Waylon Payne "Santa Ana Winds"

Bonnaroo 2017 is now a memory. Bonnaroo, and road crewing, when we were all at XM Satellite Radio played such a huge part in Music Fog even existing at all. We loved being on the bus together, building something out of nothing. It gets the adrenaline cranking, living by one’s wits and performing in extreme circumstances. Kinda like those reality TV competitions. We thought there should be a show to capture the back story of what we encountered on the road. That includes the magic moments, having some of the best artists in the world come up on our bus and perform in an intimate setting. Good times, indeed. I was at this year's Bonnaroo to broadcast live, Saturday and Sunday afternoon, on my new radio station, WMOT. And then we carried The Bluegrass Situation’s Super Roots Jam with Ede Helms and friends, including Margo Price, Aaron Lee Tasjan, Lillie Mae, Greensky Bluegrass, The River Whyless, Baskery, and more. By the way, you can listen to my new radio station at 89.5 FM in Middle Tennessee, on the app (iPhone/iPad or Android)at WMOT.org or RootsRadio.com.

There was another bus trip during SXSW© several years back, in the XM days, when we had Waylon Payne aboard. We drove him from a Willie Nelson concert at The Backyard in Austin, to the Saxon Pub, to a waiting Stephen Bruton. Stephen passed a few years ago, and I miss him mightily! Fellow travelers all.

Waylon has been living in Nashville for a while now. He has been working on a new album with Frank Liddell producing, and the big news is that it will see light of day soon. Music Fog captured Waylon doing this song at Nashville's 3rd & Lindsley Backstage in January, 2016. Here is the Music Fog edition of “Santa Ana Winds,” a song of longing and yearning, and of the Santa Ana’s which blow hot in the summer.

- Jessie Scott

Jimmy LaFave "How It Must Remain"

It’s hard to say goodbye to a friend. Jimmy LaFave is gone, after a difficult bout with cancer. I can’t imagine the pain he has been in, and note that he is not in pain any longer. His walk through these last months was filled with steel and grace. He performed as long as he could. He didn’t want the story out there, though people whispered. That he could keep it as quiet as he did, almost to the end, and that he played shows until he couldn’t, showed us his incredible strength of character.

Jimmy factored heavily into Music Fog’s early days. We filmed him in Memphis and Austin. He brought us to Cherokee Creek Music Festival. We came to WoodyFest in Okemah, Oklahoma at his request. He believed in us, and we believed in him. It is all the more precious to have this film, as he is gone. There were miles and smiles and songs together, but this was one of our most intimate moments. Just Jimmy and Rad on the Music Fog bus, parked backstage during 2010's Cherokee Creek Music Festival in Texas.

Generous, kind, and oh so talented. Jimmy, we will miss you forever.

- Jessie Scott

Paul Burch "Gunter Hotel Blues"

This paragraph could easily be sung to Guy Clark’s tune, “Dublin Blues.” “I wish I was in Austin…” I am missing Texas right about now. You know I was just there a month ago for SXSW©, but I never made it to Threadgill's. As Threadgill's was my working home for so many years, I feel like the trip was incomplete. I am dreaming of their chicken fried steak, fried green tomatoes, and especially their veggies! I wish I could see good friends who live there, who are the fabric of the Austin music community. Speaking of that, congratulations to Tamara Saviano, and to Guy Clark for their recent Texas Heritage Songwriters awards. Congratulations to Ray Wylie Hubbard, who just had another Music Fog video cross the million mark. Congrats to Kevin Welch, who is about to walk down the aisle.

And man, if I could just take a quick trip, seeing Jimmy LaFave on April 21st in the Beer Garden at Threadgill’s would be heaven. Jimmy has long been one of Music Fog’s stellar go-tos, always bringing us amazing bands and amazing situations in which to film. He introduced us to John Fullbright. He invited us to Cherokee Creek Music Festival, and to WoodyFest in Okemah, Oklahoma. Jimmy was there at the start of Music Fog, to offer us support and encouragement, and to bring us his best. Jimmy, I love you and miss you. Wish I could be there for the Austin show.

Today’s video comes from the fertile imagination of Paul Burch, whose Meridian Rising album is written from the perspective of Jimmie Rodgers' short, but hugely significant life. Frankly, Country Music as a genre would have looked very different without his influence. His songs have lasted the test of time to become part of the Great American Songbook. Paul undertook the task of a concept album, crafted from the persona of Jimmie Rodgers. He occupies the space with grace, wit, and craft. Music Fog filmed Paul Burch, along with magical sideman Fats Kaplin, back in January of 2016 at 3rd & Lindsley Backstage in Nashville. Here they are performing one of the songs from the Meridian album, “Gunter Hotel Blues.”

- Jessie Scott