Larry Keel, Virginia bluegrass legend, has lost it. Fortunately, he thinks he can find the old magic anytime he wants. “My beard and I have recently become separated,” Keel said. “But it will be back.” Over the years, Keel has sported a number of facial hairstyles, perhaps none more recognizable than the salt and pepper […]
Larry Keel, Virginia bluegrass legend, has lost it. Fortunately, he thinks he can find the old magic anytime he wants. “My beard and I have recently become separated,” Keel said. “But it will be back.” Over the years, Keel has sported a number of facial hairstyles, perhaps none more recognizable than the salt and pepper […]
Bandmates come and go. It’s just a fact of the music business, according to Justin Ringle, who’s been fronting the Portland, Oregon-based indie folk outfit Horse Feathers since 2004. Most break-ups are under the radar—just musicians going about their professional lives, rather than the splashy teeth-gnashing feuds the media eats up. “I used to hate […]
It may be the shrill voice of Danny Brown that catches the ear of rap enthusiasts, but it’s the lyrics that make him a modern hip-hop icon. The Detroit legend is brutally honest with his music, offering audiences the chance to view life as it occurs in an impoverished neighborhood. The versatile nature of his […]
There’s a score to settle between the members of the famous Zac Brown Band, and they’re taking their gripes to the stage to determine who is the king of the country ballad at Clay vs. Levi: Round 2. Clay Cook lays claim to the title, boasting an impressive solo collection of rock-inspired albums, but the […]
In a music market that’s dominated by a cacophony of artificial noise, it’s always a pleasure to discover a band that embraces purity. Over the Rhine has reduced its music to a healthy core of soulful melodies and gorgeous lyrics. The lead songwriter, Linford Detweller, is a man whose modest words tell a profound story […]
It may seem ironic that an Irish band would name itself The Teetotalers, but the name makes sense as soon as the tranquil and sobering melodies start flowing from the band’s fiddles and guitars. The trio is led by Paddy Keenan, a legendary Irish musician who has dedicated his life to the preservation of classical […]
Revive your passion for American rock ‘n’ roll with three acts armed to the teeth with rhythm, twang, and pompadours. Tristan Thorndyke leads The Savages in self-described “psychobilly swing.” Ginger & the Castaways craft garage rock filled with bluesy soul, and Madison, Virginia’s Cashless Society rocks out family style with James Tamelcoff III sharing lead […]
The centuries old musical tradition of the klezmorim, professional Jewish instrumentalists of Eastern Europe, was brought to the states by immigrants at the turn of the last century, and Americanized under the influence of jazz and modern orchestration. The University of Virginia Klezmer Ensemble celebrates the music’s multi-cultural revival and honors its roots in medieval […]
The unassuming members of St. Paul & The Broken Bones produce spine-tingling soul music that surpasses simple revival—this music sweats and stomps its way through a regeneration of the genre. Singer Paul Janeway possesses a set of pipes with the heart-wrenching timbre of Otis Redding combined with the wailing bad-assery of a writhing James Brown. […]
Catchiness. It’s the pop song writer’s holy grail. But what is it about a song that gets it lodged in hipsters’ heads? Is it a combination of the perfect melody and a poetic hook? The right balance of whistling and “woo-woos”? Perhaps a horn-driven chorus? Cowbell anyone? Whatever the formula, Detroit-based Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. […]