Madison Violet "Lauralee"

Magic happens when Madison Violet comes around. They make sweet music together, even when the message has a bit of snarl, as it does on the song we are posting for you today that warns "Lauralee" to stay away. Lest you be wondering, in the fine style of "which one's Pink?" there is neither a Madison, nor a Violet, as Madviolet is Brenley MacEachern and Lisa MacIsaac, and they hail from small Scottish towns in Canada. They've been together a decade or so now, with both of them having absorbed their respective parental units' vintage LP collections growing up, drinking from a well that has yielded a sound called both city-folk and tumbleweed pop.

On July 28th, they were announced winners of the coveted "Maxell Song of the Year," for the song "The Ransom," in the 13th annual John Lennon Songwriting Contest. Get a load of the judges for this thing: Elton John, Tim McGraw, Wyclef Jean, Bacon Brothers, Carlos Santana, Black Eyed Peas, Fergie, Natasha Badingfield, John Legend, Enrique Iglesias, Mary J. Blige; just to name some of them! There is a Music Fog version of "The Ransom," so check that out too, if you haven't seen it already.

We had an interesting occurrence with Madison Violet recently as they were touring Germany. Their audience found some of the Music Fog videos, and their comments are a hoot! We were watching a spike in our numbers, when we dug in to see where it was coming from, we found it was being driven by all guys, all German guys, all in a state of major lust! Many of these new fans discovered them after an amazing performance on the German music TV show Rockaplast. The girls are back in Canada now, in case you want to escape the heat of summer stateside...run on up and see them! And YES, they will be returning to Germany in October. Hubba Hubba! For complete tour dates, visit their website.

Now, "Lauralee" from Madison Violet, accompanied by Adrian Lawryshyn on upright bass and vocals. This was filmed during our Memphis Folk Alliance Sessions on the Music Fog bus!

- Jessie Scott

11 Bones "Losers"

Eleven Bones is on a roll! Since we last checked in with Matt Skinner, Dub Miller, Meagan Jones, John Ross Silva, Brian Beken, and Adam Odor, they put out their first EP, Four Day March. The reviews continue to flow in, the requests for the band to come to play shows have been like the steady beat of a jungle drum. And Eleven Bones just celebrated their one year anniversary on July 19th. That's when the bones began to break. Yes, they really did...literally!

I called Adam Odor to get an update, he checking in with "Giving you the lowdown on the hoedown!" He went on to tell us that things are going great, though they don't have any shows booked for August. They have, however, been in the studio, where they just tracked a couple of new tunes. This time they are working on doing a full length LP, not just an EP. Adam says, "We've been writing alone, and together, playing the songs for each other over the past couple of months. The last couple of shows we've been doing some new tunes on stage." Adam continues, "When part of Eleven Bones was on the John Dickson cruise (thebigmusiccruise.com), we played with Matt King and The Cutters - as the Bone-Cutters." So on July 8th the Bone-Cutters played in conjunction with Tito's Vodka, Gibson Austin and the Grammy Foundation, which was designated a Grammy Foundation benefit, and a kick ass night of music, I might add.

Look for Eleven Bones to hit the road again, as September is starting to book up, and also look for some live tunes for free download to be posted to their website soon, if you sign up on their mailing list. Oh, and look for a cool video right now from their Threadgill's Music Fog showcase during SXSW 2010. "Losers."

- Jessie Scott

subdudes "Wedding Rites (I Already Knew You)"

I don't think we were prepared for the subdudes exposure explosion when we put up their last video, "Carved In Stone," from our Music Fog bus session with them at the Cherokee Creek Music Festival. It spread like wildfire on the web, YouTube, and Facebook, and it was fun tracking it as it spread around the world. The subdudes have such an illustrious history. In 1987, four musicians got together for what they thought would be a one time show at the legendary Tipitina's in New Orleans, and as magic was in the air that night, the subdudes were born.

Twenty-two years later, the three original members, joined by two close friends who became members in 2002; Tommy Malone, John Magnie, Steve Amedée, Tim Cook and Jimmy Messa, released their 2009 album, Flower Petals. It follows numerous albums, several years of touring, and countless nights of gigging. Flower Petals is a somewhat thematic CD, set at the turn of the last century and mostly told from the point of view of a soldier who has passed on. On this album, the guys found themselves returning to the stripped-down sound that recalls their earliest days together. The band performs their magnificent acoustic based gumbo of roots music out west this month.

There is such joy to the music the subdudes bring. They have enriched my life with their music. When I was at WMMO-FM in Orlando in the 90's, we played them prominently, and I will never forget bringing them into the studio on the 22nd floor of the Sun Bank Building to play live on the air. I was equally excited to ask them to come aboard to play for our cameras this past May in Cherokee, TX. And once again, I was given over to the beauty of their cadence, their lyrics, and the downright authenticity of their delivery. You just believe every word. And you feel it. "Wedding Rites (I Already Knew You)" is a tune from Flower Petals.

- Jessie Scott