http://www.shankhall.com Upcoming events at Shank Hall http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1441
Michelle Shocked received her first international exposure in Europe, with her debut album, The Texas Campfire Tapes which was recorded at the Kerrville Folk Festival on a cassette recorder. Her break into U.S. came with the release of her 1988 album, Short Sharp Shocked on college radio rotations around the country, which was met with strong acclaim from listeners. The songs of Short Sharp Shocked are mostly about what it was like to grow up in rural Texas. Every song on this album is a gem. She signed with Mercury in 1987. Captain Swing and Arkansas Traveler were recorded in 1989 and are almost perfect.

Captain Swing's style is not exactly swing, because it's also rock and roll. Arkansas Traveler includes a little swing, a little folk, and a bit of bluegrass. Michelle recorded and distributed Kind Hearted Woman in 1994 herself after leaving Mercury. In 1995, she contributed an original song to the soundtrack for the film Dead Man Walking called "Quality of Mercy". In 1996, she released a studio version of an underground release Kind Hearted Woman. Starting in 2002 with the release of Deep Natural; Shocked established her own label, Mighty Sound. On May 12, 2009 her new album, Soul of My Soul, was released on Mighty Sound. Shocked continues to make music as an independent artist and currently lives in downtown Los Angeles.]]> 1337144400 Wed, 29 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0600 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1419
"Sounding like no other singer of her generation" (Allmusic.com), Mary Fahl is an expressive, emotional singer/songwriter who first achieved fame as lead singer and co-founder of the mid-90s chamber-pop group October Project. Fahl's elegant, cinematic songs draw on classical and world music sources, American art song, as well as thinking man's folk-pop. She sings in an earthy, viscerally powerful contralto that Boston Globe critic Steve Morse calls "a voice for the gods that can transport listeners to other realms". Since her "October Project" days, Fahl has recorded solo albums for Sony Classical and V2 Records. She has written and performed songs for several major motion pictures, including the lead song ("Going Home") for the Warner Bros. Civil War epic "Gods and Generals". In this solo performance, she will perform a number of those songs, several new works, as well as an October Project song or two.]]> 1337317200 Mon, 23 Jan 2012 00:00:00 -0600 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1428
Boy Dirt Car has been and continues to be a vehicle for musical exploration and improvisation. Over the past 30 years Boy Dirt Car has performed numerous shows across the continental United States (sharing the stage with bands such as Einsturzende Neubauten, Psycic tv, Sonic Youth, Big Black, Schockbilly and Pussy Galore), and utilizing the talents of a wide variety of Milwaukee's most diverse musicians. Their performances are unpredictable and aggressive. Their recordings run the gamut from calm ambience to howling intensity, occasionally within the space of a single song.

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From Milwaukee, Wisconsin, has been around since 1981, releasing half a dozen LPs on RRRecords. The band started out as a unit elaborating on noise structures in the tradition of Throbbing Gristles "Heathen Earth" or Nurse With Wound's "Insect" and "Individual Silenced". F/i throbs like a stub toe. The band sounds like "Space Ritual"-era Hawkwind, Roxy Music circa "For Your Pleasure", and Spaceman 3 at their best. Applied to this retro-art-psychedelic thing is the fine sonic landscaping of late '70s-early '80s industrial music.

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A periodically active agent in the noise/industrial/art scene since 1983, Eric Lunde has produced and released numerous recordings over this time, his most recent being "animalmineralselfmirror" a CD released on Chicago's CIP label. Wire magazine called it a "lo-fi simulation of how we experience our modern environment". It is in support of this CD Mr. Lunde will be appearing.

In addition to the plethora of recordings made over this lifetime, Mr. Lunde has also written numerous (some might say "a surplus of") self-published works of fiction, art, and theory, has appeared in various art gallery exhibitions, and wrote for Minneapolis' only art magazine of note in the last 10 years: the late and lamented Arts Review and Preview (known as "ARP"), and for some reason or another, was a frequent subject for the photographers J. Shimon and J. Lindemann.]]> 1337403600 Tue, 07 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0600 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1457
One of the first Christmas presents that Brad and Andrew Barr received were two pairs of red boxing gloves. They set up a makeshift ring in their basement in Providence, RI and hung a bell from the water pipes. When the bell rang, it was the signifier that all rules of decent brotherly conduct were suspended for 3 minutes. It was the one time they could unleash the latent fury of being bound to each other without the threat of mom and dad coming to break it up. Anything goes. No noses were broken, no ears bitten, but by the end of each match, the impact and recoil, there was always some blood left on the floor. Within a year or so, the gloves were nothing more than nylon rags covered in ripped plastic. Brad and Andrew, in search of a new outlet, discovered rock n' roll. It was 1983.

They taught themselves how to play, at first on cardboard boxes and home-strung imitation guitars, then on actual, zebra-striped electric guitars and drums. "Wipe Out" and "Johnny B. Goode" were among the first songs absorbed into the repertoire. With the same energy they used to attack each other with boxing gloves, they attacked the popular hits of the day and old blues songs they found in their father's record collection. A healthy diet of classic and esoteric rock paved the way to the discoveries that lay ahead.

Skip ahead to 2004. The brothers had spent most of the previous decade criss-crossing North America, playing music with their spirited, improv-based rock trio, The Slip. That Spring, the band was playing a small club in Montreal, QC when a fire broke out in the venue. They grabbed a few guitars/drums and rushed out onto the rainy street with the rest of the concert goers. As the club's mezzanine was swallowed by flames, Andrew offered his coat to one of the waitresses from the bar. One year later, Brad and Andrew Barr were living in Montreal.

In his first apartment in the new city, Brad shared an adjoining wall with Sarah Page, a classically trained harpist from Montreal with a propensity for the experimental. As tender and visceral as she is virtuosic, her melodies would seep through the cracks of the wall and into the music Brad was writing. From this nebulous relationship, a friendship developed and the brothers, with Sarah, began recording and performing around Montreal. Soon, their friend and multi-instrumentalist Andres Vial was brought in to lend his wide array of expertise to the outfit, playing keyboards, bass, vibes, percussion, and singing. They called themselves The Barr Brothers. With Brad's songs setting the context for the agile imaginations of the other musicians, a unique sound was born, one reliant on interwoven string arrangements, wide open spaces, and a multitude of musical traditions.

Recorded in their makeshift studio in an old boiler room at the foot of Mount Royal, the ten song album The Barr Brothers recently finished, was written over the course of the brother's time in a city full of strangers, lovers, old ghosts and new friends. Along with Sarah(Lhasa DeSela/Amon Tobin), the record also features Miles Perkin(Lhasa DeSela), Elizabeth Powell (Land of Talk), Nathan Moore, Jocie Adams (The Low Anthem), Elvis Perkins and Emma Baxter. It reads like a dusty journal of a traveler at the crossroads of good and evil. Hushed Americana lonesome and future-primitive delta blues clear the path for West African polyrhythms and classical motifs. Its all tied together by the commitment to the sources of the styles and their inherent connections to each other.

Though the boxing gloves have been long since retired, and the music, for the most part, is more refined than clobbering, there's always room for some blood on the floor.]]> 1337749200 Fri, 06 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1437
Anders story (his life, his career) is not unlike those of the other great songwriters and artists that he's been compared to by critics and roots purists Dylan, Guthrie, and Van Morrison, by the time he found New Orleans (or maybe it is the other way around) by taking the long way trekking through Africa and Egypt, working odd jobs to get to his next destination, he had the miles and music down to begin his career in his new home.

Anders has spent most of career since honing his songwriting at the same time creating a solid fan-base by touring the East and West coast as a performer, while dividing time between New Orleans and Nashville as a staff writer for the Universal Music and Razor and Tie publishing companies.

He's worked his magic for other performers, writing "Watchin the Wind Blow By," a number one hit for country superstar Tim McGraw and "I Was Wrong" and "A Better Man," both Grammy-winning songs from Keb' Mo's album Slow Down. Anders has written songs for Brad Paisely, Jonny Lang, Tab Benoit and Jimmy Thackery, to name a few.

Anders hit the national scene with the 1995 release "Which Way To Here". He and his band began to tour the country and later that year he was signed to Okeh Records, which had just been revived by Sony's Michael Caplan. The record received rave reviews world wide and became Osborne's first commercial break with two top-five singles on the national charts, "Favorite Son" and "Pleasin' You." Both were featured on movie soundracks movies, the latter later recorded by Johnny Lang. Anders also recorded a second CD for the label, titled "New Madrid", which remains, unfortunately, unreleased.

Three other independent-label releases -- "Live at Tipitina's" appeared on Shanachie in 1998 followed by "Living Room" and the next year the introspective "Ash Wednesday Blues" were issued. The following year Anders emerged as producer on the two historic recordings "Bury the Hatchet," on which he and Big Chief Monk Boudreaux are double billed. Later Anders produced Monks "Mr. Stranger Man", both distributed by Shanachie Music. In 2007, MC Records released Osborne's critically acclaimed "Coming Down."

Anders performances have been described as equally spiritual as musical, creating the elusive connection between artist and audience. His emotive guitar complements the message and the music, enticing listeners into his heart and soul. His life is transformed via his song performances into a vehicle to take you to his destination, let you linger awhile, and bring you home a bit better than you left it to step into his world. He is able to refine and relate to the ordinary, making you feel a bit extraordinary in the process. No wonder he is in demand by perfomers of all stripes as a songwriter.

