Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Strike the Proper Page Mix

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Hard to believe we've reached the end of another month.  My Facebook memory thing reminded me that it was a year ago today that I came off of my self-imposed hiatus and returned to posting daily morning shuffles.  It's been quite a year, and I have to stop and thank everyone who helped make it so.  All the readers, artists, and all the people who have sent me music.  That last group has increased exponentially  - especially in the last month or so, and I have been struggling to keep up.  I want to give all the music I receive a fair listen, and so I beg patience as I try to listen and respond to as many submissions as I can.  Believe me, it is a great problem to have for someone who loves to hear all kinds of music.

Monday Morning Music Shuffle - Into the Mandolin Wind Mix

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Welcome to the working week... since we last gather here, I've had the great good fortune to see some incredibly great music.  Friday night, I got to hang out with awesome people and witness the Tim Lee 3 rocking the house in a rare Nashville appearance followed by the amazing R.B. Morris with his crack band bringing words and music together in the most spellbinding way.

Saturday night, I saw Ted Drozdowki's Scissormen rock the stage at City Winery opening for The Baseball Project. The Baseball Project haven taken a concept and through a love of the subject and the creative geniuses behind The Dream Syndicate, Young Fresh Fellows, The Minus 5, and R.E.M. among others rode that concept for 8 years and 3 albums to date with no sign of slowing down.  My review of that show is on No Depression.

After the Baseball Project show, I got to hang out with more cool people (after climbing a circular staircase) and see an incredible round of music that makes me proud to live in this city.  Kevin Gordon, Sarah Potenza (accompanied by her husband Ian), and Jeff Black sat and delivered to a packed out lounge at City Winery.

As if that was not enough, Sunday night, I got to hang out with the immensely talented Russell Thompson and watch Mary Gauthier and Allison Moorer swap songs for almost two hours accompanied for much of the time by the incredible guitarist Kenny Greenberg.  My review of that show should be posted on No Depression very soon.

Whew!  Now back to the workday grind (but only a four day work week this week), and a brand new never before heard shuffle of music to melt your mind and expand you face... or something like that...

Friday Morning Music Shuffle - Fourteen Mix

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Well it's Friday!  And it seems as if there is much to be celebrated this week (at least that is how I see it).  We have covered quite a bit of ground, musically this week, and this week-ending shuffle just pushes us that much further along.  Please remember, that my shuffle are truly random.  I just decide what is in the playlist, the random shuffle feature picks each days songs.  It tends to do a good job of it - even if I sometimes which certain songs/albums would come up sooner...

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - All My Sorrows Mix

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One day closer to the weekend.... it's looking like a great weekend for music in Nashville... on my agenda includes a show Friday night at The Basement (the original one) with R.B. Morris and #E2TG favorites Tim Lee 3.  It's an early show..  Doing some No Depression stuff Saturday and Sunday nights.

We have another fine, fine shuffle... so let's get to it.

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Circular Mix

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Well...well...well... we've reached the mid-point of this work week. 

Last night's Kevn Kinney/Peter Case show at The Basement East was every bit as awesome as I expected.  Case opened with "Walk in the Woods" - the song that first introduced me to his classic self-titled debut solo album and Kinney followed that with the title track from his equally classic solo debut, MacDougal Blues. For the next couple of hours, they traded songs and stories...

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Sleeping in the Monkey House Mix

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After posting about the heat yesterday, things inexplicably cooled off a bit yesterday evening (don't worry it is hot again today).  While it was cooler, I took the opportunity to sit out on my deck and get some writing projects complete. 

1.  You may have seen The Ghoul Goes West in the shuffle over the past couple of months or so. And, you may have wondered just who is or are The Ghoul Goes West.  Well, wonder know more. I did an extensive interview this Chris S. (chief Ghoul) and you can read it on No Depression right now. 

2. Any time there is new music from an Ear to the Ground artist of the year, it is cause for much excitement around here.  Darrin Bradbury, the reigning Artist of the Year, just released a new EP called The Story of Bob, and I have written a review of that album (hint - you should own it now!)

