Journal

From Tamara Saviano (music industry type with some neat projects under her belt):

Townes Van Zandt simply never fit this earthly world. After all, the “electric cowboy” knew his time here would be short. “I don’t envision a very long life for myself,” Van Zandt said. “I think my life will run out before my work does. I’ve designed it that way.” Van Zandt lived fast and wrote faster. Classic songs rapidly emerged (“Pancho and Lefty,” “If I Needed You”). When he died on New Year’s Day 1997, the songwriter left behind a stunning catalog (“Tecumseh Valley,” “Lungs”).

Fifteen years on, Brian T. Atkinson’s I’ll Be Here in the Morning: The Songwriting Legacy of Townes Van Zandt spotlights the elegant (“To Live’s To Fly”) and engaging (“For the Sake of the Song”) lyricist’s significant impact on songwriting peers and followers. “‘Pancho and Lefty’ changed—it unchained—my idea of what a song could be,” folk icon John Gorka says midway through the new book, a tightly woven collection of more than 40 interviews with artists deeply impacted by Van Zandt’s singular poetry.

Several living legends – including Guy Clark, Rodney Crowell, Kris Kristofferson, Lyle Lovett and Lucinda Williams – analyze Van Zandt’s breathtakingly beautiful lyrics throughout the book and share poignant stories of witnessing the troubled troubadour’s rise and fall. Atkinson doubles down on these recollections with new insight from younger artists such as My Morning Jacket’s Jim James, The Avett Brothers’ Scott Avett, Grace Potter, Josh Ritter and Kasey Chambers to present a nuanced view of Van Zandt’s unparalleled body of work, his reckless lifestyle and his long-lasting influence.

Forewords by Van Zandt producer “Cowboy” Jack Clement and longtime road manager Harold F. Eggers, Jr. open the book. Each chapter begins with a carefully crafted introduction in which Atkinson provides context and background, linking each interviewee to Van Zandt’s growing legacy as his generation’s most influential songwriter. “Townes is a Christ-like figure in Texas,” says country star Jack Ingram at the book’s close. “He is the one. He was writing on another plane.”

“Townes’ reputation is awesome,” echoes Outlaw country pioneer Ray Wylie Hubbard. “The word ‘poet’ keeps coming to mind. I mean a real poet. When people discover Townes, they’re just enlightened. They’re instant fans. If it were a perfect world, Townes would be as well known as Bob Dylan.”

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NPR streamed this year's Americana Music Association Awards live from Nashville. When I clicked the link on my iPad it came up a Flash thing so I skipped it and read a book. Probably a good choice.

As I saw the winners roll by on Twitter later in the evening, I had a growing sense of unease. As one cranky outsider observed, it seemed more like Volvo commercial than a Celebration of Roots music.

ALBUM OF THE YEAR: Band of Joy, Robert Plant

ARTIST OF THE YEAR: Buddy Miller

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR: Buddy Miller

NEW / EMERGING ARTIST: Mumford & Sons

SONG OF THE YEAR: “Harlem River Blues” by Justin Townes Earle

DUO / GROUP OF THE YEAR: The Avett Brothers

Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriter: Lucinda Williams

Lifetime Achievement Award for Performance: Gregg Allman

Lifetime Achievement Award for Instrumentalist: Jerry Douglas

Jack Emerson Lifetime Achievement Award for Executive: Rick Hall

Now, don't get me wrong, I do have most of the AMA winners in my iPad. They are good. They're just not Great. I feel like the AMA has been taken hostage by 1970s soft-rock FM DJs. My "Americana" just leans towards more Hank.

Tho any show with Alison Krauss ain't all bad.


(cross-posted from JC Shepard.com)

Lady Antebellum takes Grammy Record of the Year for NEED YOU NOW off the "record" of the same name. Wow, didn't see that coming. Who cares if Arcade Fire took Album of the Year instead of Lady A, at least they both kept Lady Gaga gagging in her egg suit along with the rest of the dregs of pop music. Good job.

