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It's funny, really... (I like starting blog posts in the middle of a thought). People will say, "It's been a good year." or "It's been a sucky year." or whatever, but for me if I really think about, most years are a little bit of both. Even years that I look upon as my worst, had moments of transcendent joy.
For many people, 2016 is being chalked up on the "bad year" side of the ledger, and it is understandable. In music, we lost some of the all-time greats in 2016. From Bowie to Cohen and so many more. For many in my closest circle of friends, the election did not know as we would have like, and we are worried about what this will mean in the short and long term for the world. Personally, the last half of the year has brought on a series of (ultimately) minor health issues that took the wind out of my sails for a time. And yet, it was also the year, I began doing Double Shot with Sue Havlish on WXNA - which has proven to be one of the great joys of my life. It was also a year of "discovering" lots of new (to me) music and forging some new friendships while building on some older ones. Could it have been better? Could I have done better? Sure. Same with every previous year and likely every future year.
Before we jump into a "Wild Wednesday" shuffle - I have an "EARIE" Award to hand out. Thinking about "new to me music" and new friendships....
I remember seeing Clark Paterson around East Nashville, and I remember hearing people talk about his music. To me, he was kind of intimidating. Really tall with a big beard. A few months back, he contacted me and sent me a copy of his latest album, The Final Tradition. The album features two of my favorite East Nashville musicians - Tim Carroll and Paul Niehaus - so I was intrigued. And when listened, I was impressed. I jotted down a few words....
With The Final Tradition, East Nashville singer-songwriter Clark Paterson has made a gritty and earthy rock and roll record. Backed by some of Nashville’s finest musicians including Tim Carroll and Paul Niehaus, Paterson weaves no holds barred tales of real people living real lives.
It is not easy to write about the kind of characters that inhabit Paterson’s songs while avoiding slipping into cliche and sterotypes, but Patersons does so. The secret to his ability to walk that fine line can be found in his bio which reveals a complex and diverse set of experiences which have provided the inspiration to write these songs that ring with a authencity that is refreshing.
Standout tracks include “This Dog’s Gonna Hunt”, “Kansas Saturday Night”, and “Hillbilly Shit”. These songs reveal a confident swagger that belies a rough-hewn vulnerability. It is this honest to god vulnerability presented as strength not weakness that sets The Final Tradition apart from most other roots oriented records being made in recent years.
Of course, with life being what it is, I never posted this words until now.. but, with out more ado, I am awarding Clark Paterson the "Rough-hewn Vulnerability" Award for 2016.
On to the shuflle...
