SAD DADDY RELEASES HILARIOUSLY HEARTWARMING VIDEO FOR "CHARLIE PICKLE"

SAD DADDY’S NEW VIDEO “CHARLIE PICKLE” PREMIERES VIA TWANGVILLE

 NEW LP WAY UP IN THE HILLS DUE OUT JANUARY 28TH

Photo: Annemarie Sundell

WATCH: “CHARLIE PICKLE”

 Arkansas/Texas four-piece roots powerhouse Sad Daddy has unveiled their hilariously heartwarming new video for “Charlie Pickle,” the lead single from their forthcoming LP, Way Up In The Hills, due out on January 28th. “It’s about an old-timer who just doesn’t care what other people think and is frequently spurred to dance,” says Twangville in the video’s premiere. “It always reminded the band how friends and fans dance at shows. Fiddler Rebecca Patek came up with the idea of having friends send clips of themselves dancing, and as luck would have it Halloween was upon them. The clips were edited together to create the video for Charlie Pickle...If this doesn’t leave you with a smile, you need some serious therapy.”

LISTEN: “CHARLIE PICKLE”

Since 2010, Sad Daddy has traveled down many a road--together and separately--at times focusing on their solo projects and then reuniting for a band project. The four members, Brian Martin, Joe Sundell, Rebecca Patek, and Melissa Carper, all conspired and united in the sudden spare time of 2020 to create their third album, Way Up in the Hills. 

They all met up at Brian’s cabin in Greers Ferry, Arkansas, and over a couple of bottles of chocolate milk and a few jugs of whiskey they collaborated, writing and arranging songs specifically for the new album. A first for Sad Daddy, they took the brand-new bones of each other’s ideas and worked on them as a band to construct and finish the songs. The collective decided on a down-home, back-to-the-country theme—a reflection on the state of the world and the desire to go back to simpler ways and self-sufficiency, goin’ way up in the hills and letting the chaos settle. 

Engineer Jordan Trotter brought his equipment into the cabin and the band recorded 14 original tunes live and in a circle. The feeling of being at a lakeside "home" studio in the serene Arkansas woods was distilled into sound and a genuine relaxed and good time vibe purveys the recordings. Sad Daddy explored using unique sounds, recording stomps on the cabin’s porch, hamboning, using the natural sounds of insects buzzing and bacon sizzling, mouth didgeridoo, handclaps, double clawhammer banjo, and more, along with the foursome’s strong vocals and harmonies. 

 With a long and dedicated history of making their audiences happy, Sad Daddy is emerging rejuvenated with Way Up in the Hills. With a more down-home and old-timey feel than their previous albums, they all stretched themselves a bit to create a common theme and new songs together. Unique to Sad Daddy, all of the members sing lead and write original tunes--the convergence of influences and interpretation of feeling into sound is a stylistic blend of the very best elements of American Roots Music. From the sounds of early blues, jazz, and jug bands to early country, folk, old-time, bluegrass, soul, and funk, they combine many influences, creating an indefinable genre of their own.  

OUT TODAY: AJ LEE AND BLUE SUMMIT’S NEW LP I’LL COME BACK

OUT TODAY: 

AJ LEE AND BLUE SUMMIT’S NEW LP I’LL COME BACK

“Indeed they deliver a well-rounded and texturally diverse set of contemporary bluegrass that honors the tradition while sounding fresh and vital, where the tones of the instruments; deft, tasteful playing; and tight, intricate arrangements are employed to great effect in support of Lee’s emotionally resounding, powerhouse vocal delivery.” - The San Francisco Chronicle 

“Between the interplay among the instrumental lines, the passion conveyed in Lee’s voice and the grooving feel of the rhythmic engine, everything comes together to seamlessly produce Americana perfection.” - American Songwriter   

“…it is hard to argue with their success…Like many young performers, when Lee started her group in 2015 they began to experiment and push against the boundaries of what they had grown up playing, but in the end the grass calls them home.” - Bluegrass Today  

"This band is good in the bluegrass way: they use their skill not to show off, but  

to build songs that are sturdy as houses, with plenty of room for guests, and ready for any  

weather.” - Country Queer   

LISTEN: I’LL COME BACK   

Today, award-winning Bay Area-based roots powerhouse AJ Lee and Blue Summit (“AJLBS”) have released their brilliant new LP I’ll Come Back. Unlike their first record, which featured experimentation with session musicians and electric instruments, the new album is a pure reflection of the live sound of the group, hearkening back to their acoustic roots. Each band member performs at their peak, and the variety of songs on the record caters to their broad fanbase. Certain tracks fall more in the classic bluegrass realm of songwriting, while others fall into that hard-to-define realm of acoustic Americana that blends mesmerizing lyricism and acoustic mastery. 

Although falling loosely under the bluegrass label, AJLBS generally plays sans banjo, a configuration effectively used to create unique space and texture in the arrangements not as commonly found in the music of their peers.  Drawing from influences such as country, soul, swing, rock, and jam music, the band uses the lens of bluegrass as a vessel through which to express and explore the thread that binds and unifies all great music. 

“The origins of the band go back 16 years, when a 7-year-old Lee joined the Palo Alto group the Tuttles, a family band assembled by renowned bluegrass multi-instrumentalist and educator Jack Tuttle featuring his children, Molly, Sullivan and Michael, all virtuosic prodigies themselves,” said The San Francisco Chronicle. “Although only 23, Lee is a seasoned and celebrated veteran of the greater Bay Area bluegrass scene and nine-time winner of the Northern California Bluegrass Awards for best female vocalist, exhibiting a musical depth and maturity beyond her years.”  

“Lee is part of the same class of [Youth In Bluegrass] artists that produced Molly Tuttle. In fact, AJ was a member of Molly’s family band for many years, performing as The Tuttles with AJ Lee when they were teens,” said Bluegrass Today. “Now heading up her own group, Lee is out front on lead vocals and mandolin, supported by Molly’s younger brother, Sullivan Tuttle, and Jesse Fichman on guitar, Jan Purat on fiddle, and Chad Bowen on bass.”  

Although falling loosely under the bluegrass label, AJLBS generally plays sans banjo, using their configuration effectively to create unique space and texture in the arrangements not as commonly found in the music of their peers. Drawing from influences such as country, soul, swing, rock, and jam music, the band uses the lens of bluegrass as a vessel through which to express and explore the thread that binds and unifies all great music. I’ll Come Back is available for purchase HERE.  

TOUR DATES  

AUG 20 - Mauch Chunk Opera House @ 8:00pm - Jim Thorpe, PA  

AUG 21 - Della Mae's Fam Fest @ 2:00pm - Round Hill, VA 

AUG 22 - Stages Music Arts @ 7:00pm - Cockeysville, MD 

AUG 26 - Casa Flamenca, Inc. @ 7:30pm - Albuquerque, NM 

AUG 27 - Wildwood Sounds @ 7:00pm - Del Norte, CO 

AUG 28 - Taos Center for the Arts @ 7:30pm - Taos, NM 

AUG 29 - Number Thirty Eight @ 8:00pm - Denver, CO 

AUG 30 - MainStage Brewing Company @ 6:00pm - Lyons, CO 

AUG 31 - Sherbino Theater @ 7:00pm - Ridgway, CO 

SEP 1 - Dolores River Brewery @ 7:00pm - Dolores, CO 

SEP 3 -  Four Corners Folk Festival 2021 @ 7:00pm - Pagosa Springs, CO 

SEP 10 - Sierra Meadows @ 7:30pm - Ahwahnee, CA 

SEP 11 - Black Oak Concert Series @ 7:00pm - Tuolumne, CA 

SEP 18 - Whale Rock Music Festival @ 7:00pm - Templeton, CA  

SEP 19  - Lodi Grape Festival Grounds @ 6:00pm - Lodi, CA 

SEP 24 - FreshGrass Festival 2021 @ 11:00am - North Adams, MA 

SEP 22-25 - AMERICANAFEST -  Nashville, TN [Official Showcase] 

OCT 1 - Sisters Folk Festival 2021 @ 12:00pm - Sisters, OR 

OCT 8 - McCabe’s Guitar Shop @ 8:00pm - Santa Monica, CA 

OCT 9 - Paramount Ranch @ 3:00pm - Agoura Hills, CA 

OCT 30 - Felton Music Hall @ 8:30pm - Felton, CA 

NOV 20 - Hopmonk Tavern @ 8:00pm - Novato, CA^ 

^w/ The Coffis Brothers 

KEEP UP WITH AJ LEE AND BLUE SUMMIT:

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OUT TODAY: KAREN JONAS’ NEW EP SUMMER SONGS AND BOOK OF ORIGINAL POETRY GUMBALLS

OUT TODAY: 

KAREN JONAS’ NEW EP SUMMER SONGS   

AND  

BOOK OF ORIGINAL POETRY GUMBALLS 

With regular use of pedal steel, Jonas’ songs are perfect for honky-tonks where it’s not unusual for people who have just met to become dance partners. That being said, her delivery is so smooth and sweet, she could just as easily provide the vocals for a band in a dark jazz club. On top of that, Jonas writes touching songs that are vignettes of everyday life and everyday people. - PopMatters 

 Jonas sings with a warm vibrato that makes like a mix between Lana Del Rey and Cowboy Junkies, evolving into an unforeseen summer go-to - Glide Magazine  

A delightful feel good fix for any Summer - Maximum Volume 

Any listener of Karen Jonas’ music will recognize the trademarks of her fearless talent in this beautiful, gutting collection of poetry. Karen Jonas is already acknowledged as a master songwriter and storyteller, but in these unflinching, often wryly funny poems, the narratives of love, heartbreak, and the daily grind of being alive are unmisted by noise, audience, and stage. — Erika Carter, author of Lucky You,  NPR Best Book of 2017 and official Book of the Month Club selection  

This is what you get when a kickass woman writes poetry--you get dirty, wet, delicious, dark, relatable worlds full of wonder, light, rage, and revelation. - Susie Moloney, award-winning screenwriter and author of A Dry Spell 

LISTEN: SUMMER SONGS  

 Today, award-winning artist Karen Jonas has released Summer Songs, a new four-track EP, along with Gumballs, a book of original poetry. “Over the course of a raw week in January, I wrote frantically. I didn’t worry about what my kids or my mother or you would think, I just wrote. When I amassed over 60 poems, vignettes of hard scenes from my life, I realized I had written a book, covering everything from divorce to religion to dating to spiders,” Jonas recalls. Writing this vastly personal autobiographical collection of poems allowed her to find a more vulnerable place to embrace these gems from her old songwriting notebooks.  

