Patty Larkin "Hallelujah"

I am back in Austin, where there is endless summer and if only there were an ocean I would go surfing! It is nearly 90 degrees and fairly humid. Flowers are blooming. Grass is growing. Mold and other particulate matter is in the air. Halloween is right around the corner, too. I may have to adjust my costume choice to something more summerly. Don't want that zombie makeup melting off my face. I am deciding between Zombie Andy Warhol (could you tell the difference between the unzombie and zombie of Andy?) and being a Zom-Bee-Gee, with "Stayin' Alive" playing continuously in my gold sequin disco jacket. Maybe we should make it a vote! Let me know which I should go as! Anyway, last week, the weather in New York was about perfect. Autumn leaves just starting to turn. A chill in the air in the wee hours. I feel an excitement with the change of season. The crispness contains forward motion. Tomorrow it is supposed to be ONLY 78 here in Austin, yahoo! Bitch Bitch Bitch...I know that there is already snow on the ground in New England, I shouldn't complain!

Photo Credit: Jana LeonPatty Larkin is a girl of the northern climates, too. She spent her childhood in Milwaukee, WI and moved to New England upon graduation from high school. There, she devoted herself to music, busking on the streets of Cambridge and studying jazz guitar at Berklee College of Music and with Boston area jazz guitarists. After 25 years, she continues to burn bright. And she is wisely avoiding most of the northern tier for her fall touring season! One of the most interesting shows coming up is December 17th at The Regent Theatre in Arlington, MA, as Patty takes the stage with Lucy Kaplansky, Chris Smither, and Jorma Kaukonen. It is a benefit for The Half the Sky Foundation, a non-profit organization committed to providing the love and concern of family for thousands of orphaned children in China who have lost theirs. Their mission is for each to have a caring adult in their life. "Hallelujah" is the song we bring today, from our Music Fog bus sessions during this year's Folk Alliance in Memphis. On Patty's latest album, 25, she duets on this song with the equally magical Shawn Colvin. Here she is solo for this version...let us salute love.

- Jessie Scott

Keith Sykes "Gray Beard and Whiskers"

I was thinking about Memphis yesterday. Blues and Stax and Sun and Elvis. What a birthright, and what a heritage to immerse oneself in. I was researching the clubs in Memphis long distance, trying to get a feel for that scene from afar. I know and love several Memphis bred artists; Kelley Mickwee from The Trishas, Cory Brannan, Jimmy Davis, and Keith Sykes. Todd Snider moved there in the mid 80's, where he had a residency at a club called The Daily Planet. That is where he was discovered by Keith Sykes, who signed him to his first label deal. Keith was then a member of Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer Band, and the label was Jimmy's Margaritaville Records. In Todd's song "Vinyl Records" he pays homage, as in the piles and piles of albums around him on the floor, he names names: "…I got Rita, Kris, Keith Sykes and Country Joe when he was singin' with the Fish you know..." We love Todd Snider; it is so good to see him doing well. His show during the Americana Fest last month in Nashville totally rocked. And we all know he has a softer side too.

A friend of mine, Laurie Strongin, wrote a book about the heroic process she and her husband Allen went through to save their son Henry from a rare illness, though tragically, he passed. The book, Saving Henry: A Mother's Journey, came out earlier this year, and in one of the chapters Laurie quotes lyrics from the Todd Snider tune "Beer Run." Todd read the book, and graciously offered to play at a benefit for the Hope For Henry Foundation, which helps seriously ill children. "Hope For Henry Rocks" is set to take place on November 13th, at The Rock and Roll Hotel in Washington, DC. I am happy to report I will be there too, to interview Todd during the 'meet and greet.' See you there?

Ahhh, but now to revisit Memphis...how it felt to be there in the chill of February during Folk Alliance. How wonderful it was to have so many artists come aboard the Music Fog bus. Keith Sykes was one of them. His has been a storied career. Eyes on the prize, always writing, collaborating, gigging, keeping moving. We often link to people's websites, and especially this time, I encourage you to click-through and read about Keith's life, as he has had a phenomenal ride in these 40 years. We think this is a brand new tune, because as we researched it, we were unable to find it on an album. I did find it listed on the BMI database with the spelling "Grey Beard and Wiskers," though. Keith references a new album being in the works; maybe this song will show up there, and he says there may be a tour with Todd coming up...we'll for sure keep you posted!

- Jessie Scott

Rhythm Angels "If I Had A Gun"

You know, a lot of times when I explain to people what Music Fog is, I tell them that we provide the perfect accompaniment to one's morning beverage of choice. Kick back with a cup and a video. A great way to start your day. And we thank you in advance for talking to your friends, whether you tell them about our website here, our Facebook page, you re-tweet us, email articles, or send people to our YouTube channel. If you know someone else who would benefit from an infusion of real music, share us with them! As this Americana thing is the underdog movement to the pop music that gets all the attention, it is up to all of us to grow it by word of mouth to create our own tribe. It is the counterpoint to what we are being spoon fed. The funny thing is, that in any given week, there are several Americana music CDs that can be found on the sales charts. But the fact that there are so few radio stations around the country playing a roots music mix is a crime. So if you want that kind of access to your music some day, lift your voice, share the wealth of the music and let's see if we can't make a loud enough noise that the big radio corporations stop and listen. If there is a large enough audience, they WILL pay attention! Someday!!

We have some Saturday morning music for you now. These women make music of beautiful craft. They are the Rhythm Angels, pairing North Dakota's Celeste Krenz and Colorado's Rebecca Folsom. Word is they are working on a new CD, with John Magnie of the subdudes producing. On this song, from our Folk Alliance 2010 Music Fog Bus sessions, they bring an Ingmar Bergman-like Norse sensibility to the lyric; one of bleakness, despair, and steely determination. And what a deceptive delivery for such a dark sentiment. One sees the immoveable core to the female, executed by gentle and eerily dispassionate voices. They are joined here by David Glasar and Dirje Smith on "If I Had a Gun," from their release Girls Like Us.

- Jessie Scott