Features
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Korby Lenker Gets to the Truth of "If I Prove False"
Singer/songwriter Korby Lenker has to be one of the hardest-working, most all-around creative guys in Nashville. In addition to releasing an album earlier this year, Lenker also just published his first book of short stories, Medium Hero, and is relaunching a live performance web series, Wigby. Still, when he needed a video for his “If…
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A Song and a Stage: Vonda Shepard
Dating back to her late teens, singer-songwriter Vonda Shepard has enjoyed an incredibly varied and lengthy career. She’s been a backup singer for Rickie Lee Jones, Al Jarreau, Jackson Browne and others; an adult contemporary chart-maker with songs of her own, as well as the classic “Can’t We Try” duet with Dan Hill; a musical…
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Jonah Tolchin Brings Old School Sounds to "21st Century Girl"
As the lead track from his new Clover Lane album, Jonah Tolchin\’s “21st Century Girl” really does its job well. Everything about the song and video perfectly conveys the irony of Tolchin being a “21st century man” albeit one with a thoroughly retro sound. After all, the kid is only 21, but he grew up…
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From South Africa with Love: Johnny Clegg
As one of the most visible cultural ambassadors for South Africa, world beat artist/activist Johnny Clegg has long split his focus between entertaining and educating the masses. It’s a tricky balance to strike, but Clegg has had more than four decades of practice. He’s a cultural and political bridge builder who uses music as the…
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Brandy Clark's Heroine Finds a Light in "Get High"
On her fantastic debut album, 2013\’s 12 Stories, country singer/songwriter Brandy Clark presented exactly that… 12 stories of women just trying to move through the world as best they can. Topics like poverty, infidelity, prescription drug abuse, divorce, alcoholism, and just all-around tough lives mark the starting point for Clark\’s songs, but not necessarily the…
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Frankenstein Drunk Dials His Bride in Robby Hecht's "Soon I Was Sleeping"
Back on March 25, singer/songwriter Robby Hecht released his eponymous third album. It’s a stunner, in the grand tradition of perennial favorites like Paul Simon, James Taylor, and Shawn Colvin. One of the songs, “Soon I Was Sleeping”, steps a little bit outside of Hecht’s normal folk borders and into country ballad terrain. But, hey,…
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St. Vincent's Performance : Art : Life
Last weekend over brunch, I was talking with a contemporary country songwriter and a former boy band member about the various “arts” within music: There\’s the art of crafting a great song that defies time, space, and genre; the art of selecting 10 or 12 great tunes that play well together; the art of producing…
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Small Batch Presents: Nashville at Its Finest
To understand what Nashville is all about, you have to look past the neon signs on Broadway, you have to listen beyond the stage at the Grand Ole Opry, and you have to dig deeper than the videos on CMT.
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Kelly Does Her Best: Top 13 of '13
**Updated 01.05.13 after listening deeper to some of the late-year releases. 1. Jason Isbell – Southeastern 2. Holly Williams – The Highway, Brandy Clark – 12 Stories, and Ashley Monroe – Like a Rose (tie) 5. Phosphorescent – Muchacho 6. Trent Dabbs – The Way We Look at Horses 7. Kacey Musgraves – Same Trailer, Different…
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Brandi Carlile: Timeless and True
Back in 2005, when Brandi Carlile first came on the scene, a DJ friend of mine – knowing my deep love for female singer/songwriters – told me to take a listen. So, I hit YouTube and found a shaky video of Brandi and Shawn Colvin singing “Calling All Angels” at the Birchmere.