As you may guess, I can take or leave Lady Antebellum, but they're much easier on the ears than ANY of the alternatives. Tip my hat to 'em on Country Album and Country Duo Performance, too.

I was pulling (if just a bit) for Miranda Lambert's The House That Built Me. Yeah, yeah, she didn't write it herself, and it's formula country radio, but it's kinda catchy. Actually, that summarizes most of my feelings for Ms. Lambert. I'm coming around to her in spite of myself so I smiled that she got Female Country Vocal even tho I like Gretchen Wilson's better.

Not surprised Robert Plant got dissed on Solo Rock Vocal. Whatever. Although again I'm luke warm on the Band of Joy he's 10x better than any of the other dead white guys in category. Get over past glory, guys.

While above I give the h/t on Country Duo, I did prefer Zac Brown Band and The SteelDrivers, not to mention Dailey & Vincent - Dailey & Vincent Sing The Statler Brothers. Grammy obviously is tone deaf but you knew that.

Usually I lead off on these things with Americana. This year, well, I was under-impressed. I'm not really getting into Band of Joy. I like Rosanne Cash and like following her on twitter these days. I like Willie Nelson and I like his album Country Music... Same with the Bluegrass category and Patty Loveless. It's just.... I don't LOVE them. Oh, well, Mavis Staples deserves it as much as anybody.

Maybe next year.

-jc

p.s. I guess I need to listen to Marty Stuart's new album. I almost got it just for the Train.

This was the year I sort of blinked and missed. Musically, that is. Zip dang it was gone. My personal soundtrack, therefore, didn't benefit from much new music. All I could do to keep up with old music let alone add much more to the old Scrobbling machine.

So, you get the idea, another list posing as a journal. Stuff I played the most in 2010.

Artists:
1. Alison Krauss & Union Station / Alison Krauss (tis an artificial distinction)
2. Lyle Lovett
3. Johnny Cash tied with Emmylou Harris
5. Dwight Yoakam
6. Halden Wofford & The Hi-Beams / Halden Wofford And The Hi-Beams
7. Patty Griffin
8. Tom Russell
9. Merle Haggard
10. Graham Lindsey
11. Audrey Auld / Audrey Auld Mezera
12. Billy Joe Shaver
13. Cadillac Sky
14. Lynyrd Skynyrd
15. Patty Loveless
16. Kendel Carson tied w/Sand Sheff (they'd make a cute couple)
18. Adrienne Young
19. Corb Lund
20. Waylon Jennings

Albums:
1. Sinners and Saints / Sinners & Saints (new release)
2. Portraits (a best of album)
3. Legendary Hits (tho lost.fm seems not to know this one too well)
4. For a Decade of Sin: 11 Years of Bloodshot Records
5. Into the Wild
6. 20 Of Hank Williams' Greatest Hits
7. At Folsom Prison
8. Alright Dynamite
9. The Essential Bob Wills: 1935-1947
10. American VI: Ain't No Grave (new release)
11. I Am What I Am (new release)
12. Downtown Church (new release)
13. Blind Man Walking
14. Plow to the End of the Row
15. Halden Wofford and The Hi-Beams
16. Townes
17. Indians Cowboys Horses Dogs tied w/Billy Joe Shaver's Greatest Hits
19. We Are All Alone in This Together
20. Lonesome, Wild and Blue
Posted favorite new albums of 2010 on my blog at www.jcshepard.com.
Christmas albums not counted.

