Tag: Mixtape

MIXTAPE: Jeff Picker’s Low End Rumblings on the Bass in Bluegrass

Posted on by Editor

Maybe I’m biased*, but I’ve always felt that the bass is the most important instrument in the bluegrass band. It might not immediately draw your ear, but a bassist’s interpretation of the groove and harmony of a song holds substantial power over how the song is ultimately felt by the listener. Without a great bassist, a band full of shredders can sound anemic and sad; a heartfelt lyric can seem tedious and derivative. But add some tasty low end, and the same band will soar; the lyric will swell with passion! (Attention sound engineers: simply cranking the subs won’t cut it.) As such, the bassist’s importance in a bluegrass band is considerable.

Even so, great bassists are rarely given their due, unless they also happen to be virtuosic melodic players. Well, that ends today! Here are some examples of masterful low end artistry from some of my favorite denizens of the doghouse. Please excuse the shameless inclusion of one of my own tracks, because, well… I have an album to promote. Enjoy! — Jeff Picker

*I’m definitely biased.

Tony Rice – “Shadows” (Mark Schatz, bass)

Mark is one of my favorite bluegrass bassists. His tone is huge and clear, and his bass lines are subtly creative. On this track, listen to the fluid transitions back and forth between standard bluegrass time and a more open feel. Also note his slick fills and voice leading throughout.

Nashville Bluegrass Band – “Happy on the Mississippi Shores” (Gene Libbea, bass)

If aliens came to earth, demanded to know what bluegrass bass sounded like, and stipulated that I had only one song with which to demonstrate it, I’d play this. Gene Libbea’s feel is perfect; his note choices are just varied enough to add a bit of intrigue to the basic harmony of the song, while never sacrificing the pendulum effect that drives the bluegrass bus. The occasional unison fill with the banjo adds to the fun.

Ralph Stanley and the Clinch Mountain Boys – “Loving You Too Well” (Jack Cooke, bass)

I love this approach to the bluegrass waltz. Jack Cooke’s playing here is busier than what you might hear from many bluegrass bassists these days, and there’s a certain playful and casual quality to it, which I find refreshing. He bounces around between octaves, and between full walking lines and half-notes. Old-school, “open air” bass playing.

Matt Flinner – “Nowthen” (Todd Phillips, bass)

This song may sound slow and simple, but make no mistake: to groove like this, at this tempo, in this exposed instrumentation, is HARD. Todd Phillips demonstrates his mastery here: clear tone, impressive intonation, and intentional, direct timing. I also love how softly Todd plays — at times, he seems to barely touch the bass. To me, that conveys maturity and experience.

Patty Loveless – “Daniel Prayed” (Clarence “Tater” Tate, bass)

I had fun studying the bass playing on this track when I got to perform it with Patty and Ricky Skaggs a few years back. Clarence “Tater” Tate played both bass and fiddle for Bill Monroe’s Blue Grass Boys over the years, and had about as much pedigree in bluegrass as can be achieved. I dig the playing here, because it feels like an old-school, 1950s approach (bouncy, busy, slightly loose bass playing), but with contemporary recording quality. If you focus on the bass, you can tell how much fun he’s having with the slightly crooked form and joyous lyric — it sounds like a musical smile.

Anaïs Mitchell and Jefferson Hamer – “Clyde Waters (Child 216)” (Viktor Krauss, bass)

The first time I heard this song, I didn’t even realize there was bass on it. But I found myself coming back to it, drawn by the story-like quality of the musical arrangement, and I realized that the bass plays a major part in that dynamism. Viktor Krauss displays impeccable taste in his musical choices here. He knows when to play, when not to, when to articulate an additional note, when to sustain. For a player as technically proficient as Viktor, such restraint is impressive. His playing serves the song, first and foremost.

Del McCoury Band – “Learnin’ the Blues” (Mike Bub, bass)

As everybody in Nashville knows, when Mike Bub and his Kay bass show up at a gig, a fat groove is imminent. This track showcases Bub’s rock solid hybrid feel — he bounces between 4/4 walking and half-time, triplet and ghost note fills, and even has a little two-bar break in the middle. This is the type of bass playing that makes it virtually impossible to sound bad (not that Del and the boys needed any help in that department). Bub is also a great guy with a sense of humor and tons of knowledge and stories about Nashville’s music history.

John Hartford – “Howard Hughes’ Blues” (Dave Holland, bass)

Bluegrass as a musical style is pretty specific — there’s room for a wide variety of personal voices, of course, but there are definitely some foundational qualities and vernacular that indicate whether a player is truly versed in the style. On this track, jazz legend Dave Holland sounds like exactly what he is: a jazz musician playing bluegrass. Normally a recipe for disaster, here somehow it works. His tone, feel, note choice, and general approach sound foreign in the style, but they actually mesh with Hartford’s loose and jovial manner quite well. A slightly bizarre but enjoyable approach to bluegrass bass.

Ricky Skaggs – “Walls of Time” (Mark Fain, bass)

I’ve spent a lot of time studying Mark Fain’s playing for my job with Ricky Skaggs, and I’m always finding subtle little musical gems in his bass parts. It’s Mark’s tone, taste, and timing that anchor most of the canonical Kentucky Thunder recordings that we all love. This track showcases his mastery of the bluegrass groove at a slow tempo — listen to the way he spruces up what could be a one-and-five-fest with ghost notes, fills, and syncopation.

