Abandon Jalopy "All The Way"

Here's to the weekend. I hope you're done with your work for a couple of days, and can catch your breath and relax. Do something fun: a carnival, the beach, some music, a drive to the country, a walk with your family, your friends, your love.

So crazy, the lives we live. It has been very busy in Fogland this week, as you know, and I am happy to close the laptop for a little while. The schedule for the Music Fog Marathon is just about done, and preparations are underway for our travels and webcast. But it is time to chill and remember something really important. Family.

Today we feature a bit of whimsy from Brad Smith of Blind Melon fame. He has just released the follow up album to 2002’s Abandon Jalopy debut. The new one is called Death and Joy,  and it is the result of several years work at Brad's own recording facility,  Studio Wishbone. The song, “All The Way,” is a sweet sentiment for a Sunday, celebrating togetherness.

- Jessie Scott

Billy Burnette "Tear It Up"

You probably already know how Kickstarter works, but if we do not make our goal, we don’t get any of the money pledged. And though we had a good head of steam at first, it slowed down quite a bit over last weekend, and I fear that with the final weekend upon us, it might do the same thing. That makes me a bit nervous. We have until this Thursday in the early morning to hit our mark of $15,000, with your help through Kickstarter, in order to make our Spring Music Fog Marathon at Threadgill’s a reality. Or the cat wins! (Editor's note: Go ahead, click it. You'll just add to the 70+ million views of an angry cat. We'll be right here with our less viewed, but far more tasty music videos.) Please share our project with your friends on Facebook to help us get the word out and hit our goal, so we may continue to archive great Americana music and intimate performances.

We had a brush with rock and roll royalty as we invited Billy Burnette to appear in front of our cameras during Americana Fest in Nashville this past October. He has written songs that have been recorded by artists that span the genres; Ray Charles, Cher, Roy Orbison, to Glen Campbell, George Strait, Alan Jackson, and Faith Hill. He is a sought after guitarist that has toured with Bob Dylan, John Fogerty, and as a member of Fleetwood Mac. And he rocks, so let’s “Tear It Up,” with a song from his Memphis in Manhattan release. Here is Billy Burnette with Kenny Vaughan, Dave Roe, and Jimmy Lester, filmed during the Fall Music Fog Marathon, from Nashville's Marathon Recorders. You got to roll with it. Yeah you do!

- Jessie Scott

The Civil Wars "20 Years"

Man oh man, is it hard to break a band these days! You know the system has broken down, because radio doesn’t play much new music anymore. The new artists you are exposed to are a mere trickle, from what used to be a flowing fountain of discovery and ascendancy. I have ranted many times about it all, and it still blows my mind that once music was so important to so many of us, and yet a few decades later, we are lost at sea. The sad truth is, even if a band gets some radio play, it is not enough to really penetrate our consciousness. It take so much more than that now; festival plays, television soundtracks, placement in TV commercials. It ain’t just radio, like it was in the old days. Thinking back on the last couple of years, let’s take a look at Lady Gaga. It was more than a year after I heard ABOUT her, that I actually heard a song FROM her that I could name, let alone hum along to. It certainly does help when someone who has prevailed then endorses another artist. That happened when Taylor Swift tweeted about The Civil Wars.

Photo Credit: Allister Ann

The Civil Wars have had the fairytale ride these last couple of years. It has been exciting to watch them explode on the scene, especially for how rare that occurrence is these days. It certainly doesn’t hurt that they are unique in concert, so minimal, yet so powerful. Joy Williams and John Paul White are up for two GRAMMYs® this Sunday; for Best Folk Album and Best Country Duo/Group Performance. We wish them ‘bon chance!’

We had the great fortune of having them perform during our Spring Music Fog Marathon last March, at Threadgill’s in Austin, Texas. Here is “20 Years” from that session.

- Jessie Scott