'Lynyrd Skynyrd - One More For The Fans' coming July 24 via deluxe CD/DVD set

Seldom do you see this many greats gather to honor a single artist, but Lynyrd Skynyrd is definitely deserving of the celebration...

LYNYRD SKYNYRD – ONE MORE FOR THE FANS

available July 24, 2015

on Loud & Proud Records in partnership with Blackbird Presents

Two CD/DVD set features performances by Lynyrd Skynyrd and a star-studded line up of top-tier talent 

CONCERT EVENT TO AIR ON AXS TV SUNDAY, JULY 19 AT 8 p.m. EST / 5 p.m. PST

NEW YORK, NY (May 19, 2015) – On one special night last November, an extraordinary collection of artists came together at the historic Fox Theatre in Atlanta, GA to perform and celebrate the songs of Lynyrd Skynyrd, one of the most influential bands of our time.  This unique concert event centered around performances by Lynyrd Skynyrd, including a special rendition of “Travelin’ Man” with Johnny Van Zant singing along with an archival video of his late brother, Ronnie performing, as well as a rousing rendition of “Sweet Home Alabama” with Skynyrd inviting the entire star-studded line-up up on stage to perform along side them.

The show will be available July 24, 2105 as a two CD/DVD set titled Lynyrd Skynyrd - One More For The Fans on Loud & Proud Records in partnership with Blackbird Presents.  The band will also be hitting the road this spring and summer (tour dates below) and will return to the CMT Crossroads stage for a taping with Brantley Gilbert.

One More For The Fans features performances by Lynyrd Skynyrd as well as music legends and young talent, culled from multiple genres including Classic Rock, Country and Americana with Trace Adkins, Alabama, Gregg Allman, Blackberry Smoke, Cheap Trick, Charlie Daniels, Peter Frampton, Gov’t Mule, Warren Haynes, John Hiatt, Randy Houser, Jason Isbell, Jamey Johnson, Aaron Lewis, moe., O.A.R., Robert Randolph and Donnie Van Zant all coming together to perform songs from Lynyrd Skynyrd’s extensive catalog of music.  

“Hearing all of these incredible musicians sing our songs was unforgettable,” says Rossington.  “It was a really special night and I’m so happy our fans will now get to enjoy the show at home.”

Keith Wortman, creator and executive producer of the concert event, broadcast special and music release worked with Ken Levitan and Ross Schilling who also served as executive producers of the show. Don Was led the all-star house band as musical director for the evening.   

As part of the campaign to save the Fox Theatre from demolition, Lynyrd Skynyrd recorded their 1976 live album, One More From The Road, at the landmark theatre. The title Lynyrd Skynyrd - One More For The Fans! was inspired by that legendary album’s title.

Joining in the celebration of the legendary band is AXS TV as it serves as the official broadcaster of Lynyrd Skynyrd - One More For The Fans. AXS TV will premiere the concert event on Sunday, July 19 at 8:00pm EST / 5:00pm PST, allowing fans nationwide to enjoy these remarkable performances.

With a catalog of over 60 albums and sales beyond 30 million worldwide, Rock & Roll Hall of Famers Lynyrd Skynyrd remains a cultural icon that appeals to multiple generations. Lynyrd Skynyrd continues to build on the legacy that began over 40 years ago in Jacksonville, Florida.  Led by core members Gary Rossington (guitar), 

Johnny Van Zant (vocals) and Rickey Medlocke (guitar), along with longtime drummer Michael Cartellone, the band also includes Mark "Sparky" Matejka (guitar), Johnny Colt (bass), Peter Keys (keyboards) and The Honkettes-Dale Krantz Rossington and Carol Chase-on background vocals.

“Lynyrd Skynyrd - One More For The Fans” Track Listing:

