What other art forms — literature, film, dance, painting, etc. — inform your music?
Surfing. It is a wonderful mirror to playing music. It’s the same spiritual exercise, but it’s played out more on the physical plane. It’s spontaneous, super immersive, and requires deep concentration and awareness of your environment. The best wave riding experience is just like a really good jam. And in my best musical moments I feel like I’m gliding across a wave with the same grace.
What rituals do you have, either in the studio or before a show?
Before a show we all do a lot of stretching. I feel like it’s the best way to release stress and tension and get the blood moving, and get your chi meridians all dialed before you make music with everyone. Ten minutes before we go on the green room is a bunch of dudes getting all bendy and weird.
What has been the best advice you’ve received in your career so far?
Some of the best advice I’ve been given is just maintaining a foundation of gratitude. When life gets really challenging or confusing, just putting one foot in front of the other is much simpler when you take a moment to count your blessings. And on a lighter note, another piece of advice that’s stayed with me is one time my friend Ben told me my guitar was too beautiful to have a plastic capo or tuner clipped to the headstock, so since then I always keep those resting on my amp or in my pocket when I’m done using them.
Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do those impact your work?
I spend a lot of time in the ocean and in the sun when I’m home and I feel like that keeps my body pretty relaxed, and I think that keeps a lot of the music I end up writing on the mellow side.
Since food and music go so well together, what is your dream pairing of a meal and a musician?
I think the dream scenario would change depending on the season, but being that it is summer I would love to see Ledward Kaapana playing with a traditional slack key group, with a large serving of sushi and some iced tea and fresh fruit juice.
Artist:Leon Creek Hometown: Los Angeles, California Song: “High Hopes” Release Date: June 28, 2023
In Their Words: “The origins of Leon Creek as a band stems from our love of story songs in the country tradition. ‘High Hopes’ incorporates this approach, creating a song that is our ode to perseverance. We got the band together in the studio and cut this to capture the energy of our live show blending newly-mined honky-tonk influences with our singer Chris Pierce’s powerful soul vocals.” – Leon Creek (Chris Pierce, Matthew Stevens, and Erik Janson)
Artist:Jacob Sharp Hometown: Los Angeles, California Song: “Other Side” (feat. Aoife O’Donovan) Release Date: May 26, 2023
In Their Words: “I wrote this song in early 2020 when I was finally still enough to wrap my head around some of my emotions buried deepest. This one’s about a friend losing a battle with addiction, what I wish I had said more, and what I’ve been trying to say to all my people since. For me, music is for making and sharing with people. It’s why I love bands and being in Mipso. I talked myself out of releasing my own music so many times over the past few years, but when I realized it made for a good opportunity to collaborate with dear friends for the first time, it started to feel alright. I got the band of my dreams together and we recorded this one, mostly in separate locations in 2021.
“There is an amazing winemaker, Jude Zasadski, who is my neighbor in Mt. Washington – it’s a little oasis in the heart of Los Angeles – and he is someone who constantly inspires me. I love that dude so much. When I got the final mix for this tune, he was one of the first people I shared it with and he had an immediate vision for how we could show some of the fuzzier sides of memory whilst memorializing the preciousness of time and those moments when you feel your feelings again. We strolled around the neighborhood, got burgers and milkshakes, and then set up a projector in our friend’s garage. And one of my favorite filmmakers, Brady Lawrence, has been a friend for over a decade. His art always gets to emotional depth quickly and he was the perfect person to edit this video.” – Jacob Sharp
Photo Credit: Cate Parker Video Credit: Jude Zasadski (director and videographer) and Brady Lawrence (editor)
Artist:Jess Williamson Hometown: Austin, Texas; Los Angeles, California Song: “Chasing Spirits” Album:Time Ain’t Accidental Release Date: June 9, 2023 Label: Mexican Summer
In Their Words: “‘Chasing Spirits’ opens with a question: are my love songs lies now that the love is gone? You can write a deeply devotional love song about a partner and then one day break up. In that same vein, the title of this song has multiple interpretations. Chasing spirits can be a way of trying to connect with supernatural entities or one’s own higher self, and also, you order spirits at the bar or pick them up at the liquor store, maybe with a chaser.” — Jess Williamson
“‘Chasing Spirits’ was shot in Marfa, Texas, where Jess lives half the year, and the video features a lot of her real-life friends. The party in the Marfa Bus was real, shot in the trailer park where it currently sits. The video plays with some true-to-life elements, but in a hyper-stylized manner that feels fitting for a town like Marfa that has been so culturally mythologized, where real life and legend start to blur.” — Rocco & Giles, video directors
6:35pm – Billy Strings kicks off Night Two at the Hollywood Bowl with “Whiskey River.” It’s the same song as the first night but it’s a welcome repeat number (and face).
