"An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose."
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"An artist must be free to choose what he does, certainly, but he must also never be afraid to do what he might choose." |
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 Listen Up to HalleyAnna!
"HalleyAnna takes a subtle approach to blowing people away with her music." - Lloyd Maines
HalleyAnna’s a singular soul wise beyond her years, and her compelling sophomore full-length Bill Chambers-produced album, HalleyAnna, captures that soul, pairing youthful edge and energy with a seasoned songwriter’s lyrical elegance.
HalleyAnna’s deep Lone Star State roots wrap around each texture and phrase of every song. “I grew up listening to people who play music in Texas,” says the 26-year-old, who learned the ropes in her family-owned legendary San Marcos singer-songwriter listening room, the Cheatham Street Warehouse. Cheatham Street was the birthplace for kindred spirits Terri Hendrix, Bruce Robison, Todd Snider and a host of others. HalleyAnna adds, “Today, I really love the traditional stuff that’s going on in East Nashville and here in Austin.”
HalleyAnna carries forward the spirit that has been embodied at Cheatham Street for decades: She writes, in the Townes Van Zandt tradition, simply "for the sake of the song." Her artistic purity consistently turns heads among audiences and veteran songwriters alike. “Hearing HalleyAnna always makes me happy,” celebrated Austin-based songwriter Walt Wilkins says enthusiastically. “Every song she writes or sings is great, and her voice really, really sends me and reminds me of so many of the great records I loved growing up. She’s like sunshine in a beautiful package.”
Her words tumble forth as naturally as her hometown San Marcos River flows over smooth rocks; her thought-provoking lyrics stretch the listener's imagination, like the river caresses its banks, and her stories will take you on tangents, as effortlessly as the river winds down to the sea. There's no question - HalleyAnna will become a treasured gem in your music collection. Discover HalleyAnna today, and you will be a fan for life.
Congratulations to all the winners of the 5th Annual Lone Star Music Awards, especially JFP artists:
Ray Wylie Hubbard, The Grifter's Hymnal
BEST SINGER-SONGWRITER ALBUM
Ray Wylie Hubbard & George Reiff (for The Grifter's Hymnal & The Shovel vs. The Howling Bones)
BEST PRODUCER
Jason Eady, AM Country Heaven
BEST COUNTRY ALBUM
 The Will Callers - IN STORES NOW
The Will Callers' brand new release, What Else Is Left?, is AVAILABLE NOW! CLICK HERE to purchase your copy today.
"Cool as Buffalo Springfield, deep as Dylan, trashy as The Stones, smart like The Beatles, fight like The Eagles, and they're original." - Ray Wylie Hubbard
The Will Callers are a veritable gumbo pot of American roots music, blending elements of Country, Blues, Soul, and Gospel to create an organic mixture brimming with honesty and youth. Their debut full-length, What Else Is Left?, finds songwriting duo Jake Murphy and Daniel Slatton exploring the depths of the American tradition, while creating a sound seemingly timeless though altogether original.
CLICK HERE for more about The Will Callers
Shinyribs Hits The Road
Hot on the heels of the Gulf Coast Museum release (which debuted on Billboard's Heatseekers Chart this week), Shinyribs kicks off their Northwest tour this month. Check out the dates below and don't miss a show in YOUR neck of the woods:
5/1 Beaumont, TX Courville's
5/2 Conroe, TX Dosey Doe
5/3 Austin, TX Threadgill's (Official Release Show)
5/8 Milheim, PA Elk Creek Cafe,
5/9 New York, NY Hill Country BBQ
5/10 Somerville, MA Johnny Ds
5/13 Washington, DC Hill Country BBQ
5/15 Ann Arbor, MI The Ark
5/16 Lafayette, IN Lafayette Brewing Co
5/17 Chicago, IL Martyrs'
5/19 St. Louis, MO Off Broadway
In case you missed it: CLICK HERE for Kevin Russell's special version of "Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground" (and Happy Birthday, Willie!!) New Video by Caitlin Rose
CLICK HERE to watch the video Caitlin Rose shot for Yours Truly, in which she shares behind-the-scenes insights and performs her standout track, "Pink Champagne."
The Nashville-based singer songwriter has been wowing audiences and critics alike for her noteworthy live shows and her new record, The Stand-In. The Chicago Tribune loves her, "vintage sound that pays homage to Nashville's Music Row roots while remaining a product of the modern era" while Chicago Reader notes how the "terrific" record works by "staking her claim to a modern brand of the sun-drenched country rock Linda Ronstadt used to make." City Pages writes "now she has risen to can't miss status" with The Stand-In, and Interview Magazine calls it a "melting pot - citing the sounds of modern country in one fleeting moment and the dusty ragtime waltz of yesteryear in another."
Deemed a "young darling of Nashville's music scene," check out Rose's recent performance on NPR's World Cafe.
CLICK HERE for more about Caitlin Rose
 James McMurtry Interviews Guy Clark
Grab your copy of the May/June edition of Lone Star Music Magazine (available later this month) to read the incredible Q&A James McMurtry conducted with friend and hero, Guy Clark (whose upcoming release, My Favorite Picture of You, will be in stores July 23rd). Now, for a limited time, Jenni Finlay Promotions Newsletter readers receive a discounted rate for a YEAR's subscription of Lone Star Music Magazine (featuring the best of the best in Americana and Red Dirt music). CLICK HERE to subscribe now.
James McMurtry is gearing up to go into the studio soon to start recording his upcoming record (scheduled for release in 2014). Get a sneak-peek of his brand new material at a show near you!
CLICK HERE for more about James McMurtry Jess Klein Homecoming
Jess Klein returns from a successful month-long tour of Germany and the UK this month just in time to head out to the East Coast. CLICK HERE for all tour dates. And be sure to pick up a copy of her limited-edition EP, Shy Girl - available exclusively at shows.
CLICK HERE for more about Jess Klein Dave Matthews On The Music Is You - A Tribute to John Denver Dave Matthews recently sat down with NPR's "Weekend Edition Saturday" to talk all about The Music Is You - A Tribute to John Denver. This beautiful tribute to the unparalleled songwriter and poet is soaring up the charts (currently #12 on the Americana Chart), and receiving rave reviews worldwide. USA Today raves, “Treated respectfully, Denver’s hits generally fare well, and a few covers, such as the one by Matthews…may even improve on the originals.” NPR hails, “The Music Is You shows that his songs maintain the power to reach new audiences - and, yes, make them cry." Fan favorite, “Wooden Indian” (by Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros) was recently featured as KCRW's “TODAY’S TOP TUNE”. CLICK HERE to check out the CMT Edge premier of "Take Me Home Country Road" (featuring Emmylou Harris and Brandi Carlile). CLICK HERE to see Milow and Brett Dillon perform "Annie's Song" LIVE.
CLICK HERE for more about The Music Is You - A Tribute to John Denver
 Gurf Morlix On Tour
Gurf Morlix continues his world-wide tour this month, performing across the Midwest. Check out the tour dates below, and be sure to catch his incredible LIVE show:
5/10 Oklahoma City, OK The Blue Door
5/11 Kansas City, MO Knucklehead's
5/14 Omaha, NE Side Door Lounge
5/15 Des Moines, IA The House of Bricks
5/16 St. Paul, MN Real Phonic Radio Hour
5/17 Madison, WI Kiki's House of Righteous Music
5/18 Grand Rapids, MI TerraTrike
5/19 Cleveland, OH Mechanic Street House Concert
5/22 Nashville, TN Douglas Corner Cafe
5/24 Aubrey, TX Doggie Dude Ranch
And stay tuned for more Morlix-produced albums in 2013. As Gurf says, "There's never been a better time for music, believe it or not. More great songs and more great songwriters than ever before. You've got to wade through a lot more crap to find 'em, but they are there, and I'm lookin' out for them!" CLICK HERE for more about Gurf Morlix Dustin Welch Buzz
Check out what folks are saying about Dustin Welch's stellar release, Tijuana Bible:
"Venturing into a deeply personal, darker strain of roots music, Welch's haunted, bleeding Tijuana Bible is aggressively original." - Elmore Magazine "Tijuana Bible is an epic tale of an album that gets better with each telling." - Roughstock
"Blending elements of Americana, rock and folk, Welch has crafted a delightful 11-track collection of tunes that deserves to be heard by as many people as possible." - The Daily News
"Dustin Welch’s new Tijuana Bible album spotlights earthy protagonists who frequently search for better days under heavy clouds." - CMT Edge
"[Welch's] songs bear a Southern Gothic edge, and he succeeds with a palette of sounds ranging from forcefully Celtic and windblown rock to deeply introspective." - Austin Chronicle
CLICK HERE for more about Dustin Welch Mary Gauthier Carries the Americana Musical Torch Overseas Gauthier, who sits on the Americana Music Association's Board of Directors, is in the midst of a 17 city tour through Sweden, Denmark, Ireland and the UK. During the tour, she will carry the banner (both literally and figuratively) of the Americana Music Association to each venue in order to share the music and spread the mission of the non-profit roots music association around the world! A longtime advocate of the AMA, Gauthier will share her thoughts and observations on music and community with regular updates through social media and on the Americana Music Association's Facebook and Twitter feeds.
