Tag: the McCrary Sisters

Our Favorite Moments from Opry 100: A Live Celebration

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

If you missed the Grand Ole Opry’s no-holds-barred 100th birthday party and live television broadcast extravaganza on NBC last week, we’ve got good news: the star-studded Opry 100: A Live Celebration is still available to stream via Peacock!

Hosted by Blake Shelton at the historic Grand Ole Opry House in Nashville, Tennessee, Opry 100 included performances by artists like Vince Gill, Alison Krauss & Union Station, Lainey Wilson, Brad Paisley, Ashley McBryde, Reba McEntire, Dierks Bentley, Garth Brooks, Trisha Yearwood, and many more. The primetime broadcast and streaming concert is just one event among an incredible, chocked-full effort by the Opry to celebrate their centennial – officially November 28, 2025 – throughout the entire calendar year.

Over the two-hour broadcast, there were dozens of show-stopping moments, from the brash, bold, and sensational to tender, intimate, and heart-wrenching performances. Good country of all varieties was on display from a wide array of artists at all levels of notoriety.

The War and Treaty sang alongside Steven Curtis Chapman and Amy Grant; Vince Gill reunited with his old pals Jeff Taylor and Ricky Skaggs; Ashley McBryde brought the house down alongside superstar country newcomer Post Malone and elsewhere in the show, ’90s stalwart Terri Clark; Lainey Wilson shared the stage with country picker and renaissance man Marty Stuart; husband-and-wife Trisha Yearwood and Garth Brooks were on hand; and Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss reunited for their 2003 smash hit duet, “Whiskey Lullaby.”

The show wrapped with a stunning full cast tribute to Dolly Parton, who greeted the Opry House audience via video and gave her sincere regrets for not being able to appear at the event. (Parton’s husband of 58 years, Carl Dean, recently passed away.) Dozens of the evening’s star artists took to the stage to pay tribute to Parton by singing her most famous hit, “I Will Always Love You,” a perfect, soaring sing along to close the momentous show.

There are truly too many once in a lifetime collaborations, songs, moments, and performances from Opry 100 to list, so we ultimately recommend that you take a couple of hours, head over to Peacock, and watch the full broadcast. But for now, get your fix by traveling through a few of our own favorite moments from Opry 100: A Live Celebration below.

Blake Shelton Hosts

Country superstar, award winner, and television personality Blake Shelton was a more than qualified host for Opry 100: A Live Celebration. Of course, he also gave a rousing performance of Joe Diffie’s “Pickup Man” to the delight of everyone in the crowd who find somethin’ they like in a pickup man. It wouldn’t be a celebration of country or the Opry without a truck mention.

Nashville’s Own, the McCrary Sisters

Nashville’s favorite, in-demand singing siblings, the McCrary Sisters were on hand for Opry 100, too. It’s certainly not their first time on the hallowed Opry stage, but in the centennial context their appearance reminds of the legacies of similar groups who blazed trails at the Opry before them – like the Pointer Sisters – and those who’ve followed in their footsteps, like the Shindellas and Chapel Hart.

Steven Curtis Chapman and the War and Treaty Share a Sacred Moment

Grand Ole Opry member and contemporary Christian singer-songwriter Steven Curtis Chapman was joined by Americana/soul/country duo the War and Treaty for his performance on Opry 100.

Lainey Wilson and Hall of Famer Marty Stuart Duet

One of the biggest names in country at the moment, former GC and BGS Artist of the Month Lainey Wilson was joined by bluegrasser, fiery picker, and Country Music Hall of Famer Marty Stuart backing her up on mandolin. They perform “Things a Man Oughta Know” from her huge 2021 album, Sayin’ What I’m Thinkin’, which many regard as her breakout release.

Ashley McBryde with Post Malone and Terri Clark

Ashley McBryde had multiple stellar moments during Opry 100, including these two prime duo performances. One with ’90s country star Terri Clark and another with a superstar newcomer to the genre, Post Malone. Her song selection with Postie was impeccable, too, taking the Opry 100 down to “Jackson” to mess around.

