Will Hoge "Favorite Waste of Time"

There are surprises in this life, unpredictable moments where something catches fire, has a life beyond what you expect. Will Hoge holds the number three most viewed video on Music Fog with the song "Even If It Breaks Your Heart." I for one, didn't see that coming, although he is totally worthy of it! BTW, James McMurtry is number one with "Choctaw Bingo," but I expected that, hell, we ALL expected that. Number two is Eilen Jewell's "Sea of Tears." We filmed Will in a back green room at The 8X10 in Baltimore, and it was one of those trips where the Music Foggers showed up, and proceeded to be blown away. They walked out saying Will could be the new Springsteen. And yes, he could! He is everyday, he is eternal, he rocks.

Will has a new EP, at last! This comes off the heels of the horrible accident he suffered in Nashville, being knocked off his scooter, and months of healing and rehab were necessary. The album he was working on at the time came out as The Wreckage. We bring you his brand new video for “Favorite Waste of Time” to celebrate the release of his acoustic EP The Living Room Sessions, a six-song mini-album recorded in just two days in his living room. It features stripped-down versions of essential songs, including  "Favorite Waste of Time" which was originally on his studio album The Wreckage. This video spotlights that electric version, and is included as a bonus on the digital download version of the EP.

Will is forever on the road, and you can catch up with him somewhere soon, just check his website for all the dates. Or visit his Facebook page and enter the "Favorite Waste of Time Contest," through November 15th, for a chance to have Will and the band come to your home and waste time with you! Oh yeah, and play this loud!

- Jessie Scott

Jon Langford "1234Ever"

Artwork by Jon LangfordJon Langford is a Renaissance Man for the 21st Century. His music stints, starting with punk and moving through the Alt. Country landscape, and his other creative endeavors lead us to the obvious, that ONE THING can't contain his energy and his vision. His art is a thing of glory and is on display at Yard Dog in Austin. He has created iconic visual images of Hank, Johnny and Elvis, among others in his prolific portfolio. His paintings appear on bottles and other items for the Dogfish Head Craft Brewery. We have a bit of it for you here, too, as he crafted the poster for the three-day Americana Live In New York event which kicks off tonight! Join us if you are in the NYC area at Rodeo Bar for sets from Bill Kirchen, Jim Campilongo, and Jack Grace! And then tomorrow and Friday at Hill Country!

Jon Langford, a Welshman who now calls Chicago home, works with different groups for the different flavors needed to satisfy his soul: The Three Johns, The Mekons, Pine Valley Cosmonauts, Waco Brothers, Wee Hairy Beasties, not to mention under his own name. He has written a book, is a regular contributor to the radio show This American Life and is a father figure to many next gen Chicago musicians. His multimedia music/spoken-word/video performance, The Executioner's Last Songs, premiered in 2005. He also illustrated the comic strip Great Pop Things under the pseudonym Chuck Death. Since 2005 he has been one of the hosts of a weekly radio program, The Eclectic Company, broadcast on WXRT in Chicago. In early 2009, the Walkabout Theater Company in Chicago premiered a stage adaptation of Jon's Goldbrick, featuring a live band, two actors and video projections. At the end of last year The House Theatre of Chicago staged a production written by rock journalist Mark Guarino and based on Langford's art and his 2004 solo album All the Fame of Lofty Deeds. I am wondering if he ever sleeps, because here it is 2010, and there is a new CD out! It is called Old Devils, and from it we bring you "1234 Ever," with Jim Elkington on guitar, videotaped during our Music Fog sessions at the Sheraton in Nashville during Americana Fest last month.

- Jessie Scott

Darrell Scott "A Crooked Road"

Darrell Scott is a performer whose talents are of mythic proportions. He writes, he sings, he plays, and it is all effortless, seamless and touched by the divine. He is a revelation. He is one of those rare people that can be totally entertaining all by himself. But now there is a band, too, and what a band it is. When I heard that Darrell was going to join Robert Plant's Band of Joy, I jumped for joy. He takes his place with the other giants in that aggregation, right beside Robert Plant, Buddy Miller, Patty Griffin, Byron House, and Marco Giovino. We got a chance to see the band perform for The Ryman Auditorium audience after the Americana Honors & Awards in Nashville. They did a smoldering set (not for broadcast) after the awards show, ya had to have been there! The tour has gone to Europe, tonight they are in Edinburgh. The question I have is how Plant got wind of Darrell, and how much fun it must be playing with this level of artistry. I wish now I had asked Darrell when he came to see us during Americana Fest.

Kentucky born, East Gary, Indiana bred, with some California thrown in for good measure; Darrell grew up playing with his brothers and father, Wayne, in their family band. He made pit stops in Toronto and Boston, earning a degree in poetry from Tufts University before he made his way to Nashville in 1992. He was initially welcomed for his instrumental prowess. His songwriting was embraced next, with his work being covered by Garth Brooks, Faith Hill, Dixie Chicks, Alan Jackson, Sam Bush, and Guy Clark, who was his mentor. His latest CD is called A Crooked Road, and it is his 6th studio album of the 9 CDs in his discography. His lyrics are simple, and quite perfect on this song, the title track, "A Crooked Road." We were totally honored to have him, and blessed by this tune.

- Jessie Scott