“I began to hear flashes of these songs as I was writing my poetry collection, songs I started writing years ago. I reconnected with them and spent a lot of time reprocessing and editing,” she adds. “I was able to update them to my current songwriting sensibilities while maintaining the sweet vulnerability of the inspiration for these summer-themed tunes.” The result is Summer Songs, three heartfelt originals and a show-stopping  cover of Don Henley classic “The Boys of Summer.” 

“On her forthcoming EP, singer-songwriter Karen Jonas leans into the song's ability to take listeners back in time with her own version,” said The Boot in the premiere of “The Boys Of Summer.” “There's a bit more pedal steel in Jonas' cover than in the original, and particularly in the chorus, the artist uses her voice to tweak the familiar melody here and there to add something new to it.”  

WATCH: “THE BOYS OF SUMMER” 

"Somewhere along the way, I got tough because I had to," Jonas told The Boot. "Balancing my complexity as a human with my roles as a touring singer-songwriter and a mother of four has been amazing, but challenging and consuming. Things are easier when you’re tough: You can weather more storms and move farther faster. But, to find that place and still be vulnerable, raw and genuine — that’s the artist’s dream. So, I took it on,” she added. “I assessed the state of who I am and where I’ve been, and why, with as much clarity as I could. 

A two-time Wammie Award winner for Best Country Artist, Mid-Atlantic Songwriting Contest Winner, and Ameripolitan award nominee, Jonas is known for her stellar songwriting, sultry vocals, and compelling stage presence. 

Her long-time collaboration with dazzling guitarist Tim Bray, joined by bassist/vocalist Seth Morrissey and drummer Seth Brown, has produced five full-length records, beginning with 2014’s internationally-acclaimed Oklahoma Lottery. Her much-lauded 2020 LP The Southwest Sky and Other Dreams is a gutting masterpiece - proof of her ability to weave creative depth into everyday stories. 

Through swooping pedal steel and bluesy guitar, lush harmonies and beautifully-crafted lyricism, Jonas paints a vibrant sonic portrait with stories to which we can all relate—tales of love and loss, and of hope and reclamation. Jonas’ writing harkens back to her songcrafting heroes Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan, with a sonic nod to modern greats like Gillian Welch and Jason Isbell. Her investment in artistic excellence continues to pay off with Summer Songs.  

Summer Songs is available for download at iTunes, Amazon, and Bandcamp. Gumballs is available for pre-order at karenjonasmusic.com. 

TOUR DATES: 

Aug 20 - WTJU In-Studio - Charlottesville, VA 

Aug 21 - Strangeways Brewing - Fredericksburg, VA 

Aug 28 - Brambly Park - Richmond, VA 

Aug 29 - Pie Shop - Washington, DC 

KEEP UP WITH KAREN JONAS:

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || TWITTER || YOUTUBE || SPOTIFY

NASHVILLE DUO HAUNTED LIKE HUMAN RELEASE “CINEMATIC” (-GLIDE MAGAZINE) SINGLE “GHOST TOWNS” ON 8/20 “CHILLING YET ANGELIC” – AMERICAN SONGWRITER

NASHVILLE DUO HAUNTED LIKE HUMAN RELEASE “CINEMATIC” (-GLIDE MAGAZINE)

SINGLE “GHOST TOWNS” ON 8/20 

“CHILLING YET ANGELIC” – AMERICAN SONGWRITER

Photo Credit: Caroline Voisine

“GHOST TOWNS” ||  SPOTIFY

 Nashville duo Haunted Like Human - Cody Clark (multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter) and Dale Chapman (lead singer, lyricist) – release their new single “Ghost Towns” today. 

The second single from the forthcoming Tall Tales & Fables, considers what happens to a place that needs to be left behind.

“… the cinematic “Ghost Towns,” combines a Damien Rice-like heartfelt basket of musical nuances atop an atmospheric gleam.” – Glide Magazine

“[‘Ghost Towns’] resembles the wisdom a grey sparrow might sing you after it lands on a fence from a long flight north. It offers the song as wisdom as the creature catches its breath before moving on again. ‘How do I set you free when the lost don’t want to be found?’ it might whistle. ‘There’s nothing left here for you now.’” – American Songwriter

 Tall Tales & Fables available October 15, delves deeper into inspired songwriting, sparse arrangements, and, naturally, the frisson-inducing harmonies that marked their previous two releases. Despite the album’s title, these songs are honest, above all else. Real, tender, messy honesty.

“We put a ton of emphasis on storytelling in each of our songs. We tell our own stories, we tell other people’s stories, we tell stories that we’ve seen from touring,” says Cody Clark.

The first single “Stay,” released last month, is a “stirring acoustic number puts mental health at the forefront, as they ride ravaged waters with grace and ease, alongside a peaceful melody of guitar and strings complementing their haunting, yet serene harmonies.” -AudioFemme

ABOUT HAUNTED LIKE HUMAN:

Hoping to find collaborators who were serious about music, Clark drove from Oregon to Nashville in 2017. Within a couple days, he met Chapman at a coffee shop. She deduced that he was a lost tourist and struck up a conversation, leading to a cowriting session. Next thing they knew, Clark had relocated to Nashville and they were making their first album, Ghost Stories.  On the heels of that, they offered up their Folklore EP, featuring standout single “Feels Like Fire.” While that EP sought to channel the minimalist, intimate spirit of their live shows, Tall Tales & Fables is the next step in their maturation. Polished but not shiny, the album benefits from Mitch Dane’s production. Together with skilled string players, the album developed its own life while staying true to Clark and Chapman’s partnership, one built on literal and metaphorical voices.

Tall Tales & Fables will be self-released on October 15, 2021.

“STAY” OUT NOW || SPOTIFY || LISTEN

“GHOST TOWNS” ||  SPOTIFY || LISTEN

KEEP UP WITH HAUNTED LIKE HUMAN

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || TWITTER || INSTAGRAM || YOUTUBE || SPOTIFY

KAREN JONAS PREMIERES REIMAGINED DON HENLEY CLASSIC “THE BOYS OF SUMMER” VIA THE BOOT

KAREN JONAS PREMIERES REIMAGINED DON HENLEY CLASSIC “THE BOYS OF SUMMER” 

 VIA THE BOOT 

  NEW EP SUMMER SONGS   

AND  

ACCOMPANYING BOOK OF ORIGINAL POETRY GUMBALLS 

SET FOR RELEASE ON AUGUST 20TH 

Any listener of Karen Jonas’ music will recognize the trademarks of her fearless talent in this beautiful, gutting collection of poetry. Karen Jonas is already acknowledged as a master songwriter and storyteller, but in these unflinching, often wryly funny poems, the narratives of love, heartbreak, and the daily grind of being alive are unmisted by noise, audience, and stage. — Erika Carter, author of Lucky You,  NPR Best Book of 2017 and official Book of the Month Club selection 

This is what you get when a kickass woman writes poetry--you get dirty, wet, delicious, dark, relatable worlds full of wonder, light, rage, and revelation. - Susie Moloney, award-winning screenwriter and author of A Dry Spell 

LISTEN // WATCH: “THE BOYS OF SUMMER” 

Today, award-winning artist Karen Jonas has released her take on Don Henley’s classic song “The Boys Of Summer.” The single appears on Summer Songs, a new four-track EP set for release on August 20th, along with Gumballs, a book of original poetry. “On her forthcoming EP, singer-songwriter Karen Jonas leans into the song's ability to take listeners back in time with her own version,” said The Boot in the premiere. “There's a bit more pedal steel in Jonas' cover than in the original, and particularly in the chorus, the artist uses her voice to tweak the familiar melody here and there to add something new to it.”  

“The Boys Of Summer” follows the release of “Summer’s Hard For Love,” which Glide Magazine said was, “A rainy day whirl of jazzy melodies and crafty songwriting,” adding, “Jonas sings with a warm vibrato that makes like a mix between Lana Del Rey and Cowboy Junkies, evolving into an unforeseen summer go-to song.” 

LISTEN: “SUMMER’S HARD FOR LOVE”  

"Somewhere along the way, I got tough because I had to," Jonas told The Boot. "Balancing my complexity as a human with my roles as a touring singer-songwriter and a mother of four has been amazing, but challenging and consuming. Things are easier when you’re tough: You can weather more storms and move farther faster. But, to find that place and still be vulnerable, raw and genuine — that’s the artist’s dream. So, I took it on,” she added. “I assessed the state of who I am and where I’ve been, and why, with as much clarity as I could. Over the course of a raw week in January, I wrote frantically. I didn’t worry about what my kids or my mother or you would think, I just wrote.” 

Jonas amassed over 60 poems, vignettes of hard scenes from her life, and realized she had written a book, covering everything from divorce to religion to dating to spiders; this vastly personal autobiographical collection of poems allowed her to find a more vulnerable place to embrace these gems from her old songwriting notebooks.  

“I began to hear flashes of these songs as I was writing my poetry collection, songs I started writing years ago. I reconnected with them and spent a lot of time reprocessing and editing,” she adds. “I was able to update them to my current songwriting sensibilities while maintaining the sweet vulnerability of the inspiration for these summer-themed tunes.” The result is Summer Songs, three heartfelt originals and a show-stopping cover of “The Boys of Summer.” 

Through swooping pedal steel and bluesy guitar, lush harmonies and beautifully-crafted lyricism, Jonas paints a vibrant sonic portrait with stories to which we can all relate—tales of love and loss, and of hope and reclamation. Jonas’ writing harkens back to her songcrafting heroes Joni Mitchell and Bob Dylan, with a sonic nod to modern greats like Gillian Welch and Jason Isbell. Her investment in artistic excellence continues to pay off with her upcoming release Summer Songs. 

TOUR DATES: 

Aug 20 - WTJU In-Studio - Charlottesville, VA 

Aug 21 - Strangeways Brewing - Fredericksburg, VA 

Aug 28 - Brambly Park - Richmond, VA 

Aug 29 - Pie Shop - Washington, DC 

WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHY? & WEREWOLVES? "BALANCE AN REVERENCE FOR MUSICAL TRADITION WITH AN IRREVERENT SENSE OF HUMOR" (-XPN) ON SOPHOMORE ALBUM HARD FEELINGS OUT TODAY

WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHY? & WEREWOLVES? "BALANCE AN REVERENCE FOR MUSICAL TRADITION WITH AN IRREVERENT SENSE OF HUMOR" (-XPN) ON SOPHOMORE ALBUM HARD FEELINGS OUT TODAY  

"Deep subjects, brought into manageable perspective by merciless satire." - At The Barrier

Photo Credit: Jesse Gennett

“HARD FEELINGS” VIDEO || WATCH

HARD FEELINGS ALBUM ||  SPOTIFY OR PURCHASE

 Philadelphia-based duo Andrew Fullerton (vocals, guitar) and Matt Orlando (vocals, banjo) - behind the quirky, punchy nügrass band Who? What? When? Why? & Werewolves? – find their full voice on the sophomore album Hard Feelings out today!

