Artist:Tim Easton Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee Song: “Speed Limit” Album:You Don’t Really Know Me Release Date: Aug 27, 2021 Label: Black Mesa Records
In Their Words: “My friend Tree Butcher said the opening line in a sentence and I just wrote it down. It became a song very quickly and it’s the first tune where my daughter helped sort out some lyrics as well. Both my mother and father make an appearance in this one, so the family theme is established further. This is a healing song that is played with a lot of energy to remind you to slow down. The chorus lyric ‘when the pain of staying the same outweighs the strain of making changes’ is an inner rhyme sequence of pain, stay, same, weigh, strain, make, and change — seven rhymes in just 13 words. This is something I learned from listening to hip-hop, or something I was reminded of by listening to hip-hop. ‘The worst enemy I ever had is the one inside my head’ is a notion I got from the poet Gregory Corso who said that the worst critic he ever had was himself.” — Tim Easton
Artist:The Chuck Wagon Gang Hometown: The current members are pretty scattered, but the Chuck Wagon Gang originated in Fort Worth, Texas Song: “Two Gardens” Album:Radio Days Release Date: August 13, 2021 Label: Mountain Home Music Company
In Their Words: “We’ve had many fans request a recording from our old radio show. We’re so happy to finally be able to grant that request. We’ve put several old songs from the 1940s that we deem a deeper dive into the Chuck Wagon Gang archives. But there are also a few newer songs like ‘Two Gardens’ on this latest recording. We received the demo for ‘Two Gardens’ and I remember not being able to get the tune out of my head. Put that together with amazing lyrics and I believe we have a song fans will truly be blessed by!” — Shaye Smith, The Chuck Wagon Gang
Photo credit: Clay Lisenby for The L House Photography
Artist:The Isaacs Hometown: Hendersonville, Tennessee Song: “Turn! Turn! Turn!” Album:The American Face Release Date: August 13, 2021 Label: House of Isaacs
In Their Words: “When selecting cover songs for our project, The American Face, one of my first suggestions was the song ‘Turn! Turn! Turn!’ Growing up in New York City in the ’60s, I was a big folk music fan. I had a folk album out on Columbia Records in 1968, so I followed so much of that scene. The song was taken from Ecclesiastes 3:1-8 and seemed like such an appropriate song for nowadays. It was written by Pete Seeger in 1959 and released in 1965 by the Byrds. Once my family and I listened to the song, we just knew we had to record it. We wanted to do the song with The Isaacs feel to it. So, we tried to build the song with harmonies throughout the lyrics. It certainly brought back so many memories to me personally… living through the music era in the ’60s, which was such a turning point in history. An exciting time in many ways.” — Lily Isaacs
Artist:Suzie Ungerleider Hometown: Vancouver, BC Song: “Baby Blues” Album:My Name is Suzie Ungerleider Release Date: August 13, 2021 Label: MVKA
In Their Words: “‘Baby Blues’ is inspired by the idea that we all carry little movies in our minds about things that have scarred us in our childhoods. They replay in our heads and whisper in our ears and affect how we see the world so profoundly for the rest of our lives. They make maps in our brains that tie us forever to that geography of the past. The song is set on the country roads in Ontario, Canada, where there literally is a place called Fallowfield. Rolling hills and farmland and falling down barns dot the landscape. It’s beautiful and haunting all at once.” — Suzie Ungerleider
Happy birthday, Dualtone Records! The Nashville-based indie music label is celebrating a tremendous milestone this year, commemorating the 20 years they’ve been in the business of bringing us beautiful albums from an array of classic Americana, folk, and indie artists. To mark the occasion, they have issued a compilation album cleverly titled Amerikinda: 20 Years of Dualtone. The album features many of Dualtone’s artists from the past and the present performing each other’s songs in a whimsical, jovial tribute to the work and achievements of the beloved record company. Upon announcing the album in April, the label released vice versa recordings by Gregory Alan Isakov and the Lumineers, each performing a song written and made famous by the other.
Isakov and the Lumineers are just two of the artists on Amerikinda; they share the liner notes with powerhouse names like Shakey Graves, Langhorne Slim, Drew & Ellie Holcomb, and more. In the video below, hear Isakov’s ghostly rendition of the introspective Lumineers number, “Salt and the Sea.” (The Lumineers also contribute a cover of Isakov’s “Caves.”)
