Tag: Birds of Chicago

From Banjo to Opera, Rhiannon Giddens Brings History to the Stage

Posted on by Editor

An interview with Rhiannon Giddens these days feels like a game show lightning round. Since winning the Steve Martin Banjo Prize in 2016 and a stunning $625,000 MacArthur Fellowship in 2017, the songwriter, singer, and instrumentalist has widened her scope and let a range of fine and folk arts projects flood into her idea-driven world. When we caught up with her in Nashville, for example, she was in rehearsals for Lucy Negro Redux, a multi-layered original ballet about Shakespeare, his purported black mistress and issues of identity and otherness. Working with poetry by Caroline Randall Williams, she composed the music with one of her latest collaborators, jazz pianist and world percussionist Francesco Turrisi. They’ve made a duo album set for release this year.

Here, Giddens speaks about her broader artistic scope and her attention on how women of color negotiate the past and present.

How different is your creative life now versus five years ago?

Oh my god. It’s like: “Who was that person?” I don’t even know. I am so grateful for that time. I was transitioning from the Carolina Chocolate Drops to my solo career. But it’s definitely become more of a creative life. I still am very much an interpreter. I’m very interested in giving old songs new life and putting them through a lens of today and I think there are a lot of things that are left on the shelf that need to be aired. But I definitely have found over the years that I’m finding more and more of my creative life to be in writing and collaborating. I’m very rarely going to sit in a room and write stuff. It’s like I write things and then I want to work with somebody and develop them or have a reason to do it.

So my collaborative opportunities have really grown since I left the band because it’s a lot easier to do things as your own person. There are all these things you have to think about when you’re in a band that I don’t have to think about any more. And it’s really allowed me to focus on the woman side of things, which is hard to do when you’re in a band full of boys, you know? Now I feel I can focus a bit more on what I’m finding is very important and front and center for me, which are women’s issues and women of color, in particular. Dealing with the history of what we’ve had to go through in this country and in other places, and what does that mean? And creating platforms for other women of color to have their voices heard, in my limited capacity.

You have background in opera, which may be the most collaborative of all the fine arts, with all its component parts. And you’ve started doing Aria Code, an opera podcast. What’s that about?

I was approached by Metropolitan Opera to be guest on this podcast and it just turned into becoming the host. And that’s been really fun. The wonderful producer Marrin Lazyan, she’s put it all together and I’m there to provide context and if there’s stuff that jibes particularly well with what I know like Otello, the Verdi opera, I can bring in my expertise on blackface and things like that. It’s been great.

And I’m going to be in my first production next year as a mature artist. I’m doing Porgy & Bess with the Greensboro Opera. It’s to open up the new arts center in Greensboro. So it’s kind of part of my involvement in my hometown. And also an opportunity to sing Bess, which I’ve never been able to do. So opera’s come back into my world in kind of unexpected ways. I’m writing an opera. I sing with orchestras on a regular basis. So it’s been really wonderful to see that come back into my life because it is something that I love so much and that I have spent a lot of my years doing. So we’ll see where it goes. I don’t know!

You produced the album Songs of Our Native Daughters, which brings you together with Amythyst Kiah, Allison Russell, and Leyla McCalla. What motivated this and how do you put these women into context?

It was an amazing opportunity. I was already working on this idea of early American musical history and speaking to it through the music of the banjo and the music of minstrelsy for Smithsonian Folkways. So it took this little turn and became a record with these really strong women of color. With my co-producer Dirk Powell, we were talking about who we wanted to be on this project, and that’s where we ended up. I was like, “Oh, this is where it needs to go.” From then on it took this slightly different path down to really talking about the woman of color’s experience in America and having a platform to respond to that in an artistic way.

And to each of the women who came in, I said, look, bring your banjo. And let’s talk about what it means to be a woman of color here and what it means to have ancestors who’ve gone through what they’ve gone through. It was an amazing experience to watch them feel like they had this space to write about these things that maybe they’ve touched on, but to have days to focus on these themes and these ideas. It was a beautiful collaborative thing. I’ve worked with each of them in various ways so I just knew it was going to work. And it worked better than I could have ever really dreamed. It went places I’d never have considered. That’s why you pick people and then you let the project do what it does instead of going, “It’s not exactly what I envisioned.” Well, usually because it’s better! So leave it alone and let it do what it’s going to do.

In this respect, do you see yourself as a mentor, or as a leader in this widening and overdue effort to infuse folk and roots music with more voices?

I’m always looking for ways to facilitate. People in these positions, like the folks putting on the Cambridge Folk Festival or at Smithsonian Folkways, they’re looking to me, and I’m like, “Hey these people, because they’re awesome.” And if that’s how I can use whatever little power I have in the world, that’s what I want to use it for. I’ve got my own career and it’s very important to me, but that’s also very important to me–creating the community of people that are doing this.

