The Rambler Issue 1

V o l u m e I,

issue

I

The Calamity Cubes Muddy Roots Festival Sept. 3-4

The Folk Singer

Photo by: Sebastian Weidenbach Shadow Cowboy Photography

R F

E E

September 3 & 4th

Cookville, TN

Article by: The Triggerman www.savingcountrymusic.com Jan 1, 2011

dy Roots Festival was an By all accounts, last year’s inaugural Mud amazing, the performances were overwhelming success. The lineup was that made the trek to Cookeville in spectacular, and all the brave people measured somewhere between a middle Tennessee said the experience rience. Good times, good people, life changing event and a religious expe The only thing missing was YOU. good food, and of course, good music.

There is nothing bigger, and nothing better. we need to fix that. If you like So this year for the second installment, ng Country Music, then this is the the music that is talked about on Savi ing bigger, and nothing better. premier event of the year. There is noth you will be able to see for the price And when you factor in all the bands music is just the excuse. To a man, they’re asking, it’s a bargain. But the boasted about the camaraderie the the 2010 Muddy Roots participants all ts, and between each other, and event created between the fans and artis ed away with lasted well after the the friendships and memories they walk music stopped. being the hub of information about Saving Country Music is dedicated to this year’s festival September 3rd all things Muddy Roots leading up to lle, TN, just outside of Nashville. &4th, being held once again in Cookevi on next page, but please note The beginning of the lineup can be seen some could change leading up to the more names will be added later, and event. walk-ups. But think of this like Tickets are $55 in advance, and $70 for as someone throwing the biggest buying a ticket for a show. Think of it and all of your favorite bands backyard party imaginable, with any to be the entertainment, and this traveling from all around the country er plates. is just you pitching in for a keg and pap Photos by: Sebastian Weidenbach Shadow Cowboy Photography Germany

2011 Wayne Hancock - Possessed By Paul James - Don Maddox - O Death Soda - Hillbilly Casino - Burlesque Le Moustache - Left Lane Cruiser The Cheatin' Hearts - HogSlop String Band - Rachel Brooke Lucky Tubb & the Modern Day Troubadours - Calamity Cubes Cutthroat Shamrock - McDougall - Ten Foot Polecats - Hans Condor Porter Hall Tennessee -The Perreze Farm Jayke Orvis & the Broken Band - GD Gallows - The Spinderellas Owen Mays - JB Beverly and the Wayward Drifters Scissormen - Rev.Deadeye - Slackeye Slim - Highlonesome Mark Porkchop Holder - Last False Hope - Cletus Got Shot Cashman - The Hellbillies - James Hunnicutt Viva Le Vox - Smokestack & the Foothill Fury Derek Hoke - Hellfire Revival - Whiskey Folk Ramblers Black Jake & the Carnies - Ronnie Hymes -Joshua Black Wilkins Liquorbox - Sasquatch and the Sick-A-Billys Slim Chance & the Can't Hardly Playboys-Bob Wayne Thomas Maupin & Daniel Rothwell - The Krank Daddies Peculiar Pretzelmen - The Dirt Scab Band - Hellbound Glory (Special Headliner To Be announced)

muddyrootsmusic.com Early Bird Price

115 Waterloo rd.

Cookville, TN 38506

By The Triggerman of SavingCountryMusic.com

10 – Midnight At The Movies (2009) – Justin Townes Earle

5- Lovesick, Broke, & Driftin’ (2002) – Hank Williams III

From my 2009 Album of the year Review– “Justin Townes Earle has done an awesome thing with this album; he has figured out a way to unite all the displaced elements that make up the alternative to mainstream country, while still staying somewhat accessible to the mainstream folks as well. bluegrass folks nodding their head while listening to it. get into.

Nashville

Without question, BR549 and Wayne “The Train” Hancock created the neo-traditionalist movement in the mid 90s and will always be the kings of it, but

Hank III was the one to carry it into the oughts and introduce it to a brand new crop of fans. After his first album,

III was unleashed and able to showcase his own songwriting, heavily influenced by “The Train” and his grandfather, but still all his

You might even catch the

own.