Today Anders is finishing his new release which drops in April, followed by a two week stint of performances in conjunction with the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival. ]]> 1337835600 Mon, 20 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0600 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1447
Although The Steepwater Band got their start as devotees of delta blues, they have since been expanding on their musical influences taking on everything from psychedelia to Americana, and of course, hardhitting rock and roll. Formed in Chicago in 1998, the band's signature sound is at once a nod to earlier rock n' blues combined with a raw and gusty musical approach. Band members Jeff Massey (guitar & vocals), Tod Bowers (bass) and Joe Winters (drums) have a synergy that comes from years of playing together. The rhythm section is taut and responsive; they flourish to create a perfect canvass. This sonic foundation laid by Bowers & Winters leaves the space for the guitars to soar and vocals to shine. Massey performs with a passion that can belie his virtuosity, while always being true the song at hand.

The band's infectious energy is equally evident in their live performances, as critics and fans hail their shows as forceful and intoxicating. It is their humble devotion to music, and a commitment to achieving their musical goals without compromising the integrity of their musical vision that make The Steepwater Band such a refreshing find. In 2010, the band released highly lauded live record entitled "Live at the Double Door" which contained tracks from their previous two LPs, "Revelation Sunday (2006)" and "Grace and Melody (2008)."

The Steepwater Band has maintained a grueling schedule throughout the last 10 years, averaging about 125 shows per year. They have toured and shared the stage with acts such as Gov't Mule, Buddy Guy, Wilco, Taj Mahal, Marc Ford, ZZ Top, T-Model Ford, North Mississippi All Stars, Leon Russell, Drive-By Truckers, Robert Randolph & the Family Band, Cheap Trick, Bad Company and Heart. In 2005, the band made its European debut, performing at the Azkena Rock Festival in Vitoria-Gasteiz, Spain. In the following years, the band has returned to the United Kingdom and Europe for multiple club and festival tours, increasing their loyal overseas fan-base.]]> 1337922000 Tue, 20 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1465
Driven by the title track, Someday Afternoon combines Anna Fermin's folk, country and rock pedigree with her love for pop music. The result is a sunny set of roots pop. From her trademark alto husk to her honey-soaked highs, this five-song collection is a snapshot of an artist reaching past her comfort zone, aiming for what she wants and hitting the mark.

With the beautiful production of Doug McBride (Veruca Salt, Rachel Yamagata) and songs co-penned by Aaron Barber, the EP also includes the tracks "What It Could Be" and "Love Blooms" simple, sweet love songs filled with ache and anticipation of rediscovered and unlikely love. "Everyday Heroes" and "Everything Changes" center on themes of turning life's inevitable changes into something wonderful.

An award-winning singer/songwriter, Anna is well known as the front woman for the Chicago alt-country band Trigger Gospel. The band toured internationally and has released five albums, including the Jay Bennett produced Oh, the Stories We Hold.

Her first solo album The Contender was originally released in 2009 and includes the notable songs "Dragging On" and "Lovely." The Contender has been digitally re-released to coincide with the release of Someday Afternoon.

The Filipino born singer immigrated to the United States with her family at a young age and found herself growing up in America's dairy land, Kenosha, Wisconsin. Classically trained in piano, voice, and violin, she picked up the acoustic guitar when she moved to Chicago.

After graduating from the Chicago Art Institute, Anna was working as graphic artist when she made the life-changing discovery of songwriting. She explains, "My musical career began more as a love story than anything else. A guy I fell in love with serenaded me with a Steve Earle song called "Down the Road." I was incredibly moved by this gesture. I needed to learn how to do that. So, I borrowed my aunt's guitar, asked her to show me how to play a couple of chords, and within a few days, I had written my first song "August Moon."

Anna has opened for many notable artists including the late great Johnny Cash, David Crosby, and Neko Case, among others. And, Anna had the honor of opening for the artist who inspired her career, Steve Earle, where she serenaded the audience with her version of "Down the Road."]]> 1338008400 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1448
Pronounced with a long second "O," the Los Angeles band Orgone is dedicated to heavy, raw, adrenaline-fueled funk and sweat-dripping soul. With a core rhythm section of close friends and self-taught musicians steeped in local DJ culture, Orgone has spent the last decade expanding their roster and evolving a sound rooted in old school respect but pulsing with the force of the new millennium. Orgone has become a staple on the festival circuit while gaining a reputation among fellow artists as one of the baddest go-to backing bands on the planet. Always evolving musically and cosmically, Orgone continues to connect with kindred musical spirits throughout the universe with relentless touring and the upcoming release of their fifth full-length album. Starting out as an instrumental five piece by friends with a love of funk records, Orgone cut their teeth putting their own gritty takes on cuts by the Meters, Booker T. & the MGs, Grant Green and Funkadelic among others. In 2002, the band independently released Orgone, a collection of tough, stripped-down, funk instrumentals that Relix Magazine called "intoxicating" and that quickly became a favorite of die-hard, funk fans. Orgone solidified that underground respect in 2006, adding a powerful horn section and releasing their second album, Bacano, a set of alloriginal, cold-blooded funk gems in the classic vein of War and Mandrill with improved, warm, organic production that matched the evolution of the band's sound. The release of their cover of "Funky Nassau" on both 7" and 12" became a an instant dance floor classic, inspiring a clubedit by renowned DJ Danny Krivit and paving the way for The Killion Floor in 2007, Orgone's first full-length album for the legendary Ubiquity Records.

Orgone proved their continued evolution when the critically-acclaimed Cali Fever was released in 2010. The album was musical chameleon, shifting between West Coast cool, New Orleans grit, Lagos afrobeat, and heavy Mothership funk, taking, in the words of Dusty Groove America, "a rough, rugged, and uber soulful live funk vibe into a deeper and even livelier realm!" Released later the same year, an all-instrumental album The Killion Vaults showcased Orgone's growing mastery behind the soundboard and why their home studio, Killion, is becoming a favorite recording site for many acts. Orgone's roster and sound continue to grow with fiery, Louisiana soul singer Niki J. Crawford adding her powerhouse pipes to the music and sultry energy to live shows.

And there are ample opportunities to catch Orgone on stage. Touring almost non-stop since the release of Cali Fever, including 288 shows in 2011 alone, Orgone has evolved into an incendiary live act, both as a headliner or opening for artists including the Roots, Al Green, Gil Scott-Heron, Rebelution, Galactic, Ozomatli, Snoop Dogg, Thievery Corporation, Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, Groundation, and Aaron Neville. Whether playing a club show or slots at national festivals like Bonnaroo, All Good, New Orleans JazzFest, High Sierra, Bear Creek, SXSW, moe.down, Mountain Jam, Waterfront Blues Festival, Jam Cruise 10 and many others, Orgone is a live funk juggernaut that can do it all, weaving seamlessly between gutbucket nastiness, afrobeat, disco/house, and classic covers, creating a sweaty, dynamic dance experience.

With their critical success and tight, touring chops, Orgone has become one of the most soughtafter backing bands for studio sessions. The band has flourished in the studio, appearing on the 2011 multiple Grammy winning Cee Lo Green track, "Fool For Love" and major recordings by Alicia Keys ("Teenage Love Affair, "Wreckless Love"), Estelle ("Pretty Please"), Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, and Anthony Hamilton. Orgone's musicians have also collectively and individually toured and played with Booker T Jones, The Pharcyde, Breakestra, Keb Mo, Plantlife, Macy Grey, Pharoahe Monch, Too Short, Brett Dennan, Slick Rick, and Bun B.

Armed with a new album and a take-no-prisoners live show, Orgone is bringing organic soul and orgasmic music to a stage near you, continuing their rise on everyone's "Favorite Band" list. Experience the band that continues to evolve and redefine funk and make a cosmic connection with Orgone in 2012.

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Psychedelic Soul, sometimes called black Rock, is a sub-genre of Soul music, which mixes the characteristics of Soul with Psychedelic Rock. It came to prominence in the late 1960s and continued into the 1970s, playing a major role in the development of Soul and Funk music.

Over the past seven years, Monophonics have staked their claim as one of California's premier bands. Raised amid the Bay Area's rich musical culture, Monophonics has proudly carried on the tradition of music native to their hometown which flourished during the birth of psychedelia.

Monophonics were formed in 2005; originally a instrumental ensemble comprised of guitarist Ian McDonald, bassist Myles O'Mahony, saxophonist Alex Baky, trumpeter Ryan Scott, and drummer Austin Bohlman, the band has recently added the dynamic soul vocals of keyboardist Kelly Finnigan. The result is a psychedelic soul & heavy funk sound, which harks back to the stylings of the late 60s and early 70s, all while keeping its feet planted in the present.

As a mainstay of San Francisco venues such as The Independent & Boom Boom Room, the Monophonics have created a national buzz and fervent local following, sharing the stage & bill with such names as Budos Band, Orgone, Dr. Lonnie Smith, Kings Go Forth, Soulive and many more. Their touring schedule has brought their signature rowdy, hard-hitting live set to over 400 dates from California up to Motown and down to Louisiana establishing themselves as yearly residents at the legendary New Orleans Jazz Festival. The band has also played some of the major music festivals on the west coast including High Sierra, Joshua Tree, Blacksheep Family Reunion, and Las Tortugas.

