Discourse Dispatch Archives
...Anticipation for Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight...
...Anticipation for Quentin Tarantino's The Hateful Eight... I just re-watched Quentin Tarantino's Django Unchained. It's been three years since Tarantino released a movie. I needed a break from revising stories, and decided to delve into his last read more...
James Franco's Film Adaptation of the Cormac McCarthy Book Child of God
James Franco’s Adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s Child of God This morning I watched James Franco’s film adaptation of Cormac McCarthy’s third novel Child of God. Since read more...
Ace Atkins' Latest Book The Redeemers
The Redeemers By Ace Atkins I just finished The Redeemers, a fine book by Mississippi writer Ace Atkins.... Born June 28, 1970, in Troy, Alabama, Ace Atkins played football at Auburn University, and even graced the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1993 read more...
"A Momentary Stay" : Musings on the Poetry of Harry Moore
A Trip Back in Time: A Review of Bob Keefe's "Stories From the Okefenokee"
In 1969 a young Marine returning to civilian life after a tour of duty as a helicopter pilot in Viet Nam found refuge in a remote and primal place in the Deep South, the Okefenokee Swamp. The Marine's name was Bob Keefe, and he spent five wonderful years in the swamp, working as a read more...
The Magic of the Shoals: The Lindsey Film Fest Screening of "Muscle Shoals"
Not since the sold out Drive-By Truckers/ Decoys concert during the 2011
"A Heaping Helping: Songs for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of AL" by Scott Ward
This week I had the pleasure of chatting via Facebook with Alabama musician Scott Ward, producer and director at Lucky Dog Records. Ward has just produced a digital CD designed to raise money for the Breast Cancer Research Foundation of Alabama. The CD which features 23 tracks by read more...
View the BBC's Southern Rock Documentary on Swampland
Swampland has added the BBC's new Southern Rock Documentary to it front page. Go here to view it - Swampland Front Page
Life Lessons in The Big Easy by Martha Gragido
There’s something maternal about a train. It carries you where you need to go and rocks you along, sheltering as new horizons flash past your window. Places you’ve never been. Places that have never known the press of your weight. (The bathrooms on the train read more...
Award Winning Author Joshilyn Jackson at Northeast Alabama Community College
Award-winning novelist Joshilyn Jackson will be the featured author for the Arts and Humanities Speaker’s Forum at Northeast Alabama Community College on April 19, 2012, at 10:00 a.m. Jackson’s presentation will be held in the Tom Bevill Lyceum and is free to
Author Judith Ortiz Cofer at Calhoun College Writers' Conference, April 11, 2013
Latina writer and storyteller Judith Ortiz Cofer will be speaking at Calhoun Community College's 12th annual Writers' Conference on Thursday, April 11, at 9:30 a.m. in the Aerospace Training Center. She will speak again at 7 in the evening at the Princess Theatre. Both read more...
"How Do You Like Your Blueeyed Boy, Mr. Death": Harry Crews (1935-2012)
Harry Crews! I guess I thought he would live forever. When all of those years of out of control drinking did not kill him, I decided he had outwitted the devil. That would be just like Crews--to make a wager with the devil and win. When a great read more...
RIP Earl Scruggs & Jerry "Boogie" McCain & Harry Crews
RIP Earl Scruggs, Harry Crews & Jerry "Boogie" McCain Legendary banjo picker Earl Scruggs died yesterday in Nashville at 88. In 1948, Scruggs formed a band with guitarist Lester Flatt called The Foggy Mountain Boys.
2012 Hannah's Buddies Charity Ball
2012 Hannah's Buddies Charity Ball On March 30 and 31st, Widespread Panic's
The University of North Alabama Presents Renowned Author Ishmael Reed
On Monday, March 19 and Tuesday, March 20, the University of North Alabama (Florence, Alabama) will present its 29th annual Spring Writers' Series. The featured speaker this year is internationally known poet, novelist, essayist, and playwright Ishmael Reed. Reed will read more...
Reflections, Progressions & Horizons
"Will all your money buy you forgiveness? Will it keep you from sickness? Will it keep you from cold? Will all your money Keep you from madness?
William Gay RIP
William Gay RIP Writer William Gay died on February 23 at 70. Gay published his first novel when he was 55. His novels read more...
Swampland Guest Patsy Glenn Writes about Brandon Sparkman and "Called to Jackson"
My long-time friend Patsy Glenn is a freelance writer residing in Florence, Alabama. Glenn joins Swampland to talk about a local hero, Brandon Sparkman, and his recently published book Called to Jackson, Mississippi: The Last Bastion of Segregation (iuniverse
A Modern Legacy of America's Finest Archivists
A Modern Legacy of America's Finest Archivists A treasure trove of old, obscure American music exists out there. Bits and pieces of lost American culture preserved between the grooves waits for any listener's ear. This
Amy LaVere Discusses Bob Dylan
Amy LaVere Discusses Bob Dylan In March, Amy LaVere will open for Black Crowe
Colonel Bruce Hampton on Widespread Panic: In The Beginning
Colonel Bruce Hampton on Widespread Panic: In The Beginning This week I interviewed Mr. Colonel Bruce Hampton. We discussed everything from his Atlanta roots, music, football, literature, read more...
Rebecca Meredith, Author of The Last of the Pascagoula, Has Alabama Roots
I discovered Rebecca Woods Meredith when I received a copy of her spellbinding novel, The Last of the Pascagoula read more...
Cormac McCarthy Sells First Film Script Titled The Counselor
Cormac McCarthy Sells First Script Writer Cormac McCarthy recently sold his first film script. McCarthy's books such as All The Pretty Horses, No Country read more...
FX's Justified Leads Elmore Leonard To Release New And Old Books About Raylan Givens
Swampland reviewed Elmore Leonard's fine short story collection When the Women Come Out To Dance last year. The collection has been reissued this week with the new title of
Sam Rivers RIP
Jazz Musician Sam Rivers Passes Away At 88 Oklahoma-born jazz musician Sam Rivers passed away on December 26, 2011, in Orlando, Florida at 88.
Alabama Born, Auburn Educated Octavia Spencer Wins Golden Globe
The 2011 fall issue of the Auburn University alumni magazine featured a stunning photo of Octavia Spencer on the cover, not as Minny, the feisty maid in Tate Taylor's movie of Kathryn Stockett's The Help, but as Octavia Spencer, celebrated actress and a possible
Widespread Panic's Dave Schools Discusses Mickey Hart's Sounds of Space
Dave Schools Discusses Sounds of Space This evening I conducted an interview with Widespread Panic bassist
A Conversation with Jerry Masters: "Hanging From A Tree By My Knees"
Jerry Masters, musician and sound engineer for nearly every hit record cut in the Shoals from the late 60s through the early 70s, and I met for breakfast at Cafe Savanna in Rogersville, Alabama, this past August. I had heard by way of Facebook that Masters
Satan Is Real: The Ballad of the Louvin Brothers
Charlie Louvin Autobiography: Satan Is Real The late Charlie Louvin's new autobiography--Satan Is Real: The Ballad of the Louvin Brothers--is now available. This
Meet Poet and Poetry Therapist Jerri Chaplin
Jerri Chaplin is a certified poetry therapist and poet. She served as the first poet-in-residence at the Gibbes Museum of Art in Charleston (1996). Her work has been read more...
Upcoming Billy Bob Thornton Films: Baytown Disco & Jayne Mansfield's Car
Upcoming Billy Bob Thornton Films Billy Bob Thornton spent a few months in Atlanta, Cedartown, Rome and LaGrange, Georgia, last year filming Jayne read more...
Happy Holidays From Swampland 2011
Happy Holidays From Swampland "Never be impatient with the ones who love you, It might be yourself that you're hurting."
Bloodkin's Exile On Lumpkin Street: Soul Survivors
Bloodkin's Exile On Lumpkin Street: Soul Survivors By James Calemine Bloodkin's Friday night show at the venerable
Ry Cooder's Los Angeles Stories
Ry Cooder's Los Angeles Stories Ry Cooder made music with The Rolling Stones,
Shakin' in Alabama with the Alabama Shakes--Souful Music Near the Shoals
The small town of Athens, Alabama (not Athens, Georgia) has made national music news thanks to the hot new group Alabama Shakes. Three of the four band members hail from East Limestone High School in read more...
No Chicago Blues For Jerry Lee Lewis
No Chicago Blues For Jerry Lee Lewis On Saturday, Jerry Lee Lewis played his first show in Chicago since 1998. Dave Hoekstra wrote a nice review in the
Poem in Remembrance: World AIDS Day, December 1, 2011
Twenty years ago a friend of mine died of AIDS. He was the first person I ever knew personally to die of this disease. He was young and talented and beautiful, and the last time I saw him he seemed completely well. Then I heard that he had died. Shortly after read more...
A Georgia Son Shining In The Big Apple: Upcoming Interview with Actor Brit Whittle
A Georgia Son Shining In The Big Apple: Upcoming Interview with Actor Brit Whittle Georgia native Brit Whittle is making a name for himself in New York City. In November, Whittle appeared in an episode of Law & Order: SVU. Whittle read more...
Widespread Panic's Upcoming Wood Tour
Widespread Panic's Wood Tour Last month Widespread Panic announced dates for early 2012. This official statement reveals the group's intention for next read more...
Happy Thanksgiving! The Last Waltz (Revisited)...
Thanksgiving Day & The Last Waltz Revisited On Thanksgiving Day in 1976, The Band performed their last show at the Winterland Ballroom in read more...
James Calemine & Marc Andress: Solar Flare Blues 2012
SOLAR FLARE BLUES 2012 Last Thursday I recorded a spoken word piece with Honey Blue guitar/pedal steel player Marc Andress. Check out
Robert Johnson: Stones In My Passway
Robert Johnson: The Devil Is In The Details The New York Times published an interesting article yesterday. The read more...
Lera Lynn Headlines Jacksonville's Natural Life Music Festival
Lera Lynn Headlines Natural Life Music Festival November 20 Athens, Georgia, musician Lera Lynn will headline the Natural Life Music Festival in Jacksonville, Florida, on November 20. The festival began as an event to support the Children's Home Society ten read more...
MAD Magazine's Rare Reunion In Savannah
MAD Magazine's Rare Reunion In Savannah Last weekend the Savannah College of Arts and Design (SCAD) along with the National Cartoonists Society hosted a tribute to read more...
New Orleans in Alabama: Brenda Marie Osbey--and Lagniappe--Poet Jane Hirshfield
This October I traveled to New Orleans to see my good friends David Lummis (author of
Athens Musicians R.E.M., Widespread Panic, Bloodkin & More Join Forces with Disabled Veterans
The Wounded Warriors Charity Compilation Athens musicians such as R.E.M., Widespread Panic,
Tom Petty Sides with Indie Radio & Beyond...
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Play Gig For Indie DJ I found this L.A Times Tom Petty article regarding events that read more...
Satan Is Real: The Louvin Brothers
Satan Is Real: The Louvin Brothers Night falls early these days. For some reason I dropped the classic Louvin Brothers album Satan Is Real into the player this evening. Originally released in 1959, Satan Is Real contains some of the most read more...
A Birthday Tribute To Sam Shepard
A Birthday Tribute To Sam Shepard Today is the 68th birthday of Sam Shepard. A Swampland Honorary Southern Artist, Shepard has written over 40 read more...
The Nerve Balm of Athens, Georgia's Terrapin Brewery
Terrapin Brewery On The Rise The Athens, Georgia, brewery Terrapin Beer Company was founded in 2002. Owners Brian Buckowski and John Cochran decided to name read more...
Indie Memphis Film Fest Opens Thursday
Indie Memphis Film Festival Nov. 3-6 The four-day 14th annual Memphis Film Festival begins Thursday. The festival includes close to 50 screenings of narrative and documentary features, short-film programs, panels and music.
Levon Helm's Upcoming Midnight Rambles...
Levon Helm's Upcoming Rambles Levon Helm announced upcoming Midnight Rambles that begin this weekend and will continue until the week before Christmas. For this round of Rambles,
Duane Allman: 40 Years Later
Duane Allman: 40 Years Later 40 years ago today Duane Allman was killed in a motorcycle accident at the age of 24 in Macon, Georgia. One of the greatest slide players to ever touch a guitar, Allman played with Aretha Franklin,
Widespread Panic's John Bell Sings National Anthem Before Packers Vs. Vikings Game Today
John Bell Sings National Anthem Before Packers-Vikings Game Widespread Panic's
The Rolling Stones: Some Girls Live In Texas
Some Girls Live In Texas A never-before-seen Rolling Stones concert, filmed live in Ft. Worth, titled The Rolling Stones: Live In Texas, will be shown at this week's "Thinking Outside the Box Office" in New Orleans.
Meet New Orleans Author and Photographer: Kristin Fouquet
Reading the short stories of Kristin Fouquet, writer and photographer par excellence, is like eating bon bons. You just have to have one more. Fouquet writes with a photographer's eye for detail, seeing beneath read more...
Tritium Detected In Water At Hatch Nuclear Plant In Georgia
Tritium Detected At Hatch Nuclear Plant This story makes Janisse Ray's book Drifting Into Darien even more read more...
Coming Soon from History Press: "Rocket City Rock and Soul" by Jane DeNeefe
The History Press will release Rocket City Rock and Soul: Huntsville Musicians Remember the 1960s by Huntsville read more...
A Stroll Through Savannah
A Stroll Through Savannah Widespread Panic put on a mighty fine show last night at the Johnny Mercer Theatre. I look forward to tonight's show as well. It's 70 read more...
Chuck Leavell's Mother Nature Network
Chuck Leavell's Mother Nature Network Rolling Stone keyboardist and tree farmer Chuck Leavell started the
Documentary About the Life of Rick Bragg "Out of the Dirt" to Premiere In Alabama
The world premiere of Out of the Dirt, a documentary film about the life of Pulitzer Prize winning journalist Rick Bragg, will be held at the IMAX Theare in the McWane Science read more...
Neil Young Memoir Due Out Fall 2012
Neil Young Memoir Due Out Fall 2012 In light of Neil Young's appearance last week at The Toronto Film Festival for Jonathan Demme's new film, Neil Young read more...
This May Be My Last Time Singing: Raw African-American Gospel On 45RPM 1957-1982
This May Be My Last Time Singing Tompkins Square's latest release is an amazing 3-CD set titled This May Be My Last Time Singing: Raw African-American Gospel On 45RPM 1957-1982. Tompkins Square released this official statement regarding this rare read more...
2011 Gram Parsons Guitar Pull September 23-25
2011 Gram Parsons Guitar Pull On September 23-25, the 2011 Gram Parsons Guitar Pull will take place at the Okefenokee Fairgrounds in Waycross, Georgia. The
The Upcoming 10th Annual John Jarrard Foundation Concert On September 23-24
10th Annual John Jarrard Concert On September 23-24, the 10th Annual John Jarrard Foundation concert will take place. Kennesaw State Music Director
An Interview From The Road: Grayson Capps Talks About A Love Song For Bobby Long
An Excerpt From Interview with Grayson Capps I just got off the phone with Alabama singer/songwriter/guitarist Grayson Capps. He was calling from the road. He's preparing read more...
Jonathan Demme Films Neil Young Journeys
Jonathan Demme's Neil Young Journeys Last night Neil Young attended the world premiere of Jonathan Demme's new movie. Jonathan Demme's third Neil Young concert film--Neil Young read more...
Exile On Lumpkin Street: Bloodkin's Tribute To The Rolling Stones
Exile On Lumpkin Street On December 16, Bloodkin and various friends will perform the songs of
The Rum Diary On Silver Screens October 28
The Rum Diary In Theaters Oct 28 Bruce Robinson directed a film based on Hunter S. Thompson's novel--The Rum Diary--starring Johnny Depp read more...
Remake of Sam Peckinpah's Straw Dogs in Theaters September 16
Straw Dogs Out September 16 On September 16, the remake of Sam Peckinpah's savage film Straw Dogs hits theaters. Filmed in Bossier City, Louisiana, the 2011 Straw Dogs is read more...
The 2011 Ponderosa Stomp
The 2011 Ponderosa Stomp The Ninth Annual Ponderosa Stomp will take place on September 16-17 at the Howlin' Wolf in New Orleans. This New Orleans-based roots music festival read more...
What's All This Hullabaloo About "The Help"?
Two years ago, shortly after Kathryn Stockett 's novel The Help was released, I wrote a review of the book for Swampland. I never published the review because I was ambivalent about the novel, and everyone I knew was singing its praises. The Help quickly made read more...
The Search for Blind Lemon: Words, Music, Photos & Films from Jim Dickinson's Memoirs
Jim Dickinson's Search for Blind Lemon On September 17, Mary Lindsay Dickinson will present words, photographs, films and music from her late husband's memoirs and read more...
