Jack Grace Band "Warm Rock In The Sun"

The era of space shuttle exploration is ending, sad to say.  I think it gave us something collectively to dream about.  In 1989, I moved to Florida to program 107.1 WAOA, and was able to absorb the culture around the Space Coast, through the different folks I met along the way that contributed their talents to the space program.  And one of my all-time career highlights has got to be the two shuttle launches I was able to broadcast from Kennedy Space Center.  

One of them was for STS 31 which launched the Hubble.  The other was STS 36, which took off in the middle of the night, lighting the entire sky.  Being on site for these, in the bleachers that were constructed next to the network news booths, we were as close as people could get.  Upon launch, the cameras would start to go black as the cords melted from the heat.

Feeling the power, hearing the roar, it made me so proud to be an American. Thinking about all the governmental and private industries that had to cooperate to make this happen is dizzying.  And that is a model for the future, for any collective dreams we might choose to conquer next. Yes, there are still things to be achieved.

We welcome the crew of the shuttle back from their last mission to our “Warm Rock In The Sun.” Bringing you a tune we recorded during or Music Fog Marathon in Austin during SXSW in March.  And I don’t know about you, but being greeted by a Mariachi Band is a most welcoming sight for anyone, whether astronaut or not.  The Jack Grace Band does the honors; road dogs all, though they haven’t quite taken to the sky yet. They are at work on new material, which Jack says, “Will be less country and more rock, with a lot of the Latin flavorings.”  This time of year, they wisely are staying in the northern tier for their touring pleasure, heading up into Canada in September.  Dare we even think about fall, and the cool air?  Let’s join the band on the Threadgill’s stage; here are Jack Grace, Daria Grace, Mark Gonzales, Stephen Butts, Bruce Martin, and Carolyn Mark.

- Jessie Scott

Midnight River Choir "Light of the Moon"

As a teenager, I used to hear stories about the American Southwest in summertime; how it was so hot that you shifted your life from day to night. It all seemed very exotic to me then. Shopping, socializing, miniature golf, all were much more comfortable when the sun went down. As this summer’s heat wave has spread to engulf 17 states, I wanted to revisit the concept of “we only come out at night.” Seriously, when the thermometer tops 100 in Texas, I don’t even get my mail until the sun goes down. Ice cream, fruit smoothies, snowballs from New Orleans, sprinkler systems to run though, pool, springs, tubing, the beach, AIR CONDITIONING. And water, water, water, every which way and for every application. It’s so important to keep hydrated.

The Midnight River Choir have it right. First off, the vision their name alone conjures up immediately cools you off. Their second album is upon us, Welcome to Delirium?, with a release date of August 2nd, and that’s a very cool thing. And then it is driven home further by the time and place we recorded them, which was at MusicFest in Steamboat Springs this past January, and it was massively snowing outside. OK, all together now...AHHHHHHH! What can I say, the grass is always greener.

Let us bask now in the glow- today’s tune is “Light Of The Moon.” There are some dates to catch up with the MRC boys in air conditioned comfort. They play at Billy’s Ice in New Braunfels, TX tomorrow night. That sounds about perfect!

- Jessie Scott

Butch Hancock "Danglin' Diamond"

WoodyFest, the tribute weekend to Woody Guthrie starts tonight in the town of Woody’s birth Okemah, Oklahoma, to celebrate his birthday. There is a twist though, with a sold out show presented by the festival tonight at Cain’s Ballroom, up the road apiece in Tulsa, with David Crosby and Graham Nash.

So many of the folks we have brought you on the pages of Music Fog are on this year’s WoodyFest roster. I can tell you we will all be missing the vibe and the music this year. Since this is a birthday tribute, it needs to stay put, but dang, it sure is hot in Oklahoma this time of year! 

Butch Hancock is on the line up again this year, as well he should be. He is a consummate songwriter, a wordsmith, a poet, a troubadour. He is doing some touring this summer, both with The Flatlanders and solo. Maybe it’s all the things he does that makes his writing so expansive; he is a student of architecture, a photographer, river-rafter, philosopher, and studies Buddhism. All we know is that he gave us chills when he came to visit us during last year’s WoodyFest, while we were holed up in the Thompson’s Loft. Long live the spirit of Woody, and long live Butch Hancock. This is a song he wrote a couple of years ago that we don’t think has made its way to an album just yet...or at least, we know you haven't heard this version yet! Here's the Music Fog recording of “Dangling Diamond.”

- Jessie Scott