Tag Archives: americana music association

Valerie June – Pushin’ Against A Stone

Posted on June 19, 2013 by ChuckDauphin
Every now and then, you hear an artist that makes the word special seem like such an understatement. West Tennessee native Valerie June is such an artist. There’s really nobody to compare her to, because I have never heard an artist who can do what she does and do it so effortless. Blues? Check. R&B? Check. Country? Yes, check. June even flirts with a mountain vibe on several of the cuts here, and can at one time bring…
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Rick Babb – Startin’ From Scratch

Posted on June 15, 2013 by ChuckDauphin
Native Texan Rick Babb definitely qualifies as a musical vagabound. You can tell that with just one listen to his latest album. You will hear some Country, yet also Babb weaves a musical canvas that also includes shades of Pop, Folk, and even a little bit of old school Blues and Jazz. The eclectic mix makes him a sure-fire candidate for airplay on Americana stations, should he decide to make that push. If they didn’t pick up on his stylings, they…
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Americana Music Association Announces Initial Showcase Performance List For 2013 Festival & Conference, Sept. 18-22

Posted on June 11, 2013 by Dan Harr
The Americana Music Association unveils
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Trinity River Band – Today Don’t Look Like Rain

Posted on May 29, 2013 by ChuckDauphin
Callahan, Florida is located in the extreme northeast part of the Sunshine State – less than a hour from Jacksonville. It was in that town that the Harris family – Mike, Lisa, Sarah, and Josh began to hone their musical skills – with the first results being this bouncy and fun debut album that is sure to make them more than a few fans. This album is a strong collection of vocal and instrumental performances – headlined by daughter Sarah on…
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Jason Boland & The Stragglers – Dark & Dirty Mile

Posted on May 17, 2013 by ChuckDauphin
Trying to define the term “Red Dirt Music” can be as confusing and puzzling as trying to write the definition of Americana Music. One man’s progressive sounds might very well be someone else’s traditional slant. The same could be said for Jason Boland & The Stragglers. Listening to their music, I personally am taken back in time to the great Country sounds coming off of stations like WSM-AM in the early 1980s. The first two cuts – the title and…
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Americana Honors & Awards 2013 Nominees Announced

Posted on May 14, 2013 by JaimieWard
The Americana Music Association announced nominees today for the 2013 Honors & Awards in Los Angeles at the Grammy Museum®.  The ceremony featured performances by now nominated artists Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale, T Bone Burnett with Lisa Marie Presley, …
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Don Rigsby – Doctor’s Orders: A Tribute To Ralph Stanley

Posted on May 12, 2013 by ChuckDauphin
Among Bluegrass musicians of the past twenty years, there may not be a musician any more influential than Ralph Stanley. With all due respect to Bill Monroe, Stanley has continued to create new music that has touched across today’s generation – and his old music, showcased in O’Brother has received a lot of attention as well. So, it’s no surprise that the great Don Rigsby has chosen to salute the singer with an album that…
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Nell Robinson & Jim Nunally – House & Garden

Posted on May 3, 2013 by ChuckDauphin
Music is something that causes a natural reaction – just like the same emotion and feeling that people have for nature. On this album, veteran performers Nell Robinson and Jim Nunally demonstrate their love of both, tying their feelings into such warm and inviting tracks as “Life In The Garden” and “The Gardener.” There’s an earthiness to these cuts that will almost make you think you are listening to some alternate cuts from a Carter…
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Kate Earl – Stronger

Posted on May 1, 2013 by ChuckDauphin
How do you describe the music of Alaska native Kate Earl? It’s one of the most unique musical blends that I have heard in quite some time. It’s a little bit of Country, a little bit of Pop, a dash of Jazz, and at some points, the swagger of good old fashioned Rock & Roll. At the heart of Stronger is some fine writing from Earl and her collaborators. She demonstrates a strong ability to turn a phrase, like she does with the incredible title…
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Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver – Roads Well Traveled

Posted on April 24, 2013 by ChuckDauphin
In the course of Bluegrass history, there are few male vocalists as revered as the incomparable Doyle Lawson. That distinction was proven by his recent induction into the IBMA Hall of Honor. But, the thing about awards and plaques is that they just tend to gather dust. They look nice in a history book, but the true mark of an artist is to keep on creating, and that’s what Lawson and Co. continue to do. Quicksilver – now consisting of Joe…
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Della Mae – This World Oft Can Be

