Sugar & The Hi-Lows "Skip The Line"

What a lovely week in Austin, actually any week is before it gets to the 100’s and stays there for the summer. Music has been spilling out of windows and doorways, and the beat, it never stops here. Just a few highlights, K. Phillips and Kevin McKinney did a Stephen Wright-ish evening of absurdist humor and intimate songs at Threadgill’s. The White Ghost Shivers were on fire on Saturday night at the Saxon Pub. Slaid Cleaves and Paul Orta were awesome in the Oak Garden at Gueros, and Dustin Perkins played an impromptu front porch picking set at the Waring General Store. And then, I am loving a bunch of new CDs: JD McPherson, Honeyhoney, The Damn Quails, Sons Of Fathers, and Sugar & The Hi-Lows.

When I first played Sugar & The Hi–Lows a couple of months ago at KNBT FM in New Braunfels, TX, I got an immediate phone call from Terri Hendrix, asking “Who WAS that?” She even tried to buy the song on line there and then, but it wasn’t out yet. Infectious stuff, indeed. Pop, infused with a sense of songwriting craft from the 50’s and  60’s. So, when I got the email to book them for the Spring Music Fog Marathon, I jumped at the chance. Trent Dabbs and Amy Stroup came to us as a duo. They brought the sweet, for sure. Here is the song that Terri Hendrix loved, “Skip The Line,” Music Fog style, from March 2012 at Threadgill’s WHQ in Austin, Texas.

-Jessie Scott

Marvin Etzioni "Grapes Of Wrath"

I want to take you into the annals of music history. The year was 1982. I had been doing Country Radio in New York for 6 years or so and was very familiar with all the flavors of music that were being made under that umbrella. It was a righteous palette in those days; there were the likes of Don Williams and Porter and Dolly, George and Tammy, Waylon and Willie. I was in New York City working at the country station WHN. I think even then, there was an “other” music not included in the mainstream of the time, that was country infused with a rock and roll vitality. There were several bands playing around town that we called cowpunk, one of them was Rubber Rodeo. In other cities, X, The Blasters, Jason & The Scorchers, and  Rank & File held court. Lone Justice came out of the LA cowpunk scene, to be signed to a record label deal in 1982. It was a new wave, but it never found a mainstream audience. That isn’t to say they weren’t worthy, but just that the music wasn’t in sync with the moment. Maria McKee was an iconic presence, there was simply no one like her; sensual, intense, lusty-voiced. She partnered with Ryan Hedgecock to form Lone Justice , and they were joined by Don Heffington and Marvin Etzioni, to put out two albums back in the day.

Cut to today - Marvin Etzioni is still infused with the spirit, and has just put out a solo album called Marvin Country!.  He recruited some heavy hitters to help him out, including Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams, Buddy Miller, Richard Thompson, John Doe, and his old Lone Justice band mates Maria McKee, Don Heffington, and Shane Fontayne. Marvin came solo to the Spring Music Fog Marathon in March at Threadgill’s WHQ in Austin. He played us a tune from the new album, here is the MF version of “The Grapes of Wrath."

-Jessie Scott

Carolina Chocolate Drops & Shawn Mullins

The album Mercyland: Hymns For The Rest of Us comes out today. Don’t know if you have heard about it yet, but producer and writer Phil Madeira set out with an interesting goal; to find the common ground and positive qualities of faith. Phil put together a diverse and amazing group of musical friends, including The Civil Wars, Shawn Mullins, Buddy Miller, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, The North Mississippi Allstars, Dan Tyminski, and Emmylou Harris who contribute ten original and two  traditional songs to the compilation album. The selections come from varying philosophies and beliefs; in humanity, the joy of music itself, or the affirmation of a higher power, be that God or spirituality or transcendent love.

Today Music Fog gives you a special (hush, we are not EVER going to call it a two-fer!!!) But indeed, we are giving you two videos to peruse from the album Mercyland. First is a spirited song from the Carolina Chocolate Drops called “Lights In The Valley.”

Second is a simmering, politically charged tune from Shawn Mullins, “Give God The Blues.”

-Jessie Scott