Paisley Fields honed their traditional country tunes in the queer country community they created in Brooklyn. Soon after, the bands took their show on the road, with a honky-tonk road trip of queer country artists. In 2019, AmericanaFest featured these groups in the 2nd annual queer roots party. Taking a creative sabbatical to Nashville for...

Nikki Barber of the Minks fuses arty psychedelic vibes with rock and roll. The Minks debut album, Light and Sweet, just launched on Cafe Rooster Records. Barber’s songs reflect growing up, well after coming of age. Originally from the urban Northeast, Barber landed in Nashville following her other creative endeavor, fashion design. Music quickly took...

Midwestern roots rocker, Beth Bombara, recently released Evergreen. After regular touring, Bombara headed to the Rocky Mountains to clear her head. The mountain air let her reset mentally, and when she returned to St. Louis, Bombara wrote the songs for her new album. Bombara and her band honed their communication through a solid tour schedule....

Chad Cochran, the photographer known as Cowtownchad, created his I Didn’t Want to Tell You, Normalizing the Conversation About Mental Health project nearly 5 years ago. With a fully crafted concept, Cowtownchad refined his approach, and recently debuted the first part of this series via the coincidentally-titled No Depression roots music magazine. (The magazine title...

What could get us out of semi-retirement more than a member of R.E.M. playing our favorite venue? Nothing! Grab your tickets to the Fox Theatre Revival, hosted by Kevn Kinney of Drivin N Cryin. The show happens Friday 9/13/19 at the fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. Drive-By Truckers, Michelle Malone, and Dodd Ferrelle and...

Don Gallardo‘s latest album, Still Here, shares his signature sound with fresh vocal phrasing and deep instrumentation.  The lush, beautiful album leans more folk-country or indie folk than the current “take” on Americana music.  Subtle background vocals and harmony complement Gallardo’s voice.  Notable contributors include Erin Rae and Luella.  Gallardo shares raw, honest insight into independent...

Caleb Caudle‘s new album, Crushed Coins, builds dreamy, ethereal landscapes. The newest Country Fried Rock podcast (below) features an in-depth conversation with Caudle about recording in Los Angeles and Nashville and expanding his sound. With familiar players from his previous albums, Caudle found new sounds by keeping the plan flexible. The pedal steel goes ambient...

Debut Studio Solo Album from JD Wilkes of Legendary Shack Shakers JD Wilkes, the vibrant front man of the Legendary Shack Shakers and the Dirt Daubers, releases his debut studio solo album, Fire Dream.  Bruce Watson of Fat Possum Records produced, calling upon his Mississippi hill country cadre of stellar players, including fellow Country Fried...

Atlanta’s Home Town Band Tim Nielsen co-founded Drivin N Cryin with Kevn Kinney in Atlanta in 1985. Drivin N Cryin were hometown heroes before their debut album, Scarred But Smarter, was even released, as R.E.M. had already “made it huge” for a Georgia band by then. Whisper Tames the Lion was their major label release...

Banditos Visionland, Bloodshot Records Banditos grew as a band through relentless touring of nearly 250 shows per year.  When not on the road, they lived together in a house in Birmingham, Alabama, and later relocated to Nashville.  Their second album, Visionland, is named for a defunct theme park in rural Alabama.  The namesake fell apart due...