Feature Friday Music Shuffle - Swim to Japan Mix

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Here we are at the end of the work week! 

I had such a massively fun time last night at The Basement East.  Two shows, six full band sets, seeing and hanging out with some of my favorite people.  Music-wise: Nancy Terzian and the Leg Men, Stone Cupid featuring Julie Christensen rocked the early show.  Lauren Farrah, Raelyn Nelson Band, Darrin Bradbury leading Hot Garbage (which included Margo Price on Drums and Andrew Leahey on Guitar), and Brian Wright closed the night with four very different but all incredible sets.

Onward, we have our second installment of the newly repurposed Featured Friday... enjoy!

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - Glorious Sound Mix

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(All though he probably won't read this): Thanks for Kevn Kinney for raising the bar for the 5 Spot residency, for putting on four very different and very awesome shows, and for reminding me once again why I love this town. (took someone not from town to do it, too!).  Last night was phenomenal with Kinney generously sharing his time with Todd Snider, Rorey Carroll, Tom Clark, Chuck Mead, and Warner Hodges (who was backed by Dan Baird, Joe Blanton, and Brad Pemberton). There were so many amazing moments.

Tonight should be another amazing night of music... did I mention I love this town?  The Basement East will be my destination tonight for Nancy Terzian and The Leg Men and Stone Cupid (starting at 7:00)  and then four full band sets from Darrin Bradbury, Brian Wright, Raelyn Nelson, and Lauren Farrah (starting at 9:00)

Now to the shuffle... and we have a great one today....

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Too Far From the Limb Mix

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And now, we reach the mid-point of the work week... tonight in Nashville is the final week of Kevn Kinney's residency at The 5 Spot.  Warner Hodges and Chuck Mead are the guests, and word has it that Dan Baird, Joe Blanton, and Brad Pemberton will be on hand as well... should be a fun show!

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Burn, Burn, Burn Mix

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One of my absolute favorite people and one of Nashville's best songwriters, Jon Latham has completed his first album, Real Bad News.  Real Bad News is the name of the album.  The fact that he has completed it is real good news!  He has a Indiegogo campaign to help get the album out in physical form.   Here's the details...




On to the shuffle!

Monday Morning Music Shuffle - Noisey Mix

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Well... let's just jump into today's shuffle!

Friday Morning Music Shuffle - Featured Friday v2.0 Mix

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I had an enjoyable evening last night - a sort of last minute (day before actually) invite to Amy Black's CD Release Show at The Bluebird Café for her new album, The Muscle Shoals Sessions.  The album was recorded down in Alabama and features covers of some of the great music that has come out of Muscle Shoals plus some original songs - inspired by that sound. Black is in the process of moving to the Nashville area, and she is currently touring with a band that features her husband on drums and a talented group of young musicians who are or have attended the Berklee College of Music in Boston.

I came home to hear the sad news out of Lafayette, Louisiana - yet another mass shooting. This hit close - I have a lot of family in the area, and at least one family member posted that they often see movies in that theater.  I also so that a Facebook friend knew one of the victims.  I fully expect - after our shared sense of "community" shock, to see a bunch of posts from both sides of political spectrum about this and the far too many other events like this one. My hope is for people of all political stripes to say, "this is terrible, things like this should not be happening", and then have real dialogue about the complex issues surrounding this and all of the other mass shootings. Mostly, my wish for all of us, is that just for today, we treat each other with a little extra kindness.

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As you may have gathered if you follow Ear to the Ground, 2015 has been an extremely busy year.  I seem to have gotten on some people radar, and I am very grateful for that.  With all that, however, comes some challenges, and I move forward - with some exciting things on the horizon, I have discovered the need to get creative in dealing with the volume of new music that comes my way.  Historically, my primary thing has been to add music to my playlist and feature it in the shuffle. Recently, I have been writing more reviews (though not as many as I would like to), and I have seen my active playlist continue to grow (it is currently over 1,000 songs) which means that some albums I really want to feature may or may not come up in my shuffle. To that end, I decided to bring back and revamp an old E2TG thing - called Featured Friday.  Back in the earlier days of Ear to the Ground, I would "feature" 10 artists/bands every month, and I would create a playlist of their music which I would then shuffle on Featured Friday.

This new Featured Friday, is a playlist that is a subset of my regular playlist, that is limited to newer music that I really want to feature.  So this playlist - unlike the regular one, will not include classic and obscure older music or one-offs from compilations, well, let's just do it, and you may see what I mean.