1. Whiskey Rock A Roller – performed by Randy Houser                 

2. You Got That Right – performed by Robert Randolph & Jimmy Hall           

3. Saturday Night Special – performed by Aaron Lewis                   

4. Workin’ For MCA – performed by Blackberry Smoke         

5. Don't Ask Me No Questions – performed by O.A.R.  

6. Gimme Back My Bullets – performed by Cheap Trick

7. The Ballad of Curtis Loew – performed by moe. & John Hiatt

8. Simple Man – performed by Gov't Mule                  

9. That Smell – performed by Warren Haynes           

10.  Four Walls of Raiford – performed by Jamey Johnson               

11.  I Know A Little – performed by Jason Isbell  

12.  Call Me The Breeze – performed by Peter Frampton

13.  What's Your Name – performed by Trace Adkins           

14.  Down South Jukin’ – performed by Charlie Daniels & Donnie Van Zant

15.  Gimme Three Steps – performed by Alabama                 

16.  Tuesday's Gone – performed by Gregg Allman              

17.  Travelin’ Man – performed by Lynyrd Skynyrd With Johnny and Ronnie – Ronnie on big screen

18.  Free Bird - performed by Lynyrd Skynyrd

19.  Sweet Home Alabama – performed by Lynyrd Skynyrd and the entire line-up

Lynyrd Skynyrd 2015 Tour Dates:

5/28 - Westbury, NY – Theatre at Westbury

5/29 - Mashantucket, CT – Foxwoods Resort Casino

5/30 - Virginia Beach, VA – Patriotic Festival

6/11 - Tulsa, OK – Hard Rock Hotel and Casino – The Joint

6/12 - Grande Prairie, TX – KZPS / Bo and Jim Bash @ Verizon Theatre at Grand Prairie

6/13 - Austin, TX – 20^th Anniversary ROT Rally @ Travis County Expo Center

6/19 - Alpharetta, GA – Kicks Country/Rock 100.5 CROCK FEST – Verizon Amphitheater at Encore Park

6/20 - Bluefield, WV – “Second Chance Rocks The Two Virginias” @ Mitchell Stadium

6/26 - Dover, DE – Big Barrel Festival

6/27 - Gilford, NH – Bank of New Hampshire Pavilion at Meadowbrook

6/28 - Cohasset, MA – South Shore Music Circus

7/14 - Ottawa, ON – Ottawa Bluesfest

7/16 - Oshkosh, WI – Rock USA


7/17 Chillicothe, IL – Country Life Music Festival – 3 Sisters Park

7/31 - Morton, MN – Jackpot Junction Casino

8/1 - Council Bluffs, IA – GrassRoots II Festival @ River’s Edge Park

8/2 - Littleton, CO – The Hudson Gardens & Event Center – Outdoor Amphitheatre

8/4 - Sturgis, SD – Sturgis Buffalo Chip Campground

8/6 - Roseburg, OR – Douglas County Fair

8/7 - Airway Heights, WA – Northern Quest Resort & Casino

8/8 - Billings, MT – Montanafair

8/14 - Bethel, NY – Bethel Woods Center for the Arts

8/15 - Watertown, NY – Freshener/F.X. Caprara Summer Concert Series presented by DPAO at Watertown Fairgrounds

8/18 - Lewiston, NY – Artpark

8/19 - Harrisonburg, VA – Rockingham County Fair

8/21 - Avondale, IL – Eastbound Hoedown Music Festival

8/28 - Huber Heights, OH – Music Center at The Heights

9/3 - St. Paul, MN – Minnesota State Fair Grandstand

9/4 - Alton, IL  - Liberty Bank Amphitheater

9/5 - New Lenox, IL – New Lenox Commons – Community

9/6 - Wauseon, OH – Fulton County Fair

9/15 - Saratoga, CA – The Mountain Winery

9/17 - Jackson CA – Jackson Rancheria Casino & Hotel

9/20 - Scottsdale, AZ – Talking Stick Resort & Casino

10/2 - Nashville, TN – Ascend Amphitheater

My favorite albums of 2014

You knew it was coming, right? I may very well be the last music writer to finally get around to posting their favorite albums of 2014, but better late than never. I have listed my favorite 20 albums of the year in alphabetical order. I also included several "Honorable Mentions" that are terrific and could easily have made my top 20 depending on the day... 

