Vinyl Musings
'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
This is a bit of an overlooked oddity in the catalog of Gram Parsons. Considering the near-mythic status Parsons' career soared to in the years following his death, with everything from Byrds outtakes to the International Submarine Band's earliest singles reverently sought out, it's a bit surprising at the lack of popular or critical attention… Continue reading Now Spinning: Gram Parsons – The Early Years Vol. 1
Having just returned from another year of Newport Folk Festival, here are some scattered thoughts on the 60th anniversary of this legendary festival: NEWPORT CELEBRATES ITS HISTORY Tributes to the artists and mission of the original 1959 festival abounded throughout the weekend in a passing the torch multi-generational diverse lineup demonstrating the ever-expanding definition of… Continue reading Thoughts on Newport Folk 2019
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
I just wrapped up Alan Govenar's biography on one of my favorite bluesmen, the mysterious Lightnin' Sam Hopkins. Despite a personal songwriting style - Lightnin' songs sometimes simply described his day, though with a blurred line between fact and fiction, meaning confirming the facts can be a challenge. And while Govenar concedes the fact that… Continue reading Now Reading: Lightnin’ Hopkins His Life and Blues
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