"Americana is more than a musical genre; it's about a community of music lovers who are connected by a passion that goes well beyond national borders," said Gauthier. "I'm experiencing this every night in clubs wherever I play; there is definitely a rising tide going on and I love being part of that."
Mary Gauthier will be accompanied by Ben Glover from Belfast, Ireland and Michele Gazich from Italy, performing songs from her recent release Live at Blue Rock and others from her inspired catalog.
For more information and tour dates, CLICK HERE.
CLICK HERE for more about Mary Gauthier
 Bobby Long US Tour
Bobby Long just kicked off his 2013 tour, which will take him across the Midwest and Northeast. CLICK HERE for a show near you!
Check out what folks are saying about Long's stunning release, WIshbone:
"Somewhere between Neil Young's Broken Arrow Ranch and Bruce Springsteen's New Jersey." - Relix
“A promising talent has arrived and suggests he will have much more to say.” - Wall Street Journal
“His swaggery growl goes tender in the right places; his tunes are sturdy but graceful, like the curve of something hand-carved.” - L.A. Times
“His old-before-his-time romanticism and strong rasp are real draws.” - Entertainment Weekly
“An authentic creator of Americana-infused rock. He owns the bluesy folk-rock that pervades his sophomore album, Wishbone.”
- Consequence of Sound
“Wishbone is a piece of art, allowing Long to express himself by transcending genres.”
- The Aquarian Weekly
“Positively Inspired.”
- The Daily News
"[Long] has toughened his sound, better defined the deep, resonant older-than-his years vocals and crafted a solid set of thoughtful Americana rock." - American Songwriter
CLICK HERE for more about Bobby Long Kris Kristofferson Feeling Mortal
Kris sits down with NPR to discuss his new record, Feeling Mortal. Read excerpts or listen to the whole piece HERE. Rolling Stone features an in-depth perspective - Kristofferson recalls a life rich with Hall of Fame-worthy country-music writing and recording credits, acclaimed acting roles, a Rhodes scholarship and collegiate athletic prowess with nothing short of fondness. "It's a pretty neat life when you think about it," he says. "I just feel so grateful." CLICK HERE to read more. CLICK HERE for Kristofferson's LIVE video performance of "Feeling Mortal" on Sirius XM's Outlaw Country.
CLICK HERE for more about Kris Kristofferson
The Catfish Concert Series
Jenni Finlay Promotions has teamed up with Brian T. Atkinson to present the Austin house concert series, Catfish Concerts. With intimate solo/acoustic performances by some of the top artists of Americana (including Jon Dee Graham, HalleyAnna, Walt Wilkins, BettySoo, and more), CLICK HEREfor information, details and tickets.
Special thanks to Lagunitas Brewing Company, Cheatham Street Warehouse, and Enoteca Vespaio for their continued support. CLICK HERE for more about Catfish Concerts
Listen Up to Shinyribs!
Kevin "Shinyribs" Russell is most commonly known as the front man for the oh-so uncommonly funky Austin musical combo, The Gourds. But his solo project, Shinyribs, proves that his creative prowess is limitless.
Born in Beaumont, raised in the Church of Christ, Russell found his calling in the biker bars of Louisiana at the tender age of seventeen, where he played a hybrid of loud country blues rock and psychedelic swamp jangle for the grumpy ingrates congregated there. Since 1994, The Gourds have become favorites of the Americana/Hippie Jam scene.
In search of an outlet for his massive stockpile of songs, he soon began performing as Shinyribs in 2006. After playing a monthly show in Houston for two years, he polished Shinyribs into one of the most unique and magnetic roots music experiences around. CLICK HERE for the mention about his phenomenal live SXSW performance in CMT Edge. Just one listen to his upcoming release, Gulf Coast Museum (due out April 16th), and you'll be hooked... It's as sweet as a yellow onion, salty as a Gulf Coast local, and far out as old South Austin, itself.  Caitlin Rose - SX Sensation
Caitlin Rose thoroughly surpassed the buzz that surrounded her SXSW performances. Her sets were simultaneously blistering and lush, each and every song gaining Rose new fans from around the globe. American Songwriter noted that "Caitlin and her band were in top form…walking a fine line between psych-country, punchy pop and tender story songs." Glide Magazine "was absolutely wowed!" and LA Times called her set "deceptively simple" and concluded that "The finely detailed arrangements packed a kick," and "Rose’s voice is the kind that’s so comforting that it isn’t until the song ends one realizes how much it’s missed."
SXSW came directly on the heels of the March 5th release of The Stand-In, which debuted at #29 on the Heatseekers Chart to overwhelmingly positive reviews from all corners of the press world:
"Instant Classic"- NYLON
"Gorgeous"- Pitchfork
"The uncrowned queen of new Nashville" - Uncut
"It’s an easy listen with difficult layers, and if Rose quickly secured her status as a top young voice in country music a few years ago, she’s now cemented her position as an important one." - PASTE
"It's all gorgeous arrangements, soul-wrenching songwriting and heartbreaking stories, inhabiting a space that's both rock and country, indie and folk, without pandering to the lowest common denominator." MAGNET
"Through her indie-leaning yet twanging vocals, Rose reveals a talent for conveying her emotions through opaque narratives instead of straightforward confessionals." - Rolling Stone
"Rose elevates her second album, The Stand-In, by finding sensational new ways to describe loneliness and regret" - Playboy
CLICK HERE for more about Caitlin Rose
Javi Garcia - In Stores April 9
Javi Garcia's brand new release, The Great Controversy, will hit the shelves Tuesday, April 9th. But you can pre-order your copy TODAY! Every now and then something comes along that you just can’t shake. Something that you just can’t deny. Whether it be an unexpected life changing experience, or a matter of being at the right place at the right time. Like it or not, it affects you. The common thread is that you experienced something unique and uncommon. That type of feeling is something you will take with you after digesting what Javi Garcia brings to the table. With many of his underground cult following believing his debut album A Southern Horror set a new standard for a new breed of progressive Americana, The Great Controversy undeniably raises the bar yet again. Truly embracing the nomadic spirit of Americana music and using it to further blur the line between singer-songwriter and uncompromising Rock & Roll. The album's momentum is relentless. The production is beautifully progressive and Garcia's songwriting has matured to a level that will even make his skeptics true believers.
“Javi Garcia’s songs are written with an elegant cool darkness that rattles the bones, shakes the soul and bleeds with integrity. Believe it.” - Ray Wylie Hubbard
CLICK HERE for more about Javi Garcia Mary Gauthier on Vinyl and Around the World
Mary Gauthier will be releasing a special Collectors Edition 2 Disc Vinyl Edition of Live at Blue Rock. Mastered by Patrick Granada in Nashville, TN, the vinyl project was overseen by George Ingram at Nashville Record Production, who is known all over the world for his wealth of knowledge in vinyl mastering and production and the enduring pursuit excellence. Stay tuned for release info and other details!
