N.O.L.A. Rhythum And Booze by Guitar Lightnin’ Lee Guitar Lightnin’ Lee is coming to North Carolina for Freight Train Blues this month and Jazz Fest happened two weeks ago, so New Orleans and Lightnin’s blown-out 20-grit sandpaper guitar are on our minds. We’re thinking the history of Lightnin’s hometown and the way it taught America […]

Rain In Your Life by Essie Mae Brooks Essie Mae Brooks‘s voice and Cool John Ferguson‘s guitar were meant for one another on this track from Brooks’ 2000 album Rain in Your Life. Brooks’ voice is so grounded, Ferguson’s guitar is so ethereal, but they create a perfect balance that captures both the every-day sing-to-survive […]

Timothy Duffy has been photographing musicians in the South for thirty-five years and is the founder of the Music Maker Relief Foundation, a nonprofit organization based in Hillsborough, NC that helps elderly musicians meet their basic needs so that they can share their music with the world. The exhibit, Our Living Past features portraits of […]

Somewhere Between Truth & Sanity by Dave McGrew Dave McGrew is a songwriter for the ages and draws his musical inspiration from his rich experiences in the Great Northwest. Not all of Dave’s tunes are happy or uplifting, but Cool and Groovy hits the mark here. Let’s put a log on the fire and watch […]

What Left by Robert Lee Coleman When I walked into the studio during Robert Lee Coleman’s recording session for his new released album What Left, I know this was going to be a special record. Robert’s got his Soul music pedigree from the godfathers themselves — James Brown and Percy Sledge. Combine that with using […]