Folkies like it, and there’s a few tunes blues people can

This isn’t just the REAL country album of the year, it is the “Alt-country” album of the year and the

“Americana” album of the year.”

9 – Fire & Hail (2008) – .357 String Band

4- Van Lear Rose (2004) – Loretta Lynn

From my 2008 Album of the Year – “In a time when hippie newgrass pseudo folk bands control the genre, this album is straight forward country.

The style and grace of a queen of country music was never so well refined as it was in this album. Why is country always so

REAL bluegrass. The .357 String Band has done to bluegrass what Hank III did for

quick to throw out the old and roll in the new? Loretta Lynn along with producer

These are top notch musicians and excellent songwriters in the essence of their craft. This album is also

the emergence of

works, or

Jack’s for that matter. This also put Jack White on the radar as a force in the greater music landscape, much beyond

of bluegrass music.”

just

ugly man that writes his own songs and has a fairly traditional sound was able to break through all the protocols of the pop country world and gain airplay, attention, and awards from the country music oligarchy.

Maybe Jamey’s

Music Row’s way of pacifying the traditionalists. Maybe the jokes on them, as Jamey was able to parley

the influence of writing a joke song about women’s backsides into a formidable solo career.

Either way, and how-

ever you feel about his music, it would be unjust, and render this list a sham, if it was not included here. is the right pick above the double disk

And this

This is the album that busted out of the burgeoning music scene on lower Broadway in Nashville and showed the world what kind of mayhem could be created by mixing country, blues, and punk music together without compromising taste and soul.

This is the one. It is the album which acts as a guidepost to the eclectic, yet intuitive and inter-related mix that you

will find being covered on

The Dixie Chicks are honorary Outlaws by fighting for creative control from their

the others in the

American Recordings series, have literally saved people lives, and in many different ways, including

portant this album is, even if you don’t consider yourself a connoisseur of country music.

tion makes this one of the best albums of the decade hands down, regardless of what their politics are. In fact

some will have a different favorite from the

Maybe that’s the reason people turned on them, not some innocuous comments about Bush. If you

gets for females writing, playing, and controlling their own music.

Great albums change lives. This album, and

and in all likelihood it is a redundant pursuit, because unless you have been stuck in a mine shaft for the last

Tight three part harmonies, and excellent songwriting complimented by beautiful instrumenta-

won’t listen to this music or any other because of politics that are not even conveyed in these songs, you’re a fool.

John

Johnny Cash’s. I feel like an idiot sitting here right now trying to convey to you in words the impact of this album,

is a home run, and a remarkably written and produced album with serious taste and attention to traditionalist

maybe this album is too good for the mainstream.

s y ou

ny.

are fun to listen to.

“Wide Open Spaces” or their “comeback”

Taking The Long Way, which in my opinion was a travesty and Rick Rubin’s worst work to date. But Home

values and tones.

mis

Good albums

Sony and built up tons of street cred for 8 years as a bluegrass band. And I would never recommend any-

album

We

(2002) Johnny Cash

That’s right. Don’t rub your eyes. The Dixie Chick have made this list, and this is right where they belong. I’ll

one get to excited about their first two big releases beyond the song

And Joe Buck played every note on this one my friends.

2 – The Man Comes Around

7 – Home – The Dixie Chicks

label

Saving Country Music: honest to goodness appreciation to the roots of American music, with a punk attitude and approach.

The Guitar Song, whose good tracks are buried under so much chaff that it

renders the whole project mild.

spare you my rant about how

The White Stripes world.

3 – Cockadoodledon’t (2003) – Th’ Legendary Shack Shakers

Sonically, lyrically, and stylistically, this was not a breakthrough album. What is remarkable about it is that an

success is

Jack White proved the folly of Music Row’s

ways with a powerful performance that will stand the test of time and side by side comparisons with any of Loretta’s other

Joe Huber as one of the best bluegrass songwriters I’ve heard. I put these boys up with the greats

8 – That Lonesome Song (2008) – Jamey Johnson

His voice was wickedly pure with a heart wrenching yodel and commanding range. The songwriting was simple, but powerful. This is a masterpiece, and essential title of the neo-traditionalist era.