Because that was the strength of the Carolina Chocolate Drops. We were a band and we had each other. In a time where, even less than now, people were like, “Black people on banjos? What?”, we had each other and I know what that community can mean as an artist. It really gives you strength. And that was my idea with Our Native Daughters and with anything I’m (doing). Amythyst has opened for me. Leyla was part of the Chocolate Drops. JT and Ally (Birds of Chicago) — I’ve definitely championed them. I think that’s what we need to do for each other. If I’m in a position where somebody who has power asks me, I’m going to spread that around. Because I think that’s what you’re supposed to do.

They tell writers that it’s better to show than to tell. And it strikes me that roots music is moving from a phase of ‘telling’ about inclusion to a phase of showing. Is that fair to say?

I think so. I’m definitely moving that way in my own life. There was a lot of talking with the Chocolate Drops because you had to educate people. But there was also a lot of just doing. We found the balance; we’re going to contextualize this, but then we’re just going to play it. Because the facts are the facts and we’re not in a position to shame you about not knowing this. We didn’t know this. But I definitely found that over time, I’m tired. I just want to play and sing.

And the next record of mine is not a project. It’s not a mission. It’s coming out in May (I think) and Francesco and I did that together. It’s really all the worlds that I’ve been talking about and being in all together. I just want somebody to put it on and listen to it, and they don’t know anything about me, and they come away – I want them to love the record but I also want them to feel this aspect of nobody owns any sounds. Nobody owns any experiences in humanity. We’re taking all the sounds you heard in the ballet and the notion that humans have been moving since the beginning, and we’ve been affecting each other since the beginning.

So a religious trance drum from Iran works perfectly well with an Appalachian a cappella ballad. Because they’re representing universal human truths. It would be really nice for people to just experience that through sound and through the experience of the songs. And of course we’ll talk about it. But I’m kind of moving toward showing and inhabiting all the work that’s come up until now and living in that and taking that to where it needs to go.

Craig Havighurst covers music for WMOT Roots Radio. Hear the interview.

16 Stories to Celebrate Black History Month

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

We’ve said it before, but it bears repeating: black history isn’t just American history, it’s American roots music history — they are inseparably intertwined. As such, one month out of the year simply cannot do this cause justice. To mark the occasion we’d like to travel back over a year’s worth of writing and reporting to revisit just a few of the incredible black artists, creators, and activists whose indispensable perspectives and awe-inspiring work moved us.

 

Angelique Kidjo’s reimagining of the Talking Heads’ landmark album, Remain in Light, was not only one of our top albums of 2018, it was the subject of an exhaustive deep dive for an edition of our Small World column, which points out the stunning amalgamations and consistencies that made the record a perfect vehicle for Kidjo’s singular talents and sensibilities.

 

For Canon Fodder, we examined the remarkable success of Tracy Chapman’s self-titled, debut album. In 1988, Chapman appeared as the culmination of pop’s newfound social engagement, and the record captures the sound of a young artist clinging to her optimism, even in the face of so much cynicism.

 

Our inaugural season of The Show On The Road, hosted by The Dustbowl Revival frontman Z. Lupetin, included many black voices, including husband-and-wife duo, Birds of Chicago. Their special brew of soulful rock and roll and goosebump-raising secular gospel is a much needed shot of pure positive energy.

 

Alt-folk singer/songwriter AHI answered five questions and gave us five songs to go with them in an edition of BGS 5+5 that touches on Bob Marley, Thunder Bay, and oh so much more.

 

Writer, storyteller, historian, and songster Dom Flemons released Black Cowboys in 2018, an album whose depth and breadth rivals that of a museum exhibition. For our Shout & Shine interview he unpacked the forgotten histories and untold stories of black identities that shaped the American “Wild West,” and thus, the country as a whole.

 

The Journey, the latest album from Benin native, guitarist Lionel Loueke, tells stories of migration historic and modern, with musical textures and flavors that demonstrate our world — musically, culturally, and otherwise — is entirely interconnected. We featured Loueke in our Small World column.

 

Guitarist and songwriter Sunny War gave us a stripped-down, stunning rendition of “He Is My Cell” for a Sitch Session, showcasing her unique picking approach and the complicated emotions channeled through her writing.

 

Kaïa Kater’s most recent album, Grenades, was an exercise in self-love and self-learning. Our Cover Story unpacks how the project spans generations, hemispheres, and textures, and left the singer-songwriter “swimming in her own shadow.”

 

In 2018 we lost one of music’s brightest lights and most ethereal talents when Aretha Franklin passed. We did our best to tribute her everlasting legacy by diving into her best-selling album, Amazing Grace, for an edition of Canon Fodder.

