Tag: Country

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Andy Leftwich, Leeann Skoda, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

For New Music Friday, we’ve got a healthy handful of new videos, tracks, and releases from your favorites artists in folk, country, bluegrass, old-time, and beyond.

Don’t miss new songs like Penny & Sparrow’s single “Jeopardy” and Helene Cronin’s take on mortality and togetherness, “Visitors.” Also, bluegrass outfit Seth Mulder & Midnight Run bring a Yellowstone-inspired cowboy number, “Looking Past the Pain (The Cowboy Song).” LA-based singer-songwriter Leeann Skoda debuts “Easy” in our round-up, as well, a new track with plenty of grit – and ’90s rock influences.

Plus, we’ve got a bevy of new music videos! Andy Leftwich performs an instrumental rendition of the gospel classic, “Talk About Suffering,” with an excellent trio. Check out the Hannah Connolly-crafted special live performance for “Worth the Wait,” a song from her most recent album, Shadowboxing. And old-time multi-instrumentalist and songwriter Evie Ladin picks “Walking Up Georgia Row” with fiddler Kieran Towers, celebrating her upcoming project, Ride the Rooster 2.

That’s not all, either! Earlier in the week, the second-to-last installments of the AEA Sessions (featuring Tony Arata this time) and Rachel Sumner’s Traveling Light Sessions (featuring her original “3000 Miles”) premiered on BGS. So you can check out those great performances below, too, and watch for the final edition in each series next week.

All of that musical goodness is right here on BGS – and You’ve Gotta Hear This!

Hannah Connolly, “Worth the Wait” (Live)

Artist: Hannah Connolly
Hometown: Eau Claire, Wisconsin
Song: “Worth The Wait” (Live Performance)
Album: Shadowboxing
Release Date: November 8, 2025

In Their Words: “‘Worth the Wait’ is a song about time, distance, and love. This video was captured last fall in Vienna, when my husband Eric and I were able to be on tour together. I was opening a few shows for his band Young the Giant’s tour and our friend and the band’s photographer, Lupe Bustos, filmed it when we had the afternoon off at the hotel. This song came out of missing Eric while he was on tour, so it was special to be able to capture it while we were traveling together. I’m grateful we were able to record a version of it in such a natural, unplugged form.” – Hannah Connolly

Video Credit: Filmed by Guadalupe Bustos.

Helene Cronin, “Visitors”

Artist: Helene Cronin
Hometown: Dallas, Texas / Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Visitors”
Album: Maybe New Mexico
Release Date: November 29, 2024 (single); March 7, 2025 (album)

In Their Words: “I got together to write with Cameron Havens and Ben Roberts last year. Ben had the idea of ‘Visitors.’ I immediately loved it, because I like songs that tell the truth. That truth being, we all got here the same way, we’re all leaving the same way, and it’s what we do with the time in between those events that’s most important. How do we treat each other? How do we care for this ‘place made of stardust and gold’ where we’ve landed? What really matters: possessions, time, relationships?

“But the song avoids being preachy, speaking from a level playing field. No one is above anyone else. ‘We all got a seat at the table, pull up a chair, there’s room for plenty more.’ I like the inclusiveness of that; it’s an invitation I want to be part of.

“When I sing this song, I envision a huge, ever-expanding supper table where all are welcome, none are left out in the cold. Shouldn’t we just remember our manners? Wipe your feet and c’mon in!” – Helene Cronin

Track Credits:
Helene Cronin – Lead vocal
Bobby Terry – Acoustic guitar, pedal steel
Paul Eckberg – Drums, percussion
Matt Pierson – Bass
Charlie Lowell – Mellotron, keys
Caitlin Anselmo & Matt Singleton – Background vocals
Mitch Dane – Production, engineering, mixing
David Diel – Production assistant
Sputnik Sound, Nashville – Studio
Mastered by Kim Rosen, Knack Mastering.

Evie Ladin & Kieran Towers, “Walking Up Georgia Row”

Artist: Evie Ladin featuring Kieran Towers
Hometown: Baltimore, Maryland to Oakland, California
Song: “Walking Up Georgia Row”
Album: Riding the Rooster 2
Release Date: November 19, 2024
Label: Evil Diane Records

In Their Words: “Six years and one pandemic to the day since Riding the Rooster came out – my popular first edition of clawhammer banjo/fiddle duets with 17 different fiddlers around the country. Riding the Rooster 2 features 17 new and different fiddlers, from old-time stars like Bruce Molsky and George Jackson to bluegrass maven Laurie Lewis, Cajun master David Greely, and excellent fiddlers known deeply in their old-time subcultures around the world.

“Having released many records of my original songs, this project sits firmly in the wheelhouse of my upbringing and ongoing community. My favorite thing in this milieu is to sit down with a fiddler and launch fast into some crooked tune I’ve never heard. Every cell kicks in and the experience is much like I imagine riding a rooster to be – visceral, in the moment, somewhat off-the-chain. ‘Walking Up Georgia Row’ is a raging duet with London fiddler Kieran Towers, recorded in a cow pasture at the Crossover Festival in England. Kieran and I met at Clifftop in West Virginia, playing in the very early morning hours before he had to head back to the UK, and it was a joy to reconnect a few years later, and invite him to be a part of this record. Also, this tune and the album are being released while I’m on a packed two-week tour of the UK, with only one fiddler, Sophie Wellington.” – Evie Ladin

Andy Leftwich, “Talk About Suffering”

Artist: Andy Leftwich
Hometown: Carthage, Tennessee
Song: “Talk About Suffering”
Release Date: November 15, 2024
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “Life can deliver some hard blows and no one is exempt from troubles and trials. We read in Matthew 11:28 where Jesus said, ‘Come unto me, all ye that labour and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.’ He offers us peace in the middle of our storm and a confidence knowing we don’t have to walk through it alone. As bad as it can seem sometimes, there is always something to hold onto. We talk about suffering here below, but let’s keep following Jesus.” – Andy Leftwich

Track Credits:
Andy Leftwich – Fiddle, mandolin
Byron House – Upright bass
Cody Kilby – Acoustic guitar

Seth Mulder & Midnight Run, “Looking Past the Pain (The Cowboy Song)”

Artist: Seth Mulder & Midnight Run
Hometown: Sevierville, Tennessee
Song: “Looking Past the Pain (The Cowboy Song)””
Album: Coming On Strong
Release Date: November 15, 2024 (single); Spring 2025 (album)
Label: Rebel Records

In Their Words: “I had just finished binge-watching Yellowstone and felt inspired to write a cowboy song. However, I wanted the song to feel personal and unique and the best way to do that was to draw from my own experiences with a touch of imagination. Growing up in North Dakota, I spent a lot of time around horses, training with my grandfather, competing in 4H and horse shows. After college, I moved back to North Dakota and worked at a camp as a horse trainer and ranch hand. That experience rekindled my passion for working with horses – a passion that almost became my career instead of music. So, it only made sense that I would eventually write about that lifestyle. Once I had a solid foundation for the song, I knew it had potential but I wanted it to be perfect. I reached out to my good friend Seth Waddington from The Waddington Brothers. He helped me refine it, giving the lyrics that old-school cowboy feel I was after.” – Seth Mulder