Already in 2011, the group has showcased their new sound with the release of a 7" entitled "Like Yesterday," for Colemine Records. The record was recorded by Sergio Rios at Killion Sound and feature's members of the Los Angeles based funk group Orgone. With the bands new sound, the 45 has already reached audiences across the US, Europe and Japan. Just recently in 2011, Monophonics have completed their third album to date entitled "In Your Brain," lacing the sounds of the late 60's/early 70's dark psych soul with fuzz guitars, analog tape echo and reverbs, vintage keyboards, hard-driving drums and bass, funky horns and gritty vocals, which is a sonic testimony to the evolution of this six-piece unit.]]> 1338094800 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1439
James Lee Stanley became known to Monkees fans in the mid-'90s when the Two Man Band album was released, a project involving him and ex-Monkee Peter Tork. Born in Philadelphia on April 30, 1946, Stanley first met Tork at a Virginia club in 1963 and moved to New York City four years later, becoming involved in the city's folk scene. He spent time in the Air Force during the late '60s and early '70s, and studied music at Cal State-Northridge after his discharge. Upon graduation, Stanley began working as a songwriter for producer Bones Howe, a relationship which led Stanley to a recording contract with the Wooden Nickel division of RCA.

He released three albums for RCA during the '70s: a self-titled debut, James Lee Stanley Too, and Three's a Charm. He also recorded for MCA, Takoma, and Regency before forming his own Beachwood label for Live at McCabe's in the early '80s. He consistently released albums during the 1980s and '90s, and after Tork's Stranger Things Have Happened appeared on Beachwood, the duo began touring together. Two Man Band, released in 1995, was actually recorded live in the studio.

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Nora Collins is a high school singer/songwriter who has released two CDs of her original songs. Nora is the Texaco Country Showdown Wisconsin State Winner and a 2011 WAMI "Rising Star" nominee. Nora has performed at many local venues including Summerfest and the State Fair. She has written, recorded and performed in Nashville. Her new CD is called "Run Away With Me". Nora finished in the Top 16 nationally in Country Music Television's "Music City Madness" competition and placed in the Top 20 in a National Songwriting Contest.]]> 1338354000 Tue, 21 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0600 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1450
Graffiti6 is a collaboration between singer-songwriter Jamie Scott and songwriter-producer TommyD, both London-born multi- instrumentalists who began making music together in 2009 and decided to call the resulting collaboration Graffiti6. (A third member, the British artist and illustrator Jimi Crayon, designs all of Graffiti6's artwork and is responsible for their bold logo and Technicolor visuals.)

Graffiti6 has made a DR. ROSEN remix of its first U.S. single, "Annie You Save Me," available as a free download on its official website, www.graffiti6.com. A digital EP, featuring two remixes of the track, plus acoustic versions of two other songs, including a cover of Blackstreet's "No Diggity," will be made available through all digital retailers on June 28th, while a 12" vinyl version of "Annie You Save Me" featuring remixes by DR. ROSEN and Lars Stalfors will be released on July 27th. Another Graffiti6 track "Stone In My Heart" is currently available for sale at all digital retailers.

"Annie You Save Me" is the first single from Graffiti6's upcoming album Colours -- a genre-defying blend of pop, psychedelia, R&B, and British Northern Soul that fully capitalizes on the soaring uplift of Jamie Scott's emotionally transparent voice and gift for melody and TommyD's irresistible rhythms and inventive production. The songs, which London's Guardian newspaper called "latter-day psych-soul nuggets, all phased vocals and sunshine melodies given the warp factor," have already been heard on such TV shows as Grey's Anatomy, Covert Affairs, CSI: NY, One Tree Hill, and in the new MTV series Teen Wolf. MTV has also featured Graffiti6 in its Freshmen 5, Artist to Watch, and Push campaigns.]]> 1338440400 Tue, 27 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1449
Opus, an icon of Wisconsin jazz, is reunited for performances during 2012. The band has a long history of club, festival, college and concert performances. Opus was featured with the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra in the Vibrations Unlimited Series concerts of 1980. The Southern Wisconsin Music Board nominated OPUS as 1981's best Jazz/Jazz Rock group in Wisconsin, and was chosen to be the featured group at the Wisconsin Jazz Festival Foundation's inaugural concert in Milwaukee. The band has shared the stage with jazz greats such as Freddie Hubbard, Spyro Gyra, Dizzie Gillespie, Pat Metheny, and Bill Bruford. Featuring a mix of original material and their interpretation of jazz classics, the band will impress with killer grooves and monster solos.

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Jesse Lee Montijo began earning the respect of his Colleagues and Mentors at a very age. At only 14 he received the prestigious Clark Terry Scholarship. Jesse spent over a decade working and studying with his Mentors; Jimmy Hopps, Joe Bonner, Homer Brown, and Saxophonist Eddie Harris, who've performed and recorded with Jazz Luminaries; Pharoah Sanders, Woody Shaw, Freddie Hubbard, Richard Davis, Stanley Clarke, Les McCann and Rahsaan Roland Kirk. Early on in Jesse's career he was indoctrinated in blues and soul music and performed with Grammy Winner Clarence "Gatemouth" Brown (Blues Guitarist), Sammy Mayfield (Musical Director for R&B Grammy Winner Solomon Burke), Fred Wesley (Trombonist for James Brown), and Bill Rich (Bassist for Taj Majal and Jimi Hendrix). Additionally, Jesse was mentored by Phyllis Laursen (Lyricist for multi Grammy Winner Sting, and Pulitzer Prize Winner for her lyrics on "Blood On The Fields" by Grammy Winner Wynton Marsalis). As an undergraduate Jesse attended the Lamont School of Music University of Denver, where he studied with Art Bouton, Professor of Saxophone, Woodwind Department Chair, and Lynn Baker (Down Beat Award winner for Jazz Educator Of The Year).

"My goal is to make the best music I can, and carry on the spirit of the music passed down to me from my elders with deep reverence. I've been profoundly affected by my teachers and mentors, and want to share that passion with people through my music".]]> 1338526800 Mon, 26 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1462 Pat McCurdy is a singer/song writer from Wisconsin. He tours the mid-western part of the USA, his shows usually consisting of just him and his guitar. While the majority of his audience is made up of a college-age crowd, McCurdy manages to appeal to a large number of people of all ages with his interactive shows. Performing well over 300 shows a year, his large catalog of original songs (nearly 600 and growing) covers a variety of topics such as lost loves, politics, family vacations, the joys of Asian cuisine, and the sex organs of long-dead French Emperors.

Classifying McCurdy's style has long been a problem since he tends to follow wherever his muse takes him. Many of his songs could be classified as rock/pop, though he's been known to wander into folk, jazz, country and even Gilbert and Sullivan. Whatever style he chooses, his songs often include memorable lyrics.]]> 1338613200 Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1451
A great deal has happened to Jon McLaughlin between the release of his debut Island Records album INDIANA last year, and his new, sophomore effort, OK NOW.

When we last saw him, the 25-year-old singer/songwriter was giving a show-stopping performance of the Oscar-nominated "So Close," the song he sang in the hit Disney movie Enchanted, on the worldwide telecast of the 80th Annual Academy Awards ceremony.

The appearance re-ignited INDIANA, spurring a 1,514% overnight sales increase at Amazon, sending it to the #1 spot on its Movers & Shakers chart, and creating solid momentum for his latest release. The single from INDIANA, "Beautiful Disaster" attracted over 420,000 digital fans when featured as Download of The Week.

And after getting major touring slots with Sara Bareilles, Paolo Nutini and Kelly Clarkson, along with dates with Colbie Caillat, Duffy and One Republic under his belt, Jon McLaughlin hit his stride on the road.

Flushed with that success, McLaughlin entered an L.A. recording studio last year intent on undergoing both a musical and stylistic transformation. The heartland piano player expanded his palette by working with new producer John Fields (Rooney, Jonas Brothers, Lifehouse, Switchfoot), co-writing with the likes of Jason Reeves (Colbie Callait's "Bubbly") as well as writer/producers Tricky and The-Dream (Rihanna's "Umbrella"), Troy Verges (Kenny Chesney's "You Save Me") and Brett James (Carrie Underwood's "Jesus, Take The Wheel").

McLaughlin admits the experience of appearing in Enchanted and performing on the Oscar telecast was a career-defining moment.

"The whole thing has taken on a life of its own," he says. "I wasn't even supposed to be in the movie. I love Disney ballads, but I didn't necessarily connect it to what I do as an artist. But that image of an old-school crooner inspired me. I was able to see myself as something different, which helped me open up to try new things on this album. I wasn't afraid to try on some new looks, either."

Jon describes himself as a "child of the '80s" in talking about the musical direction of OK NOW, with the very first single "Beating My Heart" the perfect example, an introspective, existential tune about nothing less than the meaning of life, with an elaborate pop-rock production that evokes Coldplay, thanks to soaring synths and a crackling backbeat.

With producer Fields playing bass, drums, slide guitarand a variety of other instruments, McLaughlin also enlisted the talents of ace players such as guitarists Tim Pierce and David Ryan Harris, as well as drummer Dorian Crozier in the studio.

