The Cornbread Cafe

Hear our long-awaited conversation with brilliant songwriter and spellbinding performer Sierra Ferrell — who is the. real. deal.

Welcome! brothers and sisters to Episode #15 of the Cornbread Cafe, located at the five-corners of Americana, Blues, Country, Folk, and Gospel.  And sometimes you can catch an express to Rock ’n’ Roll at the bus stop across the way.

I am, of course, your host, the mongrel, a.k.a. Jay Vee, and I am deeeeelighted to have you with me for what’s going to be an amazing show.

In addition to just a truckload of amazing American Roots tunes, I have for you portions of my long awaited conversation with Sierra Ferrell — who is the. real. deal. A brilliant songwriter, she plucks stories from her heart and her lived experience in a way that will make sure you don’t likely forget her music any time soon.

Featured in this Episode:

Erin Gibney • “Boys Think” • single
The Rightly So • “Not Coming Home” • Vandura
Sierra Ferrell • “The Sea” • Washington by the Sea
Sierra Ferrell • “I’ll Come off the Mountain” • Washington by the Sea
Brianna Nelson • “Golden Silhouette” • single
Tiffany Thompson • “Human Life” • single
Darby O. Bell • “Hold On” • Away It Falls

Because this is such a jam-packed episode, I’ll keep my chatter to a minimum. In fact, let’s get to some tunes right now. 

We’ll hear from Buffalo NY-based Americana/Folk duo The Rightly So, with “Not Coming Home” from their most recent release, “Vandura.” I’ll have more to say about this act on a future show, because the whole album feels like an old comfortable sweater you thought you’d lost, but for now, we’ll be satisfied with a tune. 

First though, opening the show today is an artist who showed up on our radar through our partnership with ReverbNation, the web’s premier discovery and promotions platform. ReverbNation believes that DIY shouldn’t mean you’re all alone. Artists really can build their career with ReverbNation’s easy-to-use services and exclusive industry access. Which is exactly how I came across Erin Gibney, who’s recent alt-country single, “Boys Think,” comes on the heels of her well-received 2018 EP Bold. Let’s hear that right now, right here on the Cornbread Cafe.

That’s Gregory Zeis and Jess Chizuk, performing as The Rightly So. I don’t know if you hear what I hear in Zeis’ voice, but I think they simply MUST cover some early John Denver on their next album.

Now, I’m so thrilled to bring you the conversation I had with Sierra Ferrell, a soulful genius with a once-in-a-generation gift for conjuring both bright or shadowy works that long haunt the ear and pleasantly disorient the mind. Let’s set the tone for our talk with “The Sea,” off 2019’s Washington by the Sea.

“That was, per Sierra’s own suggestion, “I’ll Come off the Mountain,” also from Washington by the Sea.

I have to tell you, I’ve done several hundred interviews, and I’ve enjoyed them all. Every once in a great while though, I get the chance to speak with someone who’s so open and so honest and seems a real kindred spirit and I actually forget here and there that the conversation is for a podcast…you know, as part of my job? And then I almost feel kind of possessive about it, like, wait a minute, do I have to share that with everybody listening? And, of course, that’s when I know I’ve just captured a classic interview to file, and so, yeah, I’m going to share it. But still…

So, I’d like to think you’d have gotten your money’s worth if I ended the show right there, BUT we still have the dessert course to follow that hearty entrée. 

We’ll kick off this set with “Golden Silhouette,” by Brianna Nelson, another artist who came to my attention via ReverbNation.  At the age of fifteen, she was cast for Season 6 of NBC’s The Voice. Like many artists, her performance schedule has been impacted by the pandemic, but my latest intel places her as a student at Berklee College of Music, studying songwriting and vocal performance, so may be as venues open up, you can catch her perform in and around Boston this fall. 

New York City–based musician Tiffany Thompson brings us “Human Life,” which was written for the women at Willow International in Uganda. Willow International benefits survivors of the human trafficking trade and is an organization near and dear to Tiffany’s heart. All proceeds from the song will be donated to Willow International. 

Indiana native Darby O. Bell wraps up this episode with the very inspirational “Hold On” from 2018’s Away It Falls. She’s performed and taught all over the world in such as countries as Germany, Poland, Latvia, Lithuania, Japan, Scotland, Ireland, England, Australia, Singapore, Hong Kong, Africa, and all over the United States. Darby acts and dances as well, and, like many artists, will be eager to fill up her calendar when venues start booking again.

Right now though, let’s have a listen to Brianna Nelson and “Golden Silhouette.”

Well, we have heard just a tremendous collection of gorgeous voices this episode, including that last one belonging to Darby O. Bell. All of them so unique and memorable, too. That’s one of the traits we strive to include here on the Cornbread Cafe. You can always listen through the website of course, but you can order us up to-go also via Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, Spotify, or through a quality podcatcher, like Downcast. Subscribe now and listen whenever you want. 

Again, thanks for listening, . Take care.

Welcome brothers and sisters to episode #14 of the Cornbread Cafe. I am the mongrel, and I will be your grill master at this barbecue bonanza we’re firing up for you today. Cazh and cozy, we’re located at the five-corners of Blues, Americana, Folk, Country, and Gospel. And you can sometimes catch an express to Rock ’n’ Roll at the bus stop across the way.

I hope you brought your appetite, too because we’re going to burn a full-rack of meaty American Roots tunes out on the back deck. And not only that — we’re finally going to share an interview that’s been in the smoker for a good long time. I’ve given you nibbles in different shows over the last year, but I am truly honored to present to you, in its entirely, for the first time, the conversation I had with Mike Merenda of the Mammals (first featured back in Episode 13) . If you’re a Cornbread Cafe fan, then chances are good that you already know about this Hudson Valley area band that draws from the very best in the Folk Tradition — stories grounded humbly in the Earth, yet told with a fire and a musical prowess that seems effortless. You can see and hear for yourself, too, because they’ll be gracing the barn boards at Hancock Shaker Village Saturday, July 27, in the next installment of the Shaker Barn Music series. Note that the Hancock Shaker Village is one of our 2019 season sponsors, so be sure to thank them for supporting independent local news when you go.

Featured in this Episode:

Todd Snider • “Talking Reality Television Blues” • Cash Cabin Sessions, Vol. 3
The Mammals • “Make It True” • Sunshiner
The Mammals • “Sunshiner” • Sunshiner
The Mammals • “Fork in the Road” • Sunshiner
The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow • “Every Day It’s Always Something” • Heart of the Run
Anna Stine • “Eyelids” • Company of Now
The Chris Robinson Brotherhood • “Come’n Round the Mountain” • Servants of the Sun
Brett Allen Gregory • “Here and Gone” • Tales of the Bed Yam

The core of the group has, since its inception in 2001 consisted of Mike Merenda and Ruth Ungar to whom he’s also married. Other musicians have rotated in and out of the lineup, which has has infused the act with a lot unique talents and perspectives over the years. They’ve shared stages with both legendary figures in roots music as well as artists from recent generations of folk fame. Look for a link in the show notes for more details — a more impressive who’s-who list would be hard to come by.

Also in the first half of the show I’ll be spinning a few tunes off the Mammals 2018 release Sunshiner, which earned a place on the Americana Music Association’s “Top 100 Albums and Songs for 2018.”

The Mammals

Saturday, July 27, 20019, 7:30 p.m. – 9:30 p.m.

