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Gritz Review Archives

Back To The Woods

Review of: Chuck Leavell

(Evergreen Arts) Chuck Leavell, no doubt, stands as one of the finest piano players on the planet. His musical resume includes working with artists such as Aretha Franklin, Chuck read more...

Boys & Girls

Review of: Alabama Shakes

(ATO) Boys & Girls counts as the Alabama Shakes debut album. Formed during 2009 in Athens, Alabama, the band includes Brittany Howard (vocals/guitar), Zac Cockrell (bass), Steve Johnson (drums), Heath Fogg (guitar) and Ben Tanner (keyboards). This group read more...

A Good Country Mile

Review of: Kevn Kinney

(Drivin N Cryin) Recorded in Brooklyn, A Good Country Mile counts as the first album Kevn Kinney has recorded outside of his group Drivin N Cryin since 2004. This album revolves read more...

Women & Work

Review of: Lucero

(ATO Records) Lucero sends a musical love letter to Memphis on their latest release Women & Work. This collection counts as the group's 8th album. Lucero streamlines musical lineages of Memphis like Sun Records,

Highway Call

Review of: Dickey Betts

(Polydor) Released in 1974, Highway Call counted as the first solo album by Dickey Betts.

Straight From The Heart

Review of: Ann Peebles

(Hi Records) Released in 1971, Straight From The Heart counted as Ann Peebles' third album. Produced by Hi Records legend Willie Mitchell, Straight From The Heart generated four hits for Peebles. Born in St. Louis, Missouri, Peebles began read more...

Not So Loud

Review of: The Bottle Rockets

(Bloodshot Records) Not So Loud, the Bottle Rockets new acoustic live album, begins with the song "Early In The Morning" which not so coincidentally is the first song on their debut, self-titled album.  It is not a coincidence because Not So read more...

Dirt Floor

Review of: Chris Whitley

(Messenger Records) Chris Whitley's 1998 release Dirt Floor counts as his 4th studio album. Besides his debut disc--Living With The Law--Dirt read more...

Teatro

Review of: Willie Nelson

(Island) Produced by Daniel Lanois, Willie Nelson's album Teatro was released in 1998. read more...

Old Mad Joy

Review of: The Gourds

(Vanguard) Old Mad Joy counts as the 10th studio album by the Austin, Texas, band The Gourds. Recorded at Levon Helm's barn, Larry Campbell (

Long Time Listener First Time Caller

Review of: Vulture Whale

(Ol' Elegante Records) When Swampland writes of bands on Birmingham's music scene, we tend to return to Verbena, and for good reason.  That band's former members have continued to make great music on their own (

Long Live All of Us

Review of: Glossary

(Last Chance Records) Long Live All of Us counts as Glossary's 7th studio album. Glossary hails from Murfeesboro, Tennessee. They transformed a house in rural Rockvale, Tennessee, into a studio where they recorded these well-crafted 12 songs. Band members read more...

Through A Crooked Sun

Review of: Rich Robinson

(Circle Sound/Thirty Tigers) Rich Robinson's second solo album--Through A Crooked Sun--was recorded at Applehead Studios in Saugerties, New York, during April of 2011. Of course, read more...

Live In Japan

Review of: Leon Russell

(Omnivore Recordings) Omnivore Recordings just released Leon Russell's Live In Japan album. This marks the historic album's first release outside of Japan and its first time on CD anywhere. The read more...

The Legend Begins: Rare and Unreleased Recordings

Review of: Hank Williams

(Time Life Entertainment) These newly discovered recordings include Hank's first session at 15 as well as his lost syndicated Radio Series. This remarkable 3-CD set features restored recordings of previously unheard Hank Williams music that will hit stores on September read more...

Gentle Spirit

Review of: Jonathan Wilson

(Bella Union) Born in North Carolina, Jonathan Wilson moved to California years ago. Wilson's undeniable musical talents have allowed him to work and collaborate with musicians such read more...

Live In The Living Room

Review of: Rodney Parker & 50 Peso Reward

(Smith Entertainment) Texan Rodney Parker and his band 50 Peso Reward just released Live In the Living Room. This acoustic collection includes songs from the group's three studio albums. The live performance was actually recorded in Parker's living room in front of read more...

Long Line of Heartaches

Review of: Connie Smith

(Sugar Hill Records) Long Line of Heartaches counts as Connie Smith's 53rd album, but her first since 1996. Produced by her husband Marty Stuart, these sessions transpired read more...

Songs And Stories

Review of: Guy Clark

(Dual Tone Music) Guy Clark's Songs And Stories was recently recorded live at the Belcourt Theatre in Nashville. This collection culls Clark's most memorable material. The backing band on this album includes Kenny Malone (drums), Bryn Davies (bass), Shawn Camp read more...

Devil Got His Way

Review of: Damon Fowler

(Blind Pig) Like Derek Trucks, JJ Grey, and Thomas Wynn, Damon Fowler read more...

