It’s not as easy to go to Merlefest as it used to be in my footloose, sleeping-on-the-ground-is-fine days. So it’s wonderful to annually have a mini-Merlefest of our own at Music City Roots. The sampling of Merle-bound artists always refreshes and always seems to spotlight the very best of progressive traditional music. This week’s heavily attended show was no exception.

April 26, 2017 w Sam Bush, Stray Birds, Front Country, Chris Jones

Music City Roots: Live From The Factory is a weekly concert and live radio show that broadcasts every Wednesday night (7PM CST) on WMOT Roots Radio 89.5 FM in Murfreesboro-Nashville, Tennessee, and worldwide at www.musiccityroots.com. It's hosted by Grammy-winning artist Jim Lauderdale, legendary radio announcer Keith Bilbrey and show journalist/interview guy Craig Havighurst. We feature leading lights and new discoveries in Americana, blues, rock and roll, gospel, jazz, rockabilly, bluegrass, newgrass, western, folk, singer songwriter, country, soul, vintage, ragtime, cow punk, honky tonk, big band, swing, acoustic, celtic, and more! 

Since going on the air in 2009, Music City Roots has built a worldwide community of lovers of hand-made, real music. We showcase the finest artistry working in or passing through the dynamic Nashville music scene. With old-school radio presentation before a large live audience, artist interview and great audio, MCR is one of the best ways to get a weekly fix of roots music.

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It's a rewind show featuring four singular songwriters - Nashville artists doing what Nashville does best. We launch the show with our own in-house master, the country/Americana/bluegrass song decathlete Jim Lauderdale from 2017. And we close by throwing way back to 2011 with the serene and sophisticated Matraca Berg. In a similar vein, Berg's close friend and colleague Gretchen Peters plays songs from her album Blackbirds in 2015. From that same year, Louisiana native and bayou roots poet Kevin Gordon. Masters of the craft on Music City Roots. 

Roots Rewind - Singular Songwriters

A Rewind show we're calling Where Were They Then? Five artists who've become stars of Americana playing the MCR stage on their way up. The explosive New South soul of St Paul and the Broken Bones, in their first show outside of their AL home from 2012. Margo Price leads the Price Tags and talks about her transition from rock and roll to country, from 2014. And from 2013, an up and comer named Sturgill Simpson. Also Los Angeles dynamo Sam Outlaw, just before he released his debut and a band we're rooting for, Dustbowl Revival. Looking back to learn about the latest and greatest.

Roots Rewind: Where Were They Then? w/ Sturgill, Margo, St. Paul...

The show returns to the road. Not a very long road though. We're back in downtown Nashville at the City Winery with a lineup split in two chapters. In the first half, it's Americana rock and soul with Nora Jane Struthers, offering material off her acclaimed album Champion, and newcomer Emma Hern with a sultry and exceptional voice. Then it's bluegrass, traditional form with Joe Mullins and the Radio Ramblers and in the more exotic, adventuresome form with the Travellin' McCourys. And father Del joins for a couple of songs as well.

Roots on the Road 5.16.18 w Travelin' McCourys, Nora Jane Struthers, Joe Mullins and Emma Hern

We rewind, all the way back to Nov. 21, 2012. It was an historic occasion too, celebrating the release of a long awaited album, one of the consensus best of that year, and it involved our fantastic musical host with his longtime friend and partner, but it was the first time they'd recorded a full project as a duo. Jim Lauderdale and Buddy Miller. Also on this epic bill, The Church Sisters with breezy bluegrass, pure country by the master of song Shawn Camp, the roots and groove of Nashville's all star 18 South and the fire and brimstone gospel rock of Mike Farris. A classic, recorded on the night before Thanksgiving at the Loveless Barn. 

Roots Rewind - 11.21.12 w/ Jim Lauderdale and Buddy Miller, etc.

The show is live and back on the road to yet another treasured venue, the Nashville Palace, a big old honky tonk near the Grand Ole Opry. And it's an Opry worthy evening as we pay tribute to Little Jimmy Dickens and the musical legacy of West Virginia. We hear sets from Country Music Hall of Famer Connie Smith, bluegrass icon Tim O'Brien and the divine folk and country star Kathy Mattea. Also on the bill, West Virginia Hall of Famer John Ellison who wrote the song 'Some Kind of Wonderful' plus songwriter Todd Burge and 30-year state favorites The Carpenter Ants. It was almost heaven.

April 26, 2017 w Sam Bush, Stray Birds, Front Country, Chris Jones

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