Tag: Paul Simon

In the ’80s and ’90s, These 10 Women Made Bluegrass Better

Posted on by Editor

With this year marking the 75th anniversary of bluegrass, it’s remarkable to note that women emerged as a creative force at roughly the halfway point between then and now. Of course, female musicians have been part of the fabric of bluegrass from the start, with Mother Maybelle Carter, Sally Ann Forrester, and Hazel & Alice among those serving as inspirations through the decades.

However, the role of women as bandleaders, rather than in a supporting role, began to change in the ’80s and flourished in the ’90s. As part of our Bluegrass 75 series, BGS commends these 10 women who carried bluegrass forward with a combination of undeniable talent, strong material, and a refreshing new perspective.

Emmylou Harris

One of the most visible country artists of the ’70s turned her attention to bluegrass, with a support team she deserves (Ricky Skaggs, Jerry Douglas, Dolly Parton, etc.) Her material ranges from the Louvin Brothers to Paul Simon, though that exquisite voice makes the album seamless. It’s one of her finest albums in a brilliant catalog.

Claire Lynch

With a crystalline soprano, Claire Lynch first gained notice as a lead vocalist and guitarist with Front Porch String Band, which released an indie album in 1980 that was picked up by Rebel Records in 1983. The poignant track, “Hills of Alabam,” which she co-wrote, shows her gift for melody and her ability to sing with sincerity.

Laurie Lewis

A key figure of the West Coast bluegrass scene, Laurie Lewis can fiddle with the traditionalists, then hush a crowd with a beautiful acoustic ballad like “Love Chooses You.” As the acolyte of a generation before her, Lewis actively takes an interest in the bluegrass scene’s rising talent, as evidenced on her latest work, an album of duets entitled and Laurie Lewis.

Alison Brown

As a picker, Alison Brown has made her mark on countless recordings and won the 1991 IBMA Award for Banjo Player of the Year. She’s also a co-founder of Compass Records, a producer, and a Grammy-winning artist. At times blazing, and other times mellow, Brown consistently finds just the right tone on her albums’ instrumentals.

Lynn Morris

Blessed with a sweet but persuasive voice, Lynn Morris knew how to get the storyline across, whether she’s reminiscing about “Mama’s Hand” or laying down the law in “You’ll Get No More of Me.” As a banjo player, she had incredible chops, and her grace on stage (and off) has made her one of the bluegrass family’s most beloved figures.

Alison Krauss

A gifted vocalist, bandleader, and fiddler, Alison Krauss kept her early career focused on bluegrass, though her material would soon find its way to millions of country listeners, too. Being a former child prodigy herself, she served as a role model for a generation of younger pickers, while showing traditionalists that bluegrass is indeed in good hands.

Rhonda Vincent

Coming up in a family band, singer and mandolin picker Rhonda Vincent has been working in bluegrass for decades, though she’s always finding ways to keep things fresh. Still, her early albums remain some of her most satisfying work. As a bandleader, she keeps the energy up on stage, and her outgoing personality makes her a true entertainer.

Gillian Welch

While few would consider her albums to be bluegrass proper, Gillian Welch has exerted tremendous influence on its community. A 1993 winner of Merlefest’s Chris Austin Songwriting Contest, Welch has seen originals like “By the Mark” and “Caleb Meyer” become standards, and though she didn’t grow up in Appalachia, her songs somehow embody its heritage.

Dale Ann Bradley

A sterling discovery from the New Coon Creek Girls lineup, Dale Ann Bradley launched her solo career by selecting relatable material along with a surprise or two (including a U2 cover). It’s a template that still serves her well. The title track of East Kentucky Morning captures the mood and melancholy that she continues to convey so well.

Dolly Parton

It’s hard to imagine now, but Dolly Parton had dropped off the mainstream radar in the mid ’90s. Then her first bluegrass album proved what her fans knew all along — she represents her mountain people well. A wonderful mix of familiar favorites and new material, The Grass Is Blue solidified her reputation as one of music’s most important voices.

