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We’re pleased to see a new one from one of the funniest, most irreverent, most clever new singer/songwriters on the scene, Portland, Oregon’s John Craigie. This time he’s backed by a band we know called TK & The Holy Know-Nothings: Taylor Kingman (acoustic guitar, slide guitar, electric guitar, 12-string guitar, bass, vocals), Jay Cobb Anderson (pedal steel, harmonica, piano, acoustic guitar, organ, electric guitar, bass, vocals), Lewi Longmire (bass, piano, trumpet, organ, vocals), Sydney Nash (organ, piano, trumpet, trombone, alto sax, Wurlitzer, electric guitar, vocals) and Tyler Thompson (drums). Also featuring Bart Budwig (trumpet, vocals). Music fans who like a little dark humor in their folk, blues & rock, tune in!

It was Washington, DC native Christopher Vrenios’ deep appreciation for the sounds coming out of Kingston, Jamaica that led him to produce and record with legendary reggae artists Sly and Robbie, The Itals, Augustus Pablo, Sugar Minot, and Don Carlos, the original lead singer from Grammy-winning group Black Uhuru. He also has co-written and recorded with fellow DC act Thievery Corporation. This cool new project features roots Reggae beats across an instrumental album that also employs the use of traditional Chinese instruments—a first for the genre.

At the end of 2021, after serendipitously sharing bills separately several times, Willis approached Leigh and Carper about teaming up and playing some shows together. Wanting more than your standard songwriter-in-the-round arrangement, the three learned each other's songs to create a more integrated, band approach. Those first few shows together were so much fun and so well-received that they decided to continue. With Leigh playing lead guitar and mandolin, Carper on upright bass, and Willis playing rhythm guitar, they support each other's distinctive original material with beautiful three-part harmonies. Their new six-song EP was recorded at Bismeaux on the Hill in Austin, TX in December of 2023. It features two songs by each artist, including a couple of Carper/Leigh co-writes, and one reimagined John Prine tune.

We’re glad to have this new one from our friends up in Virginia! Trent Wagler (Vocals, Guitar, Banjo), Jay Lapp (Guitar, Mandolin, Vocals), Eric Brubaker (Fiddle, Vocals), Kevin Garcia (Drums, Percussion, Mallet Keyboards), and Jeremy Darrow (Bass) have twelve new songs on Sideways, out on February 9th. It’s the 13th album for this band that formed in 2005. “This album is dedicated to people who understand that even when we’re growing sideways, we’re still growing,” says Trent.

The Redheaded Stranger turning 90 was certainly cause for celebration this year, and they held quite the party on April 29th and 30th at The Hollywood Bowl. Various audio and video recordings of the soiree have been released (LP, CD, Blu-Ray, etc.), with guests ranging from Billy Strings, Bobby Weir, Charley Crockett, & Dwight Yoakam, to Margo Price, Tyler Childers, Warren Haynes, and Ziggy Marley.

“The swami of swamp rock…JJ Grey is a North Florida sage and purveyor of the funkiest swamp rock the world has ever heard…Chicken-scratch guitar and bone-deep songs.”Oxford American is right on target with that description of Grey and his band, and it’s great to have a new one chronicling stories of his North Florida roots, the first since 2015. His tales are no doubt inspired by his time spent as an avid outdoorsman, dedicated fisherman, and expert surfer – he’s written passionately about his love for preserving the environment of his North Florida home.

Colby grew up in an “underground house” built by his late father on family land in SW Virginia (Boone’s Mill), half a mile from their nearest neighbors. He spent his younger years teaching himself to play guitar, banjo, and mandolin through YouTube videos, and now has this debut album at age 21 that’s getting a LOT of attention! He’ll be at MerleFest this April, and we’ll get to know him on New Tunes at 2 and in subsequent weeks.

Join us as we celebrate one of our favorite regional (Candler area) musicians, with a wonderful, humble, grounding spirit. As his website describes him, “When it comes to the modern-day singer-songwriter, he remains a bastion of musical talent and lyrical aptitude — a melodic voice-of-reason and safe haven amid a 21st century world seemingly gone mad.” This is his 5th solo album, in addition to his former work with Band of Horses. “[The album title track] is about letting go of innocence and facing the reality of a society that is in decline — one that is refusing to change course or even pause itself,” Ramsey says. “It’s searching for hope in all of this. It’s wanting my children to be able to experience this world with wonder and joy and not have to carry the weight of our mistakes. …I feel secure in what I do musically and I believe in what I’m writing. I try to write songs that I believe every word of. I don’t want to ever dance around something or have to sing lyrics that don’t feel like truth to me.”

The “Ice Queen” native of Ottawa has been a fixture in the Austin/Texas blues scene for many years now, and has a string of great albums out, both solo and with others. She has been awarded the Blues Music Award’s Traditional Blues Female Artist award the past three years in a row, and is nominated for 2024, too! This is her first all acoustic solo album. Fans of Elizabeth Cotton and Maybelle Carter, definitely check it out.

We’re excited to get a new one from Corb and his band the Hurtin’ Albertans, from Canada’s foothills of the Rocky Mountains! "El Viejo is a stunning character study of gamblers and loners moving from card game to card game, perfectly bridging modern Americana with the likes of Jerry Reed, Del McCoury and Marty Robbins with a Springsteen-like sense of storytelling in three-minute bursts." - Glide Magazine "Listening to El Viejo is like cracking open a dusty, leather-bound book about the Old West, populated by rough-around-the-edges characters at the end of their ropes." - No Depression