Patrick Sweany "Pecan Trees"

My brother Mitch has a connection for Turkish pistachio nuts, and he gave me a bag of them when I was in New York last week.  We grew up on those red ones, Zenobia, I think, was the brand name.  Their telltale dye turned everything red; your fingers, your tongue, your lips.  The stain stayed with you the next day at school, too. Somewhere along the way, California pistachios became the rage.  They are in every store these days, but I can’t eat them anymore.  Compared to the Turkish nuts, they have no taste, though they are cosmetically beautiful. As a substitute over these last few years, I have taken a shine to pecans. Sweet one, salty ones, on yogurt, ice cream, cereal, salad, they bring an earthy addition. Pecan Pie for Thanksgiving? Now we're talking.

Patrick Sweany brings today's musical entry, and it is a song that takes you back to the rural.  Leave it to songs to transport you, even to a place you have never been.  The slide, the pacing, the voice, Patrick delivers the languid stillness of a summer day in a small town in the south.  This was filmed last month in Nashville at Marathon Recorders during Americana Fest.  His latest record, That Old Southern Drag, came out in February of this year. It was recorded to two inch tape, old school analog style, in Nashville, TN, which is Patrick's new home. He plays dates next week, and then heads back to Ohio, his native home for a few dates after that. Here is the Music Fog version of “Pecan Trees,” featuring Pat’s signature Deep Blues sound. You can find the original on his latest record.

--Jessie Scott

Robert Ellis "Photographs"

A couple of nights ago, during the Bastrop Wildfire Benefit at Hill Country Barbecue Market in New York, there were many special moments. Chip Taylor sang his immortal song “The Real Thing” to start his set. Shooter Jennings joined him on stage for a duet on a song that Chip had written for his dad, Waylon, called “Sweet Dream Woman.” And they had never met before! Also on the bill were The Defibulators, Grayson Hugh, Laura Cantrell (she joined Chip for "Angel Of The Morning,") and Dallas Wayne, who was the evening’s emcee and auctioneer. His hosting was especially poignant, as he lost his house in the wildfires that blew through Texas in the evil wind of Tropical Storm Lee’s outer wind bands. Thanks to all the sponsors who donated cool stuff for us to auction: 377 Management, Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau, 36D Management, New West Records, The Gram Parsons Foundation, and Luckenbach, Texas. It was a very special night for a really important cause; raising money to help the folks that lost everything in the fires. Dallas Wayne capped off the evening with a set delivered in his superb baritone.

I have a soft spot in my heat for the strains of traditional country, especially delivered by a rich, evocative voice. Robert Ellis is a relative newcomer to the scene, at the tender age of 22, with his debut album The Great Rearranger having come out in 2009. We did some video with Robert this past March, during SXSW® music week, before his latest album Photographs hit the street in July. Music Fog had the opportunity to film him again last month, during the Americana Music Festival, so we jumped on it. He has been wiring up some really interesting tours; the latest being with Dawes and John Doe. Just a little while ago, he did some dates with George Jones and Jamey Johnson. The company you keep, indeed. I love this video, it is pure and true, as is the song, albeit a bit wicked. “Photographs,” from his album of the same name. Robert Ellis solo, from his Music Fog session in Nashville at Marathon Recorders.

- Jessie Scott

The Gourds "Peppermint City"

The Gourds just roll along, a well-oiled machine with effortless playing. I know that the lyrics to this tune are pretty pessimistic, but they are delivered in such a peppy and upbeat way that it creates joy nonetheless. Who cares if you are singing what in essence could be a follow up to Randy Newman’s song, “Mama Told Me Not to Come.” Oh woe is me. Seriously, Kevin Russell could sing the proverbial phonebook; I actually witnessed him singing the specials on the chalk board at Threadgill’s before a performance one day, and yes, he made that fun too. I don’t know the derivation of the song---what prompted Kevin to write it, but we have all been there. “How did I ever get here? And more importantly, how will I ever get out?”

Photo Credit: Joe Ryan

We are so happy that The Gourds, consisting of Kevin Russell, Jimmy Smith, Max Johnston, Claude Bernard, and Keith Langford; multi-talented all, have a new record out called Old Mad Joy, on a legendary imprint no less, that of Vanguard Records. It is a perfect home for them as through the decades, Vanguard has always stood for artistic integrity. When I was growing up, there were a couple of record labels that you would take a chance on an LP purchase, even if you had never heard of the artist. Vanguard was that kind of brand. All this time later they still are.

The Gourds took us for a ride when they came to visit Marathon Recorders for the Music Fog Fall Marathon during Americana Fest. Fasten your seat belt, forthwith, the Music Fog take on “Peppermint City,” the original of which can be found on their new album.

- Jessie Scott

PS: We are happy to tell you to check your local listings this weekend for ACL Presents: Americana Music Festival, featuring highlights from the 2011 Americana Honors & Awards Show at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, Tennessee.