Ramble at the Ryman

Review of: Levon Helm

(Vanguard) This recording captures Levon Helm's band live at the Ryman Auditorium on September 17, 2008. The group that night included Helm, Larry Campbell, Amy Helm, Teresa Williams, Brian Mitchell, Erik Lawrence, Clark Gayton, Jay Collins, Steven Bernstein, Paul Ossola, read more...

Country Again

Review of: Ronnie Milsap

Ronnie Milsap became famous as a country singer.  He's won six Grammys and had 40 number one country songs, third all time to only George Strait and Conway Twitty.  Considering all of these accolades, it might be a bit of mystery to many as to why he would name his latest read more...

The Grand Theatre Vol. 2

Review of: Old 97s

(New West Records) The Old 97s formed in Dallas, Texas, during 1993. The Grand Theatre Vol. 2 counts as their 9th studio album. These 13 songs were intended to be a double album--with Vol.1, but the group decided to release the sessions seperately. A read more...

Premium Country

Review of: David Adam Byrnes

(Better Angels) It used to be that country radio didn't split between its roots and its desire to keep soccer moms happy.  A pop tune with a pedal steel is still a pop tune - just ask the Carpenters.  These days we can often forget we are listening to a country read more...

Stranger Me

Review of: Amy LaVere

(Archer Records) Real art is personal, close to the bone, unshakable and undeniable. Stranger Me slices throats and raises the black flag. If you've followed Amy read more...

This Is Indian Land

Review of: Cody Canada & The Departed

(Apex Nashville/Underground Sound) Oklahoma has long been a western-edge feeder system for country music.  Woody Guthrie is a native son.  Bob Wills established his career there. read more...

Looking For America

Review of: Mark Wills

(Gracie Productions) Just in time for the Fourth of July comes Mark Wills latest album Looking For America.  This Tennessee born, Georgia-raised country singer has left behind the major labels to make more personal statements with his music.  Looking at read more...

Better Day

Review of: Dolly Parton

(Dolly Records) Dolly Parton's legendary status as a performer and a country music icon has long been cemented.  She's a living legend. Dolly's star peaked during the later 70s and early 80 thanks to the mainstreaming of Southern culture courtesy of read more...

So, You Want To Be A Bullfighter

Review of: American Anodyne

(americananodyne.com) So, You Want To Be A Bullfighter is the North Atlanta band American Anodyne's first release. The group's official bio states: "Soaked in moonshine and forged from gold, American read more...

Natural History

Review of: JD Souther

(eOne Music) The 1980 film The Idolmaker chronicles an fictional music svengali from the early rock and roll era who creates teen music idols with his management and songwriting skills.  The movie's last scene ends with him finally singing his own read more...

The Dreaming Fields

Review of: Matraca Berg

 (Dualtone Records) The release of The Dreaming Fields is certainly cause for celebration.  Not of the wild party variety, but the type of celebration that one feels on the inside, knowing that something good has just happened, something to read more...

Confederate Buddha

Review of: Jimbo Mathus

(Memphis International) Sometimes it is hard to keep pace with Jimbo Mathus's creative path, but he's always made it worth the effort to try.  This prolific Mississippian has been making music for decades now, connecting and promoting southern music traditions every read more...

It's Already Tomorrow

Review of: Foster & Lloyd

(Effen Ell Records) Of late, the music business has been overrun by reunions.  Sadly, most of these are done to take advantage of millions in touring and merchandise.  The Eagles come to mind as they ushered in a cottage industry of high profile (and high profit) read more...

Between The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea

Review of: Black Stone Cherry

(Roadrunner Records) Take some Skynyrd attitude and mix in some Seattle grunge with a dash of Nickelback's hooks, and you have a pretty good sense of Black Stone Cherry, a proud second generation southern rock band.  BSC's drummer, John Fred Young, is the son of

Little Piece Of Dixie

Review of: Blackberry Smoke

(Southern Ground) This Atlanta, Georgia, band deserves recognition. Their second CD, Little Piece of Dixie, captures their song-crafted, hard-rocking sound. The band’s southern influences read more...

Big In China

Review of: Alan Paul

(Harper Collins) Alan Paul takes readers on a spectacular journey in his book, Big In China.  From 2005-2009, Paul's family lived in China after his wife became the Wall Street Journal's China Bureau chief.  Paul had been making a living as a free lance read more...

Paper Airplane

Review of: Alison Krauss and Union Station

Sometimes it is difficult to understand the broad influence of an artist while a career is ongoing.  Make no mistake, Alison Krauss has changed music.  It's hard to deny her 26 Grammy wins. She brought "newgrass" music to the mainstream including working read more...

By The Hand

Review of: Bobby Thompson

For quite some time, Bobby Thompson has been a fixture in the DC music scene, camping out on the Virginia side the Potomac.  He's played reggae and funk, but his heart lies with blues guitar.  Thompson explains his deep connection as he relays a story of going to play read more...