"Smack Into You," written and produced by Grammy winners Tricky and The-Dream, is about falling head over heels in love, a combination of the Police's "Every Breath You Take" and U2's "With Or Without You," melding acoustic guitar and McLaughlin's piano to create a passionate undertow. "This song has such a great groove and is so fun to play live," says Jon. "It creates such a special moment in the room."

Jon describes "You Can Never Go Back," which he co-wrote with acclaimed L.A. singer/songwriter Bleu, as his attempt to write a "late-'70s, early-'80s Billy Joel song," an admonition to not dwell on the past that evokes the blue-eyed soul of the Bee Gees crossed with Hall and Oates, buttressed by Fields' George Harrison-like slide guitar riffs.

McLaughlin's soul/R&B croon also characterizes "Things That You Say," a bittersweet song about "loneliness, the isolation you feel when you're trying to connect with anybody, but end up with these shallow, going-through-the-motions relationships instead."

Synthesizers introduce "You Are the One I Love," a song Jon co-wrote with Jason Reeves, inspired by the tabloid reports about Amy Winehouse's stormy relationship with her husband Blake that shows an empathy to the beleaguered pair. The multi-layered production is driven home by Peter Gabriel-like tribal drum rhythms.

"I feel for them," McLaughlin admits. "Who's to say anyof our relationships are any less dysfunctional? I think it's cool that they're so madlyin love."

"The Middle" is about being able to take the Hoosier kid out of Indiana, but not being able to take Indiana out of the Hoosier. The youngster who grew up in a conservative Midwestern household admits home is where his heart still remains: "Let me tell you now where I went wrong/Hollywood is just another place/I don't belong."

"Four Years" is another Billy Joel-style, tongue-in-cheek take on a '50s rocker about high school peer pressure that advises freshmen not to worry about the dictates of fashion.

"You just spend so much time worrying about stupid stuff that just doesn't matter," says McLaughlin, who insists his own high school years were pretty good. "I wish I could get back all the money I spent on Abercrombie and Fitch back then. If I heard this song when I was still in high school, I still don't think it would change anything. You can't change high school kids' minds about these things...but I'm still going to try."

"We All Need Saving," a song about the importance of friendship, starts with a stack of Beach Boys-styled street corner doo-wop oooh-oooh harmonies McLaughlin recorded late one night on Garageband.com, which gives the song its sacred feel, while "Throw

My Love Around" counselsthat, with only one life left to live, it's preferable to take risks then end up having regrets.

That same spirit of taking chances informed the making of OK NOW.

"My philosophy has changed," nods McLaughlin. "Now I believe you should get crazy in the studio, explore different sounds, and I love the challenge of recreating the songs in the live setting--that's the best part."

OK NOW is OK to go.]]> 1338958800 Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1433
Walter Trout's 20th album is called Common Ground, but for the visionary roots singer, songwriter and guitarist that's more than a title.
It's where Trout's compelling music resides -- in a territory that unites blues, rock and pure sonic adventurism, where inspiration and technique meet to create a unique, soulful language.

That language has won Trout fans across the world. Britain's BBC Radio One placed him at number six on their list of the Top 20 guitarists and legendary BBC disc jockey Bob Harris calls Trout "the world's greatest rock guitarist."

"Music gives you an opportunity to speak directly to people's hearts -- it goes beyond words," says Trout, who developed his craft playing alongside such legends as John Mayall and John Lee Hooker. "There are times when I'm playing guitar when I enter a state where I'm not consciously aware of what I'm playing. It's like a signal coming through me."

And that signal's loud and clear on Common Ground's tunes like the title track, a plea of unity, and the autobiographical "Open Book." Produced by the famed John Porter and featuring drummer Kenny Aronoff (John Mellencamp, John Fogerty), bassist Hutch Hutchinson and pianist Jon Cleary (both of Bonnie Raitt's band), the album sets a new bar for Trout's already illustrious career.]]> 1339045200 Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0600 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1467
In a world swimming in singer/songwriters, it's difficult to rise above the masses and create a truly unique sound that captures ears and stimulates the mind. The Pines are a band that has accomplished this feat, honing their musical craft to near perfection with a sound that wavers on the edge of traditional acoustic/roots music, but embraces the nuances of today's indie-rock and blues music.

Meeting in a Mexican barrio in Arizona, fellow Iowans David Huckfelt and Benson Ramsey began playing music together, forming The Pines. Committing to a musical career, they returned to their Midwestern roots and settled in Minneapolis, a music haven that has launched the careers of such folk and rock legends as Bob Dylan, The Jayhawks and The Replacements. In the span of two highly acclaimed records, they have shared bills with Mavis Staples, Bon Iver, The Arcade Fire, Iris Dement, Mason Jennings, Greg Brown and many more.]]> 1339131600 Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1452
Back when the U.S. was giving the Soviet Union the cold shoulder, way before anyone 'liked' anything on the Web, some boys from Milwaukee got together in a March snow and formed Happytown. Big sounds came down: layered guitars and keys echoing from their teen years, muscular drumming, melodic bass, lyrics scribbled at the edge of a rainstorm. The band built a following on the strength of three EPs in the 90's, an acclaimed 14-song CD, and loud yet intimate shows on the East Side, in Madison, in Chicago, and some hazily-remembered events in Lake Geneva.

... The boys moved on, grew up, and had boys - and girls - of their own. They got somewhat respectable jobs but never stopped making music. Al Hildenbrand (Pet Engine/Slo Fi), Tony Myers (Independent Idols), and Rick Bauer (LoveMonkeys/ZenBetty) still rock and croon the local scene, Joe Lampe plays on in Madison, and Joe Worachek is kicking it in Denver. A reunion show in 2003 found the band sharp. Now, with an urge to crank it up once more, Happytown returns to Milwaukee's Shank Hall on June 9th.

This isn't nostalgia or even a quick peek in the rear-view mirror. The boys will be playing music they believe in...with and for people they love. Hope to see you there.

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Independent Idols are a Milwaukee, Wisconsin-based power-pop and hard rock outfit featuring vocalist RYAN CHARLES, guitarist BRYAN ARZAGA, drummer TONY MYERS, and bassist DAN MORRISSEY. Together, Independent Idols craft hook-heavy and tuneful rock music reminiscent of artists such as Collective Soul, Foo Fighters, and Soundgarden to name a few. Forming in 2005, INDEPENDENT IDOLS craft radio-friendly, yet edgy hard-rock originals, and also perform reinterpreted covers of songs like Lionel Richie's "Hello," Gnarls Barkley's "Crazy," and a hard rock version of Snoop Dogg's "Gin and Juice!"

Independent Idols are experienced and professional artists, performing at regional and local venues and events, (Summerfest, Riversplash, Waukesha and Wisconsin State Fairs), and music showcases (SXSW, Midwest Music Convention), have opened for national acts (Theory Of A Dead Man, Blue Oyster Cult, Chicago and others), and headlined at a variety venues and events across the state and the Midwest. The band has made television appearances as well (Fox 6 Wake Up News, Milwaukee) and even licensed a song for the former television program "Party of Five," which was featured on the first season box set release. The band has just released its third independent recording, recorded and product by Grammy Award winning local producer Dave Vartanian.

INDEPENDENT IDOLS' originals breed familiarity within the ear of the listener. Hooks and familiarity make the Idols' music entertaining, offering mass appeal across a wide spectrum of age groups and fan's tastes. Most listeners swear that they have heard the band's music before on the radio after hearing their music for the first time. INDEPENDENT IDOLS deliver a complete entertainment experience, performing great power-pop/hard rock with an effervescent, enthusiastic and child-like energy!]]> 1339218000 Wed, 28 Mar 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1470
You know that sarcastic little voice whispering in your ear at a meeting? That sassy boy playing your Cyrano when you find the smartest girl in the bar? The inside joke that lets them know you can hang with the boys but you are all woman? That's Revolush, Baby. Give 'em the key to your place -- you know you want to. They are such a step above they'll take out the trash without being asked, but don't expect them to put the seat down.

That's Bill winking at you from behind those catchy guitar riffs -- he knows what you're up to but he won't tell. You feel that vibe in your chest, knees, other places we can't mention? That's Nathan on the drums. Yes, Max is 7'11" making his bass look like a ukulele. And then there's Tommy and you know his gig (or do you?...)

But, if you haven't had the chance to feast your eyes on them (YUMMY!) you'll get awfully hungry when you realize they sound like an atomic fireball -- the slap in the mouth that, well, you want more of. When that boy who was chasing your tail or the girl who would have given it up for you if given the chance made you a mix CD of XTC, Elvis Costello, Cheap Trick -- well, that love sick fool should have just given you Crystal Method Actors. Too bad for both of you.

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Take a pinch of mountain gypsy, a dash of psych-folk and a combine it with an ocean of split-open-and-melt lyricism, intricately delivered by one of the most unique voices in music, and you have Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles. Since bursting onto the Twin Cities music scene in 2008, the fiery five-piece have blossomed into one of the most celebrated and cherished young talents to emerge from Minnesota in recent history.

Lucy Michelle and The Velvet Lapelles' incredibly polished, yet wholly organic, sound can be directly attributed to an interweaving familial-like chemistry that has created an airtight bond among the five players. The band formed in 2007 as a result of casual jam sessions that were led by Lucy with friends Geoff Freeman (drums), Ashley Boman (accordion, bells) and Jesse Schuster (bass), at Lucy and Geoff's University of Minnesota college flop house in NE Minneapolis. Loosely arranged social gatherings, where music was played, eventually turned into full-blown band practices and writing sessions with the additions of Eamonn Mclain (cello) and Chris Graham (guitar).

