WSM starts new show - Music City Roots

The legendary Nashville radio station WSM, the broadcasting home of the Grand Ole Opry, has a new show, Music City Roots. It is broadcast from a new venue, The Loveless Barn, just outside of Nashville.

This week was Sam Bush and Mike Farris. The first episode was Emmylou Harris. Check out the website .

The Upcoming Lineup is unbelievable. You can also go to the WSM Website for on demand streaming

Sarah Jarosz appears on Prairie Home Companion

My friend Mark heard Sarah Jarosz on Prairie Home Companion last week and was blown away. This reminded me that I had a promo I was going to post about earlier this Summer. The problem was I got busy and moved and the post was never made. That was crime that needs to be rectified.

Sarah Jarosz is only 18 and she grew up in the Texas Hill Country, home to a songwriter or two I would say. What makes her unique is that she is a great musician as well as a songwriter. She is now studying at a conservatory in the Northeast and released an album this past Summer on Sugar Hill Records that includes a whose who of Modern Bluegrass stars. The album is entitled Song Up in Her Head and guests include Chris Thile, Darrell Scott, Stuart Duncan, Mike Marshall, Tim O'brien and Jerry Douglas along with Samson Grisman the progeny of David Grisman. It bares repeating that this is her debut album. I can't imagine what she will due for her next release.

She is a kindred spirit of Sara Watkins and Abigail Washburn. The future of Bluegrass never looked so good.

Listen to the Audio

Two Tons of Steel = One Ton of Fun

The band was named after the vintage restored Cadillac owned by lead singer Kevin Geil. This is appropriate considering Not that Lucky is a cruise through the Country and Rockabilly of the 50s delivered with a punk attitude. Two Tons of Steel certainly deliver a fresh interpretation of what a Honky Tonk band should be. This is their first since 2005’s Vegas and is already creating a buzz, debuting at number 8 on the Americana charts and is now number 4. They enlisted the expertise of the ubiquitous Texas musician and producer Lloyd Maines. Maines touch is evident on this masterpiece. Another notable contributor is Tom Gilliam, who plays on the title cut and wrote the ending track, “Bottom of the Bottle. “ All of the other songs on the album were written by Geil except for the brilliant cover of Fred Eaglesmith’s” Alcohol and Pills.”

The Punk attitude of this album really shows up when they use the thumping upright bass and fuzzy guitar riffs as on “Wanna Dance.” Make no mistake though this album is also a vintage Honky Tonk party. One listen to Not That Lucky will have you pouring sawdust on your hardwood floors and clearing the furniture. So call the neighbors and have plenty if PBR on hand because they will want to join the party. After all something this fun needs be shared and enjoyed by all, at least until the Cops arrive. Not that Lucky was released last month by the Texas label Smith Entertainment Group. Get your copy today but be sure to get the PBR first.

Stream on the Two Tons Website

This review also appears on Twangville