"The Coffee Shop Chronicles" Featured in New Orleans Course at University of Montevallo
David Lummis' novel The Coffee read more...
Jamaican Blues & Southern Breezes: Blue Water, Black Soul & Rock N Roll
Jamaican Blues & Southern Breezes: Blue Water, Black Soul & Rock N Roll "I say when it drops, oh you gonna feel it Know that you were doing wrong. I say a pressure drop, oh pressure Oh yeah, pressure drop a drop read more...
Hank Williams-The Legend Begins: Rare And Unreleased Recordings
Hank Williams Rare And Unreleased Recordings On September 13, Time Life will release Hank Williams: The Legend Begins--Rare And Unreleased Recordings. These newly discovered and restored recordings include sessions Hank recorded at 15 as well as his read more...
Tom Waits: Bad As Me Listening Party
Tom Waits: Bad As Me Listening Party Bad As Me is Tom Waits' first studio album in seven years. Yesterday the official Tom read more...
An Intimate Evening with Mississippi's Finest Musicians
An Intimate Evening with Mississippi's Finest On Wednesday, August 24, Luther Dickinson, Kenny Brown,
Drive By Truckers, Bob Dylan & Leon Russell Share A Stage Tonight
Dylan, The Truckers & Leon In Maryland Tonight Tonight in Columbia, Maryland, at The Merriweather Post Pavilion, The Drive By Truckers share a billing with read more...
Wes Freed's Artwork for Drive By Truckers Georgia Theatre Shows
Wes Freed's Drive By Truckers Artwork On August 12th and 13th, The Drive By Truckers will perform for the
Merle Haggard's New Album Working in Tennessee
Merle Haggard's New Album Out In October Vanguard Records will release Merle Haggard's latest album, Working in Tennessee, on October 4. Tonight, 'The Hag' is performing read more...
The Secret To a Happy Ending: The Decoys, DBT, and a Sunday Jam at Dick Cooper's
According to The Drive-By Truckers, the secret to a happy ending is knowing when to run the credits. This week in the Shoals the secret to a read more...
Bob Dylan's Admiration for Mississippi Writer Larry Brown
Dylan's Admiration for Larry Brown Turns out, Bob Dylan is a big Larry Brown fan. Today, while re-reading a short story of read more...
The Georgia Theatre's Grand Opening Tonight
The Georgia Theatre Grand Opening Tonight The new Georgia Theatre officially opens tonight in Athens, Georgia. The historic theatre burned read more...
Mississippi Bluesman T-Model Ford Playing New Orleans Tonight
T-Model Ford At One Eyed Jacks James Lewis Carter "T-Model" Ford performs at One Eyed Jacks tonight in New Orleans. His birth date is unknown, but it's read more...
Tom Waits Recording A New Album...
Tom Waits Recording First Album Since 2006 Recently inducted into the Rock And Roll Hall of Fame by Neil Young,
Upcoming Interview: Preston Lauterbach's Chitlin' Circuit: And The Road To Rock 'N' Roll
The Chitlin' Circut: And The Road To Rock 'N' Roll Memphis writer Preston Lauterbach's first book--The Chitlin Circut: And The Road To Rock 'N' Roll--arrived in the mail on Monday. An upcoming interview with Lauterbach is on the way, but I wanted to write a quick read more...
Handy Festival 2011: Rocking the Shoals with Ken Watters and Microwave Dave
This week is Handy Fest 2011, and I was in the Shoals on Monday night, sitting in the Zodiac Theatre in downtown Florence, Alabama, with Randy, my sister Peggy, and a friend
Widespread Panic Prepares for Japan's Fuji Rock Festival
John Bell Talks About Panic's First Trip To Japan On July 29 and 30, Widespread Panic will perform at the Fuji Rock Festival in Japan. A few weeks ago I asked read more...
Expanded James Brown Exhibit On Display At Augusta Museum of History
Expanded James Brown Exhibit Opens To Public Artifacts from the Godfather of Soul James Browns' estate are now on display at the
Bob Dylan: The Drawn Blank Series
Bob Dylan: The Drawn Blank Series "Oh, the streets are Rome are filled with rubble Ancient footprints are everywhere..."
A Southern Literary Note on Hemingway's Birthday
A Southern Literary Note on Hemingway's Birthday Today is the birthday of Ernest Hemingway. A southern literary note seems in order to salute one of America's greatest writers...
Athens Photographer Jason Thrasher Discusses Filming The Drive By Truckers Go-Go Boots Episodes
Jason Thrasher Discusses Go-Go Boots Episodes Alabama native Jason Thrasher filmed episodes revolving around
The Photography of Adam Smith
The Photography of Adam Smith Today I'd like to shine a light on the photography of Adam Smith. Born in Macon, Georgia, Smith ranks as one of the country's finest music photographers. He attended college in Mississippi, lived in Atlanta for a while and now resides in his read more...
Next Stop: Wes Freed & The Drive By Truckers
Next Stop: Wes Freed & The Drive By Truckers Here's a quick dispatch this morning in between projects...Later this afternoon I'll interview The Drive By read more...
The Black Crowes Fly Across The Pond
Final Crowe Anniversary Shows This Month The Black Crowes play the final gigs of their 20th Anniversary Tour this month. So far, the band has performed in Italy and Spain. Tonight The Crowes play at the Manchester Academy in England. The next two read more...
A Preview of Drive Me Out of My Mind: 24 Houses in 10 Years By Chad Faries
A Preview of Chad Faries' New Memoir Emergency Press published Chad Faries' latest book titled Drive Me Out of My Mind: 24 Houses in 10 Years: A Memoir this month. I met Faries through read more...
Ben Hall Salutes Charlie Louvin on New EP
A LITTLE MORE BEN HALL Ben Hall's new Tompkins Square released EP--A Little More Ben Hall--salutes country music legend Charlie Louvin. Louvin passed away in January from his read more...
Lucinda Williams Talks Songwriting
LUCINDA WILLIAMS TALKS SONGWRITING Louisiana native Lucinda Williams is out on the road behind her latest album Blessed. She's in Canada for a few shows, and in this Edmonton Journal
Drive-By Truckers To Headline 2011 W.C. Handy Festival in Florence, AL
A concert by the Drive-By Truckers with special guests The Decoys, along with music icons Donnie Fritts and Spooner Oldham, will read more...
Amy LaVere's Stranger Me Out July 19
Amy LaVere's Latest CD Out July 19 On July 19, Archer Records will release Amy LaVere's third studio album, Stranger Me. Stranger Me read more...
Texas Judge Aims For Willie Nelson
Texas Judge Aims For Willie Nelson This morning Texas judge Becky Dean-Walker said she would not accept Willie Nelson's mailed-in plea read more...
T.C. Boyle's Robert Johnson Story
Stones In My Passway, Hellhound On My Trail In 1977, T.C. Boyle wrote a story about blues legend Robert Johnson titled "Stones In My Passway, Hellhound On My Trail". read more...
The Avett Brothers Simulcast Red Rocks Concert for NASCAR Race
The Avett Brothers Perform For NASCAR The Avett Brothers' July 9 Red Rocks concert will air on the Charlotte Motor Speedway's HD video board. The idea is NASCAR wants to attract more of read more...
Tom Petty Issues Cease & Desist Letter To Michele Bachman
Petty Issues Cease & Desist To Republican Presidential Candidate This article reports
Sam Peckinpah, Bob Dylan & The Only Photo of Billy the Kid
Billy The Kid Photo Sold For $2.3M In the spirit of Sam Peckinpah's film that starred Bob read more...
The Silvertone Twangs of D. Charles Speer
The Silvertone Twangs of D. Charles Speer David Charles Shuford was born in Atlanta, Georgia. In the 90s, he moved to New York City and explored a variety of experimental styles, but his musical foundation never strayed far from pure country.
A "Found Poem" on Craig's List--Thorsby, AL, June 22, 2011
Free Donkeys (3) found and arranged by Penne J. Laubenthal (photo from www) My mom won 3 read more...
Billy C Farlow Tours in Europe to Promote "Alabama Swamp Stomp"
Blues harmonica player and songwriter Billy C Farlow left last week for a month tour of France and surrounding countries to promote his new album
AthFest Music Festival June 22-26
2011 AthFest This Weekend This weekend Athens, Georgia's, annual AthFest Music Festival will take place. AthFest is a non-profit organization dedicated to music and arts education headquartered in Athens. The read more...
Swampland's Gospel, Funk & Soul Collection
Swampland's Gospel, Funk & Soul Collection It's arguable that one of America's finest contributions to history is music. Deep forms of music culminated from various influences that mold a specific style. In this dispatch, read more...
Girl Power: A Compilation of Swampland's Most Talented Female Artists
Swampland Salutes Southern Women: Volume 1 Today we'd like to salute all the great southern female artists we've covered here at Swampland. We've compiled a list of cornerstone interviews/articles/reviews pertaining to these talented read more...
Clarence Clemons RIP
Clarence Clemons RIP (1942-2011) Bruce Springsteen's longtime Virginia-born saxophonist Clarence Clemons died yesterday in Florida. Clemons suffered a stroke on June 12, and passed away from those complications. Bruce Springsteen released this read more...
Swampland's John Coltrane & Thelonious Monk Spotlight
Swampland's John Coltrane Spotlight John Coltrane and Thelonious Monk were both born in North Carolina and read more...
A Father's Day Gift From The Traveling Wilburys
Free Father's Day Stream On Father's Day--Sunday, June 19--The Traveling Wilburys will release a free 24-hour stream of "The True History Of The Traveling Wilburys". The program begins read more...
Summer Merle Haggard Southern Tour Dates
Upcoming Merle Haggard 2011 Southern Tour Dates Country music legend Merle Haggard prepares for his upcoming summer tour. At 74, Haggard still records, tours and writes timeless music. His work casts a long and wide shadow on American music. Over the years, read more...
Georgia Theatre Grand Opening Update
Athens Music Venue Rebuilt On August 1-14, 2011, the Athens, Georgia, music venue--The Georgia Theatre--will host a Grand Opening. The Theatre burned down two years ago. Here are the first scheduled shows at The Georgia Theatre. Stay tuned...
O Brother, Where Art Thou? Celebrates 10th Anniversary
O Brother, Where Art Thou? Celebrates 10th Anniversary GRAMMY® ALBUM OF THE YEAR FOR 2001 O Brother, Where Art Thou? CELEBRATES 10TH ANNIVERSARY WITH EXPANDED TWO-CD DELUXE EDITION NEW BONUS DISC INCLUDES read more...
Willie Nelson's Nightly Bus Theater
Willie Nelson's Nightly Bus Theater On this early Sunday evening perhaps some humor is needed. Check out Willie Nelson's June 11 episode of read more...
From Townes Van Zandt To Doc Watson
From Townes Van Zandt To Doc Watson Townes Van Zandt's Live at The Old Quarter read more...
RIP Philip Walden Jr. (November 15, 1962--June 7, 2011)
Philip Walden JR. RIP "But I'm not gonna let 'em catch me, no
Widespread Panic's John Bell Looks Forward To Bonnaroo 2011
John Bell On Bonnaroo Ten Years Later The 2011 Bonnaroo Festival begins on June 9. The four-day, multi-stage camping festival held on a 700-acre farm in Manchester, Tennessee, celebrates its 10th year.
Bob Dylan's Upcoming Southern Tour Dates
Dylan Adds Southern Tour Dates Yesterday three new southern dates were scheduled on the summer leg of Bob Dylan's 2011 tour. On July 24, Dylan will perform in New Braunfels, Texas. The Bard travels to New Orleans for a July 26 show, and then onto Memphis for read more...
Rejoice and Shout: The History of Gospel Music
Don McGlynn's Latest Documentary Rejoice and Shout Directed by Don McGlynn, Rejoice and Shout documents the 200-year history of gospel music in America. The two-hour film traces fusions of multiple musical styles such as plantation work songs, read more...
Bloodkin's First 7" Single & Tonight's 40 Watt Club Performance
Bloodkin's Mark Fidrych & Evel Knievel Tonight the Athens, Georgia, band Bloodkin's
Drive By Truckers Play Georgia Theatre Grand Opening August 12 & 13
Drive By Truckers Play Georgia Theatre Grand Opening The Drive By Truckers will play two shows for the Grand Opening of the venerable Athens, Georgia, venue--
Chris Robinson Brotherhood Big Sur Memorial Weekend
Chris Robinson Brotherhood & Howlin Rain Big Sur Memorial Weekend "Lost in the equinox/lightening flash in a blood red sky Another game of paradox/got the angels choosing sides..."
A Memorial Day Tribute: An Early Salute
A Salute To All The Veterans An early salute for the upcoming weekend... In honor of Memorial Day, and all the read more...
Mississippi Celebrates Its Grammy Legacy on June 7
Mississippi Celebrates Its Grammy Legacy on June 7 On June 7, 2011, Govenor Haley Barbour and First Lady Marsha Barbour will host the fifth annual Mississippi celebration of its Grammy legacy. The list of performers this year include
Georgia Public Broadcasting Films "Georgia Outdoors" on the Altamaha River
GPB Films "Georgia Outdoors" on Altamaha River Earlier this month, Georgia Public Broadcasting filmed for three days on the Altamaha River in southeast Georgia. Swampland read more...
Bob Dylan's 70th Birthday
Bob Dylan's 70th Birthday "It's mighty funny, the end of time has just begun."
Gregg Allman Signs Book Deal
Greg Allman Memoir Due Out Spring 2012 This week Gregg Allman signed a book deal to write his life story. The memoir will be published by William Morrow in the spring of read more...
Getting To Know Alan Paul, A Southern Rock Champion
Guitar World magazine and the Allman Brothers Band. Those are two things our readers are quite familiar with. One man, Alan Paul, serves as an important link read more...
Brute: Nine High a Pallet
Brute: Nine High a Pallet ...Today, a journey through smoke rings of the past... The band Brute consisted of Athens songwriter Vic Chesnutt recording his material with
The Art of Will Johnson
The Artwork of Will Johnson In preparation for the Texas band Centro-matic's upcoming release--Candidate Waltz--on June 21, I thought I'd shine a light on the artwork of the band's leader read more...
Meet Matthew Nolan, Poet and Resident of New Orleans
Matthew Nolan, who subtitles his books "A New Orleans Poet," is the author of two collections of poetry and prose: Crumpled Paper Dolls (2004) and Exhuming Juliet (2009). read more...
Never A Pal Like Mother
Happy Mother's Day 2011 Happy Mother's Day to Everyone! Since it's Mother's Day weekend, I thought I write a dispatch around the great Atlanta label
Robert Johnson's 100th Birthday Celebration
Robert Johnson's 100th Birthday Celebration In May May 8 marks blues legend Robert Johnson's 100th birthday. The L.A. Times featured
Deadly Tornadoes Hit The South
Deadly Tornadoes Rip Through The South "Sirens were blowing, clouds spat rain And as things came through, it sounded like a train..."
Film Reviews of the Past
Swampland Film Reviews of the Past Today's dispatch includes a list of various films reviewed on Swampland. This follows up recent lists of book and
Book Reviews of the Past
Book Reviews of the Past on Mystery and Manners Today I thought I'd include a list of a few books reviewed on Swampland from the past. Perhaps a title will ignite some inspiration for a reader to seek out a specific book or story. While a read more...
The Never Ending Soul Food Tour: H & H Restaurant Macon, GA
H & H Restaurant 807 Forsyth Avenue Macon, GA 31201 478-742-9810 www.mamalouise.com James Calemine’s “Never Ending Soul Food Tour” includes documented visits to barbecue joints, read more...
Isabel Wilkerson, Pulitizer Prize Winning Journalist, To Speak at University of North Alabama
Isabel Wilkerson, the first African-American woman to win a Pulitzer Prize in the history of journalism, will be speaking at the University of North Alabama (in Florence, Alabama) at 12:30 PM, Thursday, April 14. read more...
Rock and Roll in the Rocket City Continues with Part 3 by Jane DeNeefe
Swampland is celebrating The Year of Alabama Music with a series of articles by Jane DeNeefe about rock & roll music in read more...
MLB Opening Day 2011
MLB Opening Day 2011 “I was fairly typical of my generation of Southerners, I suppose. I got hooked on the game when I heard Mel Allen’s tense description of Enos (‘Country”) Slaughter of the Cardinals winning the ’46 read more...
Tom Petty's Buried Treasure Contest
Tom Petty’s Buried Treasure Contest On April 14, Sirius XM will broadcast a special 2-hour live event—Tom Petty’s Ultimate Buried Treasure—in celebration of Petty’s exclusive Sirius XM radio show. Petty’s read more...
