Stonehoney "Tear It Down"

The show was fun Tuesday night at Rodeo Bar in New York City. [Editor's note: Jessie is on the road with Walt Wilkins & the Mystiqueros this week.] Thanks to Jack Grace for making it happen! Met a lot of nice folks and sang along to every song. Ah, a good day all in all. Everyday I get to hang with friends who are also marvelous musicians, it is fine indeed. And I love going to amazing cities and seeing family and friends, too. Chinatown is always on the list when I am in NYC, and so my brother Mitch and I hit 17 Mott Street, Wo Hop, for a bowl of their legendary wonton soup, and some clams with black bean sauce. There is nothing like a fermented legume!

At the end of the day, it is about sharing the love. Food, music, companionship. Blowing off steam, being in the moment. Whether you get to do those all the time, occasionally, or just for special occasions, it enriches your life. Not only do we believe in the artists' music that you see here at Music Fog, we like hanging out with them too. That is significant. Let me explain. When I started doing radio it was rock, and there was a line drawn in the sand between artists and DJ's...as if they wouldn't give us the time of day. When I started doing country radio, I noticed a change immediately! We, and even the fans, were much more considered to be part of the family. I liked that. Americana follows in those footsteps. Fun folks, and less 'tudes makes for a wonderful community. And so we come to Stonehoney. We just can't get enough. Nice guys, real guys, talented guys. We have been following them around the country, so here's one from the Thompson's loft during WoodyFest in Okemah, Oklahoma last month. Stonehoney's new CD is named after Cedar Creek Recording, where it was produced, but "Tear It Down" is a MF bonus that you won't find on the album, The Cedar Creek Sessions. And yes, their tour continues with North East dates that will wind them into the south in September. See the tour section of their website for all the dates!

- Jessie Scott

Sam Baker "Mennonite"

I am a city girl, having grown up in the New York suburbs. I spent my earliest years feeling the radiated power of that force field. It called to me, and when I was in my early teens, I started answering its call and exploring it. Yes, there was good, and there was evil. I know. Parents don't want their children exposed to all that too early, but so it was. In the grand scheme, cities represent democracy at work for me. They are mutually dependent situations, but in a good way, as we are all in this life together. Not that I don't love all else; the country, the mountains, the beaches; it all has fascination. Monday morning, I woke up in The Mansion on O in Washington DC, after a lovely evening of music and friends in an intimate space with Walt Wilkins and The Mystiqueros. Lunch was at an actual DC lunch counter. Old school. C.F. Folks, where it was New Orleans day, as every weekday has a culinary theme. They are only open midday. No breakfast, no dinner - just lunch, glorious lunch! Zagat rated, I might add. Cheap and hearty eats. That they can make a living with only one meal, and weekdays only, is a thing of wonder. I love inner cities. The culture, the wash of people, the co-existence. Cities are like living breathing organisms, humming along in balance when they are healthy. There are so many that are not however, but that is for another day.

We bring you a tale today about the boy meeting the lures of the big city from Sam Baker and Tim Lorsch, who we filmed on-stage at the Sheridan Opera House during their performance at the Telluride Americana Weekend last month. A joy to be in this former mining town, now seemingly festival headquarters, with rustic charm and the grandeur of being nestled in the mountains. It was a wonderful weekend of song! Not to mention that Sam Baker was cracking us up in between his musical interludes with funny stories and observations, self effacing flights of fancy, all delivered as a stream of consciousness. The songs, however, are a different story, as they look closely at life. Here are Sam and Tim with "Mennonite."

- Jessie Scott

Truth & Salvage Co. "Heart Like A Wheel"

"On the road again..." - "Just a hippie gypsy..." - "Roll on down the highway." Lyrics that have all been burned into our synapses. The life of the troubadour has always been anchored in moving, in perpetual motion. It has been a while since we caught up with Truth & Salvage Co. "I've Been Everywhere..." They are heading out starting September 1st for the second leg their U.S. tour, behind their recently released self-titled debut album. You might have seen them on the first go-round, a coast-to-coast summer trek that included festival performances at Bonnaroo, Stagecoach, High Sierra Music, and headlining club shows. Oh yeah, they also did opening sets for The Avett Brothers and The Black Crowes.

Truth & Salvage Co.'s debut project was produced by Chris Robinson and was released on The Black Crowes' label, Silver Arrow/Megaforce. It debuted on the Billboard Heatseeker Chart the week it came out, drawing comparisons to classic artists such as The Band, The Eagles and The Flying Burrito Brothers. T&SC also made headlines for the track "Old Piano,” which was co-written with Katy Perry and the bizarre and unwarranted arrest of vocalist/songwriter Tim Jones for trespassing in his own hotel room in Visalia, CA.

Schmitty CamTruth & Salvage Co. features four distinct songwriters and vocalists Bill "Smitty" Smith, Scott Kinnebrew, Tim Jones, and Walker Young, weaving four-part harmonies into soulful ballads and rousing country rock. We filmed them at the Gibson Guitar showroom in Washington DC, whereupon the Foggers named the third camera "Schmitty Cam" as it was dedicated to capturing the movement of Bill "Smitty" Smith on drums during its maiden recording. Never fear, we have two other cameras, so all the other guys are here too: Scott Kinnebrew on acoustic guitar, Tim Jones on electric guitar, Walker Young on accordion, Joe Edel on bass and Adam Grace on keys. Here is the sweet "Heart Like A Wheel."

- Jessie Scott