Ponderosa "Heather"

Every year 'round about this time, I wonder where the summer went. Well, except for this year. Today and tomorrow it will be upwards of 110 degrees in Austin! However, I am forlorn as I contemplate the coming hallmarks of fall, the kids back in school, summer vacations are winding down. And once again this year, I didn’t make it out to Steamboat Springs, Colorado for the biking and hiking and boating in the glorious mountain air. Soon enough the snow will fly and the ground will be covered in a blanket of white. Not long thereafter, the holidays will come, and the new year of 2012 will start with The MusicFest at Steamboat. Here is a head’s up, Tickets Go On Sale Today! Reservations open up at 9am Central Daylight Time.

But now that I have given short shrift to the rest of 2011, allow me to dial it back. Several years ago, I attended an industry music convention in Lake Tahoe. One day, a gaggle of us girls took off to the Ponderosa Ranch, yes the home of the Bonanza TV dynasty. We toured the set, and then we went for a horseback ride though the trails in the mountains. It was a delicious afternoon. And having that memory, every time I see this band’s name, I think back on that moment. Ponderosa. The band’s music takes me other places, too. Through the south, Memphis, Muscle Shoals, down the Mississippi and through the red dirt to Georgia. They bring the Southern Rock back to a new generation. And I like it.

We have an as yet unreleased track for you today called “Heather,” that we recorded during our Music Fog Marathon at Threadgill’s this past spring, a suitable tune for these sultry days. And here are the tour dates to catch Ponderosa live in the American South.

- Jessie Scott

Malcolm Holcombe "Mountains of Home"

Earthquakes are strange things, especially for those who don’t live in an area of the country where they are prevalent. When the ground starts shaking, it is not the first thing that comes to mind. It takes a few moments for it to sink in, and then there is the realization that you can’t escape, and you have no idea when “control” will be returned to you. Do not adjust the horizontal and vertical. This is not a test. The 5.8 trembler epicenter on Tuesday was in Mineral, Virginia, but it was felt in 22 states. And Hurricane Irene is predicted to be coming up the east coast. So this is a reminder to keep food and water in your house, to be prepared for power outages and disruptions in the supply chain. Rice, beans, canned food, soups, nuts, bottled water, and stuff to cook with in case you can’t use your kitchen are important items to have on hand. Don't forget flashlights, battery powered radios, and a family communications plan. Call this a disaster preparedness public service reminder.

Growing up, my parents would downplay any bumps in the road by saying we would get through it all as long as we were together. That always made for comfort in unsettling times. Today’s tune speaks to love being the basis for it all. Malcolm Holcombe is actually a living example of that. He is on much more stable ground for it, and this past February he released his 8th album, To Drink The Rain. We corralled him at the Cherokee Creek Music Festival in May. He came up to the studio we set up in the ranch house and vibrated the frequencies in the room when he performed for the Music Fog cameras. When he left, we all looked at each other in wonder. Here is one of the songs from the album; our version is stripped down and solo, “Mountains Of Home.” Behold.

- Jessie Scott

Catherine MacLellan "Take a Break"

In the last couple of weeks, there have been a few rock radio stations around the country going dark, and reemerging with their format changed to news or sports. It might be a testament to the lack of rock music cutting through the clutter in this day and age. Pop, though creepy and overwrought, is still very prevalent. Elevator music is still happening, Rap and Hip Hop and Country and Classic Hits...over and over again, they all still appear to be doing alright. I find it funny that we are still fixated with music that was made in the 70s, and that it is played every day with the lame clichés that have become such a parody; Rocktober, Twofer Tuesday. It is no wonder that rock stations are going off the air with these tired sobriquets and unimaginative playlists.

Photo Credit: Rob WaymenSo here it is mid-week, and we are enjoined to “Take A Break,” by the beautiful and talented Catherine MacLellan. She has a new album called Silhouette that came out last month in Canada, and will be available in the States on September 13th. It is smooth and soulful, catchy and captivating, exactly as you would expect if you are familiar with her. Music Fog has had the honor of filming her a couple of times, and we bring you a tune from our Music Fog Marathon in March of 2010, filmed at Threadgill's in Austin, Texas. No, it is not from the new album, the song “Take A Break” can be found on her previous work, Water In The Ground. No matter, it is magical. Why, I ask, can’t music like this be played on the radio? Here is Catherine MacLellan with Chris Gauthier. Beautiful.

- Jessie Scott