Friendship, Love & Betrayal in Modern Times
Friendship, Love & Betrayal In Modern Times “You got a lot of nerve to say you are my friend When I was down you just stood there grinning…”
Delta Born Blues Legend Pinetop Perkins Dies at 97
Grammy award winning blues pianist Pinetop Perkins died yesterday, March 21, of cardiac arrest at the age of 97. Perkins, whose real first name was Willie, read more...
Spike Lee Speaks Tonight At Savannah State University
An Evening with Spike Lee Tonight Atlanta born filmmaker Spike Lee will speak at Savannah State University. Lee will discuss his life, work, politics and the ability of film to effect social change. SSU professor Chad Faries has been spreading the read more...
New Orleans Tennessee Williams Festival Begins March 23
New Orleans Tennessee Williams Festival “New Orleans is where Tom became ‘Tennessee’ and he considered our city his spiritual home”, said Paul J. Willis, executive director of the annual
Alabama Blues Musician Debbie Bond Pays Tribute to Eddie Kirkland (1923-2011)
The funeral service for Eddie Kirkland, "Gypsy of the Blues," was held on Monday, March 7, in Macon, Georgia. Friends came from far and wide to pay tribute to the 87-year-old blues legend who was killed in read more...
The 2011 Savannah Music Festival
2011 Savannah Music Festival 2011 marks the 22nd year of the Savannah Music Festival. This year, events transpire March 24 through April 9. The festival’s mission statement indicates read more...
The North Mississippi Allstars Talk Jim Dickinson
The North Mississippi Allstars Talk Jim Dickinson This recent NPR interview highlights the North Mississippi Allstars’ latest read more...
Happy Birthday, Sweet Baby James
James Taylor, icon of the music world, is celebrating his 63rd birthday today His debut album "James Taylor" (on the British label Apple) was released in the US in February of 1969. A reviewer for Rolling Stone called the album "the coolest breath of fresh read more...
Widespread Panic, Jason Isbell & Lucinda Williams Set To Perform SXSW
Widespread Panic, Jason Isbell & Lucinda Williams Perform SXSW My friend Jim Flammia sent me a release yesterday regarding All Eyes Media artists performing at South By Southwest next week. Here is the release:
Jack White Explores the Art of Auctioneering
Jack White Explores the Art of Auctioneering Jack White now lives in Nashville. Best known as founder of the The White Stripes, White also spearheaded groups and projects like The Raconteurs, Loretta Lynn’s masterpiece Van Lear Rose, read more...
"If You're Not Living on the Edge, Then You're Taking Up Space": Flo Kennedy
Most people are familiar with the life and career of civil rights pioneer Rosa Parks, but how many people are familiar with her contemporary-- the flamboyant and vociferous
The Second Cooler: Documentary by Alabama Filmmaker Ellin Jimmerson
The Second Cooler or Le Segunda Nevera is a documentary film by Ellin Jimmerson, Alabama filmmaker, that asks the questions: why are there twelve million Latin American migrants in the United States illegally and why do thousands not survive the border read more...
The New Kennesaw State University Music & Entertainment Business Program
Kennesaw State University Music & Entertainment Business Program Twenty miles north of Atlanta, the venerable Kennesaw State University now offers rare opportunities for students to earn first-hand experience in the read more...
Levon Helm On The Road: Spring 2011
Levon Helm On The Road On Saturday, February 26, Levon Helm hosted one of his ‘Midnight Rambles’ featuring old Band-mate Garth Hudson. February read more...
The Sunday Sounds of Dust To Digital
The Sunday Sounds of Dust To Digital It’s been months since I’ve written a ‘Sunday Sounds’ dispatch. Today the temperature is predicted to hit 80 degrees. I may read more...
Shannon McNally Plays Chickie Wah Wah Tonight in New Orleans
Shannon McNally At Chickie Wah Wah Tonight Shannon McNally's latest CD, Western Ballad, hits the street on March 22. McNally and her band Hot Sauce will play
New Orleans Film Fans Anticipate Akira Kurosawa's Rashomon
New Orleans Film Fans Anticipate Akira Kurosawa’s Rashomon This weekend the New Orleans Film Society presents Japanese director Akira Kurosawa’s crime classic
RIP Joseph "Red Dog" Campbell (1942-2011)
Joseph "Red Dog" Campbell RIP Longtime Allman Brothers Band roadie and writer Joseph “Red Dog” Campbell passed away on February 21, 2011. Campbell operated as one of the original read more...
R.L. Burnside & the Indestructible Beat of the Blues
R.L. Burnside & the Indestructible Beat of the Blues R.L. Burnside ranks as one of America’s seminal bluesman. Born during 1926 in Oxford, Mississippi, Burnside spent most of his life in the hills of North Mississippi. His slashing-style of powerful music evokes read more...
Hunter S. Thompson: July 18, 1937-Feb 20, 2005
Hunter S. Thompson: July 18, 1937-Feb 20, 2005 ‘And I will give him the morning star.’ “That’s from read more...
Merle Haggard On A Saturday Night
Merle Haggard On A Saturday Night This afternoon I re-read Paul Hemphill’s story from Too Old To Cry (1981) about Merle Haggard titled “Okie”. read more...
...On the Eve of Widespread Panic's 25th Year Anniversary Shows in Athens, Georgia...
A Prelude To The Spectacle: In Athens, Georgia: Widespread Panic’s 25th Anniversary Shows "Every generation learns to dance, Across that floor they steal their moments..."
Pre-Review First Listen: The Drive By Truckers' Go-Go Boots
Pre-Review First Listen: Drive By Truckers’ Go-Go Boots On February 15, the Drive By Truckers officially release their latest studio album,
Arhoolie Records Celebrates 50 Years
Arhoolie Records Celebrates 50 Years Chris Strachwitz, 79, owns Arhoolie Records. The label, founded in 1960, has issued 400 albums, and more than 6500 songs of some of America’s most resonating roots music. Most read more...
Bloodkin's Colorado Acoustic Run & Post-Panic Electric Evening at the 40-Watt Club
Bloodkin’s Colorado Run & Post-Panic 40-Watt Show Widespread Panic kicks off their
RIP Charlie Louvin
RIP Charlie Louvin The great Charlie Louvin lost his battle with pancreatic cancer this read more...
Tommy Lee Jones Directs Cormac McCarthy's The Sunset Limited For HBO Films
Tommy Lee Jones Produces Cormac McCarthy’s The Sunset Limited For HBO Tommy Lee Jones directed and produced Cormac McCarthy’s novel The Sunset Limited for
Steve Earle Plans Album, Book & Tour
Busy 2011 For Steve Earle USA Today reported this afternoon that Steve Earle plans for a busy 2011. On April 26, read more...
An "Ardent Spirit" Departs: Reynolds Price 1933-2011
Award winning author and longtime Duke professor Reynolds Price died Thursday, January 20, from complications following a heart attack just over a week before his 78th birthday. Price had been a paraplegic since 1984 when surgery to remove a malignant tumor from his spine ("the read more...
Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit's Upcoming Here We Rest
Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit’s Here We Rest The official release date is not until April, but yesterday I received my press copy of Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit’s upcoming read more...
Bob Dylan Signs Six Book Deal
Bob Dylan Signs Six Book Deal …A quick newsreel on the ol’ Bard…Rolling Stone reported yesterday that Bob Dylan agreed to write two sequels to read more...
20 Interviews From The Archive
20 Interviews From Swampland/Mystery and Manners Archive Amid other pressing projects, today I thought I’d construct a dispatch regarding 20 interviews from the Swampland/Mystery And Manners archive. Each artist read more...
Marc Ford Looks Forward to Texas Shows Later This Month
Marc Ford's Fuzz Machine In Texas Marc Ford will play five shows in Texas this month. I hope to have my recent two interviews with Ford ready by Monday or Tuesday. For read more...
Drive By Truckers Shift Into Overdrive
The Drive By Truckers Shift Into Overdrive This Friday and Saturday the Drive By Truckers will play their annual benefit concert at Athens, Georgia’s, 40-Watt Club for
Widespread Panic’s John Bell’s Upcoming Charity ‘Classic & Concert’: Hannah’s Buddies
John Bell's Upcoming Hannah's Buddies 'Classic & Concert' Yesterday I conducted Part Two of my recent interview series with Widespread Panic’s read more...
Celebrating The Year of Alabama Music with a Series of Articles by Jane DeNeefe
This year, 2011, we are celebrating the Year of Alabama Music. The December 2010 issue of the Oxford American features read more...
The Black Angels: Phosphene Dream
The Black Angels: Phosphene Dream The Austin, Texas, band The Black Angels are a killer psychedelic rock group. They derived the name from the Velvet Underground song “The Black Angel’s Death Song.” The Black Angels recently released their third read more...
Ben Nichols Plays The Last Pale Light in the West
Ben Nichols Plays ‘The Last Pale Light In the West’ On January 11, Lucero’s Ben Nichols will perform a solo acoustic show at Arkansas CD & Record Exchange in North Little Rock, Arkansas. The same day Nichols’ great 2008 solo effort--
Swampland 2011: "Crossing the Creek" and The Year of Alabama Music
Happy New Year to all you Swamplanders. I apologize for the long hiatus between this post and my last one, but the holidays caught me off guard, and I was running in place for about six weeks. My resolution for 2011 is to complete tasks in a timely fashion. I am read more...
The Rising Tide of Widespread Panic
The Rising Tide of Widespread Panic The rising tide of Widespread Panic rapidly approaches. The Athens, Georgia, band enjoyed a successful run behind the group's latest studio read more...
The 'True Grit' of Charles Portis
The True Grit of Charles Portis For the second time, the Charles Portis novel, True Grit, has been adapted to film. The first movie—starring John Wayne—hit the silver screen in 1969. Now, Joel & Ethan Coen have transformed the classic Portis novel read more...
Merry Christmas From Swampland
Merry Christmas From Swampland Ho, Ho, Ho…I’d like to wish everyone a Merry Christmas from Swampland. Thanks for all the support. A Happy New Year to you all! Don’t let the Devil get you down. I’ve included a couple of read more...
Let Your Feet Do The Talkin': A Holiday Gift (Part Two)...
Stuart Copeland’s Latest Documentary On the heels of yesterday’s holiday gift dispatch, today’s stocking selection emerges as another
Ten Thousand Points of Light: A Holiday Gift...
Dust-To-Digital's Latest Release Here's a stocking gift for the holiday season...This latest Dust-To-Digital release serves as the 20th Anniversary of George read more...
North Mississippi Allstars Announce New Album & Dates with Robert Plant
North Mississippi Allstars' 2011 Plans The North Mississippi Allstars will release their new album--Keys To The Kingdom--on February 1, 2011. December 28 begins the Allstars' tour. On New Year's read more...
Marc Ford’s “Future Too” Featured On FX’s Sons of Anarchy
Marc Ford’s “Future Too” Featured On FX’s Sons of Anarchy “Well, I can see into the future too…” --Marc Ford “Future Too” I interviewed Marc Ford today regarding his new album
The Way We Were: From the Kitchen Sink to Bea's Beauty Shop
My mother desperately wanted little girls with little curls right in the middle of their foreheads. To that end, she spent years torturing my sister and me in the kitchen sink with Tonis! She would wind our hair tightly on pink plastic rollers and then douse the rollers in a foul read more...
Ryan Bingham Headlines ‘Stand Up For Kids’ Benefit On Dec 5
Ryan Bingham Headlines ‘Stand Up For Kids’ On Dec 5 Oscar-winning musician Ryan Bingham and his band The Dead Horses will headline LA’s first annual benefit concert on Dec. 5. This one-day festival raises funds and promotes awareness concerning youth read more...
Tom Waits' Hard Ground Set For Publication In March 2011
Tom Waits’ Hard Ground A book of Tom Waits’ poetry, Hard Ground, will be published in March 2011. Award winning photojournalist Michael O’Brien shot the photos of many homeless people to accompany Waits’ words for the book.
The Buzz Around Savannah Bee
The Buzz Around Savannah Bee Two days ago I interviewed my old friend Ted Dennard, proprietor of the Savannah Bee Company. Savannah Bee specializes in the highest quality of honey, lip balm and body care products. Ted read more...
Cowboy Junkies Releasing Vic Chesnutt Tribute: Demons
Cowboy Junkies Releasing Vic Chesnutt Tribute: Demons The Cowboy Junkies will release a tribute to Vic Chesnutt—Demons—in February. On December 25, 2009, Chesnutt committed suicide. The Cowboy Junkies’ Michael Timmons recently spoke about read more...
The Captain Gabby Sails On The Georgia Coast Mothership Tour
The Georgia Coast Mothership Tour Not one cloud floated in the powder blue sky today. At three o’clock it was 70 degrees, and for mid-November you can’t ask for much better weather. This afternoon I took a tour on the charter boat, The Captain Gabby, starting read more...
Alabama Designer Billy Reid Wins Prestigious CFDA Fashion Award
Vogue magazine has announced that Alabama clothing designer Billy Reid has received the 2010 CFDA Fashion Fund award. The award, read more...
Atlanta Label Dust To Digital's Latest Releases Arrive
The Latest Dust To Digital Releases Arrive The latest Dust To Digital releases arrived in the mail today. I called
Southern Literary Trail Celebrates W. B. Huie Centennial
Hartselle, Alabama, native and best selling novelist William Bradford Huie would have celebrated his 100th birthday yesterday, November 13, 2010. To commemorate the
Keith Richards Writes About Gram Parsons In Life
Keith Richards Writes About Gram Parsons in Life I’ve been reading Keith Richards’ new book, Life. I’ve already made some notes for the Swampland review, but today I reached page 247 where Keith writes about Gram Parsons. read more...
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers' Damn The Torpedoes Deluxe Edition Out Now
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Damn The Torpedoes Reissue This week a deluxe re-issue of Tom Petty’s 1979 Damn The Torpedoes hit the streets. The deluxe edition contains songs left off the original album such as “Surrender”, “Casa read more...
The Latest Episode of Steve Gorman’s Sports
The Latest Episode of Black Crowes' Drummer Sports Show This afternoon I listened to Black Crowes’ drummer Steve Gorman’s weekly sports podcast. They discussed the read more...
Drive By Truckers’ Go-Go Boots Out Feb 15, 2011
Drive By Truckers’ Go-Go Boots Out Feb 15, 2011 The Drive By Truckers just arrived in London to prepare for a month long tour of Europe. They will be back in time for Warren Haynes’ Christmas Jam in December. The Truckers’ NYE show will feature horns, Kelly read more...
Daniel Lanois’ Soulful Mining & Black Dub
Daniel Lanois’ Soulful Mining & Black Dub Daniel Lanois’ new band, Black Dub, augments jazz, reggae, blues and soul into one potent sound. read more...
Music Maker's 'Homebrew Hootenanny' (And A Lookback)
Music Maker’s Saturday Homebrew Hootenanny Music Maker Relief Foundation, a non-profit organization, dedicated to assisting neglected southern musicians with daily expenses, instrument acquisition, recording, and read more...
Georgia's Rock & Roll Halloween Weekend
Georgia’s Rock & Roll Halloween Weekend ...Written from the eye of the tempest near the Georgia-Florida line during Halloween weekend for the UGA versus UF football game... Folks are rushing around here with football, rock & roll and a read more...
Alabama Born Matt Cain Pitches Shut Out for SF Giants in Game 2
Matt Cain, powerful and versatile pitcher for the San Francisco Giants, showed his stuff last night when he pitched a nearly perfect game shutting out the Texas Rangers 9-0. Cain threw about 102 pitches before he was relieved in the seventh inning. What a way to continue the read more...
RIP Lisa Blount
RIP Lisa Blount Filmmaker Ray McKinnon’s wife, Lisa Blount, died yesterday at home. Blount, 53, of Little Rock, Arkansas, suffered a chronic illness similar to multiple sclerosis, and complained of not feeling well days before she died.
Dylan, Petty & Drive By Truckers Participate In ‘Back To Black Friday’
Dylan, Petty & Drive By Truckers Participate In ‘Back To Black Friday’ In support of independent record stores, November 26 stands as ‘Back To Black Friday’. Artists such as Bob Dylan, Tom Petty, The Drive By Truckers, Iron & Wine, U2, read more...
Sam Shepard's Rolling Thunder Logbook
Sam Shepard’s Rolling Thunder Logbook The scent of rock & roll literature lingers in the air these days. Today I scanned my music bookshelf, and pulled down a copy of Sam Shepard’s The Rolling Thunder Logbook. Shepard traveled with Bob Dylan read more...
Storytelling in the South--"Life: Legends and Lies" in Athens, Alabama
Mark Twain may be one of the best known storytellers of all time and, by his own admission, one of the biggest liars, but the art of storytelling did not die out with the passing of Mark Twain one hundred years ago read more...
