Artist Updates

Irsay Raves About McMurtry
Check out this interview with Colts' owner Jim Irsay (he talks about recent McMurtry show 3:45 minutes in) HERE

Ringo Starr Plugs Hubbard Record
Check out Ringo Starr plugging Ray Wylie Hubbard's A. Enlightenment, B. Endarkenment (Hint, There Is No C.)

Danny Barnes Featured on KUT's Texas Music Matters
Check out this amazing LIVE version of "Overdue" by Danny Barnes (from his recent KUT appearance)HERE

Ray Wylie Hubbard #1!!!
Congratulations to Ray Wylie Hubbard!! In an AMAZING 4 weeks, A. Enlightenment, B. Endarkenment (Hint, There Is No C.) soared to #1 on the Americana Chart! CLICK HERE to check it out!
CLICK HERE to purchase your copy of A. Enlightenment, B. Endarkenment (Hint, There Is No C.)

DANNY BARNES Sirius XM Interview/Performance
Tuesday, February 2 (9-10 pm ET)
OUTLAW COUNTRY SIRIUS 63/XM 12
A singer/songwriter with "Delusions of Banjer," Danny Barnes left his native Texas and his band the Bad Livers a decade ago and headed for the relative shade of Seattle. Since then, he's taken his banjo playing in unexpected directions, picking with jazzmen Bill Frisell and jam master Dave Matthews, who recorded Barnes’ new CD, Pizza Box, at his studio in Virginia, played on it and released it on his label, ATO Records. Barnes visits with Meredith for a live studio performance of some of his new songs and a chat about banjo, blogging and bands.
Rebroadcast: Thursday, February 4 11 pm ET.

Listen Up To Matt The Electrician!
Once upon a time, there was a young man named Matt Sever. He lived in Austin, TX, and worked as a journeyman electrician. Every morning, when it was still dark outside, he would go to work and wire houses all day long in the blistering Texas heat. When he would head home again, it was dark outside. And then, sometimes, with no time to shower or change his clothes, he would go straight to the bars and nightclubs of Austin to play his songs for whomever would listen. He would apologize for his appearance, and explain to the audience that he was an electrician, and he found a certain nobility in this, even if no one wanted to sit too close to the stage. So they called him Matt The Electrician, and he did not mind this, for he was proud of himself, for there is no shame in a hard days work. But eventually, he quit his job as an electrician, to spend more time writing and playing songs, and the name stuck with him... because everyone needs an electrician sometimes.
At long last, Matt the Electrician celebrates the national release of his sixth album, Animal Boy. Unlike his prior releases, which were recorded live and in-the-moment in a couple of days, Animal Boy was patiently and purposefully written and recorded over the course of a year. Matt co-produced the record with Mark Addison (Guy Forsyth, Bob Schneider, Ian Moore) at The Aerie Studio, and while he brought in some amazing musicians (Scrappy Jud Newcomb, Freedy Johnston, Southpaw Jones), Matt and Mark played most of the instruments themselves. The album is a tapestry of interesting characters and stories that plays like a stream of consciousness and promises to linger long in the listener's mind.


Joe Pug's Messenger IN STORES 2/16
Joe Pug will release Messenger on February 16, 2010 on Lightning Rod Records. Messenger is the long awaited follow-up to his highly acclaimed self-released EP Nation of Heat.
After playing over 200 shows, including runs with Steve Earle, M.Ward and Josh Ritter, Pug took to the studio to record his sophomore release. While Nation of Heat may have earned him the title of talent to watch, Messenger solidifies his spot among the finest songwriters of his generation. Pug’s soulful voice and lyrical vignettes guide listeners through the album’s ten tracks, none of which retreat to the comfortable and familiar haven where typical singer-songwriters rest.
With Messenger, Pug explores new territory, sneaking pedal steel guitar into “The Sharpest Crown” and backing “The Door is Always Open” with a powerhouse rhythm section. The album’s subtle beauty is showcased through the supporting cast Pug uses to expand his sound. However, he does not let his solo charm escape the album. Songs like “Bury Me Far (From My Uniform)” and “Unsophisticated Heart” make it obvious that Pug is still master of the-guy-and-the-guitar song.


