Tag: Angela Autumn

You Gotta Hear This: Jake Blount, Twin Temple & More

Posted on by Editor

Every Friday, BGS shines a light on some of our favorite new tracks in bluegrass, folk, Americana and beyond. Then we ask the artist about the inspiration behind the music and pass their wise words along to you.

This week, Appalachian-born songwriter Angela Autumn releases a new album, Believer, and her song “Heavy Tobacco” shows her ability to take a fresh approach to an unconventional topic—and to create a pretty cool music video, too. From the Netherlands, the musician Bertolf reflects on the fallout of a friend’s divorce on “Innocence Lost,” supported by an acoustic ensemble that underscores the emotion in the song.

Meanwhile, Jake Blount is winding down his stringband chapter with a rendition of “Shady Grove,” Jason James shows off his honky-tonk roots in “She’s Gone Again,” and The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys put a hard-driving bluegrass spin on “Bottom of the Glass.” (Judging by the video, there was almost certainly more than one glass!)

There’s also a JJ Cale vibe to David Quinn’s “Down and Dirty,” some modern country attitude in Jaelee Roberts’ cover of Miranda Lambert’s “White Liar,” and an early ’60s pop vibe in Twin Temple’s “Love You to Death.”

As we like to say, You Gotta Hear This!

Angela Autumn, “Heavy Tobacco”

Artist: Angela Autumn
Hometown: The Appalachian region of Pennsylvania; Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Heavy Tobacco”
Album: Believer
Label: Gar Hole Records

In Their Words: “This is a song about the tobacco spirit. In many cultures, particularly American indigenous, tobacco is regarded for its purification abilities. I don’t think many folks see tobacco as ‘healthy’; quite the opposite. The message is that anything positive can become harmful when abused. It’s me reflecting upon choices that were necessary but carried both positive and negative consequences.

“Fame feels like something to be chased, with a time limit on our actualization. Smoking is a way of counting moments, of categorizing time. Inevitably our goals and desires will run out and we are left with our legacy, and impact on the earth–consciously or unconsciously.” — Angela Autumn

Bertolf, “Innocence Lost”

Artist: Bertolf
Hometown: Zwolle, The Netherlands
Song: “Innocence Lost”
Album: Bluefinger Vol.2
Album Release Date: August 28, 2026
Label: Excelsior Recordings (NL)

In Their Words: “Someone close to me went through a divorce. ‘Innocence Lost’ is about the despair of someone who has been abandoned. About a relationship that, like a bolt from the blue, has been irreparably damaged—beyond the point of an innocence that can never be recovered.

“The video was filmed and recorded in April at the concert venue, Hedon, in my hometown Zwolle (the same stage I will host the first edition of my ‘own’ Bluefinger Festival on Sunday, September 13th. Mike Marshall will be a playing a solo show there and my band and me will present Bluefinger Vol. 2 there for the first time, and there’s much more!) The video was produced by Hans Kuyt and the audio was mixed by Janos Koolen (who’s also the mandolin player in the band). It felt good to get to record a live performance of this song, especially because it’s the favorite song on the album of a few band members.” — Bertolf

Jake Blount, “Shady Grove”

Artist: Jake Blount
Hometown: Providence, Rhode Island
Song: “Shady Grove”
Album: Single-Footing Horse
Album Release Date: September 18, 2026

In Their Words: “This version of ‘Shady Grove’ is adapted from one played by Jon Bekoff of Greenfield, Massachusetts. I didn’t get to meet him before he died, but Jon was a major influence on many of my own mentors. His tunes are queer and full of mystery, and his version didn’t sound quite as magical coming from me—so I dropped the top string of my fiddle down a whole tone, added the singing section, and started playing it that way. ‘Shady Grove’ was probably one of the first three songs I learned when I was first starting out in this music. My upcoming release is a celebration of my teachers, friends, and musical community as I look toward a new musical chapter. It felt important to include both Jon and ‘Shady Grove’ in that celebration.” — Jake Blount

Jason James, “She’s Gone Again”

Artist: Jason James
Hometown: Texas City, Texas
Song: “She’s Gone Again”
Album: Cut The Chain
Album Release Date: Sept 11, 2026
Label: Heart of Texas Records

In Their Words: “‘She’s Gone Again’ started as a melody that I would hum to myself while driving or doing stuff. Finally I decided it needed to be a song. I sat down with my guitar, began strumming, and the words manifested directly from the music—the melody told me what it wanted to say. I had it written in about 20 minutes.