Jeff Picker – “Rooster in the Tire Well” (Jeff Picker, bass)

When I was making my new record, With the Bass in Mind, one of my musical goals was to find some space for the bass to shine and for me to use some of the technique I don’t use very often as a sideman. As such, the record has many bass solos. This song has no bass solo, however, since this Mixtape isn’t about bass solos! There are some cool bass lines in it, though (if I do say so myself). I tried to choose my notes carefully, to help anchor the band through the song’s many metric changes.

Robert Plant and Alison Krauss – “Let Your Loss Be Your Lesson” (Dennis Crouch, bass)

This track is not exactly bluegrass, but what an incredibly grooving bass part. Here is a rare example of a time when slap bass was musically appropriate! Dennis is a friend of mine and a great guy and bassist. He plays with gut strings, punchy tone, and undeniably solid time. He’s also the master of throwing in a couple creative measures of voice leading at exactly the right moment in the song. I try to catch Dennis out playing in Nashville whenever I can.

Stan Getz and the Oscar Peterson Trio – “I Want To Be Happy” (Ray Brown, bass)

This is obviously not bluegrass, but no bass-centric mixtape would be complete without tipping the hat to King Ray. His half-time feel throughout the melody is flawless, and just listen to that crushing avalanche of groove beginning around 00:37. Ray is a bluegrasser’s jazz bassist because he plays on top of the beat, and his playing has a relentless forward motion, like the banjo playing of Earl Scruggs. I’ve loved this recording since I was 15 — you won’t find better bass playing anywhere.

Photo credit: Kaitlyn Raitz

21st Century Bluegrass: a BGS Playlist of a New Generation

Posted on by Editor

In the year 2000, a bunch of well-funded music websites were cropping up, with odd names like CDNow and SonicNet, so there was always a steady demand for country-related content — and luckily for me, that included bluegrass. I remember the buzz about O Brother Where Art Thou?, but the older writers claimed those assignments, and since I was still in my 20s, I often landed the interviews and reviews that involved promising new talent, which gave me an opportunity to see a generation of acoustic musicians like Nickel Creek, Michael Cleveland, and Steep Canyon Rangers come of age.

From 2002 to 2015, I had a full-time writing job for a cable network, which led to countless CDs arriving at the office and my name at the door for most country and bluegrass shows, but more often than anywhere I’d go to the Station Inn — and in 2007 ended up writing about the place itself. I’d go see the Infamous Stringdusters while they were still calling themselves Wheelhouse, line up for Old Crow Medicine Show before “Wagon Wheel” became a honky-tonk anthem, and go listen to exceptional singers like Alecia Nugent or Bradley Walker every time they played that stage.

After attending the IBMA conference for the first time in 2002, I watched Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver hit those harmonies on The Hard Game of Love album while I sat on the floor of a Louisville hotel room, literally at the feet of the master. I’d never been to anything quite like it and I did my best to learn everything about the history. I kept my bluegrass CDs in a separate drawer so I could always get to them when I needed to focus or unwind — I’m not a musician myself, but something about acoustic music helps me unplug, so to speak. To see the IBMA World of Bluegrass conference grow into a massive event in Raleigh is thrilling! Now, as managing editor of BGS, my role is to share new roots music with readers, though the 75th birthday of bluegrass seems like the right time to look back on 21st century arrivals on the scene.

Also, as part of our Bluegrass 75 series, be sure to read about the first generation of bluegrass, an exclusive interview with Rodney Dillard, our two-part oral history with New Grass Revival, and a tip of the hat to the women in the ’80s and ’90s who made bluegrass better.

 

MIXTAPE: An Indigo Takeover by Spotify’s Laura Ohls

Posted on by Editor

“Our Nashville-based team had been having ongoing conversations since early 2019 regarding just how diverse the taste of our country music audience was. It was clear to us that there were many modern songs in the genre, touching on Americana, rock, roots, and bluegrass, that had sonic and thematic throughlines. We were also seeing many of these artists on the road together (Marcus King Band joined Chris Stapleton, Yola toured with Kacey Musgraves), talking to each other on socials, echoing the strong community within the scene. With this in mind, the goal was to create a playlist brand that reflected these intersections and the audience appetite for a playlist of this nature. With the success of the playlist since its launch in March, Indigo has continued to be a priority for us, which is reflected by enthusiastic listening from users. We’re celebrating the playlist this month with a sizzle video, new video playlist formats, artist sharecards, billboards, and more, in hopes of bringing more fans aboard the Indigo train.” — Laura Ohls, Senior Editor, Folk & AAA, Spotify

 (Editor’s note: Listen to Laura Ohls’ Indigo Takeover Mixtape below.)

Zach Bryan – “Heading South”

Twenty-three years old and on active duty in the US Navy, Zach Bryan might not be what one would expect from a country act on the rise. The Oklahoma native’s self-released material from the fall of 2019 is gaining traction on Spotify, creating buzz throughout the Nashville music industry. At the time of its initial release he had no publicist, no manager, no team to speak of whatsoever, yet his live videos sparked the interest of an audience on social media — which ultimately led to the flood of activity on streaming we are seeing today. His biggest song to date, “Heading South,” has been included in our Indigo playlist since its launch in March and remains a consistent tentpole track. Though he hasn’t had the opportunity to tour as a result of deployments and the pandemic, expect crowds of fans when the time comes.

Caylee Hammack – “Small Town Hypocrite”

One of country’s most notable rising stars, Caylee’s powerful and vulnerable ballad proves how strongly personal songwriting still resonates in the genre. A vocal standout in the playlist, you’ll feel her heartbreak and strength throughout the song.

Flatland Cavalry – “War With My Mind”

While the song was not written during the pandemic and this time of quarantine, the Texas band’s newest song lyrics grapple with internal battles we all face due to lack of stability, isolation, or just general disruption, which certainly resonates with listeners today.

