Being a new band, we’re exploring the boundaries of dirty southern soul every day. I wouldn’t really call it settling in to a certain kind of music; However I would call it a current mix of the influences because God only knows how the future style is going to be and that’s the beauty of art.”

Lead vocalist and guitarist

Robert Johnson fronts the band, Moses Jones, with a passion and a flair that makes you want to be a part of the band. This new band from Charlotte, NC has been described as “a heapin’ helpin’ of dirty southern soul, with a side of funk, and a lot of jam spread on top.”

This bluesy band is a blend of southern rock, soul, and power percussion, with roots deep in gospel, rhythm & blues, rock, salsa, soul, and country. The flavor appeals to a wide range of audiences and the fellows have been landing some early success and making instant connections between the band and their audiences.

The band actually had it’s beginnings in a local church.

Johnson, and fellow band mate Michael Rone (precussion), met while playing together in the church worship band. Not long after, Robert met Rodney Wallin (bass) through common music circles and invited him to join in helping develop some of the songs that he had written. During the early stages, several players passed through the ranks until Moses

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Jones finally settled on their current line-up when Kennon Knight (drums and vocals), and Dom Val (organ and keys) joined the band. Robert finally found the sound he’d envisioned for the group.

Tons Of Influences

“Everyone in the band had a very different musical journey,” Robert told me. “For instance; Kennon Knight’s journey began with seeing the band KISS in 1977. Joe Williams’s father was a trumpet player and played with such greats as Benny Goodman. Arda Bagcioglu’s father and uncle were both guitar players and helped to bring Rock-N-Roll to his hometown of Ankara, Turkey.

My musical journey began listening to my grandmother sing gospel music to an A.M radio on Sunday mornings.”

The band is already writing their own songs. Robert writes the songs and music, and he also brings the songs to the

guys in the band for them to add their flavor to the mix.

Their many influences range from Gospel and Country to 60s psychedelic. “The stories he tells through his songwriting speak of the fabric of life growing up in the Carolinas and have a flare that make you feel a part of the songs themselves,” their press material related. Songs such as “Carolina Days”, “Ole Dirt Road”, and “Won’t Do You No Harm” take you for a ride down memory lane via South I-85.

Biblical Origins

The name Moses Jones has been around longer than the band itself. Some have described Moses Jones music as “Dirty Southern Soul Music.”

Robert said he chose the name to show that music is healing.

“I chose the name Moses from The Bible because he delivered his people from bondage.

Jones, becasue it represents the

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

Everyone Involved

“One of the highlights of a Moses Jones show is when the band distributes drums and percussion instruments to the audience and allows them to join in on the fun. The band establishes a beat and encourages the audience to play along before taking off on a wild medley ride of songs ranging from “War,” to “Use Me,” to “Rapper’s Delight.” More than a crowd pleaser, the drum circle is inspired by Kennon Knight and his involvement with drumSTRONG, an organization that raises awareness & funds for important cancer initiatives globally.”

Moses Jones heads into the studio this September at a state of the art recording facility in Charlotte NC to record their debut full length album. Eddie Zee, at the Vault, has enlisted the help of longtime friend and recording engineer Mark Williams from Reflections Sound.

www.facebook.com/ MosesJonesMusic

September 2017

Woodsong Heads to RFD TV

www.WoodSongs.com

Folksinger Michael Johnathon

travels America, with his Martin guitar and Vega long-neck banjo, performing to audiences across the country bringing his message of music and community. He has spent the past 15 years building a massive, multi-media front porch celebrating the roots and acoustic music he loves.

His Lexington-based show, the WoodSongs Old-Time Radio Hour, is a global front porch; a public radio broadcast filmed for television, where the community of musicians and music lovers gather to celebrate the traditional American experience through song.

Returning To The Roots

“Once upon a time, the front porch was the grand pulpit of America,” said Johnathon from the front porch of his log cabin home in Kentucky recently. “It is where fami-

lies and neighbors gathered, where the suns set each day with community and song. I wanted WoodSongs to re-create that wonderful legacy of that time. We need it, especially now. Heck, they don’t even build front porches on new homes anymore.”

