Tag: Nashville

LISTEN: Carolyn Kendrick, “Break of Day”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Carolyn Kendrick
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Break of Day”
Release Date: November 4, 2022

In Their Words: “During the time of a cross-country move, I started waking up uncharacteristically early, feeling a lot of apprehension about what my future would look like. I wrote ‘Break of Day’ very literally at the break of day, early in the morning on one of those anxious mornings. Writing this song was one of those magical meditative moments where everything that has been simmering in the subconscious comes to the forefront and flows out all at once. It’s vulnerable to admit your fears, hopes, joys and frustrations held in life, especially to yourself. This song is near and dear to me, in that writing it unlocked my ability to be honest with myself. Recording ‘Break of Day’ was a joyous occasion, with some of my oldest friends and musical colleagues in a gorgeous studio in rural Maine. I think the intimacy and solitude of the recording process lent itself to the song beautifully.” — Carolyn Kendrick

Photo Credit: RedLineRoots

WATCH: Sunny War, “No Reason”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Sunny War
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “No Reason”
Album: Anarchist Gospel
Release Date: February 3, 2023
Label: New West Records

In Their Words: “I feel like there are two sides of me. One of them is very self-destructive, and the other is trying to work with that other half to keep things balanced. Everybody is a beast just trying their hardest to be good. That’s what it is to be human. You’re not really good or bad. You’re just trying to stay in the middle of those two things all the time, and you’re probably doing a shitty job of it. That’s ok, because we’re all just monsters.

“This album represents such a crazy period in my life, between the breakup and the move to Nashville and my dad dying. But now I feel like the worst parts are over. What I learned, I think, is that the best thing to do is just to feel everything and deal with it. Just feel everything.” — Sunny War

Photo Credit: Joshua Black Wilkins

LISTEN: Tommy Alexander, “Something Light”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Tommy Alexander
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Something Light”
Album: Feelings
Release Date: October 28, 2022
Label: Fluff and Gravy Records

In Their Words: “I needed one more song for the record and I wanted it to be an easy going country number. The concepts I was working on were all about light and laid back moods but I couldn’t pin down anything specific that kept me interested. Then, thinking out loud, it came out: ‘Something light to lift the mood. Something soft, we’ll get there soon.’ Then we were off to the races. Ironically the song ended up being a narrative about the overall mood of a song I was trying to write. I wanted a song that was about the lighter side of life. I don’t have to tell you twice things can get pretty heavy. So… Here’s a song dedicated to keeping things light (whenever possible). Cheers.” — Tommy Alexander

Photo Credit: C. Bruce

WATCH: Katie Cole, “One More Time”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Katie Cole
Hometown: Living in Nashville; born in Melbourne, Australia
Song: “One More Time”
Release Date: October 21, 2022

In Their Words: “I have written my fair share of love songs and painful songs of heartache and loss. ‘One More Time’ is really a softer nod to breakups. Sometimes the passion you share isn’t enough to keep the fire going. Sometimes you are just walking different paths and can’t meet in the middle. It’s really about being brave enough to admit that no matter how much you love someone, if you know it won’t last then you should say goodbye. That way, you are cushioning the fall of what is inevitable. But it still doesn’t make it easy.” — Katie Cole

LISTEN: Justin Hiltner, “1992”

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Artist: Justin Hiltner
Hometown: Newark, Ohio; now, Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “1992”
Album: 1992
Release Date: December 9, 2022

In Their Words: “The title track for 1992 was inspired by survivor’s guilt. At the time I began writing it, I was reading And the Band Played On and spending a good amount of time studying the movement for queer rights in the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. It dawned on me that I wasn’t born after the HIV/AIDS epidemic, I was born into it. And almost certainly there were gay men and queer folks dying of HIV in the very same hospital where I was born. If I had been born a mere ten or fifteen years earlier, there’s a good chance I would have died, too. We lost so much, an entire generation; we lost so many precious, incomparable, irreplaceable souls to HIV.

“When I was diagnosed with cancer and when the COVID pandemic hit, the meaning in ‘1992’ was further unspooled and complicated. While public officials touted HIV as a learning experience that would help fight COVID, I couldn’t help but feel immense anger and pain. HIV, like COVID, is not over. HIV infection rates are on the rise in many parts of the world and in the U.S., especially the South, my home for the past decade. While society races to leave COVID in our rearview — prematurely — endangering so many folks, we forget that we did the same thing with HIV, except with an even greater degree of cruelty, inhumanity, and callousness. We haven’t learned a single lesson. That’s what ‘1992’ is about.” — Justin Hiltner

Justin Hiltner · 5 – 1992

Photo Credit: Laura E. Partain

LISTEN: Joy Oladokun with Chris Stapleton, “Sweet Symphony”

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Artist: Joy Oladokun with Chris Stapleton
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Sweet Symphony”
Release Date: September 23, 2022
Label: Amigo Records/Verve Forecast/Republic Records

In Their Words: “‘Sweet Symphony’ is a song I wrote about the love that I got to witness my parents share as a kid. It’s about the vulnerability, the fear, and the ups and downs that come from loving someone. Showing all of yourself so that someone else can accept and celebrate you is what it’s all about. I’m excited to have Chris Stapleton on this song not only because he has one of the most iconic voices on the planet, but also, he’s just an incredible songwriter, artist, and instrumentalist. I feel very lucky and honored that he wanted to be part of this song.” — Joy Oladokun

Photo of Joy Oladokun: Sophia Matinazad. Photo of Chris Stapleton: Becky Fluke

A Bluegrass Family Reunion at AmericanaFest: Photo Recap

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

Ahh it was good to be back at AmericanaFest this year. While last year’s conference felt a bit lighter than normal years, with the pandemic bringing a tentative air, 2022 felt like a bit of a family reunion as we came back in full swing, especially as BGS gathered through the week with so many of those closest to us to celebrate our 10th year. After all, BGS is nothing without our community. BGS is the community! Take a look at the gallery below for a photo recap of our week in Nashville.

