By Brent Thompson

In a record career spanning nearly 25 years, Keller Williams has titled his albums with single words that underscore the premise of a given project – THIEF (cover versions), DREAM (collaborations with heroes) and GRASS (bluegrass) all being examples in this pattern. On October 19, the guitarist with dizzying skills will release SANS (as in “without”), a nine-track collection that revisits older songs and adds a new one to his catalog. Given that he is generally regarded more for his playing than his singing, SANS is surprisingly Williams’ first release of all-instrumental material. If you’re not into Williams already, then the album likely won’t covert you. But if you’ve followed him on his diverse and exciting ride, SANS will be an essential addition to your collection.

By Brent Thompson

Photo Credit: Alysse Gafkjen

It is well-documented that several acts with Alabama ties have made a significant impact on music in recent years. Jason Isbell, The Alabama Shakes, Anderson East, Drive-By Truckers, The Secret Sisters and St. Paul & The Broken Bones are a few artists that have raised the state’s prominence in the musical landscape. In that respect, Adam Hood takes a back seat to no one. In a career spanning more than 15 years, the Opelika native and Northport resident has released several solo albums and had his songs recorded by Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, Anderson East and Lee Ann Womack among others. On October 12, the singer/songwriter will add and important piece to his resumé when he releases the album Somewhere In Between [Southern Songs]. Recorded at Nashville’s Sound Emporium Studios with the help of producer Oran Thornton (Miranda Lambert, Eric Church, Angaleena Presley) and singer/songwriter Pat McLaughlin, the 11-track collection finds Hood capturing the spontaneous feel of his live shows. On Friday, October 5, 65 South Presents: Adam Hood Album Release Show at Zydeco. Recently, Hood spoke with us by phone as he traveled to a run of shows on the Alabama and Florida coasts.

Birmingham Stages: Adam, thanks for your time. If you will, talk about the body of songs that comprise Somewhere In Between.

Adam Hood: “She Don’t Love Me” is a song I wrote with Brent Cobb and Josh Abbott. Brent and I flew out to Texas and wrote with Josh for a week during one of Josh’s projects. That song got put on hold and a little time went by and the timing was perfect to put it on mine. So, that was an older one. The song “Heart of a Queen” – which is the song we got the Somewhere In Between title from – I’ve had that song in my pocket for a while. But “Downturn” is a newer one that I wrote with [Jason] Eady and I wrote about four songs with Pat McLaughlin. Pat and I have written probably half of the last three albums together. It’s funny that I base making a record on how many songs Pat and I have written together [laughs]. The thing that made this album come together was Pat’s participation.

Birmingham Stages: An artist recently told that there is usually a certain song that tells you that it’s time to make a new record. Do you agree with that statement?

Hood: Yes, the song “The Easy Way” was the song on this record for me. Honestly, I think it’s kind of that way for all of my records. I’ll write a tune and think to myself, “Now it’s time.” So, “The Easy Way” was the song for this record and it’s pretty obvious that there are definitive moments in the writing process.

Birmingham Stages: In addition to recording your own material, you’ve had multiple artists – including Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Anderson East and Lee Ann Womack – record your songs. When you write, how do you decide which songs belong on your albums and which ones should be recorded by others?

Hood: It’s one of those things where you never really know until the song’s done. It’s just a feel – it’s never specific content or specific lyrics or melody. A song just feels like it suits itself for me as opposed to someone like Miranda or Anderson. A lot of times – like “Good Ol’ Days” that I wrote with Brent and Miranda – I put that song in my set lists. That’s the good thing about collaborations with other artists – I have the publishing deal I have due to Brent Cobb and Anderson East. I can write in that wheelhouse all day long. Brent’s a great writer and I know that we can get together and I can do something that suits what he does and the same thing with Anderson. There are some things I’m not great at, but with those two guys I can write that material.

Birmingham Stages: I know that several regions of the country have rich musical histories, but there is a special magic rooted in the music of Nashville, Memphis, New Orleans, Muscle Shoals, the Mississippi Delta and so forth. If you will, talk about the South’s influence on you.

