Lisa Morales "I Don't Want to Hear What You Have to Say"

I admit it, I have been on the hunt for peach ice cream again. I am not sure how robust the crop will be this year, as we haven’t gotten very much rain, but when you pass by the fields where hand written signs beckon you to purchase peaches, it can weigh on your mind, especially in the form of ice cream. Sorry, I don’t mean to plant unwelcome seeds. But cruising the ice cream aisle at H-E-B has not yielded the aforementioned flavor. You have the vanilla, the strawberry, the chocolate, of course, and the Rocky Road and Oreo and Cookie Dough…but where is the peach? And pecans, that’s a Texas thing too, and I am on the hunt for those crispy and salted wonders as well.

The flavors of Texas are definitive and varied in Lisa Morales’ new CD, Beautiful Mistake. After an impressive run with her sister Roberta, as Sisters Morales, Lisa steps out solo. It has been three years since their last record, Talking to the River. And it has been a hard time, as their mother, Gloria, died after a struggle with cancer. Lisa has used the pain, strength and insight to pen this record. She collaborated with longtime friend and bassist, Michael Cornbread Traylor as producer. Guest performers include Walt Wilkins and Dustin Welch, who we recorded at Cherokee Creek, but didn’t list on Monday. My bad!

Here is Lisa from the Music Fog Marathon at Threadgill’s several weeks ago, with a live version of one of the songs on her solo CD. We present ”I Don’t Want To Hear What You Have To Say,” with Cornbread accompanying.

- Jessie Scott

Levon Helm "Ophelia"

In September of 2008, as the kick-off event on the eve of Americana Fest, Levon Helm came to bring his 'Ramble' to the Ryman Auditorium. I am happy to report that I was in the audience for this star-studded and sing-along night, as these are songs that are embedded into our brains. On stage were contributors Buddy Miller, John Hiatt, Sheryl Crow, Sam Bush, and Billy Bob Thornton, alongside the members of the storied Levon Helm Band. The show was made into a PBS special, which you might have seen.

By the way, the nominations for the 2011 Americana Honors & Awards will be announced on Monday, May 23rd in New York City. This year’s 12th Annual Americana Music Festival & Conference will take place from October 12 through the 15th in Nashville, and will once again be a not-to-miss week of music. You can register by clicking here. And as we get closer, showcase wristbands will be for sale too, if you just want to go to the night time shows.

Today Levon Helm’s Ramble At The Ryman comes out on CD/MP3/Vinyl and DVD, so we bring you the track “Ophelia.”

- Jessie Scott

Update on 2011-05-19 03:33 by Music Fog

The Americana Music Association announced today that Levon Helm will donate a portion of the Ramble at the Ryman CD and DVD proceeds to the not for profit trade association. “They are one of the few outfits that supports great music” said Helm, “we gotta help ‘em.” Helm is the first artist to donate the shares of cd and dvd sales to the music association.

Jimmy LaFave "Hideaway Girl"

We have been on site at Cherokee Creek Music Festival, immersed in craft and song.  The music of three days has washed over us, the friends and fun has made for a memorable occasion.  I am thankful for the opportunity to be immersed in music like this.  Good songs.  A good song can be interpreted in lots of ways. A good song takes you there, communicates, coveys, can touch your soul.

In Keith Richards' book Life, which just came out in paperback and which I highly recommend, he talks about music structure.  I appreciate the peek behind the curtain, because it is not just the song, but then the sound, the texture, the way the lyrics lay into the music, Keith even talks about the use of certain syllables working in different situations.  Fascinating.  When I stop to think about it, about music in general, and specifically what moves me, it keeps coming back to a delivery of authenticity. I don't care whether the voice is beautiful or gruff, I do care that it all works together, the song, the message, the delivery system.

Saturday, we captured nine more sessions, from Jess Klein, Patterson Barrett, Jude Johnstone, Chip Dolan, John Fullbright, Malcolm Holcombe, Stonehoney, and Ray Bonneville. We will be bringing you music from these folks soon. A huge thanks to Kelcy Warren, Fred Remmert, Mark Huber, and Ashley Warren for making us welcome at Cherokee once again. And special thanks to Jimmy LaFave. He was so busy running around this weekend, that we didn't get a chance to tape him, so we are bringing you one from a couple of months back. You can feel the passion from Jimmy and band, Jeff Plankenhorn, Glen Schueltz, Chip Dolan, and Bobby Kallus. This is the second version of the song "Hideaway Girl" that we are bringing you. The first was on the Music Fog Bus at Folk Alliance two years ago, and this one is from the Music Fog Marathon in March at Threadgill's. They are both simply a joy.  And we thank you all.

-- Jessie Scott