!function(d,s,id){var js,fjs=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0];if(!d.getElementById(id)){js=d.createElement(s);js.id=id;js.src=”//platform.twitter.com/widgets.js”;fjs.parentNode.insertBefore(js,fjs);}}(document,”script”,”twitter-wjs”); Be sure to “Like” Ear to the Ground on Facebook!
So, sorry no update yesterday. The pace of life tends to increase during AMA week…
Wednesday began with a stop off at a meet and greet for No Depression at Grimeys, Too. To celebrate the release of their return to print.
Then, I headed over to Tin Roof Nashville and had a leisurely lunch with my partner in crime, Sue Havlish and took in the Launch Party for the Ted Hawkins tribute album: Cold and Bitter Tears. That event featured James McMurtry, Tim Easton, Ramsey Midwood, and Mary Gauthier.
After a brief respite at home, I drove to the Cannery Complex for a way cool night of music. First up was The Suffers from Houston, TX. Seeing them for the first time, and I am hooked. So much soul and energy. They even brought some Outkast to the Americana stage.
Next was an something I have been waiting over 30 years to see. East LA band, Los Lobos had just won the Lifetime Achievement award at the AMA awards show, and their incredible set was a celebration of over 40 years of making music together. After bringing out guitar legend Jack Pearson for an amazing set of songs that included: “Not Fade Away” and the Grateful Dead’s “Bertha”, the band closed the night with a loud and furious rendition of Neil Young’s “Cinnamon Girl”.
I ended my night with a trip upstairs to the Hi-Watt to catch the end of the Secret Sisters set. They blew me away as always with their gorgeous harmonies.
Thursday started with a trip down to the incredible Southern Ground Studios to watch the recording of an Acoustic Cafe session hosted by Rob Reinhart and featuring the incredible Warren Haynes playing songs off his latest (acoustic/folk) album, Ashes and Dust.
Then I flew over to The 5 Spot (actually, I wish I could have flown – but I crawled through rush hour traffic) and caught the end of the set by Bill Jackson and Pete Fidler from Australia. They were amazing. Next up was The Mark Robinson Band who knocked it out the park celebrating the release of their new two-sided single, “Gone South”. They began with the acoustic version of that song and then a few more acoustic tunes with an augmented band that included Richard Bailey of The Steel Drivers, the aforementioned Pete Fidler, and Luke Amelang. They then brought it home with the power trio line-up of Robinson, Justin Amaral, and Daniel Seymour and ended with the electric rock version of “Gone South”. David Olney rounded out the evening with week three of his September residency, and he once again blew it out of the park with a set that ended with a rousing version of “Chain of Fools”.
Next it was back to the Cannery Complex for a night highlighted by Ray Wylie Hubbard and marked with running into a bunch of friends. I actually, reluctantly but prudently, called it a relatively early night and made it home before midnight.
Things crank up today with some day time events and a great night of music on tap for tonight.
More to come…
E2TG: MUSIC/WORDS 