As a public radio show (515 stations including WEKU FM and WUKY FM) and a public TV series (96M USA TV homes including KET-PBS and KyKET) as well as being heard in 173 countries through American Armed Forces Radio, WoodSongs is already one of the biggest roots music broadcasts in the world. Now, global front porch is growing even larger.

On Friday, July 14th, WoodSongs begins at weekly stint on RFD TV, Fridays, at 6 p.m.

Continued on page 23

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

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September 2017

By Wayne Erbsen

Bonaparte’s Retreat Unlike most old-time fiddle tunes that are commonly played for dances, “Bonaparte’s Retreat” is a showpiece made just for listening.

It is normally played at a slow march tempo that suggests an army in retreat. One tale about the origin of “Bonaparte’s Retreat” claims the tune was written on the bagpipe by a Scotsman who fought at Waterloo. In 1944, the folklorist Samuel Bayard insisted the tune evolved from an ancient Irish march known as “The Eagle’s Whistle” or “The Eagle’s Tune.” In America, it has been played under the title “Bumble Bee in the Pumpkin Patch” and “Bonaparte Crossing the Rocky Mountains.” When it was pointed out to an old fiddler that Bonaparte never saw the Rocky Mountains, he reportedly replied, “historians differ on that.”

In 1949, the country musician and Grand Ole Opry star Pee Wee King (composer of “ The Tennessee

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Waltz”) wrote new lyrics to “Bonaparte’s Retreat” that had everything to do with romance and dancing and nothing to do with Napoleon Bonaparte’s disastrous retreat from Russia in 1812. Pee Wee is generally given credit for adding a third part of the tune that is commonly known as “The Hoochy Cootchy Dance,” “The Snake Charmer’s Song” or “The Girls in France.”)

lisher as well as boxing promoter who staged prize fighting matches that featured “Gentleman Jim” Corbett. On top of that, he was a politician who served a whopping fourteen terms in the U.S. Congress from 1923 until his death in 1949. For over a decade he was chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee and worked closely with the White House both on the Truman Doctrine and the Marshall Plan. He was also a member of the American delegation in San Francisco that helped to create the United Nations in 1945. To put a cherry on the top of a storied career in politics, in 1948 he was on the com-

The history of the origin of the third part of “Boneparte’s Retreat” is a fascinating story itself. It dates back to 1893 when Sol Bloom, the entertainment director of the Chicago World’s Fair, composed it on the piano for an attraction called “A Street in Cairo,” which featured snake charmers, camel rides and a seductive dancer known as Little Egypt. If Bloom had done nothing more than compose this tune, he might only be remembered in a footnote in an obscure songbook.

However the truth be told, he was a successful Chicago sheet music pub-

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

mittee that successfully lobbied President Harry Truman to recognize the Jewish State of Israel.

For this arrangement of “Boneparte’s Retreat,” I’ve written it out both in standard musical notation and also in a tab system I created for several of my instruction books. Instead of having numbers on the lines to represent the fret that you play, this tab uses the name of the note. For more information about my instruction and songbooks for banjo, mandolin, fiddle, guitar, dulcimer and ukulele, visit www.nativeground.com.

September 2017

www.AmericanaRhythm.com

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September 2017

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www.AmericanaRhythm.com

September 2017

Life In Music Don Brown has spent the better part of his career doing what he calls, “helping people with people.” He’s written five books, including his latest, Simple Truths in Music and Life. This latest project is a collection of wisdom gathered from Don’s experiences and time spent with Uwe Kruger of the Kruger Brothers.

It was a seemingly chance meeting for the Michigan author/speaker/coach when he was invited by a good friend to attend the Kruger Brothers Music Academy held annually each summer in Wilkesboro, NC. “Six years ago, a friend called to tell me about this academy and asked if I wanted to go, so I said ‘sure.’ It turned out that he became ill and couldn’t join me,” Don told me. “The Academy left such an impression on me that I’ve been back every year since.”