The album continues their subversive and often humorous approach to heavy subjects. “This record is about the difficult conversations we have with ourselves, our partners, and our friends and family,” says Fullerton. “And also how do we have these conversations with empathy.”

“It’s just the two of us when we tour, so Andrew and I have these very deep, existential conversations about our lives, love, nihilism, music, and all these different things,” adds Orlando. “The songs were born from those conversations”

Recently, the duo released the video for the title track “Hard Feelings” about a weary, time-tested relationship with accompanying video directed by Big Howl (Nicole Atkins “Brokedown Luck” & “Mind Eraser”, Netflix’s Worn Stories). For the video, the Big Howl art department built the Andrew and Matt dummies from a YouTube tutorial and most of the dolls were sourced from co-director Paul Triggiani’s mom’s personal doll collection.  

“The Big Howl guys really understand the bizarre tenderness I try to convey in my songwriting,” says Andrew Fullerton. “Usually I send them the song and they say ‘how weird do you want to get’ and I just say ‘I trust you.’ You can tell from the story that the woman and her dummies go back away and their relationship has it’s up and downs as well.”

The sophomore album Hard Feelings is out now.

BUZZ

“Indie-folk duo Who? What? When? Why? & Werewolves balance a reverence for musical tradition with an irreverent sense of humor, and both of those worlds collide in their new music video for ‘Hard Feelings.’” – TheKey.xpn.org 

“There’s a definite energy to the band Who? What? When? Why? & Werewolves, and the touch of banjo slowly building its way in to anchor [“Little In Love”] is a sweet touch. Enjoy the Americana sentiments of what’s sometimes known as the “6w” band. And really — who isn’t a little in love with everyone?” - Americana Highways 

“…indicative of that easy folk approach, with a light, country tone that’s easy on the ears… a beautiful and wistful fiddle. You may be pursuing what you love, but there are residual effects of that, some of which are not always so positive on others.” – V13 

“Listening to Hard Feelings is a little like experiencing a whirlwind.  The songs are all great fun, there’s a lot of energy and (deliberately) little subtlety…this is an album that you can hear over and over and find new quirks in the lyrics each time.” – At The Barrier

HARD FEELINGS ALBUM ||  SPOTIFY OR PURCHASE

“QUITTIN'” SINGLE  || SPOTIFY OR YOUTUBE

“LITTLE IN LOVE'” SINGLE || SPOTIFY OR YOUTUBE 

KEEP UP WITH WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHY? & WEREWOVES

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || YOUTUBE || BANDCAMP || SPOTIFY

AJ LEE AND BLUE SUMMIT UNVEIL LATEST SINGLE “WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND” VIA BLUEGRASS TODAY

AJ LEE AND BLUE SUMMIT UNVEIL 

LATEST SINGLE “WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND”  

VIA BLUEGRASS TODAY 

NEW LP I’LL COME BACK OUT ON AUGUST 20TH 

Photo: Hannah Ballinger

LISTEN: “WHEN YOU CHANGE YOUR MIND”   

Today, award-winning Bay Area-based roots powerhouse AJ Lee and Blue Summit (“AJLBS”) released “When You Change Your Mind,” the new single from their forthcoming LP I’ll Come Back, due out August 20th. Of the band, Bluegrass Today said that “it is hard to argue with their success. Lee is part of the same class of [Youth In Bluegrass] artists that produced Molly Tuttle. In fact, AJ was a member of Molly’s family band for many years, performing as The Tuttles with AJ Lee when they were teens. Now heading up her own group, Lee is out front on lead vocals and mandolin, supported by Molly’s younger brother, Sullivan Tuttle, and Jesse Fichman on guitar, Jan Purat on fiddle, and Chad Bowen on bass,” they added. “Like many young performers, when Lee started her group in 2015 they began to experiment and push against the boundaries of what they had grown up playing, but in the end the grass calls them home.” 

Lee said the song is about drinking and thinking about “how you’ll never be deserving of someone who loves you because you’ll only hurt them in the end. You’ve also got your own issues and it’s too much trouble to explain yourself to someone else.” While AJLBS enjoys stretching their creative muscles, Lee reveals that they always come back to their favorite genre—bluegrass.  

“When You Change Your Mind” follows the release of “Lemons and Tangerines,” and “Magdalene,” of which Country Queer noted, “This band is good in the bluegrass way…they use their skill not to show off, but to build songs that are sturdy as houses, with plenty of room for guests, and ready for any weather.”  

LISTEN: “LEMONS AND TANGERINES”  

LISTEN: “MAGDALENE” 

Unlike their first record, which featured experimentation with session musicians and electric instruments, I’ll Come Back is a pure reflection of the live sound of the group, hearkening back to their acoustic roots. Each band member performs at their peak, and the variety of songs on the record caters to their broad fanbase. Certain tracks (“Put Your Head Down” and “Faithful”) fall more in the classic bluegrass realm of songwriting, while others (“Lemons and Tangerines” and “I’ll Come Back”) fall into that hard-to-define realm of acoustic Americana that blends mesmerizing lyricism and acoustic mastery.  

Although falling loosely under the bluegrass label, AJLBS generally plays sans banjo, using their configuration effectively to create unique space and texture in the arrangements not as commonly found in the music of their peers. Drawing from influences such as country, soul, swing, rock, and jam music, the band uses the lens of bluegrass as a vessel through which to express and explore the thread that binds and unifies all great music.  

TOUR DATES  

AUG 7 - The Independent @ 8:00pm - San Francisco, CA [ALBUM RELEASE SHOW]* 

AUG 13 - Caffe Lena @ 8:00pm - Saratoga Springs, NY 

AUG 14 - Podunk Bluegrass Festival 2021 @ 12:20pm - Goshen, CT 

AUG 15 - Hardeman Orchards @ 7:30pm - Red Hook, NY 

AUG 16 - Truro Vineyards @ 8:00pm - North Truro, MA 

AUG 18 - Watermelon Wednesdays @ 3:00pm - Williamsburg, MA 

AUG 18 Watermelon Wednesdays @ 7:30pm - Williamsburg, MA *SOLD OUT* 

AUG 19 - Music Hall @ 6:00pm - Portsmouth, NH 

AUG 19 - Music Hall @ 8:00pm - Portsmouth, NH 

AUG 20 - Mauch Chunk Opera House @ 8:00pm - Jim Thorpe, PA  

AUG 21 - Della Mae's Fam Fest @ 2:00pm - Round Hill, VA 

AUG 22 - Stages Music Arts @ 7:00pm - Cockeysville, MD 

AUG 26 - Casa Flamenca, Inc. @ 7:30pm - Albuquerque, NM 

AUG 27 - Wildwood Sounds @ 7:00pm - Del Norte, CO 

AUG 28 - Taos Center for the Arts @ 7:30pm - Taos, NM 

AUG 29 - Number Thirty Eight @ 8:00pm - Denver, CO 

AUG 30 - MainStage Brewing Company @ 6:00pm - Lyons, CO 

AUG 31 - Sherbino Theater @ 7:00pm - Ridgway, CO 

SEP 1 - Dolores River Brewery @ 7:00pm - Dolores, CO 

SEP 3 -  Four Corners Folk Festival 2021 @ 7:00pm - Pagosa Springs, CO 

SEP 10 - Sierra Meadows @ 7:30pm - Ahwahnee, CA 

SEP 11 - Black Oak Concert Series @ 7:00pm - Tuolumne, CA 

SEP 18 - Whale Rock Music Festival @ 7:00pm - Templeton, CA 

SEP 19  - Lodi Grape Festival Grounds @ 6:00pm - Lodi, CA 

SEP 24 - FreshGrass Festival 2021 @ 11:00am - North Adams, MA 

SEP 22-25 - AMERICANAFEST -  Nashville, TN 

OCT 1 - Sisters Folk Festival 2021 @ 12:00pm - Sisters, OR 

OCT 8 - McCabe’s Guitar Shop @ 8:00pm - Santa Monica, CA 

OCT 9 - Paramount Ranch @ 3:00pm - Agoura Hills, CA 

OCT 30 - Felton Music Hall @ 8:30pm - Felton, CA 

NOV 20 - Hopmonk Tavern @ 8:00pm - Novato, CA^ 

* w/ The Sam Chase Trio & The Coffis Brothers 

^w/ The Coffis Brothers 

CONNECT WITH AJ LEE AND BLUE SUMMIT:   

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || TWITTER || YOUTUBE || SPOTIFY    

NASHVILLE DUO HAUNTED LIKE HUMAN RELEASE FIRST SINGLE “STAY” ON 7/23 ALBUM TALL TALES & FABLES COMING OCTOBER 15, 2021

NASHVILLE DUO HAUNTED LIKE HUMAN RELEASE FIRST SINGLE “STAY” ON 7/23 

ALBUM TALL TALES & FABLES COMING OCTOBER 15, 2021

Photo Credit: Caroline Voisine

“STAY” LISTEN

NASHVILLE, TENN. - On their new record Tall Tales & Fables (out October 15), Nashville duo Haunted Like Human - Cody Clark (multi-instrumentalist and singer-songwriter) and Dale Chapman (lead singer, lyricist) - delve deeper into inspired songwriting, sparse arrangements, and, naturally, the frisson-inducing harmonies that marked their previous two releases. Despite the album’s title, these songs are honest, above all else. Real, tender, messy honesty.

Today, they premiere the first single “Stay,” that deploys vocal counterpoint to heighten the friction at the heart of the song.

“The stirring acoustic number puts mental health at the forefront, as they ride ravaged waters with grace and ease, alongside a peaceful melody of guitar and strings complementing their haunting, yet serene harmonies.” -AudioFemme

“These are some of my favorite harmonies that we’ve written,” says Chapman. The song deals with a relationship fractured by mental illness, and the harmonies tell both sides of the story. “It’s about looking your demons in the eye, laying all your cards on the table, and reckoning with the damage that’s been done. In the bridge, it’s all stripped down to two people pleading for the other to not give up on them, which I think is so uncomfortably honest and powerful,” Chapman says. Clark and Chapman sing against each other, an iteration of the tension created by the rushed murmur of Chapman’s delivery and refined strings.

