It was a breakout year for Pearl Charles, making many end of year lists. As she was reaching the end of a tour opening for Liz Cooper, Americana Highways caught up with her in Davenport, Iowa. The set was heavy on her new album Magic Mirror, released ahead of the pandemic on January 15, with […]
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Sam Baker show review, photos, and interview by Brian DeSpain A long-running and notable house concert program in Pittsburg, Kansas has retooled. The resulting non-profit status provided the opportunity to partner with the performing arts center at Pittsburg State University to host folk singer Sam Baker. Olive Street House Concerts, now dubbed Olive Street Presents, […]
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Sam Baker interview by Brian DeSpain, photo by Robert Poole We were able to sit down and interview Sam Baker recently during his run of shows starting in Kansas, catching up with him in Eureka Springs, Arkansas. Please enjoy the conversation. Americana Highways: Among the other musicians I’ve spoken with, some have been hampered in […]
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Gregory Alan Isakov show review by Brian DeSpain The 2021 tour for Gregory Alan Isakov kicked off at the Wave in Wichita, Kansas. After a number of rescheduled openings with The Lumineers dashed during the pandemic and other attempts for stage shows, Isakov was clear in his expression of gratitude to be performing for the […]
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Liz Cooper: Show Review and Interview by Brian DeSpain In the year and one-half from recording the tracks for the September 3 release of Hot Sass, Liz Cooper has grown to know herself, adjust to a pre-pandemic move from Nashville to New York City, and has found little inspiration for songwriting. Cooper focused on painting […]
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Many Mountains — interview and show review by Brian DeSpain Longs Peak Pub & Taphouse, Longmont CO 11/6 Boulder County establishments have played an important role in the Front Range music scene. Some are still determining when to reopen. Those back in operation haven’t immediately resumed their pre-pandemic live music formats. On November 6, Longs […]
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Carsie Blanton — Interview The soul swaying and soothing social justice number “Be Good” introduces Carsie Blanton’s nineteen song set, followed by the defiant “Down in the Streets” written as an explanation to her mother about the 2020 protests. With “Harbor” from Buck Up (2019), Blanton draws a comparison between how people have felt during […]
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Joel King and the Wild Feathers — Interview and Show Review by Brian DeSpain Coming off their first stage performance at Red Rocks in Morrison, Colorado, opening for Blackberry Smoke on the Spirit of the South tour, The Wild Feathers made their final stretch to St. Louis to close out a three and one-half week […]
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Beth Bombara interview by Brian DeSpain Americana Highways spoke with Beth Bombara at Off Broadway in St Louis on 10/29. This was Bombara’s second of two shows involved with a Space Junk IPA launch with Logboat Brewing Company based in Columbia, Missouri. On this night the beer made it’s debut in St Louis. For setlist […]
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William Elliott Whitmore interview by Brian DeSpain William Elliot Whitmore brought his banjo and guitar picking and porch stomping.to Off Broadway in St. Louis, Missouri on Oct 25. Below is a summary of the set followed by the interview: Twenty-one songs composed Whitmore’s set which were mostly audience requests. He told the crowd, “A setlist […]
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