Firewater

Review of: Whiskey Myers

(Wiggy Thump) Whiskey Myers isn't afraid to pay their respects to some fine musical forefathers on the sophomore release, Firewater.  Lead singer Cody Cannon explains, "We know people are going to compare our sound to Lynyrd Skynyrd, and that's fine, we read more...

Medicine

Review of: Tab Benoit

(Telarc) Tab Benoit's career is like a racehorse that sneaks up on the pack from the outside.  He's been quietly building an impressive catalog of music for the last two decades, and Medicine might be his best yet. Benoit came along in the early 90s at read more...

Off The Edge

Review of: Bruce Brown

(brucebrownmusic.com) You can catch Bruce Brown playing a mean guitar most any day of the week in The Charlie Daniels Band, but with Off The Edge, Bruce steps out front to display his apt skills as a read more...

The Hackens Boys

Review of: The Hackens Boys

(hackensboys.com) The debut from The Hackens Boys is filled to the rim with good ol’ fashioned Southern rock and country sounds. The Virginia quartet comes out kicking with “Movin On,” a rockin’ tune that kind of caught me off guard. The read more...

Wooden Indian

Review of: The Handful

The Handful are back with a hard edged new release called Wooden Indian. The opening track, “Walk Into The Light” falls somewhere between the nastiest Molly Hatchet track and Metallica. It rocks, baby. To quote Spinal Tap, “This one goes to read more...

Skeletons in the Closet

Review of: Billy Crain

(Slidebilly) There’s no question that Billy Crain ranks among the true legends of Southern Rock, having played guitar with such stars as Bobby Whitlock, The Henry Paul Band and now The Outlaws. The brother of Tommy Crain (Charlie Daniels Band), Billy is also an read more...

Space Age Blues

Review of: Devon Allman’s Honeytribe

(Mascot) Devon Allman struggled for many years to find his voice. Growing up in the massive shadow of his uncle Duane and his father Gregg, Allman was no doubt haunted by the overwhelming fears of comparison to the legends of his lineage. A few years read more...

Justice

Review of: Molly Hatchet

(SPV) Ladies and gentlemen, Molly Hatchet is back. Not that they ever left, but my point is simply that Justice rocked me to the core like I haven’t been rocked since Devil’s Canyon. All of the records in between were good, but Justice is read more...

Wood, Wire Vibes...and Slide

Review of: Tom Coerver

Tom Coerver is my kind of guy. A talented multi-instrumentalist and songwriter who isn’t afraid to color outside the lines. Besides some red hot originals, Coerver kicks out the jams on his own versions of songs by folks like Slim Harpo, The Rolling Stones and even Frank Zappa read more...

Land Thar I Love

Review of: Charlie Daniels Band

(Blue Hat) At a time when confidence in our wonderful nation seems to be at an all time low, our buddy Charlie brings out the big guns for a red, white and blue tribute to America. It’s a collection of songs, old and new from a man who is the biggest advocate of read more...

Pimps & Preachers

Review of: Paul Thorn

(Perpetual Obscurity) Paul Thorn just never ceases to amaze me. He always manages to weave his past experiences as the son of a Holiness minister and his rock and roll life into a multi-colored musical tapestry that always leaves me with a big smile on my face. I am read more...

Can’t Tame a Wildcat

Review of: Dallas Moore

(SOL) Dallas Moore was the very first indie artist ever reviewed in GRITZ. It’s true. Back in 1999 we were called “Hot Grits” and Dallas was just getting started making a name for himself as a hard rocking Outlaw country artist. We have watched him read more...

Common Ground

Review of: Walter Trout

(waltertrout.com) Walter Trout’s latest epic Common Ground represents everything I love about music. His 20th album is extremely well written, well executed tunes, with Walter’s heartfelt guitar playing (He was voted the #6 all tine finest guitarist read more...

Gnawbone

Review of: Will Scott

(willscottmusic.com) You ever just fall in love with an artist’s music the very first time you heard them play? Such was the case with the music of Will Scott. From the very first song on his CD, “Jack’s Defeat Creek,” I was hooked in. But when read more...

Pass The Jar

Review of: Zac Brown Band

The Zac Brown Band & Friends Live from The Fabulous Fox Theatre (Atlantic) Now this is what I call a downright fun live album. A double album actually, complete with a DVD when you buy the hard copy, but the digital download is enough to rock my read more...

Life is a Wheel

Review of: Ragged Jack

Just every once in a while a CD comes across my piled-under desk that stands head and shoulders above the other dozen plus submissions we receive at GRITZ every week. A CD that shines from the moment you open the package. The cover art looks great, the band name is cool, and you read more...

Bo Bice 3

Review of: Bo Bice

(Saguaro Road Records) I have been following Bo Bice since the very first American Idol audition way back when, and have always liked him a lot. The guy has a great voice, a lot of guitar ability, and just a whole lot of performing savvy. After read more...

