Jack Ingram "Right For You"

Cherokee Creek Music Festival is a chill time, that demands you slow down and pay attention. It is a few days cut off from the world, with beautiful surroundings, exceptionally friendly people, great food and incredible music. I know, you are saying, Music Fog gets to do some unbelievable stuff. And you are right. We finished our studio build out yesterday afternoon, and then five artists came by to visit and play for us. We did sessions with Michael Fracasso, Will Sexton, Slaid Cleaves, Bob Schneider, and then Jack Ingram stopped by. Needless to say the big tent where the main performances are held was totally rocking. And we were quietly rockin’ in our space too.

We picked Jack Ingram to bring you. I am so proud of what he has done these last few years with the success he has achieved. He has been plying his craft for a long time, and it is always gratifying to see a good guy attain his dreams. After years in the worlds of Americana and Texas Music, Jack is enjoying a mainstream career, but continues to do things with integrity and class. We were honored he stopped by, and even more so, that he played a couple of brand new tunes for us. Here is one that he just wrote last week.

-Jessie

Chapin Sisters "Let Me Go"

Ah, the road.  I just love it!  Especially when it takes us to beautiful locations with amazing musicians.  Then, all is right with the world.  We are busy filming some of the people on the lineup at the fifth annual Cherokee Creek Music Festival, plus some of the folks who just happened to take the road trip to share this wonderful weekend.  Gonna have some cool surprises for you!

We finally got some rain in Texas on Thursday morning, and it cooled things off to the perfect temperature and feel on the skin.  It also inadvertently diverted Beans and Aaron’s flight to Houston, for an unscheduled refueling stop, before the second attempt to land in Austin.  After a Waffle House lunch, we embarked on our journey.  We got to Cherokee at the dinner hour, proceeded to start setting up, and once again are in this serene space, and are grinning from ear to ear.  BTW, Cherokee Creek Music Festival benefits several children’s charities, so it is indeed a good feeling deal.

Photo by Sita MarlierAnd while we are in music procurement mode here, we are still sorting through all the video from our Music Fog Marathon at Threadgill’s in March.  We were so happy to be able to showcase the Chapin Sisters on our stage.  Some things are just meant to be.  By way of introduction, they are Chapins, daughters of singer/songwriter Tom Chapin who has netted three Grammy’s for his childrens music; and they are nieces of folk hero Harry Chapin.  There is a wonderful counterpoint to their voices, there is a surefootedness to their songs, and they are a delight to behold.  In September of 2010 they put out their second full length album, Two, which followed the EP, Oh, Hear The Wind Blow.  From that EP, here is the song “Let Me Go.”

-- Jessie Scott

John Fullbright "The Flower Song"

People are posting their best of the year, and it highlights just how hard it is to keep up with everything that is coming at us these days. Here is a fan-generated Top 500 from No Depression. Instead of looking at just this last year, last night I did a search for some tasty nuggets from the way back machine in my brain to see if I could find a few titles digitized, or even on CD. There is a soundtrack that I would love to get my hands on again, from the film Steelyard Blues, with Nick Gravenites and friends. But I ain't gonna buy the vinyl for $500, or CD for $450. And then there is an amazing record from 1970 by Kathi McDonald (with Sly Stone!) called Insane Asylum that I need on my iPod! I love the mental trips down the cobwebbed synapses to find some of the music through the years that was especially meaningful. Recently I had a snippet of chorus in my head for a month before I figured out what it was, and then located it. Hate when you get a song stuck like that, but it sure feels good when the AHA moment comes!

Photo Credit: Vicki FarmerAs Music Fog gets ready for the new year, including our imminent trip to MusicFest at Steamboat and beyond, I am looking around at the new acts we want to bring you in 2011. Yes, of course we will have returning friends in for more video sessions. It is with anticipation that I think about getting introduced to new artists that, as I write this, we have not yet heard of, though. And when I think back on this year, one of the people I am most happy to have brought you is John Fullbright. I had been hearing the whispers from music biz people about him, long before I saw him play, and months before we had him visit us on the Music Fog bus. Our first encounter was at Folk Alliance in Memphis this past February. It was an abbreviated affair, as he had to run to perform at a showcase. Then we had the pleasure of a visit during the Cherokee Creek Music Festival in May. I am attaching his upcoming tour dates, though you might just have to make it to The Blue Door in Oklahoma City if you are near there or passing though, as he plays there often. We can hardly wait to see what the future holds; may his star burn bright in the coming year. Here's a new, unreleased song from our Cherokee sessions on the Music Fog bus with John. We're not sure if this is the working title, or the one that will stick, but he calls it "The Flower Song."

- Jessie Scott