Brent Cobb – “Keep ‘Em on They Toes”

A real toe-tapper, this track encourages the listener to follow your own path versus one that has perhaps been laid out for you. The song also suggests taking higher ground when being tested by others, some sage advice we could all use during these stressful times. Cobb’s classic, warm tone shines through this cut.

Hailey Whitters – “Heartland”

The Iowa-native-turned-rising-country-star pays homage to her roots in this nostalgic song about the place she was born and raised. As the saying goes, you can take the girl out of the Heartland…

Cut Worms – “Sold My Soul”

A hint of Neil Young, a splash of Guy Clark, a shake of Gram Parsons, and you get this great tune from Cut Worms, AKA Max Clarke, embodying country-folk storytelling at its finest.

Jonathan Terrell – “Never Makes a Sound”

I have seen Jonathan Terrell’s music described as “Springsteen in a Honky Tonk,” and no song better reflects said description on Terrell’s new record than this one. Passionate and driving, it’s a real rocker on Indigo.

Aubrie Sellers – “Far From Home”

A little bit country, a little bit rock ‘n’ roll, Aubrie makes the kind of gritty Americana that a playlist like Indigo was made for. The title track and opener off her newest album is a more subtle take on her “garage country,” but is exemplary of how dynamic she is as an artist.

The War & Treaty – “Five More Minutes”

The husband-and-wife duo have always written songs that strike a chord and can often bring the listener (me) to tears, but they’ve managed to accomplish this with a song that feels upbeat and… happy? The roots of the song, however, are quite dark. Michael Trotter Jr, after years of mental and financial struggles, contemplated leaving this world. In response his wife, Tanya, pleaded to him, “Just give me five more minutes. Stay with me. Just five more minutes to love you.”

Charley Crockett – “Welcome to Hard Times”

Is there really another song title on this playlist that is more appropriate for our day and age? Following his 2019 album, The Valley, and a severe health scare, Charley’s newest album (and title track) touches on failures and a system that’s rigged for said failures. Crockett is one of those artists that embodies all subgenres and eras under the American roots umbrella, and it’s songs like these that showcase how his art feels old and familiar while simultaneously being new and exciting.

Images and artwork courtesy of Spotify

Bluegrass Turns 75

Posted on by Editor

We’re taking a different approach to the Artist of the Month concept this September, as we acknowledge the upcoming 75th anniversary of bluegrass music. Many historians consider its origin to be that December night in 1945, as bandleader and mandolin master Bill Monroe established guitarist Lester Flatt and banjo picker Earl Scruggs as part of the Blue Grass Boys lineup during a Grand Ole Opry show at the Ryman Auditorium. At that pivotal moment, a new American art form was born.

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Although bluegrass is unquestionably rich in history, it is still evolving to this day. In an effort to cover all the decades since then, BGS will offer five posts this month about the evolution of bluegrass, from that indispensable first generation to the newest class of talented pickers. [Read about the first generation.] [Read about Rodney Dillard and the Dillards.] [Read part one of our New Grass Revival oral history. Read part two here.] [Read about 10 women who made bluegrass better in the ’80s and ’90s.] [Listen to our 21st Century Bluegrass playlist.]

Our staff has also collected our personal favorites from the immense bluegrass canon in the playlist below. We owe a lot to Monroe, Flatt & Scruggs, and all the musicians who have led us to this milestone, and we’re proud to reveal our theme this month as Bluegrass 75.

 

MIXTAPE: An Organic, Mountain Home Playlist

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

There’s never been a time when working people haven’t needed to lean on one another — and to look beyond the present day — just to get by, but the present moment often seems especially fraught. Nothing speaks better to each present moment than music, whether it’s making space for respite and healing or providing encouragement and inspiration for the struggle.

Here at Mountain Home Music Company and Organic Records, our artists speak in unique, distinctive voices, yet each of these mostly southern artists have been unafraid to offer up songs that address the universal themes and social challenges of our times— whether they’re looking inward or to the outside world. — Ty Gilpin

(Editor’s Note: Find the entire playlist below)

Aaron Burdett — “Echoes”

“Echoes” is a product of this era, a processing of my own thoughts and feelings. I have questions about my surroundings and myself. It’s about current conditions but also about elements of our humanity that are centuries old. Uncertainty defines much of life in the year 2020 and I believe in recognizing and honoring it. Answers will not arrive until the right questions are asked. — Aaron Burdett

Tellico — “Courage for the Morning”

I was thinking about how people’s actions can inspire others, from the great revolutionary leaders to the everyday efforts of ordinary people. So, if you sing along to this song, you will be saying to yourself “I will walk, I will sing, I will bring a little courage for the morning.” That is something each one of us can take to heart and really think about: What is it that I can do to help another person in this world? — Anya Hinkle, Tellico

Balsam Range — “Richest Man”

Who has not thought about being the Richest Man? But what defines being rich? To have a life without regrets is easier said than done. The sacrifices made for gain can seldom be undone. The things lost and those won will only show with time. — Buddy Melton, Balsam Range

Thomm Jutz — “What’ll They Think Up Last”

When you enter John Hadley’s Fiddle Back Shack you are immediately in the moment and in a different world. I can’t think of any other house like his. Hadley is one of the most stunningly great creative minds I know — so is Peter Cooper. We gathered at Hadley’s funky Madison, Tennessee home one Sunday morning, talking over coffee. Hadley said something like “I wonder what they’ll think up last…” yeah, me too. — Thomm Jutz

The Gina Furtado Project — “The Things I Saw”

All throughout my childhood, I went to the river when I needed comfort of any kind. No matter what happened in my life, good or bad, the river was always the same. The plants and critters and smells and sounds became like old friends; always welcoming and beautiful in every way. I imagined a secret society whose mission was to fight hatred with love.