Track Credits:
Seth Mulder – Mandolin, lead vocal
Colton Powers – Banjo, tenor vocal
Chevy Watson – Guitar, baritone vocal
Tyler Griffith – Upright bass
Max Silverstein – Fiddle

Penny & Sparrow, “Jeopardy”

Artist: Penny & Sparrow
Hometown: Florence, Alabama / Waco, Texas
Song: “Jeopardy”
Album: Lefty
Release Date: November 15, 2024
Label: I Love You / Thirty Tigers

In Their Words: “‘Jeopardy’ is about knowing someone perfectly. It goes beyond tracking their needs & preferences & peccadillos. It grows into a kind of loving memorization where you can almost see the future. Whether it’s romantic, friendly, or familial, there’s something gorgeous about that kind of ‘knowing someone.'” – Penny & Sparrow

Leeann Skoda, “Easy”

Artist: Leeann Skoda
Hometown: Los Angeles, California / Phoenix, Arizona
Song: “Easy”
Album: Now I See Everything
Release Date: November 15, 2024

In Their Words: “I channeled some anger into this song. When I wrote it, I was feeling resentful of the time and energy I’ve spent trying to be easygoing because I thought it was the only acceptable way for me to be in the world. It’s how so many women feel or have felt. There’s this dichotomy because the song feels “easy” and almost light to me. I think it came out that way because it’s cathartic and freeing to put these feelings into music. Like a lot of my songs, there is plenty of ’90s rock influence in this one.” – Leeann Skoda

Track Credits:
Leeann Skoda – Vocals, guitar
Brad Lindsay – Guitar
Nick Bearden – Bass
Ed Benrock – Drums
Brian Whelan – Background vocals
Produced, Recorded and Mixed by Andy Freeman at Studio Punchup! in Nashville.
Background vocals recorded by Aaron Stern at Verdugo Sound.
Mastered by Gentry Studer.

AEA Sessions: Tony Arata, Live at Americanafest 2024

Artist: Tony Arata
Hometown: Savannah, Georgia
Songs: “When I Remember You,” “Here I Am,” “The Dance,” “Getting Older”

In Their Words: “My hometown is Savannah, Georgia, but I grew up on nearby Tybee Island, which I always claim as my hometown. Jaymi and I have been in Nashville since 1986.

“The shoot was done in one of my favorite places I’ve ever worked – Bell Tone Studios in Berry Hill (Nashville, Tennessee), and could not have been easier nor more relaxed. I know I met you, Julie, for the first time that day, but you made me feel like an old friend. And though I’m not a gear-head, the mics were super cool! Thank you for making and representing great stuff. And I love Roger Nichols, my only hope is that he never realizes how talented he is, because he might be hard to live with! He is a truly brilliant musician/engineer/producer/human.” – Tony Arata

More here.

Rachel Sumner, “3000 Miles”

Artist: Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts
Song: “3000 Miles” (Traveling Light Sessions)
Album: Heartless Things 
Release Date: November 14, 2024 (video); May 10, 2024 (album)

In Their Words: “‘3000 Miles’ is an autobiographical song that traces my journey from the deserts of California to Boston, the place I now call home. Growing up, the Mojave felt confining to me and I always sensed that I’d need to leave to find myself. This song is a rambler’s road song, shaped by years of searching. However, it took the stillness of lockdown to finally finish it – when I couldn’t travel anywhere. That pause gave me the chance to look back and make sense of all the miles I’d put behind me.” – Rachel Sumner

More here.

Photo Credit: Andy Leftwich by Erick Anderson; Leeann Skoda by Anna Rochelle Imagery.

GC 5+5: Emily Rose & the Rounders

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Emily Rose & the Rounders
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Latest Release: “Too Much Too” (single)
Personal Nicknames (or rejected band names): Steve from Pink Mountaintops/Black Mountain calls me E.R., which I like. He’s the only person who calls me that.

Which artist has influenced you the most and how?

I think probably Gram Parsons has been my biggest influence. When I was first learning to sing and play guitar, I would pretty much just play his songs. The earliest incarnation of what would sort of morph into the Rounders was actually a Gram Parsons cover band called the Kickers, where I sang and played drums. Then I started to sort of want to try to write my own material.

[Gram was] an LA guy, his voice is so sweet and sad and his songs are just heartbreaking. I also used to have these wild dreams when I was like 18 or so, where he and I would be driving around in a car, talking. They were recurring and it was very sweet. I’ve just always adored him.

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

Definitely playing and singing with Willie Nelson at Austin City Limits. Can’t really top that.

What’s the most difficult creative transformation you’ve ever undertaken?

When I left Ty [Segall’s] band, I really didn’t know what I was doing. I had been playing drums with him since I was 20 years old and I found myself at 27 with a repetitive injury that was making it so that I couldn’t really play drums anymore like I used to. It really messed with me psychologically on the last few Ty and Mikal Cronin tours and I started having stage fright, too, which I had never had before.

Since the crowds were getting bigger than ever, the judgment on my abilities was getting more fierce and I was taking it to heart in a very serious way. I don’t pay much attention to reviews or trolls online anymore, but at the time I really would and all of this was compounding in this really difficult way. I was sort of unsure if I would ever make music again or want to be in the public eye in any way.

Eventually, I sort of just committed to trying to do what I had wanted to do all along, but never had the guts to – which was writing and singing and making country music. Thankfully, I had some encouraging friends and a friend in particular who sat with me many nights a week, teaching me guitar. We’d harmonize together and stuff, and play almost-secret shows out of town and around LA until we had a fully realized thing going on. It was one of the scariest pivots I’ve ever made, but it really changed my life to sort of take the reins and figure out how to express myself musically again and to have fun doing it again. Country music is so cathartic, too, so it was really freeing to share a lot of the growing pains and to turn it into something really positive and productive.

If you didn’t work in music, what would you do instead?

I think I’d want to do something with dogs – maybe I’d be a vet or something or work for a dog rescue? I’m a big dog fan.

I also got certified as a domestic violence and sexual assault advocate over lockdown and volunteer for a non-profit that helps try to arrange housing, healthcare, legal services, etc., for those who need it. That’s something I’d like to be more involved with as well.

If you were a color, what shade would you be – and why?

I think black would be a natural answer, since I basically almost exclusively wear black. But actually, I’ve always thought and been told that my aura was blue!

Photo Credit: Sheva Kafai

Alison Brown & Steve Martin Premiere New Video on ‘The Kelly Clarkson Show’

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Two of the world’s preeminent banjo players, Alison Brown & Steve Martin, have returned with another delightful and gorgeous collaboration – this time, a bit less humorous than their last outing. On November 11, the pair debuted a brand new music video on The Kelly Clarkson Show. Featuring Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Vince Gill, the new track – and accompanying performance video – is a subtle stunner titled “Wall Guitar (Since You Said Goodbye).”