Mary is in the midst of an extensive international tour. Check out the dates below, and don't miss a show near you: 4/03 Duluth, GA Red Clay Theatre
4/04 Santa Rosa Beach, FL Bud & Alley’s
4/05 Silver Hill, AL The Frog Pond at Blue Moon Farm
4/06 Panama City, FL Music Under The Moss
4/07 Baton Rouge, LA Red Dragon Listening Room
4/09 Houston, TX McGonigel’s Mucky Duck
4/10 Austin, TX Cactus Cafe
4/11 Dallas, TX Poor David’s Pub
4/17 Malmo, Sweden Babel
4/18 Falkenberg, Sweden Grand Hotel Falkenberg
4/19 Gothernburg, Sweden Folk Theatre – Foyer
4/21 Stockholm, Sweden Bryggarsalen
4/23 Denmark Posten
4/24 Aarhus, Denmark Musikhus
4/25 Sønderborg, Denmark Sønderborghus
4/26 Roskilde, Denmark Gimle
4/27 Skærbæk, Denmark Brøns Friskoles Koncertsal
4/28 København, Denmark KPumpehuset
"Watching Mary Gauthier in concert is something akin to a religious experience. Nowhere is her success more evident than in her live performances, such as captured on LIVE at Blue Rock." Nancy Dunham jambands.com CLICK HERE for more about Mary Gauthier  Dustin Welch - Soldiers Songs and Voices
Soldier Songs and Voices is a vital volunteer organization Dustin Welch started that gives music and songwriting lessons (and even guitars) to Armed Forces Veterans - free of charge. Welch explains, "Just from my own life, I know how cathartic songwriting is - and how much music can enrich a person's life." Dustin Welch was inspired by the Welcome Home Project, which produced two albums of Texas country and Americana music dedicated to the troops called "Voices of a Grateful Nation." One of the songs on Volume 2, "Soldier's Prayer," was written by Melvin Lee Dobberteen, who completed three tours in Iraq. The organization believes every veteran should make it all the way home, and offers verterans and musicians alike an opportunity to share the amazing powers of expression and comaraderie that only music offers. The program has become a crucial means of self-expression and psychological healing. CLICK HERE for more information and how you can contribute.
Programs at Saxon Pub in Austin every Sunday from 1-3; Cheatham Street Warehouse in San Marcos every Monday from 5-7; Sam's Burger Joint in San Antonio every other Sunday from 1-3; Bugle Boy in LaGrange every other Sunday from 2-4; JP Hop's house in Houston once a month.
Dustin Welch's incredible new release, Tijuana Bible, is available NOW - CLICK HERE to purchase your copy today.
CLICK HERE for more about Dustin Welch Gurf Morlix - Psyco Blues CLICK HERE to check out the new film Kevin Triplett and Gurf made while they were on their Swedish Death March Tour 2012. The 20 minute "mockumentary" features songs from Gurf's brand new album, Gurf Morlix Finds The Present Tense (available now), and special appearances by Troy Campbell and Ray Bonneville.
Gurf Morlix Finds the Present Tense is soaring up the charts, already #1 on the International Freeform American Roots Chart, and cracking the Top 30 of the Americana Music Chart. The reviews have been stellar, as well. CLICK HERE to check out the feature in Popmatters. CLICK HERE for his Q&A with CMT Edge. CLICK HERE for his feature in No Depression. Clearly, the present tense is a good place for Gurf to be.
CLICK HERE for more about Gurf Morlix
James McMurtry Hits the Road
The James McMurtry band hits the road, touring the southeast this month. Check out the dates below for a show in your neck of the woods:
4/17 New Orleans, LA One Eyed Jack's
4/18 Mobile, AL Alabama Music Box 4/19 Destin, FL Harbor Docks
4/20 Tampa, FL Skipper's Smokehouse
4/21 Orlando, FL The Social
4/22 Jacksonville, FL Jack Rabbits
4/24 Macon, GA Hummingbird Stage & Taproom
4/25 Atlanta, GA Terminal West
4/26 Savannah, GA Wormhole
4/27 Murrell's Inlet, SC Dead Dog Saloon
4/30 Asheville, NC Grey Eagle
5/1 Chattanooga, TN Rhythm & Brews
5/2 Auburn, AL War Eagle Supper Club
5/3 Jackson, MS Hal & Mal's
5/4 Little Rock, AR Sticky'z
Recently, James McMurtry sat down for an extensive interview with Guy Clark. Stay tuned for the must-read feature on his hero and friend in the upcoming issue of Lone Star Music Magazine. CLICK HERE for more about James McMurtry
 Listen Up to The Music is You: A Tribute to John Denver!
Fifteen years after his death and 40 years after the release of his widely beloved song “Rocky Mountain High,” ATO Records will celebrate John Denver’s life and music with The Music Is You: A Tribute to John Denver (available April 2nd). The album features covers of Denver’s most popular songs by a diverse group of artists including Dave Matthews, My Morning Jacket, Train, Amos Lee, Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic Zeros, Brandi Carlile and Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, Josh Ritter and Barnstar!, Old Crow Medicine Show, Kathleen Edwards (produced by Jim James), Brett Dennen and Milow, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Allen Stone, Blind Pilot, J Mascis, and Sharon Van Etten and Evan Dando. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Wilderness Society in John’s name.
John Denver, the two-time Grammy Award-winning singer songwriter (and five-time Grammy Awards host) and the Poet Laureate of Colorado, released 23 studio albums in his lifetime. He is best known for the beloved songs “Leaving on a Jet Plane,” “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” “Sunshine On My Shoulders, “Annie’s Song,” and “Rocky Mountain High,” which is the state song of Colorado. Denver is the 53rd highest selling artist worldwide with over 33 million records sold and seven Billboard Top Ten Albums in the U.S. His catalogue continues to sell thousands of units per week. He has had seven multiplatinum, thirteen platinum and 20 gold U.S. Certified albums. Among his numerous awards and recognitions, Denver was instrumental in championing environmental causes and space exploration.
CLICK HERE for more about The Music Is You: A Tribute to John Denver Kinky Friedman Kicks Off International BiPolar Tour
Kinky Friedman takes on the world with his longest European tour ever this month. Starting in Chicago, ending in Austria, The BiPolar World Tour will take Kinky through nine countries, with 30 dates in 35 days. And this may only be the beginning of a very big year for the Kinkster. The new record deal with Continental Record Services, his first of any kind in decades, looks like a winner already, and there may be much bigger news in May from Kinky. (Politics are again in the wind, so stay tuned!)
CLICK HERE for more about Kinky Friedman Bobby Long - In Stores Now
Bobby Long's brand new album, Wishbone, is available now. CLICK HERE to purchase your copy today. Check out what folks are saying about Long's stunning sophomore release:
“A promising talent has arrived and suggests he will have much more to say.” - Wall Street Journal
“His swaggery growl goes tender in the right places; his tunes are sturdy but graceful, like the curve of something hand-carved.” - L.A. Times
“His old-before-his-time romanticism and strong rasp are real draws.” - Entertainment Weekly
"Drawing on the romantic notions fans grew to love on previous release A Winter Tale, Long has continued to polish his moving vocals and haunting melodies." - PASTE
"[Long] has toughened his sound, better defined the deep, resonant older-than-his years vocals and crafted a solid set of thoughtful Americana rock." - American Songwriter
Bobby Long just kicked off his 2013 tour, which will find him performing across the midwest and northeast. CLICK HERE for tour dates, and don't miss a show! CLICK HERE for more about Bobby Long  Listen Up to The Will Callers!
The Will Callers are a veritable gumbo pot of American roots music, blending elements of Country, Blues, Soul, and Gospel to create an organic mixture brimming with honesty and youth. Their debut full-length, What Else Is Left?, finds songwriting duo Jake Murphy and Daniel Slatton exploring the depths of the American tradition, while creating a sound seemingly timeless though altogether original.
Recorded in Austin, Texas at the Finishing School, What Else Is Left? (produced by Ray Wylie Hubbard & George Reiff), offers ten tracks of candid songwriting surrounded by tasteful, demonstrative musicality. The band features Austin heavyweights such as Brad Rice (Whiskeytown, Son Volt), Scrappy Jud Newcomb (Ian McLagan, The Resentments), Bukka Allen (BoDeans), and Scott Esbeck (Jack Ingram, Kelly Willis). This is a record of groove and grit, a record unwilling to play it safe, a record incapable of compromise. "Cool as Buffalo Springfield, deep as Dylan, trashy as The Stones, smart like The Beatles, fight like The Eagles, and they're original." - Ray Wylie Hubbard
CLICK HERE for more about The Will Callers Kris Kristofferson Feeling Mortal
Kris Kristofferson's latest release Feeling Mortal is climbing charts all over the world. Currently #12 on the Americana Music Chart, it continues to received praise and acclaim all over the world. Kristofferson and producer, Don Was, spent three days recording Feeling Mortal, cutting 20 songs and picking 10, then bolstering the basic tracks with amazing instrumental work from guitarist Mark Goldenberg, pedal steel master Greg Leisz, keyboardist Matt Rollins, violinist and vocalist Sara Watkins, bassist Sean Hurley and drummer Aaron Sterling.
