Six Mile Grove "Steel Mule"

I think one of the most perplexing things to deal with right now, is the absolute inability for anyone on the planet to possibly keep up with all the music that is being put out. Recorded music is veritably exploding. Mind you, some people do it because it is self satisfying. Others have stars in their eyes, and will do anything it takes to get there. Still others crave the chase of artistry that they would want to define them at the end of the day. So it amazes me, when I read up on particular bands, that they have been at it for a long time, and have multiple albums out. Such is the case with Six Mile Grove.

They call Lyle, Minnesota home...for generations. They revere the land, family, and love and creation. The band was founded in 1997 by brothers Brandon and Brian Sampson, along with Barry Nelson and Dezi Wallace. Steel Mule, their latest, is their sixth album. The band has spent the last three years honing the crafts of storytelling and songwriting as members of the Americana Music Association, and attending the annual Americana Music Festival & Conference in Nashville, Tennessee. Not long after their first AMA conference, SMG began hosting "Americana Showcases" in southeastern Minnesota, which attracts musicians from across the state and even the rest of the country into smaller communities that aren’t usually on the radar of larger musical acts.

Videographer David Dennison, from Delano, Minnesota, spent two days in Lyle during the harvest, and created this marvelous portrait of life there. It includes Brandon Sampson's 87-year old grandfather who is still an active farmer, and waves of golden grain from the heartland.

- Jessie Scott

Amy Speace "Ghost"

She is a rare bird, with exotic plumage, and a bell-like tone to her exquisite and expressive voice. Amy Speace has three albums under her belt, plus an EP called Into the New: Alternates, Leftovers, & Orphans, that she put out at the beginning of the year. When we were in Nashville this September, Music Fog wound up with some time in the schedule, so we summoned her. I believe we actually had the audacity to call her at 8am, but she is the kind of artist who you can wake early, and won't be surly when you do. She even called her band mates to roust them, too! Alas, festival life means burning the candle at both ends!

Amy has a new tour and project, because, after all, you have to keep things interesting. It is called Decembersongs, and the idea for it was hatched back in February at Folk Alliance, in Memphis, following each artist's separate showcase. Amy thought bringing these voices and personalities together would be, as she says, "extraordinary." The equally intrepid artists are: Dan Navarro, Sally Barris, and Jon Vezner. They will hit the road for eleven shows, criss crossing the regions of the country, for a Christmas Tour. The group plans to play in-the-round, with mostly original holiday songs being performed. And of course, the Decembersongs EP will be available. All the cool kids are doing it!

Sorry to keep the drum pounding on the Christmas stuff, when we haven't even had our turkey yet. But at least it is after Halloween. Ah, but now that I think of it, maybe we should have brought you this song during that holiday! It's called "Ghost," and it will be found on Amy's next CD, which she recently finished recording. It's called Land Like a Bird, and we hear it will be out at the end of March. Here is Amy, who couldn't quite rouse the band during the early morning hours, at Americana Fest in Nashville. We'll take it any way she wants to bring it!

- Jessie Scott

Update on 2010-11-18 14:14 by Music Fog

Amy just announced that you can download two songs free, from her upcoming album, via her website. One of the songs is "Ghost," featured in this article, and the other is "It's Too Late to Call it a Night." Click here.

Fistful of Mercy "Father's Son"

It's Supergroup time! Fistful of Mercy named themselves after a song they wrote in their initial sessions. Joseph Arthur, Ben Harper and Dhani Harrison have teamed up together, and oh the wattage they bring! Their debut album, As I Call You Down, came out just over a month ago on Harrison's Hot Records, which was founded by his father, George Harrison. And they are hot indeed, just coming off visits to Conan's new show, Jimmy Fallon, and CNN.

Dhani and Ben met skateboarding in Southern California. Then they bumped into one another again at Lollapalooza, while Ben and Joseph had already made plans to go into the studio together. Now they were three. They ended up writing and recording nine songs over the course of three jam packed days at the Carriage House in Los Angeles, that was to become the CD. Acoustic and featuring three-part harmony; they bring soul, pop, blues, and folk together. Dhani compared the trio's process to his father's collaboration in The Traveling Wilbury's. And then a couple of other folks were brought in on the back end of the recording, Jim Keltner for percussion overdubs, and violinist Jessy Greene. Fistful of Mercy are bringing it on the road, too! Consider yourself lucky if you are able to catch them in their early incarnation!

Got the bluesy "Father's Son" for you, and yeah...it's fun! And so ironic that the blues can be so cathartic!

- Jessie Scott