With lyrics by Martin and music by Brown, it’s an earnest and heart-wrenching number with a melancholy tone that’s served perfectly by Martin’s long-necked banjo and Brown’s low-tuned Deering Julia Belle model. Gill’s vocals are sweet and soaring as ever, with tasteful harmonies by Andrea Zonn and a backing band including Stuart Duncan, Rob Burger, Garry West, and Jordan Perlson. Bluegrass, old-time, and country combine here, with Martin utilizing classic roots music narrative references to tell a quintessential story of heartbreak and the music that gets us through it.

On Clarkson’s hit daytime television show, Martin & Brown chatted about the banjo, about Martin having performed on a recording of Clarkson’s in the past, about Brown’s career in Nashville and Compass Records, and much more. The pair even play a little banjo duet, walking Clarkson and the excited studio audience through the genesis of “Wall Guitar” and opening a window on their creative process.

“Don’t you feel like everything’s going to be alright?” Clarkson asks the audience to laughter while Martin and Brown pick the tune. It was a perfect reference to the message of the song and testament to the power of music – especially banjo music!

“Wall Guitar (Since You Said Goodbye)” is now available to stream and purchase everywhere you listen to music digitally.

Photo courtesy of Shore Fire Media.

See the Nominees for the 67th GRAMMY Awards

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

This morning, Friday, November 8, the Recording Academy announced the nominees for the 67th GRAMMY Awards, to be held in Los Angeles on February 2 at the Crypto.com Arena. Roots musicians can be found at all levels and across all fields of the buzzworthy awards, which are voted on by the vast Recording Academy membership of music makers, artists, and creatives.

Notably, Beyoncé, her groundbreaking country fusion album COWBOY CARTER, and its tracks can be found throughout the general field and American Roots categories, including landing nominations for Best Country Album, Best Country Song, Best Americana Performance, Album of the Year, Record of the Year, and more. Banjoist and composer Béla Fleck collected more than a handful of nominations for his work with Chick Corea – released posthumously – and Rhapsody in Blue, as well.

The Best Bluegrass Album category this year includes releases from Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, the Del McCoury Band, Sister Sadie, Billy Strings, Tony Trischka, and Dan Tyminski, making for an incredibly stout and superlative lineup.

From Kacey Musgraves to Shemekia Copeland, Aoife O’Donovan to Lake Street Dive, below we’ve collected all of the nominees in the Country & American Roots Music fields, plus we feature select categories from across the many fields, genres, and communities that also include roots musicians and our BGS friends and neighbors. Check out the list and mark your calendars for the 67th GRAMMY Awards, Sunday, February 2, 2025.

Best Country Solo Performance

“16 CARRIAGES” – Beyoncé
“I Am Not Okay” – Jelly Roll
“The Architect” – Kacey Musgraves
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – Shaboozey
“It Takes A Woman” – Chris Stapleton

Best Country Duo/Group Performance

“Cowboys Cry Too” – Kelsea Ballerini with Noah Kahan
“II MOST WANTED” – Beyoncé featuring Miley Cyrus
“Break Mine” – Brothers Osborne
“Bigger Houses” – Dan + Shay
“I Had Some Help” – Post Malone featuring Morgan Wallen

Best Country Song

“The Architect” – Shane McAnally, Kacey Musgraves & Josh Osborne, songwriters (Kacey Musgraves)
“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – Sean Cook, Jerrel Jones, Joe Kent, Chibueze Collins Obinna, Nevin Sastry & Mark Williams, songwriters (Shaboozey)
“I Am Not Okay” – Casey Brown, Jason DeFord, Ashley Gorley & Taylor Phillips, songwriters (Jelly Roll)
“I Had Some Help” – Louis Bell, Ashley Gorley, Hoskins, Austin Post, Ernest Smith, Ryan Vojtesak, Morgan Wallen & Chandler Paul Walters, songwriters (Post Malone Featuring Morgan Wallen)
“TEXAS HOLD ‘EM”– Brian Bates, Beyoncé, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Megan Bülow, Nate Ferraro & Raphael Saadiq, songwriters (Beyoncé)

Best Country Album

COWBOY CARTER – Beyoncé
F-1 Trillion – Post Malone
Deeper Well – Kacey Musgraves
Higher – Chris Stapleton
Whirlwind – Lainey Wilson

Best American Roots Performance

“Blame It On Eve” – Shemekia Copeland
“Nothing In Rambling” – The Fabulous Thunderbirds featuring Bonnie Raitt, Keb’ Mo’, Taj Mahal, & Mick Fleetwood
“Lighthouse” – Sierra Ferrell
“The Ballad Of Sally Anne” – Rhiannon Giddens

Best Americana Performance

“YA YA” – Beyoncé
“Subtitles” – Madison Cunningham
“Don’t Do Me Good” – Madi Diaz featuring Kacey Musgraves
“American Dreaming” – Sierra Ferrell
“Runaway Train” – Sarah Jarosz
“Empty Trainload Of Sky” – Gillian Welch & David Rawlings

Best American Roots Song

“Ahead Of The Game” – Mark Knopfler, songwriter (Mark Knopfler)
“All In Good Time” – Sam Beam, songwriter (Iron & Wine featuring Fiona Apple)
“All My Friends” – Aoife O’Donovan, songwriter (Aoife O’Donovan)
“American Dreaming” – Sierra Ferrell & Melody Walker, songwriters (Sierra Ferrell)
“Blame It On Eve” – John Hahn & Will Kimbrough, songwriters (Shemekia Copeland)

Best Americana Album

The Other Side – T Bone Burnett
$10 Cowboy – Charley Crockett
Trail Of Flowers – Sierra Ferrell
Polaroid Lovers – Sarah Jarosz
No One Gets Out Alive – Maggie Rose
Tigers Blood – Waxahatchee

Best Bluegrass Album

I Built A World – Bronwyn Keith-Hynes
Songs Of Love And Life – The Del McCoury Band
No Fear – Sister Sadie
Live Vol. 1 – Billy Strings
Earl Jam – Tony Trischka
Dan Tyminski: Live From The Ryman – Dan Tyminski

Best Traditional Blues Album

Hill Country Love – Cedric Burnside
Struck Down – The Fabulous Thunderbirds
One Guitar Woman – Sue Foley
Sam’s Place – Little Feat
Swingin’ Live At The Church In Tulsa – The Taj Mahal Sextet

Best Contemporary Blues Album

Blues Deluxe Vol. 2 – Joe Bonamassa
Blame It On Eve – Shemekia Copeland
Friendlytown – Steve Cropper & The Midnight Hour
Mileage – Ruthie Foster
The Fury – Antonio Vergara

Best Folk Album

American Patchwork Quartet – American Patchwork Quartet
Weird Faith – Madi Diaz
Bright Future – Adrianne Lenker
All My Friends – Aoife O’Donovan
Woodland – Gillian Welch & David Rawlings

Best Regional Roots Music Album

25 Back To My Roots – Sean Ardoin And Kreole Rock And Soul
Live At The 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival – Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & The Golden Eagles featuring J’Wan Boudreaux
Live At The 2024 New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival – New Breed Brass Band featuring Trombone Shorty
Kuini – Kalani Pe’a
Stories From The Battlefield – The Rumble Featuring Chief Joseph Boudreaux Jr.