 

Americana duo Nickel&Rose premiered their EP, aptly titled Americana, on BGS after being inspired by touring across Europe, noting the way international audiences reacted to and consumed American roots music. They offer their own personal musings on perseverance, loss, and compassion without empty promises that everything is going to be okay.

 

Charismatic, dynamite performers the War and Treaty (AKA Michael Trotter Jr. and Tanya Blount) told us the stories that led to the making of their latest album, Healing Tide — from the beginning, with a piano in Saddam Hussein’s palace basement, to the pair meeting at a festival, to the present, as their music and mission of love gain steam across the country.

 

In another edition of Small World, we take a look at cellist and songwriter Leyla McCalla’s brand new album, The Capitalist Blues, and the myriad themes and influences from around the globe that went into the writing, production, and execution of the songs and stories therein.

 

Gospel singer/songwriter Liz Vice balances intensely personal experiences with universal ideas like the Golden Rule on her album, Save Me, and our conversation with Vice gets into the nitty gritty of that balance and the personal growth and reckonings behind it.

 


Jerron “Blind Boy” Paxton made his case for why down home blues and old-time American music are not simply relics of bygone eras in his Shout & Shine interview. He is not merely a preservationist mining bygone decades for esoteric material or works that fit a certain aesthetic or brand. He simply takes music that is significant to his identity, his culture, and his experience and showcases it for a broader audience.

Host Craig Havighurst spent some time with Cedric Burnside on his podcast, The String, where they discuss the blues, soul, and regional folk’s growing influence and representation within the Americana community — as well as Burnside’s own commitment to the spread of Hill Country blues.

Legendary song-interpreter Bettye LaVette’s first major label release since 1982 focused on the work of one artist and songwriter, who just happens to be Bob Dylan. In our interview LaVette gives us a frank and engaging peek inside her mind: “Oh, honey, I am 72 years old. I basically don’t give a fuck. Nothing at this point wears me down. I know that all of this going on right now, either it’s going to pass or we’re going to pass.”

Photo of Kaïa Kater: Raez Argulla

The Show On The Road – Birds of Chicago

Posted on by Chris Jacobs

Built around the electric energy of husband and wife duo Allison Russell and JT Nero, Birds of Chicago cook up a special brew of soulful rock and roll and goosebump-raising secular gospel that is a much needed shot of pure and positive energy.

LISTEN: APPLE PODCASTS • STITCHER • MP3

The Show On The Road host, Z. Lupetin, had them over to his place in Los Angeles a few months back to talk about Allison’s wild childhood in Montreal, their slow motion story of falling in love back in the windy city of Chicago, and how they now balance marriage and touring schedules with their adorable four year old daughter in tow.

Featured Song: “Superlover”

Presented by Nomad Goods. Head to hellonomad.com/bgs and use code “BGS” at checkout to receive 15% off any full priced items through the end of January.

Black History Is Roots Music History

Posted on by Editor

To celebrate Black History Month, we’re taking a moment to revisit pieces that celebrated the creativity, music, and identities of artists of color over the past year.

Plenty of wisdom has been handed down in our Counsel of Elders features:

Jimmy Carter of the Blind Boys of Alabama spoke of faith and singing about reaching the end of the journey: “People ask me, ‘You’ve been doing this for almost seven decades, what keeps you going?’ I tell them, ‘When you love what you do — and we love what we’re doing — that keeps you motivated.’”

Soul singer Lee Fields had advice for staying positive without losing one’s realism: “I do believe that love is out there today, true genuine love, and I think a person should always keep that in mind. Stay positive.”

Then there’s 75 year-old singer and hit songwriter Don Bryant who has only just released his second album, so he knows a thing or two about perseverance and second chances.

Two of the past 12 months have been anchored by roots music legends:

Blues super-duo Keb’ Mo’ and Taj Mahal released TajMo, so we marked the occasion by designating Keb’ our Artist of the Month for May. The album just won a (well-deserved) Grammy.

Country hit-maker Charley Pride held down the Artist of the Month slot in September, when we pointed out that, even now, in his 80s, he is unafraid to shake things up.

Then, there are the cover stories:

With her record, The Order of Time, Valerie June defies labels, spanning blues, bluegrass, soul, folk, rock, and more, gathering pieces from each to build a kaleidoscope that showcases the long undercurrent of history running through each.

Trombone Shorty is intent on keeping the culture and music of New Orleans alive, but without redundancy: “When I grew up, I was listening to brass bands and I was listening to New Orleans hip-hop, so that is a part of my culture. I started, then, playing my horn to hip-hop beats and rock beats. It’s part of knowing where you come from, but trying to move the music forward.”

