Henry Wagons "The Gambler"

It was another stellar week at Threadgill’s for my School Night Sessions series. On Sunday night, it was a double bill, with Wildflowers – Ashley Monical and HalleyAnna Finlay’s kickass band, then James McMurtry’s son Curtis McMurtry brought the whole band...and that included 4 horns! Monday night it was the folk family; Carrie Elkin, Danny Schmidt, Anthony da Costa, Raina Rose and Andrew Pressman. And then Tuesday night, Adam Carroll and Owen Temple brought great songs, and wonderfully left of center raps. I delight in the diversity, and the quirky stories and songs, so playful and inventive.

Henry Wagons is a quirk specialist. We never quite know what he will do on stage with our props. Last year, when he had the whole band in town for SXSW® 2011, he mounted and RODE our piñata Esteban. This year during our Spring Music Fog Marathon at Threadgill’s, he was solo on stage. All eyes were on him, but we Foggers were nervous. What would he do this time? Our mascot piñata this year, Miguel, was eventually drop kicked off the stage by Henry, though, thankfully, he was still in one piece afterwards. Drama! Acting! Rumble, Shake, And Tumble is the latest Wagons album, and they are on tour in Canada and the US this summer. Do yourself a favor and go see them for a fun evening out. Here is Henry Wagons solo, with the Music Fog recording of “The Gambler,” a tune from The Rise & Fall Of Goodtown.

- Jessie Scott

The dB's "That Time Is Gone"

I love a good reunion, don’t you? When we heard that the original members of the dB’s, Peter Holsapple, Chris Stamey, Will Rigby and Gene Holder were getting back together for their first album in 30 years, we were over the moon. And at long last, Falling Off The Sky, comes out today. Actually, it is the first new dB’s album in twenty five years, but the first in three decades with the original lineup, the guys responsible for the early '80s classics Stands for deciBels and Repercussion. The dB’s formed in the summer of 1978. The path they walked paved the way for what would become the indie explosion that is upon us today.

Photo Credit: Stephanie ChernikowskiAfter disbanding, they pursued their own muses quite brilliantly; Chris Stamey produced albums for Alejandro Escovedo, Le Tigre and Whiskeytown. Peter Holsapple recorded solo albums, did three CDs as a member of the the Continental Drifters, and worked as sideman with R.E.M. and Hootie and the Blowfish. In 2005 there was a series of reunion shows, and then the dB’s decided to make a new album. Falling Off The Sky was produced by the band members at their own pace without a deadline. Production help came from Mitch Easter and Scott Litt. All the dB’s except Gene Holder visited us during our Spring Music Fog Marathon at Threadgill’s, and laid down one of the hot tunes from the new album, “That Time Is Gone.”

- Jessie Scott

Mike Stinson "Late for My Funeral"

There is a magic to the craft of songwriting, how the words come, how the music gets married to it. And there is the mystery to how the rest of it all works; getting it heard, getting it published, making the most out of it. Dave Goodwin is throwing the first annual Big Sky Songwriters Festival in Big Sky, Montana August 15th through the 19th. He is assembling some premier folks for workshops, panels and performances, including Kostas, Bruce Burch, James House, Suzi Ragsdale, Walt Wilkins, Kevin Welch, Dustin Welch, John Bohlinger, and Jon Pousette-Dart. Industry leaders will be on hand as well for sessions on publishing, and other music biz topics. There is an early bird rate in place and there are surprisingly affordable accommodations.

Speaking of amazing songwriters, it is about damn time that we got to record Mike Stinson. He is a Virginian by birth, after 18 years in LA, he relocated to Houston, Texas around three years ago. It was a move that was to spur his creativity, evident as he is recording his fourth album in Austin with legendary roots producer R.S. Field. Throughout, he has been writing simple, and simply beautiful, songs. You might know Dwight Yoakam’s version of Mike’s tune “Late Great Golden State.” The new album is coming soon, in the meantime, allow us to tide you over with one of the songs that will be on it. We filmed Mike during the Spring Music Fog Marathon at Threadgill’s WHQ in Austin this past March. Here is a solo rendition of “Late For My Funeral.”

- Jessie Scott