(Editor’s note: Explore more of our Bluegrass 75 Artist of the Month coverage.)

 

WATCH: Matt Rollings, “Wade in the Water” (Featuring The War and Treaty & The Blind Boys of Alabama)

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Matt Rollings
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Wade in the Water” (Featuring The War and Treaty and The Blind Boys of Alabama)
Album: Matt Rollings Mosaic
Release Date: August 14, 2020
Label: Dualtone Records

In Their Words: “Michael and Tanya [of The War and Treaty] and I had decided to record ‘Take Me to the Mardi Gras,’ the Paul Simon classic, for the record. We spent a few hours — Michael, Tanya, Jay Bellerose and I — and wound up with an amazing take of the song and I was thrilled. After listening to the playback of ‘Take Me to the Mardi Gras,’ I spontaneously asked if they’d be willing to try something else. I had been nursing an idea about the old spiritual, ‘Wade in the Water.’ My first real jazz piano influence, Ramsey Lewis, recorded it on his 1966 album of the same name, and I’ve always loved it. After hearing what Michael and Tanya had done with the Paul Simon song, I was dying to hear them sing it.

“I printed the lyrics out and we went for it. This is the first and only take we did of the song. It was so good that we didn’t even try it a second time. After adding acoustic bass, it still didn’t feel quite complete… some background vocals were needed. I thought, ‘Who would the ultimate singer(s) be for this?’ It occurred to me that a real-deal gospel quartet would be perfect and The Blind Boys of Alabama would be the ideal candidate. Somehow I was able to catch them while they were in Muscle Shoals, recording on another project. So I drove down there from Nashville on the appointed day and recorded them on the track. They brought just the magic that was needed. The way they blended with Michael and Tanya is amazing… like they were in the same room singing together. After that, the song was done.” — Matt Rollings

Photo credit: Michael Wilson

BGS 5+5: Joshua Radin

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Joshua Radin
Hometown: Cleveland, Ohio
Latest albums: Here, Right Now (LP) and Acoustic From Sunset Sound (EP)

Which artist has influenced you the most … and how?

I have no idea how to answer that. There are way too many to choose, and not just musicians. But to name a few, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, Tom Petty, Elliott Smith, Nick Drake, Paul Cezanne, Henry Miller, J.D. Salinger, Dostoyevsky, Hesse, Picasso, Tolstoy …

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

The first time I headlined and sold out the Bowery Ballroom in New York City. I had lived in NY for years and that was my favorite spot to see music. So when I finally decided, later in life, to start playing and writing music, being on the other side of that stage was magical.

What’s the toughest time you ever had writing a song?

Hmm, that’s a good question. I’d have to say that this happens very frequently. And nine times out of ten, I’ll end up scrapping the song because if it seems like too much effort, I always feel like it wasn’t meant to be written.

What rituals do you have, either in the studio or before a show?

I have so many on tour. And at home. But on tour, I wake up on the bus, Google “best coffee near me” and start my day from there. Then I’ll usually walk around the city snapping photos, stumbling down streets without a plan. Everything on tour is planned out once I’m at soundcheck that day, so before that, I like to experience as much spontaneity as I can.

Since food and music go so well together, what is your dream pairing of a meal and a musician?

Another great question! Especially because when I’m out on the road, ninety percent of what I think about is where I’m going to eat my next meal… tough to decide but maybe — eating Prince St. Pizza in New York on a stoop, while Bob Dylan busks on the street for change with an open guitar case on the sidewalk.

Photo credit: Shervin Lainez

Best of: Live From Here

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

This month brought the unfortunate news that Live From Here, hosted by Chris Thile, has been cancelled.

The American Public Media-produced radio show, previously known as A Prairie Home Companion, has been beloved by listeners since its inception in 1974, and continued in 2016 when the series was rebranded as Live From Here, with Thile leading the way.

The show was cut from production as a result of COVID-19’s widespread impact on the music and entertainment industries. On his socials, Thile graciously acknowledged the decision, stating the purpose of Live From Here as “a celebration of live, collaborative audible art.”

