Slaid Cleaves releases his latest album, TOGETHER THROUGH THE DARK.
Twelve new songs amid the 100,000 that get uploaded to Spotify every day (according to hypebot.com). Will any of them rise above the din enough to be heard? So far, a few of them have been hanging out with the likes of young Americana superstars Charlie Crocket and Margo Price on the Americana Music Association album and singles charts, as well as the popular Spotify playlist, The Pulse of Americana.
It’s Cleaves’ second release on Candy House Media, which consists of himself and his wife and manager, Karen Cleaves, with hired gun Angela Backstrom promoting to Americana radio. It’s one of the rare self-releases on the charts, and the early success of the first few singles is a testament to the consistent quality of Cleaves’ output over the past 25 years, and to the bond he’s built and maintained with the dedicated music lovers at Americana radio since its inception in the mid 1990s.
Slaid teamed up with producer Scrappy Jud Newcomb for the third time in early 2022 to record a new batch of songs, Slaid’s first in five years. Familiar themes of struggle and resilience will be a surprise to no one. TOGETHER THROUGH THE DARK digs into the crucial moments and experiences that shape our journeys. A kind word when it’s needed most, the effort to act honorably in dark and violent times, the wisdom of a barfly, the majesty of rock and roll, the dignity of work and the enduring grace provided by true love.
As Scrappy puts it, “This album speaks to the hopeful, the hard working, the battered, confused, and the sad. But above all to the believers in the city of freedom that we heard in the stories of our youth and all those FM radio hits.”
With each of Brian Molnar & the Naked Heart’s last 3 albums peaking out over fixtures of their genre on radio play charts all around the country, it would not be surprising to have an overwhelming feeling of comfort and familiarity when experiencing their music for the first time. For nearly a decade Brian Molnar has been carrying his acoustic guitar and wrought melodies back and forth across the United States connecting audiences with a feeling of American tradition and unique thoughtfulness that has been too often diluted in recent memory. Now with a full supporting band behind him, sharing the stage with contemporaries such as Ralph Stanley, Chris Hillman, Bernie Worrell, Garth Hudson, and Neal Cassal, it seems that a genuine Americana resurgence is upon us, with each new Naked Hearts’ release setting its tone.
At long last, Kinky Friedman’s second musical act begins. With the proclamation that it “is what music was, before it came homogenized, trivialized and sanitized,” Kinky is dropping his first all new cd of original tunes in four decades. Called Circus Of Life, it presents a side of Kinky that few would have suspected in the halcyon days of the Texas Jewboys, laying perhaps legit claim to the title, “The Leonard Cohen of Texas.”
And on July 3rd, he will be releasing it on his own terms and on his own Echo Hill Records label. A monster summer tour will follow in June, July, and August. Yep, Kinky is finally doing it his way. Harking to his early years, he has chosen to ignore the Nashville ethos, that all must be concertedly “radio friendly,” sweetened, and over-produced. What he and producer Brian Molnar have delivered is simply one of the most beautiful albums of this year or any other. The first single, Autographs In The Rain (Song To Willie) is already in heavy rotation on SiriusXM Outlaw Country, and there are at least four more top shelf A sides.
Speaking of Brian Molnar, he will be touring as Kinky’s opening act for most, if not all shows, promoting his new cd, Within Blue, also on the Echo Hill Records imprint. Kinky and Brian have worked a number of tours together and now deliver a seamless performance, opener to headliner.
Tina & Her Pony met in Asheville, N.C. in 2009. Tina Collins (tenor banjo, tenor ukulele, guitar, vocals) and Quetzal Jordan (cello, guitar, vocals) spent two years holed up in the high desert mountain town of Taos, New Mexico, making music and friends, and becoming one of the iconic artist colony’s most beloved performing acts.
Tina and Her Pony released their full length, self-titled debut album in March 2012. The album was mixed and mastered in Oakland, Calif. with Myles Boisen (The Tigerlilies; Kronos Quartet) and features trumpeter Chris Grady (also featured on Tom Waits’ Mule Variations). After an 18 month album release tour spanning the United States and Canada, they established a new home base in Asheville, NC and began recording their forthcoming album, Champion at Echo Mountain Recording studio. Champion draws inspiration from and meditates on dreams, the subconscious, and death. The album will be released November 3rd 2017.
Collins and Jordan’s songwriting incorporates complexities in harmony and arrangement that queer the american folk tradition. Their unique sound draws inspiration from artists such as Nickel Creek, Sarah Jarosz, Gillian Welch and Crooked Still.
Sisters Mann (Alexandra and Lauren Mann) is a blend of identical twin blood harmonies and sensitive fingerpicking guitar. Sultry and effortless harmonies, blending together like only the voices of twin sisters can, combined with honest original songs is what you can expect to hear from Sisters Mann. Lead singer and keyboardist, Lauren, brings a seductive yet innocent presence to the stage, while Alexandra excites and electrifies with her dynamic fingerpicking and vocal harmonies.
