As I am still struggling to find time to do everything I want to do, I thought I would take some time to highlight some recent and upcoming new releases of interest. As always, the complete list can be found at the bottom of every daily post (and it is updated constantly).
Some of this music has been added to my phone for inclusion in the daily shuffles, some has been included in the Featured Friday Playlist....
Recent Releases: 2/07 - Chicago Farmer - Flyover Country (LP)
Sixth full-length album. Recorded with Band of Heathens. I understand that Darrin Bradbury will be opening some dates for Chicago Farmer.
2/07 - The Flyin' A's - No Holds Barred (LP)
Austin Texas based husband and wife duo release their fourth full-length album featuring an all-star cast of Austin musicians.
2/07 - Christopher Paul Stelling - Best of Luck (LP)
I caught Stelling at the ANTI- Records showcase at AMA this past fall, but his association with E2TG goes back to 2012 when he was a featured artist for November/December in that year. At that time, he was living in New York City, and I believe he was closely associated with some of the other New York bands we were featuring - like The End Men, The Disappointment, and The Gypsy West.
2/07 - Sammy Brue - "Teenage Mayhem" and "Crash Test Kid" (singles)
Some new music from the teen sensation. The full album is due out in June, but he released the title track and another single on Friday. Sounding great. He first gained attention portraying a young Justin Townes Earle on an album cover and video, but he has flourished on the strength of his songwriting and relentless pursuit of music.
This week:
2/14 - Grant Peeples - Bad Wife (LP)
Excited for this release. I have been a huge fan of Grant Peeples since meeting him at the first Wild Ponies Happy Hour I ever attended back in 2014?. For his latest album, he has recorded songs by female songwriters (including Telisha Williams of the aforementioned Wild Ponies).
2/14 - Kalee Smyth - "Bring Our Love Down" (single)
Great to hear new music from Kalee Smyth. The full album drops in March. As a member of The Western Shore, she played the first ever "E2TG Presents" show at The Building. For this new album, she has assembled a team with some majorly impressive credits ( including Kasey Musgraves, Usher, The Band Perry, George Jones, Diana Krall, and Hank III)
Later:
5/08 - Brian Wright and the Sneak-Ups - Lapse of Luxury
Super stoked to have a release date for the new Brian Wright album (E2TG Artist of the Year 2016). I got a preview of this music at his residency last year, and I have been so excited for this news ever since.
In my rush to get things done and do everything and be everywhere, I have had uninvited thoughts fill my brain, so I have to speak to those voices, and I hope maybe someone else who needs to hear this will hear it. The dilemma/conundrum/catch-22 in which I often find myself is that if I go out to every show I want to (and even then have to miss two or three others), then I don't get much writing done and I start to feel irrelevant. But, if I stay in more often and miss a bunch of shows to get writing done, then I feel irrelevant because I am not going out. Today, I just need to say, that nothing I do or don't do, nowhere I go or don't go - none of that makes me irrelevant. I am relevant even if I don't go out and even if I don't write. I write and go out because I love doing those things - not to make myself relevant.
I also need to say, that I should not compare myself to anyone. I often judge myself harshly for not getting enough done (ignoring the fact that I have two radio shows, a music blog, a full-time job, and more). I give myself hell for resting, for relaxing, for goofing off, for whatever... I should stop that.*
*I have to say, I have improved in all of this greatly in the last few years, but I still need the occasional reminder.
Great to catch Darrin Bradbury last night at 3rd and Lindsley. Molly Martin opened, and she was fantastic.
Darrin played some new songs - which I dug plus some newer and older favorite. He played an unplugged set (with a microphone stand he created with the help of Brian Milligram. No wires to the guitars ("because it is bad for the environment" so he said). It was a top-notch Darrin Bradbury set - he was engaged and engaging and as he often does - he had the audience's attention throughout.
I also got to hear some rough mixes of the next album. I can't tell you much, but... oh my, it is gonna be good.
I am preparing for Thursday's debut of Greeting from Nashville. I have the playlist nailed down and ready to go. I am excited because I have managed to have every band that played the first ever Nashville rock show that I attended (nearly 35 years ago) represented in some way on the show. Plus some newer favorites. If you are up bright and early Thursday (at 6AM Central) you can catch me live on WXNA 101.5FM or wxnafm.org. If you aren't awake at that time, you can catch it on the archive (also at wxnafm.org).
Show alert! Two time E2TG Artist of the Year Darrin Bradbury will be at 3rd and Lindsley Sunday Night for a show hosted by a radio station that is not the one I am associated with... Excited every time I get to see Darrin perform live...