They emerged with a piece of work that Was suggests is “One of Kris’ finest albums.”
This record, may very well be his masterpiece to date. It's a musical gem you will treasure for years.
CLICK HERE for more about Kris Kristofferson
Ronnie Fauss - Man You Ought to Know Ronnie Fauss knocked 'em dead at SXSW, garnering several top-notch national reviews. CLICK HEREfor the review in the New York Times. CLICK HERE for the notable mention in Esquire. CLICK HEREto read about Ronnie Fauss in Texas Monthly.
Fauss' latest release, I Am The Man You Know I'm Not, remains solidly in the Top 40 of the Americana Music Chart (where it made its debut in early December), and recently made its way onto theEuroAmericana Chart (debuting at #25).
In case you missed it, CLICK HERE to check out his recent KXT live performance of "This Year." Ronnie Fauss is, indeed, taking the world by storm! CLICK HERE to catch him LIVE. CLICK HERE for more about Ronnie Fauss Artists for Vieques
Artists for Vieques was earnestly created to assist the people of the Island of Vieques in Puerto Rico - a former US Naval bomb testing area - build a full power public radio station. The clock is ticking: RADIO VIEQUES, WVQR 90.1fm, must be built and broadcasting by June 30, 2013 before their FCC license to exist expires. Help the people of Vieques amplify their voices to call for repair of environmental damage to their island and restore health to the people.
Featuring tracks by Willie Nelson & Family, Calle 13, Los Lonely Boys, Patricia Vonne and more, sales of the digital album Artists for Vieques enables A4MD to help build RADIO VIEQUES and provide a powerful voice for their community.
SUPPORT RADIO VIEQUES. CLICK HERE to purchase your copy today.
“There are two things that slow down the development of individuals and nations: fear and censorship. The people of Vieques forgot about fear and fought side-by-side with many other conscientious Puerto Ricans until US Navy was driven out of the Island after 60 years of destroying Vieques’ beaches and marine life systematically, devastating its environment and lands and endangering the health of its population. Vieques is now in the process of recovering and rebuilding. A public radio station like Radio Vieques (WVQR 90.1 FM) can represent an uncensored voice for Vieques and for all Puerto Ricans.” - Calle 13, Puerto Rico Recording Artists and Activists
CLICK HERE for pictures of The Jenni Finlay Promotions Day Party and Tribute to Townes Benfit Concert during SXSW
>> THIS JUST IN: Jenni Finlay Promotions Presents: Catfish Concert Series - Brennen Leigh and Noel McKay perform April 11th. CLICK HERE for details and full summer schedule! <<
Listen Up to Caitlin Rose!
Caitlin Rose is back with a new studio album, the follow up to her critically acclaimed debut, Own Side Now. The album introduces a newfound confidence in Rose, the poise of an experienced songwriter and the fierce gumption that goes all the way down to her bluely tinted soul. This sense of self-assurance is woven throughout twelve carefully crafted songs with the timeless sound and witty approach to lyricism that has become her signature.
Incorporating classic influences from her Nashville roots with a modern pop twist, Caitlin?s vocals soar over lyrics that seem to possess the wisdom of an old soul. Crafted with Nashville producers Jordan Lehning and Skylar Wilson (Justin Townes Earle), featuring two songs co-written with Gary Louris (The Jayhawks), The Stand-In (ATO) came together and took form as a team effort, strengthened by a longtime friendship with band mates Jeremy Fetzer and Spencer Cullum. Inspired by classic country musicians, misunderstandings, break ups, mystical landmarks and the constantly evolving landscape of the Nashville music scene, The Stand-In is an ambitious record, a testament to Rose?s bold approach and strength as a songwriter. With a trademark punch that the New York Times once likened to a young “Patsy Cline learning to howl”, Rose?s fiery disposition shines through on rollicking tracks like “No One To Call” and “Waitin?,” songs that possess a huge sound and a whole lot of character. Never the type to be one-dimensional, Rose wears her heart on her sleeve on candid serenades like “I Was Cruel” and sentimental ballads like “Pink Champagne” or “When I?m Gone.” And in true form, Rose includes a brilliant cover on The Stand-In, this time of The Felice Brothers? single, “Dallas.”
CLICK HERE for more about Caitlin Rose
 Jenni Finlay Promotions at SXSW
Join Jenni Finlay Promotions Wednesday, March 13th at the outdoor stage of Threadgills' World Headquarters, 12-5pm. Free and open to the public, enjoy performances by Rod Picott, HalleyAnna, Caitlin Rose, Gurf Morlix, James McMurtry and more! You won't want to miss it!
12:00 Alice Drank the Kool Aid
12:30
Shinyribs (Kevin Russell of The Gourds)
1:00 HalleyAnna
1:30 Gurf Morlix
2:00 Rod Picott
2:30 Dustin Welch
3:00 Slaid Cleaves
3:30 Caitlin Rose
4:00 James McMurtry Band
In Austin during SXSW? CLICK HERE to download your handy Jenni Finlay Promotions daily pocket schedules for easy reference to your favorite JFP artist shows all week long! A Tribute to Townes
Jenni Finlay Promotions celebrates the Lone Star legend’s legacy with A Tribute to Townes concert during this year’s South By Southwest. Songwriters James McMurtry, BettySoo, Michael Weston King, Darden Smith, Kelsey Waldon, and Peter Rowan (many featured in Brian T. Atkinson’s I’ll Be Here in the Morning: The Songwriting Legacy of Townes Van Zandt ) will perform at the event from 5-7 p.m. at Threadgill’s World Headquarters, Wednesday, March 13th. Atkinson himself will be on hand to sign copies of I’ll Be Here in the Morning during the event. 25 Very Special VIP Tickets will include side-stage seating, an autographed copy of the book, I'll Be Here in the Morning - The Songwriting Legacy of Townes Van Zandt, a copy of the cd, Sunshine Boy (previously unreleased Townes Van Zandt demos), and a show poster. 50 VIP tickets (available exclusivly at Threadgill's World Headquarters) will include reserved seats in the front of the stage. It will definitely go down as one of the must-see shows of the whole week.
5:00 James McMurtry
5:20 BettySoo
5:40 Darden Smith
6:00 Kelsey Waldon
6:20 Peter Rowan
6:40 Michael Weston King
Special thanks to our sponsors: Lagunitas Brewing Co., Swan Percussion, Epiphone, Brown Distributing, House of Songs
CLICK HERE for more about the Tribute To Townes event
 Gurf Morlix In Stores March 5th
Legendary sound...Legendary soundness. After four years, on March 5th, Gurf Morlix will finally release an album of brand new songs: Gurf Morlix Finds the Present Tense. Already among the Top 5 Most Added Titles in Americana, the album features ten songs of desperation and desire, done in Gurf's inimitable, honest style. CLICK HERE to pre-order your copy today!
Gurf took two years off from releasing his own songs to tour in support of his most recent record, Blaze Foley's 113th Wet Dream, which consisted of songs written by Gurf's late friend, Blaze Foley. "It was something I needed to do", says Gurf. "Blaze never got the recognition he wanted, and I wanted to help get his songs out there to some more people." He kept writing his own songs through those 2 years, though, and this new release is the result - Organic music. Handcrafted music. Music that means something. Music with integrity.
CLICK HERE for more about Gurf Morlix
No Stopping Ronnie Fauss
Ronnie Fauss is taking the world by storm! On March 9th, he's headlining the Texas Music Revolution at South Fork Ranch in North Texas (other artists include Chris Knight, Turnpike Troubadours, Jason Boland, and American Aquarium). He'll be in Austin, performing numerous showcases during SXSW (CLICK HERE for info). Then he kicks off his Spring tour, performing throughout the Northeast. CLICK HERE for all tour dates, and don't miss a show near you.
