Wednesday Morning Festivus Music Shuffle - Pretty Girl Dancing to Jugband Music Mix

Tweet #E2TG

Be sure to "Like" Ear to the Ground on Facebook!

Happy Festivus!  Stay tuned for the traditional airing of grievances and feats of strength.

You know, even though I have been featuring some holiday/Christmas/Winter/Red Cup themed music for the last few days, I honestly have not been in the spirit of the season.  Maybe it the fact that it is almost 70 in Nashville and tornados are possible later today or maybe it is just the realities of current life.  However, last night, I attended the Ornaments Christmas Show (it was actually their 14th performance this season) which featured the music of Vince Guaraldi from A Charlie Brown Christmas.  The night also featured Holiday music from Tom Mason and the Blue Buccaneers  and a Tuba Christmas.  There was so much great music and great vibes present that I found myself- wholly against my will caught up in the Spirit. 

It also helps that today will be my last day of work for four days and I get to leave early today!!!!

The "Earies" continue with the "Wind Comes Sweeping Down the Plain" Award.

The premise:  I don't think I've ever been to the state of Oklahoma (my parents lived there a short time before I was born). And other than the musical and some college football games, I've never given it much thought. (no offense - I really don't think much at all about anything).  In 2015, however, it seems like I kept hearing awesome music from artists who call Oklahoma home. 

The Award:

1.  I would be severely remiss if I did not give an "Earie" Award to John Moreland.  His album, High on Tulsa Heat, was a break-through and definitely among the top tier of best albums of the year.  Throughout the year, I was fortunate enough see him perform live a few time, and each and every time, he managed to give me goosebumps and stir my heart and soul.  At Americana Fest, Moreland managed to mostly silence a packed out Mercy Lounge and garnered a very rare AMA Showcase encore.  

2.  Dan Martin. I met Dan Martin at a David Olney residency at The 5 Spot earlier this year, and I got hold of his CD Hoka Hey, and it quickly became one of my favorite albums of 2015.

3. Levi Parham and John Calvin Abney.  These two amazing singer-songwriters blew me away when I saw them perform during the Campfire Propaganda residency at The 5 Spot.  Actually, I kind of feel like their is a definite psychic link between Oklahoma and East Nashville. 

4.  Samantha Crain:  I saw Samantha Crain perform as part of an incredible round at the Bluebird Café earlier this year.  She combines excellent songs with a unique voice.  There was some hope that she would make it back to Nashville this month or so, but it did not pan out.  Hopefully, we will see her here again in 2016.


Next, we wrap up our Red Cup Season Playlist!  Best to everyone no matter what you celebrate and if you are struggling with anything during this season remember you are not alone. Peace!

Tuesday Morning Red Cup Season Music Shuffle - Shepherd's Quake Mix

Tweet #E2TG

Be sure to "Like" Ear to the Ground on Facebook!

We are reaching the end of the 2015.  After today's post, we only have three more "Earies" to award before the crowning of the 2015 E2TG Artist of the Year.  The anticipation is palpable.

One of the many perks of writing Ear to the Ground, is that I get the opportunity to hear and write about awesome music which otherwise may have slipped past me. So, today's "Earie" Award is going to go out to the some of the best of that category from 2015.

1.  The Poorhouse Says are an Americana/Indie-Folk/Folk-Rock band from St. Louis.  They released As Patterns Go, and I was fortunate enough to get to hear it and tell you folks about it. 

2.  Broken Guru are a Alt-Rock band from New York City.  They released Bent Up Halo earlier this year.  The album injected a refreshing burst of hard alternative rock into our shuffle.

3.  The Hidden Agendas are a Pennsylvania rock and roll band who came to my attention is 2015.  Although, I have only been able to feature one or two of their songs, they made a big impression, and I look forward to more music ahead.

4.  The Naddiks -  This band from Canberra, Australia could have easily been included in the International "Earie" category, but then I could have had to do some heavy-duty geographic research to figure out if Canberra or Christchurch, New Zealand was further away.  And nobody wants that.  The Naddiks combine blistering, upbeat rock and roll with positive lyrics which are much appreciated in this day and age which can be a rather negative place.  They released 21CB (21st Century Boy) this year, and more recently, they just released an anti-bullying single called, "Stop, Listen, and Love"

Moving on - we jump back into  our holiday music shuffle with a very special edition....

Monday Morning Red Cup Season Music Shuffle - Grandma Otter Mix

Tweet #E2TG

Be sure to "Like" Ear to the Ground on Facebook!

I have to just admit right now that I'm really not feeling it today. Whatever "it" is.  The approaching holiday with everything surrounding it, the fact that this is the shortest day of the year, and that fact that it is a grey and rainy day here in Nashville...   But, I will press onward...  rest assured...

The "Earies" are getting down to the wire.  Our last six awards are forthcoming. It is getting difficult to decide which award to post.  Do I save one for right toward the end or do I go ahead and post it now... who have I forgotten... what should I call this or that award... but I don't really have time for all that existential overthinking...

Consider this the counter-point to the "All the Young Dudes" award - kind of... I will call it the "Southern Women Showcase"  Award focusing on some of the excellent music I came across this year that happened to come from female artists who either live in or originated the southern part of the United States) (or both)....

1.  Tiffany Huggins Grant - A Jonquil Child from Smyrna, Georgia (now a Nashville resident). Tiffany released here stunning album, Jonquil Child early this year, and it serves as an excellent testimony to her extraordinary vocal abilities and her strength as a songwriter.  The album was produced and features guitar work from fellow "Earie" winner - Mark Robinson.

2. Amy Black - Although she recently relocated from Boston to the Nashville area, Amy Black grew up near (but apart from) the music mecca of Muscle Shoals, Alabama.   Her recent album, The Muscle Shoals Sessions includes classic and lesser known tracks recorded in that fertile ground - plus a few original compositions inspired by recording and being around that hallowed ground.

3. Angela Easterling - Hailing from South Carolina, Angela Easterling released the amazing, Common Law Wife this year.  The album is a showcase of her amazing abilities  as a singer/songwriter.  Coincidently (or whatever) both Easterling's album and Amy Black's album feature the guitar work of Nashville icon, Will Kimbrough.  

I was fortunate enough to see all of these talented artists perform live during 2015, and I look forward to what they each have in store in the future.

We have three shuffles before Christmas... so let's have our second installment of the Red Cup Season Playlist shuffle.  Remember - I tried to pick a name for this playlist that could not possibly cause offense. Red Cup seemed like a pretty neutral thing....

Just as E2TG strives to cover music from as many different angles has possible, today's shuffle pretty much does the same with holiday music.