Hood: I think it’s a hotbed. The digital age has complicated things – how writers get paid and people’s roles – but more than anything, you have access to everything now. All of the Amazing Rhythm Aces records and everything in the John Hiatt and Delbert McClinton catalogs – all of my heroes – that stuff is available to us now. So, I agree it’s awesome to be from this area and it’s a deeper well than I ever would have thought. I’m thankful for it.

Birmingham Stages: You mention the digital age and that is an ideal segue to my next question. As an artist, how do you reconcile the pros and cons of the current climate?

Hood: It’s not easy, but I wasn’t in the midst of the age when people were making a lot of money so I don’t miss it. I treat this like more of a business at 43 than I did at 33 and it’s not a matter of money – I want to know who’s listening to my music. It’s all at our fingertips and I’m available to people that want to find me. The associative game is a big game to be in right now and I’m associated with a lot of artists. I like the fact that it’s all in our hands and the consumer gets to choose nowadays. It’s a free market and that’s good.

Birmingham Stages: How would you describe your writing process?

Hood: The inspiration comes anytime, anywhere – there’s no formula for what I’m going to write about. I’m not great at titles – I’ve got buddies that are title-writers and they have lists of these brilliant titles. I can come up with a line that would be a great second line in the third verse. To me, it’s kind of working backwards – you write the story first and the chorus comes last.

Birmingham Stages: The press release for Somewhere In Between states that you went for a live, spontaneous recording approach on the album.

Hood: I’ve always traveled [with a] three-piece – we’re never more than a four-piece. It’s usually me playing guitar and singing with a bass player and a drummer. I wanted to go in and make a record that we could cut live and that I can reproduce note-for-note. It’s an intangible thing when you go see somebody live and it sounds like the record – those are the shows that I love the most. Because we’re stuck to our guns in being a smaller group, I wanted to showcase that on the record and I feel like we knocked it out of the park. I’m blessed and thankful for that.

65 South Presents: Adam Hood Album Release Show at Zydeco on Friday, October 5. Showtime is 9 p.m. Advance tickets to the 18+ show are $20 (reserved) and $12 (general) and can be purchased at www.zydecobirmingham.com.

By Brent Thompson

The term “Americana” is defined by being indefinable and that’s a compliment. The sounds of rock, country, bluegrass, soul and folk are all found in Americana and they somehow fit together in a cohesive fashion. From September 11-16, throngs of artists – from up-and-coming and legendary – descended on Nashville for AmericanaFest 2018. The annual event  – highlighted by the mid-week Americana Music Awards at the Ryman Auditorium – allows audiences to catch performances in renowned concert venues, bars, hotel and record store rooftops, restaurants and retail stores. The only downside to the event is the recurring problem of too many great shows taking place at the same time. We were in Music City to capture this year’s festival and our coverage is best told in photos.

 

Top to bottom: John Oates (City Winery), Margo Price (Third Man Records), Nocona (Fond Object Records), Margo Price & Brandi Carlile (Third Man Records), Alejandro Escovedo (12th & Porter), Paul Cauthen (Bobby Hotel), Zac Sokolow of The Americans (East Nashville), Thomas Csorba (3rd & Lindsley), Thomas Csorba rehearsal (East Nashville)

By Brent Thompson

It’s always interesting to trace a band’s roots, especially when those roots include music that’s literally been in the vault for nearly 30 years. In 1990, Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley of Drive-By Truckers recorded Town Burned Down with their band Adam’s House Cat. Now, the 12-track collection has been unearthed and released on ATO Records. In the liner notes, Hood writes, “Finally releasing Town Burned Down brings a sort of closure to one of the saddest and most important chapters of mine and Cooley’s lives…Songs from literally half of my life ago that somehow still seem vital to me all of these years later.” With the exception of some updated sweetening of the vocals, what you hear is what went down as Hood and Cooley worked their way to the formation of the Truckers. Established fans will find the release essential to their collections as it rounds out the A-Z progression of these torchbearers of raw, honest Southern Rock. To cement the revitalization of the project, Adam’s House Cat will perform at select shows with Drive-By Truckers this fall.

By Brent Thompson

Lucero frontman Ben Nichols eyes the South in the same way that Warren Zevon eyed Southern California (not surprisingly, Lucero has a song in its back catalog that pays tribute to Zevon). On the band’s latest album, Among The Ghosts, Nichols continues his haunting observations backed by a leaner sound than on previous releases. On Wednesday, September 26, Lucero will perform at Saturn. Brent Cowles will open the 8 p.m. show. Advance tickets to the 18+ show are $22 and can be purchased at www.saturnbirmingham.com.

