Your Front Row Seat To Americana Music
Hugh Masterson is a wonder--that was my impression after seeing him perform at Portland’s Mississippi Studios recently. This Wisconsin-born Nashville resident handily won the crowd’s hearts and souls with his road-worn brand of Americana. Touring with the venerable Lindi Ortega to showcase his debut EP, Lost + Found, Masterson took us with him through his... Continue Reading →
Lisa LeBlanc, rockicana shredder and master of all things stringed, played her first headlining show in Nashville recently, appearing in the upstairs lounge of the City Winery. There were four players, a drum kit, microphones decorated with strings of lights in the shapes of lobsters, flamingos, and lemony yellow circles, and a music store’s worth... Continue Reading →
Ron Pope’s voice sinks into your soul, digging deep to set up camp as it attaches and winds itself around the heartstrings. Through his earlier works into his recent album Work and its companion EP Worktapes, he continues to be the torchbearer of the independent music scene as he vigilantly brings his sound to the... Continue Reading →
I always think of East Nashville as the Music City’s melting pot of artistic talent. Nashville is where you see a punk rocker, a gospel singer, and a country legend walk into a bar…and it’s not the beginning of a corny joke. Often, the musical influences remain separate; an indie rock concert here, a country... Continue Reading →
“It was a difficult birth,” laughs Tommy Emmanuel when asked if he was born with a guitar in his hand—not a far cry from the truth for the Nashville-based Grammy-nominated guitar virtuoso. “I started playing at an early age. When I was a baby, I couldn’t sleep without being in front of a record player,”... Continue Reading →
“It’s always nice to play in the southeast,” says David Rawlings as he watches the snow fall outside of his east Nashville home and prepares to go on tour in support of his latest album, Poor David’s Almanack. “There are a lot of people here who connect with the same music we connect with,” he... Continue Reading →
When you finally get a chance to see a group you’ve liked for years perform live for the first time, the excitement and anticipation is next level. You spend more time getting ready. You rush your friends out the door so you’re sure to get a good vantage point. You’re amped the minute you walk... Continue Reading →
Part listening room, part laid-back, boozy music club, Nashville’s The Basement was the perfect place for me to get to know The Contenders. Featuring two seasoned vets of the music scene--Jay Nash on guitar and Josh Day on drums--the Americana-Folk duo shared a slate of lyrical tales that can only come from the perspective of... Continue Reading →
Colorado string band Trout Steak Revival, ambassadors of their home state’s progressive bluegrass scene, descended on Nashville’s City Winery recently to celebrate the unveiling of their now-released album, Spirit To the Sea. The room was configured differently on that special evening; tables normally positioned in front of the stage were moved to make room to... Continue Reading →
Someone wholly uninitiated to the Lukas Nelson & Promise of the Real experience will likely have a few questions—Does he sound like Willie? What kind of music do they play? With the blood of country music royalty running through Lukas’s veins and the POTR serving as the recording and touring band for the legendary Neil... Continue Reading →