Hancock Shaker Village, Pittsfield, Mass.

Tickets

Points of Contact:

Web, Patreon, Bandcamp, Archive.org Wikipedia

Before we do that though, let me introduce you to the opening act for this episode, Todd Snider. I’ll admit, I didn’t know much about Snider, except that he’s irreverent and witty as hell. His publicist sent me a track that’s a lot tamer than some of the tracks I’d love to play for you, probably following standard decency rules for radio. Except that I’m a podcaster and a streamer and I’ll play whatever I want. But, until they actually send me his entire latest LP, Cash Cabin Sessions, Vol. 3, I guess I’d better just play it safe, and play you “Talking Reality Television Blues,” which should warm up the house nicely. If you like what you hear, visit his Spotifiy for more, and if you REALLY like what you hear, you can check him out live Wednesday, July 24 at Club Helsinki in Hudson, NY. .

So, again, that was Todd Snider, with “Talking Reality Television Blues,” off the Cash Cabin Sessions, Vol. 3. I’ll see what I can do about bringing some of his more candid tunes to you soon. But now, I am definitely in the mood for a heaping helping of the Mammals, which, now that I hear myself say the name, probably should have warned me away from the barbecue theme of this episode. After 20 years of marriage to a vegetarian, you’d think I’d know better. Oh well. A round of apologies to all — on the house.

One of things you’ll hear Mike Merenda talk about on this show is the realization that you get more mileage out of positivity when you’re singing to change the world. I think you’ll pick up on that in the title track of Sunshiner, that I inject into the middle of our conversation, as well as right now with the very hopeful “Make It True,” right here on the Cornbread Cafe.

That was “Fork in the Road,” also off 2018’s Sunshiner. And because I want you to hear some of that shared DNA with a multiply, previously featured act, The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow” (wayyy back in INDIEcent Exposure #23) I’m going to fire up a tune off 2017’s live album, Heart of the Run. And now that you know Chris Merenda from Whiskey Treaty and Mike Merenda from Mammals are brothers, I’ll let you ponder where the musical DNA weaves in with the biological. The tapestry actually get pretty complex, too — since the Whiskey Treaty’s forthcoming album, “Band Together,” is being produced by Johnny Irion, with whom the Mammals have shared the stage along with Johnny Irion’s wife and musical partner, Sarah Lee Guthrie. Until that album comes out though, here’s “Every Day It’s Always Something” as a crunchy next course in this feast.

We just heard from Anna Stine, who’s been compared to Norah Jones and Laura Marling, and I think I might detect a little Bonnie Rait swagger in there, as well as some Halie Loren precision. The song was “Eyelids” off her new release, Company of Now. I Love that song’s vibe — how ‘bout you. You know, if you fall hard for any of the tunes you hear on this podcast, and want to hear more from the artist, just hit me up at [email protected], and I’ll try to serve ‘em up as quick as I can. And yes, that e-mail address again was [email protected] C-A-F-E

Before that, we heard “Every Day It’s Always Something,” from the Whiskey Treaty Roadshow’s debut full-length live album, “Heart of the Run.” I’ll share tracks from their upcoming release as soon as they land in my DL folder.

We’re going to end this show with a talented artist who isn’t just a gifted guitarist, but a musician who demonstrates a versatility that is truly admirable. Brett Allen Gregory got in touch with me towards the end of last year, which, if you’ve been following the evolution of the Greylock Glass, you know was kind of a clusterfumble schedule-wise. But I’ve really been looking forward to turning you on to tracks off his recent LP, Tales of the Bed Yam, and I have a feeling it’s going to be my go-to album for many episodes to come. His tune “Here and Gone” showcases both that musicianship I was talking about, and a gift for compelling lyric composition.

But first, I’ve been saving a little surprise for y’all. You a big fan of the Black Crowes? Did you follow Chris Robinson’s evolution post-Crowes into his latest project, The Chris Robinson Brotherhood? Well guess what? The band was kind enough to send me a couple tracks to give you just a taste of their brand new album, Servants of the Sun that just dropped last month, and available through their website — link in the shownotes. So feast your ears on the very tasty tune, hot off the grill, “Come’n Round the Mountain.”

Well, brothers and sisters, that does it for this episode. Thanks for tuning in, and remember, if you’re a musician, I am ALWAYS looking for Indie artists to feature on the Cornbread Cafe. You don’t need to have a following of a gazillion fans. In fact, since I hand craft every single bespoken episode, you might have exactly the track that would complete the show perfectly, even if only your bandmates, girlfriend, and mother have heard it before. You send it. I’ll figure out if I can fit it in.

We celebrate the first inaugural Black Bear Americana Musics Festival with potent tracks from The Mammals, Adam Ezra Group, Belle of the Fall, The Nields, Whiskey Treaty Roadshow, The Rad Trads, Violetta Zironi, NuBluzRevue, and the Honey Whiskey Trio.

Welcome! brothers and sisters to Episode #13—of the Cornbread Cafe, that new joint on the web offering tasty American Roots treats. We’re located at the five-corners of Americana, Blues, Country, Folk, and Gospel. And sometimes you can catch an express to Rock ’n’ Roll at the bus stop across the way.

I am, of course, your host, the mongrel, a.k.a. Jay Vee, and it’s my distinct pleasure to serve up a show I know we’re all going to look back on some day with kind of a “Yup. I was there” satisfaction.

The Mammals • “Culture War” • Sunshiner
Adam Ezra Group • “Steal Your Daughter” • Hurricane Wind

Belle of the Fall • “They All Come Crashing Down” • Rise Up
The Nields • “You Don’t Have That Kind Of Time” • XVII

Whiskey Treaty Roadshow • “Jimmy The Whiskey Boy” • Whiskey Treaty Roadshow EP

The Rad Trads • “The Little Pie Blues” • On Tap
Violetta Zironi • “Little Wound” • single

NuBluzRevue • “Think Again” • NuBluzRevue
Honey Whiskey Trio • “Grim Reaper” • Rye Woman

Last episode we got to hear from Jim Olsen of Signature Sounds about the inaugural Arcadia Folk Festival going on September 30, in Northampton Mass. This time around, we hear from two of the organizers of the brand new Black Bear Americana Music Festival taking place October 4 through the 8 in Northwestern Connecticut. Beth Murphy and Ian Campbell dialed in to our studio late in the evening earlier this week to talk about the whys and hows of building this exciting new gathering from the ground up.

And how cool is that? Back to back shows about back to back nascent American Roots music festivals. This type of opportunity comes around less than once in a blue moon, and I am pleased to be able to bring you the news, interviews, and sampler platters of music you can expect to hear at these top flight festivals. It’ll be another lean back and loosen yer belt kind of episode.

We also continue our occasional series of music in the American Roots genre that thrives on foreign soil — “Americana Expat.” As promised, this episode we have the JUST released single, “Little Wound,” from Italian born Violetta Zironi—an artist I predict will be making her way into the festival circuit in the next year or two.

Plus, we’ll hear from a couple artists new to the show, as well as making sure we end this musical feast with a sweet finish courtesy our old friends, the Honey Whiskey Trio.’

