News/Thoughts

Americana Music Profiles

R J Comer

Like so many singers, RJ Comer’s roots are linked to the church choir, but also like many, the path is winding and storied from there. The LA story teller finds his songs boiling out of the Americana and Blues that run deep through his veins. “My mom was a choir director and started me on a path really towards classical ...

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Doug Irving

Singer/songwriter Doug Irving just released his 16th studio album, Songs Of The Wood. Although guitar is his instrument of choice, he’s equally comfortable on the keyboards. As a song writer, he spent eight years in Nashville, TN inking 34 independent cuts before moving back home to upstate New York in 2006. After writing songs for 16 different projects, I asked ...

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The Travelin’ Hillbillies

The Travelin’ Hilllbillies make their home in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia. Their sound, heavily influenced by the folk rock sounds of Jerry Garcia, this four piece ensemble craftfully blends the grittiness of southern rock with the traditions of bluegrass, folk and country, along with just the right rock and roll lick or two thrown in for good measure. Daniel ...

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Carrington Kay

Rob Smith and Kristin Kay Smith make up the duo of Carrington Kay. We recently visited with Rob and Kristin, and we’re excited to help them share their brand new CD, Shine Through. Rob, is a graduate of Virginia Commonwealth University’s College of Music and has shared the stage with some of the biggest names in music, including Sugar Ray, ...

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Ted Hefko

New Orleans, Louisiana is once again home for folk/blues/jazz artist Ted Hefko. After a stint in Brooklyn, Ted and his group, The Thousandaires, are bringing his originally penned stories to life with the “spontaneity of jazz, the bare-bones sensibility of early folk and the vibrancy of New Orleans.” The guitarist/tenor sax/clarinet is also excited about his new CD, Distillation Of ...

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Mary Beth Cross

Wisconsin singer/songwriter, Mary Beth Cross, is no stranger to Americana music. Her most current CD, Beyond Good And Evil, is a folk Americana collection of original and cover tunes, and earned her the Rural Roots Music Commission Folk-country CD of the Year in 2014. Mary Beth’s rural Wisconsin upbringing and the Rocky Mountains where she currently lives make for a ...

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Shotgun Holler

Booneville, KY is home to the up and coming bluegrass group Shotgun Holler. Their debut album, Loaded, leaves no doubt, they are five guys bent on gentlemenship as well as musical mastery. With an appearance on CMT, and quick airplay attention to their early release, version of the Guy Clark/Darrell Scott tune “Out in the Parkin’ Lot,” Shotgun Holler has ...

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Sugar Lime Blue

Sugar Lime Blue packs a strong Americana punch with their CD, Move That Earth. Led by sultry vocalist Ashley Beth, the quintet from Lebanon, TN is making strong end roads in the Americana/Roots music scene all across the region. Ashley is joined by, David Beth on lead guitar, Russ Dean on vocals, Eric Campbell on drums, and John Simpson on ...

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Pee Wee Moore

Peewee Moore was born and raised in the foothills of the Appalachian Rainforest just across the TN border in Fort Oglethorpe, GA, but these days he spends most of his time on the road logging more than 45,000 miles a year performing an endless string of one night stands, honky-tonks, dance halls, festivals, and theaters. Peewee has shared the stage ...

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G. T. Hurley

The great cowboy state of Montana is home for G.T. Hurley. His music has been described as a blend of Waylon Jennings and Billy Joe Shaver, with a little Tex Ritter tossed in for good measure. GT himself calls his music “Outlaw Western Country.” G.T. has been playing music since he was twelve years old, and started writing songs not ...

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