“We put a ton of emphasis on storytelling in each of our songs. We tell our own stories, we tell other people’s stories, we tell stories that we’ve seen from touring,” says Cody Clark.  

Limned with nostalgia, soaked in Southern gothic lore, the duo meticulously assembles songs to preserve the spirit of the stories they tell.

With a background in poetry and prose, Dale Chapman’s granular focus on language is simpatico with Clark’s background in classical guitar.

ABOUT HAUNTED LIKE HUMAN:

Hoping to find collaborators who were serious about music, Clark drove from Oregon to Nashville in 2017. Within a couple days, he met Chapman at a coffee shop. She deduced that he was a lost tourist and struck up a conversation, leading to a cowriting session. Next thing they knew, Clark had relocated to Nashville and they were making their first album, Ghost Stories.  On the heels of that, they offered up their Folklore EP, featuring standout single “Feels Like Fire.” While that EP sought to channel the minimalist, intimate spirit of their live shows, Tall Tales & Fables is the next step in their maturation. Polished but not shiny, the album benefits from Mitch Dane’s production. Together with skilled string players, the album developed its own life while staying true to Clark and Chapman’s partnership, one built on literal and metaphorical voices.

 Tall Tales & Fables will be self-released on October 15, 2021.

“STAY” AVAILABLE 7/23

LISTEN

KEEP UP WITH HAUNTED LIKE HUMAN

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || TWITTER || INSTAGRAM || YOUTUBE || SPOTIFY

AJ LEE AND BLUE SUMMIT ANNOUNCE NEW LP I’LL COME BACK OUT ON AUGUST 20TH NEW SINGLE “LEMONS AND TANGERINES” OUT TODAY

 AJ LEE AND BLUE SUMMIT ANNOUNCE NEW LP 

 I’LL COME BACK OUT ON AUGUST 20TH 

NEW SINGLE “LEMONS AND TANGERINES” OUT TODAY 

LISTEN: “LEMONS AND TANGERINES”   

Today, award-winning Bay Area-based roots powerhouse AJ Lee and Blue Summit announce the upcoming release of their new LP I’ll Come Back, due out on August 20th. Today, the band unveils the latest track from the album, “Lemons and Tangerines,” inspired by a grafted lemon tree in Lee’s backyard. This single follows the release of “Magdalene,” which debuted in June. “This band is good in the bluegrass way,” said Country Queer in the premiere of “Magdalene,” adding, “they use their skill not to show off, but to build songs that are sturdy as houses, with plenty of room for guests, and ready for any weather.” 

LISTEN: “MAGDALENE”  

AJ Lee and Blue Summit made their first appearance in Santa Cruz in 2015. Led by singer, songwriter, and mandolinist, AJ Lee, the bluegrass band has performed all over the world, but found home in California’s Bay Area. In 2019, they released their debut album, Like I Used To.  

Unlike their first record, which featured experimentation with session musicians and electric instruments, I’ll Come Back is a pure reflection of the live sound of the group, hearkening back to their acoustic roots. Each band member performs at their peak, and the variety of songs on the record caters to their broad fanbase. Certain tracks (“Put Your Head Down” and “Faithful”) fall more in the classic bluegrass realm of songwriting, while others (“Lemons and Tangerines” and “I’ll Come Back”) fall into that hard-to-define realm of acoustic Americana that blends mesmerizing lyricism and acoustic mastery.  

Although falling loosely under the bluegrass label, AJLBS generally plays sans banjo, with Sullivan Tuttle and Jesse Fichman on steel stringed acoustic guitars, AJ on mandolin, Jan Purat on fiddle, and Chad Bowen on upright bass - a configuration effectively used to create unique space and texture in the arrangements not as commonly found in the music of their peers.  Drawing from influences such as country, soul, swing, rock, and jam music, the band uses the lens of bluegrass as a vessel through which to express and explore the thread that binds and unifies all great music. 

TOUR DATES  

AUG 7 - The Independent @ 8:00pm - San Francisco, CA [ALBUM RELEASE SHOW]* 

AUG 13 - Caffe Lena @ 8:00pm - Saratoga Springs, NY 

AUG 14 - Podunk Bluegrass Festival 2021 @ 12:20pm - Goshen, CT 

AUG 15 - Hardeman Orchards @ 7:30pm - Red Hook, NY 

AUG 16 - Truro Vineyards @ 8:00pm - North Truro, MA 

AUG 18 - Watermelon Wednesdays @ 3:00pm - Williamsburg, MA 

AUG 18 Watermelon Wednesdays @ 7:30pm - Williamsburg, MA *SOLD OUT* 

AUG 19 - Music Hall @ 6:00pm - Portsmouth, NH 

AUG 19 - Music Hall @ 8:00pm - Portsmouth, NH 

AUG 20 - Mauch Chunk Opera House @ 8:00pm - Jim Thorpe, PA  

AUG 21 - Della Mae's Fam Fest @ 2:00pm - Round Hill, VA 

AUG 22 - Stages Music Arts @ 7:00pm - Cockeysville, MD 

AUG 26 - Casa Flamenca, Inc. @ 7:30pm - Albuquerque, NM 

AUG 27 - Wildwood Sounds @ 7:00pm - Del Norte, CO 

AUG 28 - Taos Center for the Arts @ 7:30pm - Taos, NM 

AUG 29 - Number Thirty Eight @ 8:00pm - Denver, CO 

AUG 30 - MainStage Brewing Company @ 6:00pm - Lyons, CO 

AUG 31 - Sherbino Theater @ 7:00pm - Ridgway, CO 

SEP 1 - Dolores River Brewery @ 7:00pm - Dolores, CO 

SEP 3 -  Four Corners Folk Festival 2021 @ 7:00pm - Pagosa Springs, CO 

SEP 10 - Sierra Meadows @ 7:30pm - Ahwahnee, CA 

SEP 11 - Black Oak Concert Series @ 7:00pm - Tuolumne, CA 

SEP 18 - Whale Rock Music Festival @ 7:00pm - Templeton, CA, United States 

SEP 19  - Lodi Grape Festival Grounds @ 6:00pm - Lodi, CA 

SEP 24 - FreshGrass Festival 2021 @ 11:00am - North Adams, MA 

SEP 22-25 - AMERICANAFEST -  Nashville, TN 

OCT 1 - Sisters Folk Festival 2021 @ 12:00pm - Sisters, OR 

OCT 8 - McCabe’s Guitar Shop @ 8:00pm - Santa Monica, CA 

OCT 9 - Paramount Ranch @ 3:00pm - Agoura Hills, CA 

OCT 30 - Felton Music Hall @ 8:30pm - Felton, CA 

NOV 20 - Hopmonk Tavern @ 8:00pm - Novato, CA^  

* w/ The Sam Chase Trio & The Coffis Brothers 

^w/ The Coffis Brothers 

CONNECT WITH AJ LEE AND BLUE SUMMIT:   

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || TWITTER || YOUTUBE || SPOTIFY    

WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHY? & WEREWOLVES? PREMIERE VIDEO FOR “HARD FEELINGS” ON WXPN’S THE KEY

WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHY? & WEREWOLVES? PREMIERE VIDEO FOR

“HARD FEELINGS” ON WXPN’S THE KEY 

“Indie-folk duo Who? What? When? Why? & Werewolves balance a reverence for musical tradition with an irreverent sense of humor, and both of those worlds collide in their new music video for ‘Hard Feelings.’” – TheKey.xpn.org

Photo Credit: Jesse Gennett

“HARD FEELINGS” VIDEO || WATCH 

PHILADELPHIA, PA –  Philadelphia-based duo Andrew Fullerton (vocals, guitar) and Matt Orlando (vocals, banjo) - behind the quirky, punchy nügrass band Who? What? When? Why? & Werewolves? – find their full voice on the sophomore album Hard Feelings available 8/13/21.

Today, they release the video for the title track “Hard Feelings” about a weary, time-tested relationship with accompanying video directed by Big Howl (Nicole Atkins “Brokedown Luck” & “Mind Eraser”, Netflix’s Worn Stories). For the video, the Big Howl art department built the Andrew and Matt dummies from a YouTube tutorial and most of the dolls were sourced from co-director Paul Triggiani’s mom’s personal doll collection. 

“The Big Howl guys really understand the bizarre tenderness I try to convey in my songwriting,” says Andrew Fullerton. “Usually I send them the song and they say ‘how weird do you want to get’ and I just say ‘I trust you.’ You can tell from the story that the woman and her dummies go back away and their relationship has it’s up and downs as well.” 

The video comes on the heels of “Little In Love,” the second single released on 7/9.

“There’s a definite energy to the band Who? What? When? Why? & Werewolves, and the touch of banjo slowly building its way in to anchor [“Little In Love”] is a sweet touch. Enjoy the Americana sentiments of what’s sometimes known as the “6w” band. And really — who isn’t a little in love with everyone?” - Americana Highways

“…indicative of that easy folk approach, with a light, country tone that’s easy on the ears… a beautiful and wistful fiddle. You may be pursuing what you love, but there are residual effects of that, some of which are not always so positive on others.” – V13

The forthcoming album continues their subversive and often humorous approach to heavy subjects. “This record is about the difficult conversations we have with ourselves, our partners, and our friends and family” says Fullerton, “And also how do we have these conversations with empathy.”

“It’s just the two of us when we tour, so Andrew and I have these very deep, existential conversations about our lives, love, nihilism, music, and all these different things,” adds Orlando. “The songs were born from those conversations”

HARD FEELINGS || PRE-SAVE LINK

RELEASE DATE:  AUGUST 13, 2021

SINGLE  “QUITTIN'” || SPOTIFY || YOUTUBE

SINGLE “LITTLE IN LOVE'” || SPOTIFY || YOUTUBE

KEEP UP WITH WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHY? & WEREWOVES

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || YOUTUBE || BANDCAMP || SPOTIFY

WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHY? & WEREWOLVES? RELEASE SINGLE “LITTLE IN LOVE” TODAY NEW ALBUM HARD FEELINGS OUT 8/13/21

WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHY? & WEREWOLVES? RELEASE SINGLE

“LITTLE IN LOVE” TODAY

NEW ALBUM HARD FEELINGS OUT 8/13/21

 “There’s a definite energy to the band Who? What? When? Why? & Werewolves, and the touch of banjo slowly building its way in to anchor [“Little In Love”] is a sweet touch.” - Americana Highways

Photo Credit: Jesse Gennett

SINGLE “LITTLE IN LOVE'” OUT NOW || LISTEN 

Philadelphia-based duo Andrew Fullerton (vocals, guitar) and Matt Orlando (vocals, banjo) - behind the quirky, punchy nügrass band Who? What? When? Why? & Werewolves? – find their full voice on the sophomore album Hard Feelings available 8/13/21.

