Ron Sexmith "Former Glory"

Have you ever closed a chapter of your life and been unwilling to revisit it, to stir up the ghosts of it, to let the passions rise in your throat again? It can be so painful to shut the doors, especially when you don’t know if they will ever be opened again. Whether that’s a love, or a career, or a new city. It can be mighty hard to move on to the next thing, as sometimes we fear that it won’t ever be as good again. Don’t settle, life is too short. Live each day, strive for what you want. Be happy, be productive, be open.

Been reading about Ron Sexsmith this morning. He grew up in Canada, in a working class town. Through will and talent, he got a publishing deal on Interscope Records in 1989, that led to eleven albums. His most recent, Long Player Late Bloomer, came out this year. It was produced by Bob Rock of Metallica fame. I know, that does seem odd for the kind of music that Ron creates, but it is a good pairing. Ron Sexsmith writes with an unerring simplicity. He has this uncanny ability to get to the heart of the vibe, and in a gentle treatment he brings forth the truth. This song, “Former Glory,” is a  soother for the soul, for we know that troubled times do pass. Things do get back to normal, and new chapters are written in life. This song is from the 2002 collection Cobblestone Runway. Here is a live Music Fog Marathon performance from Threadgill’s WHQ in Austin, TX back in March, Ron Sexsmith with “Former Glory.”

-Jessie Scott

Somebody's Darling "Been Better"

It’s like someone waved a magic wand, or the weather was looking at the unofficial end of summer. Labor Day weekend, and it magically cued the thermometer to drop. Mind you, it’s still in the 90s, but it's not triple digits. It really is cool at night, which is cause for joy. We have been in the grips of a stifling hot season, with a record breaking 80 days over 100 here in Austin. Could normalcy return, might the fires stop, will it ever rain again? It is one step at a time, though, and the spell is broken. There has always been something invigorating about the autumn. It feels like the beginning of the year. It is a time to redouble one’s energy, commit to new initiatives - back to school, back to work - and tuck in for the duration.

Somebody’s Darling visited us during our Americana Fest taping last year in Nashville. I think lead singer Amber Farris is aptly named, as her voice has that rich honeyed quality. She simply wails, and the band does as well - makes this an appropriate song to celebrate the changing of the season. “Been Better” is the track, and you can find it on the self-titled Somebody’s Darling CD that came out in February. Amber, along with band mates David Ponder, Nate Wedan, and Mike Talley came to our studio at the Nashville Sheraton and tore a hole in our souls with their performance for the Music Fog cameras. For a good time, you gotta see this band! Your next chance is in College Station, TX on Saturday.

-Jessie Scott

Reluctant Saints "Song To Remember"

I used to hang out in Atlanta from time to time, starting back in 1975. I fondly remember fried chicken and mint juleps served in pewter at Pittypat’s Porch. In the 90’s I found myself at Music Midtown every year  (several in a row) attending that wonderful inner city music festival, in a virtual canyon created by the surrounding skyscrapers. It is back after a five year hiatus as a one-day festival on Saturday, September 24th. There is always that wonderful sense of discovery, taking stock of the nooks and cranny’s that make a city unique. From Five Points, to the rich history of Underground Atlanta, to Buckhead, to the tony suburbs; the South does indeed rise again in Atlanta. Writing about it makes me want to visit soon. Abbey from Luckenbach and I have made a pact to start traveling to far flung cities for long weekends. Eating the food, seeing the sights, exploring the culture, and hearing the music of course. Reports will follow, I promise.

Reluctant Saints are an Atlanta-based band keeping the Southern Rock tradition alive. Their debut CD Long Drive, came out in July. The band is anchored by two brothers, Mark and Brian Cameron (Wilson). Each was a well-known Atlanta musician, but they hadn’t played in the same band for several years. Brian was injured in 2007 in a near fatal motorcycle accident, he recovered and was learning to walk again, when the brothers decided to begin making music together once again. It took three years more to put the band together - they emerged in 2010. I am loving the resurgence of the Southern Rock movement, long may it wave. Here are Reluctant Saints with “Song To Remember,” joyous and exuberant, a new band with an old sound.

-Jessie Scott