Billy Strings by Randall Michelson
6:39pm – Ethan Hawke opens the show, saying “Willie has always stood for equality,” so it’s no surprise to see the next guest…
6:40pm – It’s Orville Peck in a sleeveless vest (Aren’t his arms cold?! It’s freezing tonight) and his classic fringed mask. Performs “Cowboys Are Frequently, Secretly Fond of Each Other.” Makes use of the full Hollywood Bowl stage – he is owning this moment.
6:45pm – Charley Crockett. “Yesterday’s Wine.” Lady in box next to me states loudly, “Now this is real country.”
6:49pm – Allison Russell and Norah Jones do “Seven Spanish Angels.” These two voices are so perfectly in sync… please call me as soon as they do a duet record together.
6:56pm – Chelsea Handler introduces Dwight Yoakam for “Me and Paul.”
7:05pm – Waylon Payne and Margo Price take the stage together for “Georgia On A Fast Train.” These two are having the absolute best time together. Their chemistry is off the charts. From the box next to me, I hear a fan whisper under their breath, “MARGO IS MOTHER.” Couldn’t agree more.
Margo Price by Randall Michelson
7:14pm – Particle Kid (aka Willie’s younger son, Micah) along with Daniel Lanois. “I went to the garage and got high as shit and wrote a Willie Nelson song.” The lyrics come from a phrase his dad said one day: “If I die when I’m high I’ll be halfway to heaven, or I might have a long way to fall.”
7:19pm – Dame Helen Mirren (!) introduces Rodney Crowell. Emmylou joins mid-song for “‘Till I Gain Control Again.” Crowd goes bananas.
Emmylou Harris by Randall Michelson
7:33pm – Rosanne Cash does “Pancho and Lefty.” Totally different interpretation compared to Night One (where it was performed by Willie and George Strait), but a universally beautiful song nonetheless.
7:46pm – Lyle Lovett melting hearts and brains on “My Heroes Have Always Been Cowboys”
7:53pm – The “Aloha State Statesman” Jack Johnson performs one of the only non-Willie catalogue songs of the night, “Willie Got Me Stoned and Took All My Money.” He wrote it after Willie got him stoned and took all his money (in a poker game).
Jack Johnson by Jay Blakesberg, Blackbird Productions
7:57pm – Beck (in sunglasses). First artist to acknowledge the unreal house band. “Can you imagine waking up in the morning and opening your eyes and realizing ‘I’m Willie Nelson’? It’s already a great day.” Performs “Blue Eyes Crying In The Rain.”
8:03pm – TOM JONES! One of the most unexpected joys of the night. His love for Willie shines through in his performance of “Across the Borderline.”
Tom Jones by Josh Timmermans
8:12pm – Surprise guest host Woody Harrelson takes the stage. “Not to self-promote, but just so you guys know, I did open a dispensary… seems like the right audience.” He introduces the legendary Bob Weir. Billy Strings and Margo Price join Bob on stage for a fun and enthusiastic “Stay All Night (Stay a Little Longer).” Margo is having the most fun tonight.
Billy Strings, Margo Price, Bob Weir by Jay Blakesberg, Blackbird Productions
8:18pm – Shooter Jennings and Lukas Nelson together! The next generation doing their fathers proud with own rendition of “Good Hearted Woman.”
Shooter Jennings, Lukas Nelson by Randall Michelson
8:22pm – Lukas performs a heart-wrenching version of “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground.” Sounds so much like his dad yet simultaneously unique to himself. He has all 18,000 attendees in the palm of his hand.
8:29pm – The Avett Brothers. Wow. They sound so good, and fresh off the MerleFest stage just 48 hours prior. It’s been a few years since I saw them and gosh I missed them.
8:40pm – Chelsea Handler introduces Norah Jones, who performs an instrumental ode to Bobbie Nelson.
8:43pm – Norah brings on Kris Kristofferson (!) and helps him through “Help Me Make It Through the Night.” There’s not a dry eye in the house.
Kris Kristofferson, Norah Jones by Randall Michelson
8:49pm – Ethan Hawke introduces Nathaniel Rateliff. Not unlike the first evening (where he performed “City of New Orleans”) he steals the show with “A Song For You.” Rateliff is a national treasure who should be protected at all costs.
8:54pm – Sheryl Crow does “Crazy.” Crowd (rightfully) goes Crazy.