“The Lumineers have been our friends and local comrades here in Colorado for years, and when Wes sent me the premaster of their last record, I was instantly drawn into every song,” Isakov said. “The song ‘Salt and the Sea’ particularly spoke to me, lyrically, along with that haunting melody. I collaborated with my bandmate Steve Varney to pluck out Jeremiah’s piano part with clawhammer banjo. What a beautiful song. I hope we did it justice.”
Upon the album reveal, Isakov added, “Not only are they incredibly good at table tennis, Dualtone is an astounding team of humans. I had never worked with a label before, other than my own label, and it’s been an absolute pleasure teaming up with Dualtone. They are such a hardworking, collaborative, kind-hearted group, and it’s an honor to be a part of their 20th anniversary compilation.”
Label co-founder and CEO Scott Robinson says, “From the very start, we’ve tried to build this safe, encouraging space for artists to experiment and create, and it’s just so cool to see how deeply these bands have connected with each other and to hear the influences and friendships that stretch across the whole history of the label. At the end of the day, there’s something special about the energy of Dualtone, and it’s not because of me or Paul [Roper, President/Partner] or any other individual. It’s because of the way that everyone, artists and staff alike, come together as a community.”
Welcome to the BGS Radio Hour! Since 2017, this weekly radio show and podcast has been a recap of all the great music, new and old, featured on the digital pages of BGS. This week, we bring you a modern classic instrumental bluegrass tune, new music from Tim O’Brien, and much more! Remember to check back every week for a new episode of the BGS Radio Hour.
“New York” a song Amanda Anne Platt wrote about leaving the house that she grew up in, and kind of saying goodbye to that younger version of herself. We recently premiered a video for the track.
Singer-songwriter Rachel Sumner first wrote and recorded “Lose My Love” for the bluegrass group Twisted Pine, but now that she’s branched out as a solo artist she decided to reclaim and reimagine the tune in this new context.
“Done Gone” is something like a mission statement for musician Cameron Knowler’s album, Places of Consequence. It’s an example of how he examines fiddle music thoughtfully and renders it meditatively — while paying homage to his hero Norman Blake, too.
We sat down with singer-songwriter Aaron Burdett for a 5+5 — that’s five questions and five songs — about his inspirations, his mission statement, and more.
For Cape Breton fiddler Brad Reid, “Northumberland Shores” has become almost a meditation, bringing a sense of calm and grounding while symbolizing Reid’s Scottish ancestors’ journey to America.
This song didn’t start out as an homage to Springsteen’s “Born in the USA” or Neil Young’s “Rockin in the Free World,” but in retrospect Son Volt see the track as a nod to both — while questioning the mythology of the American dream.
Tim O’Brien’s latest album, He Walked On, explores the many realities and histories of what it means to be American. With his well-known ability to tell a story through song he shares intimate and intriguing tales that reflect on the political turmoil of the past few years through both modern and historical lenses. O’Brien was our Artist of the Month for July of this year, and we spoke to him in a two-part interview.
Mandolinist John Reischman wrote a modern classic instrumental tune, “Salt Spring,” which is now available for the first time digitally and streaming. The track features a roster of young pickers who grew up playing the song in jams and on stage.
Singer-songwriter Margo Cilker didn’t write “Tehachapi” to be an exuberant song, but it certainly became one — both in her live shows and on her upcoming, Sera Cahoone-produced album, Pohorylle.
The quirky, upbeat energy of the latest single from Austin-based Irish singer-songwriter Pat Byrne belies the song’s tragic content, which is all about a breakup and a plea for one more chance.
Grayson Jenkins wrote “Mockingbird” inspired by a noisy, singing songbird and a recent break-up: “When a bird was chirping nonstop by my van while I was trying to sleep. I couldn’t get it to leave, kind of like her memory.”
Everyone has heard the saying, “When life gives you lemons, make lemonade.” Tylor & the Train Robbers turn this phrase on its head, because when you don’t find a way to bring some good out of the bad, you’re just stuck with the same old lemons.
Photos: (L to R) Rachel Sumner by Hannah Cohen; Margo Cilker by Matthew W. Kennelly; John Reischman, courtesy of the artist.
