It blows my mind when I overhear people talking in public, saying there is no good music out there. To my mind, there is plenty! In fact I would say that music is exploding right now, and all you have to do is start looking. My YouTube searches take me down the rabbit hole. Hours can be spent on exploration, from one to the next. And that is true across the genres, though I am ever amazed at the level of talent that Americana is attracting. A good place to start that search is through the Americana Airplay Chart. This week the top three positions are held by Robert Plant & Band of Joy, Ryan Bingham & The Dead Horses, and Ray LaMontagne & The Pariah Dogs, whose CD God Willin' & The Creek Don't Rise is now at #3. This album represents the first time that Ray has produced, and has collaborated with other artists. The Pariah Dogs are Jennifer Condos, Jay Bellerose, Eric Heywood, Greg Leisz, and Patrick Warren. It is Ray's 4th studio CD, and it has been particularly well received. The Associated Press calls it, “one of the year’s best.” The New York Daily News says the album is, “one of the stand out releases of the year," and The Boston Herald said Ray “has an innate down-home grit and his music possesses a simmering roots-rock fire."
The big news is that Ray and the Dogs are on the road for a limited run with Levon Helm, of course who needs no introduction for his deep catalog of music with seminal Americana group, The Band. In 2007, Levon released Dirt Farmer, his first solo studio album in twenty-five years, which garnered him a 2008 GRAMMY for Best Traditional Folk Album. That same year Helm was also was given the “Artist of the Year” Award by the Americana Music Association. Then last year, Levon delivered Electric Dirt, which yielded his second consecutive GRAMMY, this time in the inaugural category of Best Americana Album in 2010. The Levon Helm Band features Levon Helm, Larry Campbell, Jim Weider, Amy Helm, Teresa Williams, Brian Mitchell, Erik Lawrence, Howard Johnson, Clark Gayton, Jay Collins, Byron Isaacs and Steven Bernstein.
The two acts are co-headlining an eight-city run which started yesterday in Jacksonville, FL and will be wrapping up in Austin, TX on November 12th. Hope you are in the path of this tour! And as an incentive, here is a bit of Levon video from the PBS special Ramble at The Ryman, and a bit of Ray LaMontagne from the BBC Sessions.
- Jessie Scott