1. Rock or Bust, AC/DC

2. Everyday Robots, Damon Albarn

3. Common Ground, Dave Alvin & Phil Alvin

4. The Both, The Both

5. Sweet Freaks, The Brand New Heavies

6. Ghost Stories, Coldplay

7. The River & The Thread, Rosanne Cash

8. The Take Off and Landing of Everything, Elbow

9. Built to Break, Ronnie Fauss

10. Stay Gold, First Aid Kit

11. Terms of My Surrender, John Hiatt

12. Diamonds, Johnnyswim

13. Counterfeit Blues, Corb Lund

14. Playland, Johnny Marr

15. Good Luck Charm, The Mastersons

16. Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness, Andrew McMahon in the Wilderness

17. Bluesamericana, Keb' Mo'

18. Most Messed Up, Old 97's

19. Trigger Hippy, Trigger Hippy

20. Storytone, Neil Young

Honorable Mentions = great listening

Carter Girl, Carlene Carter

Way Out West, The Fallen Stars

Sundown Heaven Town, Tim McGraw

No Fools, No Fun, Puss n Boots

Classics, She & Him

Goin' Home, Kenny Wayne Shepherd

The Blues Came Callin', Walter Trout

Veterans and Newcomers Featured on Outstanding New Releases

By Robert Kinsler

Summer 2014 continues to yield musical pay dirt thanks to the far-flung talents of singer-songwriter Morrissey, heartland hero John Hiatt, Americana trio Puss n Boots and synthpop outfit Magic Man.

Artist: Morrissey
Title: World Peace Is None of Your Business (Harvest/Capitol)
You might like if you enjoy: The Smiths, Morrissey’s previous solo albums

Tell me more: It would be impossible to find an artist as adept as Morrissey at tapping into their biggest self doubts and fears while also being able to confidently poke their finger into the collective eye of humanity. The former Smiths frontman may be 55, but sings with the nuance and force of someone half his age on his new disc World Peace Is None of Your Business. There is simply no subject off limits and just about everyone will likely be offended somewhere along the way; the title track questions the success of mass protest and even voting, the decidedly-Smiths sounding “Staircase at the University” looks at student suicide, while “The Bullfighter Dies” champions the bull over the matador. And the music across the disc is glorious, with an intoxicating mix of alt rock, flamenco, post-punk and art damage providing the perfect backdrop for the confessional icon to sing away. Information: harvestrecords.com.

Get the deluxe version of 'World Peace Is None Of Your Business' here

Artist: John Hiatt
Title: Terms of My Surrender (New West Records)
You might like if you enjoy: John Prine, Kris Kristofferson, Nils Lofgren

Tell me more: Keeping it real is in John Hiatt’s DNA. One of America’s greatest living songwriters, his newly-released Terms of My Surrender marks another essential sonic incursion by the Indiana native. Mortality is tackled on “Long Time Coming,” probing look at faith via the acoustic blues of “Face Of God” and haunting gospel-tinged Delta ode “”Wind Don’t Have to Hurry.” The beautiful title track looks at love with depth wonderfully at odds in an age where the world seems to live for the moment. A much-recommended deluxe edition of Terms of My Surrender (available via Amazon.com) includes a bonus DVD with a live performance by Hiatt captured at the Franklin Theatre in Franklin, Tenn in 2013. Information: JohnHiatt.com.

Buy 'Terms Of My Surrender (Amazon Exclusive: CD + DVD)' here

Artist: Puss n Boots
Title: No Fools, No Fun (Blue Note Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Norah Jones, Sasha Dobson, Catherine Popper

Tell me more: Noted singers Norah Jones, Sasha Dobson and Catherine Popper having been working together since 2008, but only now have released a full-length LP. No Fools, No Fun showcases the three talented artists (dubbed Puss n Boots) playing a variety of instruments and singing with tangible warmth. Among the best songs on the wonderful collection is a sparse acoustic take on Robbie Robertson’s “Twilight,” a high kickin’ country foray on the original Norah Jones gem “Don’t Know What It Means” and a haunting translation of Neil Young’s classic “Down By the River” recorded live. Information: BlueNote.com.

Purchase 'No Fools, No Fun (Amazon Exclusive - 2 Track Bonus Version)' here

Artist: Magic Man
Title: Before the Waves (Columbia Records)
You might like if you enjoy: Phoenix, Passion Pit, the Postal Service

Tell me more: New England-based Magic Man is more than simply another entry on the burgeoning neo-New Wave synthpop movement. The group’s Columbia Records debut Before the Waves boasts the upbeat indietronica-pop of “Out of Mind,” decidedly melancholy-rich strains of “It All Starts Here” and melodic perfection of “Paris.” Produced by Alex Aldi (Passion Pit, Holy Ghost!), “Before the Waves” is bound together by Alex Caplow’s shining vocals. Information: MagicManMusic.com.

