Matt the Electrician "Animal Boy"

Bohemian, iconoclastic, ironic and witty! Matt the Electrician used to be...an electrician, for real. Glad he's gotten to give up his day job. He needs to be making music full time, which he does get to do now, thank you very much. Though, for our session with him on the bus, he was chomping at the bit to help us with an electrical problem we were having. Good to still hold the knowledge, right?

I love the sparseness of Matt's website, which is a kind of 'just the facts, ma'am', affair! His bio lives here. And I love a man who is so in touch with his feminine side that he can write his posts as a "Diary." His latest entry tells of his visit to Amsterdam, and watching a man named Boudewyn Zwart play the bells in the bell tower. With some mighty disquieting video, to be sure. Matt Sever has six CDs out, the most recent being Animal Boy. We have the title song for you here, recorded in February on the Music Fog bus at Folk Alliance, in Memphis. And WHAT the heck is he playing?

- Jessie Scott

[Editor's Note: Matt is playing a "banjolele," which is just what it sounds like; a banjo ukulele. His uke is autographed, "Hey Matt, Keep Pickin' - Danny Barnes." And if you're wondering, that's an authentic Steve Poltz jackass t-shirt!]

The Bowmans "On The Road"

I can't believe I have never mentioned Tony Lawson on Music Fog!  He is the steadfast and true general manager for one of the coolest stations in the country, WDVX, in Knoxville, TN.  Tony and company were broadcasting out of an RV in a trailer park for five long years, before the radio station moved into the brand new Knoxville Visitor's Center.  There is a stage in the corner, from which music emanates for lunch in the form of a live show called The Blue Plate Special.

Tony books amazing people, and they simulcast a live monthly evening show on the last Wednesday of every month.  Tennessee Shines Live At The Bijou, is housed in a grand gem of a theater and hosted by Jim Lauderdale. It is a glittering evening of virtuosity in a town that realizes that music is an important part of its past, and an integral part of its future. Ahhh, if all places could be so head's up.  The Bowman's, Sarah and Claire, played Tennessee Shines on May 26.  Of course they did. Tony knows!

On the road.  Those words just resonate with me.  And so many artists have incorporated them into the titles of their songs: Dylan, Tom Rush, Canned Heat, Dave Dudley, Willie Nelson, the list goes on and on. The Bowmans add to that glorious catalog with their song "On The Road," off their first album, Far From Home.  The girls have been putting some miles behind them this year, having toured Germany and Switzerland. You can find out the latest on them on their band tab at FaceBook. We caught up with them in Memphis where we were happy to have them come aboard the Music Fog bus!

-- Jessie Scott

Suzi Ragsdale "Two on a Tightrope"

We told you a while back about the new CD Up On The Ridge from Dierks Bentley, who has enjoyed multi-platinum mainstream success. Dierks digs into the roots and bluegrass stylings that originally interested him in pursuing a country music career. He put together an impressive list of contributors from the Americana world on this venture. It was produced by our old buddy Jon Randall Stewart, and guests include Kris Kristofferson, Alison Krauss, Vince Gill, Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, Chris Thile, Tim O'Brien, and the Del McCoury Band. Plus, there is an equally impressive list of songwriters that Dierks culls from: Bob Dylan, Shawn Camp, Buddy & Julie Miller, and Verlon Thompson & Suzi Ragsdale; our featured artist today. Their tune is called "Bad Angel," and on it, Dierks is joined by Miranda Lambert, and Jamey Johnson. Suzi also  landed a previously unreleased song on Darrell Scott's new CD A Crooked Road, called “Candles in the Rain (Childless Mothers),” a tune she co-wrote with Darrell.

Suzi is a fully realized creative force, spread equally between her music, yoga, and her culinary skills. Last month she taped a segment for Lorianne Crook’s “Celebrity Kitchen” TV show for airing on the RFD Network. Suzi prepared Halibut and Grilled Eggplant Caponata en Papillote. Yum. There are more recipes on her website. Here she is cookin' on the Music Fog bus with "Two On A Tightrope," the original of which can be found on her latest, a two-disc set, Best Regards/Less of the Same.

- Jessie Scott