“Love For Levon” Concert to Be Held in Honor of Levon Helm on October 3rd
(Setlist and Videos From Show Here) October 3rd has been announced as the date for the “Love For Levon” concert. The show will be held at the Izod Center in East Rutherford, New Jersey. Taking the stage will be The Levon Helm Band, John Mayer, My Morning Jacket, Lucinda Williams, Mavis Staples, Gregg Allman, Ray LaMontagne, Eric Church, Dierks Bentley, Marc Cohn, Patty Griffin, Warren Haynes, John Hiatt, Bruce Hornsby, Jorma Kaukonen, Robert Randolph and Joe Walsh. Musical Director responsibilities will be handled by The Levon Helm Band’s Larry Campbell and famed producer Don Was. Surprise guests are expected as well. Proceeds will be donated to the Levon Helm’s Woodstock New York studio and concert hall where the...
Little Village "Little Village"
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#661 in the Series) is the only album from Little Village. One album, One tour from a “Cool Musicians Super Group.” Who was Little Village? I think many in this group know, but I’ll fill in the names. This 1992 group included Nick Lowe, Jim Keltner, John Hiatt and Ry Cooder. How’s that for fire power! They only lasted one album and one tour. They played the Arie Crown Theater here in Chicago. If you look around the internet you can find an audio of the show. It was a hell of a show since they played almost the full album and each member did a tune or two from their solo...
Nitty Gritty Dirt Band “Will The Circle Be Unbroken-Vol. II”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#588in the Series) is The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, Will The Circle Be Unbroken, Volume II. Will The Circle Be Unbroken Vol II is, obviously, the follow up to the 1971 album. If you’re not familiar with the two, they were a pair of albums released by the Nitty Gritty Dirt Band that featured a roomful of guest stars. The original album gave us names like Roy Acuff, Merle Travis, Vassar Clements etc. Volume II continued the tradition. Some wonderful names are on this release. Here we find, Johnny Cash, Sam Bush, Bruce Hornsby, EmmyLou Harris, Levon Helm, John Denver (Before he made a big splash), John Hiatt, John Prine, Rosanne Cash, Randy Scruggs, Roger...
Sonny Landreth “Outward Bound”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#556 in the Series)is Sonny Landreth, Outward Bound In 1987, John Hiatt released his great Bring the Family album. This was the work that took him from being a guy just known for being a good songwriter, to a known musician and record maker in his own right. Part of the reason that radio found that album to their liking was that it featured some great backing musicians with well-known identities. That project included the likes of Nick Lowe, Jim Keltner and Ry Cooder (who later would all record together again as Little Village). That album was a critical success and did not do badly sales-wise either. What would John do on...
John Hiatt “Dirty Jeans and Mudslide Hymns”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#462 in the Series is John Hiatt, Dirty Jeans and Mudslide Hymns Sometimes it amazes me how long I’ve been listening to music that John Hiatt either wrote for others, or for himself. I think the first time I ever heard something written by John was when I would listen to my Three Dog Night, Hard Labor album back in 1974. He was in good company there, ‘T.D.N.’ always chose some great songwriters, Hoyt Axton, Laura Nyro, Randy Newman etc. I also heard some of his songs when listening to my dear Rosanne Cash albums. Her covers of tunes like “Pink Bedroom” and “The Way We Make a Broken Heart” were two of...
Joe Bonamassa “Dust Bowl”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#431 in the Series) is Joe Bonamassa, Dust Bowl Joe Bonamassa seems to be having a lot of fun these days. He gets to explore his metal head banger side with his dynamic side project Black Country Communion with pals Glen Hughes and Jason Bonham, and is fresh off his excellent 2010 release Black Rock that features a gutsy version of “Spanish Boots”, a surreal reading of Leonard Cohen’s “Bird On a Wire”, and a jubilant rendition of ”Night Life” with his idol B.B. King, and now, in 2011 he gives us Dust Bowl. Upon first blush, this prodigious output rivaled perhaps only by the pre Mandy Moore moved to France Ryan Adams,...
John Hiatt “Slow Turning”
Today’s Cool Album of the Day (#420 in the Series ) is John Hiatt, Slow Turning. Three Dog Night- “Sure As I’m Sitting Here; Rosanne Cash –“This is the Way We Make a Broken Heart “and “Pink Bedroom,” Jeff Healey Band –“Angry Eyes,” Eric Clapton and BB King – “Ridin’ With the King – Nick Lowe and His Cowboy Outfit and Desert Rose Band – ”She Don’t Love Nobody,” Bonnie Raitt –“Think Called Love.” You may know many of these songs. They all did quite well and they were all written by John Hiatt. For years he was known as the guy that put out hits for others but couldn’t quite make that success carry over to his own...
David Bromberg readies New Album with Help from Levon Helm, John Hiatt, Linda Ronstadt and others.
David Bromberg’s new Use Me tickles the ear with a spicy smorgasbord of the many musical ingredients that make up the “Americana” genre. David’s concept for the CD was to ask a wide variety of singer-songwriters and musicians to write (or choose), produce, and perform on songs showcasing his versatility as a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist. Answering his call were some of the greatest talents in contemporary music: Dr. John, spreading New Orleans “fonk”; Los Lobos (with a Mexican-flavored waltz); country music’s Vince Gill and bluegrass’s Tim O’Brien; Linda Ronstadt, making a rare appearance (on a Brook Benton ballad); Levon Helm (playing on two chunks of Woodstock blues and goodtime music), Southern jam band Widespread Panic, contemporary roots singer-songwriter John...