By Brent Thompson

Jake Shimabukuro is a living example of how technology can propel an artist’s career in today’s music industry. The Hawaiian ukulele virtuoso found an international audience when – unbeknownst to him – his rendition of The Beatles’ “While My Guitar Gently Weeps” was posted on Youtube in 2006 (the clip has received over 16 million views). During his career, Shimabukuro has collaborated with Jimmy Buffett, Lyle Lovett, Yo-Yo Ma, Jack Johnson and Bette Midler and many others while releasing a steady stream of solo albums. On August 31, Shimabukuro released The Greatest Day [Mailboat Records], a collection that finds original songs sitting alongside cover versions of “Time Of The Season,” “Eleanor Rigby” and “Hallelujah” among others. On Sunday, September 16, he will perform at WorkPlay Theatre. Recently, Shimabukuro spoke with us by phone from his home in Honolulu.

Birmingham Stages: Jake, we are enjoying The Greatest Day. If you will, talk about the album’s body of material.

Jake Shimabukuro: There are six new original tunes and six cover tunes that I’ve never recorded before except for one of them – it’s an original called “Go For Broke.” We had re-recorded it because recently there was a movie called Go For Broke that was released in Hawaii about the Japanese-American soldiers who fought in the Second World War. That served as the theme song for the movie, so we re-recorded it and Jerry Douglas – one of my favorite musicians – makes an appearance on that so we decided to put it on the album.

Birmingham Stages: Do songs still evolve even as you take them into the studio to record them?

Shimabukuro: Yeah, definitely. They’re constantly evolving. It’s hard for me to listen to my own records because, by the time the album comes out, I already have so many new ideas that I always wish I could go back into the studio and re-record. It’s just never-ending – the songs evolve constantly. At some point, you’ve got to realize that, “OK, that was then” and it’s just a snapshot in time. Don’t get hung up on it – keep moving forward and you can use those ideas on the next project.

Birmingham Stages: When you’re recording cover songs, how do you place your own stamp on the material while retaining the original integrity of the song?

Shimabukuro: That’s a tough one. I always want to be respectful to the original, but at the same time I try to put my own spin on things. I try to be true to the melody as much as possible and really draw out the melody. But sometimes it’s hard, especially when it’s the ukulele or anytime you take a vocal tune and you try to quantify it as an instrumental. The human voice is so amazing that there’s all the subtle nuances that [make it] hard to do with a stringed instrument. I think a lot of times horn players or wind players have an easier time because they’re dealing with the breath and it’s that much closer to the human voice. With strings, you’re singing with your hands and your fingers so it’s a totally different approach. So, yeah, I struggle with that – really trying to bring out the melody. I like to do it where I’m singing the song in my head and that really helps me to be more vocal about it.

Birmingham Stages: In writing instrumental material, it must be nice to focus just on the music and not have to create lyrics for it.

Shimabukuro: Yeah, that’s true. In writing instrumental music –  especially when it’s your own piece – you can do whatever you want because it’s your own piece. But also that can be challenging because you can do whatever you want [laughs] and you can get carried away. The bottom line is you just want to be musical and you want to create something that will connect with people. I always lack a little bit of confidence when it comes to writing my own music, but it’s fun and I enjoy it.

Birmingham Stages: An artist once told me that an instrumental piece allows the listener to hear the song in his or her own way. In other words, it’s open to interpretation given there is no vocal story to guide the listener.

Shimabukuro: That’s totally true and I think, with instrumental music, sometimes you have to be very careful with how you title the piece because that can work two ways. You can lead the person or give them a hint, but then sometimes you give them a title and it kind of locks them into a certain feeling.

Birmingham Stages: Early in your career, you utilized Youtube as a platform to get exposure and grow your audience. Some artists love the current climate as there are so many ways to connect with listeners. Others say it’s a challenging time because the amount of content makes it difficult to separate yourself from the crowd. How do you view the current model?