Because Home is as good as it

album you wish.

8 years, you know first hand how im-

This album is Johnny Cash immortalized. Nuff said. I’m sure

American collection, but let this 2nd spot of the decade be filled with whichever Johnny Cash American

But with the cover of Trent Reznor’s “Hurt” and songs like “Personal Jesus” and “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry,” this one is hard

to top.

Never understood their fashion sense though.

6 – Live in London (2002) – Dale Watson This is it folks, Dale comes out on stage and starts slinging guitars, cutting classics, and speaking the truth.

Before Dale was the hometown boy and house band for Austin, he was pissed off and willing to sing about it.

“Real Country Song” “Nashville Rash” and “Country My Ass” can all be found here, but this isn’t all pissing and moaning.

Songs like “Ain’t That Livin’” showed off Dale’s superlative voice and suave style. This remains the

best album in

Dale’s collection, and one of the best of the decade.

1 – Straight to Hell (2005) – Hank Williams III This album isn’t our generations Red Headed Stranger. It isn’t out generation’s Honky Tonk Heroes. It is both. It is the album that both was a novel concept, a breakthrough sonically and lyrically,

AND had a massive impact on the business side of music, for artists winning control of their music and inspiring and showing artists how to do it themselves.

Look at this picture. They knew what they were doing. They were putting the

power of music back into the hands of the artists.

Vincent Wynne degree in Philosophy Vincent Wynne earned a Master’s in 2003 from Vanderbilt University

University radio station WRVU 91.1 FM, Nashville’s oldest continuously The New York Times (September 2010). But instead of focusing the article on WRVU’s rich 60-year history and its numerous accomplishments, The New York Times reported on a disturbing new trend among college radio stations: they are being sold. Turns out, 2011 might not be WRVU’s year, as it too has just been put up for sale.

The New York Times stated that, “In September, Vanderbilt Student Communications, the corporate body that oversees Vanderbilt University media, released a statement announcing it would explore the migration of its student-run radio station to exclusively online programming.”

The VSC statement (see full statement at http://www.vandymedia.org “We want to /wrvu/) declares the following: “In response to changing student habits explore whether and evolving economic challenges, Vanderbilt Student Communications a sale would Inc. is exploring the migration of radio station WRVU to exclusively online programming and the sale of its broadcast license. If the license help protect our were to be sold, the proceeds would be used to create an endowment to students’ future support innovative student media experiences, facilities and operations at interests better.”

Vanderbilt in perpetuity.” The statement continues, “’Currently operating anderbilt

running non-profit radio station, was recently the centerpiece of an article by

revenue for student media is mostly generated from print advertising whose future is less than certain,’ according to

-Mark Wollaeger, VSC board chair.

Mark Wollaeger, VSC ‘We want to explore whether a sale would help protect our students’ future interests better.’”

The sale, according to the VSC’s statement, would help protect its students’ future interests. But the facts show that the objective for the VSC is less than generative. It seems that since at least 2005, consolodation, that is, aligning all current branches of Vanderbilt media unvvvvvvvder one umbrella entity called Inside Vandy, is the objective. In a recent interview, the Director of Student Media Chris Carroll stated unambiguously, “we created Inside Vandy as a unique, standalone benign thing that wouldn’t subordinate any other group to the newspaper, and projecting what would happen in a couple of years it was all going to morph and it would become more like the WashingtonPost.com – all one in the same.” (Read the full interview at http://nextnewsroom.com/2007/11/29/inside-vanderbilts-converged-student-media/.) A stand-apart radio station on the FM dial such as WRVU clearly doesn’t fit into Carroll’s projected vision of fused media divisions via a single website. To make Carroll’s ideal a reality, the VSC needs money, thereby making finances the single driving force behind selling WRVU.

The sale of WRVU’s broadcast license is expected to earn the VSC at least 5 million dollars. Precedents for this figure abound. Indeed, as recently as January 18, 2011, KUSF, University of San Francisco’s radio station was quietly sold to another California university. Although the amount that KUSF was sold for is unverified, as is the reason behind the sale, www. sfbg.com reports that “Steve Runyon, the station’s General Manager, thinks the station and its transmitter were sold for about 5 million dollars.”

