Jason Eady "AM Country Heaven"

It’s been bugging me again lately how many really cool bands I know who are being almost totally ignored by radio. Yes, you have heard this rap before. This time, I have a bit more of a solution. This coming Monday, May 7th, I start doing an afternoon radio show at KDRP in Dripping Springs, TX. You can listen live from anywhere, download the app to your smart phone or tablet, or listen locally at 100.1, 103.1 and 99.1 FM, depending on where you are in the Hill Country of Texas. The absolutely cool thing about it is I am curating my own show, which will air from 2 to 7pm CT Monday through Friday. This week, I have been pulling the music together for the library, and can’t wait to hit the ground running. The new show will be called Southbound with Jessie Scott. For former X Country listeners, this should feel like home.

There are so many artists that I have made the acquaintance of that SO deserve to be heard by a larger audience that I am going to get to play on KDRP. One of them is Jason Eady. I mean truly, the dude has it all. Great pipes, great songwriting ability, great stage presence, and he is a really nice guy to boot. I asked him what he wanted from his career one time, several years back, and he said he just wanted to make music, that he didn’t want to take the slick path to the top by selling out. His new album, AM Country Heaven is a testament to that vow. It is old school country. Nashville just ain’t making music that sounds like this anymore. When he came to visit us for the Spring Music Fog Marathon at Threadgill’s WHQ several weeks ago, he had Cody Canada in tow, which made for a really simpatico set. (Video featuring Cody is forthcoming.) Here is Jason solo from that session, with the title track to AM Country Heaven.

- Jessie Scott

K Phillips & The Concho Pearls "Rambler"

The School Night Sessions, a continuing series which I get to host at Threadgill’s WHQ in Austin, Texas, have been rocking this week. Last night, San Marcos’ Texas Renegade came by for a cool acoustic set with Jeff Whitehead opening for them. The night before, Lincoln Durham brought the stomp blues and wowed the crowd, as he opened for traditional Irish outfit Aidan. And Sunday night, Mike June & The Wilson Street Refugees kicked it out. They are Jersey boys, and they delivered a fine set of roots rock, with Jess Klein on hand for backup vocals. The opening set that night was K Phillips solo. He is such an interesting performer, any configuration you get to see him in is good.

K Phillips & The Concho Pearls' brand new album American Girls was just released, to glowing reviews from the folks at No Depression I might add. Take it from me, if you like your music soulful, with some dark, rich and mysterious overtones thrown in for good measure, this album is worthy of exploration. K brought the band when he came to play for the Music Fog Spring Marathon at Threadgill’s WHQ in Austin this past March, including Stephanie Macias on bass, Daniel Thomas Phipps on guitar, J King on lead guitar, and Drew D'Entremont: playing drums. So let’s rock a while with the Music Fog recording of “Rambler.” (Note: explicit lyrics)

- Jessie Scott

Steep Canyon Rangers "Long Shot"

The mountains are greening up in the spring sunshine, shedding winter’s remnants to greet the verdant season. The Appalachian Mountains were home this long weekend to the 25th annual MerleFest which takes place in Wilkesboro, NC. I have fond memories of visiting this venerable Americana music festival nestled among the hills. It serves to shine a light on the fine music and crafts that have been produced by this often misunderstood area of the country, as it is more often known for its poverty than its rich contributions in art and innovation. Of course you know one of the great joys in my life is to go WIKI diving, and here is a start, and another.

Here is a band that hails from Brevard, NC that keeps the modern bluegrass candle burning bright. The Steep Canyon Rangers have been kicking some serious ass of late. In March 2011, the band collaborated with Steve Martin on the album ”Rare Bird Alert” which debuted at #1 on Billboard’s Bluegrass Chart. Sir Paul McCartney even lent his voice to the song “Best Love.” SCR have been headlining festivals like MerleFest and Bonnaroo alongside Steve Martin, but the Rangers continue to perform alone as a quintet, too, on the stages of Telluride, RockyGrass, and A Prairie Home Companion with Garrison Keillor. The Steep Canyon Rangers were on this year’s stellar roster for MerleFest. Hey, let’s all make plans to attend next year! For those of us who didn’t make it this year, at least we have a video from the new album Nobody Knows You. Here is “Long Shot.”

- Jessie Scott