I’ve taken that little vision into my adult life, and enjoy trying to spot members of this secret society (and trying to be one myself!) They can be flowers, animals, sunsets, people you pass on the street — any person or thing that refuses to let darkness and negativity take over, and instead chooses to exude pure and unstoppable love. — Gina Furtado

Love Canon — “Things Can Only Get Better”

Love Canon has made a career from expertly covering classic ’70s and ’80s pop songs with acoustic instruments. In this Howard Jones hit, they found an anthem for trying times. — Ty Gilpin

Amanda Anne Platt & the Honeycutters — “Brand New Start”

Asheville-based, Americana-leaning outfit the Honeycutters have built an increasingly storied career through their sensitive, skilled musicianship and the distinctive songwriting and voice of Amanda Platt. “Brand New Start” is about a scenario we could all use right about now. — Ty Gilpin

Balsam Range — “Trains I Missed”

Do we recognize when opportunities missed are really fate taking us in a better direction? How many times have you found yourself missing one train and taking another to right where you’re supposed to be? — Ty Gilpin

Zoe & Cloyd — “Where Do You Stand”

“Where Do You Stand” is a commentary on the state of our national discourse. Often, it’s the farthest ends of the political spectrum that make the news and it seems like inflammatory rhetoric is the only thing that gets heard these days. I’d like for us to remember that we’re all connected and are more alike than we are different, no matter who tries to convince us otherwise. For us to move forward, we have to find common ground on which to build a path toward a sustainable future. — John Cloyd Miller, Zoe & Cloyd

Jeremy Garrett — “Circles;” “What Would We Find?”

“Circles” is a song I feel like many people can relate to. Sometimes you feel like you’re going in circles, but there is always light on the other side if you can just keep going and perhaps change your vantage point.

For “What Would We Find?” we were riding out through the Black Hills and it struck me how it looked as though, if you could take all the timber away and expose just the rocks and barren land, what would you find? It seemed as though there were hidden layers of possible treasures in the rocks under the timber — perhaps like relationships can be sometimes. I only had the idea and a basic melody, and had the opportunity to write with one of my heroes, Darrell Scott.  — Jeremy Garrett

Front Country — “Good Side”

Almost a capella from a group that has never shied from issues of social justice. Hailing from the west coast but now residing in Nashville, Front Country has consistently campaigned for marginalized members of our community. This powerful message is both personal and universal. — Ty Gilpin

Zoe & Cloyd — “Neighbor”

“Neighbor” is a song meant to inspire us to act with empathy, and to remember our shared humanity. It’s important to recognize our similarities rather than fear our differences. — Natalya Zoe Weinstein, Zoe & Cloyd

Aaron Burdett — “Rockefeller”

“Rockefeller” is, on the surface, just a fun song about wishing for more than you have and being envious of others. Dig a little deeper though, and the song brings in hints of income and economic inequality. But then the chorus is all about making do and being content with what you do have. So it’s a song with a few layers to jump back and forth between. — Aaron Burdett

The Gina Furtado Project — “Try”

The societal pressure to be a certain way can be overwhelming. ‘Try’ just came to me one day when I felt particularly defeated. We win some, we lose some; we do admirable things and less than admirable things. That is what it is to be a human, and as long as you know you try, it’s not a big deal either way. — Gina Furtado

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MIXTAPE: Daniel Rodriguez’s Songs of Authenticity

Posted on by Editor

I love all types of music and song. How beautiful a thing to hear the invisible insides of someone shared outwardly. A culmination of dynamic forces, experiences and sensibilities dialed into pulsating, Pythagorean waveforms, giving color to the space in between. The only catch is we have to trust what we’re hearing is authentic. Whether it’s the tonal intention of a singer or the specific touch of an instrumentalist, the song has to move me in some way or else I’m changing the station. Authenticity is subjective to each listener where no authority exists, though goosebumps, tears, movement, lofty notions and inspiration have always been my litmus tests to playing something thrice or more.

Here’s a list of songs that have moved me in some way worthy of mention. Also, if you’re so moved, check out my album Sojourn of Burning Sun out on August 28. — Daniel Rodriguez

Bill Monroe – “Uncle Pen”

From what I hear, this song is Bill giving gratitude and paying tribute to his actual uncle, Pen [James Pendleton Vandiver]. Pen played the fiddle at family gatherings and inspired Bill to join the musical world. The song structure of “Uncle Pen,” though only a few chords, is kind of complex. It’s a jubilant song with a great melody and has those goosebumping, Appalachian harmonies that Bill and his band often showcased. Probably what I like most about the song is that it appears to skip a beat before the head of each verse. It happens during a G run directly after the chorus that impossibly lands at the head of the next section. Simple genius.

Gregory Alan Isakov – “Amsterdam”

I like pretty much all of Gregory’s songs and his recordings. Catching his band live or him solo is a remarkable experience. I’m lucky to call him a longtime friend and I keep my fandom of his music separate from that. Gregory paints imagery that is most times not specific, which leaves you, as a listener, more in an abstract state of mind. Yet he threads a powerful emotion throughout, which his voice and arrangements unavoidably invoke. He uses imagery of a woman often, which comes across as more a mythical character of the sacred feminine, rather than one of a romantic endeavor. This is apparent in “Amsterdam”: “That howling wind, she’s waving hi, her other hand’s in mine.” The song ascends towards the end in some epic way when Greg moves his voice up an octave and sings “Churches and trains, they all look the same to me now / They shoot you some place, while we ache to come home somehow.” Goosebumps to follow.