Artist:Charlie Parr Hometown: Duluth, Minnesota Song: “Last of the Better Days Ahead” Album:Last of the Better Days Ahead Release Date: July 30, 2021 Label: Smithsonian Folkways
In Their Words: “Last of the Better Days Ahead is a way for me to refer to the times I’m living in. I’m getting on in years, experiencing a shift in perspective that was once described by my mom as ‘a time when we turn from gazing into the future to gazing back at the past, as if we’re adrift in the current, slowly turning around.’ Some songs came from meditations on the fact that the portion of our brain devoted to memory is also the portion responsible for imagination, and what that entails for the collected experiences that we refer to as our lives. Other songs are cultivated primarily from the imagination, but also contain memories of what may be a real landscape, or at least one inspired by vivid dreaming.” — Charlie Parr
Artist:Alexa Wildish Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee Song: “The Well” Album:Alexa Wildish
In Their Words: “‘The Well’ was originally written years ago, then released in 2020 on my eponymous EP, and it was not until this year that I fully lived its meaning. This video was filmed in Lake Atitlán, Guatemala. The pristine beauty and undeniably loud earth presence helped me to see myself more lucidly than ever before. It seems as if the surrounding volcanic energy erupted from me all that I was unwilling and too afraid to see, and then the water offered me grace in return in its loving reflection. The footage was captured over a few days of adventuring and playing with the elements. We collected video during a torrential downpour, parts of it at 5 in the morning when no one was on the lake other than a few local fishers, and the rest tucked away in the deep parts of the forest. My gratitude for this land and the way it brought me back home to myself will forever be imprinted on my heart.” — Alexa Wildish
In July we put together a playlist of bluegrass songs for summer vacation and once the inspiration was flowing, it was difficult to stop! We thought we should return to the theme, but slightly zoomed out, to include songs from across the roots music landscape. With the summer still shining, enjoy these 17 folk, Americana, and country songs perfect for your road trip playlist.
“Ride Out in the Country” – Yola
Yola was a 2020 Best New Artist nominee at the Grammys and she’s just returned with a new, full-length album on Easy Eye Sound, Stand For Myself. The entire project is lush and resplendent, like the glory days of orchestral, big-sound country-pop in the ‘60s and ‘70s. For this playlist, though, we return to her prior release, Walk Through Fire, and the perfectly country track, “Ride Out in the Country.” Take the scenic byways and crank the volume!
“I Like It When You’re Home” – Della Mae
One of the nicest silver linings of vacation is missing home – and that delicious feeling of returning to your own space and your own bed after being away. And your loved one(s), too! Della Mae captures that sentiment in this jammy, rootsy track from their album, Headlight. Take the day off, drive north, sit by a lake.
“A Little Past Little Rock” – Lee Ann Womack
A truly quintessential driving song. A must-add even if your vacation route comes nowhere near Arkansas. The baritone guitar intro, the shout-along-with-the-lyrics chorus, the whimsically late ‘90s production. A banger. A bop.
“Sunny and Warm” – Keb’ Mo’
Keb’ Mo’ is a master of vibes. His single “Sunny and Warm” showcases the acoustic blues musician in a more traditional R&B light – and the impact and result are simply golden. This track will have you craving your happy place, wherever that warm and sunny locale may be.
“Heavy Traffic Ahead” – Bill Monroe
Look, we’re The Bluegrass Situation! We’ve gotta get our bluegrass kicks in somewhere – bluegrass is roots music, after all. Given that we left this classic by the Big Mon himself off our Bluegrass Songs for Summer Vacation we felt it was worth inclusion here. And worth a mention so that you’ll go check out the entirely bluegrass playlist, too!
“Country Radio” – Indigo Girls
Finally a country song about country radio – and cruising around aimlessly listening to it – that is enjoyable and free of the guilt associated with the false nostalgia, conservative politics, authenticity signalling, and post-2000s country. Especially the kind most often played on the radio! This Indigo Girls track is testament to all the folks out there who love country music, even if it doesn’t always love them back. Don’t worry, it will. Eventually! (Read the BGS interview.)
“White Noise, White Lines” – Kelsey Waldon
If you catch yourself daydreaming, in a dissociative or meditative trance as you keep it between the lines, Kentucky-born singer-songwriter Kelsey Waldon has the exact soundtrack for you. “Whie Noise, White Lines,” the title track of her most recent album, speaks to that near-trope-ish phenomenon of losing oneself amid the countless miles traveled while living the life of a traveling musician. Waldon, as in most of her music, accomplishes this motif without stereotypes or clichés, and the result is a song that will be a staple on vacation playlists for decades to come.