Best Roots Gospel Album

The Gospel Sessions, Vol 2 – Authentic Unlimited
The Gospel According To Mark – Mark D. Conklin
Rhapsody – The Harlem Gospel Travelers
Church – Cory Henry
Loving You – The Nelons

Best Jazz Performance

“Walk With Me, Lord (SOUND | SPIRIT)” – The Baylor Project
“Phoenix Reimagined (Live)” – Lakecia Benjamin featuring Randy Brecker, Jeff “Tain” Watts & John Scofield
“Juno” – Chick Corea & Béla Fleck
“Twinkle Twinkle Little Me” – Samara Joy featuring Sullivan Fortner
“Little Fears” – Dan Pugach Big Band featuring Nicole Zuraitis & Troy Roberts

Best Jazz Instrumental Album

Owl Song – Ambrose Akinmusire featuring Bill Frisell & Herlin Riley
Beyond This Place – Kenny Barron featuring Kiyoshi Kitagawa, Johnathan Blake, Immanuel Wilkins & Steve Nelson
Phoenix Reimagined (Live) – Lakecia Benjamin
Remembrance – Chick Corea & Béla Fleck
Solo Game – Sullivan Fortner

Best Traditional Pop Vocal Album

À Fleur De Peau – Cyrille Aimée
Visions – Norah Jones
Good Together – Lake Street Dive
Impossible Dream – Aaron Lazar
Christmas Wish – Gregory Porter

Best Contemporary Instrumental Album

Plot Armor – Taylor Eigsti
Rhapsody In Blue – Béla Fleck
Orchestras (Live) – Bill Frisell featuring Alexander Hanson, Brussels Philharmonic, Rudy Royston & Thomas Morgan
Mark – Mark Guiliana
Speak To Me – Julian Lage

Best Instrumental Composition

“At Last” – Shelton G. Berg, composer (Shelly Berg)
“Communion” – Christopher Zuar, composer (Christopher Zuar Orchestra)
“I Swear, I Really Wanted To Make A “Rap” Album But
This Is Literally The Way The Wind Blew Me This Time” – André 3000, Surya Botofasina, Nate Mercereau & Carlos Niño, composers (André 3000)
“Remembrance” – Chick Corea, composer (Chick Corea & Béla Fleck)
“Strands” – Pascal Le Boeuf, composer (Akropolis Reed Quintet, Pascal Le Boeuf & Christian Euman)

Best Arrangement, Instrumental or A Cappella

“Baby Elephant Walk” – Encore, Michael League, arranger (Snarky Puppy)
“Bridge Over Troubled Water” – Jacob Collier, Tori Kelly & John Legend, arrangers (Jacob Collier Featuring John Legend & Tori Kelly)
“Rhapsody In Blue(Grass)” – Béla Fleck & Ferde Grofé, arrangers (Béla Fleck featuring Michael Cleveland, Sierra Hull, Justin Moses, Mark Schatz & Bryan Sutton)
“Rose Without The Thorns” – Erin Bentlage, Alexander Lloyd Blake, Scott Hoying, A.J. Sealy & Amanda Taylor, arrangers (Scott Hoying featuring säje & Tonality)
“Silent Night” – Erin Bentlage, Sara Gazarek, Johnaye Kendrick & Amanda Taylor, arrangers (säje)

General Field:

Record Of The Year

“Now And Then” – The Beatles
“TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” – Beyoncé
“Espresso” – Sabrina Carpenter
“360” – Charli XCX
“BIRDS OF A FEATHER” – Billie Eilish
“Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar
“Good Luck, Babe!” – Chappell Roan
“Fortnight” – Taylor Swift featuring Post Malone

Album Of The Year

New Blue Sun – André 3000
COWBOY CARTER – Beyoncé
Short n’ Sweet – Sabrina Carpenter
BRAT – Charli XCX
Djesse Vol. 4 – Jacob Collier
HIT ME HARD AND SOFT – Billie Eilish
Chappell Roan The Rise And Fall Of A Midwest Princess – Chappell Roan
THE TORTURED POETS DEPARTMENT – Taylor Swift

Song Of The Year

“A Bar Song (Tipsy)” – Sean Cook, Jerrel Jones, Joe Kent, Chibueze Collins Obinna, Nevin Sastry & Mark Williams, songwriters (Shaboozey)
“BIRDS OF A FEATHER” – Billie Eilish O’Connell & FINNEAS, songwriters (Billie Eilish)
“Die With A Smile” – Dernst Emile II, James Fauntleroy, Lady Gaga, Bruno Mars & Andrew Watt, songwriters (Lady Gaga & Bruno Mars)
“Fortnight” – Jack Antonoff, Austin Post & Taylor Swift, songwriters (Taylor Swift Featuring Post Malone)
“Good Luck, Babe!” – Kayleigh Rose Amstutz, Daniel Nigro & Justin Tranter, songwriters (Chappell Roan)
“Not Like Us” – Kendrick Lamar, songwriter (Kendrick Lamar)
“Please Please Please” – Amy Allen, Jack Antonoff & Sabrina Carpenter, songwriters (Sabrina Carpenter)
“TEXAS HOLD ‘EM” – Brian Bates, Beyoncé, Elizabeth Lowell Boland, Megan Bülow, Nate Ferraro & Raphael Saadiq, songwriters (Beyoncé)

Best New Artist

Benson Boone
Sabrina Carpenter
Doechii
Khruangbin
RAYE
Chappell Roan
Shaboozey
Teddy Swims

Graphic courtesy of the Recording Academy.

Amythyst Kiah Enjoys Challenging Assumptions

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Singer-songwriter Amythyst Kiah enjoys ignoring conventional wisdom and challenging notions she considers at best outdated and at worse reactionary and restrictive, regarding what music she should choose or what subjects she should address as an artist. But at the same time, she has never wanted anyone to label or pigeonhole her approach. Since 2010, Kiah has been steadily touring and recording, both solo and with other artists whose music also cuts across multiple thematic and idiomatic boundaries.

Kiah has a prominent, robust voice and is an outstanding guitarist and banjo player. A Chattanooga native and East Tennessee State University graduate, family and community ties are a major part of her life. Kiah’s father used to be her tour manager and she credits his influence (he also was a percussionist in a touring band during the ’70s) as well as that of her late mother (a vocalist in her hometown church choir) in shaping a performance style that is equal parts edgy and disciplined, adventurous but never chaotic or unruly.