Mark Kemp, Keith Richards, Bloodkin & The Fandango Brothers Last Night at Dog Ear Books
High Grade Fun: Mark Kemp, Keith Richards, Bloodkin & The Fandango Brothers At Dog Ear Books Last Night "Never got a flash out of cocktails When I got some flesh off the bone. Never got a lift out of lear jets
Marion Brown RIP
Marion Brown RIP Atlanta-born jazz saxophonist Marion Brown died on Monday, October 18, 2010. Brown’s talent landed him in the rare company of New York’s avant-garde jazz scene where Miles Davis, Thelonious Monk and John Coltrane pioneered an American musical read more...
My Morning Jacket Plays Levon Helm's Latest Midnight Ramble
My Morning Jacket Plays Levon Helm’s Midnight Ramble Last Saturday My Morning Jacket played an hour-long set to open for Levon Helm’s stellar band at Helm’s latest legendary Midnight read more...
Double Whammy: The Coffee Shop Chronicles of New Orleans and Books-A-Million
This week I am excited to provide the Swampland audience with a double whammy. My friend David Lummis' novel
Keith Richards' New Memoir 'Life'
Keith Richards’ New Memoir ‘Life’ Rolling Stone’s latest issue contains excerpts from Keith Richards’ new book Life. Richards wrote the book with British author James Fox. The two started the project in 2007. I can’t wait read more...
The Moth In New Orleans: A More Perfect Union: Stories of Prejudice and Power
The Moth In New Orleans: A More Perfect Union: Stories of Prejudice and Power I now will be covering George Dawes Green’s indelible raconteurs club--The read more...
Nuci's Space Night at Terrapin Brewery
Nuci’s Space Night at Terrapin Brewery On October 22, the University of Georgia Music Business Program presents Nuci’s Space Night at Terrapin Brewery in Athens, Georgia.
Nobel Peace Prize Campaign For Willie Nelson
Nobel Peace Prize Campaign for Willie Nelson A Nobel Peace Prize Campaign has been launched for Willie Nelson and his FARM AID efforts. For the last 25 years Nelson has assisted the American farmer through FARM AID as well as raised awareness of healthy foods.
Great Places in America: The BMA Sculpture Garden in Birmingham, Alabama
The American Planning Association (APA) recently named the Charles Ireland Sculpture Garden at the
The Unchained Tour of Georgia Documentary
The Unchained Tour of Georgia Documentary On Monday, before the evening performance of The Unchained Tour of Georgia, I spoke with author
St. Simons Island: First Stop On The Unchained Tour of Georgia
The UnchainedTour: St. Simons Island I wanted to have the entire article written about last night’s first stop on The Unchained Tour, but there’s too much material. Right now, a brief dispatch will have to suffice. The Unchained Tour of Georgia, spearheaded by read more...
Streams of Coastal Culture...
Streams of Coastal Culture “May you live in interesting times…” --Chinese Proverb Down here on coastal Georgia it’s festive. Golfer Davis Love’s PGA tour event--The McGladrey Classic--is going on right now. R.E.M’s Mike read more...
Patterson Hood's Benefit for U.S. Congress Candidate Russell Edwards
Patterson Hood’s Benefit For Russell Edwards Patterson Hood and
From Townes To Peckinpah
From Townes To Peckinpah “The hero and the artist compare notes on the 21st century…
Dust To Digital's Latest Release: Let Your Feet Do The Talkin'
Dust To Digital’s Let Your Feet Do The Talkin’ Lance Ledbetter’s Atlanta label Dust to Digital just released their latest project, Let Your Feet Do The Talkin’. This 30-minute read more...
A Call From George Dawes Green: Prelude to the Unchained Tour
A Call From George Dawes Green The Unchained Georgia Tour: A Prelude To Opening Night This afternoon esteemed author and The Moth creator
It's Never Too Late To Read a Banned Book
I recommend that you start with The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn or perhaps All The King's Men, or even To Kill A Mockingbird which just celebrated its 50th anniversary this year. The great poet T.S. Eliot once said that his parents forbade him to read more...
Widespread Panic Rocks Saint Augustine
Widespread Panic Visits The First Coast My ears are still ringing… Widespread Panic delivered an energetic show last night at the beautiful Saint Augustine read more...
President Obama Describes Meeting Bob Dylan
President Obama Describes Meeting Bob Dylan On September 17, 2010, President Obama conducted an interview with Jann Wenner for Rolling Stone magazine. It’s an extensive read more...
A Conversation with Alabama Guitarist & Songwriter Riley Watkins
Riley Watkins To Discuss Grandma's Roadhouse Everyone likes a good story. The Riley Watkins story proves to be one you should hear. This Alabama guitarist and songwriter stands as an obscure American hero that any real music fan would love.
Tom Waits Nominated for Rock & Roll Hall of Fame Induction
Tom Waits Nominated For Rock & Roll Hall of Fame This week 15 artists were named for nomination into The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. The inductees will be announced on December 26. The annual ceremony will be held on March 14, 2011. Tom Waits' name is in the hat...
The Ray Charles Memorial Library Opens in Los Angeles
The Ray Charles Library Opens in Los Angeles The Ray Charles Memorial Library opened last Thursday in Los Angeles, California, on what would have been his 80th birthday. Ray Charles built the RPM International Building in 1964 to serve as his recording read more...
Neil Young's Southern Shows & Le Noise...Bob Dylan Southern Tour Dates Released...Island Notes
Neil Young in Clearwater Florida Tonight Before the release of his new record Le Noise on September 28, Neil Young will play a string of southern shows beginning tonight in Clearwater, Florida. On the full moon tomorrow Neil plays Hollywood, Florida, and then read more...
Inside Alabama Politics: Fish Frys, Barbecues, and Chittlin' Suppers
According to my friend Dr. Susan Parker, Alabama politics is not just about politics; it is about food and lots of it. No political rally is complete without a read more...
Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers MOJO Tour: The Last Five Days
The Last Few Shows of Mojo Tour Last night Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers played in Raliegh, North Carolina. Only five shows remain on the MOJO tour. For these last shows, ZZ Top serves as the opening band.
Ryan Bingham & Willie Nelson: Double-Barreled Americana Show On The Road
Willie Nelson & Ryan Bingham: Double-Barreled Americana Ryan Bingham serves as Willie read more...
The 13th Annual Gram Parsons Guitar Pull & Festival This Weekend in Waycross, Georgia
13th Annual Gram Parsons Guitar Pull & Tribute Festival “This old town’s filled with sin It’ll swallow you in If you’ve got some money to burn…” “Sin City” The Flying Burrito read more...
Bloodkin Opens First Shows of Widespread Panic's Fall Tour This Weekend
Bloodkin Kicks Off Panic Tour As fall descends, the interesting season of live shows begin…Bloodkin’s Daniel Hutchens,
Filming "The Help": News and Blues in the Delta-- Greenwood, MS
About seven miles east of Greenwood, MS, the rolling hills suddenly go flat, a sure sign you are entering the Delta. We had driven to Greenwood via the leisurely
The Complete Hank Williams Mother's Best Recordings
Hank Williams Complete Mother’s Best Recordings A new 15-CD collection of Hank Williams’ radio programs will be released this month. The collection—
Merle Haggard Keeps On Truckin'
Merle Haggard Hits The Road In December Merle Haggard will receive a Kennedy Center honor. This recent
Shannon McNally's Debut Swampland Article: Rock & Roll Mommy
Rock And Roll Mommy By Shannon McNally I am proud to present Shannon McNally's debut Swampland contribution Rock and Roll Mommy. Shannon reveals an interesting perspective as a mother read more...
Southern Music Folk Festival Dedicated To Jim Dickinson
Southern Music Folk Festival Dedicated To Jim Dickinson Throughout the years, Jim Dickinson cultivated a relationship with the Memphis Center for read more...
Jim Jarmusch Conjures Tom Waits, Neil Young & The North Mississippi Allstars In Interview
Jim Jarmusch Conjures Tom Waits, Neil Young & North Mississippi Allstars Jim Jarmusch serves as the guest curator on Sunday for a festival in Monticello, New York, called All Tomorrow’s Parties. Jarmusch’s films always contain vivid musical imagery. Jarmusch read more...
CNN Spotlights The Georgia Theatre
CNN Spotlights The Georgia Theatre Today CNN ran a story regarding The Georgia Theatre. Our friend Wilmot Greene talked about the fire last June that burned down his venerable music hall. Wilmot told me a couple of weeks ago they hope to open the Theatre doors by April read more...
The Squidbillies' Georgia Connection
Wicked Laughs On The Squidbillies Squidbillies is an animated television series on Cartoon Network. It’s about The Cuylers--a family of squids living a quiet little north Georgia town. This counts as the fifth season of Squidbillies. Born in read more...
Hunter S. Thompson's Wife Keeps The Faith On Owl Farm Blog
The Fifth Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina Anita Thompson, the wife of late writer Hunter S. Thompson, still lives at their home--Owl Farm--in Woody Creek, Colorado. Anita keeps the spirit of her husband’s writing alive on her
Guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan--Twenty Years After His Tragic Death
Guitarist Stevie Ray Vaughan, called by many the greatest blues guitarist since Jimi Hendrix, died read more...
The Illustrations of Georgia Artist Jack Davis
The Illustrations of Georgia Artist Jack Davis Born in Atlanta, Georgia, in 1924, Jack Davis stands as one of America’s finest illustrators. Inducted into the Comic Book Hall of Fame in 2003, The National Cartoonist Society, The Society of Illustrators and The read more...
An Athens Afternoon: Adventures In the Past & Present (Notes On Bloodkin, Panic, & The Georgia Theatre)
Adventures In the Past & Present: A Report From Athens, Georgia I drove from Atlanta to Athens yesterday. It’s a drive I’ve made hundreds of times over the years, but the strange shaped clouds indicated somehow times have changed. This trip is purely read more...
New Orleans Rising: Pontchartrain Park Focus of CNN Documentary
Pontchartrain Park focus of CNN Documentary This evening a documentary on CNN—In America—focused on the efforts of New Orleans actor Wendell Pierce read more...
Hot Haitian Jazz and a Cool New Album by RIYEL (Watters, Atkins, and Abel)
Jazz trumpeter and Alabama native Ken Watters has joined with several of the country's top musicians to form an eclectic and exciting jazz group called
Ray McKinnon: From The Drive By Truckers To Hal Holbrook To Hank Williams
Ray McKinnon Stars in a Film About The Last Days of Hank Williams Adel, Georgia, born Ray McKinnon now ranks as a formidable actor, director, producer and writer in the industry. McKinnon’s most recent appearance is in the Drive By Truckers' video
Bob Dylan And the Death of Elvis Presley
Bob Dylan & the Death of Elvis Presley Since yesterday marked the 33rd anniversary of Tupelo native Elvis Presley’s death, I thought a quick dispatch regarding The King would be appropriate. I came across
Jimmy Dean--"Thirty Years of Sausage, Fifty Years of Ham"
Jimmy Dean, who died on June 13 of this year, would have been 82 years old today, August 10. In honor of his birthday, I prepared his fabulous low fat turkey sausage for breakfast. To tell the truth, I have read more...
Widespread Panic's Michael Houser: Eight Years Gone
Michael Houser: The Quiet Genius: Eight Years Gone By James Calemine Eight years ago Widespread Panic’s founding guitarist died of pancreatic cancer at the age of 40. It doesn’t seem like eight years since he’s been gone…
Ryan Bingham's Bootleg Series
Ryan Bingham’s Bootleg Series In anticipation for the August 31 release of Academy Award-winning Ryan Bingham’s new CD, Junky Star, Bingham’s ‘Bootleg Series’ launches acoustic versions of the new material.
The Dog Days Descend
Dog Day Afternoon In the Peach State A quick note as the Dog Days descend here in Georgia…I briefly visited Stanley Booth and Diann Blakely today to talk shop, so to speak. Look read more...
Oldtimers Charades or "You Know Where She Sits in Church"
As I approach yet another birthday, I try even harder to find the humor in aging. Here is my latest attempt. Southerners have never let anything, including a sudden total loss of recall, interfere with good conversation.
The Black Crowes: 20 Years of Tall Tales
The Black Crowes: 20 Years of Tall Tales On August 3—the street date for Croweology—The Black Crowes will release a web series called read more...
Novelist George Dawes Green Today's 'On The Point' Radio Guest
George Dawes Green Today's Guest On WBUR.ORG A couple of months ago I interviewed best-selling novelist George Dawes Green. Green’s book’s The Caveman’s Valentine, The Juror and his most recent work Ravens all experienced read more...
News Reels on Daniel Lanois, Neil Young & The Sad Passing of Nashville Legend Fred Carter Jr.
News Reels on Lanois, Young & the Death of Nashville Legend Fred Carter Jr. As reported earlier, recently producer Daniel Lanois suffered serious injuries from a motorcycle accident. Around the time of the accident Lanois was producing a new
Roadtrip to the Shoals: Billy Reid Couture, Trowbridge's Ice Cream, and Sweetwater Plantation
I just bought my first Billy Reid. No, not Armani or Versace. Much better!!! Billy Reid, whose creations read more...
Changing of the Guard
Dispatch From The Little Satilla "Either brace yourself for elimination, or your heart must have the courage for the changing of the guard." read more...
Hank Cochran Dies At 74
Hank Cochran Passes Away Mississippi born Hank Cochran died Thursday at the age of 74 from pancreatic cancer at his home in Hendersonville, Tennessee. Cochran wrote hits for Patsy Cline ("I Fall To Pieces"), Burl Ives and Eddie Arnold.
Reading "The Coffee Shop Chronicles of New Orleans" by David Lummis
Perhaps because I was an English professor for most of my life, friends are always asking me what good book I have read recently. Well, I am happy to report that I have
Jim Thompson's Killer Inside Me Adapted To Film
Killer Inside Me Adapted To Film Oklahoma-born writer Jim Thompson—known for books such as Killer Inside Me, The Getaway, The Grifters, Savage Night and A Hell of a Woman—wrote over 30 novels. Thompson’s read more...
Music For A Cause: Benefit Concerts from Nashville to Gulf Shores
One week after country music stars rallied to raise over $2 million for Nashville, TN, flood relief,Jimmy Buffet will give a benefit concert live from
Amy LaVere Stars in The Romance of Loneliness
Amy LaVere Stars in the Romance of Loneliness The Memphis-based story of The Romance of Loneliness is about a young woman from a traditional southern family. The singer/songwriter Amy LaVere stars as Amanda, the story’s main character.
Alabama Authors To SIgn Books at Keller Festival in Tuscumbia
As a part of the 32th Annual Helen Keller Festival held this week in Tuscumbia, Alabama, several Alabama authors will be signing their read more...
Larry Jon Wilson RIP
Larry Jon Wilson RIP The great songwriter Larry Jon Wilson died Monday in Virginia of heart failure at the age of 69. Born in Swainsboro, Georgia, (two hours up the road) Wilson began making albums in the 70s and enjoyed moderate success. He remained reclusive for most read more...
Rare William Faulkner Collection Auctioned by Christie's in NYC
A collection of William Faulkner memorabilia primarily including first editions (some inscribed) of his novels, manuscripts, personal correspondence (a telegram to read more...
Past Interviews & Upcoming Artists of Note
Greetings Folks, I hope all is well, and everyone enjoyed Father’s Day… Change is afoot, and we’ve got a lot on the horizon, but for the past week much of the work has gone on behind the scenes. On the immediate agenda, the work of
Alabama Bred Artist Paxton Creates Pelican Belt Buckle To Help Save Gulf Coast
My talented nephew, California artist and Elk River native Paxton (Mobley), has been creating fine art for over twenty years and has become a favorite with collectors. Recently, he began desiging original belt read more...
Alabama Author Albert Murray Symposium and Book Launch at Lincoln Center
Two of my good friends, Jeanie Thompson (poet and Executive Director of the Alabama Writers Forum) and
The Black Crowes Set For Induction Into 32nd Annual Georgia Music Hall of Fame
Black Crowes To Be Inducted Into Georgia Music Hall of Fame The Atlanta Rockers The Black Crowes announced on their official website they will be inducted into The Georgia Music Hall of Fame on September read more...
T-Bone Burnett Produces Robert Randolph's We Walk This Road
T-Bone Burnett Produces Robert Randolph’s We Walk This Road On the heels of a Grammy for Crazy Heart, T-Bone Burnett’s latest production stands as pedal steel wizard Robert Randolph’s latest CD, We Walk This Road. In
More Music, Moviemaking, and the Annual Helen Keller Festival in the Shoals
You know it's summer in Alabama when the annual Helen Keller Festival week is about to commence. This year the 32nd annual festival in Tuscumbia, AL, (one of the four cities in the Shoals) will run read more...
Producer Daniel Lanois In Intensive Care
Daniel Lanois In Motorcycle Accident Producer Daniel Lanois seriously injured himself Saturday in a motorcycle accident. Lanois has been forced to cancel his Black Dub read more...
