Folk Rock
Live from Here Canceled Amid COVID-19 Budget Cuts
Live from Here with Chris Thile, the variety program that replaced the famed A Prairie Home Companion, has been canceled by the Minnesota Public Radio amid budget cuts related to COVID-19. After over 50 years of broadcasting, the original Peabody-winning A Prairie Home Companion was re-branded as Live from Here in 2017 after MPR canceled its contract with original host, Garrison Keillor, following accusations of inappropriate behavior. Chris Thile, who had taken over hosting duties in 2016, changed the name to Live from Here shortly after Keillor’s firing. During its short-lived time, Live from Here welcomed guest musicians such as Paul Simon, Jeff Tweedy, Father John Misty, Neko Case, and Norah Jones, as well as Sufjan Stevens, Courtney Barnett, and Trey Anastasio. It aired every Sun...
Bill Murray, Kacey Musgraves, Sturgill Simpson & More Participate in John Prine Tribute: Video + Setlist
On Thursday night, dozens of musicians and celebrities gathered to celebrate the life and music of the late John Prine. Put together by Prine’s family, the star-studded livestream “Picture Show: A Tribute Celebrating John Prine” is available to replay below until Sunday, June 14th. The two-hour virtual event featured appearances from Prine’s widow, Fiona Whelan Prine, as well as their sons, Jack and Tommy, who played “Paradise”. Members of Prine’s longtime backing band — Kenneth Blevins, David Jacques, Fats Kaplin, Jason Wilber —also participated, performing “Far from Me” with Sara Watkins, “Unwed Fathers” with Kelsey Waldon, and “Illegal Smile” with Todd Snider. Other performances came from Kacey Musgraves (“Spanish Pipedream” and “Burn One with John Prine”), Jason Isbell and Amanda Shire...
Bob Dylan Reveals Rough and Rowdy Ways Tracklist
Bob Dylan has unveiled the track list for his forthcoming new studio album, Rough and Rowdy Ways, which due out June 19th via Columbia Records. The great bard revealed all 10 tracks in a folksy video on his Instagram account. As expected, the tracklist album features previously released singles: “False Prophet”, “I Contain Multitudes”, and, yes, the 17-minute closer “Murder Most Foul”. As previously reported, the album marks his first release of entirely new material in eight years (specifically, 2012’s Tempest). Sadly, he won’t be able to support the album until likely next year as he recently canceled his planned tour. Watch the announcement below, and pre-order your copy of the album here. Editors’ Picks Rough and Rowdy Ways Tracklist:01. I Contain Multitudes02. False Prophet03. M...
John Prine “Picture Show” Livestream to Feature Sturgill Simpson, Kacey Musgraves, Bill Murray & More
The life and legacy of John Prine will be celebrated later this week with a star-studded livestream tribute concert. Presented by the folk legend’s own family, “Picture Show” promises appearances from Sturgill Simpson, Kacey Musgraves, Jason Isbell and Amanda Shires, My Morning Jacket frontman Jim James, Dan Auerbach of The Black Keys, Bonnie Raitt, and Brandi Carlile. Also included on the lineup are Eric Church, Sara Watkins, Kurt Vile, Vince Gill, Margo Price, Courtney Marie Andrews, Fiona Whelan Prine, Jack Prine, Tommy Prine, John Paul White, and The Secret Sisters. Additionally, Prine’s own longtime backing band — that’s Kenneth Blevins, David Jacques, Fats Kaplin, Jason Wilber — is participating. The virtual event will also be “attended” by actors and TV personalities such as Bill Mu...
Yusuf / Cat Stevens Re-Records Tea for the Tillerman in Celebration of Its 50th Anniversary
This year marks the 50th anniversary of Yusuf / Cat Stevens’ classic album Tea for the Tillerman. To celebrate, he’s re-recorded the album in full. Fittingly titled Tea for the Tillerman², this new version is due out September 18th. All 11 original Tea for the Tillerman songs appear on this forthcoming update, including fan favorites like “Where Do the Children Play?”, “Hard Headed Woman”, and “Father and Son”. While Yusuf sought to retain the spirit of these 1970-era tracks, many of them — such as “Wild World” and “Longer Boats” — were given surprising makeovers; the latter cut, for instance, features rapper Brother Ali. In an interview with Apple Music, Yusuf said he wanted to re-work the album to better reflect how he feels in 2020. He explained, “The truth is I sat down with ...
Waxahatchee to Play Entire Catalog During Weekly Livestreams
Live music may not return until next year, but for the safety and longevity of music it’s probably for the best. On the bright side, it’s also the reason why everyone will get the chance to see Waxahatchee play her entire five-album discography next month. Today, Katie Crutchfield has announced a new livestream series where she will perform a different record in full each Monday in June. Crutchfield, the singer-songwriter behind the Waxahatchee moniker, plans to dig through her catalog in chronological order over the course of the next month. Starting on June 1st, she will play her debut solo album, American Weekend. Following that on June 8th, she will revisit her breakthrough sophomore record Cerulean Salt from 2013. June 15th will see her play 2015’s critically lauded Ivy Tripp, with a ...