Fauss' latest release, I Am The Man You Know I'm Not, was the 31st most played roots country album of 2012 (and is still climbing radio charts)! CLICK HERE to purchase your copy today! CLICK HERE for more about Ronnie Fauss
Bobby Long US Tour
ATO Records and Bobby Long proudly present Wishbone, the sophomore album from the British born artist who calls New York City home. Recorded in Los Angeles with producer Ted Hutt (Gaslight Anthem, Lucero, Old Crow Medicine Show), the well crafted songs on Wishbone live up to the expectations put upon a young man the Wall Street Journal touted as a “promising talent” with “much more to say,” after the release of his Liam Watson produced debut album A Winter Tale. Long kicks off his US tour, in support of Wishbone, this month. CLICK HERE for all tour dates. CLICK HERE for more about Bobby Long Lilly Hiatt Cactus Cafe Residency
Catch Lilly Hiatt every Monday in April at Austin's legendary Cactus Cafe. Lilly Hiatt's latest release, Let Down, continues to receive rave reviews. CLICK HERE to check out the incredible feature in the Nashville Scene. CLICK HERE to check out Lilly Hiatt's longform video (which includes two new songs off Let Down, plus the stories behind them). CLICK HERE for more about Lilly Hiatt
 Listen Up to Javi Garcia!
Every now and then something comes along that you just can’t shake. Something that you just can’t deny. Whether it be an unexpected life changing experience, or a matter of being at the right place at the right time. Like it or not, it affects you. The common thread is that you experienced something unique and uncommon. That type of feeling is something you will take with you after digesting what Javi Garcia brings to the table.
In 2010, Javi Garcia a virtual unknown, unleashed his self produced debut double album A Southern Horror, which earned him 4 nominations at the Lone Star Music Awards. Album Of The Year, Emerging Artist Of The Year, & Album Art Of The Year (Original artwork by Javi Garcia). Two years later he set out to record The Great Controversy. His highly anticipated self produced sophomore effort. With the help of a successful pre-sale campaign raising over $17,000, the album is set for release April 9th, 2013. With many of his underground cult following believing his debut album A Southern Horror set a new standard for a new breed of progressive Americana, The Great Controversy undeniably raises the bar yet again. Truly embracing the nomadic spirit of Americana music and using it to further blur the line between singer-songwriter and uncompromising Rock & Roll. The album's momentum is relentless. The production is beautifully progressive and Garcia's songwriting has matured to a level that will even make his skeptics true believers.
“Javi Garcia’s songs are written with an elegant cool darkness that rattles the bones, shakes the soul and bleeds with integrity. believe it.” - Ray Wylie Hubbard
CLICK HERE for more about Javi Garcia John Corbett On Tour
3/3 Whiskey Bent Saloon Nashville, TN
3/5 Tin Roof Louisville, KY
3/6 Tin Roof Lexington, KY
3/7 Tin Roof Knoxville, TN
3/8 Tin Roof Columbia, SC
3/9 Windjammer Isle of Palms, SC
3/11 Visulite Charlotte, NC
3/14 Superfly's Lone Star Music Emporium San Marcos, TX (in store performance)
3/15 Lone Star Music Magazine SXSW Day Party Austin, TX
3/17 Hot Springs St. Patrick's Day Parade Hot Springs, AR
3/19 B.B. King's New York, NY 3/21 Hill Country BBQ Washington, DC 3/22 Rams Head Baltimore, MD CLICK HERE for more about John Corbett Dustin Welch In Stores Now
Dustin Welch's Tijuana's Bible is available NOW - CLICK HERE to purchase your copy today. Welch calls Whisky Priest and Tijuana Bible (named after the hand-drawn pornographic pamphlets that were passed around in Depression-era work camps) the first two parts of a projected trilogy. Although the songs are neither overtly religious nor linked to each other as part of a conceptual story, many of them do share a sense of desperation-hardened fortitude — along with hints of mono-mythic mysticism.
There are more sinners than saints here, and some of them are admittedly a lot farther off from redemption than others. But even at its darkest, Welch’s music still thunders with the exuberant spirit of horses running wild, indifferent to the line between fever dream and prophecy.
CLICK HERE for more about Dustin Welch
Good to be Kinky
Could this be the year of the Kinky? Some think so, as folks throughout the state continue to press the Kinkster to run again for governor. No comment from the governor of the heart of Texas, as of yet. Meanwhile, he continues preparations for his monster European Tour, which kicks off on April 1 (after stops in Chicago and New York). Part of the prep has been the signing of a distribution deal with Continental Record Services (formerly Rounder Records Europe) for his super hot cd, The BiPolar Tour, Live From Woodstock, which has been number one in downloads by radio stations from Airplay Direct since its release at the first of the year. Before Kinky hops the pond, he will actually participate in SXSW, a rare occurrence indeed. Kinky will be hosting the Rowdy Radio Show from Opa's on South First Street on Friday March 15th (8PM to midnight), and he will be joining his new soul brother, Jesse Dayton, and his new protege, Brian Molnar, for a set at Mojo Nixon's Jalapeno Pancake Supper Show at the Continental Club at 2PM on March 16th. Indeed, sometimes it's very good to be Kinky.
CLICK HERE for more about Kinky Friedman  Kris Kristofferson Soars Up Charts!
Kris Kristofferson's latest release Feeling Mortal is climbing charts all over the world. Currently #11 on the Americana Music Chart, #13 on the Freeform American Roots Chart, and #7 on the EuroAmericana Chart. Kristofferson and producer, Don Was, spent three days recording Feeling Mortal, cutting 20 songs and picking 10, then bolstering the basic tracks with amazing instrumental work from guitarist Mark Goldenberg, pedal steel master Greg Leisz, keyboardist Matt Rollins, violinist and vocalist Sara Watkins, bassist Sean Hurley and drummer Aaron Sterling.
They emerged with a piece of work that Was suggests is “One of Kris’ finest albums.”
This record, may very well be his masterpiece to date. It's a musical gem you will treasure for years.
CLICK HERE for more about Kris Kristofferson Mary Gauthier Hits The Road
Mary Gauthier is in the middle of an extensive tour, performing coast to coast across the US. CLICK HERE for a show near you!
Check out what folks are saying about Mary Gauthier's stellar Live At Blue Rock (currently #16 on the Americana Music Chart):
"Watching Mary Gauthier in concert is something akin to a religious experience. Nowhere is her success more evident than in her live performances, such as captured on LIVE at Blue Rock." Nancy Dunham jambands.com
"Gauthier’s proven herself to be a storyteller of the first order. If the mood ever hits her, she’d be as great a novelist as she is a songwriter. Worlds rise and fall in her songs. Her songs have been covered by everybody from Blake Shelton to Boy George, and while you ponder that mental image, know that nobody’s done ‘em better than Gauthier herself. Live At Blue Rock is Mary Gauthier at her best. " Cait Brenan Pop Shifter
“If a knockout emotional punch is what you’re looking for, start right here. LIVE at Blue Rock is her first live album, and it’s the kind of stunner that can only come from someone who’s absolutely ready to turn on the heat with a sackful of the very best songs from a stellar catalogue. And Gauthier has that in spades.” Bill Bentley, The Morton Report
“Mary Gauthier’s music is made for the stage. For close to 70 minutes she draws the listener into her world, both past and present, as she performs her stories. LIVE at Blue Rock is a journey well worth taking with her.” David Bowling, BlogCritics
“There’s a penetrating potency to Gauthier’s delivery of these songs on LIVE at Blue Rock, as though she’s daring somebody to challenge her on whether or not the people she chooses to sing about are worthy of attention, and whether she’s really telling the truth about the desperation of their outsider existences. Such a visceral style of performance isn’t typically thought of in terms of virtuosity, but that’s a quality her storytelling often possesses all the same. ” Jewly Hight, American Songwriter
CLICK HERE for more about Mary Gauthier
The Coal Porters' Sid Griffin Launches Podcast
Check out Sid Griffin's latest podcast HERE. And be sure to tune in each month, as Griffin posts a brand new podcast, featuring a special guest artist, new music, and more! A new EP has been released digitally HERE, which features the Coal Porters version of the Bowie classic, "Heroes." The EP also features a new version of "Final Wild Son" (originally recorded by Sid Griffin's old band The Long Ryders) and also a live version of "The Betsey Trotwood," the startling instrumental from the Coal Porters' recent album, Find The One, which has been described as sounding like the Left Banke playing bluegrass! CLICK HERE for more about the Coal Porters In case you missed it: CLICK HERE for pictures of Jenni Finlay Promotions at the International Folk Alliance Conference in Toronoto
Listen Up to Gurf Morlix!