Black Joe Lewis doesn’t revive rock ‘n’ roll, he just shows the world it’s still alive — and, as a classic form of American music, it should have a seat at the Americana table, too.

For Chastity Brown, making music is like a therapy session: “The music reflected itself back to me and, in one part, let me know I was quite broken, and in another part of [Silhouette of Sirens], let me know I wasn’t that way anymore.”

The historical context of Black identities in roots music is best supplied by, well … Black identities in roots music.

New York-based Black string band the Ebony Hillbillies expertly laid out the diverse history of bluegrass and old-time music in a Shout & Shine interview.

Scholars Doug Seroff and Lynn Abbott have worked together for nearly 40 years researching the history of African-American music in jubilee, quartet, vaudeville, ragtime, and early blues music.

We dove into the history of the Georgia Sea Island Singers, who have featured a rotating cast over the years and continue to share their rich history of West African descent, with performances at presidential inaugurations and other public ceremonies.

By working through a deep-rooted musical heritage, Rev. Osagyefo Uhuru Sekou uses the language of the past to inform the present, serving up a direct response to the current political climate.

In her album, Freedom Highway, Rhiannon Giddens examined the cyclical struggles of the victims of injustice that suffer throughout history … slaves, children, Black men, and more. We spoke to her about it.

Lesbian, Americana artist Crys Matthews is a native of the South and the daughter of a preacher. She understands and appreciates the myriad ways her background informs her ability to help others empathize with those with whom they might assume they have nothing in common.

Let’s not forget about all of the incredible music:

Birds of Chicago sang one of our favorite songs for a Sitch Session.

Ben Hunter & Joe Seamons released A Black & Tan Ball with Phil Wiggins and built the album on friendship, their commitment to celebrating the wide range of American styles available to any songster, and the joy of sharing those musical styles across generations.

Benjamin Booker’s “Truth Is Heavy” was featured as a Song of the Week this past June.

And Rhiannon Giddens had a Song of the Week, too.

One of our new favorites, Sunny War, sings to her younger self — and all young children today — about the challenges of life.

Guitarist Hubby Jenkins can do more with just his voice and guitar than some folks do with an entire band.

We hosted a number of wonderful artists on Hangin’ & Sangin‘, as well:

Johnnyswim had us laughing for the whole half-hour … and invited us over for dinner, to boot!

The aforementioned Keb’ Mo’ turned on the charm in a big, big way.

Acoustic soul singer Jonny P touched on the importance of positive representation.

Hopping over from the UK, Yola Carter blew our minds with her incredible voice and spirit.

During AmericanaFest, Leyla McCalla talked us through the history of Haitian-Americans.

And last but not least, there have been several stellar Mixtapes, too:

Singer Bette Smith remembers her big brother and his love of soul music with this playlist.

Contemporary blues guitarist Ruthie Foster gave us an introduction to the blues with a dozen foundational tracks upon which a blues novice might begin to build their love of the form.

Our friends at the Music Maker Relief Foundation are working hard to preserve traditional, vernacular American music, especially traditional blues.

Best of: Sitch Sessions

Posted on by Editor

Since 2014, we at the BGS have been putting together videos of amazing artists singing great songs in stunning locations. So before jumping into a whole new year, take some time to sit back, put your feet up by the fire, and watch five of our favorite Sitch Sessions … picked just for you.

Birds of Chicago — “Lodestar”

There is something otherworldly about this performance of “Lodestar” at the 2016 Fayetteville Roots Festival in Fayetteville, Arkansas. And the barefoot Allison Russell absolutely steals the show with her tender vocals, delicate banjo plucking, and clarinet solo.

Billy Strings & Don Julin — “Meet Me at the Creek”

In one of our most watched Sitch Sessions, Billy Strings and Don Julin are joined by bass player Kevin Gills for a lively performance of “Meet Me at the Creek.” Be sure to stick around for the whole instrumental breakdown to see Strings and Julin show off their fast fingers!

Gregory Alan Isakov — “Saint Valentine”

For this Sitch Session, Gregory Alan Isakov paired up with the Ghost Orchestra to bring you a new arrangement of his 2013 classic, “Saint Valentine.” While we love Isakov for his smooth vocals and beautiful guitar parts, something magical happens when he is backed up by orchestral strings and a haunting brass line.

Hubby Jenkins — “Mean Ol Frisco”

“Mean Ol Frisco” may be a blues song, but you will be grinning from ear to ear after watching this performance by the husky-voiced Carolina Chocolate Drop multi-instrumentalist Hubby Jenkins. You can even tell he’s having fun playing it, as he can’t help but crack a smile after delivering each line once he gets about a minute in.