Today, they release the second single “Little In Love” where Fullerton negotiates with a friend about checking into rehab.

“There’s a definite energy to the band Who? What? When? Why? & Werewolves, and the touch of banjo slowly building its way in to anchor [“Little In Love”] is a sweet touch. Enjoy the Americana sentiments of what’s sometimes known as the “6w” band. And really — who isn’t a little in love with everyone?” - Americana Highways

The forthcoming album continues their subversive and often humorous approach to heavy subjects. “This record is about the difficult conversations we have with ourselves, our partners, and our friends and family” says Fullerton, “And also how do we have these conversations with empathy.”

“It’s just the two of us when we tour, so Andrew and I have these very deep, existential conversations about our lives, love, nihilism, music, and all these different things,” adds Orlando. “The songs were born from those conversations”

“…indicative of that easy folk approach, with a light, country tone that’s easy on the ears… a beautiful and wistful fiddle. You may be pursuing what you love, but there are residual effects of that, some of which are not always so positive on others.” – V13 

About Who? What? When? Why? & Werewolves?

Philadelphia’s Who? What? When? Why? & Werewolves? was born from a football injury and a Christmas gift.

In 2016, Matt Orlando, a drummer by trade, was hurt in a casual flag football game, rendering him unable to play his drums. He picked up a banjo to pass the time during his convalescence. Meanwhile, his friend and longtime collaborator Andrew Fullerton had recently been gifted a mandolin, which he was figuring out quickly.

The pair’s casual front porch jam sessions combined traditional folk and bluegrass tunes with stripped down versions of songs from Fullerton’s long-running alt country outfit The Tressels. To test their mettle (and dedication) they booked a show under the most ridiculous name they could think of.

“We didn’t think we’d make it this far” Orlando states honestly.

The 6W (as they shorthand themselves) released their debut record Greatest Hits in 2019. The record was called an “intense, emotional brand of indie-folk-bluegrass” by Americana Highways and the band was regularly labeled as “defiant” for their refusal to adhere to Folk and Bluegrass traditions. Their live show is a combination of intimate storytelling and self-deprecating humor ala Loudon Wainwright III or the Milk Carton Kids, which has endeared them to audiences as far apart as a South Philly anarchist punk house to the prestigious Folk Alliance International. 

HARD FEELINGS || PRE-SAVE LINK

RELEASE DATE:  AUGUST 13, 2021

“QUITTIN'” SINGLE OUT NOW || SPOTIFY OR YOUTUBE

 KEEP UP WITH WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHY? & WEREWOVES

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || YOUTUBE || BANDCAMP || SPOTIFY

MISS TESS RELEASES NEW SINGLE “REAL CHANGE”

MISS TESS RELEASES NEW SINGLE  “REAL CHANGE”

PROCEEDS TO BENEFIT SOCIAL JUSTICE NONPROFIT

GIDEON’S ARMY 

Captivating - Billboard

 Rooted in a retro groove that’s equal parts blues, mid-century rock & roll and Booker T-worthy R&B - Rolling Stone Country

 Old-time warmth, 21st-century sass. It’s a potent recipe for that few artists successfully pull off — and Miss Tess is one of them - No Depression 

 A voice that recalls artists such as Bonnie Raitt, Patsy Cline and Lindi Ortega - The Boot

 Soulful - Wide Open Country

LISTEN: “REAL CHANGE”

 Today, Nashville chanteuse Miss Tess released her brand new single, “Real Change.” The song was written with Maya de Vitry a month or two after the death of George Floyd. “The world was on fire,” recalls Miss. Tess. “Of all the sadness and loss already experienced through the onset of a global pandemic, I thought maybe it all happened for a reason. Most of our working systems came to a standstill for the first time in recent history, and the world had time to listen, watch, and react.”  

While the conversations are not new, people of all shapes and colors were and are willing to fight for accountability. “A lot of us have had the luxury of not knowing for a very long time. It’s much harder not to notice now, but it seems like you still never really understand until it happens to you or someone you love,” Miss Tess explains. “Our power and money-hungry machines are always waiting in the wings to push their agendas and keep us divided with their tools of racism, misogyny, and exploitation. ‘Divide and conquer’ as the old saying goes. The people must remember how much power they have. My goal is not to preach from some high pulpit but rather to spread a humble message of hope and unity. As we emerge from this dark pandemic cocoon may we continue practicing the power of love and awareness toward our fellow humans,” she continues. “The world will never be perfect, but we have to keep trying, and insisting that real change is possible."  

“Real Change” was co-produced by Miss Tess and Thomas Bryan Eaton (guitar), and also features Lindsay Lou and Rachael Davis (background vocals), John Pahmer (piano, organ), Rhees Williams (bass), and Dan Holmes (drums). Miss Tess will donate 100% of the song’s proceeds to Nashville racial justice nonprofit Gideon’s Army*, a community-based, grassroots organization that uses restorative justice programs to dismantle the school-to-prison pipeline through social activism by children, families, and the community. Click HERE to purchase “Real Change” or make a donation.

WATCH: “REAL CHANGE”

  When most people think of defiant music, they think of punk rock or outlaw country. But defying genres while transcending eras and resisting clichés is hard to pin down when it comes to artistry unless you're talking about Miss Tess, who does all of that and more. Swinging for the fences and from the branches of jazz, country, blues, and old school rock and roll, she employs all of her influences and talents while cleverly taking standard perspectives and ideas - like the definition of a love song - to task. From soulful swagger to jazz, blues, a little old school country, and even a touch of psychedelia, Miss Tess shows both the pluck and poise to fold a multitude of styles into her own. In early 2020, Miss Tess released her acclaimed LP The Moon Is An Ashtray, co-produced with Andrija Tockic and lauded by Billboard, Rolling Stone Country, No Depression. Wide Open Country, The Boot, and more. 

*ABOUT GIDEON’S ARMY: Gideon’s Army is a community-based, grassroots organization that works to design programs based on contemporary interpretations of the theory of restorative justice. As a locally-based organization with a long-term goal for state-wide expansion, Gideon’s Army is currently the only local organization in Nashville that focuses solely on dismantling the school-to-prison pipeline through social activism by children in the prison pipeline, their families, and their community. Utilizing research-based best practices combined with community outreach, Gideon’s Army builds its restorative justice programs based upon this information and uses program results to guide its policy work. Through intensive volunteer and community training as well as dialogue, we as a community lead and work together throughout the entire process. The organization uniquely emphasizes youth empowerment and community member leadership as well as direct interfacing with families, the juvenile courts, and the public school system. Gideon’s Army facilitators, mentors, and other volunteers are members of the North Nashville community who train fellow youth, educators, and others in continuing the process of educating. This training structure creates a positive cyclical pipeline based in restorative juice to combat the destructive effects of the school-to-prison pipeline.

TOUR DATES:

July 3 -  The Brick Church Social @ Farm Fresh Eggs - Nashville, TN*

July 8 - Purple Fiddle - Thomas, WV 

July 10 - Red Wing Roots Music Festival - Mount Solon, VA

July 15 - Colony - Woodstock. NY**

July 16 - Rose Hall - Cortland, NY**

July 17 - Abilene Bar & Lounge - Rochester, NY**

July 18 - Argyle Brewing Company - Cambridge, NY**

July 21 - The Barn - Egremont, MA**^

July 22 - Sunny’s - Brooklyn, NY**

July 23 - Americana In The Archway - Brooklyn, NY**

July 24 - Augusta Block Party Honky Tonk Dance - Elkins, WV

July 30 - The Burl - Lexington, KY^^

August 14 - East Nashville Tomato Art Fest - Nashville, TN

*w/ Thomas Bryan Eaton & Hobson's Choice, Kristina Murray, & Joshua Rilko

**duo w/ Thomas Bryan Eaton

^w/ Lydia Luce

^^w/ John R. Miller

CONNECT WITH MISS TESS

WEBSITE | FACEBOOK | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER | BANDCAMP | YOUTUBE | SPOTIFY

DEBUT ALBUM FROM LOS ANGELES SINGER/SONGWRITER JOE BOURDET MEADOW ROCK OUT NOW

DEBUT ALBUM FROM LOS ANGELES

SINGER/SONGWRITER JOE BOURDET

MEADOW ROCK OUT NOW 

“Beyond the stirring melodies and lyrics of Bourdet’s songs, what imbues Meadow Rock with its resonant, layered vibe is that every note on the album (in true 1970s classic rock style) was played on a genuine instrument… Meadow Rock embodies that untamed and creative spirit.” – Golden State

Photo Credit: Sara Ross Samko

MEADOW ROCK ALBUM || LISTEN

“EL CAPITAN” VIDEO || WATCH

Los Angeles singer/songwriter Joe Bourdet “writes in dreamscape throwback 70s folk styles, and splendid high-end electric guitar solos abound…of nostalgia.” (- Americana Highways ) on his debut album Meadow Rock (out now).

The nine-song set inspired by our natural surroundings of California – including the mountain ranges throughout.  

 “El Capitan” is about the Yosemite Valley and the Sierras, where “the protagonist senses deeper metaphysical vibrations amid memories of past visits with loved ones.” “Amongst The Pines” was written on an evening drive up Mount Baldy in the San Gabriel Mountains. “The arrangement is somewhat in tribute to a Gordon Lightfoot or Ozark Mountain Daredevils style production,” explains Joe. The accompanying video is comprised of footage shot by Joe and Dave Baine (who plays mandolin on the track) on a 9-day backpacking trip in the High Sierra trails. 

And  “Lost Along The Way” co-written with Alana Amram is a semi-autobiographical song is “loosely based on breaking down in my Datsun 240z on the Pacific Coast Highway very late night near El Capitan State Beach,” explains Joe.