Legendary sound...Legendary soundness. After four years, Gurf Morlix will finally release an album of brand new songs: Gurf Morlix Finds the Present Tense. Due out March 5, 2013, the album will feature ten songs of desperation and desire, done in Gurf's inimitable, honest style.
Gurf took two years off from releasing his own songs to tour in support of his most recent record, Blaze Foley's 113th Wet Dream, which consisted of songs written by Gurf's late friend, Blaze Foley. "It was something I needed to do", says Gurf. "Blaze never got the recognition he wanted, and I wanted to help get his songs out there to some more people." He kept writing his own songs through those 2 years, though, and this new release is the result - Organic music. Handcrafted music. Music that means something. Music with integrity.
LISTEN TO STREAMS OF GURF'S NEW ALBUM: Gurf will be streaming one song a week from Gurf's new album until the record is released on March 5. Take a listen HERE. CLICK HERE for more about Gurf Morlix
 Jenni Finlay Promotions Co-Presents CROSSING BORDERS SUITE at the International Folk Alliance Conference
Come to Toronto for the 25th Annual International Folk Alliance Conference, February 20-24. Jenni Finlay Promotions has teamed up with Richard Flohil to present a phenomenal line-up of intimate performances in the Crossing Borders Suite (#1280 in the beautiful Delta Chelsea Hotel in downtown Toronto). See some of your favorite Jenni Finlay Promotions artists: Rod Picott, Gurf Morlix, The Coal Porters, Steve Poltz, Sam Baker, Matt The Electrician, BettySoo and Doug Cox, and many more! CLICK HERE for the full Crossing Borders Suite schedule, and don't miss a moment! CLICK HERE to register now. Can't make it to Toronto? Never fear! We'll be streaming the showcases LIVE around the world. Beginning Wednesday, February 20th at 11:00pm (Eastern), CLICK HERE to tune in!
Kris Kristofferson's Feeling Mortal - IN STORES NOW
At long last: Kris Kristofferson's brand new release, Feeling Mortal, is in stores NOW. CLICK HERE to purchase your copy today.
Kristofferson is a Country Music Hall of Famer who ranks among the most versatile of American talents. He’s been a Golden Gloves boxer, a Rhodes scholar, a college football player, an acclaimed actor, a military officer, a helicopter pilot, a Grammy-winner, ...he's been a walking contradiction (partly truth and partly fiction), and now he finds himself releasing the third Don Was-produced album in a twilight years trilogy. On his own label (KK Records), Feeling Mortal follows 2009’s Closer To The Bone and 2006’s This Old Road in examining hard-won grace.
Kristofferson and producer, Don Was, spent three days recording Feeling Mortal, cutting 20 songs and picking 10, then bolstering the basic tracks with amazing instrumental work from guitarist Mark Goldenberg, pedal steel master Greg Leisz, keyboardist Matt Rollins, violinist and vocalist Sara Watkins, bassist Sean Hurley and drummer Aaron Sterling.
They emerged with a piece of work that Was suggests is “One of Kris’ finest albums.”
This record, may very well be his masterpiece to date. It's a musical gem you will treasure for years.
CLICK HERE for more about Kris Kristofferson Mary Gauthier Soars Up Charts
Live at Blue Rock is soaring up the charts (currently #31 on the Americana Music Chart), and has received praise and acclaim from critics and fans alike!
Mary Gauthier's incomparable style - her stoic grace and sober truths - has gained her friends, fans, and followers from around the globe. Her songs are vivid pictures sketched in short, sparse lines which expose honest truths that are timeless and poignant, and simple beauty that peeks through the stark emptiness like flowers in the snow. The raw emotion that she elicits evokes a wistfulness and melancholy that takes her listeners to a place deep within their souls.
Live at Blue Rock will be released February 7th. A beautiful collection of songs and stories, tracks are currently being streamed on Mary's website. Check them out, along with Mary's prolific stories behind the songs HERE.
CLICK HERE for more about Mary Gauthier Kinky Friedman International Release
Kinky Friedman’s BiPolar Tour will soon take the world by storm - He will perform solo shows throughout Europe, Scandinavia, England, Scotland, Ireland, France, Holland, Germany and Austria. With added dates at the City Wineries in both Chicago and New York City, it will be one of Kinky’s most extensive tours ever.
The BiPolar World Tour is nothing if not a fact-finding mission, as Kinky calculates international political views, particularly toward the Kinkster himself (since Kinky is considering a second run for Texas governor).
Aside from his pending political rebirth, Kinky is both energized and excited about all things Kinky, not least of which is his book written with Willie Nelson, Roll Me Up and Smoke Me When I Die. Kinky’s extensive forward and full-on collaboration with Willie has gotten the publishing world’s attention - it has been on the New York Times Top Ten best sellers list since before the holidays and promises to be one of the top sellers of the winter season. As a result, a deal has been struck for the return of Kinky’s intrepid and extremely popular fictional detective . . . himself, with a new two-book deal. The first will hit the stands by year’s end.
Kinky will be hawking a new live solo CD, Live From Woodstock, recorded on the American leg of the BiPolar Tour and featuring some of his best work ever. Live From Woodstock will be released to Euro Americana radio in February (available through AirPlay Direct).
CLICK HERE for more about Kinky Friedman  Listen Up To Dustin Welch!
Building on the thrilling strengths of his fearsomely original 2009 debut, Whisky Priest (which Lone Star Music magazine deemed “one of the most compelling albums to come out of Texas in the past year”), Austin-based singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Dustin Welch is set to release his second album,Tijuana Bible, on Feb. 12 (via his own Super Rooster Records). Like Whisky Priest before it, Tijuana Biblefinds the Nashville-born Welch playing the part of a wickedly mysterious carnival barker, bouncing strains of Americana, rock, and folk music off of each other like a hall of funhouse mirrors. His lyrics are similarly multifaceted, reflecting literary influences ranging from American gothic to gritty pulp fiction and themes both sacred and profane.
Welch calls Whisky Priest and Tijuana Bible (named after the hand-drawn pornographic pamphlets that were passed around in Depression-era work camps) the first two parts of a projected trilogy. Although the songs are neither overtly religious nor linked to each other as part of a conceptual story, many of them do share a sense of desperation-hardened fortitude — along with hints of mono-mythic mysticism.
There are more sinners than saints here, and some of them are admittedly a lot farther off from redemption than others. But even at its darkest, Welch’s music still thunders with the exuberant spirit of horses running wild, indifferent to the line between fever dream and prophecy.
CLICK HERE for more about Dustin Welch John Corbett's Leaving Nothin' Behind - IN STORES 2/5
No one has to tell John Corbett that Hollywood stars moonlighting as musicians don’t always get taken seriously. Throughout his musical career, he’s faced crowds of curious skeptics and cynics...And yet,
time and time again, Corbett has won them over, onstage and off.
His self-titled debut album, released in 2006, climbed to No. 42 on Billboard’s Country Albums chart, surprising even the guy who rose to fame as Cicely, Alaska’s resident radio deejay on the “Northern Exposure” TV series (and made women swoon in “Sex and the City” and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”).
His new album, Leaving Nothin’ Behind, on his own Funbone Records label, confirms what his fans have quickly recognized: John Corbett was never just moonlighting in the first place.
Teaming up with longtime Guy Clark collaborator, Jon Randall Stewart, and producer Gary Paczosa, along with the talents of Jessi Alexander, John Cowan, Brian Sutton, Dan Dugmore, Michael Rhodes, Steve Gorman, Audley Freed, Corbett brings forth an album that could easily hold its own among those from top Americana artists around the world.