After teaching herself to play guitar while attending a creative arts high school, Kiah would subsequently complete the Bluegrass, Old Time, and Country Music Studies program at ETSU and join the school’s marquee old-time band. Her array of activities since 2010 have included releasing the LP Dig In (cut at the ETSU Recording lab in 2013); the five-song EP Chest of Glass (recorded in Johnson City in 2016); and the critically praised Wary + Strange. Wary + Strange was done in Nashville for Rounder and was finally released in 2021 after going through three different producers over a three-year period before finally settling on Tony Berg. It addressed a lot of things in Kiah’s life that were difficult, notably the loss of her mother to suicide.

Conceptually, Kiah’s growth as a vocalist and songwriter is evident from the opening moments of her brand new album, Still + Bright, to its concluding refrain. Whether it’s the extensive lyrical quest for spiritual and personal growth unveiled with vigor in “Play God and Destroy The World,” or the search for peace of mind discussed in “S P A C E,” Kiah’s powerful vocals and insightful lyrics reveal a portrait of an artist willing to acknowledge uncertainty, yet able to find a sense of belonging and salvation through taking the journey.

Musically, the production incorporates a host of sounds, everything from mandolins and fiddles to crisp, crackling guitar lines – plus memorable guest vocals like S.G. Goodman on “Play God” and Kiah’s consistently poignant, stirring lead vocals. The new album, her third solo project, was already generating lavish praise before its release. It will no doubt continue to garner critical support as well as possible mentions on numerous best-of-the-year lists for Americana, folk, and country releases.

Kiah also has her share of high profile covers and collaborations. The most notable among them include being featured vocalist on Moby’s 2021 single “Natural Blues” and doing a cover of Joy Division’s “Love Will Tear Us Apart” in 2022. But perhaps the most celebrated was appearing along with Rhiannon Giddens, Leyla McCalla, and Allison Russell in the supergroup, Our Native Daughters. Sadly, despite being a pioneering all-Black women’s group, Our Native Daughters’ music hasn’t found its way onto the airwaves at urban contemporary radio. But their LP, Songs of Our Native Daughters, was a critical and commercial hit within the Americana and roots music community. Kiah’s composition on the album, “Black Myself,” earned a 2020 GRAMMY nomination for Best American Roots Song.

All this set the stage for Still + Bright. Kiah performed some of its songs during a visit to Nashville for Americanafest 2024; she will be returning to Music City for a highly anticipated appearance on the Grand Ole Opry on December 10. She spoke at length with BGS about her new LP, the recording process, touring, and her love for science fiction, among other things.

Congratulations on the response to Still + Bright.

Amythyst Kiah: Thanks so much. I really wanted to do some different things on this album, show another side in terms of my personality. It was very important for me to say and express certain emotions on Wary + Strange and say some things that needed to be said. I did some of that with Still + Bright, but I also wanted to do some lighter things, some fun things, present other aspects of my life, and reflect more humor, more joy. I’m very happy with how it turned out and the mix of things that we covered and presented.

How was the experience recording in Nashville and how much did having Butch Walker aboard as a producer affect the recording?

Butch was and is so wonderful. Whenever I’d suggest something to him he’d just say, “OK, let’s try it and see what happens.” He was so open to everything and at the same time he knew when to step in and say, “Why don’t you try it this way?” or “Why not add this element to it?” He was so much more like a good friend and buddy than just a hired gun-type producer. When I came to town for this most recent date and asked him about playing, he not only said sure, he showed up and joined right in. It’s been such a treat working with him, a great personal and professional experience.

You describe your sound as “Southern Gothic.” Have you found that the Americana format works for you in terms of getting the necessary promotion and exposure for your music?

It’s really the ideal format, because it does fit so many different styles and types of music. One of the real problems with radio now, especially commercial radio, is that everything is rigidly categorized. If you aren’t doing a very specific thing production-wise, the content and quality don’t matter. With Americana I’ve been welcome to do and try whatever I think fits and whatever I think I want to do musically. I can’t tell you how much creative freedom that gives you as a performer. You’re not writing to fit what someone else thinks might work. You’re free to have your music unfold and develop organically, the way that you hear it.

One thing that really annoys me is that there’s a sizable audience segment out there that very well might relate to your music if they got to hear it, but for a variety of reasons they won’t. Does the restrictiveness of marketing sometimes bother you?

I want to credit the people at Rounder with doing the best job that they can in terms of getting my music out to different and diverse audiences. All I’ll say about that issue is I’ve found that when people get a chance to hear my music and songs, they’ve been universally positive. That’s all that I can do as a performer is present them to the best of my ability. Certainly I’d love to get all types of listeners; I think Rounder works on that as well.

You’ve chosen to remain in Johnson City. How would you describe the music scene there and are there any thoughts about possibly making a move to Nashville?

There’s a lot more of a music scene here than you might think and a lot of that is due to the presence of the university. But there’s an active singer-songwriter scene here. There’s a jazz and blues scene. Certainly it’s not as large as some other places, but it works well for me. I’ve been able to do a lot of playing in clubs when I’m home and also do some songwriting and collaborations with other artists around town. I’m quite satisfied with being here. That doesn’t mean at some time down the line I might not think about coming to Nashville. I really enjoy recording and playing there. Of course from what I hear about the cost of living, that’s a concern. Right now I have no plans to make that move.

One of your non-musical passions is science fiction. Who are some of your favorites?

Interesting that you bring that up. I’m a fan of H.P. Lovecraft from the standpoint of his creativity in depicting horror and fantasy. Now I’ve certainly also become aware of the problematic areas and that gets into the whole discussion of, can you effectively separate the artist and their work from things in their character that are less than desirable, to put it mildly. Clearly, there are things in the Lovecraft legacy that are totally anathema to me, in terms of my identity and all the things I espouse and believe. Do I find some value and get some joy from his writing from a technical perspective? Yes.

Octavia Butler is someone I’m just now beginning to really do a serious examination of and I’m very intrigued and delighted by what I’m seeing so far, especially in regards to how she sees the future and issues of race, class and gender. The Matrix series remains a favorite of mine as well.

You’re about to get back on the road. Does touring still remain something that’s exciting or has the thrill faded with time?

No, as a performer the interaction with the live audience is what drives you and keeps you going. Now I won’t deny that there’s a grind aspect, when you’ve been on the road for several days in a row or for months. But the chance to see new places and play your music for fresh faces and new audiences is an invigorating challenge. It’s really what you get into songwriting and singing to do, much more so than the dollars and cents of it. While no one would deny that you’ve also got to take care of business, it’s the exhilaration of performing that’s the ultimate reason for writing songs and making music. You get a reaction from audiences that you can’t get in the studio.

Photo Credit: Photography by Kevin & King

You Gotta Hear This: New Music From Sister Sadie, Jordan Tice, and More

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Music is a balm, isn’t it? We’re finding that to be especially true in this week’s edition of our premiere round-up, You Gotta Hear This!

