Cory Branan "The Corner"

Tuesday was my birthday, and it was a glorious day, made especially so by the stealthy arrival of my son Trev and his girlfriend Kate. They totally surprised me by driving from New Orleans on Sunday, and hiding out in the back room at Threadgill’s when I was getting ready for my Sunday night School Night Sessions show there. It was totally disarming, and I so appreciate it. Truly, their presence was my best present. Tuesday night, I had Rosie Flores, and her new band The Rivetors, and Jackie Bristow come and play my Threadgill’s series, and Phoebe Hunt got up and played fiddle with both ladies. The room was rocking, there was chocolate cake and candles, not to mention a roomful of people singing “Happy Birthday.” Just delightful. No stress, either, the night just fell together beautifully.

I think that things happen when they are supposed to, and you can’t rush them, though sometimes we sure would like to. I gotta think it was that was for Cory Branan, who is a magnetic, albeit quirky, songwriter out of Memphis, who was recently signed to Bloodshot Records in Chicago. I have known him for a decade, and have been waiting for him to have some light of day, which is finally happening. He is a remarkable performer; engaging even if it is just him on stage. He writes compelling, left of center songs, and he came to play some of them for us during the Music Fog Spring Marathon in Austin this past March, also at Threadgill's. Cory’s new album Mutt came out on Tuesday. Here is the Music Fog version of one of the tracks, “The Corner.”

- Jessie Scott

Ruthie Foster "The Titanic"

I trust you got through the eclipse over the weekend with no ill effects. I don’t know about you but it made for some spectacular pictures on the tube, ones that stop and make you think about the cosmos. Gotta wonder how the ancients processed all these occasional occurrences. Coming out the other end of one of these, when the sky gets dark, and then things return to normal, had to be cause for celebration and song. Just add music. There is something so cathartic about it, blues and gospel, especially. And there is no finer purveyor than Ruthie Foster, who has quietly, yet powerfully, captivated Austin and who is now impacting well beyond that. These last few years have been about coming into one’s own for Ruthie. Learning, exploring, growing, and keeping on. And what a fine place she is in. Her new album Let It Burn, was recorded in New Orleans and features some of its best and brightest lending a hand.

Ruthie’s trajectory has been an odyssey; from a start in an East Texas church choir, to a tour of duty with the U.S. Navy Band, to chasing the dream in New York City, and then a hiatus as she returned to Texas to care for her ailing mother. Ruthie resumed her music career in Austin, and she has been racking up the accolades since, at the Austin Music Awards, Best Folk Artist in 2004-05 and Best Female Vocalist in 2007-08; Ruthie was nominated for a GRAMMY®, Best Contemporary Blues Album for her last studio release - 2009’s The Truth According to Ruthie Foster; and then she won Blues Music Association awards for both Best Traditional and Best Contemporary Female Blues Artist in back-to-back years.

Here is Ruthie Foster with percussionist Samantha Banks and bassist Tanya Richardson performing a vocal rich version of "The Titanic," the original of which can be found on her new album Let It Burn. This was filmed during the Spring Music Fog Marathon at Threadgill’s in Austin this past March.

- Jessie Scott

Connor Christian & Southern Gothic "Sheets Down"

Did’ya see Mick Jagger on Saturday Night Live? He did a great job hosting, and made an especially joyful noise when he performed “The Last Time” with Arcade Fire. He also did performances with the Foo Fighters and Jeff Beck. I guess it takes three bands to replace the rest of the Stones (LOL). Lately, I have been picking tracks for my new radio show at KDRP and I have to tell you that there is plenty of early Rolling Stones in the mix. There is something so eternal about how they translated the great American blues and R&B traditions, and then brought it back to the shores of the U.S. The roots music movement owes those Brits a huge debt of gratitude.

Connor Christian & Southern Gothic’s music lives at the intersection of Southern music: Roots Rock, Americana and Country. CCSG's latest release, New Hometown (Part 1), an eight song set, is actually two EPs that were recorded at the same time. New Hometown strips down what the band did on the 2009 release 90 Proof Lullabies. Back in January none other than Billboard, the venerable music biz trade magazine, cited CC&SG as a “Best Bets 2012.” We had them come to our lair, the Music Fog Marathon at Threadgill’s during SXSW® music week, and I was most impressed with their honest, passionate, and impeccable delivery. Here is a taste, “Sheets Down.”

- Jessie Scott