Collectors of rare and unearthed recordings know Omnivore Records well. The label has released remarkably crisp and clear sounding editions of never-before heard material and rare recordings, which are often thoughtfully packaged in stellar deluxe editions.

Omnivore has released a 2-CD/LP edition of new, unheard Townes Van Zandt recordings called Sunshine Boy: The Unheard Studio Sessions & Demos 1971-1972. I am excited…

Janis Martin's set of 11 rockabilly tunes, "The Blanco Sessions," finds itself in the record bins due largely to the tireless work of singer Rosie Flores. It was Flores who met Martin in 1994, enlisted her to sing on her "Rockabilly Filly" album the following year and inspired Martin to record this set over 2 days in 2007 at Dennis Challman's Rancho Relaxo studio in Blanco, Texas.

It's also Flores who's responsible for the album's release, having taken…

It has long been said that home is where the heart is, which is something Santa Barbara’s resident troubadour Glen Phillips knows only too well. Intermissions within a touring schedule that sees him constantly crisscrossing the country are cherished opportunities to ‘cocoon’ at home with family and friends. But recently, his musical focus has also been directed locally.

Not only was his latest album Coyote Sessions recorded here in town at Sean McCue’s Coyote Road…

Songwriter and guitarist Mark Fosson grew up in Kentucky, where he began writing songs while he was still in his early teens. In the late '70s he sent some song demos to John Fahey's West Coast-based Takoma Records, and Fahey, impressed with what he heard, offered Fosson a recording deal.

Fosson lost no time in relocating to Los Angeles and began recording with Fahey, but as bad luck would have it, Takoma was in some difficulty, and the label soon folded. Fahey allowed…

Walking up Nashville's lower Broadway on the way to a showcase for Grace Adele & The Grand Band, it was clear it would be standing room only in Robert's Western World. Phil Harris, of pH Balanced Recordings, and Grammy-winning engineer, put on a party April 14 showcasing a whole lot of talent where the room was filled to the rafters. Literally, the main floor and balcony were filled to capacity that hot, sunny afternoon.

Robert's Western World is a legendary honky tonk,…

Beyond the obvious folk underpinnings to their often full-charged rock anthems and the blues-derived-from-the-Delta-by-way-of-the-UK, Heart’s Ann and Nancy Wilson theoretically have little to do with the worlds of alt-country, Americana, roots or whatever this No Depression world encompasses. Yet to hear the Sisters Wilson speak of the various aspects of becoming one of rock & roll’s pioneering female-fronted bands, the ground-breaking and evolution of creativity reflects much of what…

This year I have vowed to start attending more jam sessions.  I live near Richmond, VA and fortunately there are many such hootenannies and meetups supported by a close-knit and very encouraging traditional music community.  Here are a few of the gatherings that take place on a regular basis.

 …

By now the dust has nearly settled on the stunning 2011 Decemberists album, The King Is Dead. A rootsy, Americana turn-around that surprised their indie-lit core fans who were used to longer, more abstract songs, The Decemberists’ new sound dropped at a key time when…

Paul Burch and WPA Ballclub - Honey Blue - Filmed at Stonewerks Studios in Hattiesburg, MS for The Green Couch Sessions