The band soon started gigging around Minneapolis-Saint Paul and quickly caught the eyes, ears and hearts of local music fans and critics alike being named City Pages "Picked to Click" Best New Band of 2008. In-studio performances on nationally recognized taste-maker 89.3 The Current followed with the station calling the group, "One of the Twin Cities most talented and endearing bands."

With each member drawing inspiration from their own wildly eclectic musical palettes, they collaboratively create all of their songs with the Velvet Lapelles orchestrating complex, lush arrangements that dovetail with Lucy's whimsically anecdotal and emotionally evocative story telling. In addition to releasing three critically acclaimed albums (Orange Peels & Rattlesnakes, Special Party Time for Everybody and Good of That) in three years, the band has had their songs tapped for the award winning Minnesota Beatle Project Vol. 1 (2009), a featured TED documentary (2010) and an international ad campaign for Macy's (2011).

Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles have performed to sold-out audiences at legendary venues like First Avenue, Cedar Cultural Center and the Fitzgerald Theatre. Having the Twin Cities official stamp of approval firmly in hand, Lucy Michelle and company have toured the United States from coast-to-coast, performing alongside the likes of Thao & Mirah, Titus Andronicus, The Head and the Heart and Trampled by Turtles. At a recent stop in Minneapolis, The Head and the Heart front man Jonathan Russell proclaimed his love for the band after they opened the show asking the audience -"Why didn't you guys tell me about Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles? They're great!"

Riding the ever-swelling wave of creative energy and recent success, Lucy Michelle and the Velvet Lapelles have completed work on their fourth full length release, HEAT, at Vacation Island Recording Studios in Brooklyn with acclaimed producer/engineer Matt Boynton (MGMT, Beirut, Bat for Lashes). The new record is comprised of all original material written predominantly by Lucy Michelle during the bone-chilling Minnesota winter of 2010. Many of the songs center around the feeling of being trapped and isolated while yearning to be somewhere else; physically or psychologically. HEAT showcases the artistic growth and sonic evolution of the band's sound which translates into a magnificent record laced with scorching lyricism, hauntingly beautiful melodies and gorgeous harmonies that create an expansive, yet highly focused and cohesive body of work.]]> 1339736400 Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1434
Chris Duarte, a San Antonio native was born in February of 1963, the same year as his Strat. His goal, to be a successful musician and write music for all the world to hear. His choice instrument, the guitar and at the age of 15 his career of being a musician began. At the tender age of sixteen he dropped out of high school and moved to Austin, Texas to further develop his musical career. Several years later, Chris met a man by the name of John Jordan who would become Chris' best friend and co-founder of the Chris Duarte Group. John, like Chris was born with music in his blood. Although John's first instrument was piano, he would become the bass guitarist for the Chris Duarte Group. Together they would travel to over 300 dates on average per year for over 15 years straight. It was then that Mr. Jordan departed from the group to pursue a solo career and to open his own Record company called Tana Records. The band still continues to play well over 200 nights a year in every state and many countries abroad. Collectively, the Chris Duarte Group has realeased a total of four albums. Texas Sugar Strat Magic (1994), Tailspin Headwhack (1997), Love is Greater then Me (2000) and Romp (2004). the band is due to hit the studio in December of 2006 for release number 5 from the Chris Duarte Group. Since then CDG has put out Vantage Point (2008) and it poised to release a new cd with Bluestone Co. called "396". Now based out of Atlanta, GA. Chris is backed by Joel Powell on Bass and Chris Burroughs on Drums. Get ready to have your face rocked off! Chris Duarte has been known to play guitar till his fingers bleed.]]> 1340168400 Wed, 15 Feb 2012 00:00:00 -0600 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1458
Roger Clyne doesn't like serving the musical version of junk food. "I like to put a little more heart into my cooking than that," Clyne said.

For over a decade, Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers have avoided unnecessary additives, preservatives and sugary substances that may initially be satisfying, but ultimately provide no sustenance. Instead, they have been serving up nothing but uncompromised, unadulterated, pure rock-n-roll. RCPM have stuck to their credo of letting art lead commerce by mixing relentless guitar licks, four part harmonies and thought-provoking lyrics.

Roger Clyne & The Peacemakers have released six consecutive albums that have debuted in the top 10 on Billboard's Internet Sales chart, the first independent band to ever accomplish that feat. Two of those albums, 1999's Honky Tonk Union and 2004's ¡Americano!, debuted at #1. That streak of creating timeless rock music continues with RCPM's long awaited sixth studio album, Unida Cantina.

Roger Clyne, guitarist Jim Dalton, drummer PH Naffah and bassist Nick Scropos are renowned as one of the tightest, most exciting live acts on the road today. Over the past year, The Peacemakers have toured the U.S. several times over, traveled south of the border to play in Mexico and completed their first ever tour of the United Kingdom. The energy between the band members, experience and comradeship shine on Unida Cantina, the most upbeat and collaborative effort yet for the band.

"It's been 3 years since we've released a studio album," Clyne said. "During that time, we've incorporated Jim Dalton into RPCM and he brings a unique magic to our chemistry. It took some time to know ourselves again. It's always a challenge to remain consistent without being predictable; to create something novel, but not novelty; to appreciate success without becoming complacent. With Unida Cantina, we took our time and poured our hearts into it. Now that we're ready to share it. ...it's almost a rebirth for me."

On Unida Cantina, RCPM teamed up with producer/engineer/mixer and long time friend Clif Norrell (The Refreshments, Rush, No Doubt, R.E.M) to record 13 new songs. Collectively, the songs on Unida Cantina represent both the disillusionment and enlightenment of where Clyne's life is today compared to where he thought he would be when he was in his "immortal 20s." In many ways, it turned out different than he thought it would. But it also turned out better than could have imagined.

RCPM look to share those feelings of coming to terms with the differences between the expectations of youth and the reality of emerging adulthood on Unida Cantina. But in spreading that message, the Peacemakers also wanted to rock. Like their past albums, RCPM hope Unida Cantina will bring people together and unify those of like mind and heart. Sometimes people need a unification point or a place where they know they're not alone to face certain challenges, like a cantina. "My music will often bring people to that cantina," Clyne said. "If you need a cantina, you can put on Unida Cantina."

Unida Cantina is Clyne's most infectious record since he and Naffah released their 1996 cult-classic, Fizzy, Fuzzy, Big and Buzzy with their previous band, The Refreshments, on Mercury Records. Fizzy, Fuzzy, Big and Buzzy was Radio & Record's ninth Best-Selling Debut Album of the Year, went to #1 on Billboard's Heatseeker Chart and spawned two popular radio hits, "Banditos" and "Down Together." The Refreshments performed on national late-night shows and Clyne wrote and performed the King of the Hill theme song with the band.

With Unida Cantina, Clyne found his songwriting soulmate in Dalton. "For the very first time, I found someone's inclusion that didn't chase me or put me off my artistic vision. It opened the world to possibilities rather than close it. I felt magic," Clyne said.
Likewise, Clyne said he was more open from gathering input from everyone in the band than he has been on any other record. Both Scropos and Naffah, childhood friends originally hailing from The Windy City, had big input on the final production of Unida Cantina.

The result is pure American guitar-driven roots rock-n-roll. "All Over the Radio" is the album's first track, mixing the classic elements of RCPM music in crunching guitars and mariachi horn section. Other rockin' songs soon to become instant RCPM classics include "Dinero," "Heaven on a Paper Plate" and "Go With the Flow," the first song Clyne and Dalton ever wrote together.

The Spanish-influenced "Marie" has already become a fan favorite thanks to an acoustic recording session with MusicFog during the Steamboat Music Festival and a video that was released on the Internet.

The beautifully written "Small World" touches on the difficult task of showing the ultimate act of love for someone by letting go.

As Clyne sings on "Paper Airplanes," 'if you're feeling like you're too small for this world, or if you're feeling you're talking but there's no one there to listen,' sometimes you just need a place you can unify with other like minded people to weather the storm. And you may just find Unida Cantina.]]> 1340254800 Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1469 Officially formed 4 years ago in Chicago, and with roots dating back to the mid 90s, Strange Arrangement is a progressive jazz funk rock hybrid with an emphasis on lyrics, songwriting, and compositional sections. Utilizing out of the box time signatures, left of center harmonies, and catchy melodies Strange Arrangement has quickly become a must see act in the Midwest, making their move from bars/clubs to small theaters/music halls in just a few short years. Aptly dubbed happy progressive bacon funk, Strange Arrangement draws on influences from 70s rock, modern day jambands, folk, and jazz legends. A Strange Arrangement show will take its audience through a myriad of different sonic landscapes based on the philosophy of creating a moment in time, weaving the idea and art of improvisation carefully through their collection of original material to make each performance a unique experience for their audience and themselves alike.

With the release of "Polygraph" their 2nd full length album in four years on January 18th, 2011 and making waves in the Midwest festival scene in 2010 with appearances at Summer Camp, Hoxeyville, Rootwire, and North Coast, Strange Arrangement fans, appropriately named "Strangers", have continued to come out to their shows to be a part of their ever evolving sound. 2011 will find Strange Arrangement stretching farther away from their home base of Chicago and making their way from CO, to NY, to CA, to FL as more and more "Strangers" find their sound and live performances an exhilarating and fresh alternative to the jamband genre.

