The most successful enterprises often have humble beginnings. That humility’s a big part of what makes the Randy Rogers Band what it is: one of the biggest acts to emerge from the Texas/Red Dirt scene, which Rogers describes as “a brotherhood.” “We all realize we’re a bunch of like-minded individuals, and without each other, we […]
Chris Parker
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Getting Randy
The most successful enterprises often have humble beginnings. That humility’s a big part of what makes the Randy Rogers Band what it is: one of the biggest acts to emerge from the Texas/Red Dirt scene, which Rogers describes as “a brotherhood.” “We all realize we’re a bunch of like-minded individuals, and without each other, we […]
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Time to fly
Jonathan Byrd describes himself as a North Carolina picker and a Texas songwriter. It’s as apt a description as any, as his music unites the narrative influence of Texas country artists like Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt with flat-picked country gone decaf, the slower pace allowing folky melodicism to waft forth. He’s tipped his […]
Posted inMusic
Time to fly
Jonathan Byrd describes himself as a North Carolina picker and a Texas songwriter. It’s as apt a description as any, as his music unites the narrative influence of Texas country artists like Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt with flat-picked country gone decaf, the slower pace allowing folky melodicism to waft forth. He’s tipped his […]
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Go, Gringo, go!
What’s in a name? For the members of Atlanta’s Gringo Star, it’s a reprieve from having to answer the same question in their old band, A Fir-Ju Well. “‘What’s your name? What did you say? What does that mean?’” said Nick Furgiele. “It was every night. It wasn’t like we changed our sound or anything […]
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Staying current
No one will ever accuse Electric Six of being too serious. The Detroit sextet’s shimmying dance rock is as lighthearted as it is lively. Their spirit recalls the movie “This Is Spinal Tap” in that singer Dick Valentine delivers the lyrics with macho mock seriousness. In 2003, Madness ringleader Suggs caught an Electric Six gig […]
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Wade’s world
Wade Bowen stands on the brink of bigger things. After a dozen years solo, the Texas singer/songwriter is among the latest Red Dirt artists to be snatched up by the majors. He’s already doing a radio tour in advance of the first single, “Saturday Night,” from his still-untitled forthcoming Sony debut, due early 2012. In […]
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River rage
Punk rock’s Riverboat Gamblers are something to behold. Singer Mike Wiebe is a feral animal stalking the stage, jumping into the crowd and climbing any available rafters, exposed piping or speaker cabinets while his bandmates rip through high-energy, melodically charged garage sound. They’ve built a reputation for furious performances, but their LPs have inconsistently captured […]
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Slim start
Turning 30 is an exciting time. You get more serious about your work. Maybe settle down romantically. And in the case of Langhorne Slim, you start paying rent. Yes, the Americana singer/songwriter managed to make it through his 20s without paying any rent, until recently relocating to Portland, Ore. “It sounds really cool now … […]
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Parade’s route
The parade’s in town! The David Mayfield Parade, to be exact. It’s something the bluegrass musician has been building toward all his life. Although Mayfield’s released albums, he’s never toured for them. His experiences as a sideman built his confidence to broaden his horizons, resulting in an album that covers his widest musical expanse to […]