I already know we’re going to run over our 60-minute limit with this show, so let’s get right into it with our first Black Bear set, featuring the Adam Ezra Group and particularly smokin’ track, “Steal Your Daughter” off 2017’s Hurricane Wind. We’ll hear Belle of the Fall and the blistering “They All Came Crashing Down,” off their brandy new release Rise Up, and we’ll kick it all off with The Mammals, who also have a brand new album, Sunshiner, from which we’ll enjoy “Culture War,” right here on the Cornbread Cafe.

Again that was “They All Came Crashing Down,” from Belle of the Fall. The album, Rise Up, is Exhibit A for why I do this show and why we all gravitate towards American Roots. You can listen for no other reason than the satisfying overall sound, and then listen more closely and hear some real genius in the poetry, wit, and wisdom of the lyrics.

You find songwriters who fall at different points along the lyrical spectrum, sometimes simultaneously, in the Americana-verse. I think this emotional complexity is one of the things that draws people from all walks of life, all over the world, to the genre. Certainly that’s one reason that Katryna and Nerissa Nields continue to attract new audiences every season to their warm harmonic blend of Folk, with dashes of Gospel, Rock, Blues, and more here and there.

From their 2015 release XVII, let’s have a taste of what I’m talking about with “You Don’t Have that Kind of Time.”

You Don’t Have that Kind of Time, by the Nields, here on the Cornbread Cafe! And as I’ve already mentioned, we don’t have that kind of time either, if we’re gonna fit all the music we want to hear into this episode. That means we’d better get to our conversation with Black Bear Americana Music Festival founders Beth Murphy and Ian Campbell right…about…now!

Not unlike the bands themselves, really, when you think about it…

So, if you’ve been wondering “how does one bring a music festival to life,” well, now you have one explanation. Every festival will have its own creation story, but the common thread that runs through them all is that someone was crazy enough to come up with the idea and hard working enough to make it happen.

That tune was “The Little Pie Blues,” from none other than the Rad Trads off their brand new, amazing new album, On Tap. And other than to say that this new release is pure Americana heaven, I’m not going to say much else, since I’m working on setting up an interview with the Rad Trads this very week. If all goes mostly according to plan, we’ll actually get to hear about On Tap, and their just launched tour, from the artists themselves real soon.

And if we had to name a house band here at the Cornbread Cafe, it would be a pretty close race between just a couple/few acts, but without a doubt, the Whiskey Treaty Roadshow would be in the finals. (we interviewed the boys back in IE#23) They’ll be at Black Bear going on the first weekend in October, and I’m guessing you’ll get a chance to hear some of the tunes off their most recent, eponymous release as well as from their upcoming first full length studio album. And just maybe, if you go, you’ll get a chance to hear one of my favorites, “Jimmy the Whiskey Boy.”

Before that was the the Whiskey Treaty Roadshow with “Jimmy the Whiskey Boy.” Now you may or may not have heard yet, but these boys are in the studio early this fall to work on their first album since their debut live album “The Heart of the Run.” And let’s all pause to admire the juevos of any band that decides to debut with a live album, right? Anyway, no less a talent than Johhny Irion has signed on as producer of the album, so I for one am extremely excited to find out what comes out of this collaboration. And, of course, any sneak peaks or advance audio I get, I’ll share with you first. Check out Whiskey Treaty Roadshow’s Pledgmusic crowdfunding page at https://www.pledgemusic.com/projects/whiskeytreaty. Only 25 days left as of today, September 25, 2018 to get in on this community effort so don’t delay. That link is also in the shownotes.

Speaking of sharing with you first…As promised, our new Americana Expat segment returns with an artist I hope will be joining the festival circuit in the next year or two. Certainly, her voice will stop you in your tracks, and her songwriting will cast a spell on you. The Italian born, Germany-based Violetta Zironi sent us an advance release of her new single earlier this month, and I’ve been dying to share it with you ever since. It’s been officially out in the wild less than a week now, so it gives me great pleasure to introduce you to the Alpha Romeo of Americana music, Violetta Zironi, with “Little Wound.”

If you loved that single, “Little Wound,” from Violetta Zironi, be sure to share this episode on the socials, and tag her so she knows her music is making it’s way across the Atlantic to all of us over here Stateside.

We have yet MORE brand new music for you still to come on this episode. The New York-based NuBluz Review has just released a self-titled album that gave me a little bit of a pause. Part of me wanted to save this next track for an upcoming episode celebrating the Blues and the Blues alone. But, truth be told, I’ve been giving the genre a whole lotta love these last few episodes, so I can’t exactly justify doing a whole Blues show for a bit yet.

So I won’t make you wait to hear one of the awesome tracks, “Think Again,” off this 2018 release. First though, I want to introduce you to one of a growing number of solo artists who are not only performing most, or all, of the instruments in their tunes, but also trying their hands at editing, mixing, and mastering their tracks, often with very impressive results. Such is the case, I’m sure you’ll agree, with Austin, Texas–born, and South Carolina based musician Aaron McMahon, and his brand new single, “Quicksand,” right here on the Cornbread Cafe.

And that last tune in this set was Grim Reaper, from the Honey Whiskey Trio, whose recent release, “Rye Woman,” is a musical and vocal tour de force that should definitely be in your CD or digital library. If and when the Cornbread Cafe launches our own American Roots music festival, I’m flying the Honeys out here to be a mainstage headliner.

For now though, we’ll just have to content ourselves with an upcoming episode since we have come to the end of this one. If you enjoy this show, I really hope you’ll help it to grow and thrive. Become a member by following the link in the sidebar at cornbread.cafe.

I’ve been your host, the mongrel, and I do thank you for tuning in. By sure to drop by again for exclusive interviews with the Rad Trads, the Mammals, Violetta Zironi, Grant Malloy Smith, and more brilliant artists. Remember, links to all the artists we feature are always in the shownotes. Support the music you love—buy some.

We celebrate the first inaugural Arcadia Folk Festival with mighty tunes from Laura Berman, Faint Peter, Divining Rod, Birds of Chicago, Darlingside, Heather Maloney, The Nields, and Celine Schmink.

host, the mongrel

Welcome! brothers and sisters to Episode #12—of the Cornbread Cafe, a fine place to get your fill of some of very best in American Roots music. Cazh and cozy, we’re located at the five-corners of Blues, Americana, Folk, Country, and Gospel. And sometimes you can catch an express to Rock ’n’ Roll at the bus stop across the way. *

I am the mongrel, and it does my heart good to see you back again so soon. And it looks like you brought some friends with you. Thanks for dropping in. Always room in the Cafe for folks with great taste in music.
We’re sliding back into our long format this episode to celebrate the inauguration of America’s newest American Roots fest, the Arcadia Folk Festival, taking place in Massachusetts’ Pioneer Valley September 30.

Not only do we have a block of great tunes from some of artists who’ll be performing there, but we speak both with Signature Sound’s Jim Olson, organizer of the event AND Jonah Keane, Sanctuary Director for Mass Audubon at Arcadia Wildlife Sanctuary. Both Jim and Jonah explain why this enchanting, verdant refuge makes for a setting that’s more than just a gorgeous backdrop.

Featured in this Episode
Laura Berman • “Come As You Are” • Home
Faint Peter • “Waiting” • Redoubt
Divining Rod • “Darling Down The Row” • single
Birds of Chicago • “Farewell Tenderhearts” • American Flowers
Darlingside • “Singularity” • Extralife
Heather Maloney • “A Hard Rain’s A-Gonna Fall” • Just Enough Sun
The Nields • “Love Love Love” • XVII
Celine Schmink • “Solo Rider” • Faded Wanderings

If you enjoy this show, I really hope you’ll help it to grow and thrive. Become a member by following the link in the sidebar, or by pledging your support at Patreon.com/greylockglass.