Purchase 'Before the Waves' here

Sights and Sounds: Big Head Todd & The Monsters, John Hiatt, The Milk Carton Kids

Still playing catch up in the wake of so many noteworthy items landing in my inbox earlier today. Roots music lovers really have something to celebrate with news concerning Big Head Todd & The Monsters, John Hiatt, and The Milk Carton Kids.

BIG HEAD TODD & THE MONSTERS

TO RELEASE NEW ALBUM

BLACK BEEHIVE

ON SHOUT! FACTORY FEBRUARY 4

NATIONAL TOUR KICKS OFF IN BROOKLYN ON JANUARY 16

Los Angeles, CA – 25 years after releasing their first album, Big Head Todd & The Monsters are stronger and more committed to their craft than ever. Their new album, Black Beehive, due out February 4 from Shout! Factory, arrives a quarter-century after the group’s debut album, Another Mayberry, first put Big Head Todd & Monsters on the American music map. Today, the original trio—Todd Mohr on guitar and vocals, Brian Nevin on drums and vocals and Rob Squires on bass and vocals—along with keyboardist/pedal steel guitarist Jeremy Lawton, who joined in 2004, are still on an evolutionary path, open to new possibilities even as they further explore their roots.

Black Beehive was recorded at Butcher Boy Studios in Chicago, Mohr’s hometown of the past seven years, and produced and mixed by Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist Steve Jordan, whose previous production credits include John Mayer, Keith Richards, Buddy Guy, Solomon Burke and Robert Cray. Mohr and Jordan first met while planning an 80^th birthday party for the great blues guitarist Hubert Sumlin, who died in 2011. Jordan was the musical director.  Mohr says, “When Hubert passed away it ended up being a tribute concert at the Apollo Theater: Eric Clapton and Billy Gibbons and Keith Richards—there were probably 35 incredible musicians at this thing. I was immediately awestruck by Steve’s command of the material and his understanding of it and his ability to get it done on short notice with all these people. I thought this guy would be an unbelievable producer for me to work with.”

As he began writing material for the album, Mohr drew from both from his own life experiences and from events in the news. The title track, “Black Beehive,” which refers to the late British soul singer Amy Winehouse, was written following her untimely death. “I love her voice and her performances, and obviously her shenanigans were part of her persona,” says Mohr. Several other songs were also ripped from the headlines, including “We Won’t Go Back,” which Mohr penned about the 2010 Arab Spring uprisings in the Middle East, and “Fear, Greed and Ignorance,” whose topical lyrics declare that it’s those three dishonorable traits that are “driving you America off the edge of the road.”

Not every track is quite so pointed, however. “Hubert’s Dream,” is for the aforementioned Sumlin, while “Hey Delila,” which opens the album, is Mohr’s tribute to another blues giant, Memphis Minnie. “I happened to acquire a great example of her instrument, which was a 1941 Spanish National resonator guitar. Plus, she has an incredible life story,” he says. “Everything About You” is dedicated to America’s space program, a nod to NASA which, in 2011, called upon BHTM (as their fans call them) to awaken the Discovery space shuttle crew with their song “Blue Sky,” the first time live music was ever used for that purpose. Among the album’s other tunes, “Josephina,” and “Seven State Lines” are what Mohr describes simply as “blues-based themes,” while “I Get Smooth” is “a comedy piece.” The cautionary tale “Travelin’ Light” is the story of lovers who “threw away our hearts and fled” and the moving “Forgive Me Bonnie” is based on a true story of a “gentleman who got a love letter delivered to him 53 years later by the Postal Service.”

Guests on the album include Eddie Shaw, who played with Howlin’ Wolf for many years, on harmonica and saxophone, Ronnie Baker Brooks on guitar, and Steve Jordan, who played on almost every track.

For BHTM, Black Beehive serves as both a reaffirmation of the band’s roots and a step into the next 25 years. Founded as a trio in Boulder, Colorado in 1986, Big Head Todd & the Monsters quickly built a reputation via their intense, soulful live performances, a signature mix of funky rock and blues, soul, country, folk and jazz, Caribbean and African rhythms and more. They started out on the club circuit and ultimately graduated to larger venues, including Colorado’s Red Rocks, which they’ve now played more than 20 times.