It is Friday, and time for another edition of the Featured Friday Playlist on Spotify. See below. 17 songs in the playlist this week. This week's playlist includes new and recent music by Nashville artists Evan P. Donohue (a founding member of Diarrhea Planet), The Singing Butcher, Party of Shine, Kyshona Armstrong, Irene Kelley, and Victoria Woodworth, Plus music from E2TG favorites Joe Goodkin, DateMonthYear, Sammy Brue, Tiny Fighter, and Christopher Paul Stelling. Plus, some newer "discoveries" like Kat Hamilton, Emily Zuzik, Chicago Farmer, Surrija, Wynnm, and HMS Morris. Check it out and give the playlist a follow on Spotify.
Featured Friday Playlist Brand New List Today!
Friday Shuffle:
Time to close out the week. It was a snowy morning commute. As usual, a delightfully eclectic mix of music.
"One Wish" by Habit of Mine (from Habit of Mind)
A first listen to this Los Angeles based alternative rock band. This came to us via a direct inquiry last month. Great sounding tune.
"Peggy Gordon" by Ricko Donovan (from Full On)
One-time Nashville resident, hammer dulcimer player, songwriter, and birthday brother Ricko Donovan is up next. Hope he makes it back to Nashville soon.
"Unfortunately" by Warming (from Warming)
"Horizon part.2" by Lions'Den (from Songbird)
"Sunken Aspects" by Claudio Conti (from Garnet Dusk)
"Rambling" by Moonshine Booze (from Desert Road)
"Trouble and Time" by Chris Carroll (from Trouble and Time)
I think there are over 5,000 songs saved in my phone memory, and a random shuffle brought up two songs this week from this 2014 album by the Texas singer-songwriter. We have been featuring her latest album Good Farmer (a collaboration with her husband Adam) recently.
"Remember the Love" by Heather Powell (from A Haze of Grays and Blues)
Speaking of defying the odds. Apparently, this song was save to my phone twice and came up on two consecutive days. The album was released in 2015, and yes, this track features Kevin Jenkins (for some reason he was credited on the track that came up yesterday but not on the track that came up today - I am sure they are the same track).
"Miles of Broadway" by Maynard and the Musties (from Cheap Cigar)
Nashville by way of Brooklyn band - with a track from an album released while they were living in New York.
"Salvation Jane" by INXS (The Best of INXS)
"Let the Four Winds Blow" by Warren Storm (from Taking the World, By Storm)
A cover of a 1961 Dave Bartholomew and Fats Domino by legendary swamp pop pioneers Warren storm - on a album produced by Yvette Landry.
VIDEO PLAYLIST
Recent and Upcoming Releases:
Recent: 11/20 Brock Zeman - Hey Tom (a collection of Tom House Songs) (LP)(E2TG First Impression) 12/2 - Terry Klein - Live at KOOP (LP) 12/29 - Them Jones - "The Woman is a Poor Child" (single) 12/31 - Blackfoot Gypsies - Live at The Basement (LP) 1/06 - Francesco Mariano - "Room 107" (single) 1/07 - The Singing Butcher - "Top 40" (single) 1/08 - Luis Mojica- Shaman Food (LP) 1/10 - Palm Ghosts - "Wide Awake and Waiting" (single)(E2TG First Impression) 1/10 - Mary Bragg and Drivin' N Cryin' - "Don't Walk Away" (cover) (single) 1/10 - Them Airs - "Food Pyramid" (single) 1/10 - Lilly Hiatt - "Brightest Star" (single) 1/10 - Strange Majik - "Lo-Fi Hi" (single) (E2TG First Impression) 1/10 - Dean Fields - "Armadillo" (single) 1/10- Chicago Farmer - "All in One Place" (single) 1/10 - Surrija - "Nothing Love" (single) 1/10 - RB Morris - Going Back to the Sky (LP) 1/10 - Guided By Voices - "Volcano" (single) 1/10 - Sunshine Boys - "Infinity Girl" (single) 1/11 - Dolour (Shane Tutmarc) - "The Snake Eye" (single) 1/12 - Francesco Mariano - "Nine Lives" (single) 1/13 - Lauren Anderson - "I Wanna Dance With Somebody" (cover) (single) 1/14 - Drive-By Truckers - "Thoughts and Prayers" (single) 1/16 - Margo Price - Stone Me (single) 1/17 - Mark Hummel - Wayback Machine (LP) 1/17 - Jonny Polonsky - "The Weeping Souls" (single) 1/17 - Them Airs - Union Suit XL (LP)(E2TG First Impression) 1/17 - Innocence Mission - See You Tomorrow (LP) 1/17 - David Dondero - The Filter Bubble Blues (LP) 1/17 - MONO INC. - "Warriors" (single) 1/17 - Damen - "Americana" (single) 1/17 - The Singing Butcher - "Circus Girl" (single) 1/19 - Merrill Beach - "Geen"/"Marimba" (single)(E2TG First Impression) 1/21 - Broads and Milly Hirst - "Happisburgh" (single) 1/22 - Davis Raines - Turquoise and Silver (LP) (E2TG First Impression) 1/24 - Kailey Nicole - Kailey Nicole (LP) 1/24 - Mrs. Henry - Live at the Casbah (LP) 1/24 - Aeronautical Pioneer - "Hop High" (single) 1/24 - Three Rivers Project - Confluence (LP) 1/24 - MONO INC. - The Book of Fire (LP) 1/24 - Dispel - Lore (LP) 1/24 - The New Nostalgia - "Nothing is New" (single) 1/24 - The Heliocentrics - "Burning Wooden Ship" (single) 1/24 - Electric High - "Harder to Justify" (single) 1/24 - J. Luke Cloutier - Drown (LP) 1/26 - Nik West - "Tears" (single) 1/28 - Motihari Brigade - Power from Below (LP) 1/29 - Remington Super 60 - NEW EP (EP) 1/31 - Eric Brace and Last Train Home - Daytime Highs and Overnight Lows (LP) 1/31 - Nick Pagliari - Midway (LP) 1/31 - Black Paisley - "Dreams" (single) 1/31 - Jolie Holland - Esconidida (Vinyl Reissue) (LP) 1/31 - John Dennis - Mortal Flames (LP) (E2TG First Impression) 1/31 - Emma Hill - How Could I Have Been So Wrong (EP) 1/31 - Ryan Sobb and the Dead Mall - Concrete Feelings (LP) (E2TG First Impression) 1/31 - Alexander Hacke (Einsturzende Neubauten) + Danielle de Picciotto (Crime and The City Solution) - The Current (LP) 1/31 - Drive-By Truckers - The Unraveling (LP) 1/31 - Kristen Englenz - "Rebound" (single) 1/31 - Damen - "Disco" (single) 1/31 - Tinsley Ellis - Ice Cream in Hell (LP) 1/31 - The Singing Butcher - "Coming Home" (single) 2/01 - Glenn Jones - Ready for the Good Times (LP)
2/02 - Karabas Barabas - Degenerate National Anthem (LP) 2/04 - Mayflower Madame - "Vultures" (single) 2/05 - Joseph Mooradian - "We all Work Too Much"/"Dash My Dreams" (single)
Out Today!: 2/07 - Palm Ghosts - Wide Awake and Waiting (EP) 2/07 - Emily Zuzik - "Trouble" (single) 2/07 - Chicago Farmer - Flyover Country (LP) 2/07 - Surrija - "Barcelona" (single) 2/07 - The Flyin' A's - No Holds Barred (LP) 2/07 - Harry Stafford - "She Just Blew Me Away" (single) 2/07 - Christopher Paul Stelling - Best of Luck (LP) 2/07 - HMS Morris - "Babanod" (single) 2/07 - Tiny Fighter- "Strangest Thing" (single) 2/07 - Wynnm - "Fire on the Moon" (single) 2/07 - The Golden Cage Society - Mira (Mini EP) 2/07 - Alienbaby Collective - "Degenerate Moon" (single) 2/07 - Eric and the Anti-Vaxxers - Timeshare Girlfriend (EP) 2/07 - Sammy Brue - "Teenage Mayhem" and "Crash Test Kid" (singles) 2/07 - Lucille - "Kerikeri" (single)
Well, I can officially announce, that beginning February 13, I am going to have a second show on WXNA. Greetings from Nashville will air every Thursday from 6-7am. If you can't catch it live, it will be on the WXNA Archives shortly after the show airs.
I expect the show to the a place Where Music City's Past and Present Come Together. It will be an eclectic mix of genres drawing on the wealth of great music that has come from Nashville, Tennessee.
I expect this show to be a learning opportunity for me as much as for anybody else. I hope listeners will let me know what artists I need to include.
Eventually, I hope to have some guests in to talk about Nashville's musical past and present. While I tend to be a forward-looking type of person, I think we ignore our past at our own peril. There are people in this town who know the real history, and I believe within that history lies lessons that are gravely needed today.
The recent loss of David Olney has lighted a fire under me to hear some of the stories which reside in the minds of long-time residents of this town.
At the same time, the incredible influx of new people as brought some innovative and creative minds to our town, and these newcomers (relative and actual) are making some great music. I believe they would benefit from knowing what it was like 10, 20, 30, and even 40 years ago. Just as I believe that the "old-timers" can benefit from learning what the newcomers see in our city and what they bring to the table.
These may all seem like lofty goals for an hour long radio show that will mostly be music-based, but as I expect Greetings from Nashville to reflect my diverse tastes and interests, I think it will be help for both the listener and myself to keep in mind the method behind my madness.