The Southern Part of Heaven

Review of: Barry Lee Harwood

barryleeharwood.com The first time I ever saw Barry Lee Harwood play was around 1980, at the fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta. He was playing guitar with the Lynyrd Skynyrd plane crash survivors in a red hot new read more...

Toler/Townsend Band

Review of: Toler/Townsend

(Garage Door Records) There have been a lot of Southern Rock “supergroups” to come out of the woodwork over the past ten years. Some were good, some were great. Well sir, Toler/Townsend falls into that “great” category.

Preacher Stone

Review of: Preacher Stone

(www.preacherstone.com) North Carolina is rolling out some of the finest Southern Rock bands in the country, and Preacher Stone is right up in the front contenders. This band rocks. Don’t believe me? read more...

Way Out West

Review of: Marshall Tucker Band

(Shout! Factory) In September of 1973, a young band from Spartanburg, SC found themselves on the stage of the famous Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, California opening for The Allman Brothers Band. This is their show from that evening, a one hour show packed read more...

The Deep End

Review of: Christine Ohlman & Rebel Montez

(Horizon) If the name sounds familiar, it’s because Christine is the lead vocalist with the Saturday Night Live band. The “Beehive Queen” is a hard rocking Memphis soul fueled dynamo, and The Deep End may be her finest album yet. read more...

In The Meantime

Review of: Randall Bramblett

(Blue Ceiling) It's truly a rare thing to run across an album that just captivates my attention from the first spin, from the very opening notes. Such is the case with the new release from multi-instrumentalist, singer songwriter Randall Bramblett, a man best known to read more...

It Shined: The Saga of The Ozark Mt. Daredevils

Review of: Michael “Supe” Granda

The Ozark Mountain Daredevils were one kick ass Southern Rock band by anyone’s standards, a group that cracked the Top 40 several times during the 1970's while building a massive following of fans who even today speak of the band with reverence and broad, sometimes read more...

Crazy Heart

Review of: Various Artists

Original Motion Picture Soundtrack (New West) Well, I haven’t seen the movie yet but after listening to the soundtrack a few times, I can hardly wait to see Crazy Heart. The actors in this movie do some fine singing. Not only Jeff Bridges, who read more...

One More Day

Review of: Joe Pitts

(Kijara) On his new release Arkansas native Joe Pitts comes out of the chute kicking with the most excellent “Lowdown, Mean and Dirty,” a blues rocker that hints at shades of Gov’t Mule. Just a couple of minutes into the album Pitts takes his first read more...

Slung a Rod

Review of: Atomic Boogie

(Resaca Records) The first time I saw Atomic Boogie live they were opening a show down at The High Lonesome Saloon in Rome, Georgia. The three-piece rockabilly band captivated my attention for 45 minutes of solid bombastic twang. No small wonder I could hardly wait to read more...

I Got News For You

Review of: Bekka Bramlett

(Shongaloo) Finally! I have been lurking and eagerly awaiting the arrival of a Bekka Bramlett solo album for several years. I have always been in love with the girl’s voice. I guess that goes al the way back to my love of her parents’ music - Delaney & read more...

West Cross Timbers

Review of: Amanda Shires

Singer and fiddler Amanda Shires is a long time alumnus on the Texas music scene. I say ‘long time’ because she started playing with Tommy Allsup and the Texas Playboys at the age of 16 and has played with her alt-rock side band, The Thrift Store, and other known read more...

By a Thread

Review of: Gov't Mule

(Evil Teen) I have to admit, I had begun to lose interest in Gov’t Mule following the death of Allen Woody and following the all-star tribute records. The Mule seemed to have lost much of it’s passion and fire. Sure the music was still rockin.’ Hey, read more...

Jerry Christmas

Review of: Jerry Douglas

(Koch Records) A new Christmas album by Jerry Douglas is a no-brainer. His main instrument of choice, the squareneck Dobro, has a range of sound that is well-suited for holiday fare, and Douglas is the best Dobro player in the world. But as this new album shows, Douglas is read more...

Joy To The World - A Bluegrass Christmas

Review of: Charlie Daniels and Friends

(Blue Hat) Charlie Daniels is just so good at making you feel like you are smack-dab in the middle of the party. In this case, one of the most joyous of Christmas parties ever held. Besides members of the Charlie Daniels Band, Joy To The World is read more...

Willie and the Wheel

Review of: Willie Nelson and Asleep At The Wheel

Through The Scattered Trees

Review of: Lingo

(lingomusic.net) When I saw this young band open for The Tommy Talton Band in Athens earlier this year I was simply blown away. It’s been a while since I witnessed a band this young display so much sheer talent. The band is made up of four guys read more...

Live/Agora Ballroom - Cleveland, Ohio May 13, 1990

Review of: Kentucky Headhunters

(Mercury/UMe) The Kentucky Headhunters have always been a Southern rock band to me. Yeah, I know they have scored a slew of country hits, but them fellas have got the Southern rock spirit. In past interviews with GRITZ, both Greg Martin and Richard read more...

