Folk Music

On the heels of their autumn 2011 release Beauty Queen Sister, the Indigo Girls have announced an initial leg of tour dates they'll be playing to kick off a summer of touring. This first string of dates will be a full band tour featuring opening troupe the Shadowboxers, who will also back the duo for their full set (so it'll include keys and horns, no doubt making the I-Girls sets pop even harder).

The duo released Beauty Queen Sister last fall and the release was followed a couple of months later by Amy Ray's solo album Lung of Love. Throughout the winter and spring months, Ray toured behind that album both as a trio/song-swap with Lindsay Fuller and Jeff Fielder and with her full rock band for a number of dates across the Southwest and East Coast. Fans of Ray's solo work may be familiar with the Shadowboxers as they toured with her for a number of dates on the East Coast this spring. Be sure to catch the whole crew together on the road this summer. Here are the dates for June out west or check out this profile of the Indigo Girls.

FR 06.08.12 Aspen, CO - Belly Up Tavern
SA 06.09.12 Arvada, CO - Arvada Center
SU 06.10.12 Boulder, CO - Chautauqua Auditorium
TU 06.12.12 Tucson, AZ - Rialto Theatre
TH 06.14.12 Chandler, AZ - Wild Horse Pass Hotel and Casino
FR 06.15.12 San Diego, CA - Humphreys
SA 06.16.12 Los Angeles, CA - Wiltern Theatre
SU 06.17.12 Santa Barbara, CA - Live Oak Music Festival
TU 06.19.12 Saratoga, CA - Mountain Winery
WE 06.20.12 San Francisco, CA - Slim's
TH 06.21.12 Napa, CA - Uptown Theatre
FR 06.22.12 Grass Valley, CA - Veteran's Memorial Auditorium

photo courtesy Propeller Publicity

I'll admit to being surprised when I first put on Sara Watkins' new album Sun Midnight Sun. Her self-titled solo debut back in 2009 was so soft-spoken and beautiful, I was not expecting its follow-up to be so sonically daring and provocative. It's not that the songs necessarily do anything new or different, but Watkins' delivery of them is certainly interesting.

Longtime fans expecting some amalgamation of folk and bluegrass music delivered through a contemporary sleek conduit will be surprised to hear more punk and rock energy in the tunes this time around. It'll be interesting to see if this direction sticks, but for now it's a terrifically gritty and fabulous listen, especially as we roll into summer.

Check out my full review of Sara Watkins - Sun Midnight Sun.

image © Nonesuch Records

The history of American folk music, it can be said, stretches as far back as the advent of the country, and beyond. Indeed, many of the songs we've come to identify deeply with (not to mention the instruments) are rooted in Western European and African heritage - well before any of those cultures arrived on American soil.

But, as folk music history has progressed, there have been a couple of moments and artists who helped turn a wheel toward spreading the craft, popularizing it, keeping it relevant and underscoring its vitality. One such entity was the Carter Family. Their adherence to the traditional music of their homestate of Virginia, and the spirit of Appalachia in general, very deeply inspired the careers of artists who would come to define both folk and country music (and by extension, the advent of rock and roll and eventually the protest song movement, the rise of alt-country, et cetera). You can learn more about the Carter Family with this brief bio and profile.

Meanwhile, there's a filmmaker working on a documentary about the Carter Family's life and influence. The film, titled The Winding Stream has a Kickstarter campaign which I'd recommend to anyone interested in helping to keep their story in the world. Check out that Kickstarter page and donate if you feel inclined, or visit the film's website for more info.

image © Mercury Nashville

In 1960, Pete Seeger had just recently become blacklisted. Soon after this concert, he would be sentenced to ten years in prison (a sentence which would quickly be overturned, granted). But in the meantime, Seeger was feverishly dedicated to encouraging young people to look toward folk music as a means of organizing community and maintaining their ties to the various struggles and achievements of human history. It's in this spirit which he came to Bowdoin College in Maine in March of 1960 to deliver a lengthy set of traditional and topical American and European folk songs. He encouraged participation and, as a result, was rewarded a rapt audience eager to share their multi-part syncopated harmonies.

This new 2-CD set from Smithsonian Folkways captures an outstanding performance from Pete Seeger in his prime - a reminder of what folk music has and can do for the human spirit and the maintenance of our democracy. Check out my full review of Pete Seeger's Complete Bowdoin College Concert 1960

image © Smithsonian Folkways

Most people know the song "House of the Rising Sun" via the version the Animals took to number one in the US and across Europe back in 1964. But, the story of the song goes back way farther than when Eric Burdon and the boys picked it up and ran with it.

Like with most good, old traditional folk songs, nobody's exactly sure where "House of the Rising Sun" came from or who wrote the original version. It's suspected to have its origins in traditional English folklore, and to have immigrated to the United States only to be appropriated to a story which may or may not have actually happened in the city of New Orleans.