Trisha Yearwood with Garth Brooks and Reba McEntire

Country has boasted many amazing artist couples, but who better to take the Opry 100 stage than Trisha and Garth? Trisha also appeared with Reba McEntire to perform “The Night the Lights Went Out in Georgia,” a track that has been a huge generation-spanning hit for McEntire.

Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss Reunite

An iconoclastic example of a tear-jerker country story song, Paisley and Krauss’s recording of “Whiskey Lullaby” was released in the 2000s, but has had immense staying power. It shines from the Opry 100 stage in its simple and stripped-down styling. Is anyone a better duet partner and harmonizer than Alison Krauss? Perhaps not. Certainly a highlight among all of the many highlights of the broadcast

Alison Krauss & Union Station Perform, Too

On the precipice of their first album release in over 14 years, Alison Krauss also brought her band Union Station – including newest member, Russell Moore – to the Opry 100 stage. Introduced by the Queen of Bluegrass, Rhonda Vincent, AKUS performed a hit from a prior era, “Let Me Touch You for Awhile” off 2001’s New Favorite. Their brand new project, Arcadia, releases March 28.

Country Music Hall of Fame Inductee, Vince Gill

It wouldn’t have been a complete lineup for Opry 100 without Vince Gill! The Country Music Hall of Famer was joined by his old friends Jeff Taylor on accordion, Sonya Isaacs, and fellow inductee Ricky Skaggs, to sing perhaps his most famous song, “Go Rest High on that Mountain.” An impactful and inspiring number, the original has been a comfort to thousands of fans and listeners experiencing their own losses and grief. Of his deep-and-wide catalog of music, there’s not a better choice for an evening like Opry 100.

Ketch, Dierks, and Jamey

An Opry member trifecta, Dierks Bentley, Jamey Johnson, and old-time and bluegrass fiddler Ketch Secor (of Old Crow Medicine Show) paid tribute to the Charlie Daniels Band with a perfectly honky-tonkin’ medley of “Drinkin’ My Baby Goodbye” and, of course, “The Devil Went Down to Georgia.” From the sidewalks of Lower Broadway to the Grand Ole Opry stage, Charlie Daniel’s impact on country is indelible.

Luke Combs’ Mother Church Moment

From the hallowed stage of the Ryman Auditorium, the most famous former home of the Grand Ole Opry, one of the most popular singers in all of country, Luke Combs, performed George Jones’ “The Grand Tour,” as well as “Hurricane,” for Opry 100. With more than 800 million streams (on Spotify alone), “Hurricane” is one of his biggest hits from his 2017 album, This One’s For You, which has been certified double platinum by RIAA.

This long list of our favorite Opry 100 moments is still, somehow, merely the tip of the country iceberg. Head to Peacock to stream the entire broadcast so you don’t miss a single memorable moment. And stay tuned as the Grand Ole Opry continues their 100th birthday celebration all year long.

All photos courtesy of the Grand Ole Opry; credit Getty/Jason Kempin.

Lead image: Brad Paisley and Alison Krauss perform “Whiskey Lullaby” live at Opry 100.

Americana Honors & Awards 2022: See the Full Winners List

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

It was a wonderful night of music, celebration, reflection, and joy last night at the Ryman Auditorium as folks gathered for the 21st Annual Americana Honors & Awards.

Billy Strings was crowned Americana’s Artist of the Year, with Jerry Douglas presenting the award.

Triple nominee Allison Russell earned the Album of the Year Award for her record Outside Child, produced by Dan Knobler. She accepted the award from respected music critic and NPR writer Ann Powers.

Allison Moorer and Hayes Carll awarded two-time Artist of the Year Brandi Carlile for the Song of the Year with “Right On Time,” written by Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth and Tim Hanseroth.

The War and Treaty (Michael and Tanya Trotter) won Duo/Group of the Year after winning Americana Emerging Act of the Year in 2019.

On the heels of her new album Long Time Coming, Sierra Ferrell was also honored by the Americana music community and received this year’s Emerging Act of the Year Award.