BUZZ FOR MEADOW ROCK

 “Amongst The Pines” leans heavily into its serene nature setting, placing the listener in the untarnished natural beauty of its titular pines. Fittingly, the instrumentation is similarly pastoral, carrying rich acoustic tones as Bourdet’s vocals recall vintage Americana and singer/songwriter heroes. Though the record is a studio creation it instead feels refreshingly authentic, as if you’ve joined Bourdet and company around the campfire as they tribute peaceful alpine passages.” – Under The Radar

 “Over spacious drums and a 60s folk-inspired sound… backing harmonies add an ethereal touch reminiscent of Peter, Paul and Mary or the Mamas & the Papas. It’s a dreamy soundscape of a song that embraces the beauty of life’s surprising turns. Sometimes you get lost and it’s best to lean into it.” – Holler Country

 “Giving a nod to 70s folk-rock and singer-songwriters of that era, Bourdet puts his own signature spin on the music explaining that the sound is more “Topanga Canyon” than the widely known sound of LA’s Laurel Canyon.” – Turnstyled Junkpiled

“…an homage to the soft, singer-songwriter pop-rock of the mid-to-late ‘70s close your eyes and dream of the simpler life before technology invaded every corner of our lives on the nine well-crafted tracks” – The Big Takeover

“Joe Bourdet provides some high-end lead guitar tone that is endearing alongside his mellow vocal style on this debut [Meadow Rock]…. For young ears, this music may be too sublime. To older nostalgive ears its singer-songwriter heaven with poignancy, good takes, tight musicianship & melodies – more homegrown & organic in nature.” – Americana Highways

“…an album dripping with soft acoustic guitars, divine slide and pedal steel, and vocal harmonies to die for.” – At The Barrier

ABOUT JOE BOURDET

Highway 49 is called the golden chain highway and connects numerous tiny hamlets as it weaves through the river canyons of the California gold country. This is the area where Joe Bourdet spent his youth, and it provided the formative images which inspired the music of his debut album Meadow Rock.

Having had the good fortune to be born into a musical family, his uncle, Mike Bonnington, and San Francisco jazz musician Jack Minger set the example that music life, though it “ain’t no good life”, in fact was possible. Since picking up guitar in high school, Bourdet’s musical world has grown into a host of technical and artistic areas. He repairs, restores, modifies, and occasionally even builds his instruments and recording equipment. He operates his own home studio which he describes as a “project studio PLUS”. Having also accrued a handful of sometimes white-knuckle experiences as an audio engineer in music and film productions, Bourdet was able to engineer, mix, and produce his own debut album. Even if, as he is quick to point out, he did so with more than a little help from his friends, and indeed also from some of the top professional technicians in music.

Musically, Bourdet plays various guitar styles, including slide, and occasionally bass. He sings with a neutral singer-songwriter flare, and considers himself merely an “enthusiast” as a keyboardist. In addition to writing or co-writing most of the compositions on his debut, he also built the song arrangements up via careful overdubbing. It’s a process he likens to an obsessive Steely Dan style discipline, with the exception that tempo drifts and imperfect/ naturalistic sounds were generally embraced.  

MEADOW ROCK || OUT NOW

KEEP UP WITH JOE BOURDET

WEBSITE || INSTAGRAM || FACEBOOK || BANDCAMP || YOUTUBE

ROSS COOPER ANNOUNCES MAY & JUNE U.S. TOUR DATES IN TEXAS AND MIDWEST

ROSS COOPER ANNOUNCES MAY & JUNE U.S. TOUR DATES

IN TEXAS AND MIDWEST

“ARTIST OF THE WEEK” – HOLLER COUNTRY (5/21/21)

“CHASING OLD HIGHS” VIDEO || WATCH STREAM

NASHVILLE, TENN. - Nashville-based, Texas-raised Americana artist Ross Cooper is touring to support his new release Chasing Old Highs throughout Texas and the Midwest in May and June. Today, he is featured as the “Artist of the Week” on Holler Country who featured the acoustic performance video of the title track ‘Chasing Old Highs”.

“…from the perspective of a rodeo champion, one who can’t keep up with the physical demands of the sport. He recorded a special acoustic version with his dog Jack sitting by his side – well, at least through the first verse. Pups buck to their own time, too.” – Holler Country

With a style akin to Robert Earl Keen and Townes Van Zandt, and tempered by a Springsteen-style spirit of the lost road, for Ross Cooper, songwriting has always been about painting those kind of very real pictures, capturing the moment the hill country fades into dirt and desert, or the moment a career turns from hope to despair. The 11-track record walks that dusty line between Texas and Tennessee, cactuses and river, atmosphere and emotion. It’s in a space all its own announcing a different kind of modern songwriter, one that’s not afraid to smile at the past.

BUZZ

“Cooper’s voice is defiant and haunting as he praises the resilience of his neighbors, who never met a devil they couldn’t tame. ‘It feels like home in a hell,’ the former bronc rider sings of his gritty stomping grounds, ‘but we’re still here, south of the angels.’” – Rolling Stone Country Music Pick for “South of the Angels” 

“Ross Cooper is putting his faith in the universe and trying to put his worries out of his mind on his new song ‘Freewheelin’ Feelin’”. – The Boot 

“…with a dose of promise and positivity…[“Hello Sunshine”] inspired by the feeling of waking up on a good day…” – American Songwriter

U.S. TOUR DATES

MAY 21 / DALLAS, TX @ The Rustic
MAY 22 / HOUSTON, TX @ The Rustic
MAY 25 / NASHVILLE, TN @ The New Lows Residency

JUNE 4 / AMARILLO, TX @ Live at Hoots

JUNE 5 / LUBBOCK, TX @ CottonFest 2021

JUNE 10 / SPRINGFIELD, MO @ Live at Southbound

JUNE 11 / ARKANSAS CITY, KS @ Burford Theater with Ned Ledoux

JUNE 12 / WATERLOO, NE @ Live at Bucks

CHASING OLD HIGHS OUT NOW || STREAM

RELEASE DATE:  FEBRUARY 26, 2021

KEEP UP WITH ROSS COOPER

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || TWITTER || SPOTIFY 

WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHY? & WEREWOLVES? RETURN WITH SOPHOMORE ALBUM HARD FEELINGS OUT 8/13/21 FIRST SINGLE “QUITTIN'” OUT TODAY

WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHY? & WEREWOLVES? RETURN WITH SOPHOMORE ALBUM

HARD FEELINGS OUT 8/13/21

FIRST SINGLE “QUITTIN'” OUT TODAY

“Humour and heavy subjects… combined with an easy folk sound and glowing harmonies, the group has really found their footing on their latest record Hard Feelings.” - V13 

Photo Credit: Jesse Gennett

Since forming Who? What? When? Why? & Werewolves?, the duo of Andrew Fullerton (Vocals, Guitar) and Matt Orlando (Vocals, Banjo) have stood out from the pack thanks to their subversive and often humorous approach to heavy subjects. Paired with an easy folk sound and sparkling harmonies, Fullerton and Orlando find their full voice on their new album Hard Feelings available 8/13/21.

“This record is about the difficult conversations we have with ourselves, our partners, and our friends and family” says Fullerton, “And also how do we have these conversations with empathy”

The lead single (out today) “Quittin’” is about the cost of following your dreams and the effect it has on your partner.

“…indicative of that easy folk approach, with a light, country tone that’s easy on the ears… a beautiful and wistful fiddle. You may be pursuing what you love, but there are residual effects of that, some of which are not always so positive on others.” – V13

Says Fullerton of the track: “We went out to LA to do a show and I remember calling my wife saying how beautiful it was there, and she had a particularly rough night at work and was just not feeling it. Our spouses are left holding the bag a lot when we go on tour so this song was my attempt at a please-forgive-me type country song”

The sentiment is reinforced by Orlando’s high & lonesome vocal harmony and a plaintive fiddle part played by Amy Alvey of Golden Shoals, who recorded remotely from her home in Nashville.

Elsewhere on the record Fullerton negotiates with a friend about checking into rehab on “Little in Love”, intervenes on family politics on “Death Wish”, analyzes a road-weary relationship on the title track “Hard Feelings” and dissects his own masculinity on “Fancy Boy” 

“It’s just the two of us when we tour, so Andrew and I have these very deep, existential conversations about our lives, love, nihilism, music, and all these different things,” says Orlando. “The songs were born from those conversations”

Singer/Songwriter John Gleason of the band Roadside Graves says about the record:
“Hard Feelings swings distinctly between foot stomps and laments, weariness and regrets, rejoice and forgiveness. The songs are earnest reflections of how well we can digest, process, and forgive past transgressions against us. Yea, time may heal, but recollection surely helps. Especially if we are eager to prevent the familiar cycle from repeating before realizing too late we were just more of the same. The circle can be broken. But, it’s not easy. We have music to help us on our way.”

About Who? What? When? Why? & Werewolves?

Philadelphia’s Who? What? When? Why? & Werewolves? was born from a football injury and a Christmas gift.

In 2016, Matt Orlando, a drummer by trade, was hurt in a casual flag football game, rendering him unable to play his drums. He picked up a banjo to pass the time during his convalescence. Meanwhile, his friend and longtime collaborator Andrew Fullerton had recently been gifted a mandolin, which he was figuring out quickly.

The pair’s casual front porch jam sessions combined traditional folk and bluegrass tunes with stripped down versions of songs from Fullerton’s long-running alt country outfit The Tressels. To test their mettle (and dedication) they booked a show under the most ridiculous name they could think of.

“We didn’t think we’d make it this far” Orlando states honestly.

The 6W (as they shorthand themselves) released their debut record Greatest Hits in 2019. The record was called an “intense, emotional brand of indie-folk-bluegrass” by Americana Highways and the band was regularly labeled as “defiant” for their refusal to adhere to Folk and Bluegrass traditions. Their live show is a combination of intimate storytelling and self-deprecating humor ala Loudon Wainwright III or the Milk Carton Kids, which has endeared them to audiences as far apart as a South Philly anarchist punk house to the prestigious Folk Alliance International.

