Hard-touring country rockers Cross Canadian Ragweed announced they’re coming off the endless road to allow drummer Randy Ragsdale to care for his son. Ragsdale, who has an autistic son, let the band know that he needed to be at home with his family.
“For many years my band has been my top priority,” Ragsdale said in a press statement. “Being in a touring band you have to give it your all, give it 100%.”
Ragsdale went on to say that his 10-year-old son J.C. is struggling in his development and needs his father at home. He said he encouraged the band to get another drummer and forge on, but they declined.
“We’ve always said from the start, we’re Ragweed as the four of us, or not Ragweed at all,” said front man Cody Canada. Bassist Jeremy Plato added, “We’ve been at this for a long time, we’ve all had to spend time away from home missing birthdays, holidays? It’ll be good for us to have a breather.”
roots rock twang news
Indiana's Jason Wilber to Join John Prine on "Letterman" Wednesday
Indiana’s Jason Wilber will join John Prine and Jim James (from My Morning Jacket) on The Late Show with David Letterman this Wednesday night. Jason has played with Prine for many years, is also an Indiana-based Americana singer/songwriter, and has been part of the Hoosier Dylan/Springsteen/Hank/Johnny shows that have been rolling through the the state. Good guy who plays a tastefully dirty guitar. And that is a good thing. So is having James join the mix.
Prine’s performance is to push the upcoming album Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows: Songs of John Prine album. Prine is playing shows the next weekend in Little Rock, AK, and Memphis (with the legendary-in-Memphis Keith Sykes opening up, before heading to Bonnoroo June 12. He also has a live album out, In Person & On Stage.
John Prine website
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Broken Hearts & Dirty Windows
Twelve newly-recorded versions of classic Prine songs
tracklist:
1) Justin Vernon of Bon Iver — “Bruised Orange (Chain of Sorrow)”
2) Conor Oberst And The Mystic Valley Band — “Wedding Day In Funeralville”
3) My Morning Jacket — “All The Best”
4) Josh Ritter — “Mexican Home”
5) Lambchop — “Six O’Clock News”
6) Justin Townes Earle — “Far From Me”
7) The Avett Brothers — “Spanish Pipedream”
8) Old Crow Medicine Show — “Angel From Montgomery”
9) Sara Watkins — “The Late John Garfield Blues”
10) Drive-By Truckers — “Daddy’s Little Pumpkin”
11) Deer Tick featuring Liz Isenberg — “Unwed Fathers”
12) Those Darlins — “Let’s Talk Dirty In Hawaiian”
Best Early Season Music Fest? Ohio River Folk Festival This Weekend
One of Indiana’s best festivals, Ohio River Valley Folk Festival, moves into its fifth year this weekend (May 21-23). Look at the highlights of this one: brilliant and retro bands like Asylum Street Spankers and the Carolina Chocolate Drops. Genuine legends Loudon Wainwright III and The Subdudes. And a full afternoon of regional artists on Sunday. You ever been to Madison? It’s freakin’ be-a-utiful. And the river folks like to have a good time. If you go, have a drink at the Broadway Tavern, the oldest bar in an old town, and then wander to Shipley’s at night. That’s where the party goes when it gets late. And then to Hinkle’s Hamburgers on Main St. for greasy gut bombs at 3am.
Oh, there’s more to hear. I’ve got your schedule below, and a couple video bits below to let you create your own preview…and may I say, The Subdudes will rock, and have for years.
SEE FULL SCHEDULE ON PAGE 2
Americana Music Nominees Announced; Who's Gonna Win?
The 2010 Americana Music Association nominations were announced this week, and for fans of the Americana/alt-country rock-and-twang genre (like me), it’s an interesting little list:
Album of the year nominees:
The List – Rosanne Cash (…gonna win because Johnny gave his daughter aformentioned “list” – and Springsteen duets on one of the songs)
A Friend of a Friend – Dave Rawlings Machine (…co-writers and performers include Old Crow Medicine Show, Bright Eyes, and members of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers)
Downtown Church – by Patty Griffin (…most beautiful voice of the four – and many more)
A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment (Hint: There is no c) – Ray Wylie Hubbard (…legend, but not the best album)
Artist of the Year
Ryan Bingham (…wrote two tunes – and sang them – for “Crazy Heart”, the Jeff Bridges film = winner)
Patty Griffin (…see note about her from above)
Levon Helm (…still has the great foghorn voice of the Band days)
Steve Earle (… tribute album, Townes, with 15 songs written by his late friend and musical mentor Townes Van Zandt. Interesting that the album is not nominated but he is)
Ray Wylie Hubbard (…well-loved in the alt-country field, but not gonna win)
Duo/Group of the Year
The Avett Brothers (…how can they not win? One of the hottest bands of the past year)
Carolina Chocolate Drops (…too new to win, but are playing a folk festival in Madison in a little more than a week, so that counts for some love here)
Band of Heathens (…I really like the way they rock = but not enough of a widespread buzz for them just yet)
Dave Rawlings Machine (…underdog)
Song of the Year
“The Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart)” Written by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett-performed by Ryan Bingham
“Drunken Poets Dream” Written by Hayes Carll and Ray Wylie Hubbard – performed by Ray Wylie Hubbard
“Ruby” Written by Dave Rawlings and Gillian Welch – performed by Dave Rawlings Machine
“I and Love and You” Written and performed The Avett Brothers
The Lowdown: Four (or Five) Roots/Rock Shows in Indy This Week
In my world of loosely-defined roots rock and roll, these four shows all fit, and there is a bit of a story to tell on each artist. And there is even a fifth band I thought should get added to the list, after I had decided I was already finished…
South Carolina guitarist/songwriter Zach Deputy plays Tuesday night Birdy’s (May 4), and is touring in support of his new record, Sunshine. He, according to a press release we got at NUVO, is “earning tremendous cred on the jam band circuit with his innovative blues, pop, calypso, soul blend”. They go on to mention Sunshine was named Album of the Year for 2009 by Homegrown Radio Network.
I dug into some of his online stuff, and especially checked into the YouTube videos he has posted. Here’s the deal: he’s a one-man jam band, using loops created live on stage to build up his songs and drive the young hippies and Dave Matthews fans into a groovin’ little dance trance. Definitely grab a puff and check this one out at Birdy’s, if that’s your thing, because I think he’s pretty damn good at what he does.
Lala is Good as Gone
Lala is done. Will cease operations for existing members as well. One of the great ways to hears new albums goes away. Even if you didn’t know it was coming, it was a service too good to be long for this digital life…
READ FULL STORY FROM MASHABLE
The Apple-owned service is no longer accepting new users and, according to a message on its website, come May 31 it will cease operations for existing members as well.