News/Thoughts

Monthly Archives: September 2021

Nordic Americana

[From the dusty, rusty trails of American roads the first steps were taken for the creation of a new music style, the Nordic Americana folk genre. Based on a trip through half of America – the four track EP Dry Wood was shaped. When Danish solo performer and songwriter, Mette Kirkegaard, went on her first trip to New York, she ...

Read More »

Crowning It’s Last Recipients

After nearly 30 years of honoring songwriters, it appears the annual Chris Austin Songwriting Contest will be calling it quits. But not before awarding it’s 2020, and 2021 class – announced at the September 2021 edition of Merlefest. Jim Lauderdale, the long-time contest coordinator and host, was also honored Saturday for his over twenty years of shared expertise, enthusiasm, and ...

Read More »

Merlefest’s Successful Return

Merlefest has held a special place in our hearts here at Americana Rhythm for more than 15 years. It was while working with another publication, Singer & Musician Magazine, that I was encouraged to check out this amazing four day celebration. I had never heard of Merlefest, and only vaguely knew the name Doc Watson. I was blown away! I ...

Read More »

Della Mae’s Avril Smith

It’s rare for a guitarist to communicate with a distinctly identifiable voice within the abundant sea of bluegrass and traditional flatpickers. Unique in her delivery, Avril Smith stands out. Her articulate guitar work is rich with a creative blend of quirky flourishes, poignant timing, double stops, and signature voicings that bend the ear just a little bit further than expectation ...

Read More »

Tina Adair

Tina Adair grew up in North Alabama, about 30 miles south of Muscle Shoals. She came from a big musical family all the way back to her grandmother, on her mother’s side of the family. Her parents owned a music store and were both musicians. “I was around a lot of music,” Tina said. “I was very fortunate that way. ...

Read More »

Gotta Make This Work

A singer/songwriter currently based in Los Angeles, Nathan Jacques hails from the quiet, wooded, mountain towns of New England. His music can be labeled Americana, but threads of country, folk, and vintage rock & roll are deeply woven into the sprawling cinematic soundscapes he creates, all gleaming with a western edge. Nathan fell in love with the guitar in his ...

Read More »

Texas Songwriter Dennis Welch

Dennis Welch, a songwriter based in Austin, Texas has written more than 500 songs. His focus these days is not on performing but on getting his songs recorded by other artists and writing with other talented songwriters. Along those lines, he has recently had two of his songs used as album title tracks: “Why Not Me” by Tony Mantor and ...

Read More »

Lora Kelley’s Domystique

Lora Kelley is finding her way between the time of innocent youth and the silver-haired later years of womanhood—pressing into the gentle magic of middle-life, and sharing insights and encouragement along the way, by way of her music. Whether she is singing about childlike perspectives, the complexity of being an aging woman, or exploring the nuance of female-driven hospitality, on ...

Read More »

Voice Served Through Songwriting

Growing up with famous musician dad Al Cappi certainly set Louise on the road toward her own career in music. “When I got into high school I started to get very serious about singing,” she remembers. “He would take me on club dates and let me just observe, and then eventually bring me up with the band to sing a ...

Read More »

Taylor Rae’s Mad Twenties

The story of Taylor Rae’s path to her upcoming debut album release starts off in a pretty straightforward manner. At age two, she says, “I just decided I was going to be a singer. It wasn’t really an active choice. It was just like, ‘I AM a singer. This is what I’m going to do with my life.’” Voice and ...

Read More »