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