Ponderosa "Never Come Back"

Shall we talk today about one of the still cool things in the music biz, the indie record store? In this day of file sharing and music discovery being done on one’s own, having an outpost with informed clerks and a community culture that takes out the virtual and makes it real is so important. If you consider yourself a music junkie, here is hoping you have a store near you dedicated to ferreting out the good stuff. One of the great ones is Grimey’s New & Preloved Music in Nashville. There you will find limited editions only available at indie music stores, and a grand march of fabulous in store performances. The band Ponderosa will be there today in Nashville at 6pm.

Ponderosa has been hard at work, crafting a new album and refining and building on their sound. Pool Party comes out today, and it represents an amazing growth spurt for the band from Atlanta, Georgia. This is the follow up to 2011’s Moonlight Revival. Kalen Nash on lead vocal and guitar, JT Hall playing bass and singing, John Dance on keys and vocals, Kris Sampson on guitar, and Darren Dodd on drums, came en masse to our Spring Music Fog Marathon in March at Threadgill’s WHQ in Austin. They brought us some powerful stuff. Here is one of the new songs, recorded Music Fog style. “Never Come Back.”

-Jessie Scott

Kenny Vaughan "Carolee"

So are you watching the Olympics? I hope so. Does it make you want to run and jump and swim and dive? Do the gymnastics give you a sense of the wonder of the artistry and a desire to chase perfection? The games are a reminder of that most basic striving, to conquer what you do. Practice, practice, practice. The stories of these contenders are amazing as well, for they put ‘normal’ life on hold to chase their dreams.

Obviously the particulars are different, but if there were a contest for guitar players, I would want Kenny Vaughan on that team. I am quite sure he put his 10,000 hours in for that impeccable guitar playing of his. I love me some quality guitar playing. You know, that seems to be so much more underground when you think about how guitars ruled in the 60s, 70s, and 80s. It is hard to be a household name now. Of course Kenny shines as a member of Marty Stuart’s Fabulous Superlatives, and has many credits with folks like Rodney Crowell, Billy Burnette, Jim Lauderdale, Mike Farris, and Will Hoge. The list goes on and on. You can check it out here. Last year, Kenny put out his long awaited solo album debut, V. Kenny came to see us during the Fall Music Fog Marathon at Marathon Recorders in Nashville. Here is “Carolee,” with Rich Brinsfield on bass, and John Radford on drums.

-Jessie Scott

Shovels & Rope "Hell's Bells"

Photo Credit: Leslie Ryan McKellarA couple of years ago, I took a drive with Dustin Welch from Cherokee Creek Music Festival to Gruene Hall for two incredible, not to be missed musical line-ups. It is a bit of a hike through the Hill Country, so we had lots of time to listen to music together. One of the folks he turned me on to was Cary Ann Hearst. I instantly fell in love with her voice. Dustin regaled me with tales of Cary Ann and Michael Trent performing together as Shovels & Rope.

Several months ago when they played outdoors at Threadgill’s, they gave me the album titled Shovels & Rope, but that they put out with their given names. Just a few weeks back, their new CD arrived. O’ Be Joyful is coming out on July 31st, under the name Shovels & Rope. Just remember that name, is all I ask. They are raw and ragged and righteous. They are a band, just the two of them, and they are making some serious waves. Most times I like to wait for the album to come out, so we can link to it, but today I ain’t waiting. Today’s tune is “Hell’s Bells,” from the van, as they cruise the country making a documentary, that I for one can’t wait to see!

- Jessie Scott