Check out a brand new country track from singer-songwriter Phillip Lammonds. Californian-turned-Nashvillian Jake Neuman and his band the Jaybirds brought us a new video for “Saved” off their recent EP, Little Bitty Town, too. Plus, bluegrass supergroup Sister Sadie keep the country vibes going – with a delicious ’90s bent and bluegrass instrumentation – on their brand new single, “Make Me Stay or Make Me Go.”

You’ll also find guitarist, singer-songwriter, and composer Jordan Tice previewing his new song, “Mean Old World,” which drops on Tuesday, November 12, and announces his upcoming album, Badlettsville. In addition, Rachel Sumner’s Traveling Light Sessions video series continues with a live trio performance of “Head East.”

Also don’t miss Kim Richey performing a short set of songs as part of the AEA Sessions captured at Americanafest earlier this year – it’s the latest in our series partnering with AEA Ribbon Mics.

It’s all right here on BGS and, indubitably, You Gotta Hear This!

Phillip Lammonds, “Who’s Right, Who’s Wrong”

Artist: Phillip Lammonds
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Who’s Right, Who’s Wrong”
Release Date: November 11, 2025

In Their Words: “I wrote ‘Who’s Right, Who’s Wrong’ when I was thinking back to being a kid really digging into the sounds that came from my papa Parton’s wooden upright RCA radio. I sat criss-cross applesauce on countless summer afternoons, just glued to the tones and the sorcery of it all, wondering where the songs came from. How’d they get in that box? Fast forward a half a lifetime or so, I’m still scratching my head. Anyway, the craft in all this has taught me one thing: songs are like fish, they swim around until you catch ’em!” – Phillip Lammonds

Jake Neuman and the Jaybirds, “Saved”

Artist: Jake Neuman and The JayBirds
Hometown: Bakersfield, California
Song: “Saved”
Album: Little Bitty Town
Release Date: November 8, 2024 (video); June 14, 2024 (EP)
Label: Peacedale Records

In Their Words: “‘Saved’ was the first song I wrote when I moved to Nashville. I remember having the first line or so on paper and feeling like I had something, so I immediately went to my number one writing partner – Amanda McCaslin of McCaslin Blue – and asked her what she thought. We spent the afternoon pacing around the yard and putting a line or two down every few minutes until we put something together that I am really proud of.” – Jake Neuman

Video Credit: Directed by Greg D Griffith

Sister Sadie, “Make Me Stay or Make Me Go”

Artist: Sister Sadie
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Make Me Stay or Make Me Go”
Release Date: November 8, 2024
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “‘Make Me Stay or Make Me Go’ brings to mind everything I loved about ’90s country. This was written by three of my favorite writers: Jessi Alexander, Al Anderson, and Gary Nicholson. This song screams sawing fiddles and a good ole line dance. Who didn’t love country music in the ’90s? I feel like it’s creeping around the corner again, too; at least I hope it is. This is all of us Sadies tipping a hat to the country music we love so much with our bluegrass instrumentation and some very talented friends to help.” – Deanie Richardson, fiddle

Track Credits:
Jaelee Roberts – Lead vocal
Deanie Richardson – Fiddle
Gena Britt – Banjo, harmony vocal
Dani Flowers – Harmony vocal
Maddie Dalton – Upright bass
Mary Meyer – Mandolin
Seth Taylor – Acoustic guitar, electric guitar
Dave Racine – Drums, tambourine
Russ Pahl – Pedal steel guitar
Catherine Marx – Hammond B3 organ

Jordan Tice, “Mean Old World”

Artist: Jordan Tice
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Mean Old World”
Album: Badlettsville
Release Date: November 12, 2024 (single)
Label: Padiddle Records

In Their Words: “‘Mean Old World’ is about the inevitable loss and change that life brings. I wrote it rather quickly while watching my neighbors through the windows as they loaded a U-Haul truck to move out. Something about watching material objects being put into boxes signifying the end of an era of someone’s life really struck a chord with me and I was able to live in the feeling long enough to get this song out. That flood of emotion that occurs when a temporal event marks the end of a chapter you will never return to is a familiar sensation that I’ve felt when I’ve moved myself, while I’ve watch my hometown of Nashville knocked down and changed, and when I’ve lost loved ones and had relationships end. Hope it gives you a good cry.” – Jordan Tice

Track Credits:
Jordan Tice – Guitar, vocals,
Aoife O’Donovan – Harmony vocals
Andrew Marlin – Harmony vocals
Patrick M’Gonigle – Fiddle, mandolin
Paul Kowert – Bass
Sean Sullivan – Recording, mixing,
Mark Goodell – Aoife O’Donovan vocal recording
Mike Monseur – Mastering

AEA Sessions, Kim Richey, Live at Americanafest 2024

Artist: Kim Richey
Hometown: Zanesville, Ohio
Songs: “Chapel Avenue,” “Angels’ Share,” “The Absence Of Your Company,” “Take The Cake”

In Their Words: “I really enjoyed working with the gang at [AEA] Ribbon Mics. The mics are great and the folks are wonderful to work with.” – Kim Richey

“Kim is a treasure. Every song is like a masterclass in songwriting and her voice invites you right into tableaus her songs create.” – Julie Tan, AEA Ribbon Mics

More here.

Rachel Sumner, “Head East” (Traveling Light Sessions)

Artist: Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light
Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts
Song: “Head East” (Traveling Light Sessions)
Album: Heartless Things 
Release Date: November 7, 2024 (video); May 10, 2024 (album)

In Their Words: “‘Head East’ is our next release from Heartless Things (Traveling Light Sessions). It has an extra special place in my heart, because it was the first song I ever wrote. Thirteen years ago, I moved to Boston from the Mojave Desert in California (where I grew up) and felt such a connection with the city and a feeling of possibility that I got there – a feeling I didn’t find in my hometown. This song was a plea to my younger brother to get out and find his good fortune elsewhere, just as I had.

“For this song, Kat Wallace trades her fiddle for the tenor guitar, and Mike Siegel adds a sublime third-part harmony that makes the chorus feel like heaven. ‘Head East’ has had many lives and arrangements, but this one is quite possibly my favorite.” – Rachel Sumner

More here.

Photo Credit: Sister Sadie by Allister Ann; Jordan Tice by Cameron Knowler.

8 Songs for This Exact Moment

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Where do we go from here?

When you wake up in a world where hatred and fascism have been resoundingly endorsed by so many of your neighbors and fellow citizens, how do you proceed? That question becomes even more daunting at its second or third or umpteenth asking.

Yes, music will play a vital role over the next handful of years, as we continue the fight for justice, self-determination, and agency for all people, in the U.S. and around the world. But music, the arts, and creativity won’t be enough to save us. They won’t be an end-all, be-all solution to the political and cultural hurdles we will have to clear in the near future.

