The Wronglers "Brown's Dream/Boatsman"

Funny stuff. When The Wronglers were looking for a name, the San Francisco based bluegrassy outfit did a twisted take on the Wrangler Jeans brand, another San Francisco based company. They have put forth that theirs is 'simple music made by complicated people.' After they performed on the Music Fog stage at Threadgill's, I jumped up to thank them, and Warren Hellman turned to me in a 'stage aside' and asked me how much he could pay me for us not to post the video. He was kidding. I almost expected him to play the show with his back to the audience.

I herald The Wronglers for following their hearts to play the music they love, which grew out of several of them taking lessons from the same teacher, who recommended that it would be beneficial if they learned to play together. I heard at some point during SXSW 2010 that someone introduced Warren as the banjo player from The Wronglers. (No banjo jokes, please!) He beamed. By the way, this past March was actually the first time they have been in Austin to play SXSW. They followed with an appearance at Old Settler's a month ago. They, however, are no strangers to events, playing home base at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco's Golden Gate Park since 2006. Yes, it is funded by Warren Hellman, and the free concert is his gift to the citizens of San Francisco. I have been drooling over the lineup for years. Maybe this year I will make it there. The lineup has not yet been announced, but we will let you know when it is. The lineup for The Wronglers? That's easy! Warren Hellman (banjo, vocals), Nate Levine (guitar, vocals), Heidi Clare (fiddle), Krista Martin (fiddle), Bill Martin (mando), and Colleen Browne (bass, vocals). Sweet stuff indeed!

- Jessie Scott

Troy Campbell "Killing Time In Texas"

Troy Campbell is a gentleman and a scholar. He's an imaginative artist in a myriad of ways. No, it's not enough to be a singer/songwriter. Nor a filmmaker and an animator. Nor an ambassador, having set up an artist in residence program with singer/songwriters from Denmark to share music. Nor an incredible event coordinator, booking artists and riding shotgun on the annual Roky Erickson Ice Cream Social at Threadgill's during SXSW. Makes me tired just thinking about all he does!

We tried to get together for a Music Fog session on the bus during Folk Alliance but couldn't, so Troy graciously allowed us to reschedule the following month, during SX in Austin. Troy wrote this song, "Killing Time In Texas," with Gurf Morlix and it was featured on the CD Long In The Sun, which was also produced by Gurf Morlix. Awesome song. Here is Troy with Poul Krebs helping out.

- Jessie Scott

11 Bones "Don't Want To Fall In Love"

I am poolside in the shade this Memorial Day. My air card will not work in the house at the beach, so I had to go outside to get a clear shot at the sky. Come to think of it, I have been in some other non-air card accessible locations with Adam Odor, bassist for Eleven Bones, and who at other times wears the hat of production manager for huge events, and sits behind the console producing other artist's projects. Adam is a whirling dervish of energy. Last year he was the transitional bassist for Reckless Kelly, as he pogo-ed on stage, I saw a side to him that I hadn't really seen before.

Adam, Matt Skinner, and Dub Miller put a band together and played the big tent at MusicFest at Steamboat Springs a few years back, and with the addition of Meagan Jones (now O'Dor), Brad Beken, and John Ross Silva, the new band 11 Bones was born. They formed solely for a European tour in 2009, during which eleven bones were actually broken. They healed, they knitted, they recorded. A powerful entity indeed, with lots of drive, melody and harmonic layers. We had them come to Threadgill's during SXSW, and they rocked the house. A special note, this was only their third show playing these tunes as 11 Bones! You can even see rehearsal videos shot by the band on their YouTube channel, 11BonesBand.

Today, Memorial Day, take a moment to remember what this holiday is about. And a shoutout to Music Fog pioneer Ben Krech for enlisting, and to all the men and women who have come before to defend America, and have put their lives on the line to do so. Especially for those who have made the ultimate sacrifice, and to their families. Thank you.

- Jessie Scott