9:02pm – Dave Matthews, overflowing with sheepish charisma, tells an amazing story about getting high with Willie on his bus and how proud his mom was of that moment. The photo of that night is still prominently displayed on her mantle. He performs “Funny How Time Slips Away,” a song that seems to be the theme of the night.
Dave Matthews by Randall Michelson
9:18pm – Jamey Johnson and Warren Haynes perform “Georgia On My Mind.” From the first word Jamey sings, the audience goes wild. These two bring down the house.
9:28pm – The Children of the Highwaymen, including Lukas and Micah Nelson (Particle Kid), Shooter Jennings, and Rosanne Cash. One of the few moments during the show with technical difficulties.
Woody Harrelson, Willie Nelson by Randall Michelson
9:35pm – Woody Harrelson returns to the stage to introduce Willie. The man of the hour finally takes the stage. Willie performs “Stardust.” It is perfect. I am crying.
9:53pm – Willie duets with his longtime studio producer, Buddy Cannon, on “Something You Get Through” (which the two wrote together).
10:02pm – KEITH RICHARDS JUST WALKED OUT. I AM DECEASED. It’s hard to even remember what they performed because everyone is in such shock. (They performed “We Had It All” and “Live Forever”).
Willie Nelson, Keith Richards by Randall Michelson
10:10pm – All skate. “On the Road Again” of course. Willie wraps up the night by taking us all to church, ending with a medley of “Will the Circle Be Unbroken” and “I’ll Fly Away.” It’s going to take an awfully long time to process everything from this weekend.
Artist:Abby Litman Hometown: Bethesda, Maryland Latest Album:Still on My Mind EP
Which artist has influenced you the most … and how?
The one artist who has influenced me the most is Joni Mitchell. I first discovered Joni when I was in high school, and she became one of the reasons I wanted to pursue music. Listening to her, I was floored. Her lyrics were so relatable yet incredibly smart and observational, grounded in nature and full of poeticism. I spent hours and hours listening to all of her songs, dissecting them, taking them apart and putting them back together. Her albums made up my syllabus in songwriting. I read every biography and article about her I could get my hands on. Now, whenever I feel stuck with my own writing, I often go back to her songs and am quickly reminded why I wanted to be a musician in the first place.
What other art forms — literature, film, dance, painting, etc — inform your music?
I love reading poetry. My favorite poet is Edna St. Vincent Millay. I discovered a collection of her books on the shelves of my great-grandparents’ house in Maine. I was immediately taken in by her writing: blunt, sparse, yet layered with meaning and metaphor. Similar to my relationship to Joni Mitchell’s music, reading St. Vincent Millay’s poetry felt like finding someone who saw the world as I do. I also find inspiration in Sylvia Plath’s poetry and Shel Silverstein.
What’s the toughest time you ever had writing a song?
Sometimes, I struggle with finishing a song. Often, a song comes out all in one piece, almost seamlessly, but other times it can take weeks, sometimes years for a song to feel “finished.” Learning to enjoy the revising process has been helpful, but I sometimes feel like the constant revision takes away from the song’s authenticity, its initial spark. When I was writing my song “Alright,” I went through dozens of verses, melodies, and guitar parts. And the more I messed with the song, the less connected I felt to it. I was getting further from what the song was initially trying to say. It wasn’t until my producer Tyler Chester and I put some of the disparate parts I had written together, that I felt like the song finally revealed itself. Collaborating with Tyler has been one of the best experiences of my songwriting career.
What has been the best advice you’ve received in your career so far?
It sounds obvious, and maybe a bit trite, but the best advice I’ve ever been given is to “write good songs.” When I find myself comparing my music to other artists’, worrying about whether I’ll ever be successful, or feeling jaded by the music industry, I go back to that advice. I go back to writing songs because that’s really the only thing I can do. As long as I focus on my craft and keep making art that I am proud of, things will fall into place. I know that as long as I continue writing songs and making music, I’ll be happy pursuing the thing I love.
Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do those impact your work?
I currently live in Los Angeles and my go-to spot for nature is the beach. My favorite thing to do is grab a towel, sit on the sand and stare out into the ocean. There’s something about the vastness and wildness of the ocean that helps to clear my head. It’s actually a place where I’ve gotten dozens of lyrics and guitar parts. One of my favorite times to go to the beach, perhaps paradoxically, is when it’s cold and cloudy. I love the salty wind, the crashing waves. It makes me feel small and renewed, but most of all, it opens up my mind to accept inspiration that I otherwise wouldn’t find in a city.
