Charlie Robison took his place amongst the fabled Texas troubadours even though he flirted with commercial success in Nashville a time or two. But he was a Texas boy. We all knew guys like Charlie, we saw them on Friday nights, around town. His relatable nature was part of his appeal. He passed on September 10, 2023 in San Antonio of complications from cardiac arrest. He was only 59.
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The historic Julie Rogers Theatre is home to the Symphony of Southeast Texas (SOST), hosting classical, pops, educational, holiday performances, as well as many specials throughout the year. On October 14, the SOST welcomed Mandy Barnett, performing music from her Nashville Songbook.
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First Agnostic Church of Hope and Wonder is Todd Snider’s latest offering. No longer a “kid”, no longer finding his way, he is a mentor to a new generation, though I doubt he sees himself as such. This record is fresh.
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What is better is just recording an entire album of deep cut track by that songwriter that both acknowledges their reverence for the artist, while revealing something of themselves in those songs. Nashville-based, Emma Swift did just that, covering eight of Bob Dylan’s songs on a beautiful little recording called Blonde on The Tracks.
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Perhaps the saddest part of the vast changes in the music business is the fall of albums as a collection of songs rather than the trend of artist releasing nothing but singles. In this case, what we’re talking about here is technically an EP that dropped in September, but you’ll see what I mean as we get into this record, entitled, At Home with Will Courtney and the Wild Bunch.
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In the unforgiving desert that is commercial country music, there is an occasional oasis of originality coupled with traditional roots. A shining example is Margo Price. She’s released her third studio album, That’s How Rumors Get Started on July 10.
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It was a perfect mix of country and jazz, and personally I felt couldn’t ever be topped. While all Norah Jones subsequent albums were good, I never felt she achieved the humble originality of that first record. Now, after hearing “Pick Me Up Off the Floor”, I realize just how stupid I was
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The First Rose of Spring is Willie Nelson’s seventieth album. That is 70, seven-zero. Let that sink in a minute. The sheer volume of Nelson’s creative output is staggering. The record was released or “dropped” as the kids say, July 3, just before Nelson’s annual Fourth of July Picnic which was live-streamed this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. You would think there isn’t anything new to say about Willie Nelson. You would think there isn’t anything new and good enough that Nelson could sing. You’d be wrong on both counts.
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While some of you may have binge-watched your new favorite shows on NetFlix, laid off your diet or shared protest posts on social media, Joshua Lee Turner wrote, recorded, produced, engineered, and accompanied himself on a new recording. Public Life is an intellectual exercise in eclectic beauty, refusing to classify itself into any single genre.
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In light of the fantastic new Bob Dylan album, Rough and Rowdy Ways which was released last week, I‘ve wondered if everything if everything that can be said about Bob Dylan, has already been said? Honestly, what else is there to discuss? Dylan just “is” Dylan. I think the hardest part of being an artist is having “experts” and “critics” compare and dissect your work, stretch it out and lay it down against your last.
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While I am not one to fall into regret, I do enjoy exploring the road less traveled. That turn you didn’t take, the zig when you should have zagged, the song no one else recorded, or the B-side the DJ never flipped. I love discovering “new old music” as exemplified on Neil Young’s record Homegrown which was released last week; 45 years after it was recorded.
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