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Listen Up to Melissa Ruth's New Meteor!
Melissa Ruth is in perpetual motion. A self-contained Americana/blues touring artist, she also runs a school district music department in rural Douglas County, Oregon, works with an all-woman western band whose members are mostly in their mid-70s, teaches private classical flute lessons, tours as half of the husband-and-wife duo Midnight Darlins, and, when she’s home, tends chickens, cattle and assorted other animals on several acres she shares with her partner. "It’s a life," she says, "of joy and struggle."

This lifestyle would also explain why she needed only two days to record most of her latest album, Meteor (due March 1, 2019), which she also produced. Nearly every rhythm track was recorded live, in one room, and captured in a single take. As producer, Melissa Ruth says that she wanted to keep things alive, moving. “There is an urgency to these songs," she says, "but there is also the weight of history and the laziness of time.”

Throughout Meteor, Ruth explores the brilliance and brevity of passing stars and human life. She addresses her lifestyle both directly and indirectly, along with affairs of the heart, struggles both internal and external, and the ephemeral nature of stars-- and life-- in a moody alto colored with infinite shades of blue.

CLICK HERE for more about Melissa Ruth

Sideman's Dream (And Other Stories) Available NOW
CLICK HERE to purchase.

Eight 30 Records released the digital collection Sideman's Dream (And Other Stories) last month! The new album – featuring Verlon Thompson's moving title track, Matt Harlan, Chris Fullerton, Walt Wilkins' previously unreleased Greg Trooper cover and more – will be available on Spotify, CD Baby, Apple, Amazon and other streaming services. “We're so excited to release Sideman's Dream (And Other Stories) through our friends at CD Baby,” says Jenni Finlay, who co-produced the dozen tracks with label co-owner Brian T. Atkinson. “This album shines a spotlight on some of our very favorite singer songwriters from the Lone Star state and beyond.”

Thompson's “Sideman's Dream,” a heartfelt tribute to Thompson's longtime musical partner Guy Clark, anchors the album. “You held your songs up to the light and my harmonies got tight,” he sings. “We were playing strong and clean we were a musical machine. It was a perfect sideman's dream.” Unfortunately, the story soon turns south. “In the end, it caught us unrehearsed between a chorus and a verse, between and blessing and a curse,” Thompson continues, “old friends and stuff that works. It went from good to bad to worse.” “It's just a story about two old rod dogs that had a bunch of great years together,” Thompson says, “and then they didn't.”

The Daily Country recently premiered the first single from the album, Walt Wilkins' "Dream Like This." Check it out HERE.

Track listing for Sideman's Dream (And Other Stories):
• Verlon Thompson, “Sideman's Dream”
• Walt Wilkins, “Dreams Like This” (G. Trooper)
• Matt Harlan, “What We Saw”
• Chris Fullerton, “The Last Thing I Want to Do Is Die” (K. Finlay)
• Tim Easton, “Cold and Bitter Tears” (T. Hawkins)
• Randy Weeks, “Sunny”
• Bill Chambers, “I'll Never Let You Go”
• Noel McKay, “I See Brown People”
• Jaimee Harris, “Where Are You Going Now?”
• BettySoo, “Wake Up to the World”
• Curtis McMurtry, “Bayonet”
• Graham Weber, “Love Don't Quit”

Craig Marshall's Turnaround Available NOW!
CLICK HERE to purchase!

CHECK OUT Turnstyled Jukpiled article now!!

“Craig weaves a bit of rockabilly with a twang and a rock beat. This winning combination showcases his solid songwriting and guitar skills.” – Guitar World

The latest entry into Marshall’s discography is Turnaround, produced by Robert Harrison, leader of the critically acclaimed band Cotton Mather.

CLICK HERE for more about Criag Marshall

James McMurtry's Solo Tour Heads East!
Check out the dates below and don't miss a show near you! Solo acoustic in an intimate sitting, McMurtry pulls out songs from deep in his catalog, and you may even hear a brand new one!
1 FEB
MUCKY DUCK (SOLO)
HOUSTON, TX

2 FEB
THE SCOTT THEATRE (SOLO)
FORT WORTH, TX

16 FEB
BUGLE BOY (SOLO)
LAGRANGE, TX

21 FEB
BIRCHMERE (SOLO)
ALEXANDRIA, VA

22 FEB
RAM'S HEAD (SOLO)
ANNAPOLIS, MD

23 FEB
ELK CREEK (SOLO)
MILLHEIM, PA

24 FEB
SELLERSVILLE THEATRE (SOLO)
SELLERSVILLE, PA

26 FEB
ROY'S HALL (SOLO)
BLAIRSTOWN, NJ

27 FEB
NARROWS CENTER (SOLO)
FALL RIVER, MA

28 FEB
DARYL'S HOUSE (SOLO)
PAWNING, NY

1 MAR
HANGAR THEATRE (SOLO)
ITHACA, NY

2 MAR
GATEWAY CITY ARTS (SOLO)
HOLYOKE, MA

6 APR
MONTBLEU (SOLO)
SOUTH LAKE TAHOE, NV

CLICK HERE to check out his latest track, "State of the Union"

Chris Fullerton Records with Malcom Holcomb
Fresh off wrapping his most recent tour at Catfish Concerts, Americana superstar Malcom Holcomb joined Eight 30 Record's Chris Fullerton in the studio to help finish up Fullerton's highly anticipated new album, Consider the Shoebill. Other guest performers include East Nashville's favorite son, Tim Easton, and Austin drummer Mike Meadows. Keep an eye out for Consider the Shoebill soon!!

