I’m not a complicated man. You can get me to part with my money in a hurry if you follow this simple formula: ‘90s country music star + Texas-born singer/songwriter + intimate venue = sale. It’s a pretty straightforward algorithm, and the internet has figured me out. Back in the late spring, Spotify sent me … Continue reading A night out with Radney
Tag: country music
68 hours in Nashville
They say what happens in Nashvegas stays in Nashvegas. Well, I’m not sure that’s exactly how it goes, but either way, I’m about to spill most of the beans about a recent trip Carla and I took to the home of country music and rival to Atlanta for the title of capital of the South. … Continue reading 68 hours in Nashville
Darling of ‘90s country still has it
Thank you, Spotify. As creepy as the encroachment of social media platforms' algorithms are, they do serve a purpose. About a month back, our family account on Spotify sent me an email notification that an artist I like would be performing in my area. To say I like the angelic-voiced-yet-somehow-still-underrated mainstay of ‘90s country music … Continue reading Darling of ‘90s country still has it
Songs embedded in my earliest memories
I was listening to a special episode of the podcast “Conan O’Brien Needs a Friend” during my Saturday walk a couple of weeks ago. The guest was 77-year-old Canadian-American singer-songwriter Neil Young. I almost skipped it, but I’ve learned that anytime a podcast lands in my feed that I don’t think I’ll care much about, … Continue reading Songs embedded in my earliest memories
The old/new way to listen to live music
There’s something humbling and heart-warming about being invited into someone’s home. Hospitality stirs a powerful response of gratitude. Every time I sit down to a meal or stand around eating finger foods in someone’s home, I know they have gone to a tremendous effort and expense. I feel valued. Now, add in the experience of … Continue reading The old/new way to listen to live music
Sick day
Raise your hand if you ever envied your sick child’s excused day of lying on the sofa watching cartoons and napping. OK, so I’m the only one? No? You say you have felt that way, too? You have been burning the candle at both ends until there’s no wick left and you still haven’t found … Continue reading Sick day
Piano music
New South Essays readers know I’m a fan of Southern singer/songwriter Kate Campbell, so when her 13th album “1000 Pound Machine” was released April 3, it wasn’t a stretch to predict a review was coming. I was intrigued by several twists on this album. First, Campbell trades her customary acoustic guitar for a piano, the … Continue reading Piano music
Two nights in Texas
Mississippi-born singer songwriter Kate Campbell intruded into my awareness in the late ‘90s, and since then, each lyrical and patently Southern album she releases is a must-own in my limited collection. On Sept. 27, she released her latest, a live album called “Two Nights in Texas,” with recordings from back-to-back shows April 8-9, 2010, at … Continue reading Two nights in Texas
I Gotta Go … listen to Robert Earl Keen
I’m a writer, not a musician. That’s the best way to explain my fascination with country music – specifically, alternative country and the work of singer-songwriters. I’m not much of a fan of that over-produced, impure sound coming out of Nashville the last 10-20 years. A few years ago, my native-Texan friend, Bob, introduced me … Continue reading I Gotta Go … listen to Robert Earl Keen
New South Essays 