Multi-instrumentalist Larissa Maestro took home the Instrumentalist of the Year Award, as Molly Tuttle recognized the Berklee College of Music grad. Maestro has performed and recorded with many high caliber artists and musicians, including Allison Russell, Mickey Guyton, Eminem, Ms. Lauryn Hill, H.E.R., Michael Bublé, Margo Price, and Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings.

Highlights from the evening include Brandi Carlile and Allison Russell delivering a soul-stirring rendition of “You’re Not Alone,” as well as the iconic McCrary Sisters honoring their late sister Deborah (who passed away in June) with a chills-inducing performance of “Amazing Grace.”

Americana stalwart and reigning All-Star Band musical director Buddy Miller was surprised by Robert Plant, who presented Miller with The Lifetime Achievement Award, which was previously unannounced. Miller graced the audience with his classic “Wide River To Cross.”

Throughout the night, attendees were treated to additional performances by the Fairfield Four, Indigo Girls, Lucinda Williams, Adia Victoria, James McCurtry, Lukas Nelson, Morgan Wade, Neal Francis, The War and Treaty, Sierra Ferrell, and JP Harris honoring the late Luke Bell.

Previously announced Lifetime Achievement honors were accepted by the Fairfield Four (Legacy of Americana Award, co-presented with the National Museum of African American Music [NMAAM]), presented by NMAAM’s Katie Rainge-Briggs and award-winning producer Shannon Sanders; Chris Isaak (Performance), presented by Lyle Lovett; the late Don Williams (President’s Award), presented and accepted on behalf of the Williams’ family by producer Garth Fundis; Al Bell (Executive), presented by music executive and Chairman of the Black American Music Association Michael Mauldin; and the Indigo Girls (Spirit of Americana Award, co-presented with the First Amendment Center), presented by Brandi Carlile and First Amendment Center’s John Seigenthaler.

Here’s the full list of the 2022 Americana Honors & Awards Winners and Honorees:

Album of the Year: Outside Child, Allison Russell; Produced by Dan Knobler

Artist of the Year: Billy Strings

Song of the Year: “Right On Time,” Brandi Carlile; Written by Brandi Carlile, Dave Cobb, Phil Hanseroth and Tim Hanseroth

Duo/Group of the Year: The War and Treaty

Emerging Act of the Year: Sierra Ferrell

Instrumentalist of the Year: Larissa Maestro

Legacy of Americana Award, presented in partnership with the National Museum of African American Music: Fairfield Four

President’s Award: Don Williams (posthumous)

Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance: Chris Isaak

Lifetime Achievement Award for Executive: Al Bell

Spirit of Americana Award: Indigo Girls

AMERICANAFEST 2022 Preview: Check Out These Panels, Parties and Showcases

Posted on by Editor

Even if you’re from Nashville or you’ve visited Music City many times, AMERICANAFEST always offers something new. This year, the annual event encompasses more than a dozen places to hear live music, as well as an impressive slate of industry panels and a near-endless list of parties. Where to begin? Although this story is by no means definitive, here are some promising highlights from the 2022 Americanafest daily schedule.

Tuesday, September 13

If you’re in town early, come say hello to BGS at Station Inn, where Jason Carter & Friends will take the stage. Doors at 8. Although it’s not open to the public, all conference and festival passholders are welcome. To pick up your pass, you’ll need to swing by City Winery or the Westin (the host hotel) earlier that day. An exploration of East Nashville might also be in order, with The Old Fashioned String Band Throwdown from 6-9 p.m. at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge.

Wednesday, September 14

A plethora of panels awaits conference registrants at the Westin, along with a couple of notable interview sessions. The Indigo Girls will be interviewed by NPR Music’s Ann Powers at 10 a.m. (They’ll be honored with a Lifetime Achievement recognition at the Americana Music Honors & Awards later that night too). Stick around for a conversation between Dom Flemons and Asleep at the Wheel’s Ray Benson, presented by WSM’s American Songster Radio. After that, Stax Records’ Al Bell and Deanie Parker will discuss the historic Wattstax festival in 1972.

