For this year’s virtual Folk Alliance International and SXSW conferences, BGS collaborated with Yamaha Guitars to film performances from some of the artists we are most excited about in 2021. This week, we bring you the final performance of the series, from a somewhat new duo.
Both Jade Jackson and Aubrie Sellers have built successful musical careers over the years, with Sellers’ powerful vocals and undeniable twang carrying on her country lineage from parents Lee Ann Womack and Jason Sellers, and Jackson’s California alt-country songwriting being showcased on her records produced by punk icon Mike Ness of Social Distortion. Now, the two have come together as Jackson+Sellers to create the rock record they’ve always dreamed of.
Following the new release of Breaking Point, the duo brings us a riveting performance of “The World Is Black,” penned by Sellers, who says the song addresses “that isolation that comes from being your own person and having your own standards as an artist. It’s hard when you’re a super-sensitive person, which we both are. When you feel everything, this is what that sounds like.”
You can discover more about Yamaha Guitars and the Yamaha Custom Shop at YamahaGuitars.com.
Artist: Roses & Revolutions
Hometown: Rochester, New York
Song: “Coffee” (from Nettwerk 21 in ’21)
Album: Midnight Monsters
Label: Nettwerk Music Group
Release Date: October 15, 2021
In Their Words: “Towards the beginning of quarantine, when everything felt very mundane, I brought my mind back to being on tour just at the beginning of March, to quite literally sitting downstairs in the lobby of one of the hotels, sipping a cup of coffee. I realized there’s something so small and special about it… there have been many times in my life that things have been discussed, or worked out with someone in a lobby of a hotel, whether in person or on the phone. Some of our most treasured moments happen over a simple cup of coffee. Especially on tour, it’s our way to unwind, have time to ourselves and work through whatever’s on our mind. This song captures a moment in a troubled relationship where things are worked out over a cup of coffee together.” — Alyssa Coco, Roses & Revolutions
Alan Jackson, an elder statesman of modern country music, plays tenderly on the heartstrings of nostalgia in his new video, “Where Have You Gone.” Standing center stage at the historic Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, he delivers a heartfelt message to the heroes of country music that have come before this generation. In what may seem like a somber ballad, Jackson celebrates not only the artists that have made country music through the decades, but also the sounds and traditions that have shaped the style. As he delivers lyrics about steel guitars and soulful fiddling, he is surrounded on stage by a full outfit of country instruments, but they all remain unattended. Instead of being joined by players, though, the Country Music Hall of Fame member is flanked by fleeting images of greats like Johnny Cash and George Jones. In solidarity, Jackson offers a love letter to country music that once was, and only a voice as seasoned as his could capture the reverence and longing felt by fans of classic country everywhere.
Photo credit: David McClister
For the latest in our series of Yamaha x BGS Artist Sessions we linked up with IBMA Momentum Award winners Stillhouse Junkies in Denver, Colorado. Our exclusive video performances by the Durango-based trio feature two songs, including this rip-roaring old-timey instrumental, “Jonny Mac.”
Stillhouse Junkies is Cody Tinnin, Alissa Wolf, and Fred Kosak, who plays a Yamaha Custom FG Guitar built by Master Luthier Andrew Enns. Check out an exclusive interview with Kosak about his Custom Yamaha FG Guitar via Yamaha’s Guitar Development Custom Shop.
Watch for our second session featuring the Stillhouse Junkies coming soon!
You can discover more about Yamaha Guitars and the Yamaha Custom Shop here.
Tim O’Brien, our Artist of the Month in July, paid a visit to another favorite of ours at BGS. On an episode of Sam Bush’s Jammin With Sam series, a weekly session with Sam Bush and his fellow bluegrass artists, the pair pick an Irish traditional tune called “Land’s End.” Its Celtic heritage shines brightly as Bush and O’Brien’s mandolins dance through the upbeat, modal waltz. Exceptional writers and pickers as they are in their own right, it’s entertaining to see Bush and O’Brien communicate through the course of the tune, each taking turns to improvise and converse before seamlessly transitioning into a harmony section and finishing the piece on a feeling of anticipation. The look on their faces as the instruments ring out the final notes indicates at least a small element of surprise at their togetherness. For as much great music and profound performances that find their way to the Bluegrass Situation, it’s a pleasure to see a lighthearted, fun jam between two such gifted instrumentalists. Watch “Land’s End” and see other clips from the Jammin With Sam series on YouTube.
Sara Watkins has been lending her talents to other groups for some time, but in May, the inspired singer-songwriter herself was featured on NPR’s revamped Tiny Desk (Home) Concert series. The fiddler brings along bassist Alan Hampton and guitarist Davíd Garza to accompany her on a Tiny Desk performance that almost seems like a miniature screenplay at times, fueled by the creativity and honesty of Watkins’ music. The performance features material from her new album, Under the Pepper Tree, released on March 26 by New West Records. Made in late 2020, the record is built by songs that she says “ease the shift from day to evening, from the real to the imagined.” This four-song set, like the album, is marked by playfulness, imagination, and warmth, like if a fairytale was condensed into a song. Watch the Tiny Desk (Home) Concert above, as Sara Watkins and her band deliver a touching performance for NPR.
Photo credit: Jacob Boll
BGS is proud to announce Shout & Shine Episode 6! Songwriter, educator, and storyteller Reggie Harris is our guest for this livestream iteration of Shout & Shine, which comprises short-form, intimate video performances by underrepresented and marginalized artists in Americana, folk, and bluegrass.
Please support Reggie Harris directly, via his PayPal: https://www.paypal.me/ReggieHarrisMusicNOW
Shout & Shine is presented by Preston Thompson Guitars and will be streamed live right here on June 23, 2021 at 4pm PDT / 7pm EDT.
Every Monday in May, BGS has been proud to present Nettwerk 21 in ’21, our five-part video concert series showcasing exclusive performances from 21 must-listen artists on the Nettwerk Music Group roster. Week 5 is hosted by Wild Rivers and includes performances by Hein Cooper, Joshua Hyslop, Stu Larsen, and Wild Rivers.
Learn more about Nettwerk Music Group and discover more of their roster here.
Watch Episode 1. Watch Episode 2. Watch Episode 3. Watch Episode 4.
Bluegrass music has nary a household more powerful than that of husband and wife Justin Moses and Sierra Hull. Over the last few years, the pair has traded the spotlight back and forth with releases of solo albums. In February 2020, Hull released the acclaimed 25 Trips, with its track “Ceiling to the Floor” receiving a Grammy nomination for Best American Roots Song. And this past January, it was Moses’ turn to release music, with Fall Like Rain on Mountain Fever Records. He’s also the IBMA’s reigning Resophonic Guitarist of the Year.
With decorated careers as sidemen, writers, performers, and creators, they are as dynamic as any duo in acoustic music. While off the road in 2020, Hull and Moses teamed up to feature instruments at Carter Vintage Guitars in Nashville. For as much content as each of the two are featured in individually, it is a rarer occurrence to see them highlighted together, but when it happens, it is something very special. Watch these truly consummate musicians dazzle not only with their performance of “Windy Hill,” but also with the communication and joy they share in it.
Every Monday in May, BGS is proud to present Nettwerk 21 in ’21, our new five-part video concert series showcasing exclusive performances from 21 must-listen artists on the Nettwerk Music Group roster. Week 4 is hosted by Brandon Jenner and includes performances by Anna Mieke, Hayden Calnin & Harrison Storm, Dylan Dunlap, and, of course, Brandon Jenner.
Learn more about Nettwerk Music Group and discover more of their roster here. Watch Episode 1. Watch Episode 2. Watch Episode 3.