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Hailing from Chicago, IL, The Coop is a forward-thinking band on the rise in both the electronic and jamband worlds. Capturing the modern unification of organic and future sounds, The Coop consistently takes the listener on genre-bending aural adventures through the fusion of original electronic production and traditional instrumentation. With a core sound elementally driven by breakbeat, dub, and jazz, The Coop's music offers an ebb and flow of tech-thriving layers interwoven with thoughtful live performance from the young quartet.]]> 1342155600 Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1454
Singer/pianist Marcia Ball knows how to raise roofs and tear down walls with her infectious, intelligent and deeply emotional brand of southern boogie, rollicking, roadhouse blues and heartfelt ballads. Over the course of her three-decade career, Ball has earned a huge and intensely loyal following all over the world. Her exquisite piano playing and passionate, playful vocals fuse New Orleans and Gulf Coast R&B with Austin's deep songwriting tradition into a sound No Depression described as "a little rock, a lot of roll, a pinch of rhythm and a handful of blues."]]> 1342242000 Tue, 03 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1455
In 2010, Madison, Wisconsin-based keyboard dudes Dave Adler and Dave Stoller had an idea: to get their rock and jazz friends to perform an evening of Steely Dan music. The response from the musicians and fans was amazing, so, lo and behold, Steely Dane lives.]]> 1342760400 Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1456
Off-beat, rocking and seductive.

Panalure is a new Milwaukee band that is exciting audiences with their original music, brave textures, rich harmonies, and twisted palette. Steel guitar, accordion and ukulele, are layered over the top of a four piece rock foundation. This band defies traditional categories with songs that will have you rocking one minute and floating through a surreal landscape the next.

Panalure is: Fred Ziegler on vocals, ukulele and guitar, LaRita Craft on vocals, accordion and keyboards, Michael DeBoer on traditional and steel guitars, Nathan Kilen on percussion, Ken Hanson on bass, and Kari Hoff on background vocals.]]> 1342846800 Thu, 05 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1464
Todd Snider is on the happy back end of happy hour at a favorite East Nashville bar, talking about his new album Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables. "This record doesn't come from good times," Snider says. "I wanted to sound the way I feel, which sometimes means sounding like a broken soul."

On the 10 new songs, Snider doesn't talk around the vulnerable part, or the angry part, or the part about how everything we're taught about goodness and righteousness and capitalism, about God and family values winds up exploding into violence and chaos, wonder and longing. He might carry the mantle of "storyteller" -- it's what he titled his live record, after all -- but Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables is anything but a nice, folk/Americana troubadour album.

It's not a nice anything.

It is jagged, leering, lurching and howling, and filled with unhappy endings both experienced and intimated: "It ain't the despair that gets you, it's the hope," he sings in the album-closer, "Big Finish." That Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables is also roaringly funny is tribute to Snider's unique sensibilities, and to his standing as what Rolling Stone magazine calls "America's sharpest musical storyteller." Anguish without laughter is boring, like intensive care without morphine, and Snider has never been within 100 miles of boring. Also, he didn't earn the attention, friendship and fandom of American musical giants like Kris Kristofferson and John Prine by writing mopey protest songs.

Anyway, these aren't protest songs and they're not meant to incite class warfare (though he knows they might anyway). They're populated mostly by losers in the midst of losing, with a couple of spotlight appearances from the humbly anointed 1 percent. At album's outset ("In The Beginning"), Snider credits the church with sustaining peace by noting that "We still need religion to keep the poor from killing the rich." From there, it's on to the certainty of warped karma ("Good things happen to bad people," he sings in "New York Banker."), to a remarkable reworking of "West Nashville Grand Ballroom Gown" (possibly the album's most acerbic song, and from the pen of Jimmy Buffett... no, really), and a slew of stories inspired by the world at large, writ small and barbed, in a manner both penetrating and empathetic. There's one happy love song, called "Brenda," about Snider's favorite couple, Keith Richards and Mick Jagger.

"I admire that relationship a lot," Snider says. "What Mick and Keith have is real, and it can't be touched and it can't be beat. I've never met them, but I believe in the Rolling Stones. That's who I think about at Christmas, anymore. They opened their hearts and gave us so much. And they tried to be true to each other."

Musically, Snider and co-producer Eric McConnell sought a sound that mirrored the times and that didn't replicate anything they'd done together on critically acclaimed works East Nashville Skyline, The Devil You Know or Peace Queer. With McConnell on bass and Snider playing guitar and harmonica, they gathered a core band of percussionist Paul Griffith, violinist/vocalist (and gifted songwriter) Amanda Shires, and keyboard player Chad Staehly, along with guest guitarist Jason Isbell and harmony vocalist Mick Utley, and offered up a sonic mission.

"I told them I wanted to make a mess," Snider says. "That was the goal."
And so a handful of accomplished musicians set about making a mess. And did so. Shires' violin is the call-and-response heroine to Snider's lyrics, filling the role Scarlett Rivera filled for Bob Dylan on Desire. Only messier. Meanwhile, Griffith makes like some off-kilter offspring of Keith Moon and Zigaboo Modeliste while Snider's guitar plays lead switchblade.

The result is something disconcerting, cracked and wholly original. It's something that stands apart from the music of Snider's heroes, and from Snider's own, much-celebrated past. Agnostic Hymns & Stoner Fables is Snider's 12th album (14th, if we count a "best of" set and a collection of B-sides and demos), and it uses its predecessors not as a compass but as a trampoline. Snider found different song forms, different inspirations (from Alaska ne'er do well Digger Dave to Chicago Mayor, former White House Chief of Staff and friend..... no, really..... Rahm Emanuel) and different means of expression. He paints a world where begging turns to mugging, where investment turns to ruin, where babies grow into felons, where honesty is blunt trauma: "Wish I could show you how you hurt me in a way that wouldn't hurt you, too," he sings. And there's no way.]]> 1343365200 Thu, 26 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1472
For more than 30 years, Jerry Joseph has been strapping on a guitar and chasing down truth, understanding and soul with tenacity and resonant skill. Joseph is the archetypal musician's musician - something that's resoundingly clear on his sweeping new double album Happy Book, to be released March 20, 2012 on Response Records. Look for Joseph and his band to tour this spring in support of the album's release. The list of currently confirmed tour dates is listed below - with many others still to be announced.

Captured with muscle and blood by Joseph's longtime trio The Jackmormons, Happy Book presents Jerry Joseph & The Jackmormons at their most diverse and confident; it's a record with a wide swing that dexterously moves from whisper closeness to Technicolor expansiveness. Produced by Joseph's former Little Womenband mate Gregg Williams (Dandy Warhols, Blitzen Trapper), Happy Book is an emotional and sonic wallop fueled by the tightest, tastiest playing the Jackmormons have ever captured in the studio. "After 17 years, this album brings together a lot of things I've always wanted on a record," explains Joseph. "This sounds like a band that's been together 17 years and has evolved along the way."

Happy Book incorporates horns and other choice elements from guests - Jenny Conlee-Drizos and Chris Funk (The Decemberists), Eric Earley (Blitzen Trapper), Dan Eccles (Richmond Fontaine), Wally Ingram, Little Sue Weaver and Paul Brainard - into The Jackmormons' tight-knit chemistry to create an expansive work that captures Joseph's startlingly broad musical range in a roughly graceful, swiftly intoxicating way.]]> 1343624400 Sun, 13 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1468
The GrandMothers of Invention are the only Frank Zappa/Mothers of Invention alumni who have been consistently performing the music of the maestro since 2003. From the classic "Freak Out", "Absolutely Free", "We're Only In It For The Money", "Uncle Meat", and "Burnt Weeny Sandwich" - to - "Weasels Ripped My Flesh", "Apostrophe", "The Grand Wazoo", "Overnite Sensation", "Roxy & Elsewhere", "Bongo Fury", and "One Size Fits All" - they have performed on a very long list of classic Frank Zappa & the Mother's of Invention's albums, movies and other projects. (See their combined Frank Zappa/Mothers of Invention discography and videography lists.)

The GrandMothers of Invention are: NAPOLEON MURPHY BROCK (with Mothers of Invention / Frank Zappa from 1974 thru 1984), on vocals, tenor saxophone, flute, suavenicity, and dancing(!) - TOM FOWLER (with Mothers of Invention / Frank Zappa from 1973 thru 1976), on bass, hats, and musical M.D. - DON PRESTON (with Mothers of Invention / Frank Zappa from 1967 thru 1969, 1970, 1971, and 1974 as a Special Guest), on keyboard synthesizers, electronics, IPOD, magic tricks(!), and vocals. Also featuring the incredible MIROSLAV TADIC on electric guitar, and the masterful CHRISTOPHER GARCIA on drums, percussion, marimba, and vocals.

The GrandMothers were formed in August of 2002, when four legendary former members of Frank Zappa's "The Mothers of Invention", Napoleon Murphy Brock, Roy Estrada, Bunk Gardner, and Don Preston were invited to perform the music of Frank Zappa in Leipzig, Germany. It would be the first time that these esteemed "Mothers of Invention" alumni would be getting together to rehearse and perform classic Frank Zappa material.