Tonight, if you in Nashville, I highly recommend heading to the Basement East around 7:00.  Two of our country's best songwriters are appearing together and it should be a great night.  Kevn Kinney (Drivin' and Cryin') and Peter Case in one night and the same stage.  Epic!

We have a short but pretty darn sweet shuffle today - thanks to a quick commute and an eight minute instrumental song in the mix.

Monday Morning Music Shuffle - I Said That Mix

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It's Monday and man it sure is hot here in Nashville...  you know what else is hot? Today's shuffle!  Hot off the presses...  The #E2TG shuffle at it's best - widely and wildly divergent styles and themes of music congregate on my music player on a weekday morning...  enjoy!

Friday Morning Music Shuffle - One More Time Mix

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So... much happening.  I was in a car for about half of yesterday.  I have just been catching up with the news out of South Carolina. Sending out good thoughts to all those who lost loved ones.  And sending out as much love as I can muster for this country in hopes that we can finally begin address some of the many issues which lead to this terrible event.  I am not optimistic about things, but I remain hopeful.  If that makes sense.

Switching gears... If you are in Nashville tonight, I recommend heading down to the Basement East for a benefit for Allen Thompson.  Even if the music wasn't going to be good, you should support this because Allen is a great guy.  But this is East Nashville and the music is going to be spectacular.  Even if Allen wasn't a great guy, you should go because the music is going to spectacular.  But Allen is a great guy.


On to the Friday Shuffle!

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - H.S.K.T. Mix

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Well here we are... late, but I did listen to this shuffle this morning.  Been on the road most of the day, so I'm just posting it now.   I got to keep it brief, but check out the great music.

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Why Do You Care? Mix

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I'm back after a day off.  Still tons going on.  Check out my review of the re-release of the self-titled only album by Haynes Boys.

Also - at press time, my review of Friday night's Matthew Sweet show at City Winery Nashville is on the front page of NoDepression.com.

On to the mid-week shuffle:

Monday Morning Music Shuffle - Heart Space Mix

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There is a buzz of activity in the Ear to the Ground offices, but I wanted to take the time to try to help spread the word about a couple of things:

A pair of great Nashville musicians/songwriters have recently suffered some pretty serious injuries which could keep them out of commission for an extended period.  For anyone, this would be bad, but for a professional musician this can be devastating.  In both cases, friends and fans are joining forces to help. 

Allen Thompson of the Allen Thompson Band suffered a serious injury to his vertebrae.  You can help out and find out more by clicking here.

Singer-songwriter Tommy Womack (Daddy, Government Cheese) was seriously injured in an automobile accident late last week.  You can help him by clicking here.

In better news, Darrin Bradbury just dropped his latest EP, The Story of Bob.  I'll have more on this later, but check it out here.

Finally, I have been busy on the No Depression front with several live reviews, an album review - and much more on the horizon.  I don't cross post everything, so if you want to keep up with adventures over there.  Here is the link to my Contributions at NoDepression.com.

Now to the shuffle of the day:

Friday Morning Music Shuffle - How many 'L's are in Van Halen Mix

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The reality of writing an independent music blog, as I have done for over four years now, is that you have to push through those days when it seems like no one is pay attention (and even those days when seriously no one is paying attention). Maybe by attrition or maybe dumb luck, sometimes good stuff starts to happen, and you find yourself in incredible situations that almost do not seem real. The key in those moments (for me at least) is to not lose my sense of wonder and no matter what to never lose the hunger for discovering new music.  For me, when I lose that hunger, it will be time to move on... fortunately, I am not there yet.

Okay, so what prompted all this?  Several things, some amazing opportunities have come my way, and I choosing not to be cynical or jaded about them. Also, something seems to have broken open in the last couple of weeks and the number of people contacting me to listen to their music has grown exponentially. It can be overwhelming, but seriously it is the most incredible good fortune.  So be patient... I will listen to everything sent to me, but I can't make any promises beyond that.  Every time someone sends me music, I hope it will be one of "those" albums that changes everything... it isn't always, but even when it is not, I still get to hear some incredible music.

