Col Tom Parker's Swinging Door w/ fiddler Tony Allen @ The Cameron, Sunday

Col. Tom is joined by his old Backstabblers co-hort Tony Allen for his Swinging Door hoedown at The Cameron from 6 to 8 pm.

Remembering Bobby Parker on his birthday

Remembering blues and R&B great Bobby Parker with his jukebox classic "Watch Your Step" and a few performances.  

Whaddya mean you don't know Canuck rockers FEAR

Canuck rockers FEAR (not Lee Ving's band) cut the fuzzed up instro "Bubblefunk" (prod, by Trend's Merv Buchanan & Terry McManus) for their 1970 debut.

Watch Matty Matheson's band Pig Pen live at the Welland Legion Hall

Here's a clip of Pig Pen fronted by chef/actor Matty Matheson at the Legion Hall in Welland along with two videos and more.

Happy Birthday John Surman!

Celebrating the birthday of UK jazz saxophonist John Surman with a couple of interviews and some dazzling performances. 

It's official... August 29th is Margo Price Day in Nashville!

Margo Price accepted the honour conferred by Nashville's mayor Freddie O'Connell wearing Loretta Lynn's green chiffon Lillie Rubin gown. 

LINKS

Margo Price Hard Headed Woman LP

Margo tries on Loretta Lynn's green chiffon gown from 1972 CMAs right here 

Knox News Margo Price wears Loretta Lynn dress at Nashville Opry honor

Mavis Staples covers Kevin Morby & Gillian Welch on new album Sad and Beautiful World

Mavis Staples' forthcoming album "Sad and Beautiful World" is out November 7th via Anti Records. Hear the first 2 tracks below. 

Writes Mavis....

"I am thrilled to announce my new solo album, Sad And Beautiful World.

"Produced by Brad Cook, this record spans seven decades of the American songbook and includes reinventions of timeless songs by Tom Waits, Gillian Welch, Curtis Mayfield, Leonard Cohen, Frank Ocean, and more, as well as original music.

"Take a listen to the first track of the record - my version of “Beautiful Strangers” by Kevin Morby. Visit the links below to listen and to pre-order your copy of Sad and Beautiful World out November 7 on Anti Records."

Album artwork by Elizabeth De La Piedra

Listen, Pre-save and Pre-order: https://mavisstaples.ffm.to/sadandbeautifulworld

Sad and Beautiful World

Grim days call for fierce love. And Mavis Staples, one of the most enduring figures in American music, is laying it down. Sad And Beautiful World is the latest solo album from a national treasure and multigenerational talent. On her new record, Mavis stands side by side with us in the face of dangers she knows all too well, at a time when more and more people have reason to wonder who and what could be lost. 

Sad And Beautiful World was produced by Brad Cook, known for his work with Bon Iver, Waxahatchee, and Nathaniel Rateliff, among other artists. The record spans seven decades of the American songbook — a range nearly as vast as Mavis’ career — and includes reinventions of timeless songs as well as original music.  

Now 86, Mavis has been performing since the age of eight. After starting out with her father Roebuck “Pops” Staples, sisters Cleotha and Yvonne, and brother Pervis in the Staple Singers more than seventy years ago, she’s the lone surviving member of the group, still carrying her family’s gifts and knowledge with her as a living heritage.  

Inducted into several halls of fame (blues, rock, and gospel), a Kennedy Center Honoree, a winner of multiple GRAMMYs (including a Lifetime Achievement Award), Mavis is our musical history. She’s collaborated with nearly every major figure of her era(s), from Bob Dylan to Prince, Aretha Franklin, and Willie Nelson — not to mention countless stars from subsequent generations. 

Sad And Beautiful World includes cameos by artists who have become part of Mavis’ world, many of whom are legends in their own right: Buddy Guy, Bonnie Raitt, Jeff Tweedy, Derek Trucks, Katie Crutchfield, MJ Lenderman, Justin Vernon, and others shine a light on her, while Mavis does what only she can do. Embracing vulnerability, she sings close and deep here, drawing the listener into a circle filled with her unforgettable presence.  

The first track recorded for the album, “Human Mind,” was written for and about Mavis by Hozier and Allison Russell. Paying tribute to the complexity of life, Mavis expresses faith in humanity: “Even in these days, I find / this far down the line, / I find good in it sometimes.” That magical last word — “sometimes” — shows her choosing hope, even with the disappointments that experience has brought. 