When Big Head Todd & the Monsters launch their extensive national tour behind Black Beehive in January—which will continue through May and hit most major markets—they will be honing the album’s ageless blues along the way, and simultaneously affirming their own longevity. It’s the rare musical aggregation that can not only survive for more than 25 years but still look forward to creating music together night after night. “The other guys have shown great support of my songwriting and what I’m able to do, and all of the band members bring a lot to the plate, both musically and as a unit,” says Mohr. “No one ever expects a band to last this long. We’re very, very lucky.”

Shout! Factory, LLC is a diversified multi-platform entertainment company devoted to producing, uncovering, preserving and revitalizing the very best of pop culture. Founders Richard Foos, Bob Emmer and Garson Foos have spent their entire careers sharing their music, television and film favorites with discerning consumers the world over. Shout! Factory’s DVD and Blu-Ray™ offerings serve up feature films, classic and contemporary TV series, animation, live music and comedy specials in lavish packages crammed with extras.  Shout’s audio division boasts GRAMMY^®-nominated box sets, new releases from storied artists, lovingly assembled album reissues and indispensable “best of” compilations.  In addition, Shout! Factory maintains a vast digital distribution network which delivers video and audio content to all the leading digital service providers in North America.  Shout! Factory also owns and operates Timeless Media Group, Biograph Records, Majordomo Records, HighTone Records and Video Time Machine. These riches are the result of a creative acquisition mandate that has established the company as a hotbed of cultural preservation and commercial reinvention.  Shout! Factory is based in Santa Monica, California. For more on Shout! Factory, visit shoutfactory.com               

Black Beehive Track Listing:

01. Hey Delila

02. Everything About You

03. Seven State Lines

04. Josephina

05. Black Beehive

06. We Won't Go Back

07. Fear, Greed and Ignorance

08. Hubert's Dream

09. I Get Smooth

10. Travelin' Light

11. Forever Bonnie

Black Beehive Tour Dates:

Thu Jan 16      Brooklyn, NY               An Evening With BHTM @ Brooklyn Bowl
Fri Jan 17        Philadelphia, PA         An Evening With BHTM @ Union Transfer
Sat Jan 18       Washington, DC         An Evening With BHTM @ 9:30 Club
Tue Jan 21      Charlottesville, VA     An Evening With BHTM @ Jefferson Theater
Thu Jan 23      Knoxville, TN              An Evening With BHTM @ Bijou Theatre
Fri Jan 24        Asheville, NC              An Evening With BHTM @ The Orange Peel
Sat Jan 25       Atlanta, GA                 An Evening With BHTM @ Buckhead Theatre
Sun Jan 26      Nashville, TN              An Evening With BHTM @ 3rd and Lindsley
Fri Jan 31        Raleigh, NC                 An Evening With BHTM @ Lincoln Theatre
Sat Feb 01       Charlotte, NC             An Evening With BHTM @ The Fillmore
Tue Feb 04      Macon, GA                  An Evening With BHTM @ Cox Capitol Theatre
Thu Feb 06      St. Petersburg, FL       State Theatre w/ Martin Sexton
Fri Feb 07        Lake Buena Vista, FL House of Blues w/ Martin Sexton
Sat Feb 08       Ft. Lauderdale, FL       An Evening With BHTM @ Revolution
Thu Feb 20      Northampton, MA     An Evening With BHTM @ Calvin Theatre  
Fri Feb 21        Port Chester, NY         The Capitol Theatre w/ Anders Osborne
Sat Feb 22       Boston, MA                An Evening With BHTM @ House of Blues
Tue Feb 25      Pittsburgh, PA                        An Evening With BHTM @ Mr. Small's Theatre
Thu Feb 27      Cincinnati, OH            An Evening With BHTM @ 20th Century Theatre
Fri Feb 28        Cleveland, OH                        An Evening With BHTM @ House of Blues
Sat Mar 01      Royal Oak, MI                         An Evening With BHTM @ Royal Oak Music Theatre
Thu Mar 06     Milwaukee, WI           An Evening With BHTM @ Turner Hall
Fri Mar 07       Chicago, IL                  An Evening With BHTM @ House of Blues
Sat Mar 08      St. Louis, MO              An Evening With BHTM @ The Pageant
Sun Mar 09     Council Bluffs, IA        An Evening With BHTM @ Whiskey Road House
Fri Mar 28       Seattle, WA                An Evening With BHTM @ Showbox
Sat Mar 29      Portland, OR               An Evening With BHTM @ Crystal Ballroom
Tue Apr 01      San Juan Capistrano, CA  An Evening With BHTM @ Coach House
Thu Apr 03      Solana Beach, CA       An Evening With BHTM @ Belly Up Tavern
Fri Apr 04        Solana Beach, CA       An Evening With BHTM @ Belly Up Tavern
Sat Apr 05       San Francisco, CA       An Evening With BHTM @ The Fillmore

