Sunday Valley "Life Ain't Fair"

Awright, awright; Nashville is a blast, as always. I spent the day behind closed doors on Thursday, but then the night came and I found myself being treated to a rousing performance from the legend Sleepy LaBeef at Douglas Corner. The it was a quick dinner, and a set from The Masterson’s, who are newly signed to New West Records, and have an album coming out in April. They accompanied Eleanor Whitmore Masterson’s sister Bonnie when we filmed them at SXSW last year during the Music Fog Spring Marathon at Threadgill’s. It truly blows my mind how much great new music there is, you just have to dig for it a bit.

We filmed something like 32 artists during Americana Fest in October in Nashville, among them Sunday Valley who were dubbed “Best New Outlaw Band by the Nashville Scene (Best of Nashville 2011.) We concur. It was a blast to have them ‘in the house’ at Marathon Recorders during our Fall Music Fog Marathon. There are a string of Southern dates coming up Here is an as yet unreleased tune from SV called “Life Ain’t Fair.”

-Jessie Scott

Cody Canada & The Departed "Better Get Right"

You know I love being on the road. Usually, I have a day between trips, but I didn’t this time as I left Colorado and flew out directly to Nashville. I am proud to continue to sit on the board of The Americana Music Association, and we have our yearly planning meetings in early January. So here I sit, after a sumptuous dinner at Randy Rayburn’s Sunset Grill. I am staying at a hotel I have never been to before; The Maxwell House…yes, THAT Maxwell House. The brand was named after the hotel in 1892. This is a music themed hotel, and there are glorious Hatch Prints and other memorabilia everywhere you look. The South is such an interweaving of cultures. Of course, I am not in the original building, which burned down on Christmas Day in 1961.

I am, quite frankly, basking in the afterglow of MusicFest at Steamboat Springs. There was quality time with so many people, fun, philosophical, and interesting conversations. It was so good to see The Ragweed reunion (man those songs are burned into my brain), and then a smoking set from The Departed in the ballroom of The Steamboat Grand. I got some hang time with Cody and Seth - that was especially cool. They are taking the Mid-Western route back home, and are playing tonight in North Platte NE. It seems fitting to bring you a gospel infused tune today that Music Fog filmed during last year’s MusicFest. “Better Get Right.” Hell yeah.

-Jessie Scott

Deadman "Take Up Your Mat and Walk"

MusicFest at Steamboat Springs 2012 is now just a memory. It is such a wonderful communal experience, being wrapped in the warmth of each other and this glorious Americana Red Dirt and Texas music. This year, I heard a new slogan; instead of people saying "Happy New Year," they were saying "Happy Steamboat!" It has become its own holiday. There are so many fine people to thank, I'll just get right to it. John and Robin Dickson from Dickson Productions throw the best party ever. Thanks also to Liz, Judy, Amy, and Matt in the office. Kudos to the production coordinator Adam Odor and stage manager Joel Schoepf; Jeff Garbaz' and his video team at Garbaz Video Screens, which is where the MusicFest webcast feed originated. Vince Kapchinski and his crew at Backstage Sound and Lighting. Brian Smith for his unerring ability to get things done. Everyone at Steamboat Resorts was so nice - a huge thanks to them too. It is hard to leave. I say that every year.

Today's tune speaks of faith and of healing. It comes from the Austin group Deadman, with a reference, of course, to John 5:8. We filmed Deadman during our Music Fog Spring Marathon last year at Threadgill's. They are one happening band, let me tell you. The band toured in Europe again, and there were two releases, Live at The Saxon Pub and Take Up Your Mat and Walk. The latter hasn't been released in the States yet, but Deadman is working on making that so. The band will be heading to Germany in February and then revisiting Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Germany and more in late April. Here with, the Music Fog version of "Take Up Your Mat and Walk." Sure is good for what ails you!

-Jessie Scott