Her take on Tom Waits’ “Chicago” flaunts her vocal prowess, opening the album with a high-octane journey North that her family actually made—a dream of a future, but one offering no guarantees. Guitar riffs from Buddy Guy and Derek Trucks layer the song with a musical legacy that rose out of that same migration, a migration that Guy himself also lived. 

These are love songs for tough times. The title track, written by Mark Linkous (a.k.a. Sparklehorse), with its funeral-march rhythm and spare lyrics, finds beauty even in the midst of grief over everything that’s been lost. Mavis turns to Gillian Welch’s “Hard Times” to testify that “we’re gonna make it yet.”   

On Kevin Morby’s “Beautiful Strangers,” she reminds those in danger, “If you ever hear the gunshot… think of mother / I am a rock.” Her version of Frank Ocean’s “Godspeed,” delivers a staggering benediction to those who stumble: “There will be mountains you won’t move. / I’ll always be there for you.”  

“We Got To Have Peace”, written by Curtis Mayfield, her friend and longtime collaborator, is framed by Mavis as a plea and a psalm. Yet her take on Leonard Cohen’s “Anthem” carries a quiet fury that suggests choosing peace shouldn’t be mistaken for submission. 

The album closes on two reflective notes. Mavis sings “Satisfied Mind,” a song made famous by Porter Wagoner, and delivers it from the perspective of a long life well lived, reminding listeners that fleeting glory makes for shallow victory. And with “Everybody Needs Love,” Mavis finishes with the joy she insists on spreading, reminding us that she’s here, that we cannot go it alone, and that we don’t have to. 

It’s impossible to talk to Mavis’ collaborators without them bringing up the strength of her spirit and her generosity, growing animated over how much her songs mean to them. Allison Russell described hearing the Staple Singers as a preteen and finding out that Mavis had played a key part in the civil rights movement as a young woman.  

Upon being told that a verse from “Human Mind” she’d written (“I am the last, daddy, the last of us”) had made Mavis cry, Russell said she’d been deeply affected. “Mavis is the transcendent force of love embodied,” she said. “There is no higher honor than one of my biggest heroes being moved by words I wrote.” 

Producer Brad Cook tells stories about growing up listening to the Staple Singers. About seeing Mavis perform live, he said, “I remember being utterly floored by the conviction and power she had in her voice.” 

To capture Mavis’ resonant phrasing and textured vocals, Cook tried to build every song around that voice. He began with spare skeleton recordings, just drum and piano, and focused on recording her vocals. Then he expanded the song from there, trying never to overshadow or undermine the framework she’d established. He imagined a record in the tradition of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band’s Will the Circle Be Unbroken, a group of artists coming together to celebrate community—in this case, one centered on Mavis. 

Sad And Beautiful World shows that love is a choice and a force all its own. The album is a litany of prayer, of Mavis breathing life into these songs. “I just have to deliver the compassion I feel,” she says. “I want to share the song the way I feel it.” 

************************  

More than seventy years after a high-school a cappella teacher tried and failed to change her singing style, Mavis Staples has one of the most recognizable voices in the world, with resonant phrasing and vocals so warm and textured, they feel like a physical presence. 

Not only is Mavis still making studio albums, she’s still on the road, returning to venues like the Newport Folk Festival, where she’s been a fixture since 1964. This July at Newport, Public Enemy founders Chuck D and Flavor Flav dropped to their knees to bow down before her. She made clear it was all unnecessary, but there’s something regal about her that people respond to — a grace that rises out of lived experience. 

Few people wield the combination of moral authority and the musical artistry that Mavis possesses. The moral authority comes from experiencing the Jim Crow era as a Black woman playing music in the South. With Freedom Highway, the Staple Singers created the literal soundtrack for the 1965 march from Selma to Montgomery. They opened for Martin Luther King Jr. at his rallies. Mavis has spent a lifetime standing up for those people the most powerful among us would like to beat down.  

She considered retiring in 2023 but found she has too much left to express through music. And now, despite our dark days, as she said in the wake of her 85th birthday party last year, “You have to stay hopeful and have faith that things are going to get better.” She can’t keep us from the danger facing the country or magically restore the progress that’s being undone. But she knows from her own experience that it’s possible to find a path through, a way to keep going.  

She may be one of the last true ones standing, but she’s not waiting around to be revered for the wisdom she brings. She’s too busy still leading the charge, still showing us how it’s done. Steadfast in triumph and adversity, Mavis Staples is still making music—and history—just when we need her most. 

