A couple of nights ago, during the Bastrop Wildfire Benefit at Hill Country Barbecue Market in New York, there were many special moments. Chip Taylor sang his immortal song “The Real Thing” to start his set. Shooter Jennings joined him on stage for a duet on a song that Chip had written for his dad, Waylon, called “Sweet Dream Woman.” And they had never met before! Also on the bill were The Defibulators, Grayson Hugh, Laura Cantrell (she joined Chip for "Angel Of The Morning,") and Dallas Wayne, who was the evening’s emcee and auctioneer. His hosting was especially poignant, as he lost his house in the wildfires that blew through Texas in the evil wind of Tropical Storm Lee’s outer wind bands. Thanks to all the sponsors who donated cool stuff for us to auction: 377 Management, Austin Convention & Visitors Bureau, 36D Management, New West Records, The Gram Parsons Foundation, and Luckenbach, Texas. It was a very special night for a really important cause; raising money to help the folks that lost everything in the fires. Dallas Wayne capped off the evening with a set delivered in his superb baritone.

I have a soft spot in my heat for the strains of traditional country, especially delivered by a rich, evocative voice. Robert Ellis is a relative newcomer to the scene, at the tender age of 22, with his debut album The Great Rearranger having come out in 2009. We did some video with Robert this past March, during SXSW® music week, before his latest album Photographs hit the street in July. Music Fog had the opportunity to film him again last month, during the Americana Music Festival, so we jumped on it. He has been wiring up some really interesting tours; the latest being with Dawes and John Doe. Just a little while ago, he did some dates with George Jones and Jamey Johnson. The company you keep, indeed. I love this video, it is pure and true, as is the song, albeit a bit wicked. “Photographs,” from his album of the same name. Robert Ellis solo, from his Music Fog session in Nashville at Marathon Recorders.

- Jessie Scott