A Good Excuse

Review of: Dixie Tabernacle

(Storm Dog Records) Every time I hear Jimmy Hall open his mouth to sing, I feel like I’m in church. Better yet, an old fashioned Southern tent revival. His is a voice born of gospel and blues roots, mingled with a bit of Southern rock and delivered from deep read more...

Penn's Peak

Review of: Blackfoot

Blackfoot and Molly Hatchet Penn's Peak, Penn Forest Township, Pennsylvania October 16, 2009

Release

Review of: Sister Hazel

(Rock Ridge Music) When my buddy Scott first introduced me to this new band that he was into several years ago, I was immediately taken by their tight harmonies, catchy pop riffs and great lyrics. The Gainesville, Florida band was Florida’s version of our own read more...

The Essential, Limited Edition 3.0

Review of: Marshall Tucker Band

(Shout! Factory) I remember a time back the mid 1990s when the whole internet thing was just beginning to catch on. I was among the members of a small group of fans online that were building tribute pages to The Marshall Tucker Band. We all came together with our common love read more...

God & Guns

Review of: Lynyrd Skynyrd

(Roadrunner) Slated for Release September 29, 2009 I have read so many opinions for so many years regarding the “original” Lynyrd Skynyrd vs. the “current” band, and my opinion has always remained the same. The original band can read more...

Closer to the Bone

Review of: Kris Kristofferson

(New West) Closer to the Bone finds one of the greatest poets of our time at the very peak of maturity, yet stripped down to his most basic elements, both in voice, read more...

Rock This Country

Review of: Swampdawamp

Swampdawamp is back. This North Carolina based Southern Rock band really and truly does “keep it real.” They have the guitars, the licks and attitude, but they also possess that rare element that is so rare in music these days. They are originals.

Cody McCarver

Review of: Cody McCarver

(E1) I have been listening to Cody McCarver for years, both as a member of Confederate Railroad (a band he joined in 1999)  and as a solo artist. He is a staple of the annual Angelus event down in Tampa. Cody’s self penned “Through God’s read more...

Wilson Street

Review of: Charlie Faye

Austin's Charlie Faye is an amazing talent. She’s a gifted songwriter with a very pleasing singing voice that falls somewhere between Mary Chapin Carpenter and Debbie Harry. In fact, the smooth pop sound and flowing melody of “Jersey Pride” is more than a little read more...

Acquired Taste

Review of: Delbert McClinton

(New West) For his 30th studio album, Delbert McClinton enlists the help of Grammy Winning producer Don Was, and combined with some just plain excellent songwriting, he turns in the most introspective and intelligent record of his fifty year career. Delbert read more...

Sing Chapter I

Review of: Wynonna

(Curb) Wynonna Judd is one rockin’ country girl. If there was a shred of doubt in your mind, it will be obliterated after a single listening with her new release Sing Chapter 1. Wynonna has decided to have some fun. She selected a handful of read more...

The Screamer

Review of: Big Pete Pearson

(Modesto Blues Records) There are some slick sounding and slickly produced blues albums out there right now. Not that they are bad or that the genre shouldn’t be moved forward, but now and again it is good to hear the real deal from those few musicians left from read more...

Love is a War

Review of: The Corduroy Road

(Mule Train) The Corduroy Road formed in 2006 by Kentucky friends  Drew Carman and Dylan Solise. The band has a knack for blending bluegrass, Americana, folk rock, and old-time country into a totally unique stew. Today, the band calls the Classic City of Athens, Georgia read more...

Restless Soul

Review of: Bruce Marshall

Bruce Marshall has been one of my favorite performers ever since I heard him live with the Toy Caldwell Band. He was a member of the TCB from 1989 - 1990 and lent his vocals to many of Toy's classics like "Running Like the Wind" and "Take the Highway" as well as read more...

I Like Her But

Review of: Lee Bogan

Lee Bogan is one of the hardest working songwriters in Nashville, having scored may a hit, including the classic country tune “Honky Tonk Attitude.” Lee is currently recording and touring with Ronnie McDowell, and has co-penned several songs for Ronnie’s upcoming read more...

Please Call Home: The Big House Years

Review of: The Allman Brothers Band

A few years back I paid a visit to the famous “Big House” on Vineville Avenue in Macon, Georgia. Kirk and Kirsten West made me feel at home in this beautiful place, and I enjoyed every single moment I spent visiting. Even then, the house was beginning to become a museum. read more...

127 Rose Avenue

Review of: Hank Williams, Jr.

(CURB) Hank William’s, Jr has released his best album since 1987’s Born to Boogie. There is simply not a bad song on the album. Bocephus manages to combine his Outlaw Country and Southern Rock stylings with thought provoking lyrics that grab your read more...

Shout! Live

Review of: Mike Farris and the Roseland Rhythm Review

Featuring the McCrary Sisters (INO) Well, here’s the short story on Mike Farris; he lives the rock and roll dream as a member of the band Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies, gets tired of the excesses of life on the rock and roll road read more...