A WRVU non-affiliate DJ who wishes to remain anonymous, stated that after the announcement on September 16, a meeting was held three days later on September 19 with astonished WRVU DJs. According to this non-affiliate DJ who attended the meeting, Mark Wollaeger stated frankly that the radio frequency was the VSC’s only asset. He added that the VSC would not have to sell the station ‘if we (the VSC) could support ourselves.’”

Carroll himself, when speaking with the press, raises the issue of money almost constantly. During the same interview quoted above, Carroll states, “The fact is we have to keep the print alive because that’s where all the money is – at least right now. ...While it’s here, we’re going to take full advantage of generating revenue while we can from the print product to invest in this other side so when the pendulum swings we’re ready.” Carroll later added, “The newspaper is the cash cow, the thing driving our financial solvency. If that print thing falls out of fashion and no one wants to buy an ad, and you can’t sell enough online, I have to look around and decide which staff I can’t have until it gets to me.” Or, as it turns out, sell WRVU.

Ideologically, Carroll publically positions himself against more traditional media outlets such as radio and print, in favor of digital. He has even gone so far as to compare radio and print news to “typewriter repair” and “drive-in movies.” Again from the interview quoted above, Carroll unapologetically ridicules traditional media outlets.

“Part of an element I try to engender is job security. I look across the incoming class at Vanderbilt and I look at the statistics, and 50% or more of these students have already been digital media content producers. They’ve already done blogs, they’ve been on Facebook, and they already remixed and downloaded music. What they haven’t done is created newspapers and yearbooks. What can I dangle above them to make attractive to them, ‘Hey, come join the typewriter repair club, come join the drive-in movie.’ How can I make those products be attractive to this same consumer base when they don’t read newspapers now?”

board chair.

trated that there is an interest in press release by the VSC we have demons .” ts the radio station by the studen

Save WRVU, with good reason, calls into question the VSC’s official and unofficial claims. Nobody blames ble. That’s the director for wanting to remain profita tion. descrip job s ’ r directo m progra clearly part of any The questions raised by Save WRVU, however, point

he believes to be Cardone is submitting his petition, complete with what in late January , res signatu t studen thousands of Vanderbilt University r’s interview with Cardone reporte this of time the t (A . board VSC to the signatures.) But unfortunately, ha had not yet counted the accumulated students will be Cardone has little hope that the voices of Vanderbilt to the VSC. It has little mean appeals nal emotio he T heard by the VSC. WRVU that the sale of WRVU is become apparent to Cardone and Save a unified Vanderbilt media funding Chris Carroll’s ideal vision of

bias towards to not just an overwhelming amount of one unified consolodating all Vanderbilt media under t radio), but web address (which would include interne management of also (and more gravely) a possible misif perhaps funds. And there’s good reason to wonder

about

or say will deter them from selling operation, and it seems nothing they do

Carroll, who has been the VSC director since 1996, s. has not been a good steward of VSC finance

their only asset.

According to facts compiled by former WRVU General Manager and Save WRVU champion Sharon Sharp, previous VSC Media Advisors Jim Leeson and Laura Hill served as the sole paid staff member of a span of the VSC during their tenure, which covers ilt in anderb V at g arrivin ince S . years approximately 25 1996, however, Chris Carroll has added six additional s exceeding paid staff members with combined salarie $450,000. In order to further his ideal vision of a has outspent unified student media website, Carroll ilt anderb V by paid ees F s the Student Activitie the students that generates somewhere in neighborhood of

of losing Save WRVU proponent Sharon Sharp summarized the impact center, medical the than ther “O : way this dial WRVU’s space on the FM Nashville WRVU is Vanderbilt’s most important connection to the has provided educational community. For nearly 60 years the station s to Davidson county and programming and local broadcasting service history of introducing Nashville surrounding areas. WRVU has a long on any other station. From hear cannot music they simply

$400,000 annually.

