Here’s some the best Americana and roots-type music releases for November 11th, 2022. Click the artist or album links to find out more. The artist’s names link to their websites and the CD title links go to either Amazon, iTunes, Bandcamp or the artist’s site for ordering or downloading. A + sign means although not a featured release, it’s a notable album that’s still worth checking out. Also, this page will be updated as I find out about other new releases so check back again.
Sam Bush
Radio John: Songs of John Hartford (Smithsonian Folkways Records)
Hartford was a friend, influence, and mentor to Bush early in his career. To pay tribute, Bush has dug into Hartford’s catalog to record not only his favorites but also songs that he and Hartford played together in the 1970s. According to a press release, “Bush plays every instrument—acoustic guitar, mandolin, banjo, electric bass, fiddle—on every cut except the big, full band finale “Radio John,” the collection’s one original song and a tribute to Hartford that Bush wrote with John Pennell. … Bush first conceived of the album on a pre-pandemic trip with his wife to the Florida panhandle. He had brought an array of instruments and began playing around with songs from the vast Hartford catalog. He intended to record demos for his band, but, as he jokes, “in true Sam style, lack of engineering skills and patience, I was having a rough time overdubbing by myself.” (edited from Folk Alley review)
Various Artists
Live Forever: A Tribute to Billy Joe Shaver (New West Records)
Ray Wylie Hubbard once said that “Guy Clark, Townes Van Zandt, and Billy Joe Shaver are the three guys who form the Holy Trinity of Texas songwriters.” Shaver’s one of those songwriters who’s admired by many, but recognized by few. Although he’s credited by some with inventing outlaw country, he’s never gained the recognition that Waylon Jennings, Willie Nelson, and others have. This album is a testament to Billy Joe’s words and the deep impact they had on so many wonderful songwriters and performers like Willie Nelson, Margo Price, Rodney Crowell, Miranda Lambert, Nathaniel Rateliff, Allison Russell and many more.
also new this week…
James Houlahan – Beyond the Borders (independent)
Larkin Poe – Blood Harmony (Tricki-Woo Records) +
Stephen McCarthy & Carla Olson – Night Comes Falling (independent) +
Mud Morganfield – Portraits (Delmark Records)
Jeb Loy Nichols – The United States Of The Broken Hearted (On-U Sound)
Jack Schneider – Best Be on My Way (Jeffers Records)
Bruce Springsteen – Only The Strong Survive (Columbia Records)
The Whiskey Charmers – On The Run (Sweet Apple Pie Records)
The White Buffalo – Year Of The Dark Horse (Snakefarm Records) +
Coming out in the next few weeks… Melissa Carper, Billy Strings, Brian Blake, Maple Run Band, Caitlin Rose, Vince Herman, Ruthie Foster and more …