Tracks:
1. Trisha Yearwood - Perfect Love
2. James Blunt - I Really Want You
3. Emmylou Harris - If I Needed You
4. Sand Sheff - Free On This Mountain
5. Adrienne Young - Hills and Hollers
6. Graham Lindsey - The Bird That Lived in a Burning Tree
7. Mary & Mars - one less fiesta
8. Bleu Edmondson - Finger On The Trigger
9. Graham Lindsey - If I Was a Horse
10. Lyle Lovett - South Texas Girl
11. Graham Lindsey - No Way Out but Down
12. Cowboy Junkies - Sweet Jane (the original, not the re-recorded version)
13. Eddie Vedder - Tuolumne tied w/Graham Lindsey - We Are All Alone in This Together
15. 5 way tie:
Townes Van Zandt - Snowin' On Raton
Gram Parsons - Love Hurts and In My Hour of Darkness
Eddie Vedder - Guaranteed
Miss Leslie - In the Matter of Me and You
20. Eric Blakely - Something Into Nothing

That's all, folks!

-jc

Another list posing as a Journal:

2010
INTERNATIONAL BLUEGRASS MUSIC AWARDS
Winners in BOLD

ENTERTAINER OF THE YEAR
v Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
v Dailey & Vincent (Dailey And Vincent)
v The Grascals
v The Del McCoury Band
v Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out

VOCAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
v Blue Highway
v Dailey & Vincent
v The Gibson Brothers
v Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver
v Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out

INSTRUMENTAL GROUP OF THE YEAR
v Blue Highway
v Sam Bush Band
v Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper
v The Infamous Stringdusters
v Ricky Skaggs & Kentucky Thunder

MALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
v Jamie Dailey
v Russell Moore
v Tim O’Brien
v Junior Sisk
v Dan Tyminski

FEMALE VOCALIST OF THE YEAR
v Dale Ann Bradley
v Sonya Isaacs
v Alison Krauss
v Patty Loveless
v Claire Lynch

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Recording Title, Artist(s), Producer(s), Label

v Circles Around Me, Sam Bush (artist & producer), Sugar Hill
v Dailey & Vincent Sing The Statler Brothers, Dailey & Vincent (artists), Jamie Dailey & Darrin Vincent (producers), Cracker Barrel/Rounder (Yeah Statler Brothers!)
v Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out, Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out (artists & producers), Rural Rhythm
v Ring The Bell, The Gibson Brothers (artists and producers), Compass
v The Famous Lefty Flynn’s, The Grascals (artists & producers), Rounder

SONG OF THE YEAR
Song Title, Artist(s), Songwriter(s)

v “Elizabeth,” Dailey & Vincent (artists), Lester James Fortune (songwriter)
v “Hard Rock Mountain Prison (‘Till I Die);” Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out (artists); Ray Edwards, Larry Cox & Terry Foust (songwriters)
v “My Florida Sunshine,” Claire Lynch (artist), Bill Monroe (songwriter)
v “Ring the Bell,” The Gibson Brothers (artists), Chet O’Keefe (songwriter)
v “The Ballad Of Stringbean And Estelle;” Sam Bush (artist); Guy Clark, Verlon Thompson & Sam Bush (songwriters)

RECORDED EVENT OF THE YEAR
Song Title, Featured Artists, Producer(s), Label

v “Bleeding For A Little Peace Of Mind,” Blue Highway featuring Darrell Scott (artists), Blue Highway (producers), Rounder
v “Give This Message To Your Heart,” Larry Stephenson featuring Dailey & Vincent (artists), Ben Surratt & Larry Stephenson (producers), Whysper Dream
v “I’m Blue, I’m Lonesome;” The Grascals with Hank Williams, Jr.; The Grascals (producers); Rounder
v “Talk To Me Lonesome Heart,” Larry Stephenson featuring Connie Smith & Marty Stuart (artists), Ben Surratt & Larry Stephenson (producers), Whysper Dream
v “That’s What Makes You Strong,” Claire Lynch with Jesse Winchester (artists), Claire Lynch (producer), Rounder

