Cash Alone

You think of Johnny Cash and Country legend comes to mind. Even though he stands both in the Country music hall of fame as well as the Rock and Roll hall of fame. He can do just about anything, a rebel without a cause. Me personally can't compare Cash singing by himself to anything else. His voice alone with the guitar is just stunning. Hank Williams is the same way when it comes to being alone with the guitar. Its more personal and raw. I can just close my eyes and pretend that they are right there playing in the same room. Two of the greatest albums that I have ever picked up were Cash's Personal file and Hank Williams Alone With Guitar. This song Drink To Me With Thine Eyes comes from Cash's Personal file. Its an old song that has been passed down from generation to generation. No one really knows where it came from but it has a sense of romance to it and Cash's voice really does wonders with it. He explains how he first fell in love with it and why its such a special song to him. Its such a personal song for Johnny and you an really tell by the way he sings it.

Cash's Gonna Cut You Down

Today marks the birth of the man in black Johnny Cash. One of the most important figures in music history not only in country where he strived but also in gospel, rock and folk. He will never be forgotten after his life was portrayed in the blockbuster hit movie Walk The Line as it placed his life on screen, revealing his hardships and pain, battling with pills and God. This song was released after his death and to me shows Johnny's talents more than any other video. Its morbid and dark but so is Cash at his best, no wonder he was dubed the man in black. His raspy deep voice only betters with age and it fits this song very well. Gods Gonna Cut You Down was maybe Cash's last testament. His going away card to the world before he himself was cut down. Its the perfect ending to the perfect long career of the man Johnny Cash. Happy Birthday, you are missed.

Townes Earle Lives Up To The Name

I hear alot of new music pass by my ear. Most of it I just push to the side and leave it, its forgettable. Some however I just can't seem to let leave, it sticks to you. Eating away at your brain but in a good way. Its a pleasure for me to listen to such a talent as Justin Townes Earle. He has a sense of old time music. Being the son of Steve Earle how can you not grow up listening to great music and being influenced by the best. His tempo on Mama Said is flawless and the guitar strings just purr like a kitten under his fingers. The song is beautiful and sounds as if it was written in the 50's. Thats what I love about Townes Earle, even though its 60 years later you don't have to sound new. More instruments the better is not the case, just your voice and a simple guitar is all you need and that's the way it should be. Today's music is overproduced and overdone. Keep it raw and uncut Justin, its what will make your fans and your daddy proud.

The Devils Folk Singer

They used to say that blues was the devils music, it turned young men and women into demons. Contorting their bodies in ways you wouldn't usually see, dancing as if dancing to a flame lit by the devil himself. But in my mind music is a way to get out your anger in a non physical way. It releases your feelings all in one ball of speech. You can go down the wrong path or make a better path just the same. Its not music that chooses the path, its yourself. In this documentary The Folk Singer a young aspiring folk singer named Jon aka Possessed By Paul James was riddled by religion and possesed by anger and doubt. About to have a child he embarks on a journey through Louisiana and Texas. Playing small honkey tonks and bars he meets up with other musicians playing the music that they love. Throwing their heart into the crowd every night they drink with the best of them, shoot guns with the best of them, smoke with the best of them but more importantly play with the best of them. Its an uplifting documentary about a young man struggling through the hardships of life in the music industry. The ups and downs on the way and the characters they meet along the way. Folk, Blues and Country are prominent in this movie. Its Americana at its best.

Belly Of Songs

A friend of mine who like me loves finding new music was talking about folk/country artists last night. We were going back and forth with artists that we listen to for years. He told me about an amazing songwriter who would play at his pub every now and then from St. John's named Joe Belly. He praised Belly to no end and i couldn't wait to get back home and check out this guy. When I did he blew me away with his songwriting. Hes what embodies what a songwriter should be. Catchy lyrics under a great tune. The video has an old time feeling, everyone gathering around the kitchen just playing and having fun until the morning comes. I extremely happy that I've been introduced to Joe Belly. This is why I started this blog to introduce people and friends of artists otherwise they wouldn't find out about.

Justin's Tribute To Mama

There are alot of musicians out there that are children of famous musicians. They usually don't make it, living up to a big name isn't the easiest thing to do. There was actually a show on tv a while back that was like a American Idol for musicians kids. They had Dee Sniders son, Joe Walsh's daughter, Eddie Moneys daughter, etc, but none of them really wowed the music industry with their talent. But I just recently discovered a huge talent in the industry's pool. Justin Townes Earle the son of Steve Earle and grandson of Allison Moorer is a talent that just cant be overlooked. At the age of 28 he has already won an AMA award and already has been playing at the Grand Ole Opry. Not being around his dad as a child Justin had a hard childhood, being addicted to hard drugs by the age of 12 and carrying that drug addiction throughout his teens and early 20s. He even toured with his fathers band The Dukes playing keyboards but was fired after his drug addiction affected his performance. Lately though Justin has come off drugs and has a new outlook on life, focusing on songwriting it really has paid off and you can hear it on his new album Harlem River Blues, which got great reviews from critics worldwide. I love the new country/bluegrass/folk outbreak in the past couple years. Bands like Justin, Old Crow Medicine Show, Felice Brothers, etc are releasing great albums one after the other and its a breath of fresh air from today's music that has no soul or meaning, just words thrown into a beat. Songs like Mama's Eyes which Townes wrote about his mother being a huge part of his life and probably the only part of his life since his dad was never around, always touring trying to make a buck. There's heart and soul pouring directly into this song. Its what music needs and I am glad I found it.

Townes Didn't Wait Around To Die

On this date back in 1997 the music world has lost one of its greatest songwriters. John Townes Van Zandt better know as Townes Van Zandt died of a cardiac arrhythmia after falling weeks before down concrete steps at his home and not taking immediate medical attention. Townes later went into the hospital with his ex-wife and friends and had surgery after finding a injury to his leg. After the surgery his ex-wife Jeanene signed him out of the hospital against doctors orders. Townes was extremely irritated after being in extreme pain and being a lifelong alcoholic ordered his wife to get him drink. After drinking a flask of vodka and smoking a joint Townes son Will found him not breathing and looking dead. Townes died 44 years to the day of his idol Hank Williams death who also had a bout with alcohol. I've picked Waiting Around To Die to honor Townes is one of the most powerful songs and videos I've seen. From his beautiful voice eerily foreshadowing his life story to the black man shedding a tear behind him listening to the songs lyrics unfold, touching him in a way no other song has ever done before. Not too many songwriters can sing their own lyrics and bring a man to tears but here Townes did just that. RIP Townes may you never be forgotten.

Merles Cry

I have a soft spot for classic country songs. One of my favorite country singers is the great Merle Haggard. Being in and out of juvenile detention centers throughout his childhood after his father died Haggard lived the life he would write about later. He finally got sent to San Quentin prison in 1957 and ran a gambling ring from his cell. After seeing friends in jail get executed he turned his life around and started writing songs and working on his singing career even playing in the prisons band. After being pardon by Ronald Reagan. He wrote Sing Me Back Home in prison after contemplating life. Its as real as it gets in songwriting and Haggard's nack for songwriting is fully shown here. I enjoyed this song many times over the years and it never gets old. You can feel the pain in his voice and here accompanied by Johnny Cash its a classic combination of two amazing country singers doing what they do best. Feeling their pain through their voice and lyrics.