At the tail end of this episode, we’ll introduce a new, occasional feature of the show we’re calling “American-a Expat.”

Right now, though, let’s tuck in to this musical spread by spinning a tune that landed in my inbox just this week. You know I love sharing an early taste of albums before anyone else has heard them. This track will appear on Laura Berman’s January 2019 release, Home, and I think it’s a good indication you’re going to love the whole album when it drops. Here’s “Come as You Are,” on the Cornbread Cafe.

“Singer and songwriter Laura Berman has reached acclaim for her soul-touching vocal and honest, lyrical poetry. She has performed alongside Rev. Michael Beckwith at the Agape International Spiritual Center, Authors Neale Donald Walsch and Marianne Williamson, and sang backup for Grammy Award Winner Enya on the David Letterman Show. Laura also is a session singer and has a featured song in the children’s film and accompanying soundtrack of “Clifford’s Really Big Movie.” She is currently recording her fifth studio album with producer and multi-instrumentalist Roman Morykit, one half of the musical duo, Gypsy Soul, with the album release set for January 2019.”

That was “Darling Down the Row,” a new single from Divining Rod, the new project of former Rogers Sisters member, Miyuki Furtado. It’s a hypnotic song in its own right, but there’s a story attached, and I encourage you to follow the link in the show notes to Diving Rod’s website for an explanation in his own words.

“What do you do after your band has toured the world several times over? Break up and head back home.” That’s just what Hawaiian born, Brooklynite Miyuki Furtado did after a show in Oslo, Norway when he exited The Rogers Sisters (Too Pure/Beggars Group), the much touted NY trio in which he sang, played bass and wrote many of their winning songs. The band had weathered a grueling decade of recording and nearly non-stop touring around the globe. “We were completely exhausted. After our last show in Oslo, we went our separate ways.’

He returned home just in time for the birth of his daughter then promptly moved out of his beloved Brooklyn neighborhood with his family for greener (and less crowded) pastures. “My wife and I bought a small, beat up house north of the city and settled down.” Between repairing the house and raising his child he began work on his current project: the folk, country and soul tinged psych-rock band, Divining Rod.

Before that, we heard another track, “Waiting,” from Faint Peter’s 2016 release Redoubt. The song conjures up some of the powerful singer-songwriter mojo that you usually associate with the likes of Paul Simon, Jackson Brown, or Van Morrison. It’s really all I can do to keep from inserting a Faint Peter tune in every episode. Give us another month—we’ll play another one. Or better yet, just go buy the release and support some of the best music crafted today. You know where to find the link.

As promised, you get to eavesdrop on some conversations I had this week about the upcoming Arcadia Folk Festival with two really brilliant, interesting guys. I’d originally intended to splice the two interviews together as kind of back and forth public radio-esque thing, but there just wasn’t anything I wanted to cut out, and I hate out-of-context soundbytes as much as you do, so I said the hell with it. Let’s just go long-form on this episode. How long? As long as it takes.

But let’s start with my chat with Jim Olsen, President and a founder of Signature Sounds, to find out how he found himself preparing for a brand new festival before the dust had even settled from the Green River festival

Well, I guess right now would be the right time to kick off a long block of Arcadia Folk Festival artists, so why not let’s bring back Birds of Chicago with another track of 2018’s American Flowers, “Farewell Tenderhearts.”

Be sure to go back and listen to our interview with JT Nero of Birds of Chicago in INDIEcent Exposure #29.

Known for their “near perfect Americana” (No Depression), JT Nero and

And that, of course, was Darlingside, with Singularity, off their brand new release, Extralife. While their latest effort isn’t a concept album, there’s a really incredible flow from one song to the next that reminds us all why we still LOVE LPs. It’s obvious that a LOT of thought went into the presentation of these 12 groundbreaking pieces. To hear what I mean, pick up a copy of Extralife, do whatever you do to get yourself in the mood for some awesome psychedelic folk, drop the needle, and just kick back.

You actually CAN drop the needle, too, both on standard vinyl AND on special silver vinyl that comes swaddled in a mirror-board jacket, about which the band says, “If you were a unicorn, this is the version you’d want.”

I bet we’ve got a unicorn or two in the audience. Link in the shownotes.

“It’s over now / The flag is sunk / The world has flattened out,” are the first words of Extralife, the new album by Boston-based quartet Darlingside. While the band’s critically acclaimed 2015 release Birds Say was steeped in nostalgia and the conviction of youth, Extralife grapples with dystopian realities and uncertain futures. Whether ambling down a sidewalk during the apocalypse or getting stuck in a video game for eternity, the band asks, sometimes cynically, sometimes playfully: what comes next? Their erstwhile innocence is now bloodshot for the better.

Of course headlining the whole Arcadia Music Festival is Mother Nature herself, in the form of the eponymous wildlife preserve. This green event is happening because the rare parcel of land, teeming with flying, swimming and crawling critters holds a special place in the hearts of a lot of people connected with the music scene, including Jim Owens. When he got together with Jonah Keane of Mass Audubon, they hatched an idea for a celebration that has the potential for perennial sustainability.

Continuing our block of artists who’ll be performing at the Arcadia Folk Festival September 30, I have the pleasure of doing something I rarely do. Play a cover. I don’t avoid them because I don’t like covers—on the contrary, I think some songs cry out to reinterpreted at least once a decade. But I just try to spend as much of my bandwidth as possible showcasing the impressive original work of artists I think deserve a prominent spot in your music library.

I believe, though, Heather Maloney had her own powerful reasons behind her decision to include Bob Dylan’s “Hard Rain’s Gonna Fall” on this year’s release, Just Enough Sun. By the time I got done listening to her rendition, I’d just about forgotten that she hadn’t written it herself, so powerful was the conviction I heard in her voice.

“Going in, we said ‘lets make a bad ass indie rock record with a sound as big and dynamic as we can, without compromising one single heartfelt lyric.”

Singer-songwriter Heather Maloney did just that on her newest LP, Making Me Break. Working with Grammy- nominated producer Bill Reynolds (Band of Horses, Avett Brothers), the two crafted and delivered on an artistic vision to merge Maloney’s folk roots with indie rock.

We’re going to pair that anthem with another that carries an equally compelling message, carried on the instantly recognizable, soaring voices of Katryna and Nerissa Nields. Respected, admired, and just personally liked throughout the Folk universe, the sisters have managed to build an audience ranging from toddlers all the way up to well-seasoned Folkies who grew up to the sounds of Woody, Pete, and Joan on the phonograph.

From the Nields’ 2015 release “XVII,” we’ll hear Love, Love, Love right after Heather Maloney, right now on the Cornbread Cafe.

Something about the Nields that just restores the spirit. Maybe it’s the vein of hope that runs through so much of their music. Either way, they’re a natural pick for the first-ever Arcadia Folk Festival coming to life September 30 right on the border of Northampton and Easthampton, Mass. You should try to make if you’re going to be anywhere in the area.

And if you’re going to be taking little ones to the show, consider picking up the Nields’ 2007 family favorite at my house, “All Together, Singing in the Kitchen.” It’s a great all-ages introduction to the genre with 17 songs of memorable, meaningful, and playful lyrics that will next level your next car trip or family sing-a-long.