Piety Street

Review of: John Scofield

(Emarcy) John Scofield has had a long career in music having showcased his excellent guitar playing in diverse settings ranging from making music with Miles Davis to Medeski, Martin and Wood. His guitar playing throughout his decades-long run of albums read more...

The Boys Are Back

Review of: Oak Ridge Boys

The Oak Ridge Boys were riding high during the 1980’s due largely to their mega-hit “Elvira,” but this excellent quartet, whom I had played many years before when they were a Southern Gospel group and I was a young DJ, have been away for a while. Well, they are read more...

Dopers, Drunks and Everyday Losers

Review of: Commander Cody

(Blind Pig) I was thrilled when I heard Commander Cody and his band had been signed to Blind Pig Records and would be recording a new album. After all, I have been a Cody fan for many a year. The new album is quite good, although I do harbor a few minor complaints, such as read more...

Freebird Child

Review of: Tammy Van Zant

(Radio Records) Ronnie Van Zant’s oldest daughter Tammy has a sweet voice. She’s not a powerhouse belter like a lot of the female vocalists of today, but she is quite pleasing to the ear, especially when backed up by the stellar pickers who play on her read more...

The Concert

Review of: Creedence Clearwater Revival

(Fantasy) CCR was one hell of a band. I was a huge fan of theirs, and all through high school I was convinced that they were based in Louisiana and were a Southern Rock band. I had no idea they were actually from the San Francisco Bay Area. The read more...

Song Up In Her Head

Review of: Sarah Jarosz

(Sugar Hill Records) "Song Up In Her Head" is the title of the excellent debut album by singer, songwriter and mulit-instrumentalist Sarah Jarosz. Hailing from Austin, Texas, Jarosz’ album is a wonderful example of the music being made by the newer read more...

Saints & Sinners

Review of: Jackson Crossing

A few years ago I was blown away by a band out of my hometown of Spartanburg, SC called Sevenmoore. The band featured some of Sparkle City’s finest players, including two founding members of The Marshall Tucker Band, Paul Riddle and Jerry Eubanks. As great as they were, I was read more...

Street Singers, Soul Shakers, Rebels With A Cause

Review of: Candice Dyer

Street Singers, Soul Shakers, Rebels With A Cause : Music From Macon This amazing coffee table book weighs in at nearly 300 pages, and is chock full of beautiful photographs and articles on the many great artists who called Macon, Georgia home. read more...

For Our Heroes

Review of: Montgomery Gentry

For Our Heroes is an amazing collection of “greatest hits” from country rockers Montgomery Gentry that collects twelve of their best loved songs for a very special cause. Eddie and Troy have partnered with

Blame it On My DNA

Review of: Diane Durrett

dianedurrett.com When I met Diane Durrett down at The High Lonesome Saloon in Georgia last year, I had no idea who I was meeting. I never knew just what an accomplished singer/songwriter I was shaking hands with. I read more...

Driving Music City

Review of: Diane Durrett

Diane Durrett moved from Atlanta to Nashville with a head full of dreams and a heart full of song. Once there, like most others, she immediately found that she needed a day job in order to work on her songwriting and pursue her dreams of performing. While most songwriters end up as read more...

All Points in Between

Review of: Rebel Pride

rebelprideband.com On this, Rebel Pride’s sophomore release, they kick it up even bigger and better than on the first album. This Florida band manages to bring us a sound very similar to that of the read more...

Modbilly

Review of: THE BOXMASTERS

(Vanguard) I was so thrilled to receive the new release from those hip youngsters, known all over as The Boxmasters. Their debut album was excellent, as was their 2008 Christmas release, but I must admit, Modbilly eclipses even those slabs of wax. Modbilly once read more...

Naked Willie

Review of: Willie Nelson

The iconic Willie Nelson began his career crafting songs for others to perform. Songs like Patsy Cline’s “Crazy.” But pretty soon the powers that be on Nashville's Music Row began to see a marketability in Nelson. Not only were his songs top drawer, but he had a read more...

Last Time

Review of: Evanscapps

(Rock Ridge Music) The first time I heard this record was a few years ago. The guys had put it out independently, and I recall thinking it was just a really great rockin’ record. Well, after a few years, and after serious remastering and with a great record read more...

Exit/In, Nashville

Review of: Candy Coburn

Nashville, TN April 28, 2009 Candy Coburn hit the stage at the legendary Exit/In tonight and took no prisoners. This girl reminds me of Pat Benatar in a way. That is, she’s tiny as can be, but when she sings, it is with the strength of read more...

Words & Music

Review of: Various Artists

I have always been a fan of songwriters. They are the soul of the music. Without songwriters, there would be no country or Southern Rock stars. And for the record, I really prefer hearing the songwriter sing their own songs. That goes all the way back to my youth. Many of the read more...