The ability to inhabit someone else’s songs and make them his very own is Corbett's forte—which, come to think of it, is exactly the trait all good actors need. It’s all about interpretation, for which Corbett’s fans and friends have always given him high marks.
CLICK HERE for more about John Corbett Jess Klein Gears Up For Upcoming Release
Jess has returned home from her Irish tour (supporting Arlo Guthrie). During the tour, she found time to collaborate with platinum-selling Irish recording artist, Mundy, on new songs for an anticipated project together (stay tuned for details). Jess is now back at The Aerie recording studio in Austin creating her forthcoming album, Learning Faith.
CLICK HERE for more about Jess Klein Jenni Finlay Promotions at SXSW
Join Jenni Finlay Promotions Wednesday, March 13th at the outdoor stage of Threadgills' World Headquarters, 12-5pm. Featuring performances by Rod Picott, HalleyAnna, Caitlin Rose, Gurf Morlix, James McMurtry and more, you won't want to miss it!
THEN DON'T MISS: Wednesday, March 13th, from 5-7pm, Jenni Finlay Promotions will present A Tribute to Townes concert and book signing by I'll Be Here in the Morning author, Brian T. Atkinson. From the hallowed stage of Threadgill's World Headquarters, several of the artists featured in the stellar book will share their favorite Townes Van Zandt songs and stories. It will definitely go down as one of the must-see shows of the whole week.  Wanda Jackson on World Cafe
Wanda Jackson recently recorded a NPR World Cafe session. Stay tuned for airdates, and be sure to tune in! Her brand new video, "Am I Even a Memory" (featuring Justin Townes Earle) is in constant rotation on CMT Pure. Unfinished Business continues to receive big press love. CLICK HERE for the Voice of America feature. CLICK HERE for the review in OC Weekly. CLICK HERE to ready the article in Vancouver Weekly. Want to know what all the buzz is about? CLICK HERE to purchase your copy ofUnfinished Business today!
CLICK HERE for more about Wanda Jackson
James McMurtry Speaks Out On Gun Controversy
Austin singer-songwriter James McMurtry, a gun owner himself, weighs in on the gun controversy in his latest blog, featured in Blurt! CLICK HERE to read "More Than Just A Tall Order. " McMurtry kicks off his solo/acoustic tour this month. Check out the dates below, and don't miss a show near you:
2/15 Fort Collins, CO Mishawaka Amphitheatre (Solo)
2/16 Denver, CO L2 and Culture Center (Solo) 2/17 Colorado Springs, CO The Loft (Solo)
2/19 Breckenridge, CO Three20South (Solo)
2/20 Carbondale, CO PAC 3 (Solo)
2/21 Grand Junction, CO Mesa Theatre (Solo)
2/22 Salt Lake City, UT The State Room (Solo)
2/23 Boise, ID Neurolux (Solo)
2/26 Roanoke, VA Kirk Avenue Music Hall (Solo)
2/27 Leesburg, VA Tally Ho (Solo)
2/28 Harrisonburg, VA Clementine Cafe (Solo)
3/1 Washington, DC The Hamilton (Solo)
3/2 New York, NY City Winery (Solo)
3/3 Hudson, NY Club Helsinki (Solo)
3/5 Sellersville, PA Sellersville Theatre (Solo)
3/6 Ithaca, NY The Haunt (Solo)
3/7 Northampton, MA Iron Horse Music Hall (Solo)
3/8 White River Junction, VT Tupelo Hall (Solo)
3/9 Londonderry, NH Tupelo Hall (Solo)
Lilly Hiatt and Jewel Fresh off the Cayamo Cruise boat after a week of amazing performances, Lilly Hiatt is gearing up to open for Jewel in March. Be sure to catch the shows:
3/7 Englewood, NJ Bergen Performing Arts Center 3/8 New Brunswick, NJ The State Theatre
And don't miss her in her new home of Austin during SXSW (she'll be performing at The Saxon Pub onSaturday, March 16th). Lilly Hiatt's latest release, Let Down, continues to receive rave reviews. CLICK HERE to check out the incredible feature in the Nashville Scene. CLICK HERE to check out Lilly Hiatt's longform video (which includes two new songs off Let Down, plus the stories behind them). CLICK HERE to hear a brand new recording of Lilly's "Looks Like It's Just Me Here" (via www.nashvilletimemachine.com)
CLICK HERE for more about Lilly Hiatt
 Good Year For Ronnie Fauss
Ronnie Fauss is moving upwards and onward! His latest release, I Am The Man You Know I'm Not, has hit #2 on the Texas Roots Chart, and #31 on the Americana Music Chart. Check out his recent Country Fried Rock interview HERE.
His song "Good Enough" was recently featured on an episode of the CW's Hart of Dixie.
THIS JUST IN: Austin, Listen Up! Ronnie Fauss is performing at Stubb's on Friday, February 22nd. CLICK HERE for more about Ronnie Fauss
This One's For Him - A Tribute to Guy Clark Nominated for Grammy
CLICK HERE for more about This One's For Him - A Tribute To Guy Clark
The Coal Porters Coming to America
The Coal Porters have plans for USA festivals in summer and again in October! Stay tuned for dates and updates. Their calendar is filling up fast, so anyone seeking an act which mixes Bill Monroe, Fairport Convention and Mumford & Sons is encouraged to contact the Coal Porters as soon as possible.
CLICK HERE for more about the Coal Porters
Corb Lund On The Marty Stuart Show
Corb recently taped an episode of The Marty Stuart Show to air on RFD-TV in June. His latest release,Cabin Fever, which reached #4 on the Americana Music Chart, has landed on the Nashville Scene's 13th Annual Country Music Critic's Poll.
Check out Corb LIVE on his US tour:
2/6 Atlanta, GA Smith’s Olde Bar
2/7 Chattanooga, TN Rhythm and Brews
2/8 Knoxville, TN Barley’s
2/9 Nashville, TN Exit/In
2/12 Charlotte, NC The Evening Muse
2/13 Greenville, SC The Handlebar
2/14 Raleigh, NC Berkeley Cafe
2/15 Roanoke, VA Kirk Avenue Music Hall
2/16 Asheville, NC Emerald Lounge
2/20 Wilmington, DE World Café Live at The Queen
2/21 New York, NY Joe’s Pub
2/22 Washington, DC Hill Country BBQ
2/24 Charleston, WV Mountain Stage, Culture Center Theater
CLICK HERE for more about Corb Lund
Listen Up to Kris Kristofferson!
At last - after four long years - legendary songwriter Kris Kristofferson unleashes his first album of all new material! Mark your calendars: Feeling Mortal will be IN STORES January 29, 2013.
Kristofferson is a Country Music Hall of Famer who ranks among the most versatile of American talents. He’s been a Golden Gloves boxer, a Rhodes scholar, a college football player, an acclaimed actor, a military officer, a helicopter pilot, a Grammy-winner, ...he's been a walking contradiction (partly truth and partly fiction), and now he finds himself releasing the third Don Was-produced album in a twilight years trilogy. On his own label (KK Records), Feeling Mortal follows 2009’s Closer To The Bone and 2006’s This Old Road in examining hard-won grace.
Kristofferson and producer, Don Was, spent three days recording Feeling Mortal, cutting 20 songs and picking 10, then bolstering the basic tracks with stellar instrumental work from guitarist Mark Goldenberg, pedal steel master Greg Leisz, keyboardist Matt Rollins, violinist and vocalist Sara Watkins, bassist Sean Hurley and drummer Aaron Sterling.
They emerged with a piece of work that Was suggests is “One of Kris’ finest albums.”
This record, may very well be his masterpiece to date. It's a musical gem you will treasure for years to come.
CLICK HERE for more about Kris Kristofferson  Congratulations to Ray Wylie Hubbard - #8 Americana Record of 2012
Ray Wylie Hubbard's The Grifter's Hymnal is the #8 record of 2012, according to radio airplay that was reported to the Americana Music Chart. Other JFP albums that made the TOP 100 include Corb Lund's Cabin Fever (#47),
Lucero's Women & Work (#75), Seth Walker's Time Can Change (#82), and Sons of Bill's Sirens (#85). CLICK HERE for the full list.