Ben Kweller - New Record in the Works
Ben Kweller is in the studio this month, recording his upcoming album (scheduled to be released Spring 2010). Featuring long-time collaborators, Mark Stepro and Chris Morrissey, this project is rumored to become one of Kweller's finest. Stay tuned for more details!
Stay up to date on all things BK HERE


Jason Eady Buzz
Jason Eady recently sat down for a one-on-one interview with The 9513 to share some interesting insight on his latest release, When The Money's All Gone. Eady explains "This time we made an effort to get back to that groove-based Southern gospel blues-influenced material. On my last couple of albums, I’ve played around with a lot of different styles. It was the producer, Kevin Welch, who wanted to take us back to our roots with what we used to do. This one was more based in that swampy feel. There were exceptions, though. There are a couple songs towards the end of the album that are more of the songwriter, folk, lyrical-based songs. I don’t think I’ll ever make one kind of record because I don’t listen to music that way. Even when I’m listening to my iPod, it might go from hip hop to bluegrass back to something fast. I get bored any other way. So the last thing I would do is make a record that was the same all the way through. But I think a blues-based Southern gospel influence is really the overall theme of this record." CLICK HERE for the full story.


James McMurtry Launches iPhone App & Performs for Super Bowl-Bound Team
If you want James McMurtry at your fingertips, there's an App for that! CLICK HERE to stay up to date with concert information, photos, videos, music and blog posts while you're on the go. The official iPhone application also allows users to post photos from their iPhone directly to the fan community and engage other fans across Facebook and iLike.

Jim Irsay, owner of the Super Bowl-bound Indianaopolis Colts, hosted about 100 guests last weekend for a rockin' performance by James McMurtry in downtown Indianapolis. Guitar greats Stephen Stills and Kenny Wayne Shepherd joined the band for an unforgettable rendition of "Too Long in the Wasteland." Among the guests that evening were actors Taylor Lautner (of the "Twilight" film series) and Rob Lowe. CLICK HERE to read more.
McMurtry hits the road this month - Check out the tour dates below, and don't miss a show near you!
2/6 Alpine, TX Railroad Blues
2/9 Tucson, AZ Club Congress
2/10 Phoenix, AZ The Rhythm Room
2/11 Los Angeles, CA The Mint
2/12 Santa Monica, CA McCabe's Guitar Shop
2/13 Santa Cruz, CA Don Quixote's International Music Hall
2/14 Santa Cruz, CA Don Quixote's International Music Hall
2/16 San Francisco, CA Great American Music Hall
2/17 Winters, CA The Palms
2/19 Portland, OR Aladdin Theatre
2/20 Eugene, OR WOW Hall
2/21 Seattle, WA Tractor Tavern
2/23 Boise, ID Neurolux
2/24 Salt Lake City, UT The State Room
2/25 Paonia, CO Paradise Theatre
2/26 Fort Collins, CO Aggie Theatre
2/27 Boulder, CO Fox Theatre
3/2 Kansas City, MO Knuckleheads
3/3 Columbia, MO Mojo's