JOHN HIATT'S HERE TO STAY - BEST OF 2000-2012  OUT NOVEMBER 11 ON NEW WEST RECORDS  ALBUM HIGHLIGHTS BEST SONGS FROM HIS INDEPENDENT RECORD YEARS, INCLUDES PREVIOUSLY UNRELEASED  TITLE TRACK FEATURING JOE BONAMASSA ON TOUR NOW WITH LYLE LOVETT

LOS ANGELES, CA, October 28, 2013 - John Hiatt, who has been hailed by the Los Angeles Times as "one of rock's most astute singer-songwriters of the last 40 years," will release a Best Of compilation entitled Here To Stay - Best of 2000-2012 onNovember 11 on New West Records. The 17-track collection is comprised of key singles and live show favorites such as "Crossing Muddy Waters," "Master Of Disaster," "What Love Can Do," "We're Alright Now" and the previously unreleased title track, "Here To Stay," featuring Smokin' Joe Bonamassa on guitar. Hiatt, who has been on tour since June in support of the critically acclaimed album, Mystic Pinball, reunited with longtime friend Lyle Lovett last week for the aptly titled tour "An Acoustic Evening with Lyle Lovett and John Hiatt." The run, which began October 22 in Vermont, will take the pair across the East Coast, Midwest and Southwest before wrapping up on the West Coast.             The dawning of the new millennium coincided with a new chapter in the career of Hiatt, one of America's most respected and influential singer-songwriters. After a quarter century of releasing records on five different major labels, the Indiana-bred musician kicked off a now-13-year run as an independent artist, recording eight albums (an initial pair of albums with Vanguard before moving to New West, his label home for more than a decade). This collection captures two songs from each of those eight albums, ranging from the pastoral "Crossing Muddy Waters" from the self-produced Grammy nominated album of the same name to the flat-out basher "Everybody Went Low" recorded with his then backing band The Goners. Hiatt's venerable and prolific New West years are duly represented here with tracks from each of his six releases, Beneath This Gruff Exterior, Master of Disaster, Same Old Man, The Open Road, Dirty Jeans and Mudslide Hymns and last year'sMystic Pinball. Among the many highlights are "Master of Disaster," produced by iconic Southern producer Jim Dickinson and featuring his sons Luther and CodyDickinson's band the North Mississippi All Stars, the lilting, redemptive "What Love Can Do" with daughter Lilly Hiatt providing beautiful harmonies and the front porch twang of "Blues Can't Even Find Me," from Mystic Pinball, produced byKevin Shirley (Journey, Aerosmith, Black Crowes).                Here to Stay concludes with the title song, a smoldering roadhouse blues number featuring slide guitar virtuoso Joe Bonamassa, originally recorded for Dirty Jeans and Mudslide Hymns. Why Hiatt chose to leave it off that record is unknown but it turned out to be a prescient move. The song and performance serve as a thematically and musically perfect coda to this captivating collection - a batch of songs and recordings as artful, affecting and poignant as any in the nearly four-decade career of this distinguished American roots musician. Hiatt has long been a favorite songwriter amongst musicians and many of his songs have been covered or recorded by artists as diverse as Bob Dylan, Bonnie Raitt ("Thing Called Love"), Buddy Guy, Emmylou Harris, Ronnie Milsap, Iggy Pop, the Neville Brothers, Rosanne Cash (the #1 country hit, "The Way We Make A Broken Heart"), the Jeff Healey Band ("Angel Eyes"), Willie Nelson, Steve Earle, Linda Ronstadt, and even the cartoon bear band of Disney's 2002 film, "The Country Bears." He earned a Grammy nomination for his album Crossing Muddy Waters, and shared a Grammy with B.B. King and Eric Clapton for their albumRiding With The King, the title track from which was a Hiatt composition. Hiatt was honored with his own star on Nashville's Walk of Fame and his legacy was even further cemented with the Americana Music Association's Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting and his induction into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame.