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - Paper in My Pocket Mix

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Last night was week 3 of 4 of the Kevn Kinney Residency at The 5 Spot in East Nashville.  Each show has been unique and each show has been wonderful.   Last night, Kinney was joined by Lydia Lunch (in what may or may not have been Ms. Lunch's first Nashville appearance - she wasn't sure). The combination/collaborations of Kinney's songs with Lunch's spoken word/poetry was different and brilliant. They were accompanied by Audley Freed on guitar and James Haggerty on upright bass. Definitely a one of a kind event.

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Glow and Repeat Mix

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Mid-week, and some rain to hopefully break the heat a little... On tap tonight, week 3 of Kevn Kinney's month-long residency at The 5 Spot in East Nashville - tonight featuring the one and only Lydia Lunch!

On to the shuffle...

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Upon My Liars Chair Mix

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I hope you have had a chance to check out the Ear to the Ground Events Page (link above).  I made some updates last night around 9:00p.m. Central Time.  I will try to make updates throughout the week, but I'm not able to constantly update.  If you have an upcoming event, either invite me on Facebook or send me the information.

We have a short but sweet shuffle today... 5 of the 6 songs have a Nashville connection (6 of 6 if you get really loose and creative in making connections)... read on....

Monday Morning Music Shuffle - Gonna Get You All Mix

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Introducing the Ear to the Ground Events Page! Visit Our Events Page Ear to the Ground Events!

So, consider this events page to be a work-in-progress.  It is meant to highlight live music of interest to Ear to the Ground Readers.  The focus will be on the Nashville area, but I will also include shows featuring Ear to the Ground favorites in places across the U.S. and around the world.  My primary source will be Facebook Events for which I've received an invite, but if you have an event you want considered, drop me a line.

Very grateful for a full weekend spent hearing music and also just hanging out with great friends.  Music-wise: Friday night: Tim Carroll and his power trio sounded awesome (Cameron Carrus and Toby Caldwell).  Saturday: Jon Byrd opened for Tiffany Huggins Grant's CD Release Show.  Byrd was amazing as always and Huggins Grant backed by a fantastic band lead by Mark Robinson brought the house down!  Sunday: Got to hang out and listen to Miss Shevaughn and Yuma Wray play a very sweaty but fun outdoor show.

As for the friends, I won't name them all here, but some new and old friends - good conversations, Bob Seger and Tumbling Blocks, Vietnamese food, and more... not a bad weekend.

It's another Monday, so let's see what we can do this week!

Friday Morning Music Shuffle - That Thin Disguise Mix

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Did you know that Ear to the Ground contributes over $500,000 to the economy every month?  And that we employee over 500 full-time and an additional 500 part time employees?   Okay... none of  that is true, but it does keep me busy and thus (mostly) out of trouble - which is in and of itself a good public service. 

Apologies for the untruths... but they were just little white lies which not coincidently leads us directly into the first song from our shuffle...

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - Five Cent Deposit Mix

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One of the reasons I love Nashville, is the fact extraordinary musical moments can feel down right ordinary.  For instance being at cool little dive bar on the East side for an early show that just happens to feature Kevn Kinney (drivin' and cryin') playing with a band he introduced as Sun Tangled Angel Revival (S.T.A.R.) which is a project he started in 2002.  The band just happened to feature Sadler Vaden (currently in Jason Isbell's band), Bryan Howard (of Cracker), and current drivin' and cryin' drummer, Dave V. Johnson. The band sounded great, and then a little more than half way through the hour and a half show, Audley Freed (Black Crowes, Sheryl Crow etc.) took the stage and there was some amazing guitar magic. Freed and Vaden together was simply out of this world.

After hanging out a bit at The 5 Spot for a little while, drive across the river for the Patrick Kinsley and a Fistful of Dollars album release show.  I hope by now you've read my review of For a Thousand Miles and grabbed your copy.  A singer-songwriter named James Roquemore opened the night, and I really like his songs and sound.  Look for some music from him coming soon to the shuffle.  Anthony Adams and the Nite Owls were up next and they brought the party to the party, they were followed by Kinsley and his band who sounded great, and the show was capped by local band Furious Primates - who I finally heard for the first time, and who I now consider myself a fan. 

Well... I've run on at the mouth a bit, so let's get to this morning's shuffle....

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Holy Roller Coaster Mix

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We've made it to the mid-week, and believe it or not, we are right at the mid-month mark for July. Lots of stuff on the horizon. 