You can count on BGS for another party as we celebrate our 10-year anniversary with a happy hour at City Winery Lounge from 3 – 5 p.m. Conference and festival passholders welcome. Special performers include Kyshona, Rainbow Girls, and Willie Watson. And after the awards show, there’s an abundance of awesome shows to consider, including a rare solo set by Angel Olsen (our BGS Artist of the Month in August) at Riverside Revival, a set from Bill Monroe acolyte Mike Compton and a surprise headliner at Station Inn, and an acoustic showcase from members of North Mississippi Allstars at Analog at Hutton Hotel immediately followed by Texas great Joshua Ray Walker.

Thursday, September 15

One of the most intriguing panels on Thursday is titled The Narrators: How Jake Blount, Leyla McCalla and Kaia Kater Re-Mapped the Past, Present and Future With Concept Albums. As the Americanafest app points out, all three artists are students of musical and cultural traditions, as well as Black banjo players. The conversation takes place at noon with moderator Jewly Hight. Coincidentally, these three performers are showcasing at the exact same time later that night, so here’s your chance to catch them all at once.

Ishkōdé Records will celebrate Indigenous voices from Turtle Island at Dee’s Country Cocktail Lounge from 1-4 p.m., with performers such as Amanda Rheaume, Aysanabee, Digging Roots and Evan Redsky. If you’re lucky enough to get into the Bluebird Cafe for a 6 p.m. show, you can enjoy a songwriting round with Gabe Lee, Tristan Bushman and British artist Lauren Housley. A Tribute to Levon Helm with an all-star cast closes out the night at 3rd & Lindsley, following an evening of music with Arkansas roots.

Several of the most buzzed-about showcases of AMERICANAFEST will take place at the Basement East, with a strong lineup boasting Rissi Palmer, Molly Tuttle & Golden Highway, Trousdale, Bre Kennedy and Jade Bird. If you’re up for bluegrass, the City Winery Lounge lineup includes Tammy Rogers & Thomm Jutz alongside rising talent like the Tray Wellington Band and Troubadour Blue. If honky-tonk is more your style, stay up late for Jesse Daniel at 6th & Peabody, with original music that pays homage to the Bakersfield Sound without losing its contemporary appeal.

Friday, September 16

Diversity is a common theme on Friday’s daytime events, with panels like Booking With Intent: How Curating the Stage Impacts Industry Diversity and How Americana Music Is Embracing Minority Representation. Of particular note, British artist Lady Nade speaks on the influence of Black music in country and Americana in a panel titled You Can’t Be What You Can’t See: Why Representation Is Vital for the Americana Genre. Look for a conversation and performance at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum at noon with rising artists from the Black Opry Revue.

To list all the parties on Friday would take up this whole page. To socialize, you’ve got options ranging from songwriting rounds to label parties to multiple happy hours. (If you’re a craft beer drinker who loves to linger on the deck, it’s worth a visit to Tennessee Brew Works, where Hear Fort Worth is setting up shop.) As for BGS, you’ll find us at the Basement for a party presented with Nettwerk Records and Taylor Guitars. The public may RSVP through the invitation below.

This might be a good time to mention one of the festival’s new venues, The Well at Koinonia. This cozy coffee shop on Music Row played a crucial role in the development of contemporary Christian music, once lending its small stage to a then-unknown Amy Grant. For AMERICANAFEST, it’s providing a listening room environment for a number of quieter artists who still deserve to be heard, such as Nashville songwriter-producer Alex Wong, award-winning acoustic guitarist Christie Lenée, mesmerizing folk duo Ordinary Elephant, Australian troubadour Colin Lillie, and the accomplished Mexican-American musician Lisa Morales on Friday night. If you’re interested in early shows (starting at 6 p.m.), easy parking, and/or enjoying music in a non-alcoholic environment, make an effort to get refueled here.

