Robert Earl Keen "The Rose Hotel"

The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Museum in Cleveland has a new exhibit that I am honored to say, I am part of....I'm featured in it! No, I'm not going to be invited to any high falutin’ induction ceremony, it ain’t like that. The Hall is featuring some of us broadcasters in “On the Air: Rock and Roll and Radio,” an interactive kiosk with bios and airchecks from influential jocks nationwide who introduced listeners to rock and roll and related genres. Having just acknowleded my 40th anniversary in radio earlier this year, I'm proud to be one of the journeyman (and journeywoman) DJs who brought tunes to the nation way back when. So I guess I could say my home is in the Hall Of Fame. Really.

I used to play a song on the radio at XM from Robert Earl Keen called “My Home Ain’t In The Hall Of Fame,” and I beg to differ, I think Robert Earl Keen definitely belongs there.  I have so much respect for him, as the Pied Piper of Texas Music, as an Americana standard bearer, and as a beacon, having stayed true to his art through the twists and turn of the road.  Yesterday, Robert’s new album Ready For Confetti came out.  It is his 16th release, in a career spanning over 30 years, and there's a great "Making of" video here.   Oh, and by the way, it is snowing confetti on his website!  And again, REK takes to the road, with shows that are anthemic, not to miss celebrations of song.  Tomorrow night he plays Antone’s in Austin for his album release show, and then on Saturday, he plays the Texas Hall Of Fame. So there, it comes full circle.  Quite lovely.  Not to confuse things, but I wanted to post a Robert Earl Keen video for you, too, so here is the title track to his last record, The Rose Hotel, from Lollapalooza 2009. 

- Jessie Scott

Ray Bonneville "Mississippi"

“The water is way too high,” is a lyric from Ray Bonneville’s new album, Bad Man’s Blood, which comes out today. And it is an unfortunately prescient sentiment, as the waters recede from Hurricane Irene on the east coast. We hope that you and yours made it through the storm with minimal stress and damage, and that things will get back to normal soon. The Red Cross is accepting donations, if you can aid the folks who are in need.  Just a hot meal or some clothing can be so helpful.

Ray Bonneville, roaming blues poet and musician, brings us today’s song, which is about the Mississippi flooding, but weather events are happening way too often in way too many places these days. This collection of new songs continues to bring that down and dirty quality that Ray is known for, capturing life’s hardships in bas-relief.  Music Fog had an especially memorable moment in the ranch house at Cherokee Creek Music Festival in May, when Ray Bonneville was joined by Rad Lorkovic on accordion, and John Fullbright on keys. Heartbreaking beauty ensued. See Ray in concert somewhere soon. Here is the Music Fog version of “Mississippi.”

- Jessie Scott

Randy Rogers "Missing You Is More Than I Can Do"

Life is ever strange.  On Friday night I was at The Saxon Pub, sitting at the bar listening to the smooth songs and sweet voice of Mando Saenz, who was accompanied on vocals and bass by Bonnie Whitmore, a tour de force in her own right.  Earlier that day, I was out enjoying happy hour with another band, Beck and Cauthen. At midnight at the Saxon, I was trying to track down a contact for Courtney Love and Kurt Cobain’s daughter, Frances Bean Cobain. After multiple texting attempts, I made no progress in finding someone who knows her amongst friends likely to have some insight. So much for six degrees of separation! If you have a contact for her reps, by all means pass it along to us.

Did I tell you that when I was flying to Boulder a couple of weeks ago, Randy Rogers was on my Southwest flight?  He was in the first boarding group, and I was in the second, so we exchanged a quick kiss on the cheek as he got on the plane.  I see lots of folks I know in airports, like ships passing in the night, as they say- Reckless Kelly, Jason Boland, and Sunny Sweeney recently. Fellow travelers all, and I love that.  We had a visitation from Randy during our MusicFest at Steamboat sessions back in January.  Since 2004, Randy and the band have continued to kick it hard, and sashay on their own path. SO excited to see the success that they have created.  But the beginning of all that is the song itself, and here is one from Randy by himself, “Missing You Is More Than I Can Do,” which can be found in its original released version on the Burning The Day album.

-- Jessie Scott