Chuck Mead "Close to Home"

Back in the saddle again after road trippin’ for the month of May, and so it’s back to “work.” I have been determining sonics for the 10,000 songs in the library at my radio station, WMOT. It is a process that splits hairs a tad, trying to figure out where one genre ends and another begins can be a total judgment call. Plus, I have some whacky categories like Spaghetti Western, and Circus, the latter being the jug band or calliope influenced stuff. It’s a tough job, but somebody’s gotta do it. Haha only kidding.

Today’s song splits the difference between Honky Tonk and Rockabilly. Chuck Mead, of BR5-49 and Million Dollar Quartet (musical) fame has a brand new album coming out on June 21st, his first in five years. Close to Home was produced by red hot Matt Ross-Spang at Sam Phillips Recording Studios in Memphis. Music Fog caught up with Chuck this past February in Nashville. Today’s video is the title track, “Close To Home,” solo electric style.

- Jessie Scott

Shannon McNally "Now That I Know"

Today’s message is to remember to be purposeful. I am attending the Non-COMMvention, which is put on every year by WXPN in Philadelphia. It is a joy to be in a roomful of people who are all motivated to bring great music to their audiences in towns and cities far and wide around America. All of our radio stations have different formats, but all have the same goals, to build community in our market around the music. Let me just say there is electricity in the air.

Shannon McNally has today’s video. She is a devotee of what Gram Parsons called Cosmic American Music. Shannon’s most recent album, Black Irish, was produced by Rodney Crowell, and when we filmed her, she was about to go on the road with Steve Earle. We are celebrating a milestone with Shannon McNally here, with today’s video. “Now That I Know” was originally recorded 20 years ago, and was later released on the Jukebox Sparrows album. To mark its 20th year, Shannon has released a new acoustic version of the tune. Here is the Music Fog recording, filmed in Nashville this past February.

- Jessie Scott

The Cerny Brothers "Days of Thunder"

The Cerny Brothers are putting a record out on my friend Steve Popovich’s label, as he has relaunched Cleveland International, started by my life long music biz running buddy Steve Popovich Sr. who sadly, passed in 2011. Still miss him so much, he was a magical music man, with cassettes with new tunes in every pocket of his suit coat. You never knew what he was going to play next and he had the best ears ever. He was a kindred spirit, motivated by music. Oh, the stories he would tell. I wish that someone would capture these behind the scenes tales from the folks who helped birth the music. They had the zaniest stories to share when we would sit around and reminisce. 

On to the future. The Cerny Brothers make a whole lotta music for just two folks on stage. Scott and Bob Cerny have been making music for almost their entire lives. They are now both Nashville residents, and their new album, Looking For The Good Land, comes out next Friday. They are spirited lyricists and dynamic players. Here is the Music Fog recording of one of their new tunes, Days of Thunder, recorded here in Nashville in February.

- Jessie Scott