Don't miss Ray Wylie Hubbard perform "Mother Blue's" with his band (Lucas Hubbard, John Michael Schoepf, and Kyle Schneider) on the Late Show with David Letterman January 9th. Ray Wylie is gearing up for the 4th Annual Grit 'N Groove Fest, April 6, 2013. Stay tuned for details!
CLICK HERE for more about Ray Wylie Hubbard
This One's For Him - A Tribute to Guy Clark Nominated for Grammy
CLICK HERE for more about This One's For Him - A Tribute To Guy Clark
Happy New Year From Ronnie Fauss
Ronnie Fauss wishes you all a happy 2013 with his new video of the KXT performance of "This Year" - CLICK HERE to check it out!
Fauss has certainly made a splash with his latest release, I Am The Man You Know I'm Not. Last month, it made its debut on the National Americana Music Chart. The Dallas Observer named it one of the fifteen Best Local Albums of 2012, and among the Top Ten Local Country Songs of 2012. It was awarded one of the Five Breakout Acts by CBS-DFW, and has been placed on countless "Best of" lists for 2012. CLICK HERE for more about Ronnie Fauss
 Listen Up To Mary Gauthier!
After 10 years of perfecting her stagecraft, Mary Gauthier releases Live at Blue Rock.
Mary Gauthier's incomparable style - her stoic grace and sober truths - has gained her friends, fans, and followers from around the globe. Her songs are vivid pictures sketched in short, sparse lines which expose honest truths that are timeless and poignant, and simple beauty that peeks through the stark emptiness like flowers in the snow. The raw emotion that she elicits evokes a wistfulness and melancholy that takes her listeners to a place deep within their souls.
But even though her six albums have received countless accolades (2005’s Mercy Now earned her the Americana Music Association’s New/Emerging Artist of the Year title, and 2011’s The Foundling was named the #3 Record of the Year by the L.A. Times), Gauthier felt she needed to rack up her pilot hours, so to speak, before she could hit another major milestone: recording a live album. When she was ready, she captured Live at Blue Rock (In the Black Records) at a concert at the Blue Rock Artist Ranch and Studio in Wimberley, Texas. It’s set for release on February 7, 2013, but you can pre-order HERE today.
A beautiful collection of songs and stories, tracks from Live at Blue Rock are currently being streamed on Mary's website. Check them out, along with Mary's prolific stories behind the songs HERE.
CLICK HERE for more about Mary Gauthier Wanda Jackson's New Video
CLICK HERE to watch Wanda Jackson's brand new video for the single, "Am I Even A Memory?" (featuring Justin Townes Earle). Wanda Jackson's album, Unfinished Business, is soaring up the charts, hitting #15 on the Americana Music Chart, and earning praise and acclaim worldwide. Slate calls it “…the best album of her golden-years comeback.” CLICK HERE for the recent review of her 12/29 Southern California show. CLICK HERE for upcoming shows, and be sure to catch Wanda Jackson LIVE when she's in your neck of the woods. CLICK HERE for more about Wanda Jackson
Stay Tuned for Gurf Morlix Good things come to those who wait. After four years, Gurf Morlix will finally release an album of brand new songs: Gurf Morlix Finds the Present Tense. Due out March 5, 2013, the album will feature ten songs of desperation and desire, done in Gurf's inimitable, honest style. Gurf took two years off from releasing his own songs to tour in support of his most recent record, Blaze Foley's 113th Wet Dream, which consisted of songs written by Gurf's late friend, Blaze Foley. "It was something I needed to do", says Gurf. "Blaze never got the recognition he wanted, and I wanted to help get his songs out there to some more people." He kept writing his own songs through those 2 years, though, and this new release is the result - Organic music. Handcrafted music. Music that means something. Music with integrity.
LISTEN TO STREAMS OF GURF'S NEW ALBUM: Gurf will be streaming one song a week from Gurf's new album until the record is released on March 5. Take a listen HERE. CLICK HERE for more about Gurf Morlix
 Listen Up To John Corbett!
No one has to tell John Corbett that Hollywood stars moonlighting as musicians don’t always get taken seriously. Throughout his musical career, he’s faced crowds of curious skeptics and cynics...And yet, time and time again, Corbett has won them over, onstage and off.
His self-titled debut album, released in 2006, climbed to No. 42 on Billboard’s Country Albums chart, surprising even the guy who rose to fame as Cicely, Alaska’s resident radio deejay on the “Northern Exposure” TV series (and made women swoon in “Sex and the City” and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding”).
His new album, Leaving Nothin’ Behind, on his own Funbone Records label, confirms what his fans have quickly recognized: John Corbett was never just moonlighting in the first place.
Teaming up with longtime Guy Clark collaborator, Jon Randall Stewart, and producer Gary Paczosa, along with the talents of Jessi Alexander, John Cowan, Brian Sutton, Dan Dugmore, Michael Rhodes, Steve Gorman, Audley Freed, Corbett brings forth an album that could easily hold its own among those from top Americana artists around the world.
The ability to inhabit someone else’s songs and make them his very own is Corbett's forte—which, come to think of it, is exactly the trait all good actors need. It’s all about interpretation, for which Corbett’s fans and friends have always given him high marks.
CLICK HERE for more about John Corbett Join Jenni Finlay Promotions at the International Folk Alliance Conference
Come to Toronto for the 24th Annual International Folk Alliance Conference, February 20-24, and enjoy intimate performances by some of your favorite Jenni Finlay Promotions artists: Rod Picott, Gurf Morlix, The Coal Porters, Steve Poltz, Sam Baker, Matt The Electrician, BettySoo and Doug Cox, and many more! Don't miss it! CLICK HERE to register now.
Lilly Hiatt Longform Video CLICK HERE to check out Lilly Hiatt's new longform video (which includes two new songs off her brand new release, Let Down, plus the stories behind them).
Attention Nashville: Lilly is playing at The Stone Fox on January 28th. CLICK HERE for all tour dates, and don't miss her incredible live show. CLICK HERE for more about Lilly Hiatt
 Radney Foster At Black Tie and Boots Inaugural Ball
Radney Foster will perform at the Black Tie and Boots Inaugural Ball on January 19. Put on by the Texas State Society, it's the largest inaugural event in Washington, DC, with six stages of Texas music!
Check out the dates below, and don't miss a show near you:
1/11 Dallas, TX The Kessler Theater
1/12 Temple, TX Cultural Activities Center
2/1 New Braunfels, TX Gruene Hall
2/8 Birmingham, AL Moonlight on the Mountain
2/9 Duluth, GA Red Clay Theater
4/25 Stephenville, TX Larry Joe Taylor Festival
CLICK HERE for more about Radney Foster James McMurtry's Road Perspective Throughout the course of his extensive nationwide tour in 2012, James McMurtry snapped pictures of the world around him. CLICK HERE for his "point of view." (All photos by James McMurtry via iPhone).
Blast from the Past - Check out this amazing video of James McMurtry, Nanci Griffith, and Guy Clark performing LIVE at the 1990 American Music Shop HERE.
CLICK HERE for more about James McMurtry Kinky Friedman Looks Towards the Future
To run or not to run? That is the big question for Kinky Friedman this year, as he ponders the possibility of another gubernatorial campaign. Popular demand is leading the way in his thinking. Hundreds of Texans have written in, stopped Kinky in airports, or blogged their support for the first person in Texas history to get on the ballot as an independent, write-in candidate. Fortunately for the planet, Kinky will continue to tour, while he contemplates.
Beginning in March, Kinky will tour with Jesse Dayton, in and out of Texas, in support of Jesse's latest release of Kinky's songs, Jesse Sings Kinky. Soon after, Kinky will cross the pond to kick off the BiPolar World Tour. Dates throughout Scandinavia, Holland, England, Scotland, Ireland, Germany and Austria are scheduled for April. In the meantime, a new two book deal looms at the start of the year, one of which will be the long-awaited return of Kinky's incredibly popular detective series. Did someone say 2013 would be an unlucky year? Not for the Kinkster.
CLICK HERE for more about Kinky Friedman My favorite records of 2012...and the songs I couldn't get out of my head CLICK HERE for my album picks for 2011 (and the songs I just couldn't get out of my head). Here's to an amazing new year of stellar music!! Be sure to find me on Facebook and Twitter so we can stay connected in 2013!
CLICK HERE for 2012 Archives
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