Ryan Adams "Ashes & Fire"

We are setting up today for the start of tomorrow’s Music Fog Fall Marathon. Arranging furniture, blacking out windows, rearranging objects so they float away in the picture. We come on site with our feminine genes at the ready, and we get busy. I am not talking about Denise and me, the guys are the ones who do the heavy lifting on this process. We want to get everything ready tonight, so we can hit the ground running on Wednesday at 11:20 for our first set, from the Blind Boys Of Alabama. Our three day webcast will be a veritable smorgasbord of musical flavors to sample. We always enter these events with too little sleep to begin with, and proceed to compound that by long workdays which run into the night. In truth, we wouldn’t have it any other way.

So today we'll showcase a stripped down song, for after all, that is where it all begins. The song in question is from the new Ryan Adams CD, which comes out today. It is called Ashes and Fire, and was produced by the legendary Glyn Johns. We were happy to find a Ryan Adams channel on YouTube. Because he is the CEO of his own PAX-AM label means that he bypasses the commercial impediments that most labels attach to their videos. We salute him for that, and bask in the high lonesome flavor in this, the acoustic version of the title cut “Ashes & Fire.” 

- Jessie Scott

Chatham County Line "Let It Rock"

Today the Big Blue Crew truck departs the DC area for a drive across I-40 west to Nashville. Denise and Dave and I are making our final preparations for our departure tomorrow morning. The Americana Fest holds such promise as a meeting of the tribe, and as an opportunity to recharge batteries. So much music, so many incredible people getting together for fun, work, and time to explore, plan and learn. If there is one thing that all these years ‘in the biz” has taught me, it is that things are continually changing, and one needs to grow and adapt… and think differently. Yes, I am still mourning the loss of Steve Jobs, and if you haven’t read the text of his commencement speech to Stanford University in 2005, it is well worth pondering. It is an explanation to why we do what we do at Music Fog. We are dreamers, we are following the path we love. It will take us to Nashville for a three day webcast, and we can’t wait. So shall we say, “Let It Rock”? Yes, I think so.

Photo By Bergen Paul BernhardWe will encounter all the Americana sonics; the bluesy, the bluegrassy, the western swingy, the rockabilly, the folk, the gospel, and the alt. The good stuff. We have had an incredible run of artists “in the zone” for our cameras. We are so lucky to be flies on the wall for these amazing performances. They are the perfect marriage of tech and soul. And especially so for this song, from Chatham County Line, taped at Threadgill’s in March of 2009, around one mic. Their ballet is impeccable, the song’s message belies the instrumentation. We are not talking Marshall stacks here, but mando, banjo, guitar and upright bass. “Let it Rock,” indeed! Here are Dave Wilson, John Teer, Chandler Holt, and Greg Reading. Catch them this week in Virginia, before they head to the UK. 

-- Jessie Scott

Live Fog Feed this Week from Nashville

If the Good Lord is willin’ and the creek don’t rise, and the connectivity holds, and GPS directs everyone to our location, we’re gonna have us a time during the Americana Fest this week in Nashville.  We are proud to bring your our second live webcast, the Music Fog Fall Marathon, from the studios of Marathon Recorders. You can watch it right here on musicfog.com, with a whole mess of fine music starting this Wednesday at 11:20am (Central Time). Get ready...cause here it comes, three days, 33 artists with their set times below.

Along with the music, you'll get a little behind-the-scenes look at how we pull off these recording sessions. And of course after the webcast is done, we'll bring you more polished versions of the performances, one song a day, like we always do. We hope you will tune in to our live video stream and share this musical bounty, the Music Fog Fall Marathon  from Americana Fest in Nashville!

- Jessie Scott

:20 minute sets start at the times listed below. We'll be on rock star time, though, so it's really just a guideline. We're sure you'll have fun trying to play along at home. All times listed are Central Daylight Time.

Wednesday, October 12th

• 11:20 AM  Blind Boys Of Alabama
• 12:20 PM  Ange Boxall
• 1:20 PM   ORBO & The Longshots
• 2:10 PM   Will Hoge
• 3:10 PM   JD Souther
• 3:40 PM   Gurf Morlix
• 4:20 PM   Scott Miller & Mic Harrison
• 5:20 PM   The Gourds
• 6:20 PM   Billy Burnette
• 7:20 PM   Lera Lynn

 Thursday, October 13th

• 11:20 AM  Kenny Vaughan
• 12:20 PM  Black Lillies
• 1:00 PM   Eric Brace & Peter Cooper
• 1:40 PM   Connie Smith
• 2:20 PM   Ian McLagan
• 3:20 PM   Gary Nicholson
• 4:20 PM   Elephant Revival
• 5:20 PM   Kevin Gordon
• 6:20 PM   Gretchen Peters
• 7:20 PM   The Believers

 Friday, October 14th

• 10:20 AM  Carrie Rodriguez
• 11:10 AM  Robert Ellis
• 11:50 AM  Bottle Rockets
• 12:30 PM  Sam Llanas
• 1:10 PM   Guy Clark
• 1:40 PM   Patrick Sweany
• 2:20 PM   Blackie & The Rodeo Kings
• 3:20 PM   Tara Nevins
• 4:20 PM   Lake Street Dive
• 5:20 PM   New Country Rehab
• 6:20 PM   Sunday Valley
• 7:20 PM   Farewell Drifters
• 8:20 PM   Jim Lauderdale