Front Country — “If Something Breaks”

Fuschia-haired front woman Melody Walker glows in this low-lit Sitch Session at 25th Street Recording in Oakland. Between Walker’s strong vocals and the picked and plucked instrumental backing, we can’t help but listen to “If Something Breaks” over and over again.

Hangin’ and Sangin’: Birds of Chicago

Posted on by Editor

From the Bluegrass Situation and WMOT Roots Radio, it’s Hangin’ & Sangin’ with your host, BGS editor Kelly McCartney. Every week Hangin’ & Sangin’ offers up casual conversation and acoustic performances by some of your favorite roots artists. From bluegrass to folk, country, blues, and Americana, we stand at the intersection of modern roots music and old time traditions bringing you roots culture — redefined.

With me today at Hillbilly Central, Birds of Chicago — Allison Russell, JT Nero, with Steve Dawson back in the corner. Welcome, you guys!

Allison Russell: Thank you! Thank you for having us.

You know how happy I am that you’re here!

AR: Well, we are equally, if not happier, to be here.

I love mutual admiration societies. That’s the best kind. Okay, there’s so much going on with you guys. The new American Flowers EP. It’s mostly acoustic, but not strictly acoustic.

AR: Mostly.

And you just moved to Nashville. And then you have the full record coming out in May, Love in Wartime, produced with Luther Dickinson and you [JT Nero], as co-producer.

JT Nero: That’s right.

. . .

On the EP, the anchor of it, I’m gonna say, is the song “American Flowers,” right? Like that’s sort of the heart of it.

AR: Yeah, for sure.

To me, what’s going on in that is, it’s a reminder of the inherent goodness in all of us. But that’s a challenge. It’s a really hard thing. When folks are walking around wearing swastikas or carrying assault rifles, that’s a really tough thing to hold onto. But it has to be an absolute, doesn’t it? Compassion and kindness.

JN: It does. And I think, I mean, a couple of things: People have always been walking around with assault rifles. Our ability in this age to be aware of everything that is going wrong at a given moment is intensified in a way that it never has been before, and it’s very easy to slip into kind of doomsday mentality. Now, having said that, there are some things going on in this country that have never gone on before.

Certainly not in our lifetimes.

JN: Well, I guess I mean administratively. The “American Flowers” thing … it was important to me to not write a song of kind of obvious angel after obvious angel. The vignettes are about different people who are, perhaps, not obviously heroic.

They’re flawed. They’re humans.

JN: But you know, it’s about common humanity, and just letting these little windows emerge from different points of resonance. For me, I lived in San Francisco for a year …

Chicago boy.

JN: Yeah, I’m a Chicago boy. Just letting those voices emerge. And I think sometimes, particularly when we live in an age where — and, again, some of this is good — we are, from both sides, kind of political fire-branding all the time, and we are literally driving home messages all the time. If you can find a way to let people’s humanity emerge in a less heavy-handed way, sometimes that can be, for me, a little bit more … you just feel it more.

Yeah, yeah. And I think as well … the other thing that has to be absolute is our integrity. Whichever side you’re on. No matter how low the other side goes, we have to stay high, because even if that means losing something in the short term, if we lose that, we lose everything in the long term. And I think that kindness and compassion, that’s our everything.

AR: It is.

We can’t let go of that.

AR: This summer, we did some festivals in Canada and, at one of them, Billy Bragg and Joe Henry were doing their duo together and Billy, at one point, said to the audience, “You know what we do? We’re musicians, but really, empathy is our currency. That’s our job, our job is to remind ourselves and each other of our shared human experience.” And I think he said, “Cynicism is the enemy and empathy is our currency.” That just really resonated for me, that idea. Empathy is not easy, either. As you said, it’s really not easy sometimes. It’s really hard sometimes. You wanna have this knee-jerk “No!”

It is tough, but there are so many little, sort of everyday activisms — “love is resistance” type of stuff. A song, a smile, a hug. That’s when I knew you were my people is the first time we hugged, I was like “Oh, yeah, we’re gonna be okay!”

AR: [Laughs] Friends!

But yeah, and I think all of those things — being joyful, coming together, sharing in an experience of music — that’s all resistance, when what you’re sort of staring down together is so dark and full of hate.

JT: We’re lucky to do what we do. It’s easy to sound … I mean it’s kind of a cliché, like “music is the common language” … but it is! [Laughs] I’ve never seen anything kind of like disarm or get people to put aside [that] first level of armor or defense, when they’re in a room. I’ve never seen that get done away with more effectively than with music. And that’s what I come back to it for, when I’m not performing, when I’m just listening to it.