Shimabukuro: I’m very grateful for social media and Youtube and the Internet because I’m pretty certain that I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for those avenues. Youtube really started a touring career for me, so that was the catalyst for me. Otherwise, I would never get any kind of radio play. I think that a lot of artists are getting their starts on social media and I think it’s great. Even though there’s a lot out there, I still think if you have something that moves people and it’s great to have that platform to expose what you do. For me, I spend hours on Youtube sometimes just looking up new artists or checking out interviews. I’ve discovered so many new, incredible musicians through social media, so I’m grateful for that. It’s been truly inspiring and it’s just a great new format for the audience to connect with artists.

Birmingham Stages: You deserve a lot of the credit for it, but the ukulele is seeing a surge in popularity these days. For example, music retailers now prominently display ukuleles and ukulele songbooks.

Shimabukuro: Yeah, totally. The bottom line is I’m just a big fan of the ukulele, so when I see it in movies or commercials or just making its way into mainstream media, it’s totally exciting. For me growing up in Hawaii, the ukulele is such a big part of the culture. It’s like the steel guitar – the steel guitar is an indigenous Hawaiian instrument. It was invented in Hawaii and you hear it now so prominently in country music and different styles of music. Surfing was also invented in Hawaii, but now you travel around the world and see such a surfing culture and community evolving in so many different countries. I feel like the ukulele is the next thing that’s making its way out there and I think that’s fantastic.

Jake Shimabukuro will perform at WorkPlay Theatre on Sunday, September 16. Advance tickets to the 8 p.m. show are $35 and can be purchased at www.workplay.com.

Photo courtesy of the artist.

 

 

By Brent Thompson

Local music lovers will remember Cruz Contreras from his days in Robinella and the CC String Band, a Knoxville, Tenn.-based outfit that performed in Birmingham on several occasions. These days, Contreras fronts The Black Lillies, a quartet that is set to release its new album, Stranger To Me, on September 28. On Thursday, September 13, The band – Contreras, Sam Quinn, Bowman Townsend and Dustin Schaefer – will perform at Moonlight on the Mountain. Recently, Contreras spoke with us by phone from his Knoxville home.

Birmingham Stages: Cruz, thanks for your time. If you will, talk about the evolution of Stranger To Me. Are the songs newer compositions, older songs or a mixture of both?

Cruz Contreras: Certainly a combination, but I would say mainly it’s pretty fresh and new material. We just put out a single yesterday called “Earthquake” and that was probably the first one written – I wrote that probably two years ago. That was the impetus for, “Hey, we’ve got a new song and a new sound that’s going to focus on three-part harmony.” For every record, there’s a song that’s written that lets you know it’s time to make a record. Through the process of that, we were solidifying the lineup and we went from a six to five to four-piece group. We have three lead singers, three songwriters, four arrangers and every song on the new record has a different combination of writers. I try to avoid one formula – I like the idea of being open-minded and supporting each other.

Birmingham Stages: A steady flow of energy must permeate through your band with that amount of creative input.

Contreras: Yeah, and it takes a while to get to there because you’re dealing with big personalities and these are guys that could all front their own bands. It’s really cool to get to that point where you have that common vision and dedication.

Birmingham Stages: Do songs continue to evolve even as you’re in the studio recording them?

Contreras: Of course! The more you’re prepared, the more you have the luxury to edit and change and be spontaneous. If you  go in there just hoping for the best, you’re not going to get to that point. This record is the first Black Lillies record that is exclusively Black Lillies members. This is really us and we went in there and performed the songs live together. We sang at the same time – we didn’t sing lead and then add harmonies.

Birmingham Stages: The press material for Stranger To Me states that a tremendous amount of writing took place in preparation for recording the album. It seems that you already have enough stored material for several additional albums.

Contreras: We’ve talked about doing a five-song acoustic EP of our favorite five songs that didn’t make it or something like that. I’ve heard people say that one of the tunes that got cut is their favorite tune. The title track got cut! We have a song called “Stranger To Me” and it didn’t make it [laughs].

Birmingham Stages: How do you feel about the current musical climate? Some artists say it’s a great time as you can do things on your own terms. Others say the current model makes it difficult to separate yourself among the crowd given anyone can record and distribute their own music.

