Tag: Steep Canyon Rangers

Get Off Your Ass: June Is Busting Out All Over

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Paul Simon // Hollywood Bowl // June 1

Junior Brown // McCabe's Guitar Shop // June 3

Elizabeth Cook // Hotel Café // June 7

The Wild Reeds // Bootleg Theatre // June 10

Robbie Fulks // The Mint // June 11

Bob Dylan & Mavis Staples // Shrine Auditorium // June 16

Sarah Jarosz // The Troubadour // June 16

Mike + Ruthy // Hotel Café // June 18

Moses Sumney // Getty Center // June 18

case/lang/veirs // Greek Theatre // June 23

The Weepies // City Winery // June 8

Brandy Clark // CMA Fest // June 10

Ray Wylie Hubbard // 3rd & Lindsley // June 10

Aubrie Sellers & Dylan LeBlanc // 3rd & Lindsley // June 12

Hurray for the Riff Raff // Centennial Park // June 18

The Cactus Blossoms // 3rd & Lindsley // June 19

Eagle Rock Gospel Singers // High Watt // June 21

Vince Gill // Ryman Auditorium // June 23

Bob Dylan & Mavis Staples // Carl Black Chevy Woods Amphitheater // June 26

Ani DiFranco // City Winery // June 29-30

Bryan Sutton Band // Rockwood Music Hall // June 1

Steep Canyon Rangers // City Winery // June 2

Gary Clark, Jr. // Randall's Island // June 5

Son Little // Bowery Ballroom // June 9

Colvin & Earle // City Winery // June 10

Billy Joe Shaver // City Winery // June 12

Eli Paperboy Reed // Union Pool // June 16

The Stray Birds // Jalopy Theatre // June 21

Robert Ellis // Bowery Ballroom // June 22

Lonely Heartstring Band // Hill Country Barbecue // June 23-24

ANNOUNCING: BGS Superjam at Bonnaroo 2016

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We've already told you about the BGS Stage at Bonnaroo 2016 happening on Sunday, June 12 and featuring John Moreland, Sara Watkins, the Wood Brothers, Steep Canyon Rangers, and the Sam Bush Band. But we're also hosting our fourth epic roots Superjam to close out the last day of the Festival.

Every year, the Bluegrass Situation brings together the best of bluegrass, Americana, and country for a rollicking rollout of eclectic guests, unexpected covers, and traditional favorites.

The 2016 BGS SuperJam will be hosted by our very own Ed Helms with the Watkins Family Hour House Band (including Sara and Sean Watkins) as well as Lee Ann Womack, the Wood Brothers, Sam Bush Band, Buddy Miller, the Secret Sisters, Amanda Shires, Steep Canyon Rangers, and more.

As always, there's bound to be a surprise … or several. See you there!

Bonnaroo Music & Arts Festival takes place June 9-12 in Manchester, Tennessee. Click here to see the full lineup.

WATCH: Steep Canyon Rangers, ‘Blue Velvet Rain’

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Artist: Steep Canyon Rangers
Hometown: Brevard and Asheville, NC
Song: "Blue Velvet Rain"
Album: RADIO
Label: Rounder Label Group

In Their Words: “’Blue Velvet Rain’ was inspired by Phil Barker and my interest in the life of Duane Allman. The lyrics are a flash of the protagonist’s life as he struggles with self-control and inner turmoil.” — Charles R. Humphrey III

Photo credit: Sandlin Gaither

Hey Nashville, Get Off Your Ass and Go See Some Live Music in August

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August 1 // Fantastic Negrito // The High Watt

Yeah, yeah. NPR. Tiny Desk Concert. That may have been the boost Fantastic Negrito needed to get going, but now he's cruising along on his own, incredibly powerful momentum.

August 2 // Traveller // The Basement East

Supergroups are all relative, in the end. The latest one to crop up in Nashville is this little trio of Robert Ellis, Cory Chisel, and Jonny Fritz. Go see for yourself if the whole is greater than the sum of its artists.

August 4 // Kasey Chambers // City Winery

The Aussie singer/songwriter makes a rare appearance in Nashville to show off her shiny, award-winning new album.

August 7 // Amanda Shires // City Winery

Eight months pregnant, Amanda Shires is a living testament to "leaving it all on the field" … or stage, as the case may be. (And, no. Mr. Shires won't be there. He'll be in Seattle.)

August 20 // The Farewell Drifters // Station Inn

There's no better play in town to hear some pickin' and some sangin'. And, really, not that many better bands in town to do said pickin' and sangin'.

August 21-22 // Langhorne Slim // Mercy Lounge

For everyone who couldn't get into Langhorne Slim's recent album release performance, this two-night stand is for you. Go get your sweat on!

August 26 // Steep Canyon Rangers // City Winery

Like good wine? Like good bluegrass? Here you go.

August 28 // Keb' Mo' // Schermerhorn Symphony Center

It seems fitting that a gentleman of the blues such as Keb' Mo' would do his thing at the Symphony Center. And what a thing he does.

August 29 // Ruby Amanfu // The High Watt

As she gears up to release a solo record, Jack White's "Love Interruption" sidekick is doing three special performances. Luckily for us, she's from Nashville. Hometown crowd better represent!