By the way, the #E2TG Facebook page is about to reach another milestone in terms of number of followers (300)!  If you haven't done so, and feel so inclined, give us a "Like" (the link is above as it is everyday).  Something special awaits our 300th "Like".

Shuffle....

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Hot Where We're Going Mix

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ICYMI,  I posted my review of For a Thousand Miles, the new album by Patrick Kinsley and A Fistful of Dollars which was released today.  You can read it by navigating to the last entry on this blog or read it at No Depression.  The No Depression piece leaves out some information of interest to Nashville readers - namely that the Album Release Show for this album will be tomorrow night (7/15) at 8:00 p.m. at the original Basement.

The shuffle today is ready, so let's get to it!

Stories for a Thousand Miles - Patrick Kinsley and A Fistful of Dollars

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Patrick Kinsley’s songs are filled with tough stories of flawed human beings experiencing various kinds and degrees of heartbreak, making bad decisions, and somehow managing some semblance of survival.  These are raw and often painful stories.  Through Kinsley’s deft writing, the stories and characters come into sharp focus, and his unique, raspy singing voice adds a gritty depth to the tales.

Joined by his band, A Fistful of Dollars, Patrick Kinsley’s debut full album, For a Thousand Miles  was produced by Jesse Thompson at Blue Duck Studio in Nashville, Tennessee where Kinsley has made his home after spending two year toiling in the New Orleans club scene.

“Hard Times” kicks off the album with a Classic Country driving song and “For What That’s Worth” closes it out with a folk-inspired tune that leaves the listener still on the endless highway, bruised and battered,but better off than when they began the journey. And the album is a journey.

Along the road, there are some guitar licks that would make Chuck Berry proud (“A Little Further North”) and the songs… and the stories… and the characters. The strength of the album lies in Kinsley’s rich literary songwriting voice and in something perhaps a little harder to define.  Musically, the album offers a restrained diversity. The harder rocking songs are (often barely) contained while the slower songs are infused with a raw energy that keeps the album moving.

It is this continuity that makes the album work as a whole - like one long drive filled with many different experiences but all leading to the same - albeit uncertain destination. It seems appropriate that the album leaves the listener still on that open highway, because one hopes this is just one leg of a much longer journal for Patrick Kinsley.

“Back in Illinois”, the first single, was released back in June with a humorous video which casts Kinsley as a self-help guru. (Watch)

The second single, “Little Tin House” may be the saddest song on the album. (Listen)

The full album is set for release July 14 through the usual portals, and a Nashville album release party will be held Wednesday July 15 at The Basement (the original one). (Go!)

Monday Morning Music Shuffle - Boom Boom Chi Boom Boom Mix

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As I stumble, unwillingly and unwittingly into another work week, I am grateful for a pretty sweet music shuffle to get things rolling...  In this shuffle are some classics, some obscure stuff, and some pretty new stuff.  It is all worth your attention.

Friday Morning Music Shuffle - Another Planet Mix

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Sad to hear the news yesterday that Billy Zoom the legendary guitarist of Los Angeles band X was diagnosed with bladder cancer.  Happy, though, to report that a GoFundMe campaign to help him out has almost been completely funded after just one day.  If you want to help push it over the top, here is
the link.
We reached the end of another work week, and we have a pretty interesting shuffle to close things out...

By the way, a couple of songs in the shuffle today prompt me to issue the reminder that I repeat every so often.  Each morning's shuffle is randomly selected by my music player from a Playlist that I create and maintain. 

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - Not Punk Mix

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So... even by Nashville standards, the middle part of this week has been an embarrassment of musical riches. I already recapped Tuesday night.  Last night for me, began at The 5 Spot - the preeminent East Nashville dive bar for week one of Kevn Kinney's July Residency.  Kinney in and of himself would have made the show noteworthy, but we was joined by Gibb Droll on guitar and E2TG favorite Shelly Colvin jumped in a couple of songs for background vocals, and Todd Snider was there to add some awesome harmonica to a couple of songs.  The last song of the show included all of the above covering The Replacements' classic "Here Comes a Regular" which Kinney managed to morph into the refrain from Nirvana's "All Apologies".  It was a truly magical moment which would have been more than enough to make the night complete... and that was all before 8:00....

After that show ended, I hoofed it over to The Basement East in time to see Tiffany Huggins Grant perform a short solo set of songs from her brand new album (which I'm sure you already own since I've been telling you about it...right?)  Her incredible voice was in evidence.