AR: More than that, because we’re traveling so much with our music, we’re on the road 180-200 days of the year at this point. And we’re going all over this country from red state to blue state, to Canada, to parts of Europe, and we’ve received so much kindness from strangers everywhere, everywhere we go. When you are just at home and [aren’t] meeting people every day and seeing these cycles of awful things that get replayed and replayed and replayed, you can start to have a very skewed perception that that’s the majority of the world, and it’s not! It’s just not. The majority of the world, the majority of people, are kind. Like what we were talking about, the vast majority. We received so much kindness from strangers, from all backgrounds and walks of life and belief systems and all the rest of it. So it’s really a reminder to us, literally daily, when we’re out in the wind, out in this country and all over the place, the kind of kindness we receive, it reminds us that this is also true.

Watch all the episodes on YouTube, or download and subscribe to the Hangin’ & Sangin’ podcast and other BGS programs every week via iTunes, Podbean, or your favorite podcast platform.

11 Artists We’re Excited to See at AmericanaFest 2017

Posted on by Editor

This year, AmericanaFest is packing more than 300 artist showcases into six days in Nashville. Yeah. That’s a LOT of music. It’s not going to be easy to see everyone, but we’re going to try. Here are a few of our absolute musts:

Lee Ann Womack

We may not be big on rules around here, but we sure do love our LAW. That’s why we’re thrilled to say that, on Thursday, she’ll be Hangin’ & Sangin’ with us live on Facebook at 1 pm CT. Then, later that night, LAW & Friends take over the Music City Roots tent to close out the night. AmericanaFest could end right there, and we’d be happy. Luckily, though, there’s plenty more to come!

Birds of Chicago

Just watch the video. You’ll see.

Chastity Brown

Chastity is a rising star in the Americana world, and we couldn’t be more happy about that. Her songs run deep and wide. Catch her Friday night at the Anchor just before Birds of Chicago and Kacy & Clayton.

Lori McKenna

It’s no secret that McKenna is one of our girl crushes. She’ll be at 3rd & Lindsley on Thursday night (at the same time as LAW, sadly) with Willie Watson, Brent Cobb, and Shannon McNally. (We’re working on a cloning machine so we can be everywhere we want to be. Sure hope it’s ready by then!) 

Natalie Hemby

Hemby kicks off the Saturday night lineup at 3rd & Lindsley which also includes Elizabeth Cook, Lucie Silvas, and Jack Ingram. We’ve reserved a table for the whole dang thang. Come say hi!

Yola Carter

Hopefully, you caught Yola’s recent Hangin’ & Sangin’ appearance so that you know how great she is. If you want more, she’ll be at 12th & Porter on Friday night and the Groove on Saturday. 

Erin Rae

We’ve already gotten to hear Erin’s new album which is slated for a release early next year and, suffice it to say, it’s our first favorite record of 2018. Catch her Friday night at City Winery or spend Saturday afternoon at the Groove with her, Yola, Angaleena Presley, Courtney Marie Andrews, and others. (Spoiler alert: That’s where we’ll be.)

Becca Mancari

In another total Sophie’s choice, Becca is playing on Friday night at the SAME EXACT TIME as Chastity, so we’re gonna have to divide and conquer this thing. But divide and conquer we shall because they are both fantastic artists that we’re excited to support.

Leyla McCalla

Like LAW, Leyla is joining us for an AmericanaFest episode of Hangin’ & Sangin’ on Friday at 2 pm CT. She’ll also be showcasing on Thursday night at 9 pm at the Country with Emily Barker and Travis Linville, showing off her beautifully traditional roots.

Phoebe Hunt

If you’re a fan of acoustic folk based in bluegrass with elements of chamber music and far-reaching world music flavors — centered around solid songs — you’ve gotta catch Phoebe (& the Gatherers … band name pun for the win!). She has a couple of early showcases on Tuesday, with her main performance on Friday night at the Basement.

Amanda Shires

Yes. The rumors are true: Amanda will soon make her debut as the new BGS music critic. While you wait for that, you can find her tearing it up at the Station Inn on Friday night with Noam Pikelny and Luke Bulla.

MIXTAPE: Peter Mulvey’s Favorite Folk

Posted on by Editor

I’ve been making my living in the folk music world for 25 years and I still don’t know what those two words mean. Long ago, I realized had no more need to figure it all out. Here’s a playlist of tunes that fall easily into my whereabouts: from Tom Waits’s thunderous take on the touchstone “Shenandoah” to Anais Mitchell’s daringly inventive confessional “Now You Know” to Birds of Chicago and their straight-from-the-ages “Barley.” — Peter Mulvey

Tom Waits — “Shenandoah”

This. This is folk music. Nobody wrote “Shenandoah.” It was coughed up out of the doings and workings of a people. Rivermen, turning wheels and winding ropes. In its complexity and simplicity, it is as deep as anything a PhD in composition could aspire to (Five lines instead of four! Echoes of pentameter! The surreality of personifying Shenandoah as a person! The song is called “Shenandoah” and yet the river continually referenced is … the Missouri!) and yet this song is as clumpy and mossy as a stone in the shallows. Tom Waits and Keith Richards do it immense justice here.