Posted on April 23, 2013 by ChuckDauphin
Based out of Boston, I was very surprised when I took a listen to the Rounder debut for the five-woman group Della Mae. Their talent speaks for themselves, as they have developed one of the top reputations in the business for their melodic work. But, how do you combine the influences of the ladies – ranging from straight-ahead Bluegrass to Blues to even, (at times), a bit an international flavor into a cohesive musical thread? Well, how you do…
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Hadden Sayers – Rolling Soul

Posted on April 9, 2013 by ChuckDauphin
Houston-born Hadden Sayers had gone through many a life’s change over the years in his pursuit of music, which would have made many simply give up their dreams. For a while, he did put his on the backburner. However, while renovating houses, he found himself rediscovering some of the sounds that inspired him the most – such as Van Morrison and Sam Cooke. You can hear those influences – and a whole lot…
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The Danberrys – Self Titled

Posted on April 7, 2013 by ChuckDauphin
How would one categorize the music of the Danberrys? There are so many layers to the sound of Ben DeBerry and Dorothy Daniel that one thing is for certain – you can’t place them in a 4 + 4 box. They are much too complex and smart for that. At times, there is a definite old-school sound to the music of the couple. “Rain In The Rock” features a mountain-style intro, which serves the song very well. “Meet Me There,” the lone outside tune the duo…
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Devon Allman – Turquoise

Posted on April 5, 2013 by ChuckDauphin
OK, let’s get it out of the way. Devon Allman has a very familiar last name. That goes without saying. The son of legendary musician Gregg Allman, Devon has a musical sound and style all his own, with a heavy emphasis on the blues side of things. You can hear that instantly on the free-wheeling sound of “When I Left Home,” as well as the stirring guitar grooves of “Homesick.” He knows what he is doing instrumentally as well as vocally on both…
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Crystal Bowersox – All That For This

Posted on April 1, 2013 by ChuckDauphin
Crystal Bowersox became the talk of America due to her placing in the runner-up position in the 2010 season of “American Idol.” That exposure led to the release of her well-received debut album Farmers’ Daughter. In the last three years, the Ohio native has lived a lot of life, and it shows in her second full-length album. Her range is apparent 0n the opening “Dead Weight,” which is a perfect fit for her voice, LOL…
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Dave Armo – Poets On The Wall

Posted on March 30, 2013 by ChuckDauphin
Hailing from the San Francisco Bay area, Dave Armo qualifies as the description of the term “Sensitive Singer-Songwriter.” Listening to these tracks, you can tell that he was heavily influenced by much of what was popular in the 1970s and early 1980s on the radio. There’s a warmth and vitality that exudes itself on each cut, beginning with the very folky opening cut, “May This Time Never End,” which you can fully imagine him playing in…
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Dave Adkins & Republik Steele – That’s Just The Way I Roll

Posted on March 28, 2013 by ChuckDauphin
Sometimes, things aren’t like you presume them to be. That happened to me with this CD. Being on Rural Rhythm, I naturally assumed that it would be full of top notch Bluegrass Music. Well, I was right in that respect. The Passamano family don’t do anything less than first-rate. However, I have to admit that I was surprised by the vocals on this album. Dave Adkins sounds like nobody else in Bluegrass Music. Rather than being one of…
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Granger Smith – Dirt Road Driveway

Posted on March 25, 2013 by ChuckDauphin
For the past few years, Granger Smith has been working steadily at his craft, getting seemingly better with each release, culminating with his last studio disc, 2011’s Poets & Prisoners, which brought him his greatest critical acclaim yet. That being said, I think the Texan is about to hit the proverbial motherlode with his latest release, which just might put him on the fast lane to mainstream success. Smith’s confidence as a singer…
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Legends Highlight Americana “Mini-Fest” at SXSW

Posted on March 10, 2013 by Dan Harr
The Americana Music Association is proud to announce the lineup for its annual official SXSW showcase which includes legendary artists Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell, Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale, Richard Thompson and The Mavericks. The sure to be memorable night …
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Jimbeau Hinson – Strong Medicine

Posted on March 3, 2013 by ChuckDauphin
Jimbeau Hinson has crafted some of Country Music’s biggest hits, with artists such as the Oak Ridge Boys, John Conlee, and David Lee Murphy all reaping the benefits of his emotional lyrics. Behind the scenes, Hinson has had quite an eventful life. Diagnosed with HIV in the mid-1980s, the singer-songwriter knows a little bit about life’s peaks and valleys. He brings to light many of those struggles in this emotional-charged…
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