John Fullbright "Unlocked Doors"

Americana is cranking along in these changing times of the music business. As a founding board member of the Americana Music Association, we made the decision to shine a light on this music fifteen years ago. Wow, I can’t believe it has been fifteen years! That effort has now has morphed into multiple categories in the GRAMMY® American Roots field. The 2015 nominees were announced last week, on Friday, and we congratulate all the artists on the list. I take great pride in the fact that I get to play their music on the radio, whether it was at XM's X Country, or today on Sun Radio. And, of course, we at Music Fog are happy to have filmed a few of these fine folks, too.

Special shout outs go to Gregg Allman and Taj Mahal, Rosanne Cash, Keb’ Mo’, Nickel Creek (Sara Watkins), Jesse Winchester, Del McCoury Band, Steve Martin, Edie Brickell & The Steep Canyon Rangers, John Hiatt, Sturgill Simpson, Dave & Phil Alvin, Ruthie Foster, Eliza Gilkyson, Old Crow Medicine Show, and Mike Farris.

Photo Credit: Vicki FarmerOver the weekend we reposted Mike Farris doing Mary Gauthier’s tune “Mercy Now,” with an on stage assist from John Fullbright, who was a GRAMMY® nominee in 2013 for his album From the Ground Up. Today we go deep into the archives to bring you a track from the first evening we encountered John. Jimmy LaFave brought him along for his session, and let John open up the set with this song, featuring Radoslav Lorkovic on accordion. That's right, this week's new video is the first thing we ever recorded with John Fullbright! We filmed "Unlocked Doors" on the Music Fog bus in 2010, during Folk Alliance in Memphis, with an intro from Jimmy LaFave.

- Jessie Scott

Elephant Revival "Drop"

As we dig through the Music Fog still unseen archives, we came upon another gem from the acoustic Celtic gypsy jazz outfit Elephant Revival. Luscious, elegant and ever articulate, their music speaks across the chasms of pond and dale. Their name comes from the mournful tale of a pair of elephants who were separated after sixteen years and died apart on the same day. The band shared the story with Nick and Helen Forster, producers and hosts of the tastemaker syndicated radio show eTown (btw, its newest affiliate is my Austin, TX station, Sunradio.com.)

E-Town is an environmentally responsible show, while shining a light on worthy music. Of course, a commitment to sustainability and environmental responsibility is important to Elephant Revival, too, as they do work with non-profits like Conscious Alliance and Trees, Water and People, to name a few. Elephant Revival has stayed consistently busy since we filmed them at The Music Fog Marathon 2011 in Nashville during AmericanaFest. Earlier this month, they did a two night stand at The Boulder Theater, called The Birds of a Feather Autumnal Ball. Nobody uses the word "autumnal" much anymore, but doesn't it flow effortlessly from the folks of Elephant Revival? Let us return to Autumn 2011 for some beautiful footage - the song "Drop," which can be found on their album Break In The Clouds.

- Jessie Scott

Joy Kills Sorrow "Jake"

Man, oh man, I can’t believe Thanksgiving is upon us. This year has flown, you know? And so the season changes, bringing new eras to us, to savor for the stasis. But sometimes, a seed you planted before surfaces in the new day. Particularly appropriate as we just got approached by YouTube to commend us on the views that Music Fog still continues to do, even though we haven’t been out to film in a very long time. Having curated these artists, I am happy that they have had traction, and that some of them are enjoying more light in the spotlight, like Lake Street Dive, whose video “You Go Down Smooth” just entered our Top 25, joining another song of theirs, "Got Me Fooled."

We pulled one out of the mist for you today from Joy Kills Sorrow, back before the bass player, Bridget Kearney, left to forge a new path with Lake Street Dive. She has been replace by Zoe Guigueno on bass, who played on the 2013 Joy Kills Sorrow EP Wide Awake. Also, I had the honor of doing a show with Jacob Jolliff in my previous gig, yes, seasons come and go, don’t they. Jacob is out on the road in an eclectic and erudite duo configuration with Wes Corbett, delivering evenings of transcendent music.

But I am getting ahead of myself. Today we bring you Joy Kills Sorrow with the song “Jake,” from the Music Fog Marathon at Threadgill’s in 2012, during SXSW music week. Here's Emma Beaton on vocals, Bridget Kearney on bass, Jacob Jolliff on mandolin, Wesley Corbett on banjo, and Matthew Arcara on guitar.

- Jessie Scott