I didn't realize he had died, and heard this profile on KQED today. An underappreciated hero of American cultural preservation, and of great American music.
Showing posts with label folk music. Show all posts
Showing posts with label folk music. Show all posts
Friday, June 9, 2023
Tuesday, March 15, 2016
Proud to be an American...
... no, I don't mean the politics, of course, although I am all in for Hillary at this point, despite both my kids feeling the Bern to some degree. I am referring to what will always give me some hope about our fucked-up country, namely its music. Two excellent live shows in four days! Masters of Hawaiian Music: George Kahumoku Jr., Led Kaapana, and Jeff Peterson, at the Little Fox in up-and-coming Redwood City; and Cahalen and Eli at a house party in sleepy Palo Alto. Slack key guitar and old-time roots music, performed by true masters. God forbid we should ever have to survive President Trump, but at least we will have plenty to listen to.
Friday, January 30, 2015
Can Music Be Perfect? Vol. 54
Tom's gone to Hilo. A slow shanty for a heavy lift. And a heavy heart.
Wednesday, January 29, 2014
Monday, January 27, 2014
Pete Seeger, RIP
His music: not my cup of tea. But what can you say? “The key to the future of the world,” he said in 1994, “is finding the optimistic stories and letting them be known.” Hear, hear.
Monday, October 7, 2013
Steve Earle
He was in San Francisco for the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival... I passed on the dusty crowds in Golden Gate Park and paid my hard-earned dime to hear him last night at a nice but crowded venue on Valencia in the Mission, The Chapel.
Aside from his album with Del McCoury, The Mountain, which is one of my all-time faves, I have not followed Earle closely, but he is a great singer and a wonderful storyteller. I mean a great singer not in the virtuosic Al Green or George Jones fashion, but an expressive pop interpreter in the Dylan or Willie vein. He is also a lefty redneck. I feel no guilt whatsoever enjoying Merle Haggard's jingoism, but if you do, and need an excuse to listen to some good ol' country, check out Steve Earle. He confessed that he could no longer imagine living in Nashville, in his native Tennessee, which is why he now calls Greenwich Village home, and would choose San Francisco if he had to move. Country and roots-rock are great American populist art forms, and why should the left be deprived of the good stuff? Why, populist and progressive used to go together... remember Woody Guthrie and Upton Sinclair?
The first half of Steve's performance was the better half. As the night wore on, he could not resist a little gratuitous Walmart bashing (not my cup of tea, but forgivable) and a little kumbaya (less so), and even worse, he swapped his beautiful 6-string acoustic for an overly jangling 12-string and then even a banjo, which he played badly, and finished with some kind of mando-guitar. But when he opened his mouth, all was forgiven.
The opening act was Steve's son, Justin Townes Earle. The guy plays a mean guitar and has a good strong folk voice. I found his songs and style precious, a bit like Rufus Wainwright channeling, who, maybe Steve Earle? His best song of the night was by Buck Owens. Boy got good taste, at least.
Aside from his album with Del McCoury, The Mountain, which is one of my all-time faves, I have not followed Earle closely, but he is a great singer and a wonderful storyteller. I mean a great singer not in the virtuosic Al Green or George Jones fashion, but an expressive pop interpreter in the Dylan or Willie vein. He is also a lefty redneck. I feel no guilt whatsoever enjoying Merle Haggard's jingoism, but if you do, and need an excuse to listen to some good ol' country, check out Steve Earle. He confessed that he could no longer imagine living in Nashville, in his native Tennessee, which is why he now calls Greenwich Village home, and would choose San Francisco if he had to move. Country and roots-rock are great American populist art forms, and why should the left be deprived of the good stuff? Why, populist and progressive used to go together... remember Woody Guthrie and Upton Sinclair?
The first half of Steve's performance was the better half. As the night wore on, he could not resist a little gratuitous Walmart bashing (not my cup of tea, but forgivable) and a little kumbaya (less so), and even worse, he swapped his beautiful 6-string acoustic for an overly jangling 12-string and then even a banjo, which he played badly, and finished with some kind of mando-guitar. But when he opened his mouth, all was forgiven.
The opening act was Steve's son, Justin Townes Earle. The guy plays a mean guitar and has a good strong folk voice. I found his songs and style precious, a bit like Rufus Wainwright channeling, who, maybe Steve Earle? His best song of the night was by Buck Owens. Boy got good taste, at least.
Saturday, August 24, 2013
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