“Table For One” – Courtney Marie Andrews
A variation on the same theme, this time from Courtney Marie Andrews, “Table For One” is gauzy and lonesomely trippy. “You don’t wanna be like me / this life ain’t free,” the singer pleads, seeking a sense of reality in a life almost entirely abided within liminal spaces. Find peace in the redwoods, but try to hold on to it. You might lose it twenty miles later.
“Two Roads” – Valerie June
Cosmic and longing, Valerie June distills Kermit the Frog’s “the lovers, the dreamers, and me” into album form with her latest outing, The Moon and Stars: Prescriptions For Dreamers. Whatever bug you’ve been bitten by – rambling, restlessness, cabin fever, listlessness – let this song and this album scratch that itch. And as you let the miles fade behind you, on whichever of the two roads you take, don’t forget to look up… at the moon and stars and beyond.
“Christine” – Lucy Dacus
Whether or not you’ve experienced the beautiful, transcendent, and heart-rending forbidden love of being queer — on the outside looking in on love that society has constructed to which you’ll never have access — Lucy Dacus’ fantastic, alt/indie roots pop universe will give you a crystalline window into this very particular iteration of unrequited love on “Christine.” The song feels almost as though you’ve woken from a warm, sunny, time-halting afternoon nap in the back seat of a car yourself.
“It’s a Great Day to Be Alive” – Darrell Scott
Darrell Scott goes two for two, landing on both our bluegrass summer vacation round-up and our rootsy list, too! “It’s a Great Day to Be Alive” is THE song for the moment you realize you’re out of the office, away from your chores, without a care in the world — whether you have rice cooking in your microwave or not.
“Hometown” – Lula Wiles
For those summers when all you can muster is a trip home. Lula Wiles don’t just trade in nostalgia and hometown praise, though, they take on the subject with a genuine, measured perspective that picks up paradoxes, turns them over, and places them back down for listeners. It’s a subtly charming earworm, too.
“Heavenly Day” – Patty Griffin
“Oh heavenly day / All the clouds blew away / Got no trouble today…” The exact intention to be channeling during vacation! Don’t let your summer getaway be one of those vacations from which you end up needing a vacation. Leave your troubles behind, have a heavenly day.
“Midnight in Harlem” – Tedeschi Trucks Band
Your travels may not bring you even within the same state as Harlem, but this song had still better be on your road trip playlist. There’s almost no song better to put on at midnight, wherever you may be roaming, than Tedeschi Trucks’ “Midnight in Harlem.”
“Outbound Plane” – Suzy Bogguss
Every time I step into an airport my anxiety seems to sing, “I don’t want to be standing here with this ticket for an outbound plane.” It’s always true. This writer has not yet returned to the jetways post-COVID, so we’ll see how that goes. At least there will be the security and comfort of this jam (composed by Nanci Griffith and Tom Russell) from Suzy Bogguss’ heyday.
“455 Rocket” – Kathy Mattea
There are plenty of modern versions of muscle cars available and on the road today, but not a single one is an Oldsmobile 455 Rocket! Kathy Mattea represents the rockabilly/Americana tradition of paeans to automobiles and gearhead culture with this loping tribute to a 455 Rocket, an early cut for Gillian Welch and David Rawlings. If you happen to take your country drives in a muscle car, regardless of brand, this track is for you.
“Take the Journey” – Molly Tuttle
What better way to conclude our playlist than with this always-timely reminder from Molly Tuttle? It might be a cliché, though it really is true: It’s about the journey, not the destination. So take the journey! Enjoy its twists, turns, and be in the moment. And take some clawhammer guitar along with you.
Artist:Claire Hawkins Hometown: New York City Song: “Small Doses” Release Date: June 18, 2021
In Their Words: “‘Small Doses’ was the last song I wrote before the pandemic, when I was still performing in youth hostels across Europe on the Foreign Voices Travelers Tour. It was a weird, wonderful time that was brought to an abrupt end in March 2020. It wasn’t until several months later that I revisited the song. I reached out to some artist friends, and suddenly we had this fantastic collaborative project to work on together during lockdown. The track was produced by Katie Buchanan, who produced my first-ever single when I was 17; the music video, which will be out later this month, was shot and directed by Florence Bradish, who created the music video for my song ‘Dublin.’ After so many months of staying apart, the opportunity to make art with my friends has made this release all the more special.” — Claire Hawkins
Photo credit: Ryan Cho
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