Happy Birthday Melvin Davis!

Raising a glass to Detroit soul legend Melvin Davis on his birthday with an interview, performance and a few classic recordings.

One For The Weekend: Jimmy Heap and His Orchestra

Here's a raunchy ripper from bandleader/guitarist Jimmy Heap and his orchestra – check out "Gismo" on Dart from 1959. 

Happy Birthday Kurt Bloch!

Raising a glass to Seattle legend Kurt Bloch (YFF, Fastbacks, etc) with a few interviews and clips you may have missed.

LINKS
Kurt Bloch Farewell Excitement LP

Nichol Robertson's Mimico Moonlighters @ Reposado, Thursday

Sean Dean & Mike Belitsky join Nichol Robertson for a night of Mimico Moonlighters exotica splendour at Reposado from 9 pm on. 

Remembering Avengers/Fantastic Four co-creator Jack Kirby on his birthday

Remembering innovative illustrator Jack Kirby – who brought numerous iconic superheroes to life – with a few interviews. 

Steve Briggs' Summer Sundays w/ Michelle Rumball Trio @ Artful Dodger, Aug 31

Don't miss the Michelle Rumball Trio filling in for Steve Briggs at the Artful Dodger on Sunday at 4 pm to 7 pm.

Remembering Ronnie Splinter of The Outsiders on his birthday

Remembering Outsiders guitarist/songwriter Ronnie Splinter (left) with an interview, a Nederbeat classic and a Dutch TV doc. 

LINKS
It's Psychedelic Baby Outsiders intervew with guitarist Ronnie Splinter, 2012 

Midweek Mixdown: Hombres Misteriosos – Themes For Imaginary Westerns

Check out J.R. Williams' Hombres Misteriosos mix via Mixcloud right here. View the tracklist below. 

Hombres Misteriosos

00:00 - Luis Enriquez & his Electronic Men - FENDER WITH ANGER

02:13 - Jan Davis - THE UNWANTED

04:19 - John Buck & his Blazers - BLACK IS THE COLOR OF MY TRUE LOVE’S HAIR

06:20 - Los Doltons - HORIZONTES PERDIDOS

08:54 - Los Jaguars - LO BUENO, LO MALO Y LO FEO

11:03 - Los Sonny’s - POR UN PUÑADO DE DÓLARES

13:33 - The Jordans - UNA PISTOLA PARA RINGO

16:13 - Los Pentágonos - EL VICIO DE MATAR (THE VICE OF KILLING)

18:25 - Los Belkings - LA PLAYA

21:02 - Los Atomos - ¿HAN VISTO?

23:35 - The Pops - A LENDA DO BEIJO

25:42 - Los Rockets - ZUMBA

28:24 - Os Titãs - CANÇÃO DA BEIRA BAIXA

30:53 - Miroslav Kefurt Ensemble - VOSTOK TWIST

33:40 - Les Frangins - FURIA

35:56 - Ray Columbus & the Invaders - SPANISH HOLIDAY

37:50 - Bruno Noli & the Giramondos - NIGHT EXPRESS

40:04 - Link Wray & his Ray Men - CROSS TIES

41:38 - Bert Weedon - BLACK JACKETS

43:48 - Bingo Reyna - NO DEJES ENTRAR AL GATO

45:52 - Los Bonny Boys Hots - CARRERA SALVAJE

47:35 - Los Sonny’s - LA MARCA DE LA HORCA

49:22 - Betinho e Seu Conjunto - ANDA

51:36 - The Jumping Jewels - HORSE RIDE

53:47 - Conjunto Mistério - ALECRIM

55:43 - The Blue Jeans - NIGHT RIDER

57:51 - The Chessmen - MUSTANG

1:00:27 - David Box & the Ravens - APACHE

1:02:10 - Joe Maphis - NAVAJO (WAR PARTY)

1:04:14 - Masaaki Hirao & his All Stars Wagon - MIRAGE

1:06:48 - The Spotnicks - ESPAÑA CANI

1:08:38 - Les Fantômes - PARTISANS

1:10:48 - Jo Postula et Ses Guitares - RUSSIAN BLOW

1:12:51 - Los Rockets - VALLE HONDO

R.I.P. artist and media mogul Mort Todd, 1961-2025

Sadly, artist, writer and media mogul (Cracked, Marvel Music, Comicfix) Mort Todd has passed away. He'll be greatly missed.