Anaïs Mitchell — “Now You Know”

There is an ongoing tension in folk music between deep folk influence and personal expression. Anaïs Mitchell’s work in revitalizing old myths and old folk song forms, whether through rewriting Greek myths or un-ironic direct wrestling with child ballads, is unimpeachable. And it is the raw power earned by all that work which lends such immediacy to the naked outpouring of “Now You Know.”

Birds of Chicago — “Barley”

“Barley” could be as old as the hills, as old as Appalachian dirt or Irish turf, and yet it’s modern, with a modern, family dedication. Allison Russell, formerly of Po Girl and now a Bird of Chicago, has been a force in folk music north and south of the 49th parallel for years, and her writing deepens alongside that of bandmate JT Nero.

Suitcase Junket — “Wherever I Wake Up”

Matt Lorenz takes old junk and makes it sing. His one-man band of a dumpster guitar, suitcase drums, bones and buzz-saws surrounds him, and his clarion voice calls out from the center of this suddenly animated junkpile. He also does throat singing, which is as folky as it gets: an ancient human skill, used for thousands of years to communicate across the vast steppes. All that, and he can write a tune.

Anna Tivel — “Lillian & Martha”

Quiet details, laid out with patience and care, illuminate this trembling, vulnerable human story of two women finally able to marry. There are anthemic protest songs that help to sweep change through our history, but there are also the true human stories within that sweep, and Tivel’s singing of the unsung here is an act of quiet decency.

Kate Rusby — “The Fairest of All Yarrow”

Let’s return to pure folk music for a moment. Kate Rusby dedicates herself to the singing of songs, with heart and vividness, with deference but also daring. Sparks strike. Flames ensue.

Kris Delmhorst — “Since You Went Away”

Jim Harrison said that “poets are the weeds of the plant kingdom: not much in demand.” In terms of poems, Kris Delmhorst is a naturalist of the highest order. Her startling 2006 record, Strange Conversation, re-imagines Whitman, Millay, Byron, Rumi, and the poetry of many more as songs. This setting to music of James Weldon Johnson’s poem “Seems Lak to Me” takes sadness and makes it beautiful. That’s a quiet feat.

Kelly Joe Phelps — “House Carpenter”

Kelly Joe Phelps blew into the landscape like a mysterious thunderhead in the late ’90s, bringing an unmatched musicianship, a towering sense of improvisation, and a depth of hard-earned soul. His sound was all his own. This blazing version of the mythical “House Carpenter” story is a dizzying journey, crossing wide high seas in just the span of minutes.

Sam Gleaves — “Two Virginia Boys”

Sam Gleaves wears his musical identity authentically, unironically, and with true grace. This simple, plainspoken song of love between two men is an act of dignified, courtly bravery. By using the traditional “East Virginia Blues” as his chorus, he roots this song where he wants it to grow.

June Carter Cash — “Tiffany Anastasia Lowe”

As a descendant of the First Family of American Folksong, June Carter was (no doubt rightly) alarmed to learned that her granddaughter planned to go to Los Angeles to make movies with Quentin Tarantino. This marvelous song is her warning. Take heed, people.

Woody Guthrie — “This Land Is Your Land”

Writing about this song is a bit like writing about the Mississippi River, or Denali. I’m just going to put this on the list and let it speak for itself.

Kendrick Lamar — “Alright”

But speaking of protest songs, of songs that the people sing in their time of need, crowds in Cleveland, having been pepper-sprayed during demonstrations in 2015, spontaneously broke into the refrain of this anthem from Lamar’s masterpiece, To Pimp a Butterfly. Folk music is for folks. Listen, if you’d like to know what’s going on.

Photo credit: Elisabeth Witt

Gig Bag: Elephant Revival

Posted on by Editor

Welcome to Gig Bag, a BGS feature that peeks into the touring essentials of some of our favorite artists. This time around, Elephant Revival's Daniel Rodriguez gives us a look at what the band has to have handy when they're out on the road.

Bowerman Dreadnought Guitar: My friend Jayson Bowerman made me a fabulous guitar that I have been playing on stage and at home. It sounds really incredible.

A nice hat: I never think about how my hair looks, and seldom do I look in a mirror. So a nice hat is an easy problem solver in this case. “Oh, you have bed head at 8 in the evening? Put a hat on.” Come to think of it, that's probably why every singer/songwriter I have ever seen wears a fedora. It may be a little trendy, but it looks nice, is a great problem solver, and you could busk with it if you have to.