Greetings From Nashville on WXNA Thursday morning at 6am (beginning February 13) 101.5FM in Nashville and wxnafm.org all around the world. Following the new show on Facebook or Instagram
Featured Friday Playlist I can't believe it is almost time for a new Featured Friday Playlist. Where did this week go? Look for a new list tomorrow.
I hoped to be making my big announcement on this blog post, but I am still waiting for the official okay...
Ever since, 2014 or so, when I started really connecting with the local music community, I have been interested in making connections between the Nashville music I came of age (musically) listening to and the music being made today (and everything in between - including stuff I missed). I didn't know what context I wanted to do this (or rather I had several ideas).
Nashville is called Music City. The term was used by WSM-AM announcer David Cobb (I don't know if he is any relation to Dave Cobb - super-producer) in a 1950 broadcast and caught on, but the idea of Nashville being a "musical city" can be credited to none other than Queen Victoria - who made that pronouncement upon hearing a performance by the Fisk Jubilee Singers in 1873.
If you read E2TG with any regularity, you know how enamored I am with the live music scene here in Nashville, and you probably have caught one of my "Music City Monday" shuffles which tries to highlight the musical diversity of the city.
I have a new project coming very soon, which I will be announcing as soon as I get the green light. In the meantime, I need to state publicly that E2TG will always be a place to highlight music from all over regardless of genre (and with an emphasis on artists who may not get the attention from other music sites).
Now, we have a nifty mid-week shuffle, so check it out below. Plus, the current Featured Friday Playlist and our Release calendar down below.
Excited this morning to feature a new video from an old friend. Charles Hager may be based in Las Vegas now, but we still consider him part of the Nashville family. The song comes from his latest album Truth and Love which we featured at the end of 2019. Charlie Hager is a singer/songwriter from Nashville, Tn. He credits the majority of his musical abilities to his father, James Bernard, a longtime West Virginia bluegrass player from the 1940's to his death in 1981. His writing styles and influences come mostly from Texas based singer/songwriters from Billy Jo Shaver, Willie Nelson, Waylon Jennings, and J.J. Cale. In his youth, Charlie, decided to not attend a large high school in Nashville and instead moved out the the Tennessee countryside to a small rural high school in Trousdale County which instilled his small town values. After graduation and a few years at the University of Tennessee in Knoxville, he decided to join the U.S. Marine Corps and travel the world and for the first time started playing and writing. In 1991, he returned to Nashville and began playing local venues in the area. In the summer of 1993, he was married and had 3 children. During this time his music was placed on a back burner. In 2011 and after a divorce, Charlie returned to the Nashville music scene and with the help of some of his musical friends began playing regular shows and writing songs again.
In 2016, American Saga, his first album was released. It was received well by the media. During 2016 and 2017 Charlie played with his band at numerous venues around Nashville and on several radio stations live in both Nashville and Knoxville. Also, he began working on his sophomore album, "Truth and Love".
E2TG Premiered the video for "These Days" from American Saga. That post is our most viewed post ever.
In July of 2018, he relocated to Las Vegas, Nevada because of his work with a production company. He is also working on establishing himself on the west coast.
For more information visit: https://www.charliehager.com/ VIDEO CREDITS
Directed by Alex Hopkins
Director of Photography Francis Myron Calara
Love.Live. Productions 2019
Simple Equations Media, LLC
Flour Sack Cape Records
Greenland Studios
BMI Verse 1
Don’t you realize we always go down this road
When there’s a problem we just lose control.
It seems like we would recognize the cause.
If we’re going to stand a chance to stand a chance at all.
(Chorus)
If we’re going to stand a chance to stand a chance at all.
We need to hang on, we got to be strong
Each and every time something good goes wrong.
If we’re going to stand a chance at all.
Verse 2
I know it ain’t easy but we have to make sure there’s time
For our hearts to teach our stubborn minds.
And we can’t worry when we’re about to fall.
If we’re going to stand a chance to stand a chance at all
(Chorus)
Happy Monday! It is another week and another month here at E2TG. I hope you will check out and follow our Featured Friday Playlist. A new list will be up every Friday. Thank you to everyone who has followed us so far.
I am excited to announce that I will have something exciting to announce very soon. It involves me and Nashville music, and that is all I am liberty to disclose at this time. Was that vague enough? Nevertheless, it is exciting.
Quiet weekend, but I managed to see some world-class music. Tim Carroll, Fats Kaplin and Kristi Rose and the gang, and Mike Cullison and the Lucky Dogs.
I've been getting some computer stuff set up at home so I have been slow to get new content posted, but it will come.
Let's see. Daniel Seymour and Mark Robinson are hosting Madison Guild Monday at Dee's Country Cocktail Lounge tonight. Their guests include E2TG favorite Tiffany Huggins Grant. Should be a nice Monday hang with great music.