By Greg Tutwiler

“Being a writer, I like to capture and simplify what I observe. After the second year, I went to Uwe and told him that I wanted to write about the journey I was having with music and the experience with him at the camp,” Don said.

Uwe told him, “I don’t think people would care too much about what I have to say.” Don’s response; “I said I think you’re wrong.” Uwe gave Don his blessing and Don went about the research process. It took him several years after that, pouring through captured audio and video of Uwe’s teachings and interviews. “I even had a transcript of a Swiss television documentary,” he told me.

The result of all of this research is a fabulous collection of 93 “simple truths” divided into four movements; Play, Practice, Create, Per-

form, and the coda, Sing. You can read it like a story, or you can crack it open somewhere in the middle and treat it like a daily dose of life and musical wisdom – something specific each day.

There’s plenty of nuggets here to help you be a better musician, and even a better person.

“What do you see,” was the foundational truth that started it for Don as Uwe was trying to help him understand the picture he was cre-

ating with a Tom O’Brian song he played for him one time, “Late In The Day.” He prompted me to consider what I actually see when I played that song.”

It was that exercise that helped transform Don’s performances and led him to create the book. “He’s such a great teacher. I just wanted to capture some of that wisdom and preserve it, and pass it along.”

Order your copy on Amazon.com or contact Don directly at www.donbrown.org.

SUMM ER send SPECIAL $32 fo r2 Full Ye ars!

Send us your name and address along with your check or money order for $18 made out to Americana Rhythm, to PO Box 45, Bridgewater, VA, 22812. (PLEASE PRINT CLEARLY) You can also subscribe Via PayPal on line at www.AmericanaRhythm.com

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September 2017

Music From The National Scene

Music From Your Neighbors

welcome to this edition of

SPINS! Check out all this wonderful ear candy (in no special order)! This collection will keep you busy for hours. Grab your iPad or Smart Phone and dial up some of these fine folks.

And please let them know we sent you. We’ve got your summer jams right here!

Got one you want us to listen to? send it to: Uncle Woody, The Spin Doctor PO Box 45 Bridgewater, VA 22812

Kentucky Headhunters Dixie Lullabies

Boris Garcia Around Some Corner

Amanda Anne Platt & the Honeycutters

Poky Lafarge Manic Revelations

www.kentuckyheadhunters.com

www.facebook.com/Boris-Garcia187834267930391

www.pokylafarge.net

www.honeycutters.com

It’s the 12th release for this 20 year veteran band from Kentucky. Recorded in a 1900s cabin in the remote hills of South Central Kentucky, this collection of new originals is full of southern party hits

It’s a rootsy, grassy gang of seven guys from NJ. Boris Garcia serves up a polished helping of Americana with Celtic overtones. Some say they’ve invented a new genre’: Outlaw Mystic. W hatever works - we dig it

It’s so easy to get lost in the playful, upbeat, energy oozing from the stage at a Poky Lafarge performance that you might miss the depth of the lyrics that are so near and dear to Poky. This new set is full of FUN and stories

It’s number four from this singer/songwriter. Pure Americana folk rock, Amanda’s on par with some of the best in the business.

It’s just good listening music, full of heart and down home tales

Bobby Bare Things Change

Amber Cross Savage On The Downhill

Mark Kukendall Bobby Hicks & Ashville Grass Forever and a Day

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Rhonda Vincent and Daryle Singletary American Grandstand

Kim Robins Raining Baltimore www.kimrobins.com

www.bobbybare.com

www.ambercrossmusic.com

It’s Kim’s first record label release. After putting her musical dreams on hold to be mom. she’s back at it in full swing with her Pinecastle debut, Raining Baltimore. It’s traditional grass and good stuff. This is one to keep your eyes on for sure

Country music hall of famer Bobby Bare is a Grammy winner with over 30 top 20 hits. He’s been dubbed the Springsteen of Country. His latest CD, Things Change, is his first in a while. The title cut, a testimony to how things truly do change, all the time

