AmericanaMusic.com Podcast

Opening for ZZ Top throughout multiple dates on their tour to opening up for the Mavericks at The Ryman Auditorium their’s something universal that connects McKinley James‘s music to playing for these two diverse audiences. That universality is blues meets old school rock meets a straight forward songwriting style. His latest album, Working Class Blues, highlights catchy songs with only him and his Dad,(see drummer in below photo) a touring musician, playing live in their recording studio. The sound is so full, that you’ll never notice it.
Listen to McKinley James's music on the AmericanaMusic.com Playlist of Artists You Should Know

Support the show

AmericanaMusic.com
Your Source for Americana Music

Dubbed "The Psychedelic Cowboy", Wesley Dean is an Aussie with the spirit of the American West. His latest album, Music from Crazy Hearts, with the title track, video featuring two performers from the Nashville Ballet, dancing around Wesley. His sound is reminiscent of Joe Cocker meets Tom Petty meets outlaw country. Moving to Nashville in 2021, along with the the Crazy Hearts album release, Dean's 'Crazy Hearts: The Documentary', premiers in early 2025. Here's our interview with Wesley Dean.

Support the show

AmericanaMusic.com
Your Source for Americana Music

With gentle piano melody, a soft strum on the guitar, and floating vocals In My Arms is more than a lullaby. It is a love song that only two experienced songwriters writing about motherhood can so eloquently express. The first of Edie Carey and Sarah Samples single releases for the new album, Lantern In The Dark: Songs of Comforts and Lullabies. The second is a gorgeous Beatles cover of Blackbird and the most recent is the moving, reasurring lyrics and soaring harmonies for the song "I'm Here". Lantern in the Dark is a the followup to the duos debut album 2014, 'Till The Morning: Lullabies and Songs of Comfort. On the two's Kickstarter page they reveal that, "Much to our surprise, it didn't just stay in the nursery, but moved into birthing rooms, hospice care, grief work and regular old romantic heartbreak healing, too." The previous album won Best Children's Album in the 2014 Independent Music Awards, the Parents' Choice Gold Award Winner 2014, NAPPA Gold Award Winner 2014, Family Choice Gold Award 2015, and A 2014 Top 10 Debut Children’s Album - Zooglobble (NPR Kid’s Music Critic). Edie Carey and Sarah Samples are two seasoned artists with over a dozen individual albums released between the two. Thave created a sound together that is not only kid friendly, but adult friendly as well. So much so that even childless cat ladies such as myself are sure to enjoy.

Support the show

AmericanaMusic.com
Your Source for Americana Music

Within The Church Studio walls if you listen close you can hear the stories of those who've hallowed it, including Leon Russell, Bob Dylan, Eric Clapton, George Harrison, JJ Cale, Freddie King, Tom Petty, Phoebe Snow, and Willie Nelson to name a few. The studio once owned by Leon Russell has since been not only restored, but also made a world class music studio where most recent studio recordings include Elle King, The Dropkick Murphys, Taj Mahal, Jimmy Webb, and Kristen Chenoweth. As long as no one is recording you can tour the studio in the attached museum with all kinds of memorabilia including gold records and more with a majority of the collection being those of Leon Russell. This world class studio is a gem in Oklahoma, trusted by world class artists. Listed in the National Register of Historic Places, The Church Studio’s history of legends who have graced its doors would be reason enough to record there, but how it’s been updated to compete with any Nashville or New York Studio is what is most impressive. They also provide the option to record in Analog or Digital, and they have four isolation booths. Our Interview is with Teresa Knox, owner of the famous studio.

Support the show

AmericanaMusic.com
Your Source for Americana Music

This week’s Artists You Should Know is a treat to introduce, because she’s one of my favorite songwriters, Kim Richey. She’s had her songs recorded by Trisha Yearwood, Jim Lauderdale, Patty Loveless, Suzy Bogguss, Terri Clark, Brooks and Dunn, and Radney Foster. She’s recorded harmony vocals on songs for Jason Isbell, Reba McEntire, Mary Chapin Carpenter, Ryan Adams, Rodney Crowell, Radney Foster, and Trisha Yearwood. Most recently, her 10th studio album, Every New Beginning, reached number 10 on the Billboard Americana/Folk chart. One of the best writers in the business, with impeccable timing and soaring vocals that melt like butter, here’s our interview with Kim Richey. Also, stick around for the last half for our interview with special guest Jillian Matundan.

Support the show

AmericanaMusic.com
Your Source for Americana Music