Sarah Lee Guthrie & Johnny Irion "Bright Examples"

In a lot of ways, I look at Neil Young’s career as inspired by the little engine that could. In his loud periods and in his gentle ones, he has continued to feed his head and his art, seeming not to waiver from the path of the muse over the decades. And he has brought so many good things to the world via his activism, The Bridge School, and Farm Aid, so it is an awesome thing to see him being honored as well. He just picked up his second GRAMMY® a couple of weeks ago for Best Rock Song, “Angry World.” A few nights before the GRAMMYs, voices were raised joyously in a tribute to Neil at Carnegie Hall in New York, a concert that raised money for music education, though Neil himself was not on hand for the show. In October, at The Bridge School benefit, seminal band Buffalo Springfield reunited after 42 years, and tongues began wagging, clamoring for a tour. We are waiting for those details to be announced, but Buffalo Springfield will be playing Bonnaroo.

Neil Young’s music has influenced countless others in the generations that have come after. I hear his DNA embedded in the new album out today from Sarah Lee Guthrie and Johnny Irion. They carry other legacy genes, as she is Arlo’s daughter and Woody’s granddaughter. The new CD, Bright Examples, has been culled from 50 songs written over the last 5 years. Sarah Lee remarks that it has taken them in a dreamy, psychedelic direction (have you noticed that psychedelic is a buzz word again?) It is hard to believe it is just their second full length album, as the follow up to 2005’s Exploration. That is not to say that they haven’t had oodles of other projects to keep them hopping!

There are a string of tour dates ahead, including an album release party tonight at LA’s famed Hotel Cafe. Here is the title track from the new one, ”Bright Examples.”

- Jessie Scott

Micky Braun "Never Been Out West"

It’s Presidents Day, whatever that means. Well I know the banks are closed and there is no mail delivery, but really, has it just become an opportunity for white sales, car sales, who knows what other kind of sales? The holiday was originally George Washington’s Birthday, designated in 1880 by an Act of Congress to honor the father of our country. It was celebrated on his actual birthday, which is tomorrow, 2/22. In 1971, the date was shifted in the Uniform Monday Holiday Act, which yielded some three-day weekends. It actually makes it impossible for it ever to fall on GW’s birthday, but who is counting. And actually, the holiday is still called Washington’s Birthday, even though it is never on that day. In some states, Lincoln’s Birthday is still celebrated as a stand alone, on February 12th. In any case, we hope you have today off, and are enjoying a three day weekend, yourself, and that maybe even you are pondering the march of democracy, the history of our country.

Civilization spread relentlessly across this continent. When I think about Muzzie Braun raising the Braun sons in remote Idaho, I am awed by what it must have been like, especially as they were so self-sufficient . Two weeks ago, I toured through that spectacular Rockies landscape; Montana, Idaho, and Wyoming. Today’s tune is a brand new song from Micky Braun that we recorded in Colorado during last month's MusicFest at Steamboat. We expect to find it on the upcoming album, which Micky & The Motorcars will be recording in March and April. Ooh, there is a gig coming up with Micky and company, Reckless Kelly and dad Muzzie, doing a day at Luckenbach on March 12th, as Spring Break with The Braun Family. And Stonehoney will be playing a free show there earlier in the day...so you can make a day and night of it! That sounds like fun! Here is the first-ever recording of “Never Been Out West.”

- Jessie Scott

North Mississippi Allstars "The Meeting"

Sunday morning represents the waning moments of the 2011 Folk Alliance International Conference, I have been monitoring friends posts on Facebook, and honestly, it's so hard not to have been there! Sounds like everyone had a great time. And what could be bad? Memphis, Tennessee is just north of Mississippi, and of course, all over the south music holds steady. The legacy informs the present day, and breeds joy. Plus, Memphis is such a welcoming city; the hotel folks are incredibly accommodating, the restaurants are there to please. There is an ease to the place, it's as if the 'feel-good' blows in the breeze off the river, in the spring time, anyway. The temperature has been in the 60s there this week. Ahhh, it has been such a hard winter, could the season be turning the corner?

The North Mississippi Allstars have delivered a remarkable album in homage to their dad. It's called Keys to the Kingdom - A Tribute to Jim Dickinson, with special guests: Ry Cooder, Spooner Oldham, Mavis Staples, Alvin Youngblood Hart, Gordie Johnson, and Jack Ashford. Dickinson brothers Luther and Cody along with Chris Chew dug down deep for these songs. It helped heal them from the loss of the larger-than-life presence that Jim Dickinson was. There is a very cool two part video on the making of the album.

Today's music video is the song, "The Meeting," with Mavis Staples joining in. BTW, congrats to Mavis for the Americana GRAMMY® win last week!

- Jessie Scott