The lights went down at the Rialto Theater, the universal signal that the show was about to start. Applause erupted, the audience was ready to go. Then a hush fell on the darkened stage as five shadowy figures darted…

Today's the birthday of a dear friend we lost way too soon, Cyril Barrett (also known as Larry). He is to this day one of my few models of total integrity as a person and an artist. He was…

Did you know that the record label HATED "What's Going On?", the seminal masterpiece put out by Marvin Gaye and co-written by Four Tops member Renaldo "Obie" Benson  in the wake of police brutality against anti-war protestors?  Barry Gordy of…

Well, I can't let this day, March 14th, go by without acknowledging that 6-foot tall hole that's still in my heart.

Hal is my baby brother who should have been 36 by now. Today's the anniversary of his leaving…

I still have all the warm fuzzies from last week's Sweethearts of the Rodeo gig and just wanted to pull together all those great songs - many of which I've never heard before. Here you go:

Coat of…

Performing the Sweethearts of the Rodeo show last week helped me get in touch with a lot of great country music from female artists. Leading up to the show, Tucson Weekly asked the showrunner, Amy Smith, aka Amy Rude, for…

Getting ready for the Sweethearts of the Rodeo show at Exo Roast tonight for Valentine's Day. The main point is for local female artists in the country/folk spectrum to get together and play and do some little duets with…

Someone posted this quote in a forum on FaceBook and it struck me so deeply, I had to share. I knew Bruce was a poet but it still is lovely to see his writing outside of his iconic songs…

I am swooning over the new Ric! So I'm in bass mode right now (even though I'm in recording limbo right now finishing the vocals for a Silver Cloud Express song!) Here's a re-post of a blog I did a…

In honor of bass players everywhere who don't get quite as noticed as the guitar player or singer, here's the King! James Jamerson is the fingers behind half of the best music from the 60s (Carol Kaye being the other…

from one of my favorite modern philosophers.

“The more real you get the more unreal the world gets.” 
― John Lennon

Amen.

If we're home, we love to watch Saturday Night Live - even though the writing goes up and down. And the musical guests these days usually leave us scratching our heads "Huh, so _that's_ what the kids are listening…

Austin Kleon is one of those artist/writer/bloggers I find myself sharing or posting about more than most (well, when I actually post on social media - been a hermit crab lately). For one thing, I really like his 'blackout'…

I know it's taken me a while to express this ode to one of my favorite musicians of all time, but I am the tortoise, not the hare. So here goes (profanity warning ahead): 

What the hell? Tom…

Oh, sure everyone's doing it. But what the heck, I don't see these listed anywhere, so this is what I'm bringing to the holiday turntable!

Jill Sobule's version of "Merry Christmas From the Family"  - originally penned by…

This is the time of year when I feel her absence the most. As I put on my favorite holiday album, It's a Holiday Soul Party, I think on one of the greatest singers in the last couple…

File this under "where did this artist come from?" Another slow burn who's finally getting some notice - right now in the form of a Grammy nomination for Best Folk Album. I subscribe to the Americana Music Association mailing…

I remember when she first came onto the MTV scene in the eighties - the look of a New Wave-er with an awesome pop rock song (Seven Year Ache) but the daughter of country's biggest icon. She…