In post-announcement meetings with Vanderbilt VSC board student DJs, students respectfully asked , they could chair Mark Wollaeger what role, if any

citizens to

funds to save play in helping to raise the necessary WRVU. One student even suggested finding other fundraisers and ways of securing VSC revenue such as to g ccordin A . alumni pledge drives

“

alumni asked to donate or be involved with any fundraising efforts.

Since VSC’s press release last September, Cardone

n on the started a petition and awareness campaig Vanderbilt campus. He has been collecting signatures on the wall from Vanderbilt students while sitting time. “The free valued and rare his during at Rand undergrads vast majority of the people, some 2,000 I’ve talked to personally,” says Cardone. “The vast of our cause majority are overwhelmingly supportive people when they hear about it. Our issue is that since the aren’t well informed about WRVU, and

international musical traditions, introducing local bands to celebrating -- it educates. In addition to should station college a WRVU does what

ly just begun.” public outrage has on

the DJ Scott Cardone, Wollaeger tried ve ’ e “W , sly hopeles quite stated disputes that. We’ve tried everything.” Cardone Wollaeger’s claims. “As long as I have been with WRVU, we have never been asked by the VSC to raise been asked money for the station, and we’ve never . Former ardone C says VSC,” the for money to raise General Manager of WRVU Sharon Sharp confirmed Cardone’s claim, and added that she had never been

student

ng sale to the Save WRVU, however, has brought awareness of this impendi ians and former Nashvillians who ashvill N . ity commun e ashvill N greater notice and are actively speaking out regularly listen to WRVU have taken VSC argues that radio is dead, and against the sale of WRVU. While the ignore the fact that Vanderbilt students no longer listen to WRVU, they Vanderbilt alumni of ed compris is the greater Nashville community, which is their sole connection to WRVU that admit who s citizen as as well --especially during Vanderbilt University, listen to the station regularly numbers for WRVU show 30,400 drive times. In fact, the latest Arbitron day. listeners per week -- 7,700 listeners per

of WRVU provide a minimum of two quality musical programming, the DJs . They promote local nonprofit hour public service announcements every events. Most importantly, however, ity commun e publiciz and ations organiz radio station, Vanderbilt University is the fact that through the student cy Broadcasting Services that provides the community with the Emergen . When discussing an online only lives e ashvill N saved , have can, and perhaps ng ability of WRVU will lifesavi the format, the VSC should realize that o, flood, or nuclear war, people tornad ., g . e , ncy emerge of time a n I . lost be ers, they will be tuned into the will not be carrying around laptop comput y if 91.1 were not there.” radio. It would, quite literally, be a traged

will continue Currently, all indications from the VSC are that they ut as a result of Save WRVU’s B .

WRVU of sale the with d forwar moving e has only just begun. The Vanderbilt awareness campaign, the public outrag to the university’s public image, and powers-that-be are no doubt sensitive in protecting its public image than ted interes more perhaps , unfortunately is banking on it. It should be WRVU listening to its students’ voices. Save during the Vietnam War era) ( 1968 in shed establi was VSC the that noted speech while simultaneously to protect the students right to free responsible for its publications. shielding Vanderbilt from being legally right to free speech to fight its g utilizin now is WRVU ave Ironically, S protect that right for to the very organization (the VSC) created

Vanderbilt media.

websites: or to find out what you can do to stop the sale of WRVU, visit the following

For more information on Save WRVU,

• savewrvuradio.wordpress.com • www.savewrvu.com • www.savewrvu.org • www.facebook.com/pages/Save-WRVU/155963281089773 • http://twitter.com/ SaveWRVUGroup www.wrvu.org • www.youtube.com/savewrvuradio • www.vandymedia.org/wrvu

www.wrvufm.org

groups.google.com/group/save-wrvu

del. I Just to be upfront I am no ro ; le mo and perfectly clear

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www.muddyrootsmusic.com

SPRING 2011

YEAH WE CAN PARTY WITH THE BEST OF THEM.

There

am not going to try to tell anyone how to live, what to do, how to be, what life decisions to make, etc.