“Ronnie Bowman and I hit it off immediately as musical soul brothers. He came in to sing harmony on a few tracks and we had a blast–we’d even be singing together at the lunch table and to the waitresses. He called to check in on me about a month before he passed because I was going through a difficult time, and we sang together right there on the phone. When you share that kind of musical connection with someone, it’s extremely powerful. I was crushed when I heard the news of his passing. The world lost an Incredibly talented and tenderhearted man. And my world suddenly felt more silent, grey, and alone.” — Jason James

The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys, “Bottom of a Glass”

Artist: The Po’ Ramblin’ Boys
Hometown: Gatlinburg, Tennessee
Song: “Bottom of a Glass”
Album: Welcome to the Club
Release Date: August 21, 2026
Label: Turnberry Records

In Their Words: “‘Bottom of a Glass’ is one of those songs that just felt like us from the first time we played it. There’s some hurt in it, a lot of humor in it, and that hard-driving bluegrass thing that we’ve always loved. We wanted the video to carry that same spirit—to feel a little rough around the edges and funny as hell.

“This version of the Po’ Ramblin’ Boys feels really exciting to me. We’ve grown a lot together, both as people and musicians, and I think we’re more comfortable than ever letting all of our influences show. We’re still rooted in traditional bluegrass, and we always will be, but we’re not afraid to stretch it a little and see where these songs can take us. ‘Bottom of a Glass’ feels like a pretty good snapshot of where this band is right now.” — CJ Lewandowski, The Po’ Ramblin Boys

David Quinn, “Freightline”

Artist: David Quinn
Hometown: La Porte, Indiana
Song: “Freightline”
Album: Down & Dirty
Release Date: August 28, 2026

In Their Words: “‘Freightline’ is about that feeling of missing someone that never really goes away, and not knowing where they are or if they’re ever coming back. But it’s also about how time keeps moving forward, whether you’re ready for it or not. I wanted the song to feel like it was moving, like the constant motion of those thoughts in my head.

“When I first wrote this song, it was much faster and had more of a bluegrass feel. I finished it, but I knew something was missing. At the time, I was listening to a lot of JJ Cale and really loved the laid-back grooves in his songs. I went back, completely reworked the song, and ended up with the version you hear now. When we got into the studio, I played the musicians my new version and told them I was looking for that JJ Cale vibe. We went into the live room, started playing, and they absolutely nailed it right away.” — David Quinn

Jaelee Roberts, “White Liar”

Artist: Jaelee Roberts
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “White Liar”
Label: Mountain Home Music Company
Release Date: September 11, 2026

In Their Words: “‘White Liar’ is a song that I’ve loved for a long time and have wanted to record but the time just wasn’t right until now. I actually included ‘White Liar’ on solo performances when I was still in high school and I’m really happy to get back to it now in the studio. Miranda Lambert has such an awesome way of delivering a song with attitude and giving it life and I really enjoyed singing this in the studio. When thinking about the song arrangement I knew I didn’t want to recreate what had already been done by Miranda but wanted to stay true to what makes the song so great while putting my own sound and style into it. I love songs with a little sass and a strong story, and ‘White Liar’ definitely has both! Miranda has always been a huge influence on me so I’m super excited about recording this one.

“I am incredibly grateful to have such an amazing group of musicians playing on ‘White Liar’: Ron Stewart on banjo, Michael Cleveland on fiddle, Justin Moses on mandolin, Tony Wray on guitar, and Alan Bartram on bass, with Zack Arnold singing harmony. When you have musicians like that on a song, you just stand back and let them do what they do, and I absolutely love it! Chris Latham recorded and mixed the track, and my dad, Danny Roberts, produced it and it was really special getting to record with people I admire and respect so much.

