Patricia Vonne "Joe's Gone Ridin"

I was in DC last week for the Hope for Henry Rocks benefit with Todd Snider. It was bittersweet passing by my old haunt XM Radio at the corner of New York and Florida Avenues. I even saw some of the old workmates at the show; Bob Edwards, Hugh Panero, Gary Hahn. I got to interview Todd on stage for the meet and greet before he started playing, and he brought up visiting XM so early on that hard hats were required in the building, because construction was still taking place. We XM-ers had the opportunity to change the culture, and it was an incredible thing to be part of.

Patricia VonneMy channel, X Country, was dedicated to Americana. Lot's of folks were represented on the playlist, from non-mainstream Nashville cats like Todd Snider, to lots of artists from the Austin scene like Joe Ely, from whom we presented a Music Fog video several days ago. We played today's song on the radio too. Patricia Vonne is the name of the artist and she is striking, beautiful, compelling. I tell you this because she's not actually seen on today's video, but I imagine you get the idea from the featured picture. But the video is an animation, done by Mike Shapiro and Joe Ely is in it, well his picture is anyway! It's from Patricia's second (of four) albums, Guitars & Castanets. And a footnote, she IS appearing along side Robert De Niro in the film Machete, out now.

- Jessie Scott

Randy Weeks & Stonehoney "Transistor Radio"

Transistor radios are such an iconic reminder of times gone by. An earlier era when radio was important. It no longer holds the same magic in these corporatized days. But once upon a time, the radio connected you to your society, to your peers, to your community. It was where you went to become a part of the tribe; when John Lennon, or Elvis died. When music was a common language that was shared by all your classmates. When The Beatles broke, we knew about it because of radio, and when The Beatles broke up, we heard that too.

Transistor radios were the last of the "Made in America" era. They were the beginning of multinational parts being incorporated into an object. The beginning of global commerce. Back in the day, these radios imparted sheer magic, though. They were tucked under our pillows, secreted away after bedtime. The content was too exciting, the music, the DJ talking. I ate it all up, and couldn't wait for the next night as I fought sleep.

We are dancing on the dying embers of mass communication. We are no longer wired together, but wired separately on our iPods. We are starting a new "Tower of Babel" era. Not broadcasting any longer, but narrowcasting, to a party of one. One to one to one. That is why it is so hard for new acts to break through. The apparatus is broken, the platform is gone, and the new one hasn't developed yet. Let us revisit an earlier time with Randy Weeks and special guests Stonehoney.

- Jessie Scott

Chris Scruggs "Change Your Made Up Mind"

We talk of generations, of fortunes acquired and squandered. We talk of what is needed for body and soul to survive, to thrive. In today's topsy turvy world there are no guarantees about anything. On top of the world, and then digging out from the rubble. Our lives benefit from the passed down lore and wisdom, but what if it is interrupted? What happens when we can't fulfill our seeming destiny? Hell, ya gotta walk the path anyway, and somehow, sometimes it all works out the way it was meant to.

Take for instance, Chris Scruggs. Yes, it's that Scruggs family, but Chris didn't know them growing up. He was raised by his mother, the amazing Gail Davies. And so he inherited the talent, and the passion and drive to follow his heart. But not just expression in music, as he just made his acting debut in Country Strong with Gwyneth Paltrow.

Chris brought it to us stripped down, yet with determined power for our showcase at Threadgill's during SXSW 2010 in Austin. Here's "Change Your Made Up Mind," from last year's Anthem CD.

- Jessie Scott