This is a moment that calls for so much more. Solidarity, first and foremost – the idea that, at the beginning or end of the day, all we have is each other – and community, organizing, and advocating for each other will be essential. Mutual aid will be more necessary than ever. Putting our own privilege on the line in order to protect and ensure safety for those more marginalized than ourselves is the task immediately at hand. Showing up – yes, for our country, but more importantly, for our friends and neighbors – is the very next step. Literally and figuratively.

Still, the soundtrack we will all write, that we will all curate, that we will all partake in while opposing the craven and hateful policies being proffered by our would-be dictator will be a powerful tool. Music – especially roots music, country and bluegrass, blues and old-time, folk with a lowercase and capital F, and more – are traditions steeped in populism, in worker’s rights, in justice, in standing up for the downtrodden and beleaguered. There are no better genres for this exact moment. There are no betters artists, musicians, and songs than those in and made by our very community.

BGS and Good Country include in our mission a commitment to intentionally crafting a roots music space, a bluegrass- and country-centered universe, where everyone is welcome, regardless of identity, background, nationality, ethnicity, disability, class, or belief system. We are determined to continue that work, to be a place where – hopefully – anyone and everyone can feel seen, heard, safe, and valid in their love for and appreciation of all things roots music.

As we summon courage for the work ahead and lean on our community, here are eight songs perfect for this exact moment in history, to hold up as we remind ourselves our goals are the same at the end of this week as they were at the beginning: liberty, agency, and self-determination for all. – The BGS & Good Country Team

“Mercy Now” – Mary Gauthier

A modern Americana classic, singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier shared “Mercy Now” on social media very early on Wednesday morning, after the news broke that Trump had won another term. It spread quickly on social media with many a repost and reshare. The message here, of mercy applied broadly, universally, and without qualification, is more than timely. It’s evergreen.

“Crisis” – Aoife O’Donovan

Connecting our current struggle to those of past generations is exactly how we continue to put one foot in front of the other, despite setbacks and losses and despair. Aoife O’Donovan’s latest record, All My Friends, is a perfect intergenerational connecting of the dots, centering women, girls, and femmes, and shines a light on the non-linear track that leads to victory. We know we will continue to return to this music over and over in the future, as a balm and a catalyst for progress.

And, as our friends at Basic Folk reminded us yesterday, Aoife’s and Dawn Landes’ episode of the podcast – which focuses on their similar albums centering women, feminism, and women’s issues – is an incredibly timely re-listen. Find that episode here.

“Sun to Sun” – Alice Gerrard

Looking to our roots music elders in this moment is exactly what we all need! Alice Gerrard’s most recent album, Sun to Sun, and certainly its title track, indicate a kind of perseverance and long view that we all could take on as we face the uncertain future.

With a loping, almost marching rhythm, there’s a grounded, realistic, and convicting approach here on “Sun to Sun.” While we all talk, and talk, and talk, and talk, the problems we face continue unabated and unchallenged. What will we do besides talk?

While we talk another fool goes and buys a gun…

“Listen” – Kyshona

Speaking of talking… why don’t we take a turn at listening? The challenge has been set by Kyshona, a powerful and restorative singer-songwriter and activist who channels her ancestors, connects generations, and builds community with every note and every word sung. Originally released in 2020, “Listen” is just as encouraging now as it was then, and just as indelible in its striving for a better, more compassionate world. Media, social media, and the internet all incentivize us to speak, to center ourselves, to prefer “me” and “I” over “us” and “we.” Let’s maybe listen more, instead. Especially right now.

“Beautiful” – Sam Gleaves

Appalachian singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sam Gleaves – who was raised in southwest Virginia but now lives in eastern Kentucky – released one of the most quietly and emphatically radical queer country and old-time albums of this year, Honest. “Beautiful” is the collection’s stunner, a track about how there’s endless beauty, mystique, and life lessons to be drawn from the ways we’re all different from each other. Through the lyrics, you see the world from the eyes of a young Gleaves, singing about sights and sounds unfamiliar and foreign to a boy from the mountains, loved and cherished by his family and shown that love without question.

Seeing beauty in our differences? What a way to live…

“The Numbers” – Mipso

THE ECONOMY! THE ECONOMY! THE ECONOMY!

What about those of us for whom this economy has never worked well or fully functioned? What about the millions who can’t make ends meet right now, under blue or red presidents? From their 2023 album, Book of Fools, Mipso turn over this very question, examining how and why “The Numbers” could be soaring – hiring numbers, the stock market, crypto values, Tesla market cap – while so many are still struggling day to day.

“Put No Walls Around Your Garden” – New Dangerfield

From Black string band supergroup New Dangerfield – which features Jake Blount, Kaia Kater, Tray Wellington, and Nelson Williams – “Put No Walls Around Your Garden” is an Americana-tinged old-time number, written by Kater, with a collectivist stance and a solidarity through line. There may be instincts in the near future to revert to an “every man for himself” sort of survival strategy, but the only way we’ll get through is together. Rather than hoarding, walling ourselves off, retreating, or recoiling, now is the time to throw open our garden gates and welcome each other in. Share our abundance, work through our scarcity and lack, and care for each other’s needs – big or small.

“Trees” – Laurie Lewis

Consider the trees. Consider the birds, the rivers, the oceans, the saguaro, the pikas, the whooping cranes. Did their realities change between Tuesday and Wednesday? Is the world any less or more likely to burn, to flood, to be blown away by hurricanes and tornadoes now than on Monday? Sadly, no. The march towards climate apartheid continues entirely unfettered, regardless of who holds the White House.

Laurie Lewis, a bluegrass forebear who has carried the mantle of climate justice for her entire life, embodies trees in the title track of her latest album. She and her band show how the fight for justice – climate justice, racial justice, gender equality, LGBTQ+ rights, immigrant rights – is a fight not measured by human lifespans and human time, but against earth’s clock. The trees will continue to watch, waiting, for us to either figure it all out or to fail at our mission.

We must not fail. The work continues and we’ll be working – and singing – alongside you all, the entire way.

Photo Credit: Alice Gerrard by Libby Rodenbough.

Good Country Goodtime Variety Show Returns to LA’s Dynasty Typewriter December 1

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

BGS and Good Country are so excited to continue our one-of-a-kind, brand new variety show, The Good Country Goodtime, at premier Los Angeles venue Dynasty Typewriter on December 1 at 7:30pm! The second edition of the event – which features the best in country, Americana, and roots music, a first-rate house band, delightful comedy, and more – will be a whimsical walk through a western winter wonderland. In-person and livestream tickets are on sale now.

Confirmed guests for the December 1 show include Jonny Fritz, purveyor and proprietor of “dad country;” the delightful Old School countrypolitan sounds of California native Kimmi Bitter; plus indie/country singer-songwriter Rett Madison, who just released her latest album, One More for Jackie; and, attendees will enjoy stories, laughs, and more from comedian and Tennessee’s own Billy Wayne Davis – who will serve as the evening’s host. The Coral Reefers’ Mick Utley will return to direct the Goodtime’s all-star house band. And, you never know which Hollywood writers, actors, and improvisers and special guests may just show up to join in the fun.

