Rare 60s recordings of finger-style guitarist Lena Hughes get reissued

Guitar ace John Renbourn – longtime fan of Missouri picker Lena Hughes – penned the notes to Queen of the Flat Top Guitar. 

Here's the scoop from Tompkins Square...

A musical 'amateur' who best exemplified true artistry, Lena Hughes was born in Grape Grove Township, Missouri, in 1904. Though she never recorded any 78s and only one LP, Hughes was most influential through her steady performances at various fiddler conventions and folk festivals throughout the Ozarks. She was an excellent fiddler, banjoist and guitar picker who retained the largely extinct repertoire of parlor pieces and the variety of specialized tunings that were necessary to play them. She lived most of her life in Ludlow, Missouri and passed away in 1998. 

Lena Hughes' repertoire can be divided roughly in half: finger-picked numbers adapted from fiddle tunes and recast parlor guitar pieces gleaned from popular sentimental songs, hymns, and 19th century airs. As a faithful attendee at folk festivals, Hughes was accompanied by her guitar-playing husband, Jake. Her most mesmerizing performances, such as Pearly Dew, Spanish Fandango, and Kentucky Moon Waltz, depend heavily upon the resonance of the open chord as it relates to the picking of the melodic line, primarily on one string. This tonal reliance is most similar to the "celestial octave" that Washington Phillips employs, with similar effect, on his Train Your Child. This ethereal harmonic technique, which seems so natural in Hughes' playing, is the holy grail for most finger-picking guitarists. Her lack of pretense and her mastery of this repertoire is what defines her legendary status. 

These recordings were made in the early 60's in Arkansas and released in very limited fashion as a private press LP. Remastered by Chris King. Designed by Susan Archie. 

Get a copy of Lena Hughes' Queen of the Flat Top Guitar via Bandcamp right here. 

Listen to "Pearly Dew" and "Spanish Fandango" below. 

Eli 'Paperboy' Reed shares salute to New Orleans great Johnny Adams

Eli is kindly donating the proceeds from the sale of his recording of "A Losing Battle" to Johnny Adams' widow Judy Adams. 

Here's the scoop from Eli...

Late last week, I was forwarded a message from Judy Adams, the widow of the great New Orleans R&B singer Johnny Adams. Her and her daughter were in dire straits. She lost her home in a flood over the summer and has been living week to week ever since. Since most of Johnny’s great music was made during the time when unfair or exploitative contracts for African-American musicians were common, she told me that royalty payments from his records are close to nonexistent. Johnny Adams has always been one of my all-time favorite singers, and I knew that I had to do something to help Judy. As it happens, I had recorded this version of Johnny’s blues ballad “A Losing Battle” for the Blues Kitchen video series in London in 2019. I reached out to the mastermind behind that series, my friend Liam Hart, to see if we could remix the audio from that session and put the song up for sale, with all proceeds going to benefit Judy Adams and her daughter. He, of course, agreed and now here we are! For the 24 hours that bandcamp is waiving their fee, every penny from the sale of my version of “A Losing Battle" will go directly to Johnny’s widow and daughter. I know many of us are hurting right now, so do what you can to help. Enjoy the music, and if you haven’t already, go listen to Johnny Adams!

Get a digital copy of Eli's version of "A Losing Battle" via Bandcamp right here. Check the clip below. 

Eli Paperboy Reed - Piano and Vocals 

J.B. Flatt - Organ 

Jesse Barnes - Bass 

Attis Clopton - Drums 

Gabriel Medd - Trumpet 

Paul Jones - Tenor Sax 

Happy Birthday Serge Gainsbourg!

Remembering Serge Gainsbourg on his birthday with a couple of soundtrack gems cut for crime films "La Horse" and "Le Pacha." 

Eleventh Dream Day returns with Since Grazed double album

After hearing Eleventh Dream Day's well-crafted Since Grazed recording, it seems like it was worth the five year wait.  

Here's the scoop...

It’s been a good five years since Eleventh Dream Day released their last record, Works For Tomorrow, and while good may be the wrong adjective to describe the time that has passed, tomorrow has indeed arrived with their new double album, Since Grazed (Comedy Minus One) out digitally today (Friday, April 2) with a gatefold double vinyl version due August 7th. Get a copy via Bandcamp right here.  

Where the last decade of EDD music has been defined by the work of a band honing their live roar in the studio, Since Grazed contemplates what isn’t there, and builds the songs from the bottom up, relying on long-lived friendships and trust. While Works barreled down the highway, conscious of and trying to outrace the past, Since Grazed takes the long way home, spacing out a bit, and reveling in the journey, celebrating those along for the ride. Not all have made it, but this is not a record about what is lost, it is about what is still there, however grazed it may be. 

You know the story by now. Boy meets girl in 1983 Louisville, Kentucky punk rock house rendezvous, start band, learn how to play on the fly, find like-minded types to make noise and follow the Econoline dream. An EP and Prairie School Freakout record on Amoeba Records get the word out, and next thing you know it’s Atlantic Records time times three with the orange, green, and white label spinning and the band on the run to every corner of the rock club universe. Band burns out, but doesn’t fade away. Why stop now? It’s too much fun. Put records out every once in a while as Freakwater and Tortoise forge new territory. 

And that’s the way it’s gone. 

Fourteen or sixteen records so far depending on how you count them. 

Watch Grant Nickson's bunny-enhanced animated clip for "Since Grazed" below.

The line-up for Since Grazed is now intact for consecutive albums, featuring Janet Bean (drums, vocals), Rick Rizzo (guitars, vocals), Douglas McCombs (acoustic and electric bass), Mark Greenberg (piano, organ, synthesizers, vocals, studio wizardry), and James Elkington (guitars, piano, synthesizers). 

With Nick Macri (bowed bass) and Peggy Rizzo (flute). 

Recorded and produced by Mark Greenberg at The Loft, Chicago.

Featuring members of Tortoise, Brokeback, Freakwater, The Coctails, Archer Prewitt, The Zincs, and Steve Gunn. 

Eleventh Dream Day – Since Grazed 

Side A

Since Grazed

Cracks in My Smile

Just Got Home (in Time to Say Goodbye)

Side B

Tyrian Purple

Yves Klein Blues

Nothing’s Ever Lost

Side C

Take Care

Matter

Look Out Below

Side D

A Case to Carry On

Wish Too Far

Every Time This Day It Rains

One For The Weekend: Buffalo Springfield

Here's a lesser known Buffalo Springfield gem penned by Stephen Stills called "We'll See" followed by the demo version. 

Happy Birthday Ronnie Lane!

Remembering the late great Ronnie Lane on his birthday with a couple of fantastic performances. 

Dany Laj & The Looks share "Don't Keep Me Guessin'" clip

"Don't Keep Me Guessin'" is off the Ten Easy Pieces album from Dany Laj & The Looks out June 11. Pre-order it right here.