Contreras: Yeah, good question. It’s the reality. I’m sure every industry deals with changing times and changing technology. The cool part is that information is available to everybody and everybody can get their message out there. We tour a lot – we’re not selling out giant theaters or amphitheaters, but we can go anywhere and we have a fan base and we have this really complex network of fans and friends and supporters. It’s why we’re able to make a record like this without a traditional record deal. If it bops along like it is, we have a career in music and we have a great life. This [new album] is a big step – it establishes the band and lineup and the next record may sound totally different and our fans understand that.

Birmingham Stages: Today’s climate seems favorable to a band like yours in that genre lines are blurring more than ever. For example, the “Americana” term encompasses a multitude of styles and sounds.

Contreras: I love it and I think it’s the future. People come up with genres so they can sell and market – there’s no other reason. But everybody at their fingertips carries a little machine that can play any song in existence at any second. You can’t just put out a record every two to three years and expect to be relevant. Really hot artists are putting out something everyday, even if it’s a photo or a statement. To me, music is music and I like the diversity of it.

Moonlight Presents: The Black Lillies at WorkPlay Theatre on Thursday, September 13. Advance tickets to the 7:30 p.m. show are $15 and $18 day of the show. For more information, visit www.workplay.com.

By Brent Thompson

No one can deliver a pop gem or a smooth dance groove like Boz Scaggs, but – just like Eric Clapton – he always returns to his love of the blues. Since releasing the blues-laden Come On Home in 1997, Scaggs has delved deeper into the genre that has always held has fascination. On the heels of the Steve Jordan-produced albums Memphis and A Fool to Care comes Boz’s latest, Out Of The Blues [Concord Records]. The nine-track collection mixes original material with songs by Jimmy Reed and longtime Scaggs cohort Jack Walroth. One unlikely cover that Scaggs makes his own is Neil Young’s “On The Beach.” Always holding the respect of other musicians, Scaggs surrounds himself with crack players including Doyle Bramhall II, Ray Parker, Jr., Charlie Sexton and Willie Weeks – among others – on the recording. If you’re only association with Boz is “Lowdown” and “Jojo,” then Out Of The Blues may not be your bag. But if you want to hear a seasoned artist playing timeless music, then this is the album for you.

By Brent Thompson

Moon River Music Festival – hosted by Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors – returns to Coolidge Park in Chattanooga, Tenn. on September 8-9. The weekend event features a stellar lineup that includes The Avett Brothers, The Head And The Heart, Margo Price and East Tennessee favorites The Dirty Guv’nahs. For event schedule, travel information and complete details, visit www.moonriverfestival.com

 

 

By Brent Thompson

Nearly 30 years ago, The Black Crowes – fronted by vocalist Chris Robinson – put the rock & roll world on notice with its Southern-fried Stones sound. These days, at 51 years old, Robinson – now fronting the Chris Robinson Brotherhood (CRB) – remains as musically ambitious as ever. Formed in 2011, the CRB – Robinson, Neal Casal, Adam MacDougall, Jeff Hill and Tony Leone – has released a steady stream of studio and live recordings. Stylistically, the quintet finds frontman Robinson trading in his swaggering rock style for jam-based California psychedelia. On Saturday, September 8, the CRB will perform at Avondale Brewing Co. Recently, Robinson spoke with us by phone from his adopted home of Marin County, Calif.

Birmingham Stages: Chris, thanks for your time. Are you home right now?

Chris Robinson: You could call it that [laughs]. I’m moving  – you know how that goes. I have three shows this weekend – two with my Marin country band and a CRB festival in Yosemite. It’s kind of a hectic weekend, but they seem to all be hectic weekends these days.

Birmingham Stages: You’re able to juggle a lot of projects. You produce other artists, you toured with [side project] As The Crow Flies recently, and you front the CRB. There doesn’t seem to be much blank space on your calendar.

Robinson: The CRB is one thing – we’re still building this band and we’re still setting up our little fortune teller booth and getting out the crystal ball and hoping somebody will sit down [laughs]. But it’s good, man. I love music and in this day and age where – juxtaposed against popular opinion – I think people say, “Rock & roll? There’s no such thing,” but I’m pretty busy and everyone I know plays guitars and we write songs.