A book: There’s a lot of drive time out there on the road, and a good book can help stir the mental forces. It’s a great activity before passing out in your bunk, too.

Some good albums: I always like to BUY new albums before hitting the road, because I know I’ll have the time to listen in and get inspired. There’s a great deal of good music out there, from the past and present, and it feels good to buy records. 

Headphones: Not earbuds, but some good over-the-ear headphones. It's a superior way to listen to those albums.

All photos by Daniel Rodriquez, except lede photo, courtesy of the artist.

Get Off Your Ass: It’s April, Fools!

Posted on by Editor

Langhorne Slim with Sam Outlaw and Susto // Roxy Theater // April 29

Slim’s funky punk twist on country and folk is the leading lane in this packed highway of an evening full of country boys. Tickets

BGS Presents Birds of Chicago // Largo // April 6

Allison Russell and JT Nero bring together '60s soul, mountain gospel, and folk in a way that grooves so well that you know their live performances are on another level. Tickets

Noah Gundersen // The Hotel Café // April 6

Gundersen’s wistful vocals — accompanied by surging strings and melodic guitar and piano — are reminiscent of the best '90s indie music and bound to entrance any audience. Tickets

The SongBirds // The Hotel Café // April 13

Drawing a spotlight to the jazzy trios of the '20s, '30s, and '40s, the SongBirds are three talented women in their own right (Gaby Moreno, Erica Canales, and Dannielle DeAndrea) who form a unique time capsule of energetic and sliding harmonies. Tickets

Chris Stapleton // The Greek Theater // April 27

Without a doubt, the most unmissable act of the year, Stapleton snatched up several awards this year for his breakout solo album after years of hanging out behind the scenes. His wife Morgane is a talent in her own right and performs alongside Chris and, if you need more convincing, please just listen to their hauntingly special rendition of the old classic “You Are My Sunshine” on the new Southern Family LP. Tickets

Rayland Baxter // 3rd and Lindsley // April 7

Baxter has had quite the journey given his young age — his lulling guitar picks hit body-resonating notes that provide the perfect platform for his lyrics to ring out over. Tickets

Kelley McRae // Bluebird Café // April 10

McRae’s quiet storytelling is fed by a vocal tone that blazes an arrow path straight to the heart with its honesty, making her a perfect match with the legendary Bluebird for an evening marking the release of her newest album, The Wayside, out April 7. Tickets

We’re All for the Hall featuring Keith Urban and Vince Gill // Bridgestone Arena // April 12

Celebrating the sixth year of this star-studded benefit for the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, hosts Keith Urban and Vince Gill cover a range to bring together a seriously packed night with guests including Jason Isbell, Emmylou Harris, Peter Frampton, and Florida Georgia Line. Tickets

Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals // Ryman Auditorium // April 22

Reuniting yet again, Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals funk up the Ryman with their soulful reggae-blues-rock hybrid sound promoting their new album, Call It What It Is. Tickets

Fireball Mail // Station Inn // April 30

The four members of Fireball Mail are deeply rooted in the bluegrass tradition (and have appeared with legendary names to prove it) honing in on accelerating harmonies and improvisation. Tickets

Pokey LaFarge (with the Cactus Blossoms) // Music Hall of Williamsburg // April 3

Prepare for an incredible evening filled with music that appears to have time traveled — LaFarge and his impressive band bring lively ragtime country to the stage after an Everly Brothers-esque opening act from the Cactus Blossoms. Tickets

Brooklyn Folk Festival // St. Ann’s Church // April 8-10

Filled with musical performances (Spirit Family Reunion, Feral Foster, the Downhill Strugglers, Roy Williams, and many, many more), workshops, film screenings, dancing, and an iconic banjo toss — there’s a whole lot to enjoy in the eighth year of this festival. Tickets

BGS Presents Sierra Hull // McKittrick Hotel // April 19

Hull is a young master of the mandolin benefitting from the best of bluegrass as her mentors and producers (that would be Alison Krauss and Béla Fleck). Catch her at this unique venue, the Heath, at the spooky speakeasy-esque McKittrick Hotel. Tickets

Julien Baker // Bowery Ballroom // April 27

Baker’s Memphis-born talent is making loads of waves with her debut, Sprained Ankle, showcasing her alarmingly heart-wrenching songwriting and stripped-bare sound. Tickets

Parker Millsap // Bowery Ballroom // April 29

Millsap has a voice that just as easily belts and growls as it does sail on a high, clear note trailing off into a soft vibrato. Pick up Millsap’s new album, The Very Last Day, and don’t miss his utterly electrifying performance. Tickets