Bruce Springsteen – “Youngstown”

The Boss has never failed to paint us the pictures of the struggling American working class. Our popular culture seems to only highlight the celebrities and billionaires, and yet The Boss celebrates and sheds light on the untold stories of the common man, the backbone of our culture. His stories are always rich with the American story, full of its hypocrisies and triumphs. “Youngstown” paints a very real picture of the uphill and endless bogging down of industry and war. The arrangement has a suiting Americana feel, stripped down and intimate. The pedal steel and fiddle give an eerie voice to the emotion of the character in the story who sings, “My sweet Jenny, I’m sinking down, here darling in Youngstown.”

John Prine – “Lake Marie”

When John Prine passed on earlier this year I cried constantly for three days. I’ve been lucky enough to catch him live more than a few times at festivals that we both played. The authenticity in his delivery has healing properties that only a few possess. John touches on all the hidden sadnesses and joys of humanity, and gives color to the seemingly opaque hidden corners of the human condition. “Lake Marie” is a special song with all the ingredients: New love, tenured love, relationship struggles and cold-blooded murder. John delivers this story in a very light-hearted and humorous way. He speaks the verses and accentuates certain parts, which become vital to the song’s DNA. The chorus is maybe the best chorus ever written, beautiful and joyous, juxtaposed with a very brutal and tragic story.

Levon Helm – “The Mountain” (written by Steve Earle)

Just like any song that Levon sings of someone else’s, he makes it his own. That is very much the case with “The Mountain” by Steve Earle. Steve recorded a great version of this song with Del McCoury, but my favorite version is the one Levon sings. It’s about the coal industry brutalizing the natural wonder of a homeplace. Removing mountaintops from where once majestic mountains stood. Filling in swimming holes that you once could cool off from the summer’s heat within its cool mountain runoff. Levon brings you there to those mountains, and he takes you to that swimming hole, and then he shows you the pain of it being no more.

Gillian Welch – “Everything is Free”

When speaking of Gillian’s songs it would be prudent to also mention David Rawlings. The line is blurred when trying to understand who wrote what — and it’s fitting that their voices in harmony become an entity of grace and grit that is alive and well. “Everything Is Free” is a song that hits home for the majority of musicians and artists who are at large suffering in an age where the fruits of their labors are taken for granted. This is certainly reflected by our culture, which would ironically feel the worth of music in its absence. In regards to this, Gillian sings: “If there’s something that you wanna hear you can sing it yourself.”

Leon Bridges – “River”

I’m not a religious person, but I am spiritual. Even though Leon uses biblical terminology in this beautiful song of yearning, and being cleansed from your sins — it’s the intention of the song that shines through and transcends all the negative connotations that might come with organized religion. It’s the true Christian values that are evoked here, of actively wanting to become a better person. It sounds like it was recorded live around one mic in a big room and really captures a beautiful moment of music.

Bob Dylan – “Murder Most Foul”

Bob is my favorite artist and songwriter. I love all the phases of his expression. I don’t subscribe to picking a favorite era or compare everything he creates to what he produced in the 1960s. This brings us to “Murder Most Foul,” a recent release of his. It is a nearly seventeen-minute song that talks about the day and days that followed the assassination of John F. Kennedy. Bob beautifully describes this tragic and heightened moment in history, giving us a stream of consciousness of images peripherally and directly happening around the time of the assassination. The production of this song is very minimal which allows the lyrics to be absorbed and breathe.

Mandolin Orange – “Wildfire”

Growing up and residing in the hills of North Carolina, Mandolin Orange has lived and been more than aware of the culture that exists below the Mason-Dixon Line. Not buying into the rhetoric of those holding on to the nostalgia of the Confederacy, Mandolin Orange gives a historical and psychological look at the wildfire that unfortunately still is fueled today. “Wildfire” is a bit of medicine to us all, and carries a hope that some who might need the medicine most. Listen to this song that is served in the musical genre of its commonplace.

The Del McCoury Band – “Hot Wired” (written by Shawn Camp)

This song is a hoot. It’s very well-written, witty and might even spark a belly laugh or two. It talks about all the things the author’s girlfriend is capable of hot-wiring. My favorite lyric is “She might hot wire your Chevy, she might hot wire your Ford / And if she ever gets to Heaven she might hot wire the Lord.” Del breaks the bluegrass rules on this song and introduces an electric guitar after singing about his girlfriend hot-wiring his acoustic guitar to play like the “doggone Rolling Stones.”

Billie Holiday – “Strange Fruit” (written by Abel Meeropol)

This song is so powerful. Billie Holiday recorded it in 1939. The emotion and dynamics of her timing are delivered in a powerful and haunting way. The fruit that hangs from the trees is not fruit at all. [The song’s titular analogy references lynchings of Black folks.] It is perplexing to me that humanity can stoop so low to such an evil as to think one is inferior to another, where murder is rationalized within such a vitriolic mindset. In this specific case it is rationalized within the minds of pale complexion below the Mason-Dixon line. How those trees still stand and the fruit still hangs, though embedded within policy, social structures, the psychology of an unexamined people and history books with whole chapters missing. Music and song throughout time has been utilized to pass stories down and convey emotions. This is a song that passes down and conveys a traumatic truth; its shockwaves still crash on the shores of our everyday.