“I’ve always thought ‘White Liar’ would translate really well to bluegrass and I hope everyone has as much fun listening to it as we did recording it.” — Jaelee Roberts

Twin Temple, “Love You to Death”

Artist: Twin Temple
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Song: “Love You to Death”
Album: Doomed Lovers
Release Date: October 9, 2026
Label: Pentagrammaton Records

In Their Words: “With ‘Love You to Death,’ we wanted to put our own spin on two distinctly American musical traditions: the romantic innocence of 1962 RCA-style pop and the darkness and brutality of the traditional murder ballad. We’ve always loved the gritty, macabre storytelling of songs like “Knoxville Girl,” as much as the polished elegance of the Nashville countrypolitan sound. The song isn’t really about murder itself, it’s about jealousy, desire, betrayal, and the tragic consequences of all-or-nothing love. It’s about devotion taken to its most dangerous extreme, to madness, and crimes of passion.” – Alexandra and Zachary James, Twin Temple

Photo Credits: Renee Cornue (Jake Blount), Travis Shinn (Twin Temple)

Your Favorite Artists and Songwriters Love Caroline Spence

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Caroline Spence knows better than anyone the importance of community in the roots music scene. Since her 2015 debut album, Somehow, the singer-songwriter has risen through the ranks with four additional solo albums including her latest, Heart Go Wild. Stylistically, Spence fits within the realm of Natalie Hemby, Aoife O’Donovan, Lori McKenna, and Mary Bragg, with a smattering of Mary Chapin Carpenter sensibility. She has garnered praise from both direct peers and industry giants alike. From signal-boosting her work online to recording her songs, many musicians and artists have used their platforms to give Spence a well-deserved spotlight.

Throughout the past decade, Spence has used these moments to nurture friendships within a thankless industry. “The acknowledgement and validation from artists that I respect have been vital in keeping the fire burning under me when parts of the industry have threatened to put it out,” Spence tells BGS.

“No ‘suit’ can convince me I’m not good enough when I have worked with my heroes and have the respect of artists I admire.”

Lori McKenna and Caroline Spence after recording “The Next Good Time” together. Photo by Jordan Lehning.

Reciprocated applause and mutual admiration prove essential to building relationships, in addition to contextualizing an artist’s music within the scene for those fans who may not be familiar. For example, Miranda Lambert has enlisted countless lesser-known artists for her tours, including Gwen Sebastian, Ashley Monroe, and Angaleena Presley. These placements introduce her loyal audience to talent they might not have discovered elsewhere, thus giving those artists more name recognition.

Even more importantly, Spence finds these shout-outs and promotional spots to be her “life force” in keeping her inspired to push through trying times. “My primary goal has always been to be good at my craft and to get better at it,” she says. “To me, the most important judges of that are those who are masters of theirs, and it’s been deeply meaningful every time someone I admire has paid attention to, let alone praised, what it is that I do.”

In her career, Spence has tumbled into the orbits of countless artists who have shown unwavering support for her work. A big Hayes Carll fan, she covered his song “It’s a Shame,” from his 2002 album, Flowers & Liquor, early in her career and later toured with him in 2021 – a moment Spence describes as coming “full circle.” She’s also toured with John Moreland and Madi Diaz. In addition, she wrote “Heavy” with Carl Anderson for Andrew Combs’ album Worried Man and another song she wrote, “We Don’t Know We’re Living,” was recorded by Lucie Silvas, Brandi Carlile, and Joy Oladokun. “[Brandi] called it ‘a once in a century song,’” notes Spence.

Madi Diaz performs with Spence as special guest and opener on tour in 2022.

Despite not having a “game-changing platform,” as she puts it, she pays it forward by sharing “the work of my peers and what I am loving listening to. I think word-of-mouth from trusted personal sources is still the best way to get someone to pay attention to music.”