Tribute Concert To Benefit Historic New Orleans Collection
Harold Battiste Tribute Concert to Benefit Historic New Orleans Collection New Orleans musician Harold Battiste’s book, Unfinished Blues: Memories of a New read more...
The Black Crowes: Live From The Artists' Den
The Black Crowes: Live From The Artists’ Den The second season of the acclaimed music series—“Live From The Artists’ Den”—airs on nationwide public television in read more...
Sweet Home Alabama and Bitter Politics
Mudslinging has reached new heights in the rainsoaked red clay of Alabama. Gone are the usual insinuations and innuendo, and in their place are vicious verbal attacks. Party lines have been crossed, and insults have become downright personal.
I Ain't In It For My Health: A Film About Levon Helm
I Ain’t In It For My Health A review of I Ain’t In It For My read more...
More Muscle Shoals Soul: Percussionist Jimmy "BeBop" Evans
Yesterday I was having breakfast at Cafe Savanna in Rogersville, AL, with my dear friends Susan and Paul read more...
The New Carolina Chocolate Drops Songbook
Songbook Follows Genuine Negro Jig The Carolina Chocolate Drops now have a new songbook out. The book contains photographs, songs and quotes as well as history on the culture of African-American old time string bands.
The Black Keys, Band of Horses, and the Magic of Muscle Shoals
"Soul nirvana" is what one writer calls Muscle Shoals, that area of the Quad Cities in northwest Alabama where such legendary musicians as
Sister Schubert: From a Sunporch in Alabama to the Corporate Boardroom
I have been a fan of Sister Schubert rolls since I popped the first delectable morsel in my mouth some 15 years ago. The name Sister Schubert is a household word in my family, my sister's family, my daughter's read more...
The Rolling Stones' Exile, Panic's Dirty Side Down & Tom Waits Interviews Himself
Exile On Main Street & Panic's Dirty Side Down Tomorrow The Rolling Stones' classic album Exile On Main Street will be released. In read more...
Basically Frightened: The Musical Madness of Colonel Bruce Hampton
Basically Frightened The long-awaited documentary about Colonel Bruce Hampton—Basically Frightened: The Musical Madness of Col. Bruce Hampton—is now in the editing phase. This project proves to be a definitive film on one of the South’s most read more...
Cormac McCarthy's Blood Meridian & Cities of the Plain Set for the Silver Screen
Two More McCarthy Books Set To Film Todd Field (In The Bedroom, Little Children) will direct his screenplay based on the savage Cormac McCarthy novel, Blood Meridian. The film is slated for release sometime next year. In other McCarthy news, Andrew read more...
Holly Hollman Writes about the Dying Art of Shoe Repair
RiverVue's guest writer for this week is journalist Holly Hollman of the Decatur Daily . The following
George Dawes Green Talks About Flannery O'Connor
George Dawes Green on Flannery O’Connor Yesterday I interviewed best-selling author George Dawes Green. Green’s latest book, Ravens, takes place in read more...
Swampland's Upcoming Interview with George Dawes Green
George Dawes Green Interview Next Week Next week I look forward to interviewing George Dawes Green. Green wrote The Caveman’s Valentine (the film adaptation starred Samuel L. Jackson), which won an Edgar award. Green’s next book, The read more...
Steve Gorman Sports Covers The Kentucky Derby
Black Crowes Drummer Steve Gorman Travels Home For The Derby Kentucky-native and Black Crowes drummer Steve Gorman hosts a radio “The Backbeat of Sports” show in Nashville. It’s a fine sports-music show. Steve was a serious athlete in high school and read more...
April is the Busiest Month: Alabama and New Orleans
Every week in April has been busy with a literary or cultural event in the state of Alabama including the Alabama Book Festival, an annual event in
Tom Waits Chats with Bob Dylan
Tom Waits Chats with Bob Dylan Since they both rank as Honorary Southern Artists, this
Excursion to New Orleans
What an amazing adventure I have had in Louisiana this past week. I am starting a series on Swampland about my adventures in the Crescent City (see New Orleans
Atlanta Film Festival Screens Drive By Truckers' The Secret To A Happy Ending April 23
The Secret To A Happy Ending Screening Filmmaker Barr Weissman's documentary on Athens, Georgia's, Drive By Truckers--
Widespread Panic's Sunday White House Visit
Widespread Panic’s Sunday White House Visit Yesterday while sitting in the Wanee leisure compound with Widespread Panic’s drummer Todd Nance, he relayed some interesting news. For instance, on Sunday the band will get a tour of the White House’s West read more...
Wanee Report: Day Two
Swampland Wanee Report: Day Two ...A Few Notes From The Swamp... Funkadelic closed the evening out last night. It's a musical read more...
The Wiregrass Road To Wanee
The Road To Wanee “Odds and Ends Lost time is not found again…” On the road to the Wanee read more...
Tom Kimmel at 9th Annual Writers Conference, Calhoun College, Decatur, AL
I just returned from a long weekend in the Crescent City, but I don't plan to miss the annual writers conference on Thursday, April 15, at Calhoun read more...
Bob Dylan's Renaldo And Clara
Bob Dylan’s Lost Classic: Renaldo And Clara Since the Chinese remain impervious to his charm, I thought I’d send out read more...
Widespread Panic's Dirty Side Down Arrives...
Notes On The First Listen of Widespread Panic’s Dirty Side Down “Keep your sunny side up And your dirty side read more...
A Drive By Truckers Secret Weapon: The Jenn Bryant Interview
The Jenn Bryant Interview by James Calemine Behind every successful band or artist there are at least several individuals behind the scenes who read more...
The Day Southern Soul Burned Down
The Day Southern Soul Barbeque Burned Down “May this shovel, Release your trouble Lay them far away…” --Chris Whitley “Dirt Floor Not a good day for the residents of St. Simons Island, Georgia. Around 11 AM read more...
New Orleans and the Tennessee Williams Literary Festival 2010
I don't get down to New Orleans nearly so often as I would like although it is a place close to my heart. New Orleans is one of my top three cities in America, along with
The Robert Osborne Film Festival Begins Today In Athens
The Robert Osborne Film Festival Begins March 25 Several weeks ago, I attended
Today's Interview with Shannon McNally
Today’s Interview with Shannon McNally Today I interviewed the talented Shannon McNally. The interview revolved mostly around her new CD, read more...
Neil Young's Trunk Show Debut Tonight
Neil Young’s Trunk Show Documentary Debut Tonight Ol’ Shakey is at it again…This information just read more...
Pioneering Alabama Civil RIghts Photographer Charles Moore Dies
The year was 1963. I picked up a copy of the May Life Magazine and was appalled to see graphic images of fire hoses and police dogs being turned on helpless protesters in
The Wes Freed Interview
March 2010 Interview with Artist Wes Freed I'd like to personally thank Wes Freed for his contributions and read more...
Dust Radio: A New Chris Whitley Documentary Out This Summer
Dust Radio: A New Film About Chris Whitley Director Jonathan Mayer recently made a documentary film about the late Texas singer/songwriter read more...
The Drive By Truckers' The Big To-Do Out Tuesday March 16
The Big To-Do Out March 16 (ATO Records) The
Wes Freed Talks About Artwork For New Drive By Truckers Album The Big To-Do
Wes Freed Talks About Artwork for The Drive By Truckers’ The Big To-Do Last week I interviewed Virginia artist
Ryan Bingham & T-Bone Burnett Win An Oscar For Crazy Heart
Texas Songwriter Triumphs With Oscar
Tribute to Southern Literary Icon Barry Hannah
Award winning Southern author Barry Hannah died Monday, March 1, at his home in Oxford, MS. read more...
Sweet Home Alabama: Movie Making and Music in Muscle Shoals
A Pitch Video, like a "Demo Reel" in the music business, about the music of the Muscle Shoals entitled "Sweet Home Alabama--The Music of Muscle read more...
A Note On Patterson Hood's Guitar Pull
A Note On Patterson Hood’s Guitar Pull I’d like to say Patterson Hood’s Guitar Pull at The Fabulous 40-Watt in Athens, read more...
Today's Interview with Patterson Hood
Today's Interview with Patterson Hood On the eve of his annual Guitar Pull, I called Patterson Hood. Best known as the leader of the Drive By read more...
Ryan Bingham's Ascent Into The National Spotlight
Texas Songwriter Wrote Theme Song for Jeff Bridges Film Crazy Heart A few years back, Ryan Bingham’s
Sunday Sounds: Interviews, Songwriters, A Film Festival & The Drive By Truckers
Sunday Sounds: Interviews, Songwriters and The Drive By Truckers It’s been a busy week for interviews. Wednesday I interviewed
Grandma Got Run Over By A Treadmill or Southern Belles at Midlife
First of all let me say that I am not a grandmother, but I am old enough to be one. That being said, I will continue with the story. In an effort to level the playing field in the never-ending battle against bulge, my sister (did I mention she weighs 122 read more...
The Strange Case of Dr. Amy Bishop
As the story behind the fatal shootings at the University of Alabama-Huntsville on Friday, Feb 13, begins to unfold, the actual facts behind the incident become more and more obscure. First of all, those who were victims of the read more...
Johnny Depp Shooting New Keith Richards Documentary
Johnny Depp Directing Keith Richards Documentary Kentucky-born actor Johnny Depp has always been a
Sam Shepard Revisited: A New Play "Ages of the Moon"
Sam Shepard Revisited: "Ages of the Moon" In light of my recent review of
Bob Dylan at The White House (During The Blizzard of '10)
Bob Dylan At The White House "...And the snow was outrageous..."
New Information on William Faulkner's Historical Sources Comes to LIght
According to an article in this week's New York Times (February 11, 2010), a Southern literature scholar from Emory read more...
Reba Russell Recording at Jim Dickinson's Zebra Ranch Studio
The Latest Sessions at Zebra Ranch Memphis singer/songwriter Reba Russell is currently recording at Jim Dickinson's Zebra Ranch Studios. In light read more...
Bob Dylan & The Blind Boys of Alabama Prepare for White House Performance Wednesday
A Celebration of Music From the Civil Rights Movement
Sunday Sounds: Super Bowl Sunday
Super Bowl Sunday A cool breeze swirls on the coast of South Georgia…birds chirping…wind chimes echo in the distance. It’s read more...
A Timeless American Lineage: The Six Degrees of the Dickinson Family
The Six Degrees of The Dickinson Family Dispatch The late Jim Dickinson--along with his sons read more...
Frigid February Is Hot Month for Arts in South
Temperatures may be hovering around freezing in the south in February, but the mercury is rising in Mississippi, Georgia, and Alabama when it comes to the fine arts The first weekend in February marks the 7th Annual Oxford read more...
Athens, Georgia's Celebration of Vic Chesnutt's Life and Music
A Celebration of Vic Chesnutt’s Life and Music On February 19 and 20, at Athens, Georgia’s 40-Watt Club, a read more...
Book Reviews of the Past: Adventures in the Literary Realm
Mystery and Manners Book Reviews of the Past On this Tuesday evening, I thought I’d lash together a book review read more...
The Drive By Truckers' Secret To A Happy Ending
The Impending Onslaught of The Drive By Truckers Congratulations to
Daniel Hutchens' Run To Mexico
Daniel Hutchens Runs Wild In Mexico Last night Daniel Hutchens sent me his “Bloodkin Sails with Lynyrd Skynyrd" article. This mighty read more...
The Long Awaited Lance Ledbetter Interview
The Long-Awaited Lance Ledbetter Interview The story of Dust To Digital is a divine one. In the late 1990s, Lance Ledbetter set out to discover read more...
Michelle Obama To Host Civil Rights Music Night At The White House
First Lady To Host White House Music Series The First Lady will host The 2010 White House Music Series, which includes a
Patterson Hood Scores Soundtrack for That Evening Sun
That Evening Sun Features Patterson Hood Soundtrack
Prelude To Interview with Dust To Digital's Lance Ledbetter
Prelude To Interview with Dust To Digital President Lance Ledbetter This evening I finished transcribing my interview with the President of read more...
Paul Hemphill's Home Movies For The Folks
Home Movies For the Folks In my friend Paul read more...
Sunday Sounds: Take Me To The Water
Sunday Sounds: Take Me To The Water The Spiritual Oasis of Dust to Digital (Lance Ledbetter Interview Prelude)
Sunday Sounds: Cold, Cold Wind...
Sunday Sounds Cold, cold wind… Today I’m transcribing part one of my read more...
Happy BIrthday Week: Elvis Presley and Sam Phillips (Sun Records)
Today, January 8, Elvis Presley would have celebrated his seventy-fifth birthday. On Tuesday, January 5, Sam Phillips, the man who read more...
Volume 2 of Interview Series with Widespread Panic's Todd Nance
Volume Two of Interview Series with Widespread Panic's Todd Nance So, I'd like to direct everyone's attention to my interview I read more...
Yellow Dogs and Blue Dogs: Alabama's Three? Dog Night
I know what a Yellow Dog is. A Yellow Dog is a Democrat who would vote the Democratic ticket even if he or she had to vote for a yellow (aka "yaller" dog). But what on earth is a
Todd Nance Talk & Vic Chesnutt on Widespread Panic
Todd Nance Talk & Vic Chesnutt on Widespread Panic So, last night I interviewed
Tonight's Interview with Widespread Panic's Todd Nance
Upcoming Volume Two of Ongoing Todd Nance Interview Series Tonight I’m set to read more...
R.E.M.'s Michael Stipe Talks About The Late Vic Chesnutt
R.E.M.’s Michael Stipe Talk About Vic Chesnutt In the sad wake of Vic read more...
Vic Chesnutt RIP
Vic Chesnutt Dies On Christmas Day Athens, Georgia, singer/songwriter
Merry Christmas
Mystery And Manners Christmas Dispatch Ho Ho Ho Folks, Merry Christmas! I'd like read more...
T-Bone Burnett: O Brother, Where Aren't Thou?
The Latest T-Bone Burnett Ongoings This
Widespread Panic Redux
Six Degrees of Widespread Panic Revisited The mighty Widespread Panic wave is about to roll in again...I'd like to direct everyone's read more...
Alabama Stocking Stuffers
Still stumped for stocking stuffers this Christmas? What about giving the lasting gift of art, music, film, or literature by Alabama authors, artists, musicians, and filmmakers this holiday season ? Here are just a few of the must-haves that will please any readers on read more...
Sunday Sounds: The Week of Christmas
Sunday Sounds: The Week of Christmas Sunday Sounds counts as a soulful glance on days at read more...
Daniel Hutchens' Long Hustle
Daniel Hutchens' Debut Swampland Feature After a long wait, I can now publish Daniel Hutchens' debut read more...
Guest Writer for this Week Reminds us To Count Our Blessings
As Christmas grows closer and 2009, which has been a difficult year for everyone, draws to a close, some of us may find it a bit more difficult than usual to count our blessings. The South has been extremely hard hit by the recession. Friends have lost their read more...
A Christmas Miracle: White Pelicans Return to Elk River
White Pelicans are a rarity on Elk River. I had never seen one north of Gulf Shores, but on Christmas morning of 2007, a read more...
Dust To Digital's Take Me To The Water Earns Grammy Nomination
Take Me To The Water Earns Grammy Nomination Two weeks ago, Dust To Digital’s latest release the book (with CD)—
Alabama Actress Kim Dickens in HBO Series "Treme"
Treme, a made for television series set the the historic area of
Mystery And Manners Interview with Athens, Georgia, Producer-Writer John Keane
Swampland/Mystery And Manners John Keane Interview John Keane stands as a pillar in the read more...
Shannon Runquist Returns Home To Display Paintings
Shannon Runquist's Work On Display at Anderson Fine Art Afternoon All, I’d like to write up a little something regarding painter read more...
Swampland Introduces New Outdoor Editor Michael Gowen
Michael Gowen's Tides and Times It is with great pleasure and honor to introduce Swampland's new Wayfaring Editor Michael read more...
Cormac McCarthy Auctions His Old Typewriter Friday
Cormac McCarthy Sells His Olivetti Tomorrow writer
Jim Dickinson Featured In Memphis Storytellers Project
Jim Dickinson In New Memphis Legend Storytelling Project The late Jim Dickinson appears in a Memphis-produced DVD titled “The Music read more...
Sunday Sounds
Sunday Sounds Mystery And Manners’ Sunday Sounds counts as a soulful, reflective glance read more...
Dust To Digital's Holiday Spirit & Soul
Dust To Digital’s Holiday Soul & Spirit “Two white horses side by side Oh, me an my Lord gon’ take a read more...
Recent Cormac McCarthy Interview
A Rare Cormac McCarthy Interview Since The Road is now showing in theatres I thought I’d dispatch this recent
A Conversation with The Georgia Music Hall of Fame's Director Lisa Love
The Latest From The Georgia Music Hall of Fame's Director My latest conversation with The Georgia Music Hall of Fame's Director, Lisa Love, read more...