I didn’t know how to approach the notion of an article based on one photograph, one captured moment of genuine passion and honesty at a festival that would shape our future in ways we never imagined. The prospect of stories about how crazy it is to be in a band on the road. About how we got shot at in St. Louis for no good reason, how we were forced at knife point to look at a man’s wife’s breasts, how we got way too in over our heads, about how fucked up we can get, about the parties and girls and rock and roll, about everything stereotypical and often over indulged that most people believe this life to be (albeit all the aforementioned instances are “supposedly” true stories). Yeah, I could do that, but I’d be missing the point. I asked how I should approach this. The answer was, “Like we were shooting the shit over beers!”. So its fitting that I’m drinking by myself at 4 am right now...

are a lot of bands t hat feel t he effect s of a t our wit h

Not t o say t hey can’t hold t heir weight, but t hey might be a bit hard pressed t o. But t hat is not how we should be represent ed.

The one t rut h t hat stands out t he most is communit y. We have an amazing net work of friends and family, (many t hrough Muddy Root s Fest ival and our Kansas root s) and we spread t hat collect ive of talent t hat we are so fort unat e t o know t o everyone we come across. If it wasn’t for t his amazing family, built on passion and cat harsis, we wouldn’t be where we are. The people around us are t he ones who help shape us. Period. Whet her it be t hrough finding t he spirit ualit y in music wit h Willy T. and Uncle Tom, bringing t he pure rock fury wit h Larry and His Flask or Old Count ry Deat h Band, raising t he ruckus wit h The Goddamn Gallows or Carrie Nat ion & t he Speakeasy or SR3K, tapping int o t he root s wit h The Blue Boot Heelers or Adam Lee and The Dead Horse Sound Company, and making connect ions wit h count less bands, fans, and friends t hat I failed t o ment ion. We are all st ruggling for t he same cause; t o get by on what we have t o offer. And we are fort unat e enough t o be involved wit h t he movement s t hat make t his scene happen, such as Muddy Root s, Farmageddon Records, Hillgrass Bluebilly, Et nies Shoes, Epiphone guitars, Fest y Fest, and innumerable bookers, promot ers, and secret agent s in every t own from Wichita, Ks t o Greenville, SC t o Santa Cruz, CA t o Port land, OR. We are blessed by t he family we hold near and dear t o our heart s.

And t hat is gospel t rut h.

As for me, My insight, how to dedicat e yourself to a cause, how t o live wit hout inhibit ions, how t o be a free spirit, a “black stallion”, an intangible, unat tainable, myt hical, epic saga of a being; it is not anyt hing i claim t o be. My pat h has led me t o where I am; in t he company of t he most talent ed, benevolent, and vivacious people I could ever be fort unat e enough t o know. How did I get here? I gave up. I quit. I decided t hat what everyone said t hat life should be wasn’t good enough. I’ve ran t he gamut on jobs: labor, act ivism, commercial fishing, retail, pizza “t echnician” (t hey act ually called it t hat!), glass works, bart ender, whit e collar 9-5 jobs, and t he list goes on and on. but t here comes a point when you just decide t hat what you’ve been taught your whole life isn’t t he only way t o do t hings. You are able t o creat e your own realit y. But part of t hat is severing from all t he t ies t o t he establishment s t hat t ie you t o t he syst em. I gave up everyt hing so I had not hing t o lose and everyt hing t o gain. And one key t o t his is? No back up plan! If you have a fall back plan, you’ll inevitably fall back on it!

Don’t buy int o t he stat us quo. Throw caut ion and hold fast t o t he headwind. Take a chance! Live for living’s sake! I t old you before t hat I’m no role model, but going at my dreams wit h not hing t o lose has afforded me t he opport unit ies t o flourish as not only an art ist, but as one cell in a collect ive of like minded individuals, bands and communit ies t hat impact so many people in so many way.

I start ed out t rying t o t hink of st ories t o shock and awe folks, t o rat t le t heir bones and t est t heir good senses.

But when it comes t o it, I found t hat t he real st ory is The Communit y. Every single one of us cont ribut es in innumerable ways, whet her we realize it or not. The fans, t he friends, t he family, t he enemies, t he lost loves t hat will forever haunt us, t he fallen soldiers t hat will forever inspire us, and t hose closest t o our heart s t hat always drive us; t hat’s t he t rue st ory.