Finally, on March 27th 2003, after 6 months of intensive rehearsals, The GrandMothers of Invention took the stage to a standing room only audience in Leipzig, Germany. This event was recorded, filmed, and released by Warner Classics in Europe, and has been broadcast and re-broadcast repeatedly on European television. Due to the overwhelming demand since then, they have performed more than 140 concert events across America, Canada and Europe, including performances in: Austria, Belgium, Bosnia, Croatia, Czechoslovakia, Denmark, England, France, Germany, Holland, Italy, Norway, and Switzerland. Each performance providing indisputable proof that "THEY CAN (AND DO) STILL DO THAT ON STAGE!"

The list of dates at clubs, concert halls and festivals is long, and includes headlining the Frankfurt Jazz Festival, the Zappanalle Festival, the Vancouver Folk Fest, performing classic Frank Zappa material with the Bergen Filharmonik Orkester in Bergen Norway, performing the orchestral music of Frank Zappa under the baton of Kristan Jarvi, the Ottawa Blues Fest, the Winnipeg Folk Fest, the Sarajevo Jazz Festival, the Winnipeg Jazz Festival, the Vancouver Jazz Festival , and performing classic Frank Zappa material with string orchestra (the Trondheim Soloists) at the Trondheim Jazz Festival in Norway.]]> 1343970000 Tue, 08 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1476
The Lovin' Kind is a Milwaukee group who have re-emerged as a 60's rock band with Beatle and Rolling Stones roots. This group of seven musicians has dedicated themselves to entertaining those folks who truly love a song with a hook and a beat. The music is designed to produce songs that never leave your head.

We play all of our songs with the crowd in mind! We are a "fun" band playing songs that have a great beat for a full night of dancing. The songs are popular classic rock played with great musical talent. The Lovin Kind has been playing together for 7 years and the songs are really "tight". Great lead singing, great harmonies and full sound will make for the best night of music in years! The band consists of lead, rythm and bass guitars, keyboard, drums, degembe, and percussion. Band members sing with great lead and harmonies. The Lovin Kind is truly a classic rock icon in Milwaukee and will be for years to come!]]> 1344056400 Wed, 16 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1473
Utterly natural. There's no more fitting description for both the music of The Dunwells as well as the story of their magical rise from the pubs of Leeds, England to an American record deal and a stunning debut album in just two short years.

The group is two brothers, two cousins and totaling five best mates who simply love to sing and play music, and do so together. "We are genuinely best mates," explains singer, songwriter and guitarist Joseph Dunwell. "We sometimes bicker and fight, but then we hug and make up and go out for a drink."

When they make music, the results exemplify the equation that the sum of the parts can be even greater than the whole. Striking an organic blend between acoustic and electric roots music laced by luscious vocal harmonies by all five members, their songs and sound feel both bracingly fresh while at the same time as warm and familiar as a dear long-time friend.

Blind Sighted Faith, the debut album on Playing In Traffic Records, is a timeless yet contemporary collection of 11 captivating and indelible numbers that transcend genres to offer a fresh, richly rooted harvest of listening pleasure. From its opening track, "I Could Be A King," a regal rocker with splashes of modernist Britpop shine, the set is a sumptuous banquet of musical modes. One moves from moments of graceful reflective repose like "Only Me" to the swirling mesmerism of "Follow The Road." The band offers a panoramic collection that seamlessly melds elements of Celtic and American folk, rock, blues, pop and soul into a trademark sound all their own. Whether it's the majestic prayerful plaint of "Oh Lord" or the haunting bristle of "Perfect Timing," the disc displays a dead aim for profound and affecting feeling matched by abundant musicality. Blind Sighted Faith is a stunning first bow that invites all that hear it to join The Dunwells "In The Moment," as one song title declares.

The album plays like music that was meant to be, and in an all but destined alignment, it was produced by John Porter, who also hails from Leeds. A schoolmate and bandmate of Bryan Ferry, he played bass with Roxy Music before stepping behind the recording console to produce that group, solo Ferry projects, and a spectrum of other artists like The Smiths, B.B. King, Ryan Adams and Los Lonely Boys. With nine Grammy winning albums to his credit and 10 nominees, Porter proves to be the ideal collaborator to help bring the artistic richness within The Dunwells to brimming fruition.

From the first time The Dunwells hit American shores at the 2011 International Folk Alliance conference, their impact has been nothing short of astounding. "Anyone that's seen them has just been 'Oh My God!' They're mind boggling!" raved Folk Alliance Executive Director Louis Jay Meyers to Voice of America radio. "The quality of the songs, the quality of the playing, the quality of the vocals, the harmonies. Man, they're like Mumford and Sons times 10."

No Depression was equally impressed: "People were buzzing about them and the music business folks in attendance were all clamouring for a chance to work with them." Playing In Traffic Records won out, and four months later The Dunwells were recording with Porter at Willie Nelson's famed Pedernales Studio in the Texas Hill Country just outside Austin.

All five members hail from the same part of Leeds and earned their stripes as musical entertainers in local pubs and clubs before uniting as a band. Brothers David and Joseph Dunwell grew up in a home plentiful with music thanks to their father's extensive record collection. Weaned on such artists as The Beatles and Fleetwood Mac as well as countless other classic musical acts from the 1960s onward, both began playing guitar at an early age, inspired by their father, a talented classical acoustic player. David and then Joseph both started writing songs, and individually made their initial marks at open mike nights, playing in and around Leeds. When a booking agent suggested that they unite as an act it made perfect sense.

Bassist Rob Clayton and David Dunwell are long-time friends who spent many hours in their youth listening to music together. Drummer Jonny Lamb is Clayton's cousin. Guitarist Dave Hanson heard Joseph Dunwell singing in a pub and, duly impressed, befriended and started playing with him. "We all made music for a living before we became a group," notes Hanson. "It's not just a band that formed. It's organic and it comes from sharing the same roots, and everybody growing up, listening to and learning music together." Once they united as The Dunwells, they all knew that something special was brewing.

The Leeds Telegraph & Argus agreed. "With their easy-going nature, their sheer enjoyment of playing and supreme musicianship this band looks set to burst onto a much wider scene. You can almost taste the expectancy."

The buzz spread to London when the band booked a gig at The Bedford, a noted showcase venue where acts like Paolo Nutini and KT Tunstall began their rise. The Dunwells nearly missed it when their van broke down on the outskirts of London. But they piled into a taxi with their gear and hit the stage just in time to be seen by Tony Moore, the influential music promoter, BBC radio air personality and singer/songwriter who immediately became a key supporter.

The band spent 2010 touring Britain and Europe, playing such top festivals as Hop Farm (with Bob Dylan and Van Morrison), Edinburgh's cutting-edge Fringe fest, Triumph Live (with Mumford and Sons) and the Fete De La Musique in Paris. Following the release of their debut EP in October 2010, The Dunwells were named Artist of the Month by Caffe Nero coffee chain -- the British equivalent of Starbucks -- and played a 20 day/40 show tour of its shops in England and Scotland to win over a growing U.K. fan base. To help spread their music further, The Dunwells frequently busk on the streets of the city's they visit.

Now with their first album under their belts, The Dunwells are primed to take their music as far and wide as they can. And one can hear that solidarity in the music they create together. "We're all in it for the same reason," concludes David Dunwell. "We just love making music."]]> 1344142800 Sun, 13 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1460
Building a fervent fan base comparable to that of jam band rockers like Phish and Dave Matthews Band, The Young Dubliners have over the years become notorious for the whirling jig pits that erupt at their live shows. Keith Roberts and Paul OToole first met on L.A.'s vibrant pub scene circa late 80s at a time when Roberts was composing some Irish ballads and thought casually about assembling a rag-tag team of fellow Irish transplants and like-minded American rockers. From their humble beginnings at the Irish Rover, the band evolved through various personnel changes into a pugnacious, crazy but coolly irresistible force of nature that eventually made its way into the studio to record their debut EP Rocky Road.

By 2000, the band had morphed into a septet without OToole, and upon releasing the critically acclaimed Red became an international sensation. Actor Gabriel Byrne hired the band to write the theme song for his television show Madigan Men and they spent much of 2001 touring Europe with Jethro Tull and the U.S. as headliners and as openers John Hiatt and Robert Cray. The Young Dubliners were also plucked to rev up the crowds at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. That same year, the band, with the return of Waltz (who had left in 1995), the Dubs scaled back down to a five-piece, launching a period of renewed creative vigor.

After participating in a number of headlining and co-headlining US tours (Johnny Lang, Collective Soul, Great Big Sea, and others, the quintet settled down to record Real World - an album influenced by their predecessors (Waterboys/Pogues/U2/Big Country) and most importantly, life on the road. During the interlude between Absolutely and Real World came an event which drew the band in. Roberts underwent a throat surgery which required months of vocal cord rehabilitation. Reflecting on that time, he says, "My surgery made us all aware of how close we came to losing it all. Our determination to succeed is even stronger than before." The raw live energy of their next project With All Due Respect, The Irish Sessions, was a unique and inspiring way to fill their audience in on the great writers and poets whose legacy the Young Dubliners are, album by album and show by show, boldly carrying on today.]]> 1344488400 Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1463
Magness is among the premier blues and R&B singers in the world today. Her voice possesses an earthy, raw honesty born from her life experience. A charismatic performer known for her electrifying live shows, Magness is a gutsy and dynamic musical powerhouse. She received the coveted 2009 Blues Music Award for B.B. King Entertainer Of The Year (she is only the second woman to ever win this award, Koko Taylor being the first). She also won Contemporary Blues Female Artist Of The Year, an honor she also received in 2006 and 2007. She has received a total of seventeen Blues Music Award nominations, including one for 2012's Contemporary Blues Female Artist Of The Year. USA Today declared, "Magness is a blues star," and The Philadelphia Inquirer said, "Magness sings superbly, with a scorching intensity."

