Reckless Kelly "I Never Liked St. Valentine"

It is cold! I am under the blankets with my boots on, swaddled in sweatshirts. Winter - it is an acquired taste. We were just in the Rocky Mountains a couple of weeks ago, but you EXPECT it to be cold there. It is chilly in Texas as I write this. I am having to drip the faucets tonight to keep the pipes from freezing. It is just wrong. As I am from the Northeast, I have no right to complain. But I do wonder if it is an old wives' tale that our blood thins out upon moving south?

I should ask Idahoans Cody and Willy Braun of Reckless Kelly for the definitive answer to that question. Not that they are old wives, but because Idaho is massively cold, and they never seem to complain about the weather in Austin. Last time I saw them, they were preparing to be 'roasted' (now that's an interesting way to stay warm) during MusicFest at Steamboat. We hear it was brutal, tongue firmly planted in cheek but with love, sort of, you know how those thing are. Earlier that evening, we wrested Cody and Willy away from serving a lasagna dinner to a roomful of guests to record a few songs for our cameras.

During MusicFest I was reminded of a really cool event that Reckless Kelly is headlining in early June, Fest Out West in Lajitas, TX with Cody Canada & The Departed, Wade Bowen & Randy Rogers, Micky & The Motorcars, Butch Hancock, The Trishas, John Evans, and Hayes Carll. What a great lineup! Get in on it early, because it will sell out! The other event I wanted to shine a light on is Reckless Kelly's 3rd Annual Celebrity Softball Jam, which happens on May 1st at Dell Diamond in Round Rock, TX. I went last year and it was a blast of a day, from the game, which left multiple people sore from playing, to the wonderful array of artists that played afterwards.

Back at Steamboat now, we were honored to once again have Cody and Willy stop by for a 2011 MusicFest appearance in the Music Fog studio at the Steamboat Grand. Since Valentine's Day is just a couple of weks away, we'll lead things off with an unreleased tune they recorded with us, written by Willy Braun and Todd Snider, "I Never Liked St. Valentine."

- Jessie Scott

Amos Lee "Windows Are Rolled Down"

Hallelujah, the genre lines are being blurred with so many artists adding rootsy instruments to their sound. They dance dangerously close to 'country,' which had been considered a dirty word in some parts. In fact, there has been a decades old clash between rock and country listeners, a chasm bridged here in Austin by Willie Nelson back in the Armadillo days as he united the hippies and the rednecks. But the fight was deep seated, and the sides continue deep in their respective corners to this day. At WMMO Orlando, in the late 90s, I was playing a Delaney and Bonnie tune one afternoon, it was "Never Ending Song Of Love" I believe, and some irate listener actually called me up to demand I take that "country sh*t" off the air immediately. Not to make it a survey of one, but Americana exists in part thanks to that "too country for rock, and too rock for country" axiom. For whatever reason, so many artists are picking up on the blending now. I think it has a lot to do with removing the shackles, and allowing these creative folks to explore whatever sounds are interesting to them at this moment, or the next moment, for that matter.

Amos Lee has embraced the flavor on his brand new CD Mission Bell, which is out today. Heretofore, his music has embraced folk, soul and incorporated jazz flavor into the mix. And now there is that hint of twang on this, his fourth CD. It was produced by Joey Burns, from the band Calexico, which also provides back-up band services on this set. There are the contributions of a remarkable guest list, as well, including Willie Nelson, Lucinda Williams, Sam Beam (Iron & Wine), James Gadson, Priscilla Ahn, and Pieta Brown. Amos took his time on this one, allowing a year and a half to write the songs and then let them steep. He feels good about that as he notes the last two projects were somewhat rushed for his being on the road. We bring you a solo performance video of the lead track "Windows Are Rolled Down," from our friends at Farm Aid, on their 25 Anniversary show from this past September.

- Jessie Scott

Sean McConnell "The Other Side"

Some things are just meant to be. Sean McConnell was paying attention when his parents were playing the folk clubs around the Boston area, as he was growing up. When they up and moved to Atlanta, he found his father's guitar, as a means to heal from being separated from the people he loved and left behind. By college time, he had two indie albums, and a buzz growing around Atlanta. The move to Middle Tennessee State University, which by the way has a mighty fine music program, was a fortuitous next step. Close to Nashville, but just out of reach enough to actually focus on one's studies. Sean made the most of it. In his sophomore year, he started touring the country, and then signed a coveted publishing deal. His songs have since been recorded by Tim McGraw, Brad Paisley and lots of others. But we are just interested in Sean singing himself. He of the soaring voice and beautiful pacing, can make notes hang in mid air, can make them ache.

There was something going around at Steamboat this year. If truth be told, there is something going around everywhere, every year. Sean was in bed for a couple of days, and we were heartsick that we weren't going to be able to meet up with him. Then the proverbial skies cleared, and he was in our studio, bringing that unmistakable warmth. The song "The Other Side" comes from Sean's 2010 CD Saints, Thieves, and Liars. This is how it is done.

- Jessie Scott