Not far away lies one of Nashville’s musical landmarks, The Basement (a.k.a. “The Basement O.G.”), and if you’re in town to discover some overlooked voices, this might be an ideal spot to start. Drawing on blues and rock, Chicago musician Nathan Graham is making his AMERICANAFEST debut this year, followed by Southern slide guitarist-songwriter Michelle Malone, who’s touring behind new material like “Not Who I Used to Be.” At Exit/In at 9 p.m., Michigan Rattlers are among Americana music’s best storytellers, with a vibe that’s kind of brooding but still has some rock ‘n’ roll swagger. Hang around for 49 Winchester, a Virginia ensemble that’s been DIY for most of its career. However, 2022’s Fortune Favors the Bold is garnering some much-deserved attention. Listen closely for the Exit/In reference in standout track, “Damn Darlin’.”

For something more mellow, you can zoom over to City Winery for a late set by Milk Carton Kids. It wouldn’t even feel like AMERICANAFEST without seeing these guys. Earlier in the evening, longtime festival favorite Ruston Kelly will play alongside his dad, Tim Kelly, performing exquisite songs that they recorded together (with Ruston serving as producer). Gaby Moreno, Henry Wagons and Rainbow Girls are also on the well-rounded bill. Go ahead, order a bottle.

Saturday, September 17

By the time the weekend arrives, the panels have wrapped and the parties are well underway. You can peruse the Americanafest app for all the options, but first, settle in at City Winery for the Thirty Tigers Gospel Brunch from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m. (It’s on Saturday this year, rather than Sunday.) Artists appearing include Alisa Amador, Brent Cobb, Emily Scott Robinson, Stephanie Lambring, The Fairfield Four and The McCrary Sisters. Musicians Corner in Centennial Park also features free afternoon sets from Nashville mainstay Josh Rouse, Brooklyn’s own Bandits on the Run, Los Angeles songwriter Chris Pierce, Canadian banjo player Ryland Moranz, and more.

Over at The 5 Spot, Alabama bluesman Early James anchors a lineup with Theo Lawrence (a French songwriter-guitarist who opened dates for Robert Plant and Alison Krauss in Europe), Canadian musician Megan Nash, and new ATO Records signing Honey Harper. The night concludes with an 11 p.m. showcase titled Luke Schneider & Friends: A Pedal Steel Showcase. For something similarly atmospheric, consider a one-night-only event, Phosphorescent Performing Songs From the Full Moon Project, also at 11 p.m. at Brooklyn Bowl. He’s promising to play more songs than just the covers he’s chosen for this unique album, so you can bask in the afterglow of an incredible week of music.

For more information about these events and countless more, visit AMERICANAFEST.COM.

Artists featured at top (L-R): Phosphorescent, Molly Tuttle, Dom Flemons, Angel Olsen

With Her Banjo and Best Friends, Allison Russell Delivers ‘Outside Child’ (Part 2 of 2)

Posted on by Editor

Allison Russell’s first solo album offers an intimate look into her life, yet it’s far more than just her musical vision that elevates Outside Child to one of the year’s most eloquent albums. Working with Dan Knobler in Nashville, she populated the studio with musicians like Joe Pisapia, Jason Burger, Chris Merrill, Jamie Dick, and Drew Lindsay, as well as exceptional guests such as Yola, Ruth Moody, Erin Rae, and the McCrary Sisters. She describes them as her “chosen family,” accompanying her as she shares stories about other families in her life.

Enjoy the second half of our BGS Artist of the Month interview with Allison Russell. (Editor’s note: Read the first half of our AOTM feature here.)

BGS: You can feel that sense of community between the musicians on this record. Can you talk a little bit about what it felt like while you were tracking?

Allison Russell: These songs were recorded in four days. Everything that you are hearing, I sang live with the band. We did it at Sound Emporium Studio A. There’s a lovely, big room with glass doors that you can open up. Everyone was in a semi-circle. It was a magical experience. We would gather in the center of the room and work out an arrangement together and then we would record the song. Most of what you are hearing is the second take. That was sort of when it magically coalesced, when everyone was communing and free flowing.

Dan [Knobler] shares my deep conviction that it is not about perfection. It is about capturing the communication in as honest and as true of a way as you can. That has been my approach ever since working with Joe Henry four or five years ago on a record called Real Midnight. So what you are hearing is a community choosing to come together to uplift these songs. I will be grateful for that for the rest of my life, even if no one ever heard the record. That experience of getting to record that way with chosen family. I can’t imagine a more healing, supportive environment than I experienced.

