Guitarist and songwriter, Glenn Jones, returns with the follow-up to his Thrill Jockey debut, 2011′s The Wanting. For My Garden State, Glenn wrote a collection of reflective and evocative tunes in his childhood home in New Jersey while taking care of his mother who suffers from Alzheimers.

As a guitarist working in the American Primitivism tradition, Glenn employs a wide…

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The Little House On The Prairie books of Laura Ingalls Wilder, and the television series starring Michael Landon, are a multi-generational phenomena that have, and will continue to, affect American culture and history in the decades to come. In my own household, our children were raised on a steady diet of the books and the TV show, and their Grand Mother, a Depression era child, loved the show and books as much as the kids did.

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Ever wonder why some artists are revered and respected and others never get even a glimmer of recognition? Whatever the reason, music lovers often remain unaware of the musicians that fall short of superstardom. So do I! Here are a few artists that I believe  deserve discovery.



Dawes



Alluring, accessible and effortlessly engaging, Dawes’ music recalls the Byrds, Buffalo Springfield, the Eagles and a distinctive ‘70s sensibility. Two exquisite albums…

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Laura Cantrell’s fascination with music and songwriting was quite clear in Thursday’s final performance of her month long residency at Hill Country BBQ in Midtown Manhattan.  After some good press and an interview with Leonard Lopate on WNYC in the last couple of weeks, the benches and tables…

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I first heard Laura Gibson's music when she opened for a solo performance by Colin Meloy (of The Decemberists) at the Music Hall of Williamsburg a few years ago. Performing alone on a dimly lit stage, Ms. Gibson's unique voice, nimbly-punctuated guitar playing, and intimately sparse arrangements captivated the crowd for the duration of her set. I was blown away by her performance and compelled to hear…

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FTB podcast #126 features the new album by JIM LAUDERDALE called Reason and Rhyme.  Also new music from JEFFREY FOUCAULT and JESSICA STILES.  The full playlist is posted below.  Check the artist's websites and order their CD's or downloads.  Please … Continue

Kitty Wells Dresses

Laura Cantrell

Spit & Polish SPIT039          

****1/2                                         



The Princess of Alt pays homage to the Queen of Country Music.



This album is already kicking up a stink in the UK as the Paramilitary Wing of the Country Musicologists think its sacrilege that a young upstart from the Alt-Country field should dare cover these tracks and Laura Cantrell’s Loyalest fans are…

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Acoustic Project is an eclectic seven track EP for a most unconventional string quartet put together by fiddler, vocalist Laura Cortese. The other musicians are Natalie Haas on the cello, Brittany Haas on the five string fiddle, and Hanneke Cassel on the fiddle. Cortese wrote the music for five of the songs, as well as the lyrics for two. The varied tracks echo with traditional fiddle Blue Grass and Cajun influences as well as pop and jazz… Continue

3 brand new songs for free streaming and download at Radio Free Song Club! New members Wreckless Eric & Amy Rigby stopped by and recorded Do You Remember That?— Amy’s song of the odd events that are romance. Freedy was in a bar watching the World Cup but we made him come down to the studio and he said he had half a song and recorded it in one take with the All Stars and it turned out to be way more than half. The Sign Points Both Ways is about his hometown of… Continue

Number Six is here! An extraordinary evening with Ronee Blakley and Bob Neuwirth dropping in to visit their old Rolling Thunder Revue mate, All Star David Mansfield. They both played new songs live with the band. We have an iPhoned song from Freedy Johnston and live overdubbing for Kate Jacobs and Laura Cantrell and home studio magic from the home studio magicians Dave Schramm and Peter Holsapple and Peter Blegvad who often as not seem to be playing toy instruments. We hope you enjoy the… Continue

Here are three pastoral songs for you, here at the start of summer. A yearning, affectionate country love song from Laura Cantrell; an eerie, sweet patch of weeds from Robin Holcomb (our newest member!); and a bit of small town melancholy from the small town lad himself, Freedy Johnston.



download: radiofreesongclub.com/songs



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The session for the fifth show was the biggest gathering yet, with lots of live music. Londoner Peter Blegvad was in town for a show so he stopped by; Jody Harris’s computer melted down so he had to come play live; Laura Cantrell hadn’t recorded her song so she came to play; James MacMillan was in town from… Continue

We've added a page for lyrics on the website radiofreesongclub.com.

Makes it's own strange poetry, all those different writers.

Radio Free Song Club (radiofreesongclub.com) is a small group of veteran songwriters writing on deadline. Every month they each write and record a song and send it, in varying degrees of completion, to Nicholas Hill who presents them along with live and phone conversations, in studio performances, and special guests. The writers are:



Victoria Williams

Freakwater

Freedy Johnston

Peter… Continue

Radio Free Song Club is a small group of veteran songwriters with a monthly deadline. They send in songs in various stages of completion and Nicholas Hill (WFMU, WFUV, Sirius) presents the songs in a monthly show along with interviews, live performances, guest artists etc. It makes for an unpredictable, loose, curious hour of songs and conversation. Writer members are:



Victoria Williams

Freedy Johnston

Peter Holsapple

Jody Harris

Laura Cantrell

Kate… Continue

Think about it: Season Of Lights, published in 1977 as the first live album by the New Yorker Laura Nyro (prematurely died in 1997) as well as her second album after five years of artistic silence following the marriage with the carpenter David Bianchini, is…

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Oh my...Laura Veirs is back. Several months ago I thought she disappeared on me until a community member steered me to her last EP "Two Beers Veirs", which was more of an alt-trad-Americana (new term?) thing of beauty than anything she had put out previously. Now she's back to work with a CD coming out on January 10th on her own boutique label called Raving Marching Band… Continue

Oh Jenny Lewis, how do I love thee, let me count the ways? Your formative years as a child star, whose face has flickered across my television screen against the backdrop of so many of my favorite movies growing up. The brutally honest lyricism and vibrant poetic imagery your sweet voice brought toRilo Kiley during your days as an indie darling? The magnetic storytelling of Rabbit Fur Coat, your breakout as a (semi) solo artist that brought you back… Continue