Billy Burnette "Tear It Up"

You probably already know how Kickstarter works, but if we do not make our goal, we don’t get any of the money pledged. And though we had a good head of steam at first, it slowed down quite a bit over last weekend, and I fear that with the final weekend upon us, it might do the same thing. That makes me a bit nervous. We have until this Thursday in the early morning to hit our mark of $15,000, with your help through Kickstarter, in order to make our Spring Music Fog Marathon at Threadgill’s a reality. Or the cat wins! (Editor's note: Go ahead, click it. You'll just add to the 70+ million views of an angry cat. We'll be right here with our less viewed, but far more tasty music videos.) Please share our project with your friends on Facebook to help us get the word out and hit our goal, so we may continue to archive great Americana music and intimate performances.

We had a brush with rock and roll royalty as we invited Billy Burnette to appear in front of our cameras during Americana Fest in Nashville this past October. He has written songs that have been recorded by artists that span the genres; Ray Charles, Cher, Roy Orbison, to Glen Campbell, George Strait, Alan Jackson, and Faith Hill. He is a sought after guitarist that has toured with Bob Dylan, John Fogerty, and as a member of Fleetwood Mac. And he rocks, so let’s “Tear It Up,” with a song from his Memphis in Manhattan release. Here is Billy Burnette with Kenny Vaughan, Dave Roe, and Jimmy Lester, filmed during the Fall Music Fog Marathon, from Nashville's Marathon Recorders. You got to roll with it. Yeah you do!

- Jessie Scott

Blackie & The Rodeo Kings "Another Free Woman"

It seems to me you either deal from fear, or you deal from love. There are so many people damaged by life who cannot forgive, cannot overcome their circumstances, cannot move on. There but for fortune. I don’t know if it is karma, or just bad luck, to be born into a life that creates anger. But I sure do wish there was enough in this world: enough love, enough food, enough roofs overhead, enough water and enough to go around. But that is not the way it is, and whether one is deprived of necessities, or spiritual ones, the result can be the same. Hate to run into people that life has turned mean. I don’t think anyone is born that way. If you need it, there is help out there. Anger management, domestic abuse; there are hotlines, and safe houses. There are people that care. You are not alone, we are all in this together. We are a neighborhood, a community, a union, one planet under the same sun.

Today’s video comes from Blackie & The Rodeo Kings, who put out an amazing album last year called Kings & Queens. They recruited some mighty fine cameos appearances from a wish list that included Emmylou Harris, Rosanne Cash, Pam Tillis, Lucinda Williams. Then they recruited other queens, one for each cut on the album, including Exene Cervenka, Holy Cole, Amy Helm, Janiva Magness, Mary Margaret O’Hara, Sam Phillips, Serena Ryder,  Cassandra Wilson, Patti Scialfa, and Sara Watkins, who was on the studio version of the song we bring you today. We have had the pleasure of filming her, back a ways at Americana Fest 2009. We caught up with Blackie & The Rodeo Kings at Americana Fest 2011, as we took over Marathon Recorders for our Music Fog Marathon in October. (Wanna help with our next Marathon? Here’s how.)

We bring you the Music Fog version of “Another Free Woman,” (sans Sara) and here are the tour dates so you can see BARK in person, ‘cause they rock!

-Jessie Scott

The Black Lillies "Catherine"

I am reading a really cool book called The Mojo Triangle, which talks about the geography between Nashville, Memphis and New Orleans, the area that spawned the great American genres of Country, Blues, Bluegrass, Rock and Roll, and Jazz. It was the confluence of five national traditions: African American, Native American, British, Spanish and French. It was a potent mix to throw into the pot, and is one that keeps giving, as it drinks from the deepest possible well. And it is one that continues to manifest it’s gumbo in the music of today.

The Black Lillies are proponents of the echoes of the past brought forth with today’s freewheeling energy. They keep the spirit fresh in the tale of “Catherine,” done in the story song tradition of the British Isles. Cruz Contreras, Tom Pryor, Jamie Cook, Trisha Gene Brady and Robert Richards continue rolling down the highway on the heels of their most recent release, 100 Miles Of Wreckage. Tomorrow night finds them in Whitesburg, KY.  If they come to your town, promise me you will go to see them for a rousing evening’s rave up.

- Jessie Scott