We started things off on Tuesdat at a packed Station Inn for a night of bluegrass with Jason Carter and Friends, featuring special guests like Ronnie and Rob McCoury, Michael Cleveland, Ketch Secor, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Shelby Means, Kyle Tuttle, Vince Herman, and David Grier.

Wednesday brought a happy hour at the City Winery Lounge ahead of the Americana Honors and Awards that evening, as we officially celebrated 10 years of BGS (featuring a ton of birthday cake – thanks to the Cupcake Collection!) and an afternoon of music from Rainbow Girls, Willie Watson, and Kyshona.

Finally, on Friday we gathered at the Basement with our friends at Nettwerk Music Group and Taylor Guitars, with performances from Lullanas, Phillip LaRue, Brooke Annibale, Mark Wilkinson, Old Sea Brigade, and Bre Kennedy.

Photos by Steve Lowry

LISTEN: Mya Byrne, “Autumn Sun”

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Artist: Mya Byrne
Hometown: San Francisco, California
Song: “Autumn Sun”
Release Date: September 8, 2022
Record Label: Kill Rock Stars Nashville

In Their Words: “‘Autumn Sun’ was written in Berkeley, California, right after the tragic Paradise wildfire smoke cleared. That morning, the harshness of the late autumn light that had been filtered by fire completely changed, buffered and diffused by really tremendous clouds and some kind of refraction. It was the first clean air day, and turned into a very pretty afternoon. My housemates and I all said the same sorts of things about how beautiful and different the light had become as the entire Bay seemed to take a collective deep breath outside for the first time in weeks, and I wrote the song in about an hour on my back porch, a snapshot of the day and a reflection of how seasons of change change us.

“It seemed really appropriate that was gonna be the song that launches this new label — Nashville is changing, and this song is literally about that moment when you know things are about to be different, but you don’t exactly know how — yet. You just know that it’s happening. I believe in Slim Moon, and all the work KRS has historically done to support the cutting edge of music. To have been asked to be the very first artist to release on Kill Rock Stars Nashville both is an honor and demonstrates their commitment to trans women and other marginalized artists being firmly centered in Nashville, in the Americana and country community. This is also exemplified by my longtime friend Aaron Lee Tasjan recording it — he wants to use his skill set and big heart to try to move the needle for me and for other trans people. I really believe Nashville is rising to meet this moment with us.” — Mya Byrne

Photo Credit: Lauren Tabak

LISTEN: Justin Wade Tam, “The Comfort of Our Dream” (Featuring Erin Rae)

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Artist: Justin Wade Tam
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “The Comfort of Our Dream” (Feat. Erin Rae)
Release Date: September 16, 2022
Label: Soundly Music

In Their Words: “‘The Comfort of Our Dream’ was co-written with my friend Ben Cramer (of Old Sea Brigade) in his sunroom one morning last winter. We were reflecting on the beauty of the mundane moments of a committed relationship. At some point love stops being ‘flowers in the spring’ and starts being about the story you’re building together and all the ups and downs that entails.

“Ben Cramer and Owen Lewis produced ‘The Comfort of Our Dream’ at The Galt Line studios in Berry Hill, a true dream team of collaborators. We started with my guitar/vocal and then Ben added electric guitars, bass, and keys — he really set the ambient frame for the song. My dear friend Jordan Lehning then arranged a French horn part for the bridge and we ended up tracking the arrangement with Corin Dubie at Jordan’s studio. The French horn/whistle combo really took the production in the whimsical direction that I’d hoped it would go in the bridge. To round out the sound, Erin Rae kindly agreed to come sing harmony. I’m a huge fan of her work and her vocal timbre elevated the song to a whole other level. I’m incredibly grateful for this cast of super talented folks making this song special.” — Justin Wade Tam

Photo Credit: Sam Street

WATCH: Troubadour Blue, “Loved Me (Live)”

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Artist: Troubadour Blue
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Loved Me (Live)”
Album: Troubadour Blue Live EP

In Their Words: “‘Loved Me (Live)’ is the first track on our upcoming EP, Troubadour Blue Live, and we’re so excited for people to hear the song, as we feel it’s representative of our sound and just about as fun as a sad song can be! ‘Loved Me (Live)’ is a song that stares the harsh reality of lost love in the face with an air of brutal honesty. The a cappella beginning is how we like to start our live show, so it feels like the perfect first track to our debut EP. We had a ton of fun making it, and we can’t wait for the whole Live EP to drop! We’re excited to give everyone a little preview with ‘Loved Me (Live)’ — out now everywhere!” — Troubadour Blue

Photo Credit: Kurt Ozan