Jeff Buckley doc "It's Never Over" screens @ The Fox Theatre, August 26

Amy Berg's much-anticipated Jeff Buckley documentary "It's Never Over" screens at the Fox on Tuesday (Aug 26) at 3:50 pm.

Here's the scoop...

IT’S NEVER OVER: JEFF BUCKLEY, directed by Oscar-nominated filmmaker Amy Berg (DELIVER US FROM EVIL, JANIS: LITTLE GIRL BLUE, WEST OF MEMPHIS), covers the life of the rising young star with an otherworldly voice and boundary-pushing artistry, who left the music world reeling on May 29, 1997 when he died suddenly, at age 30, three years after the release of his critically acclaimed debut album “Grace.”

Told through never-before-seen footage from Buckley’s archives and intimate accounts from his mother Mary Guibert, former partners Rebecca Moore and Joan Wasser, Jeff’s former bandmates, including Michael Tighe and Parker Kindred, and luminaries like Ben Harper and Aimee Mann, IT’S NEVER OVER: JEFF BUCKLEY illuminates one of modern music’s most influential and enigmatic figures. 

IT'S NEVER OVER, JEFF BUCKLEY screens at the Fox Theatre (2236 Queen St. East) on Tuesday (Aug. 26) at 3:50 pm. Get tickets right here.

Watch the trailer and an interview with filmmaker Amy Berg below. Hopefully, Berg will eventually explain why guitarist Gary Lucas – who played a pivotal role in launching Jeff Buckley's career in NYC and making the Grace album – doesn't even get a mention or appear in a photograph on screen. 

Oasis, Cage The Elephant @ Rogers Stadium, Monday

Here are a couple of fan-shot clips of Oasis in action with the rain pouring down at Rogers Stadium in Toronto last night. 

B-Side Wins Again: Emerson Carruthers

Emerson "Sleepy" Carruthers' 1971 single for the Summus label was produced by Carl DeHaney (Jackie Mittoo, Lloyd Delpratt) 

Listen to "I Don't Want To Go" by Emerson Carruthers on the citizenfreak.com site right HERE. 

Happy Birthday Grey DeLisle!

Celebrating the birthday of country singer and voice actor deluxe Grey DeLisle with a few songs accompanied by Deke Dickerson!

Rosie Flores celebrates her 75th at Austin's Continental Club, August 30

Rosie Flores is turning 75 in style with a stacked triple bill featuring Bill Kirchen and Alejandro Escovedo at the Continenal Club on August 30!   

Writes Rosie Flores....

"I can’t really be turning 75, it doesn’t feel like I’m even 27! But this might be the last time I count the years, the numbers are just numbers when you feel 18 on stage playing with your favourite musicians, the Talismen, and as a matter of fact we will also be celebrating our first single release this night “Lines” off of our upcoming LP, Impossible Frontiers! The players: Chris Sensat, Mike Molnar, and Josh Williams rock this night when the magic happens and the notes start flyin’ around the room! 

"So thrilled to see those who’ve made themselves available to fight for their right to party with me this evening! There’s Tele king Bill Kirchen kicking at 7:am, come early, stay late! Followed by my hero and rock 'n' roll soul brother Alejandro Escovedo!  Then me and the Talismen play our favourite tunes and then bring up a few of my talented girlfriends who have influenced me so, and celebrated the accolades through the years! 

"Fausto Faucito may make an appearance backing Jungle Rocker Jason! Who knows who else may show up!!  Love to Steve at the Continental Club for having me play his room since 1985 and keeping me going strong! Oh and Wayne Nagel, thanks for being there too! This is gonna be an epic evening…let’s all party!!"

Watch an interview with Rosie followed by a few performance clips. 

Rosie Flores will the opening act for Robert Plant's Saving Grace on their "Roar In The Fall" tour across North America which has a Toronto stop at Massey Hall on November 10th. Doors at 6:30 pm, show at 7:30 pm. Get tickets here. See the poster below for a full list of upcoming dates!

Remembering Cuban legend Beny Moré on his birthday

Celebrating the birthday of iconic Cuban singer/bandleader Beny Moré with some rare performance footage. 

Steve Briggs' Summer Sundays with Fergus Hambleton @ Artful Dodger, Sunday

Fergus Hambleton (Sattalites, Moonfood) joins Steve Briggs and his crew at the Artful Dodger (10 Isabella), Sunday at 4pm to 7pm.