Josh Ritter – “Girl in the War”

This is one of my favorite songs. I’ve had the fortunate opportunity to play a bunch of shows with Josh and actually back him up on this song with my old band. I’ve heard him say in an interview that this song is about America. I’ll take his word for it. I’m not quite sure what the song is about myself, but I do know it’s a goosebumper. The recording of the song is stunning and I sure do like to play this song around the fire at gatherings.

Photo credit: Jesse Borrell

MIXTAPE: Ocie Elliott’s Favourite Folk Through the Ages

Posted on by Editor

Folk music, especially acoustic ballad folk, country folk, and early blues, has always held a special place in my heart and soul. From a young age, my dad would pull out his acoustic guitar when we’d go camping and around the campfire he would sing the family a folk song or two, mostly acoustic versions of Johnny Horton’s “The Battle of New Orleans” and “Sink the Bismarck.” The sound of the acoustic guitar and voice and their telling of a tale touched something deep inside me and my love for folk music was begun. Here are some of my (and our) favourite songs in this genre through the ages. — Jon Middleton, Ocie Elliott

The Carter Family – “Chewing Gum”

While not necessarily my favourite song by the Carter Family, there is something unique and uplifting about this one. I’ve always thought that Kurt Cobain would have loved it.

Lead Belly – “The Grey Goose”

Lead Belly is definitely one of the best ever, such an incredible songwriter. To me his power lies in the uniqueness of his sound; no one wrote songs like him either. The first time I heard this it filled me with so much joy: I could hear it being performed with a big group of people all singing the “lord, lord, lord” part. I’ve also always imagined Toots and the Maytals covering this song.

Blind Willie Johnson – “Trouble Will Soon Be Over”

My favourite blues artist of all time, Blind Willie Johnson’s voice and slide-guitar playing are otherworldly. This tune has such a beautiful melody and feel, it also displays the softer side of his voice and the female accompaniment adds a lovely depth to it all.

Mississippi John Hurt – “Spike Driver Blues”

The first time I heard his 1928 recordings my mind was blown. He has had the biggest influence on my fingerpicking without a doubt. The melody he picks in this song is just so beautifully circular, bouncy and perfect.

Doc Watson and Clarence Ashley – “Old Ruben”

I love the recordings these two did together — there is something very vibrant, authentic and alive in them. I think this song is my favourite of all of them, although “The Coo-Coo Bird” is a close second.

Johnny Cash – “Dark as a Dungeon” (Live at Folsom State Prison)

This whole album is amazing, but this song has always stood out, partly because it sounds like something to be sung around a campfire, but also because his voice is so rich and deep — it’s the perfect voice for this song.

Bob Dylan – “I Threw it All Away”

It’s impossible to pick a favourite from someone who has written more classics than most songwriter’s output in total. But I choose this one because oddly enough, this album (Nashville Skyline) was what led me into Dylan’s universe (I purchased it because it had Johnny Cash singing with Dylan on one song). Needless to say, I fell in deep.

John Prine – “Mexican Home”

We cover a number of John Prine’s songs, including “In Spite of Ourselves” and “Long Monday,” but one of our favourites that we don’t cover is “Mexican Home.” Both recorded versions are great in their own way, but the studio version feels truer to the content.

Guy Clark – “Anyhow, I Love You”

One of our favourite duets. A friend of ours showed us this song a few years back and we immediately started to learn it and sing it. It’s a very special and unique tune, especially in the lyrical phrasing.

The Country Gentlemen – “Fox on the Run” (Live)

I love that this was first recorded as a rock ‘n’ roll song by Manfred Mann. The Country Gentlemen’s version and harmonies literally sound like the lyrics, especially the line: “Her hair shone like gold in the hot morning sun.”

Loudon Wainwright III – “The Swimming Song”

We were also introduced to this by a friend and ever since then we’ve been in love with it. It’s uplifting, but also has this tinge of melancholy to it.

Mason Jennings – “Crown”

A favourite songwriter of ours, I’ve been in love with his music ever since I bought one of his albums on a whim in L.A. and drove with it the whole way back up the coast to San Francisco. Once there, I immediately pulled into Amoeba Records and purchased another.

Gillian Welch – “Winter’s Come and Gone”

Gillian Welch and David Rawlings are one of our biggest influences as a group. When Sierra and I first met, our first connection was made over a mutual love for Gillian Welch, and the first song we ever played together was “Look at Miss Ohio.” Something about this song though, the whole album really.

Gregory Alan Isakov – “Amsterdam”

This song has a rich, wonderful vibe to it — the recording quality, the playing, the mixing and of course, the tune itself. It feels like a warm blanket on a rainy day.

Photo credit: Dustin Rabin

MIXTAPE: Kyle Nix’s Fiddle Tunes & Bluegrass Songs That Inspire

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Hey everyone! My name is Kyle Nix and I fiddle for the Turnpike Troubadours. I’m also a solo artist and have a record coming out June 26 called Lightning on the Mountain & Other Short Stories. As a bluegrass fiddler and songwriter, I’ve put together a list of fiddle tunes and bluegrass songs from artists that have inspired me through my journey and continue to do so every time I hear them play. Hope ya enjoy these ditties! — Kyle Nix

Michael Cleveland – “Lee Highway Blues”

Michael is the most dynamic fiddler I’ve ever seen and perhaps the most dynamic musician. Incredible player.

Sara Watkins – “Long Hot Summer Days”

Sara and I are close to the same age and I’d see her at bluegrass festivals from time to time. I think it’s pretty neat that my band (Turnpike Troubadours) and Sara both recorded John Hartford’s “Long Hot Summer Days” around the same time. Love her version!