HERE for a sneak peek of Fullerton's brand new song, "MaryAnn."

The Footnotes New Self-Titled album IN STORES NOW!
The Footnotes, based in Austin and Houston, recently released their third self-titled CD on November 16! Their music is rootsy, high-energy rock 'n' roll that embodies the unpretentious attitude, catchy songcraft and high-energy abandon of the vintage classics that originally inspired them to make music.

Rick Eakens has led The Footnotes on and off for most of his life, crafting the sound in his head into rootsy, high-energy rock 'n' roll that embodies the unpretentious attitude, catchy songcraft and high-energy abandon of the vintage classics that originally inspired him to make music. Based out of Austin and Houston, The Footnotes' feisty, uplifting live gigs are performed by, Rick Eakens (vocals, electric guitar), Allan Gill (bass guitar, vocals), Ric Furley (drums, percussion, vocals) and Jim Hemphill (guitar, vocals). The Beatles and Buddy Holly act as touchstones, and garage-rock combos like the Seeds and the Standells as role models for The Footnotes.

CLICK HERE for more about The Footnotes

Ray Wylie Hubbard Tribute Album The Messenger Underway!
CLICK HERE to support this record!
Jenni Finlay and Brian T. Atkinson are currently producing The Messenger: A Tribute to Ray Wylie Hubbard for Eight 30 Records! We already have several tracks recorded by Bobby Bare, Charlie Musselwhite, James McMurtry, Scott H. Biram, Slaid Cleaves, Tom Russell,Jon Dee Graham, Rod Picott and more and are ready to keep the ball rolling! (To be clear: Ray and Judy give their blessings and are honored by this project, but neither Ray nor his office is involved with it).

We're producing the album as a companion piece to Brian T.'s latest book The Messenger: The Songwriting Legacy of Ray Wylie Hubbard. The book and album will both be released in early fall 2019. The album is a tribute to not only an incredible songwriter, but a singular mentor to incredible songwriters - those shining stars he reaches down and pulls up onto his strong shoulders. His influence is profound. Just ask Bobby Bare, Sr., Jerry Jeff Walker, Charlie Musselwhite, Hayes Carll, Slaid Cleaves, Jack Ingram, Steve Earle, Rodney Crowell, Eric Church, Aaron Lee Tasjan and dozens and dozens more. Or wait until Fall and read all about what they have to say in the book!

CLICK HERE for a sneak peek of Scott H. Biram's version of "Chickens."

JD Pinkus Hits The Road!
Check out the dates and check out JD Pinkus! CLICK HERE to purchase his latest record, Keep On The Grass!

New Mickey Newbury Book Officially in the Works!
Brian T. Atkinson signed a publishing contract for his forthcoming book on highly esteemed songwriter Mickey Newbury (Texas A&M University Press), Looks Like Rain: The Songwriting Legacy of Mickey Newbury. The Houston-born Newbury was known as a true songwriter's songwriter, penning classics like "I Just Dropped In (To See What Condidion My Condition Was In)," "San Francisco Mabel Joy" and "American Trilogy." Austin-based author Atkinson's fourth book tentatively will be released in 2021. His previous book include I'll Be Here in the Morning: The Songwriting Legacy of Townes Van Zandt (TAMU Press, 2012), Kent Finlay, Dreamer: The Musical Legacy behind Cheatham Street Warehouse (2016), co-written with Jenni Finlay, and the upcoming The Messenger: The Songwriting Legacy of Ray Wylie Hubbard (Fall 2019). For more information: briantatkinson.com.

Matt Harlan in the Studio!
Stay tuned for Matt Harlan's upcoming record tentatively titled Best Beasts on Eight 30 Records! Harlan's wrapping up his album (due out Spring of this year) in Austin this month!

In the meantime, listen up to his topical new single "What We Saw" featuring legendary banjo ace Danny Barnes and MilkDrive's Noah Jeffries on fiddle! "I got the idea for this song - and some others I’ve been writing for the new album - from advice a songwriter friend gave me recently," Harlan says. "I was frustrated, wondering how to describe the paralyzing amount of change and division that seems to be everywhere these days, and my friend Jimmy said, 'We should all probably be starting from the perspective of bringing people together.'

"The whole time I was so worried about how we’ve been pulled apart, I hadn’t been thinking that way. So I scribbled down some words and brought a bare-bones draft to a weekly writing group we have and together we tapped into our own experiences to help each other form a picture of why we feel the way we do these days. Not only were we writing about coming together, we had to actually come together to write the song." Keep an eye out for Harlan's forthcoming full-length collection featuring "What We Saw," due in spring 2019 on Eight 30 Records!

CLICK HERE to get yours today

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