Well, finally, I think I’m ready to unveil our newest, occasional segment here on the Cornbread Cafe—Americana Expat. In the 50’s and 60’s American Rock ’n’ Roll changed the music the kids were dancing to the world over. As this menace to morality spread, musicians on all continents injected the flavors, instruments, and attitudes into Rock, creating cross-cultural chords that continue to sound and reverberate to this day.

Interestingly, the rise of the American Roots scene at home has stirred up a similar appetite for musical appropriation and innovation today. I have received submissions from musicians in Australia, Germany, Italy, Ireland, Great Britain, and Norway, and just this week, France. Given that this show a household name on a planetary scale just yet, I think it’s safe to say that this collection of artists represents a tiny fraction of the great American Roots music born and raised in far-flung climes. It’s almost like the spirit of Americana is living the footloose expat life in some unexpected places.

And so I present to you, Americana Expat, an occasional feature of the show through which I introduce you to the results of a distinctively American sound when it goes abroad and takes on a life of its own.

And for our first installment, let’s hear from Celine Schmink of Paris, France, who released the album, “Faded Wanderings” to critical and popular acclaim in 2017. This is “Solo Rider,” our first Americana Expat profile.

Crunchy guitars. Slidy guitars. A murmur that hints of a Hammond. A tambourine teasing us into the chorus. And sitting on top of it all, Celine Schmink with that irresistible French accent. She e-mailed me this morning to ask me if I wouldn’t like her to send an LP my way, Par Avion. Would I? I’ll post a picture on the socials when it gets here! I’m hoping you enjoyed this first installment of Americana Expat. Next episode, we’ll be hearing an as-yet-unreleased track from Italian born, German-based Violetta Zironi.

That’s it for this show. This episode’s music editor was Serafina. I’ve been your host, the mongrel, and I’m looking forward to sharing some more of Earth’s best American Roots music next time. So long.

* Note: Artist links provide access directly to artists’ websites or social media homepages. All album links provide access to song or album purchase options, often through our affiliate programs with Apple Music or Amazon.com, which help make this show possible.

From our interview with Gina Coleman of Misty Blues, available on Episode #66 of the Top Left Corner, releasing August 29.

“So, last year we won the Capital Region Blues Network International Blues Challenge competition which sent us to the greater International Blues Challenge in Memphis, Tennessee, where we competed against about 250 of the best Blues bands around the world. Each blues Society gets to pony up their best band and send them to Memphis in January every year, and I think this was the 33rd or 34th year of this competition. We were really excited—we thought, “What a wonderful opportunity…we held our own and it really afforded me the opportunity to learn that we are right in the mix with Blues bands throughout the world.”

— Gina Coleman

Welcome! brothers and sisters to Episode #11—of the Cornbread Cafe. Cazh and cozy, we’re located at the five-corners of Blues, Americana, Folk, Country, and Gospel. And you can sometimes catch an express to Rock ’n’ Roll at the bus stop across the way.

The Matchstick Architects • “Renegade Friend” • All That’s In Between
  Gus McKay • “Out Like a Torch” • Salt Flat Mojo Blues
Misty Blues • “Blues on My Heels” • Call & Response
Toney Rocks • “Drifting” • Drifting
CATFOX • “The Basement” • Thank You, I Love You, I’m Sorry
  Jeb Barry and the Pawnshop Saints • “Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time” • texas, etc…
  Trevor McShane • “Lonely Weekends” • Lonely Weekends
  Kurt Fortmeyer • “Snugglin’ with My Demons” • Snugglin’ With My Demons

I am the mongrel, and I’ll be your waiter today. I hope you brought your appetite, because I’ll be bringing you plate after steaming plate of grubbin’ Americana delicacies with all the fixins’.

On this show, we joyfully reach for second helpings of some of our favorite artists, as well as taste test a couple tracks off new items on the menu.

Starting us off is the Matchstick Architects, hailing from Western Massachusetts, a hotbed of American Roots music right now. They give us “Renegade Friend” off their recent release, All That’s In Between.”

After that, we sample a treat from Down Under with “Out Like a Torch,” from Gus McKay. Aussies really get American Roots, and they do it very, very well, whether we’re talking about the Blues, Americana, or their own brand of Country.

We’ll finish this course off by returning to the Berkshires and bringing Misty Blues back on the show. We love featuring this band, because of their range of full-spectrum, bring the house down power down to the sparest, most intimate measures of a lonesome tune. If you’re interested in hearing from the band’s unstoppable leader and powerhouse vocalist, Gina Coleman, have a listen to our August 29th episode of the Top Left Corner on the Greylock Glass.

Right now, let’s get this show started with Matchstick Architects and “Renegade Friend.”

Buy direct from artist. 

That was “Blues on My Heels” from Misty Blues off their brand new 2018 release, Call and Response. Now, this high octane act took home the top spot at the Capitol Region Blues Network, regional, which means they’re on their way to Memphis to throw down in the 2018 International Blues Challenge.

If you’re going to be in or around the Berkshires on September 28th, consider hearing them live at Jiminy Peak Ski Resort in Hancock Mass. Misty Blues and other great regional acts will be performing that night to raise fund to send the entire band to Memphis, Tennessee for the Challenge. Check out the show notes for links and more information at cornbread.cafe.

You’ve probably figured it out by now by I, the mongrel, have just a touch of the Dark Side in me. That’s probably why I’m drawn back time and again to the margins of the American Roots scene where you stumble across some pretty macabre gospel, melancholy murder ballads, and malcontent outlaw country. In particular, I circle back around to the CATFOX, whose mind-bending lyrics and haunting instrumentation define the genre I call Northern Gothic. We’ll hear “The Basement,” from her release Thank You, I Love You, I’m Sorry.

First though, let’s head West, all the way to Las Vegas, Nevada, and debut singer-songwriter Toney Rocks, née Robinson. He started his musical career at the age of five on drums, but more often performs on guitar or piano these days. You may have caught his act at SXSW, the NAMM Show, or Folk Alliance International. Ever since his 2018 EP, Drifting, landed in my mailbox, I’ve been impatient to turn you on to a tune or two. I know you’re going to enjoy, for the first time on the show, Toney Rocks, with “Drifting” here at the Cornbread Cafe.

CATFOX

Again, that was the CATFOX, with the Basement. I don’t Catrin’s musical plans are for the near future, given her schedule of theatre, voice-over gigs, and other creative endeavors. I guess we’re going to have to try to get her on the show one day and ask her, right?

Someone who pairs well with Northern Gothic is Jeb Barry. Jeb, and his band, the Pawnshop Saints, explore the gritty underbelly of working class life through their Americana stew of Country, Folk, and Blues. Their most recent release, 2018’s texas, etc…, is like a shoebox full of old Polaroids of heartbreak and disappointment, with the occasional snapshot of hope thrown in—just enough hope to get us up in the morning and face the hard times that make up reality for more and more of it seems these days.

From that ground-breaking double-album let’s hear, “Seemed Like a Good Idea at the Time.”

