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CLICK HERE for Current Projects  Listen Up to Jon Dee Graham!
Forget the spring-cleaning metaphors. Though Jon Dee Graham chose Garage Sale as the title of his June 28 release on Freedom Records, the 11 songs it contains are anything but cast-offs. It’s just that, unlike the tracks on his seven previous solo releases, they weren’t carefully written in advance, clustered around a theme, then recorded at breakneck speed.
In fact, Graham confesses, this time around, he initially had no idea he was creating an album at all. He was simply using a generous gift from his pals at Austin’s Top Hat Recording: one day a month of studio time to spend as he pleased. Before he knew it, he had several release-worthy tracks.
Though Graham regards these songs as “little orphans that all got together under their own power,” there’s no question they’re his — and they’re every bit as compelling as anything this Americana troubadour and former Skunk/True Believer/L.A. sideman (and law-school dropout) has done before.
Whether he’s drawing on personal experience or knitting vivid imagery into starkly real tales, Graham unequivocally affirms just what a master he is at turning a melody, a beat and some words into songs filled with so much emotional intensity, they almost burn.
“One of the things I learned was to trust my instincts and my process more than I ever have,” Graham says. “It made me a lot more open . . . and I think it sounds like that, too. The scope of it, the breadth of it, is a lot wider than anything I’ve ever done.”
Come to think of it, this album isthe embodiment of a garage sale: You show up with no expectations, but with enough digging, you unearth amazing treasures.
CLICK HERE to preview "The Orphan's Song" off Garage Sale. CLICK HERE for more about Jon Dee Graham  Ray Wylie Hubbard - #3 Record in Americana!
Ray Wylie Hubbard's The Grifter's Hymnal is the #3 Record in Americana (and still climbing)! The Grifter's Hymnal was recorded last August in Round Top, Texas at the Edith Bates Old Chapel. CLICK HERE for an exclusive first look at the video (filmed, directed and edited by Brent Carpenter) of the story behind the recordings and the song "New Year's Eve at the Gates of Hell." Read the incredible Turnstyled Junkpiled feature in No Depression HERE.
CLICK HERE for tour dates and be sure you catch him LIVE next time he's in town! CLICK HERE to sign up for his mailing list, and stay up to date on all things RWH.
CLICK HERE for more about Ray Wylie Hubbard Seth Walker Hits the Road
In anticipation of his upcoming release, Time Can Change (in stores June 19), Seth Walker is headed east, performing in North Carolina, New York, Maine, Vermont, and beyond! Check out the dates below, and don't miss a show near you: 5/11 The Altamont Asheville, NC
5/12 Casbah Durham, NC
5/18 Le Poisson Rouge New York, NY (w/ Jon Cleary)
5/19 Paradise Rock Club Boston, MA (w/ The Wood Brothers)
5/22 Tupelo Music Hall Londonderry, NH (w/ The Wood Brothers)
5/23 Portland, ME/Port City Music Hall (w/ The Wood Brothers)
5/24 Fall River, MA/Narrows Center for the Arts (w/ The Wood Brothers)
5/25 Higher Ground Burlington, VT (w/ The Wood Brothers)
5/26 Club Helsinki Hudson, NY (w/ The Wood Brothers)
6/24 The Flying Mango Des Moines, IA
CLICK HERE for more about Seth Walker
Lucero Buzz
Lucero has been cruisin' up the charts (currently #23 on the Americana Music Chart) and down the road (CLICK HERE for tour dates). In the midst of their whirlwind tour, Ben took a moment to check in with Voice of America about their album, Women & Work, the band, and the future. Upon it's release, Women & Work reached the Top 20 in three separate Billboard charts! Check out what folks are buzzing about:
"Hootin' bar sound that recalls the asphalt sass of Boz Scaggs' "Silk Degrees" and Bob Seger's "Night Moves.'" - Wall Street Journal
"The year's best ode to over-consumption" - Esquire
“Women & Work is the sound of a mature, confident band, fully embracing their hometown’s musical legacy, and wrapping it inside their own sound, making each both larger and deeper. All killer, no filler.” - iTunes
3.5 out of 4 / “Trying to synthesize the disparate sounds of a city that has yielded so many music gifts seems like a fool's errand, but this Memphis septet pulls it off, sounding fresh and not too retro.” - USA Today
"Lucero's tightest, most focused album yet"
- Billboard
"Sweet horn-driven soul and tough country-rock dominate the rootsy mix…Ben Nichols' raspy vocals ably propel the barroom blast" - USA Today
"Polished, soulful…the band delivers a rollicking collection" - New Yorker
"Aching Memphis soul" - Rolling Stone
“ A first-rate set of soul-steeped, barroom roots-rock with Stones-ish guitars, Memphis soul horns, barrelhouse piano and Ben Nichols’ gravelly singing" - Don Yates/ KEXP
In case you missed it, CLICK HERE to watch Lucero's David Bowie cover (via A.V. Club).
CLICK HERE for more about Lucero
 James McMurtry's "We Can't Make it Here" Featured on OCCUPY THIS ALBUM
James McMurtry is featured on the new release, Occupy This Album (Razor & Tie) - a compilation of music by, for and inspired by the Occupy Wall Street movement and The 99%. Proceeds will go directly toward the needs of sustaining this growing movement. 99 Artists, 99 Tracks, for The 99%, an iconic soundtrack for the movement, Occupy This Album features a brand new version of "We Can't Make it Here" by James McMurtry (with Steve Earle and Joan Baez). Other artists include Jackson Browne, Patti Smith, Ani DiFranco, My Pet Dragon, Arlo Guthrie and many more. Available May 15th, CLICK HERE to pre-order your copy today.