HARD FEELINGS || PRE-SAVE LINK

RELEASE DATE:  AUGUST 13, 2021

“QUITTIN'” SINGLE OUT NOW || SPOTIFY OR YOUTUBE

KEEP UP WITH WHO? WHAT? WHEN? WHY? & WEREWOVES

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || YOUTUBE || BANDCAMP || SPOTIFY

ANNIE KEATING RELEASES NEW SINGLE “NOBODY KNOWS” NEW LP BRISTOL COUNTY TIDES OUT ON JUNE 4TH

ANNIE KEATING RELEASES NEW SINGLE  

“NOBODY KNOWS” 

NEW LP BRISTOL COUNTY TIDES OUT ON JUNE 4TH  

Her songs are flush with emotion—not the phony sentiments some artists stir into the mix simply to elicit sympathy but rather a grit and determination that’s clearly accompanied by actual experience…It’s a decidedly affecting effort, one which resonates throughout and lingers even longer - American Songwriter   

Annie Keating has gritty husky vocals that lend instant credibility to anything she sings. Her songwriting is deep and heavy hitting - Americana Highways   

The consummate light and shade in the way Annie has constructed and helped produce these songs…there’s a lot to appreciate here; but most of all Bristol County Tides is an album from an artist at the top of her game - The Rocking Magpie 

An excellent album of superb stories vividly told - Americana-UK 

Keating has historically been compared to the likes of country legends Emmylou Harris and Willie Nelson, but she stands alone in the gritty emotional resonance of this song.  Kindred Spirit is a song of both the past and the present, one that fiercely examines how old pain can cultivate new connection. And if it’s any indication of what Keating has to come in Bristol County Tides then we should all pay close attention - Two Story Melody 

Photo: Ehud Lazin

STREAM “NOBODY KNOWS” 

SPOTIFY // SOUNDCLOUD   

Brooklyn-based artist Annie Keating has released “Nobody Knows,” the latest single from her forthcoming album Bristol County Tides, due out on June 4th. In this timely track, Keating sings, "One thing that’s for sure, nothing’s guaranteed. Life’s a ride into uncertainty.” Like millions of us across the globe, Keating found herself grappling with the uncertainty during the early pandemic days.  

“On a personal level, the song explores ways the past can affect and impact the present,” she explains. “The lyrics 'There’s a little box locked in my chest, a vestige of an untapped past, I tried to put you in that little box too but it broke apart like a skin outgrew, the past I buried deep beneath rattled like a ghost in me' explore the power of our tapped (and untapped) pasts, the ways we try to put uncomfortable feelings away but ultimately can’t bury what needs to be reckoned with,” she continues. “Truth has a way of surfacing."  

“Nobody Knows” follows the release of single “Kindred Spirit,” a song that pays tribute to those with whom one finds a deep and instant connection with echoes of both the past and present. “During the pandemic, I left the city and relocated to coastal Massachusetts. There, I was lucky to meet such a person, who showed us kindness and connection in a time of isolation. He, along with newfound friends on Third Street (the first track off the album), took us in, teaching me and my son about river and the tides. I bought a boat and learned to navigate it through the channels where the fresh water meets the salty sea. My dog learned to swim, my boy learned to fish, and the city girl in me entirely gave way to the country, captivated by the river and the tides high and low. The human connections born out of pandemic time of isolation combined with the beauty of the Bristol County tides inspired this song.  We found joy in times of pandemic hardship and uncertainty through the power of human connection.”  

STREAM “KINDRED SPIRIT”    

Lucinda Williams. John Prine. Bob Dylan. Allison Krauss. Willie Nelson. Johnny Cash. Bonnie Raitt. Emmylou Harris. Patty Griffin. This is a short list of the musicians Keating has been compared to over the last 15 years. She writes and sings like a woman who knows deep down that heartache is the price of hope, and she can make us believe—in that way that only the best artists can—that all of it is worth the cost. She's shared the bill with the likes of John Hiatt and Bon Iver, toured internationally many times in a dozen countries, and now, launches this 15-song tour de force—an epic pandemic story of awakening and inspiration that shows this veteran artist at the peak of her powers. On this, her eighth full length album, Keating delivers songwriting in its most honest, vulnerable, beautiful form.  

Bristol County Tides, produced by Teddy Kumpel, is Keating's most accomplished, inspired, and ambitious work to date. The inspiration for all songs was born there, amidst the rising and falling tides in an idyllic farm to coast New England town, where deep connections were forged amidst times of isolation. Taking us on a journey from Brooklyn to the coast, the river to the sea, an artist awakened delivers 15 beautiful, tender songs that capture a heart slowly lit up on the inside, and feel as true as the tides themselves. Keating is a gifted storyteller who can evoke a joyful summer afternoon one moment, and break your heart open the next.   

Bristol County Tides is available for pre-order at iTunes, Amazon Music, and at Annie Keating's website.    

CONNECT WITH ANNIE KEATING:   

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || TWITTER || BANDCAMP || YOUTUBE || SPOTIFY   

ANNIE KEATING RELEASES SINGLE “KINDRED SPIRIT” VIA AMERICANA HIGHWAYS

ANNIE KEATING RELEASES SINGLE “KINDRED SPIRIT”

VIA AMERICANA HIGHWAYS

NEW LP BRISTOL COUNTY TIDES OUT ON JUNE 4TH

A cross between Willie Nelson and John Prine and you don't get any better than that - The Village Voice

Country-rock, with a renegade bite - LA Weekly

Honest, refreshing -  New York Post

Keating navigates the Americana environs inhabited by Emmylou Harris, Patty Griffin and Lucinda Williams, and proves she’s every bit their equal -  No Depression

It is accomplished and inspired. It feels universal and deeply personal at the same time. It is an evocative story of love, loss and finding what matters most in uncertain times  - The Spirit Of Progressive Rock

Keating writes and sings like a woman who knows deep down that heartache is the price of hope, and she makes us believe that all of it is worth the cost - Bluestown Music

An album of depth and sincerity, passionate, fearless, and one that flows superbly. Annie Keating’s Bristol County Tides is a marvelous, enjoyable piece of artistry - Liverpool Sound and Vision   

 Photo: Ehud Lazin 

STREAM “KINDRED SPIRIT”

SPOTIFY // SOUNDCLOUD 

Brooklyn-based artist Annie Keating has unveiled her brand new single “Kindred Spirit” from her forthcoming album Bristol County Tides, set for release on June 4th. “This is a heavy hitting, genuine love song, the sultry husky kind that gives you renewed hope after you’ve resolved there’s none,” says Americana Highways. “Annie Keating has gritty husky vocals that lend instant credibility to anything she sings. Her songwriting is deep and heavy hitting, and the production and arrangement is bright, without anyone stepping on anyone else’s toes.”

“Rarely in life, one comes across a kindred spirit – a person with whom one finds a deep and instant connection with echoes of both the past and present,” Keating explains of the song’s inspiration. “During the pandemic, I left the city and relocated to coastal Massachusetts. There, I was lucky to meet such a person, who showed us kindness and connection in a time of isolation. He taught me and my kids about the tides, I got a boat and he showed us up the river, while my dog learned to swim and my boy learned to fish. We found joy in times of pandemic hardship and uncertainty through the power of human connection. This song is about that connection.”  

Lucinda Williams. John Prine. Bob Dylan. Allison Krauss. Willie Nelson. Johnny Cash. Bonnie Raitt. Emmylou Harris. Patty Griffin. This is a short list of the musicians Keating has been compared to over the last 15 years. She writes and sings like a woman who knows deep down that heartache is the price of hope, and she can make us believe—in that way that only the best artists can—that all of it is worth the cost. She's shared the bill with the likes of John Hiatt and Bon Iver, toured internationally many times in a dozen countries, and now, launches this 15-song tour de force—an epic pandemic story of awakening and inspiration that shows this veteran artist at the peak of her powers. On this, her eighth full length album, Keating delivers songwriting in its most honest, vulnerable, beautiful form.

Bristol County Tides, produced by Teddy Kumpel, is Keating's most accomplished, inspired, and ambitious work to date. The inspiration for all songs was born there, amidst the rising and falling tides in an idyllic farm to coast New England town, where deep connections were forged amidst times of isolation. Taking us on a journey from Brooklyn to the coast, the river to the sea, an artist awakened delivers 15 beautiful, tender songs that capture a heart slowly lit up on the inside, and feel as true as the tides themselves. Keating is a gifted storyteller who can evoke a joyful summer afternoon one moment, and break your heart open the next. 

Bristol County Tides is available for pre-order at iTunes, Amazon Music, and at Annie Keating's website. 

BRISTOL COUNTY TIDES TRACK LIST 

THIRD STREET

KINDRED SPIRIT

MARIGOLD

NOBODY KNOWS

BLUE MOON TIDE

HALF MAST

HIGH TIDE

KINDNESS

HANK’S SALOON

SONG FOR A FRIEND

DORIS

BITTERSWEET

LUCKY 13

SHADES OF BLUE

GOODBYE 

CONNECT WITH ANNIE KEATING:  

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || TWITTER || BANDCAMP || YOUTUBE || SPOTIFY

MELISSA CARPER PREMIERES NEW SINGLE “BACK WHEN (ft. SIERRA FERRELL)” VIA WIDE OPEN COUNTRY NEW LP DADDY’S COUNTRY GOLD OUT ON MARCH 19

  MELISSA CARPER PREMIERES NEW SINGLE  

“BACK WHEN (ft. SIERRA FERRELL)” VIA WIDE OPEN COUNTRY   

NEW LP DADDY’S COUNTRY GOLD OUT ON MARCH 19 

Yearning, stone cold country - Wide Open Country 

Singer-bassist Melissa Carper sounds like a voice from a bygone era...Evoking the cool, smoky croon of a lounge singer, Carper gives some winking commentary about having a good time. - Rolling Stone Country 

Daddy’s County Gold stays light on its feet, and Carper sings with ease...Carper is a first-rate songwriter, as her new music demonstrates.”- Nashville Scene 

A new batch of songs from Melissa Carper is something to smile and rub your hands together about like waiting for permission to cut into an apple pie. - Saving Country Music  

Captivating and authentic vintage country - Glide Magazine  

As a dish cooked up with the spice of many talented hands, there rightfully should be a line out the door to sample this new album by Melissa Carper…it’ll meet all your expectations for a classic country music with a dose of carefree humor.  -  Americana Highways  

Melissa Carper is a talented singer-songwriter and upright bass player who is worth our intention - Americana-UK  

There’s something so absolutely refreshing about straightforward, old-fashioned playing. An homage at points, but very much of Carper’s sound…the right amount of rascally sweetness of a country night out. - Country Queer  

Photo: Aisha Golliher

LISTEN: “BACK WHEN”   

Singer/songwriter and upright bassist Melissa Carper has unveiled her newest single “Back When (ft. Sierra Ferrell),” a track from her forthcoming album Daddy’s Country Gold, set for release on March 19th. "A lot of my songs are based on my real life experiences and with 'Back When' every single word of that was lived and true," Carper told Wide Open Country in the song’s premiere. "I started writing it a bit after a breakup while longing for the relationship I once had with someone--that is, the beginning of the relationship when we were in love and everything was wonderful.  It was written with a hopeful desire that things could be as they once were, and though that never happened, I feel like this song does have that hopeful air that maybe 'back when' could happen again, for any relationship that has lost that spark.” “Back When” follows singles “I Almost Forgot About You” and “Makin’ Memories.”  