Writes Steve Briggs:

Had a great rehearsal-slash-hang with Fergus this week here at the studio...so fun! Fergus is a true fan of a really good song, no matter what the genre...the sign of a true blue songsmith. We walked through some Folk to American Songbook, to British Invasion, and of course Fergus' wonderful originals. You're in for a treat.

Steve Briggs' Summer Sundays with Fergus Hambleton

Artful Dodger (10 Isabella Ave)

Sunday, August 24

4 pm to 7 pm

 

LINKS

It's Psychedelic Baby Fergus Hambleton interview

Listen to "Waiting For The Moon" by Moonfood cut with Bob & Dan Lanois in 1977 right here.

Remembering Wynona Carr on her birthday

Raising a glass to R&B and gospel singer/songwriter Wynona Carr with a few of her fantastic recordings. 

John Fogerty releases "John's Version" of CCR's classic songs

Perhaps inspired by Taylor Swift, John Fogerty recently re-cut 20 CCR songs for his new Legacy album. He plays Fallsview Casino Aug 30.

One For The Weekend: Eddie Noack

Here's "Beer Drinkin' Blues" by country great Eddie Noack. Get it on disc from Bear Family right here.

T.O. soul legend Jay Douglas & reggae great Luciano @ CNE Bandshell, Aug 21

Don't miss this stellar double bill of Jay Douglas (7:30pm) and Luciano (8:30pm) at the CNE Bandshell tonight. Check the clips.

CNE Bandshell line-up

Thursday, August 21 – Luciano & Jay Douglas

Friday, August 22 – July Talk w/ The Darcys

Saturday, August 23 – 98 Degrees w/ Alyssa Reid

Sunday, August 24 – The Commodores with Jully Black

Monday, August 25 – Cold War Kids

Tuesday, August 26 – Bishop Briggs

Wednesday, August 27 – The Dirty Nil w/ Ben Quad

Thursday, August 28 – The Rural Alberta Advantage w/ Special Guest Yukon Blonde

Friday, August 29 – Marianas Trench w/ Nicolina

Saturday, August 30 – Dean Brody

Sunday, August 31 – Soca Night ft. GBM Nutron, Mical Teja, Coutain, with DJ Ana, Ultra Simmo and Dr. Jay

Monday, September 1 – No concert on Labour Day

Midweek Mixdown: The Mess Around with DJ Kitschy Mama

This episode of the Mess Around features Lavern Baker, The Trolls, Alex Bradford and yes, Waylon Jennings too! 

Here's the scoop from DJ Kitschy Mama...

A fresh The Mess Around this week! An hour of moldies, swell tunes by The Shirelles, Benny Joy and or course, Waylon Jennings. Listen on yer radio dial or catch the show now on Mixcloud! Check the playlist below.

Listen right here: https://www.mixcloud.com/KitschyMamaRadio/the-mess-around-do-the-dog/

The Mess Around: Do The Dog

Hysterics - Won't Get Far

The Dream Girls - Crying In The Night

Donnie Brooks - Penny The Poo

Glenn Mooney - Come Over Rover

Johnny Cymbal - Do The Bird

Teddy Randazzo - Bo Diddley

Lee Sims Country Trio - Paralyze My Mind

The Stumbling Box - It's Alright

Waylon Jennings - My Baby Walks All Over Me

Alex Bradford - Am I Wrong?

Ronnie Wilson - You Love That Guitar Better Than Me

The Shirelles - Mama Said

Eddie Fontaine - Nobody Else Can Handle This Job But Me

Joe Dodo And The Groovers - Groovy

The King Crooners - Won't You Let Me Know

Lavern Baker - Hey Memphis

Bette Davis - Whatever Happened To Baby Jane?

Bobby Davis And The Big "3" Trio - One Love Have I

The Dixie Bells - Telling Lies

Roy Hall And The Eagles - I'm The Boss In This House

Thee Sixpence - Long Days Care

The Trolls - Every Day And Every Night

Benny Joy - Only Time Will Tell

Remembering Sky "Sunlight" Saxon on his birthday

Remembering Sky Saxon on his birthday with a Seeds performance of "Pushin' Too Hard," a documentary trailer and more.

Trans-Canada Highwaymen rock the CNE, August 20

Craig Northey, Steven Page, Chris Murphy and Moe Berg will be playing all the hits at the CNE in Toronto on Wednesday at 7 pm.