Meet Alabama Author Anita Miller Garner
This week Swampland reviews Anita Miller Garner's recently published collection of short stories: Undeniable Truths. read more...
Shades of Thanksgivings Past: Post Thanksgiving Stress Disorder
As we approach another holiday season, I thought I would repost an article I wrote the week after Thanksgiving one year ago. I called it "PTSD: Post Thanksgiving Stress Disorder." . ------- December 7, 2008 Well, here we are again. Thanksgiving has read more...
Mystery and Manners Announces Guest Writer Bloodkin's Daniel Hutchens
Swampland's Upcoming Guest Writer Daniel Hutchens Greetings folks, I'm proud to announce my old friend and Bloodkin's read more...
Winter 2009 Interview with Kirk West On The Way
Kirk West In The Big House In the next two weeks I will interview Kirk West for the second volume of our interview series. Kirk oversees
No "Lazybones"--Happy 100th Birthday Johnny Mercer, RIP
According to The Business Insider, fourteen of the twenty-five laziest cities in America are in the south (ie,, in the Swampland footprint). with
November 9, 2009 Interview with Chuck Leavell
2009 Interview with Rolling Stones Keyboardist Chuck Leavell Greetings folks, I'm pleased to present today's interview with The Rolling read more...
Dust To Digital's Fertile Athens and Atlanta Roots
Dust to Digital's Deep Georgia Roots One of my favorite organizations—hands down—stands as Lance Ledbetter’s read more...
Georgia On Our Mind
Georgia On Our Mind In this upcoming week, Swampland/Mystery And Manners will cover various topics relating to Athens, read more...
A Message From Patterson Hood
Latest notes from Patterson Hood on what’s going on in Drive-By Truckers’ world.... Y'ALL: Decompressing from our late October read more...
Meet Alabama Poet Harry Moore
Dr. Harry Moore, professor emeritus of English, is the guest author for this week on Swampland. Harry has been a friend and colleague of mine for over three decades. He
Beaten Like Dawgs: Florida Humiliates Georgia on Halloween Weekend
Midnight From The Inside Out on Halloween Saturday for the Georgia Bulldogs Well folks, my Georgia Bulldogs were stomped like a gang of losers read more...
Announcing Our New Athens, Georgia Pages - on Swampland and on Facebook
Join Swampland Facebook Pages Hillsides of kudzu lead you into the town of Athens, Georgia. Athens, located on the Oconee River, serves as the home to The University of Georgia, read more...
Spotlight On The Classic City: Athens, Georgia
Spotlight On The Classic City: Athens, Georgia This week I’d like to shine a spotlight on Athens, Georgia. Like many, I graduated from The read more...
Geezefest 2009: Yankee, Come Home!
On September 25, 2009, forty-four years after students from New Jersey, New York, and environs first appeared on the campus of Athens College (now Athens State University),
Johnny Depp and Tom Waits In New Terry Gilliam Film
The Imaginarium of Dr. Parnassus Kentucky native Johnny Depp stars in a new Terry Gilliam film with
Chuck Leavell Fall 08 Interview (Part One) Dispatch
A Note of Introduction This lost interview with Rolling Stones keyboardist Chuck Leavell was conducted last fall. That week Chuck would read more...
Meet John Lee of "When The Buddha Met Bubba"
Writing under the pseudonym of Richard "Dixie" Hartwell, John Lee, the best-selling author of The Flying read more...
Tom Waits Live Double CD Hits Stores November 24
Glitter and Doom Live Tom Waits' new read more...
Meet Kelly Kazek: Swampland Guest Writer
Journalist and author Kelly Kazek joins us on Swampland to write about an exciting events to take place this weekend in Athens, Alabama: the
Chuck Leavell on Mother Nature Network (Part One)
Chuck Leavell Talks About Mother Nature Network (Part One) Last fall when I wrote
Pat Conroy "South of Broad" Contest Winners Announced
Congratulations to all of those who participated in the Pat Conroy "Win a Copy of South of Broad Contest" sponsored read more...
New Levon Helm Midnight Ramble Photo Book
The Midnight Ramble Visual Story This official new book documents Levon read more...
Tom Waits Releases Live Glitter & Doom
Live Tom Waits Album Due November 24 On November 24,
Topic for Final Week of the Pat Conroy Contest: Place in Southern Writing
In William Faulkner's masterpiece Absalom, Absalom!, Canadian Shreve McCannon who is Quentin Compson's roommate at read more...
Discussion: Essays From Third Topic in Pat Conroy Contest (Relationships)
Thanks to each of these entries from our second week of the Pat Conroy contest in which winners will receive a 1st Edition copy of Conroy's South of Broad. (
The Dictionary of Superstition
The Dictionary of Superstition For hundreds of years folks have used superstitions to explain mysterious circumstances. Some read more...
Poets Jeanie Thompson and Kathleen Driskell at Athens State University
Poets Jeanie Thompson and Kathleen Driskell will be reading from and talking about their latest collections of poetry at 2 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29, 2009, at
Pat Conroy Contest Week 3: Relationships in Southern Writing
The Pat Conroy Contest enters week three on September 23. There are some great posts on the
Discussion: Essays From Second Topic in Pat Conroy Contest (Family)
Thanks to each of these entries from our second week of the Pat Conroy contest in which winners will receive a 1st Edition copy of Conroy's South of Broad. (
Discussion: Essays From First Topic in Pat Conroy Contest (Fate)
Thanks to each of these entries from our first week of the Pat Conroy contest in which winners will receive a 1st Edition copy of Conroy's South of Broad. (
Pat Conroy Contest Topic #2: The Significance of Family in Southern Writing
"You got to learn to stick to your own blood or you ain't going to have any blood stick to you" says the barn-burning father Ab Snopes to his ten year old son Sarty shortly before Ab burns yet another barn and Sarty turns his back on his father and runs away into the dark read more...
Family In Southern Lit and the Pat Conroy Book Contest
Greetings, I’d like to direct everyone’s attention to a contest Swampland, our Writers of the South Facebook group, and Doubleday Books are running to win a read more...
Everyday Companion's Ted Rockwell: Widespread Panic's Cosmic Statistician
Ted Rockwell’s Everyday Companion & Cosmic Statistician Last night I spoke for a few minutes with Ted Rockwell. Ted compiled
In Memory of Four Little Girls: Birmingham Church Bombing 1963
On this the 46th anniversary of the bombing of the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham, Alabama, that killed four little girls, I am reposting an piece I wrote over a year ago. Here are the opening lines of the
Mystery And Manners' Honorary Southern Artist Volume 9: Sam Shepard
Mystery And Manners’ Honorary Southern Artist Volume 9: Sam Shepard Born in Illinois, Sam Shepard’s writing, acting and musical read more...
A New Blind Willie McTell Book
Hand Me My Travelin' Shoes: In Search of Blind Willie McTell I came across this interesting blog regarding a read more...
Week One Essay Topic: Destiny and Fate in the Novels of Pat Conroy
Prince Hamlet declares in the final act of Shakespeare's play "There's a divinity that shapes our ends, rough-hew them how we will." The Irish novelist Frank Harris says "There is a destiny that shapes our ends...." The debate over fate versus free will has raged read more...
Win A Copy of Pat Conroy's "South of Broad" - READ RULES HERE!
In celebration of the release of Pat Conroy’s South Of Broad, his publisher, Nan A. read more...
Johnny Colt's At Full Volume Premiers on The Travel Channel Monday September 7
Full Volume Premiers Monday September 7, PM on Travel Channel North Carolina native Johnny Colt ranks as a self-made business mogul. Colt read more...
Pat Conroy Sweepstakes : Win Copy of South of Broad
Beginning on Wednesday, September 9, 2009, Swampland.com in conjunction with our Writers of the South Facebook Group and Nan A. read more...
Woody Guthrie's Bound For Glory
Ode To an Oklahoma Hero Woody Guthrie ranks as a great American poet. His songs such as “This Land Is Your Land”, "Pastures of read more...
Art Scene in Athens, Alabama: Local Southern Authors Rule
The literary scene is booming in the small town of Athens, Alabama. In the past year at least four authors have published their work.
Bloodkin's Daniel Hutchens Writes About Jim Dickinson
Daniel Hutchens' Fond Memory of Jim Dickinson I've been reaching out to many friends and musicians to speak about or write about
The Late Great Jim Dickinson's Swampland Contributions
Jim Dickinson's Favorite Films, Musicians and Barbecue Articles
Trailblazing Playwright Judi Ann Mason Dies at 54
Judi Ann Mason, who died of a ruptured abdominal aorta Wednesday July 8, 2009, was widely known in the film and television industry. Born in 1955 in
James Burton Travels To Memphis For Elvis Week
Elvis Guitarist Travels To Memphis It’s Death Week in Memphis. Elvis Presley’s guitarist,
Art from Alabama to New Orleans and Along the Trail of Tears
This week's feature is about Going Green in New Orleans--how one city is turning trash into treasures. As we become more and more environmentally read more...
Honorary Southern Artist: Jerry Garcia Aug. 1, 1942- Aug. 9, 1995
Honorary Southerner Jerry Garcia: 14 Years Ago Today Truly an honorary southerner…
The Latest News From Jonathan Wilson
The Latest North Carolina Native News "As an antique melody plays..." read more...
Pat Conroy, Cassandra King, and Rick Bragg In Birmingham
I could not wait to pass on this exciting information from Alabama Booksmith . Pat Conroy is coming to
News From Athens, Georgia
Music, Food And Film in The Classic City Upcoming news out of Athens, Georgia…on August 18,
Automatic Y'all: Weaver D's Guide To The Soul
Weaver D’s Guide To The Soul "I'm going to be 'Automatic for the People." -Vice read more...
Crazy Blessings & Beautiful Curses
Navigating In the Shallow Waters of Technical Difficulty Well, the lapse in Mystery And Manners' posts is due to yet another laptop crash. This one is quite serious, so this dispatch is written on
Guest Writer Diane Lehr and Renowned Ceramicist James Watkins
Swampland is honored to have Diane Lehr as our guest writer for this month. Lehr graciously consented to do a feature on renowned ceramicist James read more...
28th Handy Blues Fest in Florence, Alabama, July 17-26
W. C. Handy's autobiography Father of the read more...
Hank Williams Snapshots From The Lost Highway
Snapshots From The Lost Highway “In the great book of John You’re warned of the day When you’ll be laid Beneath read more...
Doctor from Alabama Obama's Choice for Surgeon General
Once again Alabama has made the national news. For the last two weeks the web has been buzzing about a speech that financial guru and CEO of Retirement Systems of read more...
A Tribute To Paul Hemphill: On The Road
A Tribute To The Late Paul Hemphill In the wake of the sad passing read more...
Paul Hemphill RIP
Mystery And Manners' Flag Flies At Half Mast Not a good day. My friend
Harry Crews' Blood and Grits
Harry Crews' Book Blood and Grits Published in 1979, Harry read more...
Billy C Farlow, Delta Blues, and More News from Elk River
Well, we have survived yet another holiday weekend on Elk RIver. This weekend we did not burn down read more...
Time Flies Like An Arrow
“Time read more...
Guns for God?
"I don't see any contradiction in this. Not every Christian denomination is pacifist." - Ken Pagano, the pastor of the New Bethel Church in read more...
Echoes of the Ebo Tribe
Echoes of the Ebo Tribe As I promised yesterday, here’s an old ghost read more...
A Dispatch From The Coast
A Dispatch From The Coast After business in Atlanta, I’m on the homeland fandango this weekend to
Advice to Mark Sanford: Never Put it in an Email and Never Lie to Your Staff
Unless you have been in the jungles of Borneo for the last four days, you know that
Not Everyone Can Be From Alabama
Continuing with my theme of levity for the rest of this month, I thought I would share with you this delightful guide to Alabama entitled "Understanding Alabamer" that has been making the rounds read more...
Prayers & Light For Paul Hemphill
Prayers & Light For Southern Writer Paul Hemphill I cannot explain the difficulty or pain it causes me to write these next lines... My friend read more...
Lowside of The Road with Barney Hoskyns
Lowside of the Road: A Life of Tom Waits I've just published my interview with accomplished writer Barney Hoskyns regarding his new Tom read more...
The Long Awaited Dave Schools Interview
Interview with Widespread Panic's Thunderous Bassist Tonight I just completed my recent Q & A with Dave Schools a couple of read more...
Get Well Wishes For Jim Dickinson
Memphis Great Jim Dickinson In Hospital Last night at midnight
Alabama Poet Jeanie Thompson to Read from New Collection in NYC
Alabama author Jeanie Thompson will be reading from her most recent collection of poetry The Seasons Bear Us on read more...
Helen Keller Lives On in the "The Miracle Worker"
On the first day of June,1968, author and activist Helen Keller, born in 1880 in Tuscumbia, read more...
The Cormac McCarthy Papers
The Cormac McCarthy Papers on Display at Southwestern Writers Collection Greetings folks, For the Lit fans I wanted to pass along this read more...
A Friday Conversation with the Great Jim Dickinson
Today’s Conversation with the High Priest of Memphis Mojo I just got off the phone with the legendary
Alabama and The Civil Rights Movement: Forty-Eight Years Later
On this day, May 20, 1961, a white mob attacked a busload of "Freedom Riders" in Montgomery, Alabama, read more...
This Evening's Interview with Dave Schools
This Evening’s Interview with Dave Schools I just got off the phone with
Indie Filmmaker Tonya Holly Hits the Silver Screen
This week, May 11, When I Find the Ocean by independent filmmaker Tonya Holly will be shown in more than 90 theaters in 31 states including Alabama as an official
The Virgin Spring (Revisited)
The Virgin Spring Greetings…a quick peek from behind the curtain in this virgin spring…I’m rendering finishing read more...
The Kentucky Derby & The Rum Diary
Depp Films Rum Diary “When you’re sitting back In your rose pink Cadillac Making bets on Kentucky Derby read more...
National Poetry Month and Kentuckian Wendell Berry
April is National Poetry Month, and I have been musing over one of my favorite poems that I keep posted on the door of my refrigerator. It is "The Peace of Wild Things" read more...
Bob Dylan's Together Through Life
Dylan's New Together Through Life On The Way "I'm listening to Billy Joe Shaver I'm reading James Joyce Some read more...
Authors Michael Knight and Nanci Kincaid To Speak at Alabama Writers' Conferences
On Thursday, April 16, Calhoun Community College will host its Eighth Annual Writers’ Conference. The featured author for the 2009 conference will be Alabama native
Talks With Widespread Panic Archivist & Dust To Digital's Lance Ledbetter
Plans to Interview WSP Archivist & Dust To Digital's Lance Ledbetter Greetings Folks, I hope everyone enjoyed the Easter holiday. read more...
In Defense of Billy Bob Thornton: When Context Isn't Truly Context
by Jim Markel Jian Ghomeshi: I’m just trying to do a show and give people context for who you guys are. Billy Bob Thornton: There’s plenty of context without all that. For those that want to dig a little deeper than the read more...
The Atlanta Film Festival, Dust to Digital & Beyond
The Atlanta Film Festival: 32 Years of Tradition For 32 years the Atlanta Film Festival read more...
The World's Oldest Living Person and My Nonagenarian Friends
The current adage “Old age is not for sissies” has never been more true. Gertrude Baines, who became the world's oldest living person on read more...
Atlanta's Dust To Digital Celebrates Grammy & New Box Set Last Night
Dust to Digital’s Atlanta Grammy Celebration & Release Party A few short notes as a prelude to an upcoming larger read more...
Songs & Stories: An Allstar Memphis Benefit Show
Memphis Heavies Perform Benefit On Sunday April 19, 2009, an allstar benefit show will take place at Minglewood Hall in Memphis. This show is not read more...
A Call From Bruce Burch
A Call From The University of Georgia's Bruce Burch My amigo
Bloodkin's Daniel Hutchens Writes A Note On Swampland
Daniel Hutchens Pens Ode To Swampland There's too many articles, interviews, reviews I'm working on to mention them all now in a list. However, I did put up read more...
2009 Alabama Book Festival Includes Rick Bragg, Frank Stitt, and Nanci Kincaid
This year's Alabama Book Festival will feature a star-studded cast of authors, including author Rick read more...