“Take a chance!

Live for living’s sake!”

Kody Oh

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SCOTT H. BIRAM

By The Triggerman The Folk Singer is the exact right movie for this very moment in time. It courageously reaches down to the deepest measure of the human soul and spirit and mines what cannot be expressed in words. It says what we are all thinking, but were incapable heretofore of saying. You watch this movie and say, “See, THAT is what I mean.” And when your quizzed to put what ‘THAT’ is in concise terms, your only recourse is to simply say, “See the movie.”

art, doing so out of some sense of duty, with little concern for their own life or limb.

One

man bands are like

the soldiers on the front line of cultural decay

and homogenization.

This movie has many deep themes, one being brotherhood. Many questions are posed. Few if any are answered. But there is a sense of camaraderie knowing that others have those questions, that you are not alone. As Scott Biram is quoted from the movie, “You can rejoice in one another’s sharing of pain.” One Man Bands connect with their audience in a deeper, more personal way than full bands do because they have to give so much more of themselves. That same deep connection is harnessed by this movie, delivering the audience right into the moments.

It is a film for people who ‘get it,’ who are tormented in a world that doesn’t. Sin and faith are all over this movie, but not always in the religious context we’re all used to.

It’s more about how it’s a sin not to pursue your one God given talent or calling, and how you have to have faith At first this movie was hard to read. It has a documentary feel, but clearly its progresthat by pursuing that talent, everything will work out. sion and some of the scenes had been thought out beforehand, so it takes a bit for your Like Reverend Deadeye says, “The Lord brain to settle in as it doesn’t know if to be in documentary or drama It is a film for will provide.” But in a dying culture mode. Really it should be in neither, or both. Also in the beginning scenes, faith seems so faint, and at such war people who ‘get it,’ everyone seemed a little tense, like they didn’t know how to act with with reason. who are tormented cameras pointed at them. Eventually they settle down and the film flows smoothly. in a world that The Folk Singer is a journey. It follows doesn’t.

Possessed by Paul James aka Konrad The cinematography is top notch. Everything you see in this movie is dirty, Wert, a One Man Band raised by Mennonites and a old, and dying. There are numerous spontaneous music performances. Konrad Wert takes preacher father, as he tours through Texas and Louisiana, his fiddle out and accompanies each of the people he meets along his way in song, and this the whole time being eaten alive by the knowledge that populates a soundtrack that is worthy of its own review. his better half is 5 months pregnant, and playing music, and least in its current form, will not provide. On this I also think that it is important to point out that M.A. Littler, the force behind this journey he meets up with other one man bands, mainly film is based in Germany, again proving that the Europeans are light years ahead in Scott H. Biram, whose lightheartedness contrasts with chronicling American roots culture. I’m happy that someone is stepping up to the plate, Konrad’s dark place, as well as Reverend Deadeye, Tom but there should be a film like this coming out every few months, from people right here VandenAvond, and Ghostwriter. in The States. But kudos to Littler for doing what few Americans have the courage or persistence to do.

One man bands are like the soldiers on the front line of cultural decay and homogenization. As the old world The argument has come up here and many other places lately about people saying they crumbles around them they scream into the noise and hope that underground music doesn’t become popular, or more popular than it is. They demolition, cursing progress with Stoic want to keep it exclusive. They want to keep their favorite artists starving so that the and stern faces. They are like troubadours good art keeps flowing. For those with that misguided notion, The Folk Singer is the working in the middle of a battlefield or the crash of a cure. tidal wave, fearlessly chronicling the passing of beauty Two guns up. and reason, illustrating society’s foolishness with brutal

POssEssED BY PAUL JAMEs

REVEREND DEAD EYE

Folksinger DVD/CD set (import) available at www.muddyrootsmusic.com

March 6th Foobar Too 2511 Gallatin Road 21+ entry

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- 615.971.2754 A Muddy Roots publication 2011 Contributors: Jason Galaz, Anthony Galaz, Vince Wynn, Shelley Rae, Sebastian Weidenbach, Triggerman, Miss Autumn

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