Brett Dennen is a songwriter, painter and summer camp enthusiast. His camp experience was instrumental in developing his musicality. He attended Camp Jack Hazard in the Sierra Nevada Mountains where young Brett was enamored with the music his camp counselors would play on guitar around the campfire. He was introduced to Paul Simon, Neil Young, Joni Mitchell and John Denver thanks to his counselors and his parents. He really developed as a songwriter in college at UC Santa Cruz. After school, he wove himself into the LA songwriter scene, which in the early 2000’s was a haven for musicians like himself, Alexi Murdoch, Damien Rice and Josh Ritter. He developed a large fanbase that remains loyal to this day.
Brett talks about running his own summer camp, Camp Dennen, which allows him to create community through nature and art. He shares his experience of writing and thinking about being a dad and how that relates to the reality of fatherhood. And he talks about decidedly not being in the cool crowd and also not caring about it … well, not caring about it as much as he used to. Brett’s written some of my favorite songs of the 21st century. It was an honor to have him on the pod!
Artist:Alice Howe Hometown: Los Angeles by way of Boston Song: “Love Has No Rules” Album:Circumstance Release Date: April 21, 2023
In Their Words: “‘Love Has No Rules’ is a song about following your truth in love and life, setting aside others’ expectations and judgments. It’s about trusting yourself, and listening to that deep, internal knowledge that guides you to what is right for you. In both the writing and the singing of this song, I had to tap into my power, and I’m so proud of the vocal that you hear on this recording. As my producer, arranger, and co-writer, Freebo brought his unique musical sensibility to this song, helping me take it from a sweet ballad, which is how I originally envisioned it, to an infectious track with an ’80s-style groove. ‘Love Has No Rules’ is a strong statement both lyrically and musically, and it’s representative of the collaborative nature of this entire album.” — Alice Howe
Artist:Water Tower Hometown: Los Angeles, California Song: “My Little Girl in Tennessee” Album:Live From Los Angeles Label: Water Tower Records
In Their Words: “We love traditional bluegrass with all of our heart. That is part of the reason we chose to release this Lester Flatt/Earl Scruggs song. When we met our second banjo player Jesse Blue Eads (we have two on stage with us usually; Tommy Drinkard plays the other banjo) we were busking and this was a tune that we all knew. We recorded this version in one take after a 55-date tour. On the way to the Palomino Recording Studio our van broke down, so we got the car towed. Then when we arrived at the studio, the bridge on the bass had fallen off and cracked. It was ‘one of those days.’ This all contributed to the raw feeling in the room as we recorded.” — Kenny Feinstein, Water Tower
Few artists are more associated with Americana music than Lucinda Williams, even as her incredible career is hard to categorize. Her Grammy wins range from Best Country Song (“Passionate Kisses”) to Best Contemporary Folk Album (Car Wheels on a Gravel Road) to Best Female Rock Vocal Performance (“Get Right With God”). Just a few days following her 70th birthday, the Americana Music Association hosted an impressive all-star tribute concert at the fabled Troubadour club in Los Angeles on Saturday, February 4. The intimate performances underscored Williams’ versatility as a songwriter, with each of the performers putting their own personal stamp on her songs without ever losing the straightforward and often sensual lyricism that she’s known for.
Enjoy photos from the AMERICANAFEST Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams:
Grace Potter kicks off the AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams.
Jade Bird performs at the AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams.
Sean & Sara Watkins at AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams.
Aoife O'Donovan joined by Sean & Sara Watkins at the AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams.
Katie Pruitt performs at the AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams.
Lori McKenna at the AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams.
Allison Russell plays clarinet at the AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams.
Now Grammy winner Molly Tuttle at the Troubadour for the AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams.
Bethany Cosentino at the AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams.
Brandy Clark sings at the AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams.
Brittney Spencer and Grace Potter collaborate at the AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams.
Lucius perform at the AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams.
Sierra Ferrell at the AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams.
The Milk Carton Kids perform at the AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams.
Charlie Hickey at the AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams.
Abraham Alexander at the AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams.
Our January Artist of the Month, Madison Cunningham, performs at the AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams.
Mumford & Sons at the AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams.
Sierra Ferrell, Kenneth Pattengale of Milk Carton Kids, and Brandy Clark during the grand finale of the AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams.
Brittney Spencer and Sierra Ferrell during the finale at the AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams.
The grand finale of the AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams.
The evening's house band backstage at the AmericanaFest Pre-Grammy Salute to Lucinda Williams. L to R: Sara Watkins, Mark Stepro, Greg Leisz, Val McCallum, Lee Pardini, Daniel Rhine, Molly Jenson.
All Photos: Erika Goldring, Courtesy of the Americana Music Association.
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