Richard Thompson “1952 Vincent Black Lightning,”

I have a couple of friends who say they can feel it in their bones that 2012 is going to be the best year yet. I have had a great start, hope it has been the same for you. In fact, I am luxuriating in my friends optimism, I am buoyed by it. At church on Christmas evening, the Minister addressed us all, no matter where we were on life’s journey. It is sweet to ponder how the road unwinds; though hill and dale, or Chutes and Ladders-that old and wonderfully wrought childhood game. All I know is that we have been working hard to make Music Fog a destination that encourages music discovery. We love the people we get to work with, and we love the feedback we have been getting. If I haven’t said thanks to you for being there, let me take this opportunity.

Music Fog now has 3 full years and 7 million hits on the Music Fog YouTube Channel…and counting. It took just 68 days from hitting 6 million to make it to 7 million views!! That said, we still haven’t had sessions with everyone we’d like to film. We are bringing you a classic tune today from Richard Thompson, as today marks the reissue of 1982’s Shoot Out The Lights, from Richard and Linda Thompson.That is a good place to start digging into his catalog, for sure. Ah, but I digress, today’s tune was originally recorded on the 1992 Rumor & Sigh album. There are some things that have great intrinsic and iconic value, and the 1952 Vincent Black Lightning just happens to be one of them. Motorcycles, they scream of the freedom of the road, wind in your hair as you ride the rumble. Here is “1952 Vincent Black Lightning,” from the Cambridge Folk Festival in 2006.

-Jessie Scott

Waco Brothers "Walking on Hell's Roof Looking At The Flowers"

I have been cruising the halls of MusicFest at Steamboat Springs, and hitting venues around town, from The Old Town Pub and The Slopeside to the Steamboat Grand to the MusicFest Tent to the Tugboat, and I can tell you that the music is alive and well at this amazing event. I talked to someone at the bar at the Slopeside who said he had come for the last three years, and wouldn't miss it ever again. This music nourishes you, you have to have it, we are like moths to this flame of honest to goodness stuff that touches your soul.

Today the MusicFest stream from the really big tent is:

2:30 to 3:35 Sons of Bill.

6:15 to 7:40 Jonathan Tyler & The Northern Lights.

8:10 to 9:30 Stoney LaRue & The Arsenals.

9:30 to 10:30 The MusicFest Jam. It’s all good. 

There is a feeling of warmth that comes from the bonding that occurs here.  It keeps you wrapped in the arms of each other.  It feels safe. It feels like home. Savor the sweet times, for they are often too short. The Waco Brothers express some positives amongst the chaos, “Walking On Hell’s Roof Looking At The Flowers.” Why not, I say. We had the pleasure of catching up with them at the 2011 Music Fog Marathon at Threadgill’s during SXSW this past March. Their next release will be this spring, The Great Chicago Fire, done in conjunction with Paul Burch. We can hardly wait!

- Jessie Scott

Lake Street Dive "Clear A Space"

It feels a bit weird to be in Steamboat without the Foggers, but here I am. Great to be back in The Boat! And MusicFest at Steamboat is the same as it ever was, a warm gathering of fellow travelers in the snow, in the high altitude, set amidst the beauty of the mountains. I think the friendships made through the years here are what makes this so special, whether artists or fellow attendees. This is my tenth year, and I have been involved in a different kind of tech experience each time. So this year the MusicFest folks decided to stream the shows from the tent, sort of like what I used to do when I was programming X Country, XM 12, only with pictures! Today, there are four sets coming your way, all start time ares Mountain Time, of course:

3:45 to 4:55 Ragweed former members Cody, Jeremy and Rand.

5:20 to 6:40 Casey Donahew Band.

7:10 to 8:30 Roger Creager.

9:00 to 10:30 Reckless Kelly.

And that is just day one of four!

The band Lake Street Dive is heading out west in February.  We were tickled to have made their acquaintance during Americana Fest in Nashville in October. They are from Boston, and that begs the question what is in the water in Back Bay? Such a lovely lilt to so many artists out of their; from Eilen Jewell to Miss Tess, to the prodigious talents of Mike Olson, Rachael Price, Bridget Kearney and Michael Calabrese. Today we bring you an as yet unreleased tune form the Music Fog Fall Marathon at Marathon Recorders, “Clear A Space.”

- Jessie Scott