This is your first solo record and though you’ve made many records with groups, I’m wondering if the feeling of picking the songs and the sounds was different for you as a solo artist?

I don’t know that I really picked them. I think that the songs just poured out. So much of the sound is my community of artists. I would never dream of telling any of those artists what to play. I trust their ears and I trusted Dan Knobler’s ears, who produced the record. And I trusted my own ears too, of course, but really what we did was cast the room with people who we love and trust. What was different is that I’d never worked with Dan before and I trusted him bringing in two of his brothers, Joe Pisapia and Jason Burger to join the family of musical kindred that I’ve been part of. A lot of the artists who played on the record were artists that I’d met over my many years and different projects. …

And then since I moved to Nashville in 2017, I’ve been going to hear the McCrary Sisters and loving them. I really got to know them through Yola, because they formed a friendship at a festival in Scotland and I got to know them through her. I’m a huge admirer of them and their work and their harmonies. I reached out to them thinking I wouldn’t be able to afford them and they were so generous. They came and sang for way less than they are worth and worked within my budget. I was honored that they came. So it was really a matter of casting the room and then letting people shine the way they do.

I read your speech from the [2020] Women’s March [in Nashville]. It is really gorgeous, thought- and emotion-provoking. In it you mention that you are the hero of your own story which is wildly inspiring and important for us all to remember – that there are some things we can save ourselves from. Can you talk a bit about ways in which you save yourself?

I feel like connection with a loving community is what saves me every day. Art and music save me every day. I’ve been a book worm my entire life and I can’t emphasize enough, I don’t think I would have survived my childhood if I hadn’t had the escape of literature. Being able to go into other worlds and other imaginings and literally inside of someone else’s mind and take refuge and find inspiration and comfort and strength. Disappearing into books was the first kind of way that I learned how to try to be brave. It was reading about brave protagonists and people in situations worse than I could imagine. I got very obsessed in my tweens with reading first person accounts of survival of the Holocaust. It put into context what was happening to me, that if people could survive that, then I could survive what I was experiencing.

Being in a community with people that uplift you and see you and value you and you do the same for them, that is life-changing. I have that with my partner J.T. I have that with my sisters in Our Native Daughters. We wrote a whole record together, uplifting each other and bringing forward the perspective of Black women within the diaspora and within the historical record. Our particular demographic is so often left out of any kind of historical record in any kind of first-person way, with agency and lived experience. That has been a source of great strength and resilience.

And then to connect with my ancestors. To delve into all of the history. With all of the intergenerational trauma and abuse, there is also incredible intergenerational strength and resilience and transcendence. The ability to overcome circumstances I cannot even dream of. My many-times-great-great-grandmother Quasheba survived being enslaved. She survived being ripped away from everything she knew, her family and language and home. She survived the horrible Middle Passage. She survived multiple plantations and having her children taken. If she can survive all that, I can get through this.

Do you remember what prompted you to pick up a banjo for the first time?

I was in a band called Po Girl, that was my first baby band and the woman I started the band with, Trish Klein, played the banjo. She taught me my first few chords and I just kept playing from there. I met Rhiannon Giddens in 2006 at the Vancouver Folk Music Festival and I was so excited to meet another Black woman that played banjo, because I was the only one that I knew. She told me about the Black Banjo Gathering, which I never got to attend. I’ve met so many dear friends who were a part of that, like Valerie June. All of us in Our Native Daughters play banjo and that has been a deep communion for us.

I think Rhiannon’s minstrel banjo is one of the most beautiful sounds I’ve ever heard. I’ve adapted my little Americana Goodtime banjo to sound as much like that as I can by adding gut strings and a fiber skin head. I’ve modified the bridge a bit to give it that deeper resonance. For me the banjo has allowed me to access my songwriting in a different way. I’ve noticed this over time as I’ve picked up more instruments. Different songs come through on different instruments and now for me, the banjo has become my primary songwriting instrument.

