Vinyl Musings
Though The Byrds music was consistently centered around Roger McGuinn's jangly 12-string guitar and folky voice supported by pristine harmonies, few bands can rival their musical creativity, as they jumped between genres and band lineups with ease, spearheading the development of folk rock, psychedelia and country rock. Perhaps there was just too much talent in… Continue reading Now Spinning: The Byrds Sanctuary III
Inexplicably never released on CD or MP3, this live album finds one of bluegrass' most seminal and innovative groups performing a largely career retrospective set in 1981. The Osborne Brothers are most famous for their quirky bluegrass hit 'Rocky Top' (performed in all its frantic glory here), which has been covered by everyone from Dillard… Continue reading Now Spinning: Bluegrass Spectacular Featuring The Osborne Brothers
'Elmore James' got nothin' on this baby'-George Harrison By the time George Harrison shouted out Elmore James on 'For You Blue', James had been dead for seven years and missed the opportunity for the middle-aged breakthrough that Muddy Waters, Howlin' Wolf and others experienced during the 1960's blues revival. Of course, Elmore James is a… Continue reading Now Spinning: The Resurrection of Elmore James
Though not quite the household name she deserves to be, few if anyone can rival Maria Muldaur's career in music - from her earliest days on the Greenwich Village folk scene with the Jim Kweskin Jug Band to a string of albums in the late sixties and early seventies that serve as some of the… Continue reading Now Spinning: Maria Muldaur
The real Mississippi blues One of those summer nights.... thunderstorms have cooled the day's suffocating humidity down to a near-balmy 80 degrees and I trot out to my backyard for some gardening work, a favorite hobby to pass the time, with the sounds of Bukka White echoing from my turntable inside. It's a Friday night… Continue reading Now Spinning: Bukka White
The Other Side Of Sun Opinions tend to vary among collectors when it comes to Record Store Day. And sure, while there's plenty of silly novelty - from unnecessary rereleases (with originals available for a fraction of the cost just a few bins down) to a hectic shopping experience - I refuse to see something… Continue reading Now Spinning: The Other Side Of Sun
Minnesota Folk: 'Spider', 'Little Sun' and 'Snaker' One of my fondest college memories involves a solo trek through a classic November Minnesota snowstorm into Minneapolis to see 'Spider' John Koerner and Tony Glover at the 400 Bar in 2008. As a 19 year old kid, I knew next to nothing about their work, but I… Continue reading Now Spinning: Koerner, Ray & Glover
"I hate a song that makes you think that you're not any good. I hate a song that makes you think that you are just born to lose. Bound to lose. No good to nobody. No good for nothing. Because you are either too old or too young or too fat or too slim or… Continue reading Now Spinning: Woody Guthrie