GOSPEL RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Song Title, Artist(s), Songwriter(s), Producer, Label

v “Don’t You Wanna Go to Heaven,” Dailey & Vincent (artists), David Marshall (songwriter), Jamie Dailey & Darrin Vincent (producers), Rounder Records
v “I Just Want To Thank You Lord,” Larry Sparks (artist, producer), Judy Marshall (songwriter), Rural Rhythm
v “Light On My Feet, Ready To Fly;” Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver (artists); Corey Hensley (songwriter); Doyle Lawson (producer); Horizon
v “Ring the Bell,” The Gibson Brothers (artists), Chet O’Keefe (songwriter), The Gibson Brothers (producers), Compass)
v “The Eastern Gate;” Russell Moore & IIIrd Tyme Out (artists, producers); Isaiah G. Martin (songwriter); Rural Rhythm

INSTRUMENTAL RECORDED PERFORMANCE OF THE YEAR
Tune Title, Artist(s), Songwriter, Producer(s), Label

v “Blue Mountain,” Sam Bush (artist, songwriter, producer), Sugar Hill
v “Blue Rock Slide;” The Grascals (artists, producers); Danny Roberts, Kristin Scott Benson & Jeremy Abshire (songwriters); Rounder
v “Cherokee Shuffle,” Josh Williams (artist, producer), Tommy Jackson (songwriter), Pinecastle
v “Durang’s Hornpipe,” Adam Steffey (artist), Public Domain (songwriter), Barry Bales & Gary Paczosa (producers), Sugar Hill
v “Mourning Dove,” Steep Canyon Rangers (artists), Nicholas Sanders (songwriter), Ronnie Bowman (producer), Rebel

EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR
v Balsam Range
v Sierra Hull & Highway 111
v Danny Paisley & The Southern Grass
v Junior Sisk & Ramblers Choice
v Josh Williams Band

INSTRUMENTAL PERFORMERS OF THE YEAR
BANJO
v Terry Baucom
v Kristin Scott Benson
v J.D. Crowe
v Sammy Shelor
v Ron Stewart

BASS
v Barry Bales
v Mike Bub
v Missy Raines
v Darrin Vincent
v Marshall Wilborn

FIDDLE
v Jason Carter
v Michael Cleveland
v Stuart Duncan
v Andy Leftwich
v Ron Stewart

DOBRO
v Mike Auldridge
v Jerry Douglas
v Andy Hall
v Rob Ickes
v Randy Kohrs

GUITAR
v Cody Kilby
v Tony Rice
v Kenny Smith
v Bryan Sutton
v Josh Williams

MANDOLIN
v Jesse Brock
v Sam Bush
v Sierra Hull
v Ronnie McCoury
v Adam Steffey

BLUEGRASS EVENT OF THE YEAR
v Pass It On: The 30th Anniversary Minnesota Bluegrass & Old-Time Music Festival; St. Cloud, Minnesota (We was robbed!)
v The 14th Annual Podunk Bluegrass Music Festival; East Hartford, Connecticut
v The Red, White & Bluegrass Festival; Morganton, North Carolina

BLUEGRASS BROADCASTER OF THE YEAR:
v Kyle Cantrell; Sirius XM Satellite Radio; Nashville, Tenn.
v Katy Daley; WAMU’s Bluegrass Country; Washington, D.C.
v Chris Jones; Sirius XM Satellite Radio; Nashville, Tenn.

PRINT MEDIA PERSON OF THE YEAR
v Eddie Dean & Dr. Ralph Stanley, authors of Man of Constant Sorrow: My Life and Times (Gotham)
v Derek Halsey, freelance writer for The Herald Dispatch, Gritz magazine and Bluegrass Unlimited
v Larry Nager, freelance writer for Bluegrass Unlimited

LINER NOTES FOR RECORDED PROJECT
v Fred Bartenstein (writer), Singing from the Heart, Dailey & Vincent (artists), Rounder (label)
v Benji Flaming (writer), Solo Banjo, Benji Flaming (artist), solobanjo.com (label)
v Dr. Ted Olson (writer), Appalachia Music from Home, Various Artists, Lonesome Records (label)

