Europeans shouldn't sound like Americans.  They didn't used to.  Well, maybe in the realm of rock, but not in the realms of folk and blues and country.  As hard as they used to try, there was always something missing--- a feeling or something.  Just as there was something missing when Americans attempted traditional English or Scottish or Irish folk. 

It just didn't cut it. But perhaps those days are in the past.  Music is crossing borders and my ears are fast becoming…

I'm a big fan of Songfacts, so I found the year-end results of most requested Songfacts of 2011 quite interesting. A lot of Adele. But No. 1 was "Pumped Up Kicks," a song I was vaguely familiar with to the point of asking a buddy of mine what it was every time it came on at Filter, where I often do my work from. Now I know…

Part 1 of 2 on award winning singer/songwriter Craig Bickhardt

At last week’s conference, one of the panelists shared a story.  Early in his career he had been a radio DJ, responsible for choosing the songs that were played.  “Used to be, we’d get so many records sent to us, we’d just pick ‘em by their covers. Eighty-five percent of the time we’d be right.”

Using the same methodology for a home-based trial, I was…

If the name Bro. Stephen sounds familiar to you, it should. Why just last week I reviewed his debut album, Baptist Girls, which in my opinion, should be considered a pillar of fantastic indie-folk for 2012. Okay, I don't even know if that makes sense, but I'm going to run with it anyway. So, after the review, I immediately…

I just read the new Google privacy policy, and it made me think of one of my favorite poems, Manifesto: The Mad Farmer Liberation Front, by Wendell Berry.  The poem starts out like this:

Love the quick profit, the annual raise, vacation with pay.  Want more of everything made. Be afraid to know your neighbors and to die.…

Was it worth the wait for Wilco? The answer is on the way, guaranteed to arrive a lot sooner than the band’s next scheduled visit to Denver.

One of America’s finest and hardest-working alternative rock/country acts is back on the road this month, resuming their tour in support of their Grammy-nominated 2011 album month, resuming their tour in support of their Grammy-nominated 2011 album,…

"You're Gonna Miss Me" is Keven McAlester's mesmerizing and haunting documentary about Texas cult-artist Roky Erickson. Roky rose to fame with the 13th Floor Elevators when they took the single "You're Gonna Miss Me" (Americana connection? Check out the guy playing jug in the video!) onto the pop charts in 1966. Roky has been credited with coining the phrase…

1.0 – What are the plans for Magic Slim & The Teardrops in 2012?

I have been cast in an independent production movie about a blues man from Mississippi who gets involved with the ghost and two young musical prodigies. I am actually playing the lead role and will be performing as an actor for the first time in my life. The shooting starts next month and the movie will be called …

by Terry Roland

There are some days in this life that are simply golden. Contacting veteran country rocker, Richie Furay, for an interview in 2007, led to a series of articles chronicling his continuing legacy over the last ten years. For this writer, being a witness to what followed has been like days of gold.

During a 2010 interview with Richie for a feature article in No Depression, he spoke with a hint of disappointment that old friends Neil…

The road to Nebraska is littered with the ghosts of Americana and getting there demands a humble homage to the stoic wraiths of bearded plaid shirts to navigate its precise route, writes David Newbury for Neonfiller.

It’s rare for outsiders to succeed and unknown for the path to start from…