Austin is in high spirits this time of year. It feels like summer vacation is drawing people to the capital of Texas. They are in the clubs, spilling out into the streets from the restaurants, bars and cafes. It has been a good music week here with Robert Ellis and Jonny Corndawg, Steve Earle and the Dukes and Duchesses, which includes Chris Masterson, Eleanor Whitmore and Allison Moorer, and then last night Roger Clyne and The Peacemakers and Sons of Bill. It has been a display of lots of expertise, great writing, harmonies, amazing playing. I think about all these folks just starting out practicing in their rooms, spending hours by themselves to get good. Learning chords, learning how to marry the voice with the instrument, putting in the 10,000 hours.

We want to take you back to that beginning feeling. When I watch this video, I think about all the alone time, all the determination, all the discipline it takes to get to having a career in music. We taped Milwaukeean Heidi Spencer without her band The Rare Birds at the Music Fog Marathon in Austin in March. Her debut album Under Streetlight Glow had just come out. She came to see us very early in the morning, giving us a gentle peak behind the curtain to how she crafts her music. This is “Hibernation.”

-Jessie Scott