On September 25th, Leon Bridges will release his new album, Happiness Anytime, produced by J Lloyd-Watson and Lydia Kitto of British trio Jungle and out via Columbia Records. Following in the footsteps of his collaborations with Khruangbin, this one conjures echoes and grooves of Fela Kuti, Jorge Ben, and Paul Simon’s Rhythm of the Saints. Dig in to the first of three 4-song EP’s that will ultimately complete the 12-song album.

Charley surprised everyone with this new release, recorded in Clovis, NM, back at the end of April, less than a month after he’d released his *other* new 2026 album Age of the Ram, on Island Records. Age of the Ram had wrapped up his trilogy of albums about the American West. Label contract disputes forced it to be pulled from circulation, but it's now available digitally again thanks to a new deal with Atlantic Outpost, which Charley considers a win: “Sometimes you need to fight. Goliath vs Goliath. On this 250th birthday for America, I’m reminded that freedom is something you continue to fight for. A war that never ends. Today, we win one battle. Clovis is out on the 4th of July weekend on Atlantic Outpost. Let’s ride.” Co-produced by Shooter Jennings. Charley performs in Charlotte on September 24th.

Following Rodney Crowell’s string of 2001’s Houston Kid, 2003’s Fate’s Right Hand, and 2005’s The Outsider, he continued with a 2005 studio session with the same band, including Steuart Smith on guitar and Benmont Tench joining on organ. But he decided to move on from it before approving its release…until now! He now finds it has a great deal of relevance, and with a few modern touches he’s added to it, it just might rank as one of his finest albums.

Following the critically acclaimed 2025 release American Cosmic Revival Vol. 1: Back At Home, this new album continues the series with a broader exploration of the music, stories, and enduring legacy of Cosmic American Music. Inspired by the enduring legacy of Gram Parsons, Gene Clark, The Byrds, The Flying Burrito Brothers, and the pioneers of country-rock, Miles From Nowhere expands beyond the International Submarine Band material featured on Vol. 1. Rather than simply revisiting classic recordings, the album brings together songs connected by a common thread of heartache, redemption, loneliness, resilience, and the search for home—capturing the emotional spirit at the heart of Cosmic American Music. The album features legendary pianist Earl Poole Ball, whose career spans Johnny Cash, Gram Parsons, The Byrds, and Buck Owens, alongside legendary pedal steel guitarist Jay Dee Maness, whose work with Gram Parsons, The Byrds, and the Desert Rose Band helped define the sound of Cosmic American Music and country-rock.

Produced by GRAMMY®-winning close collaborator Matt Ross-Spang (who helmed Price’s prior albums Midwest Farmer’s Daughter, All American Made, Hard Headed Woman), this surprise new album from Margo honors former songwriters who have used the emotional and lyrical power of song to advocate for human dignity and independence – in this case, Bob Dylan, Blaze Foley, and Charlie Daniels. Tracing a lineage of protest music through some of its most powerful voices, the surprise drop comprises nine tracks that embody the issues Price has championed both on and off the stage, from prison reform and marijuana legalization to the rights of farmers and immigrants, and the struggles of working people around the world. Joan Baez and Memphis Mariachi are among the artists here.

Since forming in 2016, when Quentin Baxter, Quiana Parler, Charlton Singleton, Clay Ross, and Kevin Hamilton—all seasoned musicians from the Charleston, South Carolina area—decided to form this band, Ranky Tanky has earned acclaim for their interpretations of Gullah spirituals and original music that pulls from jazz and folk traditions. They’ve certainly put the rich traditions of the Gullah Geechee people of the South Carolina and Georgia coast on the musical map for many across the country. Their self-titled 2017 debut topped Billboard’s jazz chart, while the 2019 album Good Time won a Grammy for Best Regional Roots Music Album—the first time an album of Gullah music received the honor. We loved hosting them in Studio B back in 2022. They return to our area for a Charlotte show on Saturday, September 12th.

One of the bands that really helps to define Asheville’s great music scene is this collective of Charles Humphrey III on bass, Mark Schimick on mandolin (and most lead vocals), Sam Wharton on guitar, Gabe Epstein on banjo, and James Schlender on fiddle. They’re back with their 7th album, recorded at Asheville’s Echo Mountain Studios. Charles has mostly co-written these new tunes with the likes of Darren Nicholson, Thomm Jutz, Tommy Maher, and Nick Dauphinais among others, plus there’s a nearly ten-minute Allman Brothers jam to wrap it up. They live up to their band name absolutely, with some area gigs over the next few weeks in addition to cross-country treks. If they live up their their album’s name, you can’t really tell from listening.

Tasjan’s latest album is an 11-song collection about the duality of the American underdog. The characters within these tunes are exotic dancers, cringe white guys, historic world explorers, ultra-wealthy people playing God, baby Jesus, eccentric women who have done life their own way, and dreamers. Each song takes an honest look at what it means to be some kind of underdog, all coming from a songwriter who has been called an underdog by others and who has at times identified himself in this way only to realize that in the end, every human being contains multitudes beyond the limited capacity we have to observe and truly know ourselves and each other. The late Todd Snider, a good friend of Aaron’s, played a pivotal role in shaping the album, offering guidance during a period when Aaron found himself questioning his creative direction. Snider’s presence can definitely be felt here.