She takes a moment to shout out others, beginning with Ken Yates & Brian Dunne before mentioning several other artists she’s been listening to, including Angela Autumn (“Her song ‘Electric Lizard’ is intoxicating and reminds me of some of the tracks that made me fall in love with music in high school,” she says), Brennan Wedl & Mariel Buckley, and Danny Malone, “an incredible songwriter out of Austin that I recently saw at a house show in Nashville and was absolutely floored by.”

In our conversation, Spence names an additional six artists, from Miranda Lambert to Tyler Childers, who have uplifted her music over the years.

The National

 
“The fact that I have a duet with Matt Berninger is still completely insane to me. When I was in college in Ohio, falling in love with The National, I could have never even dreamed that I would cross paths with Matt, let alone have him sing words I wrote. I love that band, and his voice is legendary. It still feels unreal.”

Miranda Lambert

 
“[She] posted about my first record back in 2016, and that totally blew my mind. I had just been in the studio making my second record [Spades and Roses] and was questioning a lot, and that really felt like a sign to keep doing what I was doing. Part of my dream when I moved to Nashville was to write songs for her, so that was an incredibly validating moment.”

Miranda Lambert shared a Spence original, “Last Call” on her Instagram in 2016.

Lori McKenna

 
“Lori added my music to her monthly favorites playlists that she makes. She featured on a song we wrote together called ‘The Next Good Time.’ One of my biggest heroes and one of the people who inspired me to start pursuing this work.”

For our Artist of the Month feature, Spence joined McKenna for an intimate and engaging conversation. Read here.

Clare Bowen

 
“Clare recorded my song ‘All The Beds I’ve Made’ on her self-titled album.”

Tyler Childers

 
“I’ve known him since 2014 and he opened for me in early 2016 – a month after Miranda posted about my record, and she actually came to the show. I toured opening for him in 2017 and 2019. At some point, he posted about my album on his IG.”

Spence and Tyler Childers backstage together on tour in 2019. Photo by Jace Kartye.

Mary Chapin Carpenter

 
“We connected on social media and she eventually invited me to open some shows for her. A treasured memory was performing in the round with her at the Edmonton Folk Festival and her asking me to play ‘I Know You Know Me’ and her singing it with me.”

Continue exploring our Artist of the Month coverage of Caroline Spence here.

Photo Credit: Caroline Walker Evans
Inset images and screenshot courtesy of Caroline Spence. 

The BGS Radio Hour – Episode 208

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

Welcome to the BGS Radio Hour! Since 2017, this weekly radio show and podcast has been a recap of all the great music, new and old, featured on the digital pages of BGS. This week, we bring you new music from both our Artist of the Month, Allison Russell, off of her brand new album Outside Child, and from the late Tony Joe White, too — plus much more! Remember to check back every week for a new episode of the BGS Radio Hour.

APPLE PODCASTS, SPOTIFY

Maia Sharp – “Things to Fix”

Moving across the country is stressful enough on its own. At the end of a 21-year marriage, Maia Sharp put her energy directly into working on her new Nashville home — painting one room, then another, and another. She took the idea to her co-writer on “Things to Fix,” relating the things that could have been fixed in her relationship to what she was fixing in the house.

Last Year’s Man – “Still Be Here”

Singer-songwriter Last Year’s Man (Tyler Fortier) explained his new track “Still Be Here” to BGS, relating, “I think we’re all eager for life to get back to what it was in some way or another and this is a love song built out of the idea that it will.”

Casey Driessen featuring Taro Inoue – “Little Cabin Home on the Hill”

Casey Driessen’s recent project Otherlands: A Global Music Exploration, is a self-produced travelogue of on-location recordings, short films, and essays that documents collaborations with masters of regional music in Spain, Ireland, Scotland, India, Finland, and Japan, where he recorded this bluegrass standard with his friend and mandolinist Taro Inoue.

Tony Joe White – “Smoke From the Chimney”

Legendary country singer and songwriter Tony Joe White, who penned hits like “Polk Salad Annie” and “Rainy Night in Georgia,” passed away in 2018, leaving behind quite a legacy of music. However, the material didn’t quite stop after he died. His new posthumous record, Smoke From the Chimney, was recorded a year later in 2019, as producer Dan Auerbach built the music around voice and guitar demos that White had left behind.