Buy the album, Zoömagnesis (which does NOT include “The Basement”) via Bandcamp

I have been waiting for a just the right time to treat you to that track. That was Kurt Fortmeyer and “Snugglin’ With My Demons,” off his latest release Ameraucana—And that’s spelled Ameraucana, like the chicken breed. What I love about Kurt’s music is that he has a song for every mood. You need a good-time tune to get into the party spirit? He’s got you covered. Feeling pensive and introspective? Check. Ready for some unfiltered, biting social commentary? Coming right up. And I have a bunch more where that came from, so we’ll be featuring that and other albums for a long time to come.

Well, that’s it for episode 11 of the Cornbread Cafe. I’ve been your host, the mongrel, and it sure has been a pleasure to serve up this amazing musical feast. Whether you’re a music fan or a musician, don’t hesitate to get in touch with me at [email protected]. Until next time, thanks for listening, and I’ll keep searching out more of the best of American Roots.

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* Note: Artist links provide access directly to artists’ websites or social media homepages. All album links provide access to song or album purchase options, often through our affiliate programs with Apple Music or Amazon.com, which help make this show possible.

Musicians’ bio info comes from the artists, their websites, or their publicists. Click on names below to visit their websites where you can get the full story, photos, and very often video.

From Parsonsfield on the release of WE:

“Everyone finds themselves searching for this theoretical ‘thing’ that is supposed to make them happy. Whether it’s a relationship or financial comfort, there’s a goal in our minds that once achieved, we’ll be able to start enjoying life,” says singer/songwriter and banjo player Chris Freeman. “Our circumstances, whether we’re rich or poor, are only half of what determines happiness. The rest is our thoughts, habits and connections with other people,” adds songwriter and mandolin player Antonio Alcorn. “WE is an inner journey to appreciate what you have, and to find happiness no matter what your lot in life.”

Welcome! brothers and sisters to Episode #10—of the Cornbread Cafe. I am the mongrel, and I’ll be your host today. That mouthwatering aroma that hit you when you walked in the door is our buffet, where you can enjoy all you care to hear of the best in a generous spread of the finest in American Roots music. Cazh and cozy, we’re located at the five-corners of Blues, Americana, Folk, Country, and Gospel. And you can sometimes catch an express to Rock ’n’ Roll at the bus stop across the way. *

Pickxen • “Poor Lucy’s Crooked Mile” • Picks ‘n Vittles

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In our first set, we are honored to welcome a man who is truly the stuff of legend. Grant Maloy Smith has so many credits and awards to his name, it almost seems a shame to talk about them without him bein here. And that’s why I am ecsTATic that he’s offered to come on the show for an interview. And when we get that set up, I promise you, you will be personally introduced to a musician whose authenticity are heart are the very embodiment of American Roots. In this episode, we’re going to hear, “So Far Away” from his most recent LP, Dust Bowl – American Stories.” But first, let’s spin a track off Picks ‘n Vittles, the debut album from the North Georgia trio, Pickxen. Dixie, Pixie, and Micksy, who are Laura Monk, John Monk, and Michael Garvey, respectively, infuse their good simple music with both passion and sense of humor. So let’s start this show off with “Poor Lucy’s Crooked Mile,” and we’ll dedicate it to all you beautiful dreamers.

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Again, that was Grant Maloy Smith with “So Far Away” from his most recent LP, Dust Bowl – American Stories.”  And if you haven’t heard it yet, you may be interested to know that every song is set squarely in the Great Plains of the 1930’s, during the worst economic and environmental disaster that America has ever seen. We will be playing more tracks from that album, but if you can’t wait until that future episode, why not pick up a copy for yourself? You can find a link to purchase Dust Bowl, every album we feature, actually, right in the show notes at cornbread.cafe, you heard right, that’s cornbread.c-a-f-e. And because most of the purchase links are through our affiliate programs, we get a few pennies on the dollar when buy through our links. That helps out with the cost of running this cafe.

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Next up, we’ll be hearing from young Canadian singer/songwriter Mikalyn Hay. Be advised that just like her Indie pop tunes, her Americana compositions are laced with nimble, at times jaw-dropping lyrics sung in a smoky alto that’ll have you wondering how far away from world domination can be if she’s capable of this kind of artistry at only FIFTEEN. You won’t believe it, but believe it anyway when you hear “Fade Away,” from her 2017 release, 12:15.

First though, I have the privilege of serving up a Cafe exclusive! Scott Thorn is musician who grew up around the Gulf Coast of Florida listening to Southern blues, country, gospel and rock and roll. Now an award-winning singer/songwriter in the neighborhood of Arlington Virginia, his music bears the marks of his travels and fuses several influences from rock, Americana, and country. And it’s not too likely that you’ve heard this next song anywhere else but right here—enjoy “Dust Devils,” a new single by Scott Thorn right now on the Cornbread Cafe!

I’m crossing my fingers that we’ll get both Mikalyn and Scott on the show for conversations about their work soon.

Let’s take a break before our final set to check in on the festival scene for just a bit. Later this month, you might want to make your way down to one of my old stompin’ grounds, Knoxville, Tennessee, for the Big Ears Festival 2018. This International Cultural Gathering taking place March 22–25 is a dynamic, interactive experience that explores connections between musicians and artists, crossing all musical genres while interfacing with film, performance, and the visual arts. We’ve had the good fortune of featuring one of acts who’ll be there, Anna & Elizabeth, on episode #5. As an added bonus, Rhiannon Giddens, founding member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops,  will deliver a keynote address at the historic Tennessee Theatre on Saturday, March 24.

The 2nd Annual Suwannee Spring Reunion occurs in the exact time envelope of time—March 22–25—at the Spirit of the Suwannee Music Park in Live Oak, Florida. If this festival seems familiar, but the name doesn’t quite match up, that’s because it’s a new take on the classic gathering, fondly remembered as Suwannee Spring Fest. This year, if the American Roots scene is where you want to be that weekend, you can head to FLA and catch Donna the Buffalo, The Infamous Stringdusters, Dar Williams and many more.

The following week sees the kickoff of the world renown Savannah Music Festival. Lasting from March 29–April 14, The Savannah Music Festival is dedicated to presenting world-class celebrations of the musical arts by creating timeless and adventurous productions that stimulate arts education, foster economic growth and unite artists and audiences in Savannah. A few of the many artists from the multi-genre line-up include Tedeschi Trucks, Gillian Welch, Bela Fleck, and Audra McDonald.

And hey! Are you a musician wondering how you can insert yourself into the Festival circuit in 2018? I’ve got good news for you. Showcase submissions for AMERICANAFEST 2018 are now open and will be accepted through Monday, March 26, 2018.

Formally known as the Americana Music Festival & Conference, this annual event brings together fans and music industry professionals alike, offering six days of celebration through seminars, panels and networking opportunities by day and raw, intimate showcases each night. This year, AMERICANAFEST will take place September 11–16, gathering thousands of artists, fans, and industry professionals from all over the world in Nashville, TN.

If you want to get in on this action, remember, submission deadline is March 26, so be sure to look for the link to the submission page in the show notes for Episode 10 at cornbread.cafe.

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Well, we’re down to it now—the dessert course of this extremely decadent  American Roots music feast. I was going to play this next track off the Whiskey Treaty Roadshow’s  recent release, the Whiskey Treaty Roadshow EP last week, but when I dropped it in place, and listened to the entire music library for the episode, I felt like the fit could be better. And that’s what makes the Cornbread Cafe different than just setting your playlist to shuffle, or turning on the radio, which might as well be random these days. I hand select every single tune and then listen to hear how well they all go together. If the batch doesn’t taste right, I scrap the episode and start over. Obsessive as hell? Why, yes it is and yes I am. Does it make for a superior show? Damn straight it does.