Historian and Scholar Dr. John Hope Franklin Dies at 94
I first met Dr. John Hope Frankin in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1992 . He was the guest speaker at the
It's Not Just Southern; Everybody Does it: Misheard Song Lyrics, Malapropisms, and Mondegreens
Recently I decided to do a web search on Elton John's "Tiny Dancer," and I ran across this book:
Less Than Six Degrees of Separation: Deryle Perryman, Blind Albert, David Lyman, and Vietnam
For my great-grandparents, the war was the Civil War, for my parents’ generation it was WW II, but for my generation, the war was Vietnam. The Vietnam War shaped a
Horton Foote and William Faulkner: From Page to Screen
The award winning playwright and screenwriter Horton Foote, who died last week at the
New Tom Waits Biography On the Way
Mystery And Manners Prepares for Interview with Writer Barney Hoskyns Writer Barney Hoskyns has written a new
Academy Award Winning Playwright Horton Foote Dies at 92
Texas born playwright Horton Foote died peacefully in Hartford, Connecticut, yesterday (March 4th) just ten days short of his 93rd read more...
Big Medicine Come Soon
"Beyond the horizon, in the Springtime or Fall Love waits forever for one and for all." --Bob Dylan Greetings read more...
Smoke Signals for Jesse Ed Davis
An American Hero: Jesse Ed Davis Jesse Ed Davis ranks as a great American hero. He played a pivotal role in various musical moments (like the Concert read more...
Guest Writer Sheila Byrd and the Search for George Washington Harris (1814-1869)
This week’s special guest for RiverVue's Southern Literature: Roots and Branches series is
Mystery And Manners' Special Guest: Poet Diann Blakely
Poet Diann Blakely's Best Books of 2008 With great pleasure and pride, I present Mystery And read more...
Sweet Home Alabama Just Gets Sweeter: Literary Events in March
March is definitely coming in like a lion in Alabama this year. March 5-8 marks the occasion of the 12th Annual George Lindsey Film Festival in and around the area of
Atlanta's Dust To Digital Wins Grammy
Dust To Digital Wins Grammy For Best Historical Album Congratulations to Dust To Digital for winning a Grammy tonight with
Film in the South: Sixth Annual Oxford Film Festival Begins February 5
This has been an exciting weekend, and so if you have recovered from Superbowl Sunday you might want to make plans to travel to
The Indian Runner And The Super Bowl
The Indian Runner While Super Bowl fever is on everyone, I thought I’d go in the other direction as far as material. After the game, Robin Lynn and I watched The read more...
Chris Robinson-The Jackdaw of Perception: From The Black Crowes to California Folk
Chris Robinson-The Jackdaw of Perception: From The Black Crowes To California Folk "Windswept stars blink and smile Another read more...
A Call To Paul Hemphill
A Call To Paul Hemphill Last week I wrote about writers Flannery read more...
President-elect Barack Obama and The Legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
It was a blistering day in August of 1963 when Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. stood on the steps of the Lincoln Memorial and read more...
Quentin Tarantino: Natural Born Killer
Quentin Tarantino: Natural Born (Southern) Killer Quentin Tarantino, born on March 27, 1963, in Knoxville, Tennessee, exists technically as a read more...
Cormac McCarthy's Meridian of Darkness
Cormac McCarthy's Meridian of Darkness On the heels of last night’s homage to
Flannery O'Connor's Divine Grace
Flannery O’Connor’s Divine Grace “Necessity is the mother of several other things besides invention.”
Taking a Lesson from The Fat Man for 2009: Fats Domino and the Courage to Go On
Sunday night I watched the public television premiere of the documentary Fats Domino— Wallkin' Back to New Orleans. I found in that film a message of hope and inspiration for all of us for the coming read more...
A Stroke of the Brush: The Paintings of Shannon Runquist
The Paintings of Shannon Runquist 12/28/08 Born in Savannah, Georgia, during 1970,
Best Movies of 2008
It was certainly a comic book nerd’s dream year. I know, because I am one. The comic book based movies not only dominated the ratings wars, they also matured right before our eyes. Don’t get me wrong, I loved the original Michael Keaton and Jack Nicholson read more...
On The Killing Floor With Bloodkin
On The Killing Floor With Bloodkin 12/22/08 "I stole the kisses When the bride was young With a razor blade
A Glimpse Into Mystery & Manners' Chuck Leavell Interview
Leavell Reveals New Website & Christmas Plans 12/10/08 Recently I interviewed Georgia tree farmer and Rolling Stones keyboardist
Excerpt #4 From Stanley Booth Interview Series Volume 1: Otis Redding
Excerpt #4 From Stanley Booth Interview Series Volume 1: Otis Redding 12/08/08 In Excerpt #4 Booth discusses his career after learning the read more...
Mystery And Manners' Top 25 Releases of 2008
Mystery And Manners’ Top 25 2008 Releases 12/5/08 Here’s a list (in no specific rank or order) of Mystery And Manners’ top 25 releases of 2008. The category includes new releases, DVDs, books, re-issues and relevant CDs that read more...
Excerpt 3 From Stanley Booth Interview Series Volume 1: Otis Redding
Excerpt #3 From Stanley Booth Interview Series Volume 1 12/2/08 In Mystery And Manners’ ongoing interview series read more...
December's Children
Mystery And Manners Dispatch: Notes on News, December’s Children and Into 2009 11/30/08 I hope everyone enjoyed read more...
Excerpt 2 From Stanley Booth Interview Series Vol 1: Otis Redding
Excerpt 2 From Vol 1 of Mystery And Manners' Stanley Booth Interview Series 11/23/08 In continuation of
Art and the South: Spotlight on Athens, Alabama, and Native Son Paxton
The little north Alabama town of Athens may not be the Sante read more...
Excerpt From Stanley Booth Interview Series Vol. 1: Otis Redding
Excerpt From Mystery And Manners' Stanley Booth Interview Series Volume 1 11/22/08 Tonight I thought I'd include a small excerpt from read more...
Not a Red South or a Blue South, but a New South
"...For the times they are a-changin." Bob Dylan On Monday, November 10, the New York Times ran an article entitled
Stanley Booth Reports On William Eggleston Photo Show in New York City
Stanley Booth Returns From New York City 11/13/08 I spoke with Stanley Booth this read more...
The Gonzo Tapes
The Life And Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson 11/10/08 For the last three days I've been listening to this amazing 5 CD boxset called The read more...
Notes From A Fall Saturday Afternoon
"May this shovel Loose your trouble, Lay them far away..." read more...
A More Perfect Union
Where shall I start? I am overcome with emotion because today is a day I never thought I would live to see. When I was growing up in Alabama, waiting rooms, restrooms, and water fountains were still labeled White Only. You remember. You saw the movie
Back To The Island
Swampland/Mystery And Manners Travel To St. Simons Island for Cultural Celebration 11/02/08 "Odds and ends, odds and ends,
KO'ing Kudzu in Carolina
After my October 17th feature on Alabama filmmaker Max Shores, I decided read more...
Filmmakers in the South: Spotlight on Alabama
This week I would like to celebrate southern filmmakers, particularly those who hail from Alabama or who have made films about Alabama. One of these outstanding
This Evening's Stanley Booth Call
The Latest News From Writer Stanley Booth 10/13/08 This evening I received a call from my old friend
October Skies
"All that we see
Bob Dylan's Tell Tale Signs
Honorary Southern Artist Bob Dylan's New Bootleg Series Volume 8 10/03/08 This week
Conversation with Stanley Booth
A Conversation with Southern Scribe Stanley Booth 9/27/08 When things get weird, I always call my old friend
New Johnny Cash Recording & Documentary Set For Release
New Documentary Airs October 23 9/25/08 A new read more...
The Trail of Tears 2008
Today, Saturday, September 20th, some 150,000 motorcycles will make their way toward Florence, Alabama. This is the 15th Annual Trail of Tears read more...
The Only Serious Philosophical Question
The recent death (September 12) of novelist David Foster Wallace (I
Ike's Dire Warning
Hurricane Ike Aims For Texas and Louisiana 9/12/08 The good folks of Texas and Louisiana are under a severe Hurricane threat. Hurricane Ike is read more...
A Place To Come To
In a recent article in the Wall Street Journal entitled “The End of Placeness,” columnist
Marc Ford and the Neptune Blues Club
Another Transmission From The Great Marc Ford 9/3/08 We've missed each other's messages for the past couple of days, but I finally spoke with read more...
Paul Hemphill's Fall Tour
Atlanta Writer Paul Hemphill's New Book Tour 8/26/08
The Tao of Willie
The Tao of Willie 8/23/08 "He's a carved-in-granite-samurai warrior Gypsy guitar-pickin' wild man with a heart as big as Texas and the read more...
Alabama Rules: From Blue-Eyed Soul to Soulful Blues
My friend Deryle Perryman, native of Florence and resident of Albuquerque, recently returned from the Porretta Soul Festival in
From Athens, Georgia To Jerry Wexler
From Athens, Georgia To Jerry Wexler: A Feast of Friends… 8/16/08 There’s not much time to write this read more...
The 80 Miles Between Athens & Atlanta
Mystery And Manners Highlights Athens and Atlanta, Georgia 8/9/08 Once again, I’d like to shine a read more...
Where Have All the Small Towns Gone?
The centuries old ubi sunt query—where are those who went before us? or where are the snow of yesterday?—has always been a question with no answer. But this particular question is not read more...
An Ongoing Journey To the Heart of Southern Culture
A Sunday Service On Southern Culture 7/20/08 “The artist penetrates the concrete world in order to find at read more...
An Afternoon with Old Friends
An Afternoon with Old Friends 7/18/08 Yesterday afternoon I visited the married writers
Confessions of a Movie Buff
by Michael Buffalo Smith It’s been a heck of a good summer for movies so far, with super heroes of every size and shape, wacky comedies from all of the masters, and the return of legends like Indiana Jones. But there is still plenty to look forward to read more...
...Southbound...
Altered Plans...Poets...Old Friends...And A Southbound Road... 7/8/08 “I can’t worry about it Yesterday’s read more...
New Hunter S. Thompson Documentary Bursts In Air On July 4
Gonzo: The Life And Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson Released July 4 6/30/08 "...And this qualifier is the essence of what, for no particular read more...
Southern Literature Series to Premiere on Swampland
“The past isn’t dead. It isn’t even past” ( Requiem for a Nun) In William read more...
Tift Merritt Mystery And Manners Interview
Tift Merritt: A Poetric Songbird Chirps To Mystery And Manners 6/16/08 I'd like to say it was great fun to interview the soulful North read more...
Father's Day and Rick Bragg
If you are looking for a gift for Father’s Day, look no further than Rick Bragg’s latest gem,
Friends of New Orleans and Swampland.com Join Together!
Swampland.com is proud to announce that we have joined Friends of New Orleans (FONO) as an official cultural partner for this worthy charity. Here is the mission statement of FONO direct from the official read more...
Southern Remedy On The River: The Black Crowes In Chattanooga, Tennessee
Southern Remedy On The River: The Black Crowes Perform Chattanooga, Tennessee 6/7/08 "Windswept stars blink and read more...
Amy LaVere & The North Mississippi All-Stars Storm Atlanta
Amy LaVere & The North Mississippi All-Stars Storm Atlanta: Notes From A Soundcheck 5/31/08
The Amazing Amy LaVere
The Amazing Amy LaVere & Topanga Days 5/22/08 This evening I conducted an interview with the beautiful and talented Amy LaVere. Amy read more...
More Six Degrees: From Florence, Alabama, to Florence, Italy
On March 4, 2006, my old friend Deryle Perryman and filmmaker Moises Gonzales showed their documentary film Dangerous read more...
Book Excerpts Added to Swampland.com!
Dear Swampland readers, We have added a section for book excerpts. The first two were provided by author Neal Thompson. He wrote two fantastic books, Hurricane Season, about a New read more...
Music Maker Relief Foundation & Dust-To-Digital
Music Maker Relief Foundation & Dust-To-Digital Preserve The Oldest Traditions 5/2/08 The North Carolina-based
Emmylou Harris Inducted Into Country Music Hall of Fame
Emmylou Inducted Into The Country Music Hall of Fame 4/29/08 Last Sunday, April 27,
The Midnight Hour
A Backward Glance During The Midnight Hour 4/27/08 At this midnight hour preparations are being made for upcoming Mystery read more...
Outward Bound
“The eye and mind would be functioning as a camera. The writing would be selective and necessarily interpretive—but once the image was written the words would be final.” --Hunter read more...
Alabama: Places to Be and People to See
The Alabama Book Festival held in Montgomery, Alabama, is only in its third season and already it offers a unique opportunity for participants to meet and listen to over seventy authors, among them read more...
Dickinson's Eats & Dylan's Prize
Bob Dylan Wins Pulitzer Prize & Jim Dickinson's Best On The Road Eating 4/7/08 Evening Folks, I hope all is well on this read more...
Football Film "Leatherheads" Brings Hollywood to Carolina
There’s been quite a lot of anticipation here in Greenville, SC over the past few months. I mean, everywhere you go you run into someone who was either an extra in Leatherheads, or helped with something or another on the set. And then there are
Time To Panic
A Journey To The Classic City For A Meeting With Seasoned Professionals 3/29/08
Alabama Beat: Words and Music in the Deep South
The three poems currently appearing in the Poetry section of Swampland are by Mississippi born Pulitzer Prize winner Natasha Trethewey (published by permission of the author). Trethewey won read more...
Brother To Jackals & the Jukebox Chronicles
A Few Notes From The Underground 3/18/08 "Art is the perpetual motion of illusion. The highest purpose of art is to inspire. What read more...
Black History Month: Look Back, but Move Forward
“Look back but move forward” was the credo of civil rights activist Johnnie Carr who died Friday at the age of 97.
Latest Releases From James McMurtry & Otis Redding
Latest Releases From James McMurtry and Otis Redding 2/27/08
Water, Water, Everywhere, Nor Any Drop To Drink
Today the New York Times ran an article entitled “Georgia Claims a Sliver of the Tennessee River.” The quarrel is not just about boundaries. It is about water, read more...
Another Call To Harry Crews & Beyond
...An Ongoing Pursuit & Recording of the Mystery And Manners Saga...Widespread Panic...Jim Dickinson...Harry Crews and beyond... 2/19/08 “In the time I was with read more...
It's Not Easy Being Indie
I always thought that in my next incarnation I wanted to come back as an independent documentary filmmaker. I held on to that dream until I sat in an darkened room in a warehouse in Huntsville, Alabama, on Friday afternoon and listened to independent filmmaker
Widespread Soul
“When after all, it was read more...
Adventures In The (Pig) Skin Trade On Super Bowl Sunday
Roving Notes On Super Bowl Sunday 2/3/08 "There is some kind of back-door connection in my head between Super Bowls and The Allman read more...
Lest We Forget: Four Spirits
January 30, 2008, marked the 60th anniversary of the assassination of India’s political and spiritual leader Mahatma Gandhi. It was Gandhi whose name was most invoked
The Best of All Possible Worlds or Is There Balm in Gilead?
I live in the boonies, the hinterlands of Northern Alabama. For years, I made do with erratic reception from local television stations, and then one day satellite TV and DSL changed my life. This week, thanks to a relatively new channel called
Luther Dickinson: Night Before theTour...
Luther Dickinson Talks Present, Past & Future 1/16/08 Things have been quite busy as of late. I've just about completed my interview read more...
Six Degrees of Separation
In the south we not only claim kin we also claim friends. I have learned that behind every new acquaintance there lies the possibility of finding an old friend—not to mention discovering a new one. Such was the case this week when I was working on a feature about read more...
...A Rising Tide of Georgia Rock And Roll...
A Rising Tide of Georgia Rock And Roll: David Barbe, The Drive By Truckers, Bloodkin & The Black Crowes 1/10/08 "Every read more...
2008 Year of The Crowe
...Atlanta's Black Crowes Prepare for the Warpath... 1/7/08 Today the Black read more...
Criteria Studios: 50 Years Later
Legendary Miami Studio 50 Years Later 12/30/07 Jazz fanatic Mack Emerman started the Miami, Florida, Criteria Studio 50 years ago. The read more...
Dr. John Voices Frustration At Friday New Orleans Show
Dr. John Expresses Frustration With Katrina Fallout 12/29/07 Dr. John informed the audience--at his first of two shows in his hometown last read more...
Country's Top 100 Heartbreaks
A List of Country Music's Greatest Hurtin' Songs 12/28/07 Here's an interesting
Full Moon Fever With Stanley Booth
Full Moon Fever With Stanley Booth 12/24/07 Full moon on the Little Satilla River...I return to my homesoil for the holidays, and it ain't the read more...
John Sayles Interview
Mystery & Manners John Sayles Interview 12/8/07 On Thursday I interviewed John Sayles. Sayles' new movie Honeydripper was filmed in Alabama. Honeydripper read more...
Gibson's Robot Guitar
Gibson's Robot Guitar On Sale 12/6/07 This Monday, Gibson's
No Country For Old Men Voted Best Film
Joel & Ethan Cohen's Film Earns High Praise 12/06/07 Southern writer
...Into The Deep...
Mystery & Manners Dispatch 12/05/07 Today marks the birthday of southern writer
Willie Nelson: Dogs Best Friend
Dogs Best Friend: Willie Nelson 11/24/07 Willie read more...