With the lucky coincidence of being co-writers since birth, Sisters Mann is a confirmation that sometimes two brains are better than one. Whether they’re on stage or writing songs together, their unconditional love for each other is unmistakable, and they channel this into an authentic and honest performance.
Mixing the diverse musical styles of their multicultural hometown of Miami with the grassroots Americana vibe of Nashville helps create their original sound. Sisters Mann is a force to be reckoned with whether they are performing in one of the largest festivals in the world, Calle Ocho, or in intimate songwriting clubs like The Blue Bird Café. Through their music and their performances it is clear that Sisters Mann embraces what it means to be partners for life.
Touring behind the release of their most recent record, Ionia, they’ve been featured in the lineup of prestigious affairs such as The Shetland Island Folk Festival and Celtic Connections in Scotland, Stagecoach Music Festival in California boasting around 55,000 attendees, The Bluegrass Jamboree in Germany, and a number of the best acoustic music festivals in the US including: Telluride Bluegrass Festival in Colorado, Merlefest in North Carolina, Wheatland Music Festival in Michigan, GreyFox in New York, Strawberry Music Festival in California, Redwing Roots Festival in Virginia, ROMP in Kentucky, and Pagosa Springs Folk Festival in Colorado. They were named one of NPR Music’s 12 best live performance sessions of 2015 by Mountain Stage with Larry Groce, a program which has featured acts like Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, Amos Lee, Joan Baez, Regina Spektor, Norah Jones and PHISH.
Her singing floats over the instrumental mastery and deep groove of her band with dynamics that range from a lullaby to a battle cry. Lindsay’s brand new full-length “Southland” (April 2018) is a collection of songs examining the range of emotions and complex themes of our changing times; delivered with soulfully fierce intensity and tender intimacy that demands your attention.
When the Quebe Sisters from Texas take a stage, and the triple-threat fiddle champions start playing and singing in multi-part close harmony, audiences are usually transfixed, then blown away.
It’s partly because the trio’s vocal and instrumental performances are authentic all-Americana, all the time, respectful of the artists that inspired them the most. And whether the Quebes (rhymes with “maybe”) are decked out in denims and boots or fashionably dressed to the nines in makeup, skirts and heels, the fresh-faced, clean-cut sisters, all in their 20s, look as good as they sound.
The sisters’ past is as colorful and eventful as their future is bright. Growing up in Burleson, a southern suburb of Fort Worth, Hulda, Sophia and Grace were ages 7, 10 and 12 in 1998 when they attended their first local fiddle competition in nearby Denton, and decided fiddling was what they wanted to do.
The girls earned solo and group accolades early on, winning state and national championships in their respective age groups in 1999, 2000, 2001 and 2002. The Quebes’ evolution from the whiz-kid Western swing fiddlers they were back then to the smokin’-hot
young adult Americana band they are today is a remarkable story, by any measure.
Golden Shoals is a fiddle and guitar duo with a “rousing old-time-style music that’s fueled by acerbic modern-day wit” (No Depression). They are no strangers to traditional music, having placed in contests including Clifftop (3rd place 2023, 4th place 2022), Mount Airy, The Grand Masters Fiddlers Championship and Galax. Often switching instruments between fiddle, two guitars, and banjo, their original songs have been compared to Gillian Welch, with the added edge of instrumental prowess informed by energetic old time and bluegrass recordings.
Initially brought together by a mutual love of American folk music, Golden Shoals’ sound has expanded to include country, Americana, Indie and Experimental influences, allowing them to move more freely beyond genre boundaries with their songwriting while still emanating a deep understanding of Old-Time and Bluegrass music. Ever inspired by the enduring spirit of traditional Appalachian mountain music, their songwriting comes across as simple, honest, and fresh to the ears. The listener can expect the polished technique of conservatory training, in tandem with the grit, drive, and soul of musicians like Roscoe Holcomb or Ola Belle Reed.
Miles of Music Island Camp is a week-long retreat exploring traditional folk music, modern songwriting, and how they work together. The week includes classes, dances, jams, great food and plenty of free time on a gorgeous private island in New Hampshire’s Lake Winnipesaukee. We teach fiddle, banjo, guitar, mandolin, bass, singing, and occasionally other instruments, and we also have instruction for non-instrument-specific musical skills like songwriting, ear training, ensemble playing, and performance. All ages and abilities are welcome.
Our staff and guest artists are a mix of renowned touring professionals, players steeped in regional traditional music styles as well as up-and-coming original musicians. With 120 creative people including instructors, guest artists, kitchen staff, boat pilots and students, we become a vibrant village for one week. There are moments of jamming and dancing in large groups as well as opportunities to steal away for one-on-one song sharing or tunes on the porch.
Bold Forbes blends the stories and poetry of the folk-singer tradition with genre-busting arrangements for strings and voice. Lyricist Nick Bloom writes songs that above all urge the listener to feel life deeply, while bassist David Halpern and violinist Reid Jenkins create arrangements that haunt, surprise, and inspire, creating a sound both challenging and eminently listenable.
