Guy Clark "El Coyote"

Whoa Baby! Happy New Year! I am struck by how much movement there has been since we started this grand Music Fog project, January 1, 2009, five years ago. In many ways, Music Fog has exceeded my expectations, becoming a music discovery entity of note through great recordings and beautiful pictures. Not a day goes by that I don’t get 10 “asks” for coverage on our pages.

About that music, it is seriously exploding right now. There are so many artistic endeavors that are worthy of one’s time, just not enough time to even check them all out. I am struck by how many ‘Best of 2013’ lists I looked at this year; and by how many titles were on them that I haven’t heard of, let alone have had time to explore. Though the music ‘business’ is doing some serious morphing, the creativity of musicians is a growth industry for sure. Some of my favorite albums of the year are the entries from Jason Isbell, The Mavericks, Sturgill Simpson, Luke Winslow-King, Delbert & Glen, The Howlin’ Brothers, Band Of Heathens, Mike Stinson, Amos Lee, and Guy Clark’s My Favorite Picture of You.

We have a new video for you today from a session we did with Guy at Americana Fest 2011. It was an honor and a privilege to be in the same room. Today, we bring you the Music Fog version of “El Coyote,” from the album My Favorite Picture Of You. BTW, the title song was number one on American Songwriter's Top 50 Songs of 2013, and you can see our version (recorded before the album was released) through this link.

We hope, sometime in 2014, the Music Fog crew gets to reunite for a video shoot, where artists gather to make magic. We wish you a sweet New Year!

- Jessie Scott

Blackie & The Rodeo Kings "Shelter Me Lord"

There are times we are utterly overwhelmed by the sheer power and unpredictability of the weather. We wish healing and rapid rebuilding of lives for the tornado victims in Oklahoma, for the wildfire victims in California, and for the flood victims on the Mississippi River and elsewhere. Here is hoping for a quiet weather map this coming week. And this is a reminder that if you can help, the Red Cross is a good place to donate to disaster victims.

Photo Credit: Brian O'Brien

How about a song of faith? “Shelter Me Lord” is today’s tune, and it is from the pen of Buddy Miller. It was originally released on his album, Universal United House of Prayer. Though just a few years old, it has already been covered by Paul Thorn on What The Hell Is Goin’ On, as well as Blackie & The Rodeo Kings on their Kings & Queens. Almost two years ago, Music Fog set up shop at Marathon Recorders during the Americana Fest in Nashville. Of course plans are well underway for this year’s conference in September. Here is Blackie & The Rodeo Kings: Colin Linden, Stephen Fearing and Tom Wilson, along with John Dymond and Brian Owings, captured by the Music Fog crew at Americana Fest in 2011.

- Jessie Scott

Corb Lund "Dig Gravedigger Dig"

What a  storm it was. If you are in the massive affected area, we hope you are getting power back and that you are starting to put things back in place. I know for many, this will take months, maybe even years, to accomplish.

So today is Halloween, huh? I hope the kids don’t trick or treat tonight in my still darkened neighborhood, not that I want to eat all the candy by myself! For our first post-Sandy stab at a return to normalcy, here is Corb Lund with a Halloween treat, from his brilliant new album Cabin Fever. “Dig Gravedigger Dig.”

-Jessie Scott