Glen Campbell "A Better Place"

Life is a bittersweet thing. Today we shine a light on Glen Campbell, a man whose prodigious talents yielded a storied run. He did it all. A revered musician, his trajectory mirrored Country Music’s acceptance as a mainstream entity. There was the TV show, The Glen Campbell Goodtime Hour, there were occasional acting gigs including in True Grit with John Wayne. Over his 50 year career he sold 45 million albums, and this was back in the day when you didn’t have to sell out to be commercially viable. His latest studio album Ghost On The Canvas, will be his last as he let it be known a year ago that he has Alzheimer’s. He is presently on the final leg of his "Goodbye Tour" which began last year upon the release of the new CD which included contributions from Paul Westerberg, Jakob Dylan, Chris Isaak, Rick Nielsen, and Billy Corgan.

If you want to own some of Glen Campbell’s best known, a new compilation comes out today called Ten Great Songs, which would act as a fine introduction to building your catalog. The video we feature today is the second one released from the Ghost On The Canvas album. (The first was the title track.) It features a special guest appearance from Joshua Homme, plus lots of photos of Glen with other giants that populated his life and our collective history. Touching stuff, indeed. It is alright to shed a tear or two. Here is “A Better Place.”

-Jessie Scott

Lincoln Durham "Mud Puddles"

Just stuff. Yeah, but when you have harbored it for decades it poses a mythical quality, telling the tale of one’s life through objects. I still have a storage space filled with boxes, too much to digest at once, and too much for the square footage in my house. So Trevor, my son, came up with a brilliant solution when he said, “Mom, why don’t you just take one box a week out of there and go through it an deal with it?” Huzzah! So that is my new plan. It might still take a while, but it will get done, I swear it will. I am still shocked at really how little one NEEDS! I am still bound and determined to pare it down to the bare minimum. Someone shared the sentiment that at some point with too much stuff, it owns you rather than the other way around.

Of course, the lack of stuff is the lot of the rambler, too. Lincoln Durham captures the sentiment in the song ‘Mud Puddles.” Lincoln is really coming into his own as this year marked the release of his amazing album, The Shovel VS. The Howling Bones. The album was produced by Ray Wylie Hubbard and George Reiff, a stunning work for a powerful performer who can recreate the mood all by his lonesome on stage. There are Texas dates this summer, before Lincoln heads to the UK in September. Go see him, I promise he will entrance you. Music Fog captured Lincoln Durham at Threadgill’s WHQ in March of 2011. “Mud Puddles” can be found on the new album; today we bring you the Music Fog recording of it.

-Jessie Scott

Billy Joe Shaver "Freedom's Child"

We all should take the next nine days off, starting today. What with the 4th of July happening midweek, what are we supposed to do? When to celebrate, the whole week, that’s what I say. There are festivities on both weekends, too. It puts me in mind of a July 4th I spent in Ft. Worth for one of Willie Nelson’s legendary Picnics. We were there to broadcast it live on XM, and at the time, every set from the beginning of the day was delayed, sometimes because Willie joined the other artists on stage. By the time Willie was to perform, it was so late, that it actually wasn’t even the 4th anymore, as it had passed midnight. Because it was midweek, a lot of folks split, opting to go to work the next day rather than see the massive fireworks display. So yes, I think we need this whole week off. Oh yeah, Willie is back at Billy Bob’s in Ft. Worth for another edition of the Willie Nelson 4th of July Picnic this year.

Just watch yourself. Between the sun and the fun and the beer, and the easy ability to overdo it all, we just want to caution you that both weekends are in play here. So, let us indulge, but as my mother used to say, moderation in all things. Not that I listened. Today’s video is a precursor to the Independence Day holiday which after all, should not be forgotten in all the revelry. Billy Joe Shaver recorded “Freedom’s Child” six years ago, and he has lost a considerable amount of weight since then. Believe it or not, he looks younger now. He is playing Willie’s Picnic, along with our friends Ray Wylie Hubbard, Deadman, The Dirty River Boys, and Stoney LaRue, to name just a few. Gonna be a great day, if you are in the DFW area. Here is the video for “Freedom’s Child,” from American treasure Billy Joe Shaver.

-Jessie Scott