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