WATCH // LISTEN: “I ALMOST FORGOT ABOUT YOU”  

 WATCH // LISTEN: “MAKIN’ MEMORIES” 

Carper’s refreshingly unique style calls to mind greats like Kitty Wells, Billie Holiday, and Loretta Lynn, beautifully conveyed in the grooves of the album’s 12 sparkling gems. Carper enlisted fellow bassist Dennis Crouch (The Time Jumpers) and producer/engineer Andrija Tokic (Alabama Shakes, Margo Price) to co-produce the album and bring her dream to life. Recorded live to tape at Tokic’s analog studio wonderland The Bomb Shelter in Nashville, the album features Crouch (bass), Chris Scruggs (guitar, steel guitar), Jeff Taylor (piano, organ, accordion), Matty Meyer (drums, percussion), Billy Contreras (fiddle), with guest appearances from Brennen Leigh, Sierra Ferrell, and legendary pedal steel maestro Lloyd Green. 

As a child, Carper, who acquired the nickname “Daddy” years ago from her bandmates for always knowing how to “take care of ‘bidness’,” would lay her head underneath the family record player as she listened to Hank Williams, Patsy Cline, Johnny Cash, and other greats from her parents’ collection. After a childhood spent in her family’s country band, Carper attended the University of Nebraska on a music scholarship, spending much of her time in the library devouring every Billie Holiday, Ella Fitzgerald, Frank Sinatra, and Nat King Cole album she could find. Around this time, Carper’s father gifted her a full collection of Jimmie Rodgers’ recordings, which was a pivotal moment in finding her unique style of songcraft.  

The wayfaring Carper soon found herself in the historic town of Eureka Springs, Arkansas, where she saw street performers for the first time. Busking seemed a very free and appealing endeavor, so Carper diligently learned all the old country songs she loved as a child. She soon relocated to music hubs like New Orleans, New York City, Austin, and eventually Nashville, oftentimes busking to make ends meet until gigs would come along. On the way, she founded award-winning bands like power trio The Carper Family, playing festivals and gigs across the globe, and on shows like “A Prairie Home Companion.” Carper also holds a spot in award-winning Arkansas foursome Sad Daddy, and founded roots duo Buffalo Gals with Sad Daddy bandmate and girlfriend Rebecca Patek.   

Her forthcoming solo record Daddy’s Country Gold is just that - 12 glittering Carper originals of the country, western swing, and jazz variety. From the first notes of album opener “Makin’ Memories,” to the whimsical “Would You Like To Get Some Goats,” and the heart-wrenching tenderness of album closer “The Stars Are Aligned,” this lifetime of work, experience, and wanderlust culminates in a beautiful portrait of heartfelt music, written by a road-lovin’ gal who has lived these songs and spent her life playing music for folks that still love the real thing. 

Be sure to catch Melissa Carper perform live on Facebook every Monday night at 6:00 pm CST, which is streamed HERE. 

CONNECT WITH MELISSA CARPER:   

WEBSITE || FACEBOOK || INSTAGRAM || BANDCAMP || YOUTUBE || SPOTIFY   

AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY ARTIST ANGUS GILL DUETS WITH STEVE EARLE ON SINGLE “THE NEW OLD ME” PREMIERING TODAY ON GLIDE MAGAZINE

AUSTRALIAN COUNTRY ARTIST ANGUS GILL

DUETS WITH STEVE EARLE ON SINGLE

“THE NEW OLD ME”

PREMIERING TODAY ON GLIDE MAGAZINE 

Teams With Members of Paul Kelly’s Band for

New Album 3 Minute Movie Due 10/16 

LISTEN TO "THE NEW OLD ME" (FEAT. STEVE EARLE) 

PORT MACQUARIE, AUSTRALIA. – Australian "Golden Guitar" nominated artist Angus Gill struck up an unlikely friendship several years ago with Steve Earle. For his new single “The New Old Me” (out 9/18), Angus tapped into his friendship with Earle who has always offered him sage advice to follow your own path, and not get caught up in people’s expectations.

“…a swaggering blast of a bygone whirl of bluesy Country that possesses a road-house rhythm snap. Call it Autraliacana, or whatever you may will but Gill aged voice reminds listeners of young oldsters like Colter Wall and Cody Jinks. It doesn’t hurt to have a Mr. Steve Earle singing harmonies either!”- Glide Magazine

 “‘The New Old Me’ is a classic master vs apprentice duet,” explains Angus. “I was staying with my mate Allan Caswell up in the Blue Mountains and I brought out this hook I had in my scrapbook and we started writing to this outlaw Country feel. In my opinion, Allan and Steve share many similarities, from the fact that they are both revered songwriters, to the length of their beards. I’ve looked up to them both and have learn’t a lot from them.”

One his latest project Angus Gill & Seasons of Change, the Southern Stars award winner teams up with the members of Paul Kelly’s band for an edgy genre busting record 3 Minute Movies, featuring Peter ‘Lucky’ Luscombe on drums, Bill McDonald on bass, Cameron Bruce on piano, Fender Rhodes and Hammond B3 organ, Dan Kelly and Ashley Naylor on electric guitars. Mutual friend, alt-country legend Steve Earle, introduced Gill to the band back in 2017 and is featured on outlaw Country duet “The New Old Me”.

The 11-track album begins and ends in the Farfisa powered title track “3 Minute Movie,” which serves as a skeleton for the record. “I’m a very visual songwriter, I’m always searching for those seemingly small details, which in fact paint a much bigger picture. I realised that a majority of the material we tracked for this album were character and narrative driven songs, with a beginning, middle and an end…essentially 3 Minute Movies,” says Gill.

Gill recalls “I can still remember my Mother’s face/When I took that shaver to my saving grace” in the bildungsroman “Coming of Age,” written with songwriter Bob DiPiero.

The ‘Bonnie & Clyde anomaly’ “Daylight Robbery” is a collaboration with Australian rock legend Mark Lizotte (Diesel), who provides acoustic and electric guitars, backing vocals, mandolin and other stringed flourishes on the track. The bagpipes make a prominent return to rock music in “Skin Story” and a horn section makes an appearance in the ‘side-street labyrinth’ “Acquainted With The Night,” which grapples with mortality. The anthemic “Hey Underdog,” co-written with Hall of Fame Songwriter Jeffrey Steele, Grammy winning Vicky McGehee and Providence David, features the Beatles inspired ‘guitar into a Leslie speaker’ sound.

From humble beginnings as a 10-year old entertaining crowds at a popular heritage theme park in his hometown of Wauchope, to opening for the legendary Kris Kristofferson and becoming one of the youngest Australians to perform on the Grand Ole Opry in Nashville Tennessee, this small town NSW born ‘old soul’ is quickly gaining a strong reputation for his formidable song craft, distinctive vocals and rock solid work ethic.

KEEP UP WITH ANGUS GILL

Website | Twitter | Facebook | Instagram | YouTube | Spotify |

IZZY HELTAI SHARES NEW SINGLE “SONGBIRD” VIA AMERICANA HIGHWAYS

IZZY HELTAI SHARES NEW SINGLE  

“SONGBIRD” VIA AMERICANA HIGHWAYS  

 DEBUT LP FATHER 

SET FOR RELEASE OCTOBER 9TH 

Photo: Joanna Chattman

LISTEN: “SONGBIRD” 

Massachusetts-based singer/songwriter Izzy Heltai has shared “Songbird,” the second single from his forthcoming debut full-length album Father, due out October 9th. "I spend a lot of my time on the road, playing wherever anyone might listen to me. Whether or not this is the most strategic move for my career is yet to be determined, but I can say I have a lot of fun,” Heltai explains of the song’s inspiration. “I end up sleeping in my car a decent amount and am no stranger to the luxuries a Walmart parking lot can offer when on the road. I was in Pittsburgh one night in early June. At this point, I’d been touring for about a month and a half and was pretty drained. As a rule of thumb, many of us road trippers, car campers, or just plain ole’ masochists know that it’s Walmart’s common practice to allow overnight parking for the purposes of a good night's rest. This was the night I learned it’s apparently not a nationwide policy. Thankfully, the security guard who found me, cozied up in my sleeping bag, half-awake and reading a book by flashlight, took pity on me and gently encouraged me, while profusely apologizing, to try the abandoned parking lot adjacent to the one I was currently in. I thanked her and went on my way,” he recalls. I woke up the next morning with this melody in my head. The lyrics came pretty quickly, and after about an hour this song came into existence." 

“Izzy Heltai has the contemporary indie folk vibe nailed down perfectly,” Americana Highways said in the premiere. “With a song that has both widespread appeal on the pop edge and layers of musicality, ‘Songbird’ is one not to be missed. Here’s to sleeping in our cars.” “Songbird” follows the release of lead single “The Stranger You’ve Become,” a compelling track about betrayal.  

LISTEN: “THE STRANGER YOU’VE BECOME”  

With brutal honesty towards himself and forgiveness for those around him, Izzy Heltai’s music walks the elusive line between confessional and relatable. On his debut album Father, Heltai dives deep into his fascination with human relationships, and specifically the way that those relationships change and reorganize themselves over time.    

Heltai sees his own coming of age reflected in the album, which includes songs written over the past four years. “Finding myself as an adult has largely been about how the people who have always been there for me can fit into my life in a new way,” he explains. 

On the album’s opening track “To Talk About Yourself,” Heltai, who is trans, looks back at the way society fixates on his identity as the only story that he has to tell. “Being trans is a part of me that is worth talking about” he says. “It’s a really cool thing that happened in my life, and informed a lot of how I see the world and how I know myself, and how I reflect on things… but as a marginalized individual, there comes a point where you feel commodified and exploited for your identity, and I’ve always had a fear, as an artist with many stories to tell, that my being trans is the only aspect of my work that people would take interest in.”  

Throughout the record, Heltai braves the exploration of not only interpersonal and societal relationships but also his own relationship to himself, and reckons with the ways that periods of depression have caused him to abandon those he loves.  The production is raw and full, with subtle harmonies and guitar lines weaving their way unexpectedly through the mix almost as if they were grown in the song. There is no sign of musical overthought, allowing Heltai’s emotional vocals to shine organically.     

At a time when any conversation with a stranger can quickly become a sociopolitical battle, Heltai’s introspective and thought out songs are a breath of fresh air. With an overwhelming empathy for humanity, and willingness to search for personal responsibility, Heltai’s Father will not leave your heart or your ears unchanged.  

CONNECT WITH IZZY HELTAI: 

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