Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit "Alabama Pines"

The Americana Music Association's nominations for this year's Honors & Awards will be announced this Thursday at the GRAMMY® Museum's Clive Davis Theatre in downtown Los Angeles. Jim Lauderdale will host, and actor John C. Reilly will unveil the list, and then Buddy Miller and The Americana Allstars; Don Was, Greg Leisz, and Don Heffington, will be the backup band for performances by Robert Ellis, Shelby Lynne, and Lucinda Williams. You can watch the nomination ceremony online at The Americana Music Association's Facebook page. Of course, don't forget this year's Americana Fest will take place from September 12-15, 2012 in Nashville, TN, and the Americana Honors & Awards Show returns to the historic Ryman Auditorium on September 12th. Americana Music Festival and Conference Registrations are now available at Early Bird rates through their online store.

Of course, we wish everyone who is eligible 'Bon Chance!' The nominees are unknowable for the moment, but we wonder if Jason Isbell will be on that list. His Here We Rest album solidifies his footprint as a major talent, and his shows with the 400 Unit at places like MusicFest at Steamboat, Cherokee Creek and Luckenbach have made legions of new fans. Jason is playing an intimate solo show tomorrow night at The Mansion On O Street in Washington, DC, and tickets are available in advance only, not at the door. Today, we bring you one of the fine tunes from that album, here's “Alabama Pines.”

- Jessie Scott

Joy Kills Sorrow "New Shoes"

Sometimes it feels like the universe is conspiring to slow you down. I was flying and the connecting flight was supposed to be an hour and a half. It turned into four hours, and to make matters worse, my phone just kept going into airplane mode, rendering me out of touch...I couldn't even tether my phone to my computer! I wanted to nap, but I also wanted to keep my eye on the flight board, just in case they let us go early. But no, they just kept pushing it later and later. There is something to be said for carrying on one's bags, then you can jump on another flight. Next time for sure!

I am on a constant crusade to travel light. There were careful choices involved in packing and I scuttled the new screaming yellow Reeboks with raspberry laces for the charcoal grey Chuck's. I was raised with the notion that one had to 'dress' to go to the city. I mean wearing pearls and heels and something sophisticated, though that was a LONG time ago. Yep, Chucks will do just fine.

Joy Kills Sorrow wowed us during SXSW®, as they came to play the Threadgill's stage for the Music Fog Spring Marathon. Today's tune is called "New Shoes," and it is from their Darkness Sure Becomes This City album of 2010. They have a more recent one out, This Unknown Science came out last year. The band hails from the Boston area. You know there are a lot of musical gypsies up in New England. JKS combines mad skills and a love of all kinds of earthy, honest music. See them tonight at The Iron Horse in Northampton, Mass, and here are the rest of their dates.

- Jessie Scott

Cory Branan "The Corner"

Tuesday was my birthday, and it was a glorious day, made especially so by the stealthy arrival of my son Trev and his girlfriend Kate. They totally surprised me by driving from New Orleans on Sunday, and hiding out in the back room at Threadgill’s when I was getting ready for my Sunday night School Night Sessions show there. It was totally disarming, and I so appreciate it. Truly, their presence was my best present. Tuesday night, I had Rosie Flores, and her new band The Rivetors, and Jackie Bristow come and play my Threadgill’s series, and Phoebe Hunt got up and played fiddle with both ladies. The room was rocking, there was chocolate cake and candles, not to mention a roomful of people singing “Happy Birthday.” Just delightful. No stress, either, the night just fell together beautifully.

I think that things happen when they are supposed to, and you can’t rush them, though sometimes we sure would like to. I gotta think it was that was for Cory Branan, who is a magnetic, albeit quirky, songwriter out of Memphis, who was recently signed to Bloodshot Records in Chicago. I have known him for a decade, and have been waiting for him to have some light of day, which is finally happening. He is a remarkable performer; engaging even if it is just him on stage. He writes compelling, left of center songs, and he came to play some of them for us during the Music Fog Spring Marathon in Austin this past March, also at Threadgill's. Cory’s new album Mutt came out on Tuesday. Here is the Music Fog version of one of the tracks, “The Corner.”

- Jessie Scott