It was announced earlier today that folksinger Richie Havens died of a heart attack in New Jersey. He was 72.  In 1969, when he sang out, "Freedom," to a half-million people at the historic Woodstock Festival, it was more than just a moment of musical tribalism, as it has often been characterized.  It was a…

With just three months 0f 2013 in the history books, it's shaping up to be a quality year for Americana records. Here are my picks for the Top 10 Records of the Year (So Far).

10. Bobby Bare - Darker Than Light

Bare's first album in seven years is a collection of 16 songs drawn from a list he's kept for the better part of his 50 year career. There are murder ballads, songs of the sea, interpretations of rare classics and readings from the rock and roll songbook. The…

Groovin' in to it's 10th annual festival, Wakarusa 2013 is bound to muster up an intoxicating pulse to soothe your desire for a serene summer escapade. Getting lost within the combination of nature and music, ranging from jam bands all the way to electronic, it's advised to make an appearance at the four day venture. Whether you're an early bird or a night owl, Mulberry Mountain will surely tickle your fancy. 

I have many festivals under my belt, but this is my first time attending…

The Ohio thread continues in this edition of liner notes as Kim Richey, the sweetheart of Zanesville and Kettering, will be releasing a wonderful new album titled Thorn In My Heart on April 16^th.  I first heard about Kim from magazine publisher Wayne Green…

Griffin House Returns to Form With The Release of Balls

I have a confession … I’m a homer.  I love my sports teams almost as much as I love the singer/songwriters that come from Ohio.  A story on Griffin House back in 2008 during the Flying Upside Down tour took me behind the music and the life of the Springfield, Ohio native.  A college degree from Miami of Ohio in 2002 in English Literature and Writing, his thoughts were to enroll in graduate school, but…

I'll Be Here In The Morning: The Songwriting Legacy of Townes Van Zandt by Brian T. Atkinson digs deep into the art of one of music's best and most influential songwriters. Mr. Atkinson retraces the artist's creative steps, as well as shares a wealth of interviews with some of Townes' biggest fans- who also happen to be some of today's best songwriters. He also chats up an impressive selection of some of the countless artists who have been and continue to be inspired by the…

Let's see...we have individual lists for best albums, favorite albums, top 10 from the frequent contributor's and the reader's top 50. We don't have anything for producers, engineers or guitar techs. And we missed an opportunity to come up with the best banner ads that Kyla sold this year, although I'll nominate the in-house pitch to buy the No Depression posters which are all really quite nice.…

The University Press of Florida recently released Bob Kealing's informative and enjoyable work, Calling Me Home: Gram Parsons and the Roots of Country Rock. It is the latest biography of many exploring the life and music of Gram Parsons. What I believe sets Calling Me Home apart is the book's sharp focus on this remarkable artist's life and work, including his southern roots. The biography traces the trajectory of Gram's role in fusing country and rock music like…

Author David Menconi's Ryan Adams: Losering, A Story of Whiskeytown (out now via University of Texas Press) has already stirred up much heated talk regarding the work of Ryan Adams. In a recent book review on No Depression by Mando Lines, a number of comments poured in the…

This is Ed, not Bruce. I just wanted to take a moment before I share Springsteen's words with you to say that I've been thinking a lot about the upcoming election here in the US. Yesterday after the second presidential debate, I was inspired to put down my own thoughts, but I backed off because this is really just a music site, although politics certainly seep into the posts from time to time. On the other hand, No Depression is also a community. And a world community at that,…

the Low Anthem - Boeing 737 from Welcome To The West on Vimeo.

For a song as big and boisterous as any in their repertoire, this departure of Boeing 737 sounds like an all-together new thing when gently cushioned back and forth…

I'm pleased to announce that this installment of Songwriter's Showcase features The Barr Brothers.  You may recall that I featured one of their songs, "Lord I Just Can't Keep From Cryin'" as Song o' the Day a little while back.

In case you're unfamiliar with this up-and-coming phenomenon, here's a little backround on Brad and Andrew Barr.  Yes,…

No Depression South By Southwest Show

Continental Club, March 14, 2012

The Trishas * Schuyler Fisk * Amanda Shires

On the first official night of the music portion of Austin’s South By Southwest, it is only fitting that alt-country Bible No Depression would have its annual showcase. After all for well over a decade, No Depression chronicled the state of Americana, explored the depths of roots music and stood as the place for intelligent discourse for indie…

Last December,  Devon at Hearth Music published a feature on No Depression called Kentucky Rising: Three Artists Remake Their Roots, which focused on three Kentucky-based artists: Ben Sollee, Daniel Martin Moore, and Matt Bauer (who now resides in Brooklyn). Already being a fan of DMM and Mr. Sollee, I figured that the third…

Nathan Salsurg can be described as a guitarist, songwriter, archivist, radio show host, and record collector. Salsburg has worked at the Alan Lomax Archive since 2000, and he released his solo debut album, Affirmed (No Quarter), and a collaboration with James Elkington called Avos (Tompkins Square) last year.

As a guitarist and songwriter, Mr. Salsburg has admired, and in turn,…

"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…

I have been listening to Doug Paisley's new album, Constant Companion, so much that I felt embarrassed that I did not reach out sooner to his label, No Quarter, for an interview. After the first couple of spins of the album, I was quickly compelled to grab his debut self-titled album, and then his remarkable Daytrotter session. Once my discography was…

Ned Oldham, brother of Will Oldham (aka Bonnie Prince Billy), is a multi-talented artist that is followed closely by longtime devoted fans and critics alike. Mr. Oldham has recorded and collaborated with his brother (both as Bonnie Prince Billy and Palace Music) on several albums, has released his own solo material, and has delivered a rewarding collection of longplayers with his previous band, Anomoanon.

Old Calf began with Ned Oldham pairing up with…

Welcome to the American Roadhouse Blog.  The official blog of the Profane Saints on the American Roadhouse Tour.  I'm posting this on our website and on No Depression.com- the places it makes the most sense for this blog thing to live.  I'm Mat D and I'll be the narrator, sharing our stories and experiences on the road which is shaping up to be an experience of small towns and big cities, honky-tonks and beer joints, blue collar ball rooms and rural casinos beginning in our…