Swampland Salutes Great Southern Writer Paul Hemphill
Mystery & Manners Highlights Writer Paul Hemphill 11/21/07 I'd like to take this opportunity to direct everyone's attention to the read more...
Coen Brothers Adapt Cormac McCarthy's Book No Country For Old Men Into Film
Coen Brothers Adapt Cormac McCarthy's Book No Country For Old Men Into Film 11/11/07 A new Coen Brothers movie, based read more...
A Day In The Life of A Great American Guitarist (Marc Ford) PART THREE
A Day In the Life of A Great American Guitar Player: PART THREE Marc Ford In San Francisco 11/05/07 "Featherweight read more...
Mystery & Manners Dispatch From San Francisco
Dispatch From San Francisco 11/3/07 Notes written on a back porch facing Mt. Tamalpais, known to locals as "Mt. Tam". I arrived read more...
Mystery & Manners' Honorary Southern Artist(s) PART THREE--Tom Waits
Mystery & Manners' Honorary Southern Artist(s) PART THREE 10/31/07 "The quill from a buzzard The blood writes the word
Mystery & Manners' Honorary Southern Artist(s) PART TWO--Jerry Garcia
Mystery & Manners Honorary Southern Artist(s) Part Two 10/30/07 "I love the Dead. As far as Jerry Garcia, Jerry Garcia could walk read more...
Halloween Movie Reviews from GRITZ
Film Reviews by Michael Buffalo Smith SAW IV You really can’t keep a bad man down. At the opening of the film, read more...
October 27 & 28 Bridge School Benefit
21st Bridge School Benefit Hosts Various Musicians 10/27/07 In light of a
Take Me Out to the Ball Game
Wednesday night’s opening game of the 2007 World Series at Fenway Park was a heartbreaker for Colorado Rockies fans. I have always read more...
SWAMPLAND Goin' Out West...Frisco Bound...
Mystery & Manners Goin' Out West To San Francisco 10/25/07
It is Raining on the River!
I guess I rattled my rain stick enough this weekend to wake up the clouds. We In North Alabama are reveling in what the Navajos call a gentle “female” rain, and I pray it continues all week. I especially hope it rains profusely on Atlanta, Georgia, where they are having read more...
Weirdness Way Down South
Weirdness Down South 10/22/07 People do crazy things, and every now and then I'd like to highlight their singular accomplishments. Recently, read more...
Mystery & Manners' Honorary Southern Artist(s) PART ONE--Bob Dylan
...Mystery & Manners' Honorary Southern Artist(s)...PART ONE... 10/11/07 "Beat a path of retreat
Marc Ford Burns Through Atlanta
A Day In The Life of a Great American Guitarist: Marc Ford Burns Through Atlanta 10/7/07
William Eggleston: The Father of Color Photography
The Photography of William Eggleston 10/4/07 Born in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1939,
Ray McKinnon Randy and the Mob Blog
Ray McKinnon's Recent Blogs About His Latest Film, Randy and the Mob 10/3/07 As posted
The Paintings of Woodie Long
The Paintings of Woodie Long 10/2/07 Today I'd like to bring the reader's attention to the work of Woodie Long. Born in 1942, Long read more...
Otis Redding Film Premier October 8
Dreams To Remember Premier October 8 10/1/07 The new Otis Redding documentary, Dreams To Remember: The Legacy of Otis read more...
Buffalo's Book Club: "Dixie Lullaby"
Welcome to the first installment of Buffalo's Book Club. I figured, if Oprah can have one, so can I. The only thing is, I don't believe "O" and I will be recommending the same books. But then again, who knows? Our first book is called Dixie read more...
Arrivederci Roma, Ciao Athens (Alabama)
I have just returned from ten days in Italy (Venice, Florence/Tuscany, and Rome) and am way behind on my blog, so please bear with me. I am somewhat jet-lagged, and I am preparing to leave for Jackson, MS, on Wednesday to participate in the
People Take Warning! Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs 1913-1938
Tompkins Square Releases Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs This Week 9/29/07 This week Tompkins Square released this
Blues Great Memphis Minnie Honored
Blues Great Memphis Minnie Honored 9/28/07 In Walls, Mississippi, the female guitarist and songwriter Memphis Minnie was honored with a read more...
Nuke Fallout Shelter For Alabama
Alabama City Reopening Nuke Fallout Shelter 9/27/07 In Huntsville, Alabama, they are planning to build a state of the art nuclear fallout read more...
Goin' Home: A Tribute To Fats Domino
GOIN' HOME: A TRIBUTE TO FATS DOMINO 9/26/07 Yesterday Vanguard released
Excerpt from Paul Hemphill's The Good Old Boys
Excerpt from Paul Hemphill's The Good Old Boys 9/24/07 In preparation for my upcoming article on
Ray McKinnon's Randy and the Mob
Ray McKinnon's New Film Randy and the Mob 9/22/07 From Capricorn Pictures...Here's the trailer for Adel, Georgia, native Ray McKinnon's new comedy Randy and the Mob. The Drive By Truckers' Patterson Hood contributed a song to the soundtrack. read more...
Dylan Plays The Ryman
BOB DYLAN PLAYS THE RYMAN AUDITORIUM IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 9/21/07 Thursday Bob read more...
CD and DVD releases for week of September 18, 2007
New Releases Doyle Bramhall Is It News (Yep Roc) Jim Dickinson
The Shadow And the Truth
9/19/07 ...THE SHADOW AND THE TRUTH... It's important to realize how blurred the fine line between reality and illusion co-exist. At read more...
Emmylou Harris Retrospective "Songbird" Hits Streets Today
Songbird: Rare Tracks & Forgotten Gems Out Today 9/18/07 A new Emmylou Harris, 4 CD-1 DVD, retrospective was released today. read more...
Luther Dickinson Flies With The Black Crowes
Luther Dickinson Flies With The Black Crowes 9/17/07 The North Mississippi All-Stars guitarist
More Alabama Authors: Eric Smith
Eric Smith is assistant professor of English at the University of Alabama-Huntsville where his speciality is Post Colonial Literature. Over ten years ago, Eric was a student in my classes at Athens State University. After completing his B.S. at ASU, Eric attended read more...
SPF Friday Fishwrap-up: LeBatard vs. Galloway
Another great southern tradition is writing. We have a whole section called Discourse that is dedicated to this pursuit. Newpapers (aka fishwraps) around the Footprint have great sportswriters that deserve to be read, and sometimes needled.
Patterson Hood Song In New Ray McKinnon Film
Patterson Hood Song In New Ray McKinnon Film 9/12/07 Patterson Hood read more...
CD and DVD releases for week of September 11, 2007
New Releases Billy Joe Shaver Storyteller: Live At The Bluebird (Sugar Hill) Kane read more...
Runnin' Down A Dream: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Perform at the New York Film Festival
9/10/07 ...Runnin' Down A Dream: A new Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Film Showing at New York Film Festival ... Tom Petty read more...
Southeast Adventure Outfitters
read more...
Blind Willie McTell Named Stateboro's Second Legend In the Arts
9/9/07 Blind Willie McTell Named Statesboro's Second Legend In the Arts On September 7, 2007, the blues great Blind Willie McTell was read more...
Sounds of the South
9/8/07 Sounds of the South "Jack of diamonds told Queen of spades Gwine with me, Be on yo creepin way."
CD and DVD releases for week of September 4, 2007
New Releases Collective Soul Afterwords (Handleman) Sterling Harrison
Spotlighting Alabama Authors
During the next few weeks I will be featuring the poetry of several Alabama writers whose poems were published in the recent anthology: Whatever Remembers Us. These poems read more...
Dog Days End?
8/28/07 Dog Days End? ...A Few Scattered Notes... "The wicked read more...
Stanley Booth arrives! (Fiction & Southern Pro Football too!)
Swampland is honored that esteemed Southern writer, Stanley Booth, has contributed one of his classic pieces
Breakfast With Paul, Drinks With Dan
8/19/07 Yesterday proved noteworthy. I met up with southern writer Paul Hemphill at
CD and DVD releases for week of August 14, 2007
Darren Kozelsky Let Your Mind Fly (Smith Entertainment) Dave Matthews/Tim Reynolds
DEATH WEEK
The 30 year anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death falls on August 16, 2007. Like it or not, Elvis ranks as a southern icon. Elvis changed the way people looked at music the way Ted Turner changed the way people look at TV.
CD and DVD releases for week of August 7, 2007
New Releases Bruce Hornsby/Christian McBride/Jack DeJohnette Camp Meeting (Sony read more...
CD and DVD releases for week of July 31, 2007
New Releases 10 Mile Crossing 10 Mile Crossing (Smith Entertainment) Chris Duarte read more...
...A Call To Harry Crews...
7/27/07 One of my heroes remains the Georgia writer Harry Crews. Some of Crews' books such as Feast of Snakes, Florida read more...
CD and DVD releases for week of July 24, 2007
New Releases Billy Bob Thornton Beautiful Door (New Door) Billy Ray Cyrus
CD and DVD releases for week of July 17, 2007
New Releases Raul Malo After Hours (New Door) Wille Mack
Look Homeward, Angel: In Memoriam Doug Marlette
On Tuesday, July 10, Pulitzer Prize-winning cartoonist Doug Marlette was killed in a car wreck on a rain soaked road in north Mississippi. Marlette and the driver of the truck, the theatre director at Oxford read more...
CD and DVD releases for week of July 10, 2007
New Releases Chris & Rich Robinson Brothers Of A Feather [Live] (Eagle)
The Last Outpost of Time
7/9/07 “All that we see is but a dream within a dream.”
CD and DVD releases for week of July 3, 2007
Reissues Asleep At The Wheel Western Standard Time/Big Wheel (Evangeline) Buddy read more...
New features added - Music, Discourse, Sports!
We at SWAMPLAND.COM just wanted to let everyone know about a couple of new weekly features we are adding to the site. First, we are going to do a weekly Dispatch about music and movie releases that are Southern in nature. This allows us to keep everyone up on what's read more...
CD and DVD releases for week of June 26, 2007
CDs New Releases Charlie Daniels Live From Iraq (Koch) James Burton read more...
Fire On The Mountain
6/25/07 read more...
The Rise And Disappearance of Sly Stone
6/20/07 Few groups ever attain the musical power and wide commercial appeal of Sly & The Family Stone. From 1967-1974, the group proved a formidable band whose music crossed all social and musical barriers.
Johnny Cash Radio & Elvis Auction Items
6/18/07 The Sun Records boys are in the news again... Bill Miller is now hosting
Fathers Day: Hot Fun In the Summertime
6/17/07 Happy Father’s Day… …A few scattered notes from a spot overlooking some hills here in north Georgia on a read more...
The True Adventures of Stanley Booth
6/10/07 THE TRUE ADVENTURES OF STANLEY BOOTH As I wrote in the intro to my Charlie Louvin
Adventures In the Book Trade
6/6/07 Down on Moreland Avenue at A Cappella’s—located in Atlanta’s Little Five Points neighborhood—this Indie outlet serves as a read more...
Hotlanta Under Red Skies & Electric Blue
5/28/07 ...No rain in sight here in Hotlanta...the smoke from the wild fires in South Georgia creeped up this way last week...lingering like some biblical haze in the southern read more...
A Long, Hot Summer?
I don’t think it has rained in the Tennessee Valley since the day Clifton Taulbert spoke at Calhoun College and that day was merely a tiny oasis in what has become a desert of drought. I have never read more...
Volunteer Jam DVD: The Holy Grail of Southern Rock
If there’s one single most defining event in the history of Southern Rock, it has to be the Volunteer Jam, especially the original Jams back in 1974 and 1975 and beyond. I’ll never forget my sheer joy upon discovering a bonus record inside the sleeve of
Kirk West's Photographic Memories
With great pride Swampland.com presents this in-depth interview with Kirk West. West plays an integral role in the Allman Brothers Band organization. West began taking photographs in his youth. In the 70s and read more...
Cormac McCarthy Wins Pulitzer Prize
4/16/07 Tennessee writer Cormac McCarthy won a Pulitzer Prize today for his heart-rending novel The Road. Congratulations to this great southern scribe. James Calemine
"Grindhouse" is a True Tribute to Drive-In Movies
I can still remember the first time I went to a movie alone as a child. Actually, I was with my sister, but you know what I mean. I must have been ten years old. I had been to drive-ins many times with my parents, usually to see some Elvis flick or a Disney movie. In later years I read more...
Confessions of a TV Junkie
Okay, I’ll admit it. I sometimes spend way too much time sitting on the sofa in front of that infernal technological marvel called the television. I sometimes get sucked into a show before I even know what has happened. Oftentimes sitting here like I am right this read more...
Amoeba To Release Vintage Gram Parsons Performance(s)
3/20/07 On March 15, through invitation only, a listening party was conducted at South By Southwest to debut the Flying Burrito Brothers (with Gram Parsons) performing a classic show at the Avalon Ballroom in San Francisco in 1969.
The Best Radio On The Internet, The Mighty Field of Vision
Whatever happened to radio anyhow? I mean, radio today just plain sucks. Sure, you can find some interesting programming here and there on public radio, and the satellite radio is good if you are willing to buy an actual satellite radio and then pay a monthly fee. Even then, there is read more...
Swampland Gets The Blues
Ain’t nothin’ like the blues. From the distant wail of Son House, to the darkness of Robert Johnson running from the Hell Hound, the blues are pure magic. In no other style of music can a song about “shootin’ your woman down because she cheated on you” read more...
Billy Bob Thornton Shines In "The Astronaut Farmer"
Like most boys, I went through my “rockets and space” phase when I was a kid. I collected models of the space ships, and had photos and posters all over my bedroom wall of the Apollo rocket, alongside my Star Trek posters and an autographed photo I got from Neil read more...
South Carolina Radio and TV Pioneer Honored
BMI Award-winning songwriter Arthur “Guitar Boogie” Smith received the Honorary Life Membership Award from the South Carolina Broadcasters Association at their annual Winter Convention held recently in Columbia, S.C. BMI was on hand to present Smith with a Gold Record in read more...
...Story of Blind Lemon Jefferson On New York Stage...
2/21/07 A New York Theater Company presents a musical revue based on the life of Blind Lemon Jefferson. The show began last week in New York. This successful play appeared in Switzerland and France, while the Netherlands and Belgium come next. This presentation proves, once read more...
Folkstreams-The Land Where The Blues Began
2/20/07 Folkstreams.net encapsulates many great films based on blues in the south. Folklorist Alan Lomax traveled to the Mississippi Delta in the 1930s and 1940s to record and preserve the work of great blues read more...
Ghost Rider and Other Comic Book Movies
There has been a real surge of comic book movies over the past few year, and I must admit, I love it. I have been a comics fan my whole life, and once the Hollywood studios found out just how big the comics niche could be, the machine was set into motion.
June Carter Cash Tribute Album, Biography Coming This Summer
The life of the late country music legend June Carter Cash will be celebrated this June 19, four days before her birthday, with the simultaneous release of an all-star tribute album and a memoir/biography written by her son, John Carter Cash. "Anchored In Love: A read more...
...Recording Adventures In The Classic City...
2/9/07 Last weekend I returned to my old stomping grounds in Athens, Georgia. The purpose of the visit was to record spoken word material with Daniel Hutchens and Eric Carter of Bloodkin. I lived with Danny and Eric for read more...
Southern Writers Finalists For National Book Award...And Other Swampland Miscellany...
1/21/07 Southern writers Cormac McCarthy and Richard Ford are among finalists named for the 33rd annual National Book Award. Tennessee born Cormac McCarthy is nominated for his latest novel, The Road, a heart-rending story between a father and his young son in a read more...
"Layla" Book Tells The Story of a Great Recording
I have always had a thing for keeping lists. Lists of my all-time favorite movies, records, books. For as long as I can remember there have been two records that have battled it out for the number one position on the Buffalo list, The Allman Brothers Band’s Fillmore East read more...
"Dreamgirls" is a Winner
I just got in from one of the best movie musicals I have ever seen. Dreamgirls is a fictional story loosely based on the careers of The Supremes, James Brown and other R&B artists of the 1960s and ‘70s. They call it fiction but there are numerous stories woven into read more...
Texas Writer Terry Southern Makes Music News...Again...
12/29/06 Texas writer Terry Southern's legend lives on. On January 9, 2007, a new set of Beatles stamps become available in England. Southern is the only person on the cover of the Beatles' Sergeant Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band (positioned between Dylan Thomas read more...
Townes Van Zandt & Eddie Hinton on Film
12/11/06 The work of the Late, Great Townes Van Zandt is now available on DVD. Be Here To Love Me can be found at www.townesthemovie.com. A new book about Van Zandt is due on March 7, 2007. John Kruth's book is titled read more...