Amber Cross travels the landscapes of Northern and Pacific California serving up her brand of American roots music. Her latest, Savage On The Downhill, is full of visually-rich stories found along the roads she travels. Her music is raw, and honest

Mark and Bobby have a combined 110 years of professional music experience between them. It’s straightahead, down the pike bluegrass in it’s full richness from two greats. Good stuff

Andy Hall & Roosevelt Collier Let The Steel Play

Lonesome River Band

Zephaniah Ohora with the 18 Wheelers

Sam Baker Land Of Doubt

Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver

www.andyhalldobro.com

Lonesome River Band is one of the staples of the bluegrass indu stry. Th eir new CD, Mayhayley’s House, is dedicated to Georgia’s (self proclaimed) Oracle of the Ages - Mayhaylay Lancaster. Deep in lyric, rich in sound, this is standard greatness

www.rhondavincent.com

These two grass/county superstars pair up on a collection of old classics and new originals to create what could be the new era of country duets. For those who love them on stage together, this studio set will delight for sure

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Andy Hall of the Infamous Stringdusters and Roosevelt Collier of the Lee Boys hook up on this instrumental collection. Influences of Blues and Bluegrass come together for this outstanding stringed buffet of music

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Mayhayley’s House www.lonesomeriverband.com

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This Highway

www.sambakermusic.com

Life Is A Story

www.zephaniahohora.com

With an edge to the darker side, Sam Baker’s Land Of Doubt is the precursor to an upcoming doccumentary and a play. Powerful lyrics lead the listener down a mysterious trail of jazzy, acoustical tunes accompanied by Sams haunting voice

www.doylelawson.com

New York City is home now for this New Hampshire native - Rooted in church worship music, he’s now connecting with the city’s country music scene, evident on his new release, This Highway. You’ll like this groove

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You can send new Americana CD releases for consideration to PO Box 45, Bridgewater, VA, 22812

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www.rebelrecords.com

A living legend of Bluegrass music, Doyle Lawson and his band, Quicksilver, deliver once again with their latest, Life Is A Story. (watch for our story with Doyle in issue #71) This is one for every grasser’s collection

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September 2017

Continued from page 17 “I’ve always believed that the grassroots audience is bigger than country and rock combined,” Johnathon said. “So I went about to prove it. I don’t want to sound all ‘banjo-y,’ but you have to have a plan if you’re going to build a front porch this big.”

The WoodSongs Old Time Radio Hour has consistently offered an eclectic array of popular artists from genres of folk, blues, country, jazz, new-age, rock, and more for an appreciative audience that assembles each and every Monday at Lexington, Kentucky’s beautiful, historic Lyric Theatre.

“RFD TV expands our reach dramatically,” Johnathon observed.

“With the perfect mixture of quality talent and the overall mission of Michael Johnathon’s WoodSongs, we believe this program will fit right in with RFD-TV’s core music lineup,” said RFD’s VP of Programming Jeremiah Davis. “Not only that, but we feel that WoodSongs will quickly become appointment viewing for our loyal viewers. We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship.”

Awesome Season On Tap In the spirit of that front porch passion, WoodSongs is all-volunteer run and filmed in front of a live audience, a one-hour musical conversation focusing on the artists and their music. Among very special guests in its first season on RFD TV will be songwriter Jewel, southern rock band The Kentucky HeadHunters, banjo great Bela Fleck and Abigail Washburn, a celebration of Barbershop Quartets, a celebration of Merle Travis, The Mavericks, genre-busting Michael Martin Murphey and bluegrass supergroup the Earls of Leicester. A highlight on each show is that it features a youngster on every broadcast, called a “WoodSongs Kid.”

John Prine

“You don’t have to be famous, you just have to be good,” Johnathon said. “I say that every single week.

It is about the love and passion for the music an artist brings to our show. It is not there in something that is marketed and manipulated and financed. It comes through the heart of those who are simply trying to communicate with their audience ”

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www.AmericanaRhythm.com

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