The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow

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So when I got my hands on the as yet unreleased new effort, WE, from Parsonsfield, I was happy as a jackass in clover to hear that not only was every single track on the EP profoundly tuneful, but opened up new worlds of song pairings. Just in time, too. When I heard “Kick Out the Windows,” the final track off WE, I knew it was just the song to go with the Whiskey Treaty Roadshow’s “Close To The Edge,” that I didn’t play last episode.

Parsonfield’s WE releases Friday, March 9th, but you can hear the brilliant “Kick Out the Windows,” right after “Close to the Edge,” right here, right now on the Cornbread Cafe.

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Parsonfield’s WE releases Friday, March 9th, but you can hear the brilliant “Kick Out the Windows,” right after “Close to the Edge,” right here, right now on the Cornbread Cafe.

Well, that pretty much does it for our show this week. I hope your musical digestive system is fat and happy! As I said, I’m hoping to do interviews with most, if not all, of the artists featured in this episode, and I’ve already got some pretty enthusiastic yesses, so I’ll keep you posted as things develop.

Remember, if you’re an American Roots artist looking to have your work featured on the Cornbread Cafe, just send us a note through the contact link in the Main Menu. And, musician or fan, if you haven’t subscribed to this podcast, please do, either through iTunes or Google Play Music, and once you do, leave us a review. That helps us get found by more Americana music lovers, and that’s a good things. I’ve been your host, the mongrel, also known as Jay Vee, and I’m already looking forward to serving up another heaping helping of great tunes next week. Until then, thanks for listening, and keep supporting Indie music.

WE is the highly anticipated fourth release from Parsonsfield, a quintet praised for making “the most jubilant and danceable indie roots music this side of the Carolinas” (NPR). The band continues to push the boundaries of their harmony- driven grassroots origins creating their own distinctive Americana, integrating pop and bold rock flourishes along the way.

Just remember, WE is not about you and me. Freeman continues, “It’s about struggling with depression and anxiety from living in a divisive world, yet we have so much to be grateful for. It’s about being at the crossroads of yesterday’s dreams and tomorrow’s plans.”

* Note: Artist links provide access directly to artists’ websites or social media homepages. All album links provide access to song or album purchase options, often through our affiliate programs with Apple Music or Amazon.com, which help make this show possible.

Musicians’ bio info comes from the artists, their websites, or their publicists. Click on names below to visit their websites where you can get the full story, photos, and very often video.

From their website:

Alms and Davidson believe that, when possible, using their platform of musical creation and performance to give back to those in need is a natural extension of their personal goals – to make the world a better place for those who live in it. With that charge, once finished, their debut album will be also be used to help give back. Alms and Davidson have decided to donate a portion of the proceeds from the initial sales of the album to the Jackson Galaxy Foundation (JGF), a foundation founded by Animal Planet’s Jackson Galaxy. JGF will use the funds donated by A&O to help animal shelters bolster their animal adoption programs, rehab crumbling animal housing and enhance vital community animal welfare programs.

Welcome! brothers and sisters to Episode #9—of the Cornbread Cafe. I am the mongrel, and I’ll be your host today. Be sure to ask your waiter about about this week’s specials, which are all prepared using only the finest ingredients in American Roots music. Cazh and cozy, we’re located at the five-corners of Blues, Americana, Folk, Country, and Gospel. And you can sometimes catch an express to Rock ’n’ Roll at the bus stop across the way. *

Chris Andres • “Tired Old Town” • Tired Old Town
Janie Barnett & Blue Room• “Buy That Thing” • You See This River
The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow • “Poisonous Me” • The Heart of the Run
Almond & Olive • “Standing at the Precipice” • Standing at the Precipice
Keeton Coffman • “The Tribe” • Killer Eyes
Honey Whiskey Trio • “The Lone Wild Bird” • Rye Woman

We’re going to get right into the music this show, because the hardcopy of the EP, Tired Old Town, by Chris Anres with Gary McDannold showed up in the mail just a couple days ago, and I have been impatient to share it with you. I couldn’t decide between the five tracks on this 2017 release, so I figured we’d go with the title track, Tired Old Town, to get things goin’.

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See, look it that. I invite musicians to send me their music, they do, it shows up on show just like that. And it’s just that easy. Look for the contact link at cornbread.cafe for more info. It’s been an episode or two since we’ve picked from the all-natural Country section of the menu, so I guess that why that tune hits the spot just right. Chris Andres leans more than a little bit towards the outlaw end of the Country spectrum, and all I can say is thank God for outlaws or wouldn’t have any friends at all.

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Now, back on Episode #6, I was honored to have Janie Barnett as our guest. I played a portion of our conversation on the show, and then made the entire interview available separately via an audio player in the show notes. If you haven’t yet, I’d encourage you to go back and listen to both. I didn’t include the clip that I’m gonna share with you now in the main show in Episode 6. Call me superstitious, but I think I felt like if I held on to it, if I didn’t let it out of its cage, or the song she discusses, maybe I could somehow keep this thing from happening. Maybe I could shield my children, everybody’s children, by just not talking about it. But I’m a fool to fool myself that way. And waiting until a calmer time to have this conversation means waiting until the pain subsides. Thank you Janie for preserving that pain in your music, your work. Thanks again for talking about your very powerful song, “Buy That Thing.”

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That was “Buy That Thing” off Janie Barnett’s 2017 release, You See This River. Remember you can pick up that LP by visiting the show notes for this episode at cornbread.cafe and looking for the iTunes, Amazon, or other purchase links. And, since these links are usually our affiliate links, you help support this program with your purchase, at no extra extra cost to you.

Next, I was going to play a track off the Whiskey Treaty Roadshow’s self-titled September release. But I had my Cornbread library on shuffle yesterday, and the tune, “Poisonous Me” from their 2016 live album “Heart of the Run” came up. And I was like, “I’ve played that on the Cafe, haven’t I?” I had to go back and check, and the answer was no, no I haven’t. I guess I’ve just played it for myself so often I kinda figured I must have. So let’s spin that right now to correct that oversight. Here’s “Poisonous Me,” by the Whiskey Treaty Roadshow on the Cornbread Cafe.

The festival scene is starting to kick into gear around the country, and I hope you get to experience as many as you can. Really, if music were an ecosystem, festivals would be the natural habitat for Americana bands and the Rootsians who love them. Coming up this weekend is the

Wintergrass Festival

February 22 – February 25
Hyatt Regency, Bellevue Washington,  just across the lake from Seattle.

And the fourth annual Back Porch Festival returns March 1–4, with all-star line-ups of American roots artists at the Academy of Music and The Parlor Room in Northampton, Massachusetts.

Reserve your body space at signaturesoundspresents.com/back-porch/ or, actually, just go to our show notes at cornbread.cafe and click the link to get you there.

I would provide info about SXSW, coming up March 9–18 in Austin, TX, but until they put me on the press list, I can’t very well do that, now can I? You’d think for $1,650 per pass, they could afford to hire someone to put music podcasters on the press list, right? Hell with ‘em, I say. Besides, I’m busy that week.