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - Crying for You Mix

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Having come of age musically speaking in and around Nashville in the late 80s, it would not surprise anyone that last night's show featuring Webb Wilder and the Beatnecks, Bill Lloyd and his fantastic band, Warner Hodges and his fantastic band, and the newly reunited Government Cheese would be an exciting thing for me to see. I think what impressed me the most was that it wasn't all or even mostly about nostalgia or looking back.  I mean sure, I got a certain thrill when Webb did Poolside from It Came From Nashville - his first album. And there were significant memories stirred in the Nashville Jam finale - when everyone returned to the stage to do the late Tim Krekel's "I Can't Help Myself" (a song that Jason and the Scorchers recorded). The most significant aspect of the evening was that everyone had newer material and seemed to be looking forward not back.  Government Cheese has a brand new album after decades apart. And Warner Hodges, I dare say, rocked the Music City Roots stage about as hard as it has even been rocked. 

On to the shuffle...

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - I Was Never There Mix

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I am reasonable certain that late teens early 20s me did not give a whole lot of thought to what I would be doing 25-30 years later. I'm pretty sure, though, that that kid would be surprised to find out that I was going to ride a bus to Franklin, Tennessee to watch Webb Wilder, Bill Lloyd, Warner Hodges, and Government Cheese, and that I would be able to drink free beer on that bus. Not to mention that the whole show was going to be broadcast to the whole world over something called the Internet.  I'm not even sure what part of that would be most surprising... Nevertheless, that is what I will be doing - riding the Blackstone Bus to Music City Roots to see some true living legends who I have been listening to and watching for over half my life. It's gonna be good.  http://musiccityroots.com/  - Tune in at 7:00pm Central Time and click the Watch Live button.

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Lock the Door and Unplug the Phone Mix

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Be sure to check out my review of Drew Kohl's new EP, Sweetheart.

When I hit shuffle this morning, there were 985 songs in my active playlist. Based upon statistical averages, the number of combinations for the first 10 songs to come up in a random shuffle of those songs, is... well, I don't know, but it's probably a pretty big number.  And yet, on any given shuffle, only one combination actually did come up, and here it is...

Monday Morning Music Shuffle - Artistic Freedom Mix

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Monday after a productive weekend of writing...  look for some of that productivity to be posted soon and some later than soon...

Friday Morning Music Shuffle - Masks That Pass for Faces Mix

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Well... I'm back.  After feeling less than 100% all week, the percentages dropped dramatically Wednesday night into Thursday... but I'm back to feeling less than 100%.  Actually, (knock on wood), I am feeling pretty darn close to 100%. 

So it's time for our weekending shuffle and I think we have a good one...

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Alison's Getting a Mohawk Mix

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Our shuffle today begins with a powerhouse Georgia Gospel singer-songwriter and ends with a Telepathic Teddy Bear.  In between.... click through the jump and find out...

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Play it Billy Mix

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Blah...  the dreary weather continues, and I am still not feeling 100% wonderful, but here at Ear to the Ground we press on.....

Monday Morning Music Shuffle - Ain't It Just Like Rain Mix

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Got to meet Alex Giorgetti of the long time #E2TG favorite The Gypsy West.  He was in town with his girlfriend Laura.  I always like meeting the people I write about in real life.  Word has it there could be some new music from The Gypsy West later this year.  Cannot wait!

Saturday, I got to hang out and hear some music from Patrick Kinsley who is getting set to release the first single from his forthcoming album.  I am super stoked for the new album and the first single "Back in Illinois" name drops Ear to the Ground - which I am going to just assume is intentional tribute... Don't try to correct me on this!

Last night was another fine Eastside Invasion at Bobby's Idle Hour.  All of the performances were fantastic.  Taylor Alexander, James Tomberlin, Vanessa Darian and Steven Cooper (Van Darien), Joe Nolan, and Luella and Some Fella (Tim Carroll) filling in for Darrin Bradbury. and more...

Now, it is Monday - a grey, drizzly morning - not feeling 100% - pushing through because it is what I do...  Music motivates in it's own way... shuffle up!