Carsie Blanton – “Mercy”

Carsie Blanton wrote “Mercy” for her husband Jon, who helped her find out that love can be a gentle force that allows us to become more ourselves: “Once I discovered that, I was able to envision a whole world of love; a world that’s less about control and more about compassion.”

Angela Autumn – “Sowin’ Seeds”

“Sowin’ Seeds,” the latest track from Americana singer-songwriter Angela Autumn, explores the could-be life of a musician, one of imagined ease and free from sacrifice.

Danny Paisley and the Southern Grass – “Date With an Angel”

Up next is Baltimore bluegrass royalty Danny Paisley with a track off of his newest record, Bluegrass Troubadour. Paisley started out performing in the Southern Mountain Boys with his father, Bob Paisley, and Ted Lundy. Years later, Danny formed the Southern Grass and performs with his own son as well as the sons of Ted Lundy. They’re a two-family, three generation band! Paisley is the most recent IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year, an award he’s received more than once. Listening to Bluegrass Troubadour, you can see why.

Beth Whitney – “I Go”

Singer-songwriter Beth Whitney wrote “I Go” inspired by her family’s tradition of taking backpacking trips and her favorite Wendell Berry poem, “The Peace of the Wild Things.” While she’ll be the first to admit that she doesn’t backpack gracefully, though as blisters and bug bites take hold, “as the wilderness takes me in, it starts to heal me somehow and I come into focus.”

Amy Helm – “Sweet Mama”

“Sweet Mama” is a rock and roll track made with love in Woodstock, NY by Amy Helm with one and only Phil Cook on harmonica!

Allison Russell – “Montreal”

Our current Artist of the Month, Allison Russell, has just released her stunning solo debut, Outside Child, an album that delves deeply into the extreme trauma she experienced in her youth spent in Montreal. We recently spoke with Russell about her experience making the record and the relief that songwriting, music and art can bring.

Mike Barnett featuring Alex Hargreaves – “Piece O’Shrimp”

Mike Barnett, a Nashville-based fiddle player who recently released +1, an album of duets with friends and heroes, had originally slated the album for release in late summer 2020, but was delayed when he suffered a cerebral hemorrhage, putting his career and life on hold. Undergoing extensive rehabilitation, he posted a welcome update in February on his GoFundMe (support here) that a full recovery is still possible and likely! While we’re wishing Mike the best, and supporting his recovery through his GoFundMe, we’re also enjoying a “Piece O’ Shrimp” from his new album, featuring Alex Hargreaves.

Christina Alden & Alex Patterson – “Hunter”

UK-based folk duo Christina Alden & Alex Patterson wrote “Hunter” inspired by an unlikely friendship between a grey wolf and a brown bear, as captured by Finnish photographer Lassi Rautiainen.

Charlie Marie – “El Paso”

Country singer-songwriter Charlie Marie recently joined BGS for a 5+5, that is 5 questions and 5 songs. She talks growing up listening to Patsy Cline, meditating before “big” shows, listening to Frank Sinatra at old school Italian restaurants, and more.

Photos: (L to R) Amy Helm by Ebru Yildiz; Allison Russell by Marc Baptiste; Tony Joe White by Leann White

LISTEN: Angela Autumn, “Sowin’ Seeds”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Angela Autumn
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee (originally from Zelienople, Pennsylvania)
Song: “Sowin’ Seeds”
Album: Frontiers Woman
Release Date: June 4, 2021

In Their Words: “‘Sowin’ Seeds’ is the oldest song on the record; I wrote it in 2017. It explores the could-be life of the musician; one of imagined ease, free from sacrifice. Once, after a show, a construction worker asked that I play this song again. It was in Pittsburgh, a town full of blue-collar workers. The chorus is a reference to the African American spiritual, ‘Working on a Building,’ which was recorded and later popularized by The Carter Family. The song features Nate Leath on fiddle, Keagan Justice on banjo, Mickey Justice on mandolin, and Kate Haldrup on drums.” — Angela Autumn

Photo credit: Dana Kalachnik