Byron Berline – “Flyin’ Fingers”

Byron’s a friend and a hero of mine. I’m always learning from him and he’s still got a fire in his belly. He composed and recorded “Flyin’ Fingers” a few short years ago and it’s a fine example of how he’s still “got it.”

Sierra Hull – “From Now On”

Sierra is one of the virtuosos. She makes it look easy. Big fan right here! Dig the tune “From Now On.”

Chance McCoy and the Appalachian String Band – “Yew Piney Mountain”

Love this version of “Yew Piney Mountain” by Chance McCoy. Chance is a real talent, from The Appalachian String Band to Old Crow Medicine Show.

Kenny Baker “First Day in Town”

Huge fan of Kenny Baker’s fiddling and his melodies abound. “First Day in Town” is a mean one!

John Hartford – “Steamboat Whistle Blues”

John Hartford’s Aereo-Plain is one of my favorite albums and “Steamboat Whistle Blues” is one of my faves on the record.

Aubrey Haynie – “Bill Cheathem”

A stellar version of “Bill Cheathem” here by Aubrey Haynie — a fantastic, killer fiddler!

Alison Krauss & Union Station – “Man of Constant Sorrow”

This is the one that kicked off the bluegrass craze of the early 2000s. Each member of this band, a Giant.

Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder – “Shady Grove”

I remember the first time I heard this version…. My eyes about bugged out! Blisteringly fast, clean as a whistle. Outrageously good!

Byron Berline – “Sally Goodin”

Byron’s version of Sally Goodin is the quintessential version of the song. Here, he’s joined by Bill Monroe and Earl Scruggs… and it’s beautiful, man!

Photo Credit: Amber Watson

MIXTAPE: Turn Turn Turn’s Sonic Journey

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Me and my Turn Turn Turn bandmates Savannah Smith and Barb Brynstad have chosen a mix of music that’s either helped shape us as musicians and songwriters, resonates with us in these uncertain times, or is stuff we keep coming back to, like that lover we can’t seem to shake. It’s old and new like our band — we “turn” to the distant past of early American recorded music, “turn” again to that renaissance of the 1960s and 1970s, and finally “turn” again to the present looking forward. We hope you dig the sonic journey. — Adam Levy

Ry Cooder – “Boomer’s Story”

Probably one of the most influential players of my life. Evocative, funky, reverent of past blues players, but super innovative. All the double stops sound like he’s often imitating fiddlers. I do that on the guitar solo for our song “Fourteen.” This song is the ultimate Ry Cooder groove with Jim Keltner on drums. Reminds me of years listening to it touring in a van with my band, The Honeydogs. — Adam

Luluc – “Controversy”

There’s another level of calm within Luluc’s music I have always appreciated. Nico with modern themes… I don’t know how they do it, but they do it so well. — Savannah

The Staple Singers – “Freedom Highway”

Who can say they HAVEN’T been influenced by the Staple Singers? Unvarnished, insistent, and catchy as hell, it’s no surprise that “Freedom Highway” is as eminently listenable today as it was in 1965. And sadly, although it was written more than five decades ago, this song’s imperative message resonates just as strongly in 2020 as it did during the apogee of the Civil Rights movement. — Barb

Judee Sill – “The Lamb Ran Away With the Crown”

It’s hard to choose a favorite of hers. One of the greatest underappreciated American songwriters. She crosses genres, she sings some of the most profoundly spiritual music and she hooks the listener with amazing harmonic movement and melodies. If you don’t have goosebumps at the rousing end of this gem you might need to check your pulse. As good as anything on Pet Sounds — maybe better. — Adam

Turn Turn Turn – “Delaware Water Gap”

Imagine if Dylan wrote a song about a female serial killer and had Emmylou Harris and Stevie Nicks join him while Grady Martin and Clarence White duel on guitar. — Turn Turn Turn

Sarah Jarosz – “House of Mercy”

I fell in love with multi-instrumentalist Sarah Jarosz a few years ago, when I saw her perform at the Dakota, a renowned live-music venue in Minneapolis. Fresh-faced and not too far out of college (New England Conservatory of Music), she played as a part of a well-oiled trio of seasoned twentysomethings. This particular song appeals to me because it pierces the conventions of traditional bluegrass music — lyrically, vocally, and instrumentally. Importantly, it was my gateway to a deeper appreciation of bluegrass and old-time music. — Barb

Lefty Frizzell – “Treasures Untold”

Lefty is often overlooked in the country music pantheon. His voice is velvety voice and cheeky chords meld honky-tonk gently with Tin Pan Alley pop. This song is nearly perfect to me as a composition. — Adam

Jessica Pratt – “As the World Turns”

Jessica Pratt’s voice and melodies are incredibly ethereal. I’ve always admired her songwriting, especially in this song. To me, I feel the driving, unstoppable passing of time while stuck in a trance of reflection. — Savannah

Turn Turn Turn – “Cold Hard Truth”

Adam wrote this one about deep self-examination and suggested Barb and Savannah do the vocal heavy lifting. We’re pretty proud of this bridge and we bet Phil Spector or Jeff Lynne would give us a nod of approval. — Turn Turn Turn

Dixie Chicks – “The Long Way Around”

I love the Dixie Chicks for their fearless defiance of conformity. And I love this song’s transcendent harmonies, soaring hooks, and in-your-face lyrics (“I wouldn’t kiss all the asses that they told me to”) that serve as a clarion call to all the uppity movers and shakers who refuse to be conventional. — Barb

The Rolling Stones – “Loving Cup”