The Reason

Review of: Thomas Wynn & The Believers

Orlando, Florida already knows the best kept secret in Southern music. As for the rest of the world, if this new CD is an indicator, they will all know soon enough. Thomas Wynn & The Believers have been blowing away audiences all around Florida with a unique sound read more...

Live Notes From Athens

Review of: The Tommy Talton Band

(Hittin’ The Note) The Tommy Talton Band kick it up yet another notch on this, their sophomore release, recorded live in Athens, Georgia in 2008. The show was held at The Melting Point, a beautiful listening room in Athens. Besides the guitar man himself, the read more...

Already Live

Review of: The Derek Trucks Band

(Sony/Victor Records) Somehow guitarist Derek Trucks talked his big time record label into releasing a bit of musical lagniappe for his fans. A mere months after his latest studio album hit the stores, the well-received “Already Free” released on the Sony/Victor read more...

Don’t Wake Albert

Review of: Highly Kind

(Rockin’ Camel) Johnny Sandlin told me months ago that he was producing an album for a band called Highly Kind, and that it was going to be a good one. Well, he was right. The name of the band had me thinking “jam band.” I kind of read more...

Rebel Road

Review of: Edgar Winter

(Airline Records) I have always included Edgar Winter in my conversations about Southern Rock. Sure, the Texas singer/multi-instrumentalist fronted one of the finest r&b bands of the seventies with Edgar Winter’s White Trash, and he also led The Edgar Winter read more...

Buckaroo Blue Grass

Review of: Michael Martin Murphey

(Rural Rhythm Records) I’ve always been a fan of Michael Martin Murphey’s early work from the 1970’s. Songs like “Wildfire,” “Cherokee Fiddle,” “Flowing Free Forever,” and “Carolina In The Pines” have read more...

Let It Shine

Review of: Colleen McFarland

(9th Child Records/High Horse Records) www.colleenmcfarland.com “Let It Shine” is the new album by singer and songwriter Colleen McFarland, an artist who proves to be talented in both read more...

Moodoo

Review of: Porter, Batiste and Stoltz featuring Page McConnell

(Highsteppin’ Productions) Moodoo is the new live album by Porter, Batiste and Stoltz, otherwise known as PBS. The group is made up of New Orleans funk legends George Porter Jr., bass player for read more...

Juke Joint Jump/Struttin' My Stuff

Review of: Elvin Bishop

(Raven) Elvin Bishop was right in the middle of that whole Capricorn Records scene in Macon during the seventies, and although I already knew him as a primo guitarist with Paul Butterfield's Blues Band, it wasn’t until he “went country” that I became a die read more...

Nashville Songwriter Sessions

Review of: Guy Gilchrist

A staple of the annual Angelus benefits in Tampa, Florida, Guy Gilchrist is best known as the professional cartoonist responsible for the legendary “Nancy and Sluggo” cartoon strip. He was also chosen by the late Jim Hinson to create the “Muppets” comic read more...

The Year I Grew Up

Review of: Clay Cook

I’ve been watching and listening to Clay Cook for years. The first time I ever heard any of his music I was at his Grandmother’s home, doing interviews for a book I was writing about his uncle, her son, Doug Gray. The late Peggy Gray was so very proud of her son’s read more...

Tijuana Bible

Review of: Jim Suhler & Monkey Beat

Jim Suhler is one of the best guitarists to ever come out of Texas. The Dallas rocker is right up there with his friends Billy Gibbons and Johnny Winter, as well as Austin legend Stevie Ray Vaughan. Along with his band, Monkey Beat, Jim rips it up from top to bottom on his latest, read more...

Love Songs

Review of: Marshall Tucker Band

The first thoughts that cross your mind when you think about The Marshall Tucker Band might not necessarily be thoughts of love songs. After all, these two fisted hombres have come to be known for rootin’ tootin’ cowboy songs, songs about cattle drives and hard living, read more...

What I'm For

Review of: Pat Green

(RCA) In a press release, Green says of his new album, "I wanted to make a perfectly circular record -- one that you could just put on repeat and really live with for a while." To that I say, “Mission accomplished.” The artist has gone directly to his read more...

Take The High Road (Silver Travis)

Review of: Silver Travis

 The Silver Travis Band is back with their second album, and if you thought their debut was great, wait until you get a load of Take The High Road.

Welcome to the South

Review of: Rebel Syndicate

(Bad Creeks Rising) I am simply blown away by this band. The CD has been on my desk, sitting there in the “In box” for a few weeks now, and I keep saying “I gotta check these guys out.” Well sir, this morning I did, and they are amazing.

No Good Deed

Review of: Skinny Molly

For anyone who cries out that Southern Rock is dead, I have two words for your butt....Skinny Molly. Mike Estes ain’t about to let our legacy go away, even if he has to single handedly hold it up to the light. The former Lynyrd Skynyrd guitarist leads the read more...

Glide

Review of: Jerry Douglas

(Koch Records) I considered the 2002 release “Lookout For Hope” by Jerry Douglas to be an acoustic masterpiece, which found his squareneck Dobro stretching out on an array of original compositions highlighted by guest artists that made every cut special. read more...