By this point, rumors were circulating about the happenings back at The 5 Spot.  Thanks for Mark Robinson and Sue Havlish for the lift back over there.  It was the 2nd Anniversary of Jerry Pentecost's Country and Western Wednesday - on the 2nd Wednesday of every month features classic Country and Western covers performed by an awesome house band with stellar guest stars.  For the anniversary show, they pulled out all the stops...  I'll leave some awesome people off, but the guest included Derek Hoke, Cory Chisel, Elizabeth Cook, Amanda Shires, Bobby Bare Jr., Chance McCoy, Wayne Moss (of Barefoot Jerry), Jim Lauderdale, and incredibly the one and only Lucinda Williams.  The club was packed out, but I had a good time connecting with friends and experiencing the moments...

Needless to say (or maybe needed to be said), I think I'm going to stay in tonight and recover... but the shuffle goes on and we have a good one today.... so....

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Call of the Wild Mix

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Well.... we made it to mid-week.  Last night was a blast.  I walked down from work to the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum for the CD Release Show for the Dylan, Cash, and the Nashville Cats (the 2 CD Set accompanies the exhibit currently running).  Bill Lloyd and the phenomenal Long Players served as the core band and were joined by an all-star lineup that included some of the players on the original recordings (like Al Kooper) as well as family members like John Carter Cash, Jamie Hartford, Britt Ronstadt.  Charlie Daniels, Michael Nesmith (Monkees), Julie Christensen, Kathy Mattea, Radney Foster, Jason Ringenberg and many more made for a memorable event.  A brief rain delay did not seem to chase to many people away.

After that show, I headed to the Hi Watt to catch Heathen Sons (who were really good) - they are competing in Music City Mayhem for a slot playing Live on the Green so check them out and give them a vote if you can.  Benchmarks were next.  Formerly known as Todd Farrell and the Dirty Birds, Benchmarks just recently released a new EP which we will be presenting soon.  The band had not played together in a few months, but they really sounded good to me, and as always, the songs were excellent.  Todd Farrell pulled double duty, joining headliners Two Cow Garage on guitar.  It was the last night of a month long tour for the long running Ohio band, and they did not hold back - offering a full-frontal assault of their unique brand of rock and roll.

Now, to this mornings shuffle....

Tuesday Morning Music Shuffle - Refuse to Be Your Jodi Mix

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I find myself rushed again... so, let's get to this:

1.  Jonquil Child by Tiffany Huggins Grant which we have been featuring songs off of for a few weeks has been released.  Check it out HERE. I recommend it highly.

2. There is a great FREE SHOW in downtown Nashville today on 5th between Demonbreun and Korean Veterans.  It is the CD Release show for the companion album to the Dylan, Cash, and the Nashville Cats exhibit at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum.  Lots of cool folks including some of the players from the original classic recordings.  Did I mention it is free?  Details: HERE. Gates at 5:00, Music starts at 6:00

3.  Later on tonight, Two Cow Garage are playing at the Hi Watt with Heathen Sons and Benchmarks.  Benchmarks is the new moniker for Todd Farrell and the Dirty Birds.  Should be a great show.

Shuffle: (It's a good one)....

Monday Morning Music Shuffle - Summer's Kiss Mix

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Another week has begun...  Gonna make this short and sweet....

Thursday Morning Music Shuffle - Pain in the Butt Mix

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Let's jump right into the shuffle... some music for a  rainy Thursday morning here in Nashville....

Wednesday Morning Music Shuffle - Blues in King Mix

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As June turns into July...  another cool night of music in East Nashville - this time at The Building.  Ariel Bui, Emma Berkey, Todd Henkin (all local) and Alexandra Scott from New Orleans did a outstanding round, Dylan Lee Johnston did a short set, and #E2TG Artist of the Year Darrin Bradbury closed out the evening. 

Speaking of Bradbury, my show alert of the week is for Thursday night at The 5 Spot. Darrin will be opening for Austin Lucas starting around 9:00.  Should be a fine night, and I am off work Friday so....

I got to take in a couple of shows last week and talk some to Julie Christensen, and I wanted to send out a reminder/alert to her Pre-Order campaign for her new album with her incredible band Stone Cupid.  Here is the link.  You can Pre-Order the album and there are some fine options for merchandise and exclusives. Julie has a long, rich history with many of the best artists of the modern era, and I had the great pleasure to see her and her band play an amazing set at one of the final nights of the original Family Wash.  If you are in Nashville, her next band show is coming up at the end of this month, and I will have more details later.

Now to our first shuffle of this new month...