BEST GRAPHIC DESIGN FOR RECORDED PROJECT
v Julie Craig, Cracker Barrel (designer); Dailey & Vincent Sing The Statler Brothers; Dailey & Vincent; Cracker Barrel/Rounder (label)
v Benji Flaming (designer, artist), Solo Banjo, solobanjo.com (label)
v Bill Womack, Hellos Inc. (designer); Appalachia Music from Home; Various Artists; Lonesome Records (label)

--End of Nominee List—


HALL OF FAME INDUCTEES: John Hartford, Louise Scruggs

DISTINGUISHED ACHIEVEMENT AWARD RECIPIENTS: Sherry Boyd, Benjamin F. “Tex” Logan, Lynn Morris, Richard Weize, Pete Wernick

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H/T to The 9513. Read the full story there, on The Bluegrass Blog and and on the Nashvegas Tennessean.

-jc

Americana Music Association 2010 Honors & Awards go to:

Album of the Year: The List – Rosanne Cash
Artist of the Year: Ryan Bingham
Duo/Group of the Year: The Avett Brothers
Instrumentalist of the Year: Buddy Miller
New & Emerging Artist: Hayes Carll
Song of the Year: “The Weary Kind (Theme From Crazy Heart)” – Written by Ryan Bingham and T Bone Burnett-performed by Ryan Bingham

Wanda Jackson also got a nod for Americana Lifetime Achievement Award.

Courtesy of The 9513 and The Tennessean (the AMA staff must be sleeping in today after the big to-do)

p.s. There's a nice writeup on Dale Watson's showcase HERE.

-jc

The 2010 Americana Music Association Honors and Awards nominees are:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
The List, by Rosanne Cash
A Friend Of A Friend, by Dave Rawlings Machine
Downtown Church, by Patty Griffin
A. Enlightenment B. Endarkenment (Hint: There is no C), by Ray Wylie Hubbard

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Ryan Bingham
Patty Griffin
Levon Helm
Steve Earle
Ray Wylie Hubbard

DUO GROUP OF THE YEAR
The Avett Brothers
Carolina Chocolate Drops
Band Of Heathens
Dave Rawlings Machine

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR
Buddy Miller
Dave Rawlings
Will Kimbrough
Sam Bush

NEW & EMERGING ARTIST
Sarah Jarosz
Ryan Bingham
Hayes Carll
Corb Lund
Joe Pug

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 winners will be announced September 9 at the historic Ryman Auditorium during the 9th Annual Americana Music Association’s Honors and Awards Show....

More at AMA.

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If I was still an AMA member, I'd vote for Ray Wylie for Album of the year, Ryan Bingham for Artist (just because of that movie), probably Avett's for Group (I haven't paid much attention to any of the groups). I like Sam Bush and Corb Lund. And I love "Drunken Poet's Dream".

But I expect Rosanne or Patty to win Album, Steve Earl for Artist (?) and Dave Rawlings for Group (?). Go figure on the others. Watching the AMA Radio chart, I'm not sure where many of the members are going these days.

-jc

It's time for another List posing as a Journal!

Merlefest 2010
TENTATIVE
Watson Stage Artist Listing

THURSDAY
Balsam Range
The Belleville Outfit
The Duhks
Rhonda Vincent And The Rage
Taj Mahal
Zac Brown Band

FRIDAY
Missy Raines and The New Hip
Brave Combo
Nation Beat
Donna The Buffalo
The Waybacks
Dailey And Vincent
Dierks Bentley featuring The Travelin' McCourys
Sam Bush
Little Feat

SATURDAY
Cadillac Sky
Great Big Sea
The John Cowan Band
The Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band
The Tony Rice Unit
Docabilly with Doc Watson, Richard Watson, Sam Bush,
T. Michael Coleman, Buddy Greene, Mitch Greenhill, and Jeff Little
Elvis Costello and the sugarcanes
Steve Martin performing with The Steep Canyon Rangers An Evening of Bluegrass & Banjo

SUNDAY
Scythian
The Lee Boys and The Travelin' McCourys
W.P.A.
The Avett Brothers

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Carolina, so close to heaven, so far from me.