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Anyway, in this next set, I have to play the only tune I have from Keeton Coffman that I have NOT shared with you yet on this show, I think. The tune is “The Tribe” off his 2017 release “Killer Eyes,” which would definitely be in the running for a Cornbread Award, if we had such a thing here. But he just released his video for “The Tribe” this week, and like the rest of the videos from that release, it fits the music perfectly. You can check out the embed in the shownotes.

Keeton Coffman

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First though, let’s hear from one of our most recent discoveries, Almond&Olive, out of Chicago. We featured their song “We Will” on Episode #6—now let’s hear the title track off “Standing at the Precipice.”

Both of those songs are just pristine, aren’t they? Go together pretty well, too, if I do say so myself. You know, in addition to buying music and merch from the artists you hear on the show, you can connect with them through their sites or social media pages. I always provide the link s if I’ve got ‘em. And when you find those songs that really resonate with you, why not shoot the artists a quick not and tell them how much you enjoyed hearing their tunes on the Cornbread Cafe. It won’t help them pay the rent, but it does let them know that their efforts are appreciated.

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Last up is a song I’ve been saving up, though I can’t say I’ve known what for. This week, I know. From the Honey Whiskey Trio’s 2017 release, Rye Woman, is a song of comfort that you might just know. And I think I’ll let the Honeys have the last word on this episode, so I’m just going to send out “The Lone Wild Bird,” along with my deepest sorrow, to the families of Parkland, Florida.

Buy Rye Woman directly from the Honeys

* Note: Artist links provide access directly to artists’ websites or social media homepages. All album links provide access to song or album purchase options, often through our affiliate programs with Apple Music or Amazon.com, which help make this show possible.

Musicians’ bio info comes from the artists, their websites, or their publicists. Click on names below to visit their websites where you can get the full story, photos, and very often video.

“Virginia taught me love, it taught me heartache, but most importantly it taught me that a home away from home can exist. These songs represent an incredible time of personal growth.”

— Tanya Gallagher

Welcome! brothers and sisters to Episode #8—of the Cornbread Cafe. I am the mongrel, and I’ll be back in the kitchen today cooking up a sampler platter of the best from a sprawling menu of American Roots music. Cazh and cozy, we’re located at the five-corners of Blues, Americana, Folk, Country, and Gospel. And you can sometimes catch an express to Rock ’n’ Roll at the bus stop across the way. *

Tanya Gallagher • “3002 Miles” (explicit lyrics) • Virgina
Kate Lush • “Good Good Love” • Let It Fly
The Suitcase Junket • “Swamp Chicken” • Pile Driver
Bumper Jacksons • “Corina Corina” • I’ve Never Met a Stranger
Faint Peter • “Texas” • Redoubt
Birds of Chicago • “Etoile d’Amour (Stardust)” • American Flowers

You know, somebody asked me the other day what makes this podcast any different, or any better than, the radio. Now I don’t know if the Cornbread Cafe is better than radio—I mean, I grew up listening to some of the last great mainstream radio out there, when stations would play an entire new album commercial free late at night, and thousands of teenagers would have their fingers on play and record with a brand new 90-minute CrO2 in the deck, back when we spent Saturday night with “Dr. Demento”, Sunday morning we ate “Breakfast with the Beatles” and Sunday night was for headphones, high volume, and the King Biscuit Flower Hour with Bill Minkin. And if you haven’t heard either of those shows I have good news for you. Episodes of the King Biscuit programs are archived online and Dr. Demento is STILL doing his musical funny business every Saturday night through his websites.

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“But what makes the Cornbread Cafe podcast different than today’s radio is that I can showcase songs that might never make it to the airwaves, either because of their length, or because they might appeal to a narrower audience, or because they contain explicit language not allowed on the radio per FCC rules. Such is the case with this next song, “3002 Miles,” by Tanya Gallagher, who gives us a scathing answer to infidelity on her 2016 release Virginia. We featured the title track on Episode #1 and have been hungry to dig in and sample some deeper cuts off what is a graceful, potent, vivid, multifaceted LP. So let’s get this show started with “3002 Miles” here on the Cornbread Cafe.

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And that was Kate Lush with “Good, Good Love,” off Let It Fly, and I thought some good, good love might be needed to wipe the slate clean of the bad love in 3002 Miles that started that set off. I have a surprise for you. As convincing as her powerful, soulful vocals are, she’s not American—she’s an Aussie. That’s right, when she contacted me, I was like, really? Australians get the Blues? And then I heard her album, and it was just BAM—she gets it, and she nails it. And come to find out, she’s one of a growing collection of Australians and Britons who are totally into the the American Roots scene. Mayyyybe you recall Gus McCay, and “Extremely Voodoo” from back in Episode #3. There you go. Another Aussie.

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Now if Kate Lush did it for you with Good, Good Love, why not check her out live at the Girrakool Blues & BBQ Festival March 2nd and 3rd in Kariong, NSW, Australia. The weather should be great, and the airfare really is a small price to pay for great Blues like Kate’s.

Next set, we’ll pull another track off the 2017 release, I’ve Never Met a Stranger, from the Bumper Jacksons, “Corina Corina,” but first, lets sample a tune from Pile Driver, also released last year, by The Suitcase Junket, “Swamp Chicken.”

So, it is kinda true that Winter in the States is a little thin on American Roots music festivals. Apparently, “Down Under” has a bunch of them this time of year, but then again, it’s more like our September weather over there. On the other hand, South of the Mason-Dixon line things are already starting to heat up, and here are two events going on this weekend you might be interested in. First off is the Mile 0 Fest Key West going on right now.  This event is a brand-new music festival assured to be a “must see” in the burgeoning Red Dirt & Americana music scene. Single Day passes for Saturday, February 10 still available.

Also this weekend is the 10th Annual Appalachian State Old-Time Fiddler’s Convention, North Carolina. This new classic festival is
held on the campus of Appalachian State University and is 100% student operated. Events include; concerts, instructional workshops, music competitions, a gathering of luthiers, as well as a handmade market featuring crafters from across the region. Quite a few of the goings on are completely free, and all of it is family friendly.

Events

Bumper Jacksons are hot and sweet, painting America’s story from the streets of New Orleans to Appalachian hollers. Unafraid to scrap together new sounds from forgotten 78’s, the Bumper Jacksons elegantly balance paying homage to the traditions while fashioning their own unique, playful style. The group began as a duo, a city-meets-country experiment between songstress Jess Eliot Myhre and banjo player Chris Ousley. They hopped on bicycles, touring the country, instruments on their backs, seeking to reimagine roots music. In five short years, Bumper Jacksons grew to a brassy seven-piece, with horns and pedal steel.

Events

We’re going to take it down just a notch for the final set of the show, as we often do. You may have realized it, but that’s one of the ways I get you to finish your drinks, tip your waitress, and go home. And well start the pair off with a particularly addictive song from the brilliant LP, Redoubt, by Faint Peter and, “Texas.”

Events

We’ll follow that up with a deeper track off the just released EP, American Flowers, from our good friends, the Birds of Chicago, “Etoile d’Amour.” But don’t head out the door just yet when you hear the final strains of the delicate, wistful torchsong “L’etoile D’amour.” I have another bit of news I think all you pickers out there are going to find really exciting. First though, let’s hear “Texas,” by Faint Peter.

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Musicians’ bio info comes from the artists, their websites, or their publicists. Click on names below to visit their websites where you can get the full story, photos, and very often video.