McMurtry to Perform at Cohen Tribute
An eclectic group of musicians and artists will perform in honor of iconic singer, songwriter, poet and novelist Leonard Cohen, the Ninth Laureate of The Glenn Gould Prize, on Monday, May 14 at Toronto's Massey Hall. The star-studded evening will include musical performances by James McMurtry, Cowboy Junkies, Adam Cohen, Serena Ryder, John Prine, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, and many more! Cohen will be present to receive his award at this ceremony. CLICK HERE to purchase tickets.
IN CASE YOU MISSED IT: "America's Fiercest Songwriter," James McMurtry was recently the featured artist on CNN's #MusicMonday. CLICK HERE to watch!
CLICK HERE for more about James McMurtry Ben Kweller on Conan O'Brien
Ben Kweller was recently the featured musical guest on Conan O'Brien. CLICK HERE to check out his live performance of "Mean to Me."
Ben continues his extensive worldwide tour this month, across the pond. Check out the UK dates below, and don't miss a show near you!
5/09 Monto Water Rats Theatre London, UK
5/10 Great Escape Festival Brighton, UK
5/11 The Fleece Bristol, UK
6/30 HOP Farm Festival Kent, UK
CLICK HERE for more about Ben Kweller  Listen up to Bill Wence!
At long last, Bill Wence's long awaited third album, Analog Man in a Digital World, will be released this Spring!
Wence came to Nashville in the early 70's after years of playing music from California to Alaska. Over his vast career, he's had over a dozen Billboard singles on the charts as a writer and artist. Analog Manreunites him with Charlie McCoy, Stick Davis and other great pickers. Long time friend, Becky Hobbs, joins Bill on a duet of "I Like Your Kind of Love." Gretchen Peters, Jonell Mosser, The Jordanaires, Sisters Morales and others get together on some of Bill's newer songs as well as some old favorites from other writers. CLICK HERE for more about Bill Wence Things Are About To Get Very Kinky Again
Kinky Friedman, fresh off the launch (and surprising initial success) of his Man In Black Tequila, is about to have an even more exciting spring and early summer. On May 15th, the book he has co-written with Billy Bob Thornton, The Billy Bob Tapes: A Cave Full of Ghosts, hits bookstores, and with a foreword by Billy Bob's most famous ex, Angelina Jolie, it promises to be huge, very probably Kinky's first ride onto the New York Times Top 10 list. Before the heat from the book launch even begins to cool, Kinky will be heading to the east coast for his BiPolar Tour, a full month worth of dates, starting on June 6th.
Again, this looks to be Kinky's fattest, most successful tour to date. It will also be his first public performance foray into Canada in decades. Start listening now for Kinky's latest release from his extensive music archives, "We Reserve The Right To Refuse Service To You," which will soon be made available to AAA/Americana radio stations nationwide. All of this is but a prelude to an even more seismic event scheduled for later this year or early 2013: the publication of The Troublemaker (current working title), co-written by the Kinkster and Willie Nelson. Yes, indeed, it's going to get very Kinky around here... CLICK HERE for more about Kinky Friedman Sons of Bill On Tour
On the heels of their stellar release, Sirens (which was recently picked as one of the "Top 5 albums you'd give to an alien to justify human existence and prevent them from annihilating the earth" by Accidental Historian.), Sons of Bill are hitting the road! Don't miss them when they're in YOUR neck of the woods:
5/3 Peachtree Tavern Atlanta, GA 5/4 Party at the Point Mt. Pleasant, SC 5/8 Mercy Lounge Nashville, TN 5/10 8X10 Baltimore, MD 5/11 Studio at Webster Hall New York, NY 5/12 The Pavillion Charlottesville, VA 5/13 Nightcat Easton, MD 5/19 Artsplosure Festival Raleigh, NC 5/27 Hometown Holidays Festival Rockville, MD 5/30 Juanita's Little Rock, AR 5/31 House of Blues Dallas, TX 6/1 Sam's Burger Joint San Antonio, TX 6/2 Lambert's Austin, TX CLICK HERE for all tour dates.
Sons of Bill will be releasing new songs from Sirens on their YouTube channel every couple weeks.CLICK HERE to check it out!
CLICK HERE for more about Sons of Bill  New Videos From Lincoln Durham
In case you've not had the opportunity to catch Lincoln Durham's amazing live show, he has recently released some brand new videos. CLICK HERE, HERE, and HERE for videos shot at the historic Kessler Theatre. CLICK HERE for his upcoming tour dates, and be sure to catch his next show!
Lincoln was recently the featured artist on Country Fried Rock. CLICK HERE to listen to the in depth interview! CLICK HERE for more about Lincoln Durham Become an Americana Reporter
Attention Radio Stations!! Check your playlists - Are you Americana? If so, you should consider joining the ranks of the national Americana Radio Panel!
Americana is music that honors and is derived from the traditions of American roots music. It is music inspired by American culture traditions which is not only represented in classic man made / roots based sounds but also through new and contemporary artists whose music is clearly inspired by these great traditions. It is a great genre, vast, like jazz which encompasses a wide range of music. Americana's range includes artists like James McMurtry, Gram Parsons, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Lucero, Soloman Burke, Slaid Cleaves, The Band, Sons of Bill, Danny Barnes, Guy Clark, Ben Kweller, Jon Dee Graham, Gurf Morlix, Mavis Staples, Lincoln Durham...the list goes on and on!
As an Americana Reporter:
• You'd receive automatic service on ALL Americana Records worked by Americana promoters!
• You'd get a discount on your registration for the Americana Music Festival (widely considered to be the best in the country)!
• You'd have nominating and voting privileges for the Americana Honors and Awards!
• You'd make a difference in the sound, groove, and stylings of Americana Music around the world!
>> CLICK HERE to learn more about becoming an Americana Chart Reporter TODAY! (Tell 'em Jenni sent ya!!) <<
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