So, without further hesitation, let’s look at 11 of our favorite Live From Here moments.

“Dean Town” – Vulfpeck & Chris Thile

Perhaps one of the most loved Live From Here moments was Thile’s guest performance with Vulfpeck on their classic, “Dean Town.” One has every reason to assume that eye contact between Thile and Joe Dart is still going strong at this very moment.

“Fiddle Sticks” — Billy Contreras

It may be one of the lesser-viewed bits from the show, but this “Fast-AF” fiddle tune feature by Billy Contreras is certainly not short on notes. Two and a half minutes of pure double stops and bass walks.

“Lovesick Blues” — Brandi Carlile, Ben Folds, Chris Thile, & Sarah Jarosz

Ever wondered if Brandi Carlile could yodel on par with Jimmie Rodgers — or everyone’s favorite Walmart yodeling kid, Mason Ramsey? Well, look no further than this early Live From Here collaboration with Carlile, Thile, Ben Folds, and Sarah Jarosz.

“Change” – Mavis Staples

“Say it loud, say it clear!” We’ve shared this powerful performance from the legendary Mavis Staples before, but it is even more relevant now. Things are starting to change around here!

“Toy Heart / Marry Me / Jerusalem” – I’m With Her

Almost 10 minutes of mind blowing harmony and togetherness from I’m With Her, all beloved guests throughout the show’s course. As Thile so happily declares at the end, “There’s not a better band — in the world — than I’m With Her.”

“In Da Club” / Musician Birthdays – Julian Lage, O’Donovan, Thile, and More

What could be better than the composer of 50 Cent’s “In Da Club” jamming with Chris Thile, or Julian Lage playing Django Reinhardt? Oh that’s right: it’s Aoife O’Donovan singing Dolly Parton’s “9 to 5.”

“Blue Skies” – Andrew Bird & Chris Thile

Not only does this pair look quite the same, but their playing together is divine, and one of the last Live From Here moments we were graced with before shutdown.

“Kodachrome” – Paul Simon

This one’ll make you think all the world is a sunny day. Just look at Thile’s face!

“Can’t Find My Way Home (Blind Faith)” – Rachael Price

The tonal map of this moment is pure magic. Lake Street Dive’s Rachael Price supported by Thile’s harmony, Mike Elizondo’s bass lines, Brittany Haas’s fiddle playing — need we say more?

“Winter Boy” – Amanda Brown

Since Thile’s takeover as host, Live From Here has always had a strong female vocalist on stage. From Aoife O’Donovan to Sarah Jarosz to Gaby Moreno to more recent guest Amanda Brown — these women have been an integral part of the show’s cast and performance. Enjoy Brown’s beautiful take on this Buffy Sainte-Marie classic. 

“Hard Times” – Chris Thile

It only seems right to acknowledge the many efforts of the Live From Here cast and crew to bring listeners the show, recast as “Live From Home,” in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic and global shutdown. For the last three months, those at the show worked tirelessly to bring us the weekly program, with the help of dozens of musicians, show regulars, and the #LiveFromHome social media campaign.

All we have left to say is — thank you to Chris Thile, all of the musicians, crew, and those who made Live From Here possible. And we hope these “Hard Times” we’re all living in together come again no more.

Photo credit: Nate Ryan

BGS 5+5: Roger Street Friedman

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Roger Street Friedman
Hometown: Sea Cliff, New York
Latest album: Rise
Personal nicknames: Rog, RSF
Rejected band name: Roger and The Rainmakers

Which artist has influenced you the most … and how?

There are so many… but in terms of songwriting I would say the most potent influence has to be Paul Simon. I am in awe of his ability to convey large swaths of meaning in one or two sentences. That combined with his sense of melody and the production value of his records. Just incredible. I strive to write meaningful songs and aspire to the kind of concise clarity he brings to his writing.

