Mike Farris "The Night the Cumberland Came Alive"

When I think about the power of Mike Farris, I am reminded of the line in the song "Late In The Evening" from Paul Simon...'and I blew that room away.' Because that is just what Mike does. Solo, band, revue, old, new, it really doesn't matter, because it's ALL good, and I mean it! Whether you want to talk about his days with the Screamin' Cheetah Wheelies, or his solo career, or his recent appearance backing Patty Griffin on Austin City Limits, or his time with the Vaughan Brothers and Double Trouble, they are all things to savor. You can even celebrate that last occurrence if you are in Nashville this weekend, as on March 31st 3rd and Lindsley is doing the Stevie Ray Vaughan 20 Years Double Trouble Reunion, featuring Reese Wynans, Tommy Shannon, and Chris Layton with Kenny Greenberg, Jack Pearson, Mike Henderson, Pat Buchanan, Gary Nicholson, Tom Britt, Ashley Cleveland, Jonell Mosser, Bart Walker, and of course Mike Farris will be there. It will be a star studded, talent soaked and incredibly touching evening, I am sure.

Photo Credit: Ed RodeMike put out an EP in the fall, and it was dedicated to the Nashville flood victims. The Night the Cumberland Came Alive EP (also known as The Rose Memorial Flood Relief EP) features stellar contributions from Ketch Secor, Kenny Vaughan, Sam Bush, Byron House, and the McCrary Sisters. Mike recorded a solo version with us back in September at the Americana Music Festival & Conference in Nashville. "The Night The Cumberland Came Alive" is still raising money for the folks in Nashville rebuilding their lives. Here is the Music Fog version.

- Jessie Scott

John Martyn "May You Never"

Kinda freaking out, I am, and if you are reading this, then all is well. I had surgery on Friday, and I am writing this the night before. It is very stressful to know I am going under the knife. I don't know how long it will take to heal. I am not sure how much pain I will be in, and for how long. But I am one of the lucky ones, as I still have health insurance. I feel especially bad for those that don't. To be in pain and wondering how you will be able to maneuver is incomprehensible in this richest of countries. I had to wait it out until after SXSW® was over, because that would have been an endurance test beyond belief. BTW, We are going to start rolling out our videos from the Music Fog Marathon in a couple of days, in no particular order. Of course, we do hope you enjoyed our experiment in streaming the sets from Threadgill's WHQ in Austin, too. And again thanks to Neustar, our sponsor! We are blessed to have captured so much cool stuff, and can't wait to bring it to you.

Speaking of cool stuff, here is one of my favorite songs, from one of my favorite artists, from one of my top ten favorite records of all time. It is the late great John Martyn from the Solid Air album, with "May You Never."

- Jessie Scott

Phil Lee "Let Your Mind Roll On"

Last Sunday was supposed to be a day of rest after the slow burning nitro insanity of the Music Fog Marathon. After a sumptuous brunch at La Reyna on South 1st Street, whereupon the Foggers all indulged in Mexican bounty, we then parted, all scattering to the winds and the four corners of the earth. My brother Mitch and I intended to go to San Antonio for the day. BTW that is ‘SA’ for the uninitiated in the initials we assign to Texas locales; There is also ‘NB,’ ‘SM’ and ‘ATX.’ But I digress. Mitch wanted to do some shopping, so we hit the outdoor market for some tasty tie dyed items on South Congress Avenue, where food carts also reign supreme, though we weren’t even hungry for a cupcake, let along the other offerings. And because there were still plenty of things going on in the music department, we crafted a plan, and wound up seeing Jon Dee Graham, Dustin Welch, and Susan Cowsill at Olivia. That led to the G&S Lounge for Mitch Jacobs, Freddie Steady Krc, and who should waft over our way but Tom Mason.

Where there’s Tom, sometimes there is Phil Lee. He emerged from his vehicle resplendent in black from head to toe, announcing that his clothing had been created by Leprechauns. He was as effervescent as ever; a total character, funny, irreverent…aw, you know Phil. So today, we bring you the Mighty King of Love, along with master accompanist Tom Mason, taped a year ago at Folk Alliance in Memphis. “Let Your Mind Roll On” is the song Phil claims he wrote in the hotel elevator on the way to the Music Fog bus.

-Jessie Scott