This album is coming out hopefully at the tail end of the pandemic so I’m guessing some of the songs have not been performed in front of an audience yet. Are there songs you are particularly excited about presenting on stage and on the flip side are there songs you are nervous or trepidatious about presenting to an audience?

Basically none of them. Of course I’ve done some virtual performances here and there of a couple of them. But they have not been played live. I am always nervous about everything. I’m just a very anxious person most of the time. But where that stops, usually, is on stage, when I get to be in communion with my fellow artists and with the people who have come to listen. That is very much a two-way exchange. The answer is, I’ll be nervous about all of it right up until the moment we are playing and then I will be in the happiest place I know.

(Editor’s note: Read part one of our Artist of the Month interview with Allison Russell here.)

Photo credit: Marc Baptiste (top); Laura E. Partain (in story)

Artist of the Month: Allison Russell

Posted on by Editor

Allison Russell has already made an exceptional impression in roots music — first in the duo Birds of Chicago, then as a member of Our Native Daughters. Now with her new album Outside Child, she’s putting her own story front and center. Whether she’s singing in English or French, Russell’s voice feels like satin, comfortable and cool. Yet she weaves some of the most painful memories of her formative years in Montréal into the fabric of her Fantasy Recordings debut.

Special guests on the album include the McCrary Sisters, Ruth Moody, Erin Rae, and Yola. Upon revealing the project, Russell wrote, “This is my first solo album. It is acutely personal. It was hard for me to write, harder still to sing, play, and share. Also a relief. Like sucking the poison from a snake bite. Thanks to the supreme empathy, musicality, kindness, sensitivity, and humour of each artist who brought these songs to life with me, the recording process became — by some mystical alchemy –joyous and empowering…. Eased by loving communal laughter as much as shared tears.”

Specifically pulling from the childhood trauma she experienced at the hands of her stepfather, she adds, “This is my attempt at truth and reconciliation and forgiveness — a reckoning and a remembrance. This is my attempt to be the hero of my own history, despite the shame that has been my closest and constant companion all these years.”

We are proud to present Allison Russell as our BGS Artist of the Month for May. In the days ahead, look for a new performance video, an exclusive interview (read part one here)(read part two here), and a sleek style shoot with this singular artist, who now calls Nashville home alongside her partner JT Nero and their young daughter. Discover more of her musical journey with our BGS Essentials playlist.

Photo credit: Marc Baptiste

BGS 5+5: Brigitte DeMeyer

Posted on by Editor

Artist name: Brigitte DeMeyer
Hometown: San Francisco, California
Latest album: Seeker
Personal nicknames (or rejected band names): Well, my husband calls me Bubba. My friends sometimes call me B, or Brig. My nieces and nephews call me “Tante Brigie.”

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

I always knew I loved to sing, as far back as age 12 when I won the talent show at summer camp. I sang whenever I could, in church, in school musicals, in various bands, just for the fun of it. But, in my late 20s I was asked to jump in and sing at an informal party with a very talented friend who was playing acoustic guitar for folks. He played in such a way that a feeling came through me when I began singing, it was like I left the building and got lost in the song. I felt like notes were coming through me from somewhere else.

When I opened my eyes at the end of the song the room of people had gone quiet and all had gathered around me and erupted into a joyous cheer at the end of the song. It was the first time I remember getting naturally high from singing. I have spent my whole career chasing that feeling of connection to whatever came through me that day. It can come from anywhere. Collaborating with someone with the right chemistry, connecting with the audience, or just being by myself writing. They may not be the best performances of my life when that happens. But, it’s about the feeling I get, from connecting to something higher. It’s also really fun to play with friends. Energy exchanging and collaborating. Hope all that makes sense.

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

I guess I would say the toughest time trying to write a song is when I am super happy. You have to really dig in deep and create something out of nothing. “Cat Man Do” came out that way. It took me a year to write that song. You have to make up a character or situation from scratch. I have enough life experiences to draw from. And, inspiration can come from anywhere so I force myself to be open and pay attention. You mix a little fiction with imagination and add a bit of grease and salt, or sugar if that’s what the song calls for. Approaching a song like a poem or a story is something I enjoy as well, or using old language that isn’t vernacular is fun. It makes the song feel deeper and have more character I think. Though it has to make sense to the listener as well, so finding balance lyrically there is tricky at times.

