Aug 28

Aug 28 Zephaniah OHora: Listening to the Music

It’s increasingly easy to proclaim “they don’t make country music like they used to” while scanning any number of radio stations that label themselves as such. While the current genre drips in autotune and snap tracks, Zephaniah OHora’s Listening To The Music delivers a breath of fresh air. With its Merle-esque vocals and storytelling, guitar licks often reminiscent of Marty Robbins and the distinct cry of the pedal steel, this is as country as it gets. Country may be a surprising descriptor considering OHora calls Brooklyn, New York home (cue the shocked cowboys from the 90’s Pace chunky salsa commercial).

Aug 27

Aug 27 Kentucky John Clay: Down Here Where I Am

Derek Scudder

“No matter how many songs I write or records I might put out in my lifetime, I can say with certainty that this will most likely be the child I’m most proud of. It’s humbling to have so many amazing artists, players and humans come together to get behind your project. I realize that’s what happens in just about every recording process but this one was mine.” That’s how Kentucky John Clay describes his latest release, a tribute to Blaze Foley. “For me it was about my first honest attempt at producing, arranging and re-imagining. Giving these songs a fresh coat of paint, while also trying to showcase the diversity of my personal tastes and influences. The collaborators were the key.

Aug 12

Aug 12 Music In the Upside Down: Justin Wells

Justin Wells

We thought it prudent to get the perspective of the state of the music industry and those it employs from one of the most expressive and poignant songwriters we know of, Justin Wells. You may be familiar with this Kentucky-based artist from his critically acclaimed debut album, Dawn in the Distance, or from the buzz about his highly anticipated upcoming album, The United State. Justin graciously answered some curiosities about how people in his position are faring during the pandemic.

Aug 7

Aug 7 Retrophonics: Self Titled

Amy Watts

North Texas based funk and soul band, Retrophonics, released their inaugural EP this spring. The North Texas based trio’s self-titled EP lives up to its name. The five song EP feels like it would be best enjoyed in low light with martini in hand. The five tracks are torchy R&B that will satisfy any soul or jazz fan with it’s solid instrumentals and groovy melodies.

Aug 7

Aug 7 Charley Crockett: Welcome to Hard Times

Melissa Payne

If you want to know who one of the hardest working artists in music is, look no farther than Charley Crockett. In normal times, he’s out touring nonstop with his band, The Blue Drifters, and putting out albums at least twice a year. In hard times, like these, he’s put a stop to touring, but is still churning out the albums. His newest, Welcome to Hard Times, comes after his spring release of Field Recordings, a digital only release, which consisted of thirty lo-fi recordings, mainly made up of covers and deep tracks that the average listener likely hasn’t heard. Musically, Welcome to Hard Times has the signature feel of Charley’s blend of Gulf & Western.

Aug 5

Aug 5 Music in the Upside Down: John Goolsby's Gratitude Manifesto

John Goolsby

It’s already a balmy 92 degrees and sunny here in Nashville, TN, and I’ve been trying since 8 o’clock this morning to put into words how this whole pandemic has affected (and effected) me and my fellow artists and creators. My name is John Goolsby, and I’ve been a full-time music industry professional (if you can call being a singer/songwriter a professional!) since 2011.

Jul 30

Jul 30 Doc Fell & Co: Revelations

Stephanie Blackburn

Revelations are upon us, and it is not only the title of Doc Fell & Co.’s newest release, but also the feeling you may get while listening to it. A revelation is what makes you consider some factor of human existence in a new or different way, and that is the running theme of the 11 songs on their 4th studio album.

Jul 23

Jul 23 Elvis Monroe: "Be The Change"

Amy Watts

We all have events in our lives that we will never forget where we were. For my parents’ generation it might by the assassination of President Kennedy or the landing on the moon, for me it’s the explosion of the Challenger space shuttle, the bombing of the Oklahoma City federal building, the plane attacks of 9/11, and, more recently, the mass shooting in Las Vegas. On the first night of our girls’ trip, October 1, 2011, we walked out of a show

Jul 22

Jul 22 Lori McKenna: The Balladeer

David Overstreet

For those who have never heard any of Lori McKenna’s work…here is your warning. If you put one of her albums on, you’d better be prepared for a good cry, ‘cause there is just no way to avoid it. Lori has always had this innate skill of writing songs in terms that anyone who has lived more than a decade can relate to. She writes about the hard stuff and she does