THE MILK CARTON KIDS TO PERFORM ON AUSTIN CITY LIMITS

 

Duo Make Third Appearance On A Prairie Home Companion

 

Lineup For Los Angeles Revue Announced, On tour now

 

On Nov. 10, 2013, fresh on the heels of their 3rd appearance on A Prairie Home Companion, The Milk Carton Kids have been invited to tape an episode of the renowned television show Austin City Limits.

 

Flat-picking harmony duo The Milk Carton Kids have emerged in the last three years as a powerful voice defining the continuing folk tradition. A refreshing alternative to the foot-stomping grandeur of the so-called "folk revival", an understated virtuosity defines The Milk Carton Kids to the delight of traditionalists and newcomers to the folk movement alike. Indeed, Garrison Keillor has called them "absolute geniuses in close-harmony", while cultural purveyors like T Bone Burnett and Billy Bragg continue to refer the importance of The Milk Carton Kids among a group of new folk bands expanding and contradicting the rich tradition that comes before them. 

 

The Los Angeles Times lauds their latest Anti- Records release The Ash & Clay as displaying "absolute mastery of their craft" while Paste Magazine emphasizes the "intellectual sophistication of their songs…making The Milk Carton Kids an option for purists unsatisfied with some of the pop tendencies seeping in to the genre." Beyond their inventive guitar lines and intricately interwoven vocals, the road-addicted duo is celebrated for the wry and biting humor that has become a beloved mainstay of their shows, with Fretboard Journal declaring, "The Milk Carton Kids are funny. Seriously funny. And what is only hinted at on their albums and within some of the lyrics is on full display during their live performances." 

 

On Nov. 12, 2013, the duo will host the second iteration of "The Milk Carton Kids Revue" at Largo in Los Angeles. The collaborative show emphasizes the band's versatility as they play a supporting role to a curated lineup of acclaimed Los Angeles artists. Featured guests this time include Griffin & Taylor Goldsmith (Dawes), Gaby Moreno, The SongBirds, Leslie Stevens, and Willie Watson, with additional very special unannounced guests. (Past guests have included Ed Helms, Joe Henry, Over the Rhine, Jill Sobule, Joe Purdy, John C. Reilly and Billy Bragg.)

 

RECENT ACCLAIM FOR THE MILK CARTON KIDS:

 

"gorgeous contemporary folk" - NPR

 

"A sweetly dazzling variation on close-harmony vocals, part Simon and Garfunkel and part Everly Brothers, with occasional acoustic prestidigitation." - New York Times

 

“Both heartbroken and healed." - Filter

 

"The Milk Carton Kids transport with heartbreaking understatement. Extraordinary musical facility, both vocal and on vintage guitars, meets humor, smarts and style on an otherwise ordinary stage." - Huffington Post

 

“The duo makes four sounds - two voices, two acoustic guitars - sounds as big as a prairie. It's modern roots music sung in close harmony with exquisite guitar work, but unselfconscious about any old-timey signifiers." - Los Angeles Times

 

"Although their songs range from back-porch country to every variety of folk, from flat-out bluegrass to Tin Pan Alley romanticism, there is nothing "old-timey" about The Milk Carton Kids' music. Quite the contrary; their music feels timeless" - Fretboard Journal

 

"Bittersweet and beautiful" - San Francisco Chronicle

 

TOUR DATES:

 

10/28 - Cleveland, OH - Beachland Ballroom

10/29 - Columbus, OH - Lincoln Theater

10/30 - Knoxville, TN - The Bowery

11/1 - Asheville, NC - The Altamont Theater

11/2 - Middletown, OH - DFA at Miami U.

11/3 - Birmingham, AL - Workplay

11/4 - New Orleans, LA - The Parish at HOB

11/5 - Houston, TX - Mucky Duck

11/6 - Dallas, TX - The Kessler Theater (Opening for Sarah Jarosz)

11/7 - Austin, TX - The Paramount Theater (Opening for Sarah Jarosz)

11/8 - New Braunfels, TX - Gruene Hall (Opening for Sarah Jarosz)

11/9 - Elgin, IL - Arts Center at Elgin CC

11/12 - Los Angeles, CA - Largo - The Milk Carton Kids Revue

11/14 - Berkeley, CA - Freight & Salvage

11/15 - Berkeley, CA - Freight & Salvage

11/16 - Los Angeles, CA - Largo