Bentley’s Bandstand: September 2026By Bill Bentley Various Artists, ANTONE’S 50TH PRESENTS CHICAGO BOUND. There has been a magical wonder under way in Austin the past 50 years as the blues club Antone has remained in existence against all odds. It opened a half-century ago with Clifton Chenier & His Red Hot Louisiana Band and gone […]
Bentley’s Bandstand August 2026 The Afghan Whigs, Soft Control. There really aren’t that many rock bands in 2026 as long-lasting and still-great as The Afghan Whigs. Leader Greg Dulli has been in the rock game a long time, and even when it’s disconcerting to realize time rolls on, he continues to get greater and greater. […]
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Bentley’s Bandstand: July 2026 Albert Castiglia, GRITS & GLORY. When it’s time to throw it all against the wall and get funky through the night, Albert Castiglia has the right idea. Take the whole gang to the Abbey Road studio in London and go for broke. And that’s exactly what Castiglia and his hopped-up crew […]
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Bentley’s Bandstand: June 2026 Bob Corritore and Friends, ERNESTINE BLUES. There comes a time when this harp-blowing man goes into the studio and rounds up some heart-beating singers and playing wildcats and lets it all rip. It doesn’t matter who those buddies might be because this bandleader knows exactly what’s needed to cozy up to […]
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Bentley’s Bandstand: May 2026 Marc Broussard, CHANCE WORTH TAKING. When it gets down to the real nitty gritty in 2026 for true blue soul brothers, there’s a good chance that Marc Broussard goes to the very top of the list. The Louisiana man has a no-foolin voice that grabs reality by the neck, puts a […]
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Bentley’s Bandstand: April 2026 Leeann Atherton, GOOD GOD. Roll back all the music since the Earth welcomed humans walking uprighht all those centuries ago, and there’s a good chance that gospel exhortations would be among the earliest. As soon as voices rose high, it was thankfulness that cracked open the spirit. Now, all these years […]
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BENTLEY’S BANDSTAND: March 2026 Hank Alrich, BROKEN RIVER. When it came time to build Austin, Texas into a musical capital of the world, there were a dozen true believers there in 1970 that took on the task. And no one did more than Hank Alrich. He helped bring to life the Armadillo World Headquarters, which […]
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BENTLEY’S BANDSTAND: February 2026By Bill Bentley Chris Ahlman, SANTA BARBARA SONGS. It’s pretty obvious from note one on this singer-songwriter’s new album that he has a very special relationship with Santa Barbara. The seven songs on his new release capture the peace and beauty of the California coastline of the town on the California coast, […]
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Bentley’s Bandstand: January 2026 Ed Alstrom, THIS IDEA OF HUMANITY.There are moments in anyone’s life when the Hammond organ sounds like the only instrument that could possibly rule the world. Its notes are ready for action, no matter the mood, and it swings with a fullness that sounds like the holy ghost has taken over […]
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Bentley’s Bandstand: Favorite Albums of 2025: (second half) Rodney Crowell, AIRLINE HIGHWAY. There is something about artists like Rodney Crowell that shares such a powerful sound from note one that there is never any question they’ve hit it out of the park. Again. It’s been that way forever with the best music. The song starts […]
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