Not able to attend in person? Grab a livestream ticket, or, just hold on – our Good Country Goodtime shows are recorded by Dynasty Typewriter’s multi-camera, multi-media content capture team and we will be sharing performances, sketches, and songs from the Goodtime right here, on BGS and Good Country, in the near future. Stay tuned!

We hope you’ll join us for the December 1 edition of the Good Country Goodtime, the show’s last hurrah of 2024 – before we continue with regular monthly shows in 2025! Attendees will enjoy songs, stories, sketches, and so many surprises in store. Pull on your boots and get ready for our western winter wonderland.

Buy your tickets now for the Good Country Goodtime.

Sign up on Substack for even more Good Country, delivered direct to your email inbox!

Bleu Edmondson on Only Vans with Bri Bagwell

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

On today’s episode of Only Vans, we have one of my all-time favorite Texas country singers, Bleu Edmondson! We talk about Robert Earl Keen, self-worth, getting Stoney’d, and making a record with Wade Bowen.

LISTEN: APPLE • SPOTIFY • AMAZON • MP3

Our guest this week on Only Vans is ​exciting ​for ​me, ​because ​I’m ​a ​big ​fan ​of Bleu Edmondson ​and ​I ​have ​been ​for ​a ​long ​time. ​As ​you’ll ​find ​out, ​he’s ​been ​on ​a ​multi-year ​hiatus, ​but ​he’s ​back. ​In our conversation ​we ​talk ​about ​Texas ​music ​staple ​and ​legend ​Wade ​Bowen, who ​is ​producing ​Edmondson’s ​new ​project – ​which, of course, ​we ​are ​highly ​anticipating.

We also ​chat ​about ​Lloyd ​Maines, ​who ​we ​mention ​​a ​lot ​on ​the ​podcast. ​I’ve ​never ​really ​introduced ​him ​properly, ​but ​he’s ​a ​GRAMMY ​Award-winning, ​Texas-based ​producer, ​session ​player, ​musician, ​and ​he’s ​in ​the ​Austin ​City ​Limits ​Limits ​Hall ​of ​Fame. ​No ​big ​deal. Also, ​his ​daughter is ​Natalie Maines, ​who ​is ​the ​lead ​singer ​of The ​Chicks. ​

Elsewhere in our chat, we ​also ​talk ​about ​our ​friend ​Brandon ​Jenkins, ​who ​passed ​away ​unfortunately ​in ​2018 ​from ​heart ​surgery ​complications. ​He’s ​dearly ​missed ​and ​remembered ​by ​all ​of ​us. Enjoy our Only Vans ​episode featuring my ​friend, ​Bleu ​Edmondson!

Find Bleu Edmondson on social media here and here.

Thanks to our sponsors, The MusicFest at Steamboat, Lakeside Tax, & CH Lonestar Promo!

Find our Only Vans episode archive here.

Yamaha’s Groundbreaking Second-Generation TransAcoustic Guitar

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Yamaha Guitars knew they were breaking ground – and raising eyebrows – when they debuted their TransAcoustic Guitar at the 2016 winter NAMM and Musikmesse trade shows. The original TransAcoustic Guitar turned heads immediately, thanks to its innovative technology and, of course, the quality acoustic guitar body and sound that musicians have long associated with the Yamaha name.

Fast-forward eight years and Yamaha has introduced the second-generation TAG3 C, a completely new model offering advanced features and more options. With Bluetooth capability, a built-in looper, a rechargeable battery with a five- to eight-year life, iOS and Android compatibility, and a plethora of controls and effects — reverb, chorus, delay, its TAG Remote app, and more — the TAG3 C is a workhorse, opening new avenues for artistry at all levels. It’s also a beauty, with its dreadnought body, solid Sitka spruce top, and solid mahogany back and sides.

The TAG3 C was designed for guitarists and, in a sense, by guitarists. When the first generation entered the marketplace, Yamaha’s Product Manager, Shingo Ekuni, was hands-on with customer reviews and interviews – what they liked, needed, and ultimately wanted. “We concluded that we needed more capabilities for creative players,” he says, “for the person who is proactively doing their practice at home or creating songs at home.”

This presented the challenge of creating a high-tech yet user-friendly guitar that sparks interest in tech-minded musicians without alienating traditionalists. “From my perspective as a player, and with most of my friends also being musicians, guitar players can be very particular about their sound,” says Yamaha’s Marketing Manager, Brandon Soriano. “They want the level of control. One person might prefer a plate reverb while another prefers a hall. They might want a very specific decay time or tone, and the same thing goes for chorus or delay. At the same time, guitar players don’t want a lot of barriers to actually playing the guitar. They don’t want an overly complicated user interface and experience. The way the TAG3 C is structured, you get all of the control over the specific sounds you want in the app, but when it comes to actually using the guitar, it’s a very simple interface.”

A cursory glance at the TAG3 C might cause one to scoff, “Second-generation guitar, TikTok-generation players.” But – curmudgeons rejoice! – this is not the case. No interest in apps? No worries. “You don’t need internet to use the guitar,” says Soriano. “You don’t have to connect it to Wi-Fi. And it doesn’t require the app to run. Straight out of the box, without downloading the app or anything, you can turn the guitar on, effects will already be dialed in, and you can use all the functionality.

“If you want to use the Bluetooth audio, of course you need to connect your phone or another Bluetooth output device. And if you want to get into the parameters of the effects, like changing from a plate reverb to a hall, that’s where you start using the app. But you can fully use the guitar without using the app.”

“Something really great with this guitar is the quality strictly as an acoustic guitar,” he adds. “It’s built to Yamaha standards, which, as we all know, are very solid, rigorous, and high level. Even if you were to take out all the technology, I would still love it just as an acoustic guitar. I think that’s going to add to people wanting to pick it up.”

“Nowadays, with our mobile devices, the ‘smart’ devices, with tools for guitarists, everybody is using the tuner, the metronome, [from] the very basic stuff to more complex and connected devices,” says Ekuni. “Customers are happy to accept new technology for a new type of product. Parallel with that, the TAG3 C is an authentic acoustic guitar, but the technology can expand the possibility of acoustic guitar playing.”

“We are in a technological age, and it’s all around everybody all the time,” Soriano agrees. “There is a little more open-mindedness to innovation, even in commonly traditional circles like bluegrass, for example. Customers also want to know that their money is well spent and that they can be confident in their purchase from a quality standpoint, durability, sound, playability, all those things. Those are some of the main pillars of Yamaha — delivering the best quality for the money at any price point, from the $400 guitars to the $4,000 guitars.”

This content brought to you in partnership with BGS sponsor Yamaha Guitars. Discover more about Yamaha Guitars and the TAG3 C here.

Photos courtesy of Yamaha Guitars.