Magness' fame has been hard won. Born near Detroit, Magness was inspired by the blues and country she heard listening to her father's record collection, and by the vibrant music of the city's classic Motown sound. By her teenage years, though, her life was in chaos. She lost both parents to suicide by the age of 16 and lived on the streets, bouncing from one foster home to another. At 17, she became a teenage mother who had to give up her baby daughter for adoption. One night in Minneapolis, an underage Magness sneaked into a club to see blues great Otis Rush, and it was there that she found her salvation and discovered that the blues were her calling. Magness recalls, "Otis played as if his life depended on it. There was a completely desperate, absolute intensity. I knew, whatever it was, I needed more of it." She began going to as many blues shows as possible, soaking up the sounds of her favorite artists, including Johnny Copeland and Albert Collins. She immersed herself in records by James Brown, Aretha Franklin, Etta James and all the other R&B greats.

Watching these artists live and listening to their recordings sparked Janiva and gave her life new direction and purpose. Her first break came several years later, while studying engineering and working as an intern at a recording studio in St. Paul, MN. She was approached by her boss to sing some supporting vocals on a track. Finding her voice, she soon began working regularly as a background singer. By the early 1980s, Magness made her way to Phoenix and befriended Bob Tate, the musical director for the great Sam Cooke. With Tate's mentoring, she formed her first band, Janiva Magness And The Mojomatics, in 1985 and soon after the influential Phoenix New Times named her group the city's Best Blues Band. She moved to Los Angeles in 1986 and slowly began finding work. She recorded her second studio album, It Takes One To Know One, in 1997 (her debut was the cassette-only release, More Than Live). After three more independent releases, Janiva signed with Northern Blues and recorded Bury Him At The Crossroads in 2004 and Do I Move You? in 2006. Both CDs were co-produced by Magness and Canadian roots star Colin Linden, and both garnered Magness a tremendous amount of critical and popular attention. Magness and Linden won the prestigious Canadian Maple Blues Award for Producers Of The Year for Bury Him At The Crossroads. Do I Move You? debuted at #8 on the Billboard Blues Chart and was the #1 CD of 2006 on Living Blues magazine's radio chart. Blues Revue said, "Magness is a bold and potent artist with a powerful, soulful voice...impossible to forget."

Magness signed with Alligator in 2008 and released her stunning label debut, What Love Will Do, to massive critical acclaim. The Chicago Sun-Times raved, "Her songs run the gamut of emotions from sorrow to joy. A master of the lowdown blues who is equally at ease surrounded by funk or soul sounds, Magness invigorates every song with a brutal honesty," while Blues Revue called her "a blues interpreter of the highest rank...punchy and tough...swaggering, incendiary vocal performances." Fueled by all the positive press, National Public Radio's Weekend Edition profiled Magness, putting her in front of an audience of millions and expanding her ever-growing fan base. Her 2010 follow-up, The Devil Is An Angel Too, brought even more acclaim. The album was the #1 CD of 2010 on the Living Blues radio chart. The Wall Street Journal said she plays "hard-hitting blues and soul." Living Blues declared, "Accolades come easy when you're this good. Magness is blessed with smoky, seductive pipes that bend the blues into pure enchantment. Her steely conviction is authentic, soulful and playful. The emotion rings true."

In addition to her musical accomplishments, Magness reaches out to help others. She is a Spokesperson for Casey Family Programs National Foster Care Month Campaign (her sixth consecutive year) and an Ambassador for Foster Care Alumni of America, helping to rais the profile for America's most vulnerable children.. "It is a huge honor and a daunting responsibility. But I am very excited to be a part of this important work, and I look forward to carrying the message of hope for youth in the foster care system, and to alumni," says Magness. "Casey Family Programs does groundbreaking work, and I am deeply honored to work with them again." Foster Care Alumni Of America is an amazing organization that focuses on adult alumni of the system." Magness has also reconnected with her daughter, and is now a proud grandmother. "Our fate doesn't have to be our destiny," she says. "I'm living proof of that. And I'm so very grateful."

And her legion of admirers is grateful for Janiva Magness. With Stronger For It and non-stop touring, Magness, along with her world-class road band, will bring her dynamic live show to fans across the country and around the world. Live and on record, Magness' level of intimacy and depth of emotion infuses her music with a power impossible to deny. Rather than succumb to hard times, with Stronger For It, Magness has created an album loaded with creativity and imagination, turning her own personal pain into timeless, exhilarating soul-healing music.]]> 1344574800 Mon, 16 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1471
Nominated for a 2012 Wisconsin Area Music Industry (WAMI) Award, Reckless Life is Wisconsin's premiere Guns N' Roses Tribute Band. The most important thing in any tribute act is to have a lead singer that represents the original. John Wood does just that with his feral Axl howl. Reckless Life's authentic vibe has earned them opening slots for national acts such as Rhino Bucket and BulletBoys.

On August 17th they will be performing the legendary best album to come out of the 80s, APPETITE FOR DESTRUCTION, in its entirety, plus hits from all the Guns N’ Roses albums.]]> 1345179600 Sun, 13 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1466
To say that Elizabeth Cook's background is like something out of a country song would be wildly underestimating the entire genre. The youngest of 11 half-brothers and sisters, she grew up in rural Florida where her musician parents met while playing in local country bars. Her father learned to play upright bass in a Georgia prison band while serving 11 years for running moonshine. Her mother, a singer and mandolin player from the hills of West Virginia, wrote her daughter's first songs, including "Does My Daddy Love The Bottle More Than He Loves Me," and had Elizabeth singing on stage at 4 years old.

Elizabeth's 4th album, Balls is a bold declaration of an uncompromising artist unafraid to be exactly who she is. . Produced by Rodney Crowell, 9 of the album's 11 tracks are written or co-written by Elizabeth -- including the brash anthem "Sometimes It Takes Balls To Be A Woman" -- and the album stands defiant in its devotion to smiles, tears and sexy, sassy swagger. It's a fiercely independent ride where shuffles, ballads and even the occasional juice harp can soar alongside an exquisite cover of The Velvet Underground's "Sunday Morning." Balls is, quite simply, Elizabeth Cook's unabashed breakthrough.

In contemporary country music, it's a rare performer who will dare to take on the industry on her own hogs-and-kisses terms. But for the artist whom Nanci Griffith has called "this generation's Loretta Lynn," it takes a certain tenacity to meld smart attitude with classic tradition, the credibility of a life lived with genuine hillbilly passion, and the integrity to write an acclaimed cache of uncommonly cool songs. In other words, for Elizabeth Cook, it takes Balls, and having Balls is just the beginning.

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Tim Carroll, a product of rural Indiana, releases his eighth record, All Kinds Of Pain, in July 2009. As rhythm guitarist in the late-70s Bloomington, Indiana punk band, The Gizmos (Gulcher), Tim displayed his bare-bones rock ethic, then polished it in the 80s with The Blue Chieftains, his New York City bar band (Diesel Only Records).

A Nashville transplant since 1993, Tim has had songs recorded by John Prine, Asleep At The Wheel, BR-549, Robbie Fulks, Kasey Chambers, Elizabeth Cook, Bare Jr., Sunny Sweeney, Sonny Burgess and many others.

In 1995, he made the cover of Billboard magazine in an article about Nashville's burgeoning alt-country music scene. In 1996, Tim was nominated for a Nashville Music Award in the category of "Best Unsigned Artist." In 1997, he signed a deal with Sire Records and began working with producer Andy Paley.

In 1999, Carroll had two of his Sire recordings on major motion picture soundtracks. Election featured the song "Find A Way To Win," and Drop Dead Gorgeous includes a song co-written with the late Duane Jarvis, "A Girl That's Hip."

Since 2000, Tim has appeared on The Grand Ole Opry literally hundreds of times as sideman to his wife, Americana chanteuse and Sirius Radio host Elizabeth Cook. He's toured in Japan, Great Britain, France, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Poland, and South Korea.]]> 1345784400 Wed, 02 May 2012 00:00:00 -0500 http://www.shankhall.com/details.php?1459
Will Hoge has made a career of writing and singing powerful songs about life's cruel and dark turns. His current album The Wreckage both curses life's wrong turns and celebrates its triumphs. Rugged, pulsating rock fuels "Just Like Me." Spirited melody characterizes tunes like "Highway Wings" and "Even If It Breaks Your Heart." The gruff ghosts of the barroom return on Hoge's "Hard to Love," as does the searing country roots rock of "Long Gone." Ballads like "What Could I Do" and "The Wreckage" are rife with the sort of brooding melancholy you'd expect from a guy who has been to the edge and back. The recording is an incredible achievement, hands-down his best work to date. And that is as good a cause as any for real celebration.]]> 1346302800 Fri, 13 Apr 2012 00:00:00 -0500