Ray Wylie Hubbard Takes Americana By Storm
Congratulations to Ray Wylie Hubbard! In an amazing 3 weeks, his latest release, A. Enlightenment, B. Endarkenment (Hint, There Is No C.) has soared to the #4 spot on the Americana Music Chart (and it's still climbing!!) Check out what folks are saying about this incredible record:
“Think of it as mystical biker country. There’s a definite cosmic thrust to the plunked tin guitar notes, the jingle-jangle tambourine, tattooed rhythms and a red-dust harmonica wheezing a spectral recap of the mostly blues, kinda country melodies.” - American Songwriter
"In case the album cover - on which he's clutching a sword and his own severed head - didn't tip you off, Ray Wylie Hubbard's newest release is a little on the gritty side. Both cover and album are inspired by a quote from 13th century Persian poet Rumi, which states "Behead yourself. Dissolve your whole self into vision: become seeing, seeing, seeing." What Hubbard seems to be seeing here isn't too pretty, but it sure sounds good." - No Depression
"He peppers his songs liberally with concrete details that feed his arid settings, sweat-browed characters, lowdown blues riffs. But that doesn't keep him from playing up all the spiritual and sexual possibilities of his hard-livin', hard-drinkin', hard-lovin', hard-thinkin' country-blues-folk-rock." - Washington Post Express


Randy Weeks Hits the Road with Ray Bonneville
Randy Weeks hits the road, touring Tennessee and The Carolinas with Ray Bonneville this month. Don't miss a show near you:
2/24 Johnson City, TN Down Home
2/25 Raleigh, NC Six String Cafe
2/26 Black Mountain, NC Pisgah Brewing Co
2/27 Moganton, NC Catawba Valley Brewing Co
3/3 Columbia, SC White Mule


Listen Up To Adam Carroll!
Texas troubadour Adam Carroll offers up a collection of fan favorites and new originals on Live in Flipnotics beautifully accompanied by enigmatic producer, Scrappy Jud Newcomb. Recorded and videotaped at Austin's intimate songwriter haven, Flipnotics Cafe, this must-have album gives the closest experience to "being there."
"...Beaver Nelson introduced me to Adam Carroll about ten years ago. His songs seem to move me more every time I hear them. The journey that takes place between "Home Again" and "Highway Prayer" is a fantastic, truthful and inspiring one. When I hear lines like "Summertime I've stood underneath the beer joint signs, even old Odysseus got bored from time to time" and "You're coming home, home again, you can tell 'em all where you've been," I feel the same excitement and call of adventure that makes me want to hit the road, anytime I'm lucky enough to be asked. It's an honor to play music with people like Adam. He writes with dignity about the people and places he's seen on his journey, which of course is a never ending quest. We're lucky when people like him light the path a little brighter." - Scrappy Jud Newcomb

Danny Barnes On The Mountain
Danny will appear on the legendary Mountain Stage in Charleston, WV on February 14th to perform with good friends Robert Earl Keen, Ray Wylie Hubbard, The Sweetback Sisters, and Darell Scott. Stay tuned for future broadcast dates! Tickets available online: www.mountainstage.org or by calling 800-594-TIXX. ADV Tickets:$12.50; DOS: $20.
“We’re thankful nobody told Danny Barnes you can’t play rock ’n’ roll on banjo — or maybe he just didn’t listen. With a boost from his pal Dave Matthews, Barnes’ album rocks and twangs, with the snap of pop and the doom of the blues. Most of the songs are short, character-based stories about life in the USA. That’s Matthews singing backup on the album opener “Caveman,” one of many songs about relationships.” - New York Post


Walt Wilkins in the Studio
Walt Wilkins and The Mystiqueros are currently in the studio, adding the finishing touches to their highly anticipated upcoming release (scheduled for an early April release). Incredible songs paired with The Mystiqueros famous spiritual harmonies will make this record a gem in your collection. Stay tuned for details!


Jenni Finlay Promotions at Folk Alliance
Come to Memphis for the 22nd Annual International Folk Alliance Convention, February 17-21. We will be "folkin' it up" in Room 1703, with intimate performances by some of your favorite Jenni Finlay Promotions artists. Check out the schedule below, and don't miss it:
Thursday, February 18th
10:30 - BettySoo
11 - Matt the Electrician
11:30 - Ray Wylie Hubbard
Friday, February 19th
10:30 - Shelley King
11:30 - Randy Weeks
12:00 - Danny Barnes
Saturday, February 20th
10:30 - Susan Gibson
11 - BettySoo
11:30 - Shelley King

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