August 30 // Rayland Baxter // 3rd & Lindsley

This guy. Rayland Baxter and his band will, no doubt, play the crap out of his super-solid new record, Imaginary Man. So, like, you should go enjoy it. 

We Had Ourselves a Situation…

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I still can’t believe this weekend actually happened.

But it did.

This past Thursday through Sunday, May 3 – 6, the best in bluegrass, folk, roots and Americana gathered in Los Angeles, first at Largo on La Cienega, then amongst the trees of the Santa Monica mountains above the city at Tree People’s Mulholland/Coldwater park.

With the recent launch of the new site, things were already in a rather surreal state.  The site response alone has been overwhelming (not to mention all the great coverage via Ed’s Funny or Die video or the multiple articles that have been popping up).  But this weekend took things to another level.

Thursday night kicked things off with Sean and Sara Watkins, plus friends like Tom Brosseau, Willie Watson, Chris Thile, and others, after which John C Reilly did a special performance of An American Song Cycle with some of his own friends, and even featured LA-based old-time wunderkind Frank Fairfield.

Friday launched with Ed’s band The Lonesome Trio, featuring Jacob Tilove on mandolin and Ian Riggs on bass…. The Whiskey Sour Radio Hour was a true variety show, in the vein of a cracked out Prairie Home Companion, with appearances by Nick Kroll, Jenny Slate, Will Forte, and one incredible sketch involving New Yorker cartoonist Matt Diffee, the Punch Brothers, and Critter Eldridge doing his best hardcore rap.  The late show featured Chris, Noam, Critter, Gabe and Paul tearing up the stage, including rousing tributes to both Levon Helm and Earl Scruggs to round out the night.

Next, the Steep Canyon Rangers joined, along with the one and only Steve Martin on Saturday night.  I would say it’s hard to believe I was seeing the SCR guys only a few years back at The Cave in Chapel Hill, playing to a small but devoted crowd, and yet it’s not that hard to believe at all because they’re so damn good.

And as if anything could possibly top all of that, Sunday was a magical night under the stars, with acts from the three previous nights brought together on an outdoor stage, jamming to Foggy Mountain Breakdown for an encore.

To call it a Situation doesn’t even begin to cover it.

Since then, it’s been all about recovering, catching up on sleep (ha!), and getting back to work (be patient, we’ll have a brand new, updated cal available very soon).

If you were able to join us for the festival, I want to hear all about your favorite parts and any other comments you might have.  If you weren’t, well, we’re just getting started, and if this weekend was any indication, we’re on to something BIG, with plenty in store for you to join us next year.  I can’t wait.

(don’t worry… more festival photos to come soon….)

MIXTAPE: Woody Platt

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WOODY PLATT‘s music is something of a dichotomy.    The sound of his band, The Steep Canyon Rangers, is tight and traditional bluegrass, while their lyrics belie much more contemporary topics (for an example of this, check out their tune with Steve Martin, Atheists Don’t Have No Songs).  Woody and the rest of the Steeps take to the stage with Steve this Saturday, September 1 at the Pantages Theatre in Hollywood, and the band is also hosting the upcoming bluegrass cruise, Mountain Song At Sea in February (The Sitch will be there too!).  Before their Southern California arrival, Woody filled us in on the top five songs he’s listening to right now for this month’s MIXTAPE.  

 

Artist: Blaze Foley
Track: Oh Darlin’
Album: Live from the Austin Outhouse

‘Blaze has a very warm yet rugged delivery in his voice and a great finger picking guitar style that accompanies this delivery. I heard this live recording several years back and it has been one of my favorites ever since.’

 

Artist: Doc Watson
Track: St James Infirmary
Album: Remembering Merle

‘This album was my first introduction to Doc and one that helped lead me to becoming a guitar player/singer. Several of the songs on this album were the first that i tried to sing in a bluegrass style. With the very sad loss of Doc this year—i have gone back to enjoy this album. ‘I hope Docs guitar is laying right by his side.’

 

Artist: Shannon Whitworth and Barrett Smith
Track: Corcovado
Album: Bring it on Home

‘This is a duet collaboration of cover songs by Shannon and Barrett-who are from western NC.  It is a new project and features beautiful vocals and tasteful guitar. On Corcovado Shannon sings with a classic sultry style and Barrett sings in smooth convincing Portuguese. This is a breathtaking version of the jazz standard.’

[Video not available.  Preview Shannon and Barrett’s version of Corcovado here]

 

Artist: Del McCoury
Track: 50 years of Del McCoury
Album: Eli Renfro

‘I love the Del McCoury band. They have been such great ambassadors for Bluegrass music and have influenced some many artists including me. Eli Renfro is a haunting song that features both Dels high tenor range and his deeper lead range. The melody is contagious.’

 

 

Artists: The Viceroys
Song: Fat Fish
Recording: The Viceroys at Studio One.

‘The Viceroys are a lesser know reggae group who recorded in the late 60’s through the early 80’s and although they are not too well known—they made some great recordings and had some major success in Jamaica.  I love roots style reggae and this recoding is just right.  It feels good and has a great groove.’