Nudie and the Turks "If A Heart Could Tell"

Hope your Christmas was a day of delights. I cruised far and wide visiting friends and family. Maybe because there is so much building going on these days everywhere I go, I have developed a newfound respect for the past. I see the craftsmanship in architecture, the purpose of the configuration of buildings. I see the past on waterways where mills once flourished, and recall what was once acreage for grazing, gardens and farms. Even through the urban sprawl, there are hints of the past. It is fascinating to think about what life was like back then.

I have spent 60 years aware of music with soul and truth, you know, the timeless music that bubbles out of the ground for the people, by the people. We got together 15 years ago to call it a new name - Americana, but the music predates that for sure. And while we advance the cause, branding this music in the mind’s eye of the world, at some point, you realize that you are looking backwards as well as looking forward. Whether retro sounding, or modern, the hints of the past are contained within this music too.

Today we light up the screen with Nudie & The Turks all dressed up for New Year’s in their western best. Music Fog filmed them during Folk Alliance in 2010 in Memphis, TN. Nudie later went on to release a studio recording of "If A Heart Could Tell" in December of 2013, on his album Remember This.

If you are lucky to be near PEI for NYE, make sure to celebrate with Nudie! And Happy New Year to you from the Fog!

- Jessie Scott

John Fullbright "Unlocked Doors"

Americana is cranking along in these changing times of the music business. As a founding board member of the Americana Music Association, we made the decision to shine a light on this music fifteen years ago. Wow, I can’t believe it has been fifteen years! That effort has now has morphed into multiple categories in the GRAMMY® American Roots field. The 2015 nominees were announced last week, on Friday, and we congratulate all the artists on the list. I take great pride in the fact that I get to play their music on the radio, whether it was at XM's X Country, or today on Sun Radio. And, of course, we at Music Fog are happy to have filmed a few of these fine folks, too.

Special shout outs go to Gregg Allman and Taj Mahal, Rosanne Cash, Keb’ Mo’, Nickel Creek (Sara Watkins), Jesse Winchester, Del McCoury Band, Steve Martin, Edie Brickell & The Steep Canyon Rangers, John Hiatt, Sturgill Simpson, Dave & Phil Alvin, Ruthie Foster, Eliza Gilkyson, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Mike Farris.

Photo Credit: Vicki FarmerOver the weekend we reposted Mike Farris doing Mary Gauthier’s tune “Mercy Now,” with an on stage assist from John Fullbright, who was a GRAMMY® nominee in 2013 for his album From the Ground Up. Today we go deep into the archives to bring you a track from the first evening we encountered John. Jimmy LaFave brought him along for his session, and let John open up the set with this song, featuring Radoslav Lorkovic on accordion. That's right, this week's new video is the first thing we ever recorded with John Fullbright! We filmed "Unlocked Doors" on the Music Fog bus in 2010, during Folk Alliance in Memphis, with an intro from Jimmy LaFave.

- Jessie Scott

Elephant Revival "Drop"

As we dig through the Music Fog still unseen archives, we came upon another gem from the acoustic Celtic gypsy jazz outfit Elephant Revival. Luscious, elegant and ever articulate, their music speaks across the chasms of pond and dale. Their name comes from the mournful tale of a pair of elephants who were separated after sixteen years and died apart on the same day. The band shared the story with Nick and Helen Forster, producers and hosts of the tastemaker syndicated radio show eTown (btw, its newest affiliate is my Austin, TX station, Sunradio.com.)

E-Town is an environmentally responsible show, while shining a light on worthy music. Of course, a commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility is important to Elephant Revival, too, as they do work with non-profits like Conscious Alliance and Trees, Water and People, to name a few. Elephant Revival has stayed consistently busy since we filmed them at The Music Fog Marathon 2011 in Nashville during AmericanaFest. Earlier this month, they did a two night stand at The Boulder Theater, called The Birds of a Feather Autumnal Ball. Nobody uses the word "autumnal" much anymore, but doesn't it flow effortlessly from the folks of Elephant Revival? Let us return to Autumn 2011 for some beautiful footage - the song "Drop," which can be found on their album Break In The Clouds.

- Jessie Scott