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

In September of 2018 we played The Guthrie Center in Great Barrington, Mass. It’s a theater that was built in an old church. It’s actually the famous church from the song “Alice’s Restaurant” by Arlo Guthrie. Anyway, it’s a beautiful theater and very quiet with great acoustics. We played it as a trio with acoustic guitar, upright bass and fiddle/keyboards. The encore was the song “Rise,” which is of course the title track from the new record. It’s a song about hope… the hope that we can rise above our petty differences and make a better world. When the chorus came I asked everyone to sing along, and all of those voices singing in that old church was a religious experience for me. I had the chills actually. I’ll never forget that night.

What was the first moment that you knew you wanted to be a musician?

I had pursued a career in music early on. I worked in a studio and was recording other people’s songs as well as my own demos… and then my life took a left turn and I wound up in a career completely unrelated to music. Sometime after my daughter was born in 2006 I wrote a song for her and went into a friend’s studio to record it just for posterity. While I was strumming the guitar and singing into the microphone, I felt like I was in one of those movies where the world goes from black-and-white to color. I had forgotten how much I loved making music and the acts of writing, performing and recording music. I had an epiphany right then and there that I was meant to be a musician. I think I had always known this, but I’d just forgotten for a couple of decades!

What’s the toughest time you ever had writing a song?

When my father was in his early 80s he developed Parkinson’s disease. He fell a few times and wound up in a rehab facility where I would go to visit him. One evening when I arrived he was sleeping peacefully. He had grown a long white beard and that evening as he slept he had an almost Buddha-like expression on his face. I wound up sitting there for about two hours with him and then had to leave before he woke up. I felt bad because I didn’t want him to think no one had visited so I left a note on his side table.

When I got home I started a song called “You Are Not Alone” which is on my first album, The Waiting Sky. I wrote the first verse and chorus in one sitting but couldn’t figure out what came next. It wasn’t until after he passed away that the rest of the song came to me. It wound up being about the last night we were with him in the hospital. It was a very difficult song to write emotionally, but also very cathartic to finish.

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do those impact your work?

I love being out in nature — we love hiking as a family and do lots of walks in the woods. I also ride a road bike and there are lots of two-lane “country” roads in the part of Long Island where we live. We are on the North Shore of Long Island so there are many spots where I go to be near the water. I use a lot of nature metaphors in my songs, from the wind to the stars to the sea… nature really does inform a lot of my writing.

Photo Credit: Drew Reynolds

WATCH: Alec Lytle & Them Rounders, “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes”

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Artist: Alec Lytle & Them Rounders
Hometown: Woodside, California
Song: “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes” (Paul Simon cover)
Album: The Remains of Sunday
Release Date: April 17, 2020
Label: CEN/The Orchard

In Their Words: “There is a bit of an interesting story around the album cut; it was fully recorded live, no overdubs. The band was in the live room at Sound City Studios and I was in the reverb chamber. The chamber is a huge, empty, concrete vault normally used to add reverb and echo to the mix in a very natural way. So I sat in there, hearing the band over headphones. No light, total blackness. All that echo and reverb is because of the space I’m sitting in. This is the same reverb chamber that became famous from Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours that was recorded there too.

“I chose to put this song on the record after sitting with it for about six months. My sister passed away recently after a brutal battle with cancer. She loved music, she was the first person I ever heard play guitar and sing, she sang the soprano part when my sisters and I would sing together. I played this song at her memorial service because my family and I felt like this song represented how we want to remember her. I decided to include it on the record as a marker for her… a testament to her memory.

“Dylan Day (guitarist/Jackson Browne, Jenny Lewis, Beck) was spending a few days at our house in November. We had just finished playing and recording some other songs in our living room when we noticed the light starting to fade at the end of the day. Dylan and I decided to play the song outside our back door while the sunset over the forest. It was a one-take thing… filmed and recorded in a matter of minutes. This was likely only the second time Dylan and I played this song… the first time for the record, and then this time behind our house.” — Alec Lytle

Photo credit: Scott McKissen

BGS 5+5: Tattletale Saints

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Tattletale Saints
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee via Auckland, New Zealand
Latest album: Dancing Under the Dogwoods (January 24, 2020)
Personal nicknames (or rejected band names): Broken Bells (rejected name). Cy is trying to nurture the nickname “Big Daddy C,” but it’s struggling to catch on.