Neil Young’s Fifth Fireside Session Takes a Trip to the Barnyard: Watch
It took four Fireside Sessions, but Neil Young has apparently grown tired of every fire pit and fireplace in his Colorado home. For the latest entry in his quarantine performance series, Old Shakey took the show down the road — or at least, to the other side of the estate — for a special Barnyard Edition. Once again directed by his wife, actress Daryl Hannah, the performance is largely delivered to a bunch of chickens and — if you keep an eye out — at least one mallard. The set opens with Young playing “Tumbleweed” from 2014’s Storytone on ukulele while a lama named Lazlo and a horse mosey around their pen. He then moves over to the coop to strum out “Homegrown”, the title track from his long-unreleased 1975 album Homegrown, finally due for release on June 19th. Intercut wit...
Phoebe Bridgers Reveals New Single “I See You”: Stream
Phoebe Bridgers has broken off another single from her forthcoming Punisher album. It’s dubbed “I See You” and streaming below. The indie songwriter has also announced a series of upcoming virtual “tour dates”. Today’s track was originally named “ICU”, but tweaked recently in light of the ongoing health crisis. (Or as Bridgers succinctly put it in a statement, “*gestures at entire world*”.) Per the indie songwriter, “I See You” is about her breakup with her drummer. “We dated for a few years, made music every day, and were extremely codependent,” explained our former Artist of the Month. “We became like family to each other, so our breakup was extremely tough. But if this tells you anything about our relationship, we wrote this song together, just like everything else.” Editors&#...
Neil Young’s Unreleased 1975 Album Homegrown Finally Surfaces in June
Roughly 46 years after it was recorded, Neil Young‘s “lost” 1975 album Homegrown is finally getting released. The 12-track LP, which Young describes as “the unheard bridge between Harvest and Comes A Time,” arrives June 19th via Reprise Records. Homegrown was recorded between June of 1974 and January of 1975 with a studio band featuring Levon Helm, Ben Keith, Karl T. Himmel, Tim Drummond, Stan Szelest, and Robbie Robertson. Emmylou Harris also makes an appearance. Five of the tracks — “Love Is A Rose,” “Homegrown,” “White Line,” “Little Wing,” and “Star Of Bethlehem” — would find a home on other albums. The other six songs, as well as the spoken word narration of “Florida”, have never been issued before. Below, you can hear one of those later tr...
Jethro Tull Frontman Ian Anderson “Suffering from an Incurable Lung Disease”
Jethro Tull frontman Ian Anderson has revealed that he is “suffering from an incurable lung disease”. The rock legend added that his “days are numbered” in a conversation with Dan Rather for the veteran newsman’s show The Big Interview, airing Wednesday night (May 13th) on AXS TV. In a preview clip, Rather asked Anderson about the rigors of singing and playing flute onstage, to which Anderson responded, “I’m going to tell you something I’ve never told anybody in public before — I am suffering from an incurable lung disease which I was diagnosed with a couple of years back.” He continued, “I do struggle. I have what are called exacerbations — periods when I get an infection that turns into severe bronchitis and I have maybe two or three weeks when it’s really a tough job to go out there on ...
James Blake Covers Joni Mitchell’s “A Case of You” on Corden from Quarantine: Watch
James Blake has been spending his time in quarantine perfecting the art of the cover song. In March, the UK crooner took to Instagram Live to perform countless originals by Radiohead, Billie Eilish, and Frank Ocean. He also tackled the Joni Mitchell track “A Case of You”, which he released on his own Enough Thunder EP from 2011. For his remote appearance on the Late Late Show with James Corden on Tuesday, Blake again dusted off that Mitchell cover. Cozied up to a piano in his own sunlit living space, the Grammy winner delicately, softly sang his way through the 1971 single. Elsewhere in last night’s episode, Blake spoke to Corden about his upcoming projects. He said his newest single, “Too Precious”, would likely end up on his next album, though “the rest of the stuff is quite di...
Bob Dylan Cancels US Summer Tour Due to COVID-19
Musicians worldwide have scrapped their touring plans due to the pandemic, and now Bob Dylan is following suit. The legendary troubadour has canceled all of his Summer 2020 tour dates amid concerns over COVID-19. Part of his “Never Ending Tour”, the US trek was originally supposed to kick off in early June and extend well through mid-July. Dylan’s itinerary included two nights at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley, as well as headlining gigs at the Hollywood Bowl in Los Angeles and the Forest Hills Stadium in New York City. Fellow folk rockers Nathaniel Rateliff & The Night Sweats had been tapped as support. “In the interest of public health and safety and after many attempts to try and reschedule these shows for a workable timeframe this year, it is with deep regret that we announce the U....