If your goal is to be rich and famous, then this is probably the wrong time. But I think if you have a lot of creative energy and you have a voice for expression, then give me a big slice of now. It’s a great time if you have some imagination. I’m not being flippant and I’m glad to have the history I have and that anyone would be interested in hearing me sing or what I’m writing. That being the case, I feel I’m here to make music – it’s what makes me happy and I understand it and it brings me solace and I feel peace in the universe. As you know, we live in a lot of fear and a lot of anxiety and that permeates our daily thing. So, for me music is a great exercise to stay in the present and tune out some of that negative stuff.

Birmingham Stages: Some artists say that they miss the traditional model that included marketing departments and other artists tell me they prefer the current climate that allows them more freedom to navigate their careers. How do you view the current musical climate?

Robinson: I dig it. Marketing department? Those are just square business dudes and they would be selling Volvos or toaster ovens. I knew that when that shit was happening. I’ve always had this artist’s “Us versus Them” counter-culture mentality. In the late ’80s and early ’90s, that was the way it was working and that was my life. We signed a shitty record deal but, luckily, we had a sound that people were interested in. I know people are obsessed with fame and fortune, but wasn’t the guy in Ugly Kid Joe famous for a minute, too? I just picked some band from the ’90s. But that’s indicative of where I come from through art and expression.

I’ve made life very difficult for me and those around me because I don’t really care about money the same way people do. My motivation really is about the work and you’re only as good as the last gig you did or the song you’re writing. I’m ambitious – success is cool, it’s just that I’m not going to ever change anything about what I want to do or how I do it to make everybody else more money. I have a vision – I don’t know if my parents dropped me on my head – but it seems like most of my heroes all tend to be people that have to do it their own way and I believe in forging your own path.

Birmingham Stages: Your publicist says that there is a new CRB album set to be released next year.

Robinson: Yeah, it’s called Servant of the Sun. We’ll probably be done with the mixing by next week. We went to our favorite fishing hole in Unicorn, Calif. and to our favorite studio – the Brotherhood Arts Laboratory – and I think we’ve come up with another psychedelic goodie bag.

Birmingham Stages: How does your writing process work? Do you tend to write more at home or on the road?

Robinson: A little of both. The last record probably more at home, but this record definitely on the road. For whatever reason every year’s a little bit different. This year, it’s seemed like I wrote the majority of the material and I wanted to make a record where every song could be played live. We’ve never really made any records in the summer, so it’s a little more uptempo and up-vibe. I’m super happy with it; I think it’s very dynamic and a little bit different. There’s no acoustic instruments at all – no piano, organ or acoustic guitars. It’s all electric and very danceable. Yeah, I’m very excited.

Birmingham Stages: Your band has been known for a collaborative writing and recording process. Is that still the case?

Robinson: Yeah, pretty much. It’s kind of hard to pin down, but I wrote all the lyrics. If someone has an idea, then the best idea wins always. We’re very open that way.

Birmingham Stages: How do songs stay fresh and relevant to you after you’ve played them for 20 years or more?

Robinson: It’s funny because just doing As The Crow Flies this year and getting back to The Black Crowes catalog and not playing those songs in so many years gave them an inherent freshness. Those songs are part of people’s lives and I’m a singer. I’ve never taken vocal lessons and I’ve got to feel it but that feeling isn’t hard to muster. Once you get up there in front of people – it’s a work ethic type of thing in a sense. Even though I’ve had my moments of lead singer-isms, I’m always acknowledging that people have spent their money. That same crackle I feel when I walk onstage is the same feeling I had in the summer of 1985 when I got onstage at a little punk rock club in Chattanooga.

Birmingham Stages: Though you live in California now, you know that Southern music lovers will always consider you their own.

Robinson: I love the South. Even as a child, I never pictured myself staying in the South. I knew my life was out there, but I definitely see the world through Southern lenses. I’m from Atlanta and I’m proud to be from a place where black people had a voice and a little more power than other Southern places. It was a progressive place and the music part of being Southern is really important to me. And I love barbecue, so I can’t help it.

Emporium Presents: An Evening with Chris Robinson Brotherhood at Avondale Brewing Co. on Saturday, September 8. Advance tickets to the 7 p.m. show are $25 and can be purchased at www.avondalebrewing.com.