It's always interesting to learn about where popular songs began. Learn more about the juicy and meandering history of this particular tune (and compare the Animals' version with Clarence Ashley's from thirty years prior) with this folk song history of "House of the Rising Sun".

image © Columbia Records

Woody Guthrie was, by almost all accounts, one of the most remarkable and influential singer-songwriters of the 20th Century. He was admired by his generation of folksingers and has been looked up to by those who have come since. (Most famously, of course, by Bob Dylan.)

He was also a prolific songwriter, cartoonist, and storyteller. And, this year, he would have turned 100 years old if Huntington's Disease hadn't taken him down at a fairly young age.

As folkies everywhere gather for celebrations and concerts to mark the occasion and albums and other items are released throughout the year to commemorate a century of Guthrie-isms, I have also been periodically turning your attention to the life and work of Woody Guthrie. The latest incarnation of that is this look at five recommended books by and about Woody Guthrie. If you're interested in learning his life story, this 100th year is as good a time as any. Turn off that computer and pick up a book this summer. Here are some great places to start.

image © Plume

Last time I profiled an "artist to watch," I believe it was Scott Miller - former frontman of the V-Roys and a long-time favorite on the singer-songwriter circuit. Yet, there's something about what Miller has been doing the last couple of years which makes his work stand out considerably more than it has in the past. That's the same sort of spirit with which I present to you Hiss Golden Messenger - a duo based in Durham, NC, and Brooklyn, NY, respectively.

MC Taylor and Scott Hirsh previously played together in the San Francisco-based alt-country band the Court and Spark. That outfit was considerably successful in certain circles, but many outside of that realm remained unfamiliar with its players. After they split in 2007, Taylor - a lifelong Californian - moved to North Carolina, while Hirsh moved to New York. Despite the distance between them, the two maintained a musical bond and formed Hiss Golden Messenger.

Their fourth album dropped this month on Tompkins Square Records, and has been buzzing its way around the blogosphere and the greater singer-songwriter community. So much buzz is following these guys around, it's hard to imagine we haven't all been privy to them for much longer. So, without further ado, turn your eyes and ears for a moment to Hiss Golden Messenger and check out this bio/profile.

photo courtesy Tompkins Square

Earlier this week, news started circulating on the internet when a posting went up on Levon Helm's Facebook page noting he was in the final stages of his battle with cancer. Yesterday, at the age of 71, Helm passed away in New York.

Helm was known as the drummer and singer for the Band - a group first formed as a backing band to support Ronnie Hawkins. Eventually realizing they had enough talent to go it alone, they broke out and asserted their own musical prowess. It was backing up Bob Dylan, however, which introduced them to a worldwide audience and earned frontmen Helm and Robbie Robertson considerable critical and fan praise. Learn more about the Band with this introductory bio and profile.

In a note on his website, Dylan had this to say:

He was my bosom buddy friend to the end, one of the last true great spirits of my or any other generation. This is just so sad to talk about. I still can remember the first day I met him and the last day I saw him. We go back pretty far and had been through some trials together. I'm going to miss him, as I'm sure a whole lot of others will too.

Helm's voice was a powerful and pure instrument, displaying its remarkable spirit even through Helm's battle with throat cancer. Most recently, Helm took home a 2012 Grammy Award for his Ramble at the Ryman live album. He is survived by his wife Sandy, daughter Amy, and two grandchildren.

photo: Rob Loud/Getty Images

A few years back, I stumbled onto New York City's Two Man Gentleman Band and promptly called their song "A Gentleman Knows How to Love" one of the Best New Folk Songs of 2008. Well, they've been working hard since then - blazing trails around the country and wowing fans at high profile gigs during things like the International Folk Alliance gathering in Memphis. They've certainly earned their way out of busking in the NYC subway. And, this May 1, they'll drop their ninth release (eight if you don't count the "Prescription Drugs" vinyl single from last year) and their first on Bean Tone Records.

According to the press release, the disc will be titled Two at a Time, and will include "everything from pre-war jazz to back-alley hokum, jazz guitar pickin' like Charlie Christian, Louis Jordan's jump blues, plus countless other influences." Whether or not you're privy to the Gents' sound, now's a great time to become better acquainted with their music and story. Check out this bio and profile, then mark your calendar for May 1.

Two Man Gentleman Band promo photo

I had an inclination to name Scott Miller an artist to watch, but that would just seem silly. After all, Miller has been making records since 1996 when his band the V-Roys signed with Steve Earle's E-Squared label. He struck out on his own around 2000 and has since alternated between touring with his backing band the Commonwealth, and playing solo dates at clubs and festivals around the country.

This spring, he's back out there again, but this time with fiddler Rayna Gellert on a duo EP and tour called the CoDependents. If you see them coming to your town, definitely get out and catch a show. I know from seeing Miller onboard the Cayamo cruise that his live sets are full of engaging humor and fantastic songwriting. Learn more about Scott Miller with this introductory bio and profile.

Scott Miller promo photo courtesy TheScottMiller.com