I came to country music through the Stones. They always had a couple country nods with close harmonies, twangy pedal steel-like riffs and stories about dissipation, loneliness, yearning, and travel. “Loving Cup” is loose and sexy, takes you by the hand, spanks you and just keeps building with that piano-horn driven, drum-tripping outro. — Adam

Laura Stevenson – “Time Bandits”

Laura Stevenson is someone I have always really looked up to. Both her voice and her songwriting are incredibly powerful. This song hit me really hard during quarantine; it’s heartbreakingly hopeful. — Savannah

Big Bill Broonzy – “Glory of Love”

First time hearing this I was struck by the driving rhythm. I thought it was a couple guitarists. I spent a couple days figuring out this relatively simple three-chord song. And I only recently figured out how to get that ragtime banging drive happening — some 30 years after first hearing it. — Adam

Photo credit: Ilia Stockert

MIXTAPE: John Craigie’s “Can We Learn From History?” Playlist

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When I was a kid I was obsessed with music. From as far back as I have memories I loved every aspect of it. However, it wasn’t until I started watching older movies and TV shows and becoming educated that I became aware of music as a historical record. Shows like The Wonder Years and Forrest Gump (and others) made me realize that music was telling me a story of what had happened in the past and how we could learn from it. As much as I wanted to be a musician to heal people individually from their darkness, I also wanted to become a musician to inspire large-scale change like my heroes Nina Simone, Pete Seeger, Ani DiFranco and other countless heroes that used their voice to echo what many musicians have been saying since the dawn of human connection I assume.

Here are some of my favorite songs in that vein. — John Craigie

Nina Simone – “The Backlash Blues”

I seriously could have picked any one of her amazing performances, but this one always stood out to me. So direct and in your face. So powerful and moving. It put so much in perspective for my young ears and mind.

John Lennon and Yoko Ono – “Power to the People”

I was always a serious Beatles fan as a kid, but it took me a while to discover John’s solo work outside of “Imagine” and “Instant Karma!” As soon as I got interested in protest music I kept finding such great songs from him and this one has always been a favorite.

Curtis Mayfield – “Move on Up”

When I was in my first band in college I got interested in Curtis Mayfield after hearing the whole album Superfly and falling in love with the bass lines. Taken from his debut album as a solo artist after the Impressions, I’ve included the single version for easy digestion. However, if you can’t get enough I suggest checking out the nine-minute album version.

Buffalo Springfield – “For What It’s Worth”

Most people know this song as the beautiful anthem that it is, and surely still stands the test of time. However, a lot of people forget that this is Stephen Stills and Neil Young before they were in CSNY. I always loved the peaceful and soothing nature of the guitars and harmonics while the lyrics spoke of what was happening all around and begging us to not ignore it.

Richie Havens – “Freedom (Live)”

Legend has it that this song was created on the spot at the Woodstock festival in August of 1969. Richie was slated to go first, and since the promoters weren’t ready with the second band (not to mention many other things) they kept making him go back out after he had finished his set. After several encores he didn’t know what to play so he freestyled this beautiful song. You can feel everything that is going on in the state of the world through his passionate delivery of these simple lyrics.

Bob Dylan – “The Times They Are A-Changin’”

I admit it does feel a bit cliché to add this to the mix but I’ve always felt it was a huge inspiration to me and catalyst for my songwriting. Embarrassingly enough, I first heard this on The Wonder Years when I was about 11 years old. I had no idea what it was but I felt like it had been written that day for exactly what I was going through and seeing in my community of Los Angeles at that time. When I got a guitar a few years later, it was one of the first songs I wanted to learn.

Marvin Gaye – “What’s Going On”

Like most people, I associated Marvin Gaye early on as smooth, sexy date music. Something to put on in the dorm room when your girlfriend was coming by. But I remember getting a little pamphlet from my local record store of “essential landmark albums.” Having never heard of What’s Going On but trusting Marvin I got that album and it has been a favorite ever since. This is the first track on side 1 and it says everything about injustice so beautifully.

Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young – “Ohio”

I’ve read that Neil heard about the Kent State shootings and was so emotionally affected that he wrote this song immediately and soon after they went in the studio to record it. The shootings happened on May 4, 1970 and the single was out just a couple weeks later on May 21. It’s hard to listen to right now with the state of the world as it is, and was probably hard to listen to then. Yet a moment in time we should never forget and never stop learning from.

Aretha Franklin – “Think”

I truly wish Aretha was still with and screaming “freedom” like she does on this track. This track, along with “Respect,” were some of the first songs I heard from her as a young man and felt so inspired by her voice and passion. As tumultuous as 1968 must have been, 2020 feels right in line and this song speaks volumes to the lessons we can learn from our past.

Bruce Springsteen – “Born in the U.S.A.” (Demo Version)

To be honest, for the longest time I didn’t like this song. I grew up with the popular album version of this song blaring out of every dad’s speakers and even though I liked Bruce I just felt this song was so cheesy. It also seemed blindly patriotic and I never bothered to listen to the lyrics. It wasn’t until much later that I was digging through some demos that they had released that I heard this version. Once you sit and hear the lyrics against this minor chord backdrop it stands out as a great protest song.

Sam Cooke – “A Change is Gonna Come”

Closing out the playlist with a bit of optimism coming from the eternal Sam Cooke. Written as a response to the many instances of racism he was privy to, specifically when he and his band were turned away from a whites-only motel in Louisiana. This song will always work as a soundtrack to a revolution whose work seems like it’s never done. But hopefully we can learn from history and see how far we’ve come and have hope that we can keep going farther.

Photo credit: Bradley Cox