Answers by Cy Winstanley

Which artist has influenced you the most … and how?

It’s no secret, but I love the music and lyrics of Paul Simon. As a jazz kid growing up, his use of varied harmony and its tasteful symbiosis with vivid and often impressionistic, poetic lyrics just blew my mind. His themes too, there are so many dimensions to them — I just get lost in his stories.

What other art forms — literature, film, dance, painting, etc. — inform your music?

I’m an avid reader and like to start my day with non-fiction and close my day with fiction. The more regular I am with that, the more those colors run through my writing. I tend to go through phases with the kind of books too: one of my fav authors is Roberto Bolano; after I read his oeuvre, I cycled through his contemporaries, influences, and other South American authors.

What was the first moment that you knew you wanted to be a musician?

I think as soon as I started playing guitar as a 13-year-old I just loved it so much that I knew it would be a big part of my life. But it wasn’t until later when I developed carpal tunnel in my hands that I had to stop playing guitar, then it was songwriting that became the focus.

What’s the toughest time you ever had writing a song?

Every song feels like the toughest time! It’s very rare that they just ‘fall out’. But perhaps those that are directly about my life are the hardest, because I want to be as faithful to the memory as possible and am constantly fighting with myself over what I want to present.

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do those impact your work?

Being from New Zealand and also being a long distance runner have given me a pretty strong connection to being outside. When I’m in nature, there is a calmness, and sense of earthly perspective and belonging that pervades my every waking moment.

Photo credit: Natia Cinco

LISTEN: John Dennis, “First Light”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: John Dennis
Hometown: Freeburg, Illinois
Song: “First Light”
Album: Mortal Flames
Release Date: January 31, 2020
Label: Rainfeather Records

In Their Words: “This tune is my own version of a creation myth. Because the whole record is intended to tell a larger chronological story, I wanted to set up the ‘mortal flames’ idea by challenging myself to imagine my own poetic version of existence coming to be. The idea that resonated most with me was all life being a part of one great, harmonious (and sometimes cacophonous) song and dance; and its fundamental ‘meaning’ is to continually experience the wonder of itself. (‘Each given a freedom and time to make up their own meaning for this life, When really they were merely born to see, to shine first light.’)

“There are a multitude of stories and myths we can all inhabit, but, as someone who can get consumed and paralyzed by existential questioning, it gave me peace to think that, at the very bottom of it all, I’m fulfilling a ‘purpose’ just by being. These themes get explored throughout the record, but if you listen closely after the final song, you’ll hear the whistling motif from ‘First Light’ again, which was meant to signify the cyclical nature of life — the constant rising and falling, creation and destruction, darkness into light back into darkness.

“It’s also worth noting that I was listening to a lot of Paul Simon when I wrote this — specifically The Rhythm of the Saints and So Beautiful or So What records.” — John Dennis

Photo credit: Kristin Indorato

MIXTAPE: The Harmaleighs’ Anthems for the Weak

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We are both anxious creatures, whether it comes to an existential crisis about our career choice or what to say next in a conversation. We created a playlist for the Bluegrass Situation based on songs that help calm our anxious minds. — Haley Grant and Kaylee Jasperson, The Harmaleighs

The Harmaleighs – “Anthem for the Weak”

An anthem for those who suffer from anxiety.

The Harmaleighs – “Don’t Panic”

One of our favorites off the new record — we want you to close your eyes and lose all concepts of time and space when you listen.

Lucius – “Go Home”

The first song we ever heard from our favorite band.

The Lumineers – “Gloria”

This is a banger. It does what a lot of Haley’s favorite songs do. It pairs heavy lyrical content with an upbeat danceable vibe. Also, have you seen the music video? It’s visually STUNNING.

Faye Webster – “Room Temperature”

Haley highly recommends you watch the music video. One of her favorites!

Molly Burch – “Without You”

She is Haley’s new favorite discovery! Her tunes give us a major throwback feels.