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

I have so many. But one of them, was at Humphreys in San Diego in 2014, when I opened for Gregg Allman. He was in the wings watching and listening to me during my whole set. When I came off the stage, he approached and told me I had a beautiful voice. I told him he did. That was a great day. Another great memory was in Ullapool, Scotland, sitting in at the pub with those raucous Scots listening in. They are so appreciative and warm in the U.K. I love performing there.

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

This is an easy one for me. I am an avid horse enthusiast. I am often out at the barn where I board my horse, which is surrounded with rolling hills and wildlife, like hawks, coyotes, goats, etc., and a neighboring cattle farm. Horses for me remind me nature is king, and give me that feeling of connection to something higher as well. I come home way happier every time I go and spend time with my horse. It is also a confidence builder.

If you had to write a mission statement for your career, what would it be?

I would say trust your gut, and just be yourself. Don’t try to sound like anyone else, or write like anyone else. And don’t let anyone tell you what is right for you. If you need to get your mix right, do it. Don’t settle. Also, I was told I was too old in my late 20s to begin my career. I did not listen. I forged my own path kind of organically. Oh yeah, and ALWAYS surround yourself with people who make you happy in your work. If the vibe is there, the music will follow. It shows in the music.

 

WATCH: Buddy & Julie Miller, “Let It Rain”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Buddy & Julie Miller
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Let It Rain” (with Steve Earle and The McCrary Sisters)
Release Date: July 17, 2020
Label: New West Records

In Their Words: “Our Black brothers and sisters have suffered so long. Their dehumanizing journey began 400 years ago. They lived lives of slaves and now of being distrusted by the law of the land, treated as ‘lesser than,’ been in danger from the stranger, danger from the law. Parents’ hearts are so worried, distraught, and broken. So much suffering and sorrow, discrimination, dehumanization, and hurt, and disappointment. This should all hurt our hearts too. It will if we have one. A beautiful revelation has been jump started in the middle of a pandemic, no less. This is my song of solidarity. And it’s my heart crying with their hearts. Let the revolution live.” — Julie Miller

Photo credit: Kate York

The String – The McCrary Sisters

Posted on by Chris Jacobs

The McCrary Sisters — Alfreda, Ann, Deborah, and Regina — grew up in Nashville in the home of legendary preacher and singer Reverend Sam McCrary, a key member of the Fairfield Four and a major figure in gospel music.

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They’ve sung, together and apart, on stages and in studios around the world. And they’ve become beloved anchors of roots music communities in Music City. After working with producer/artist Buddy Miller, they answered popular demand to form their own quartet, and after several albums through the 2010s, the McCrarys delivered their first Christmas album. It became a leaping off point for a joyful conversation about four remarkable lives in music.

BGS WRAPS: The McCrary Sisters, “Joy to the World”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: The McCrary Sisters
Song: “Joy to the World”
Album: A Very McCrary Christmas

In Their Words:

“It brings us joy to realize that Jesus was born to bring peace, hope, and joy to this world.” — Ann McCrary

“He is our joy, and his birth was amazing and remarkable! His the true King!” — Alfreda McCrary

“’Joy to the World’ is a song that I think should be sung all year round, ‘cause if the world had more love and joy there would be peace towards all men and we would get along much better than we do. My prayer and my gift is that we try to have more joy in the world. That’s it.” — Regina McCrary

“’Joy to the World,’ bring much needed joy to this world!” — Deborah McCrary

Americana Honors & Awards 2019: Arrival Photos

Posted on by Editor

The most acclaimed roots music artists are getting dressed up for the Americana Music Honors & Awards in Nashville. In addition to Elvis Costello, Bonnie Raitt, and Maria Muldaur (above), the following artists paused for a pic on the red carpet. See show photos.

Andrew Bird

Erin Rae

Ruston Kelly

The McCrary Sisters

Lori McKenna

J.S. Ondara

Michael Rinne

Josh Ritter

Photos by Jason Kempin/Getty Images for Americana Music Association