Writes Steven Page: 
"We’re playing the hits - 7 pm on a Wednesday night - at the CNE Bandshell on August 20th. Want to hear “Brian Wilson?” Ok, we’ll play it. How about “I’m An Adult Now?” Sure! “Underwhelmed?” “Someone Who’s Cool?” Yes! Maybe some other classic CanRock covers? We’ll see! Probably!

"Come on down and bring an appetite because I saw a picture of a 2-foot long hot dog that they’re selling this year."

Get tickets right here. Check the entertaining Trans-Canada Highwaymen clips below. 

Ata Kak is back with Batakari, his first new album in 30 years!

Ata Kak's new album Batakari is out November 7th via Awesome Tapes From Africa. Read all about it, check the tour dates below.

Here's the scoop...

Ata Kak created a peculiar slice of Ghanaian music history with his debut album “Obaa Sima”. While it barely made a ripple at the time of its release in 1994, the cassette found a new life online in 2006. A not-so-underground cult obsession grew after it appeared on the blog Awesome Tapes From Africa as its very first post, a sort of manifesto for the project. His addictive amalgam of left-field electronic music and Twi-language hiplife reached surprising levels of awareness among music fans of many stripes. The mystery behind the musician’s identity grew. Eventually Yaw Atta-Owusu came out of the shadows, from his quiet home in Kumasi, to tour the world playing high-energy, sweat-soaked performances at major festivals like Glastonbury, Sónar and Pop Montreal. 

Now, for the first time since 1994, Ata Kak releases new music. Honed in studios around Kumasi over the last several years, the songs feature the rapper-singer’s acrobatic rap, signature scatting, dramatic drums and even traditional Akan harp. The compositions are more ambitious than his earlier work, with more complex arrangements and layered harmonies. Ata Kak’s new songs are also the natural expression of a restless artist—he is a prolific poet and author of a half-dozen books, as well as an active gardener and busy painter. 

Born in Ghana in 1960, Ata Kak wasn’t always involved in music. But his travels and openness to the world lead him into the music industry. While living in Germany, he was invited to play drums in a reggae band and subsequently played in highlife bands in Ontario after moving to the Toronto area. He recorded “Obaa Sima” there at his home studio and released it in Ghana in 1994. He didn’t participate in music much in the intervening years until “Obaa Sima” was reissued in 2015. He started performing his song live with the help of a brilliant cast of London-based musicians and has toured three continents and played to thousands of fans in venues of all kinds. 

Listen to "Yasi Town" and pre-order a ccopy of Ata Kak's Batakari album via Bandcamp right here. Check out his tour dates below. 

Alison Krauss & Union Station feat. Jerry Douglas @ Massey Hall, Tuesday

Alison Krauss & Union Station will be joined by dobro-ace Jerry Douglas at Massey Hall tonight. Should be great, check the clips.

Alison Krauss & Union Station

Massey Hall (178 Victoria)

Tuesday, August 19

6:30 pm doors, 7:30 pm show

Get tickets here

For nearly four decades, Alison Krauss & Union Station have upheld their legacy as one of the most influential and widely celebrated acts in bluegrass and roots music. Known for an immaculately crafted but endlessly surprising sound that transcends the boundaries of roots, country, rock & roll, and pop, Alison Krauss & Union Station are putting the finishing touches on a new album to be released in 2025 - their first album since the 2011 masterpiece Paper Airplane—a critically lauded, multiple Grammy Award winning LP that debuted at #1 on the Billboard Country, Bluegrass, and Folk Album charts. Over the years, Alison Krauss & Union Station have brought their phenomenal live show to sold-out performances at famed venues across North America and England. 

They now gear up for their first tour together since 2015. The players – Alison Krauss (fiddle, lead vocal), Jerry Douglas (Dobro, lap steel, vocals), Ron Block (banjo, guitar, vocals), Barry Bales (bass, vocals), and welcoming highly acclaimed and celebrated tenor vocalist Russell Moore (guitar, mandolin, lead vocal) as the newest member - are five distinct personalities, each of whom enjoys a flourishing solo career. But when they come together, they transform into a peerless group of musicians who share a singular focus.

Remembering Susan Jacks on her birthday

Raising a glass to singer/songwriter Susan Jacks of Poppy Family fame with an interview and a few vintage clips worth checking.