Theo Katzman – “Break Up Together”

King 👏🏻 of 👏🏻 break 👏🏻 up 👏🏻 songs 👏🏻

Bahamas – “Okay, Alright, I’m Alive”

Bahamas are the most underrated band walking planet Earth.

Ethan Gruska – “Rather Be”

His voice transfers Haley to another dimension.

Emily King – “Remind Me”

One of our favorite artists!! Love how you can feel the intention behind every single word.

Brandi Carlile – “Oh Dear”

Brandi has been such an influence for both of us from a young age. This is one of our favorite songs by her.

Dixie Chicks – “Not Ready to Make Nice”

When morale is low on tour and we are finishing up the last stretch home, you better believe we CRANK this tune.

Patty Griffin – “Forgiveness”

This song has been a constant in our road playlist since we started the band. The songwriting and performance of it is so emotionally raw. This is a grounding track for us. It’s a reminder that the most important thing to portray in a record is the feeling and Patty Griffin nails it.

Lowland Hum – “Will You Be”

The sound of their voices together immediately calms Haley down.

Caroline Rose – “Getting to Me “

Haley swears she has listened to this song 300 times. There is something about the beat in the beginning that makes her feel at ease.

Andrew Bird – “So Much Wine, Merry Christmas”

This song brings Haley back to a very peaceful time in her life. When she listens to it, she can close her eyes and pretend like she’s 21 again.

Paul Simon – “Diamonds on the Souls of her Shoes”

Paul Simon is an artist we both have strong roots with. His voice and instrumentation of all of his songs can make your heart sing.

Photo credit: Ruth Chapa

MIXTAPE: Stevie Redstone’s Roots Music to Drive To

Posted on by Editor

I love me some driving. Whether it be for touring, or just a hankering to get out there and see some place I’ve never seen, I always enjoy packing up and hitting the pavement. While I do plenty of searching for new tunage, here are a few of my longtime staples you’d likely hear if you were in the passenger seat on a long ride with Stevie. — Stevie Redstone

The Band – “Across the Great Divide”

Nothing quite says road music to me more than The Band. They have so many great ones to travel to, but “Across the Great Divide” sticks out for me.

Paul Simon – “Graceland”

It’s no secret to those who know me that Paul is probably my favorite American songwriter. The Graceland album is a personal fave and the title track always gets me in that happy driving mood.

Allman Brothers Band – “Ain’t Wastin’ Time No More”

I love everything about this song. Lyrics, message, melodies, vocals. It’s all there.

Grateful Dead – “Promised Land”

This Chuck Berry-penned tune covered by another driving music titan of a band, The Grateful Dead, will get your motor runnin’. It’s also quite literally about traveling around the country. See what I did there?

Creedence Clearwater Revival – “I Heard It Through the Grapevine”

Originally written by Barrett Strong and Norman Whitfield of Motown fame, there are many adaptations of this great driving tune, including of course Marvin Gaye’s. I love this CCR version when I’m out there, in part because they really went for it with the jam. Eleven mins of gritty joy.

The Beach Boys – “Here She Comes”

Among  my favorite Beach Boys tunes. It has an infectious piano part/groove and the best bridge maybe ever.

The California Honeydrops – “When It Was Wrong”

One of the best and most underappreciated bands of our time. Just listen, mmk?

Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young – “Suite: Judy Blue Eyes”

A pinnacle of songwriting, harmonies, movement, etc. Simply stunning, and it never gets old.

My Morning Jacket – “Evil Urges”

I’m so impressed by Jim James as a solo artist and for his work with My Morning Jacket. This one’s always stuck out for me, but the catalogue of greatness is extensive.

Phish – “Down With Disease”

I’ve seen Phish live FAR more than any other band. I love a good jam and they’ve taken me to some of the highest highs that I’ve experienced for a live show. The sheer amount of songs and live recordings is too daunting to pick any one in particular, so I threw a YouTube dart and landed on this old video of “Down With Disease.”

Photo credit: Shelby Duncan