Speechless

Review of: Mainstream South

Mainstream South is a trio whose roots stem from the heart of the Lynyrd Skynyrd family tree. Guitarist Barry Lee Harwood and drummer Derek Hess were both members of the post-plane crash band Rossington Collins, and pianist Steve Perez played in bands with Harwood and Hess, as well read more...

Wilderness

Review of: Mad Buffalo

This is the third release from Mad Buffalo (aka: Randy Riviere, an award winning wildlife biologist, environmentalist and conservationist.) The music reflects his heartfelt concern for the planet and all creatures great and small, and does it with a sound that is reminiscent of read more...

Christmas Cheer

Review of: THE BOXMASTERS

(Vanguard) Those wacky Boxmasters are back again with their second release inside of a year, and boy howdy, is it ever a stone cold gas, man. The boys wrap all of their British Invasion influences in a shroud of Hillbilly Country, just like they did on this read more...

BBQ is King at Hubba Hubba

Review of: Hubba Hubba

Hubba Hubba Wood-Fired Smokehouse 2724 Greenville Hwy. Flat Rock, NC 828-694-3551 Open Tuesday - Saturday 11 -3:00 The only read more...

Boots, Buckles and Spurs

Review of: Various Artists

(Legacy) “I grew up dreamin’ of being a cowboy/ And loving the cowboy ways Pursuin’ a life of my high ridin’ heroes/I burned up my childhood days...” -Willie Nelson. “My Heroes Have read more...

Fearless

Review of: Taylor Swift

(Big Machine) It seems like every article or review I read about Taylor Swift starts off with some variation on the theme of her age and the fact that she has accomplished so much in her career and has just now turned eighteen. Sure, there have been countless teen idols read more...

A Tribute to a Legend

Review of: Les Paul & Friends

(EMI/Capitol) The title of “legend” gets tossed around a lot by music critics. I myself plead guilty as charged to the overuse of the term. But no matter how you look at it, shake it up, smell it and pour it back out, there’s no denying the fact that read more...

Monte Montgomery

Review of: Monte Montgomery

(Thirty Tigers) I first heard of Monte Montgomery back in 1999, by way of a nice guy in Texas who worked in some capacity for Jerry LaCroix. He sent me some Monte music and I was hooked. I had never heard anyone “go up side a guitar” like Monte. Especially read more...

Piece Of My Heart: The Best of 1969 - 1978

Review of: Bonnie Bramlett

(Raven/Australia) I maintain my opinion that Bonnie Bramlett is still the "Queen of Southern Rock and Soul." If you don’t believe me, just check out this new compilation disc from Raven Records in Australia. It’s enough to make a brother shout.

Preachin', Prayin' and Singin'

Review of: Charlie Daniels and Friends

Charlie Daniels an Friends Live From Nashville (Koch DVD) On April 25, 2005, Charlie Daniels took to the stage in Nashville to debut songs from his bluegrass-gospel album Songs From the Longleaf Pines. Charlie also brought read more...

Lucky Old Sun (Deluxe Version)

Review of: Kenny Chesney

(Blue Chair) I have seen a lot of other reviews of Kenny Chesney’s new album that berated him for the lack of what they call “country music” on his new album, and kind of dismissing it as “island music.” well, truth be known, it read more...

Free and Easy

Review of: Charlie Tatman

(charlietatman.com) Charlie Tatman rocks, brothers and sisters. Sporting a whiskey soaked voice and a smoking guitar, the big Ohio man has true Dixie heart, and it comes through loud and clear in this read more...

The Truth

Review of: Superswamp Heroes

Pawley’s Island, SC brings us a fresh, new Southern Rock band with a fistful of excellent songs and a whole lot of musical passion. On this, their debut album, the quartet steps up to the plate ready to smack one out of the park.  “Living Proof” gets read more...

Learn to Live

Review of: Darius Rucker

(Capitol Nashville) It came as no surprise to me when I caught wind of the story here a while back that Darius Rucker had “gone country.” After all, several years before Hootie and The Blowfish had their gazillion selling Cracked Rear View album, read more...

50 Years

Review of: Kenny Rogers

(Cracker Barrel) The first time I ever heard Kenny Rogers sing was back in the sixties when he and his band The First Edition hosted a Saturday afternoon TV show called Rolling On The River. I loved that show, and thought Kenny was just a great singer. I had read more...

The Imus Ranch Record

Review of: Various Artists

(New West) Bekka Bramlett has a mystical effect on me. She always has, even as backing singer for Faith Hill, or dueting with Sam Moore, Billy Burdette or Joe Cocker. But like her mother before her, soul sensation Bonnie Bramlett, and her daddy Delaney for that matter, she read more...

The Blues Rolls On

Review of: Elvin Bishop

(Delta Groove) What makes this new Elvin Bishop record so amazing is the roster of special guests he has been able to assemble. This lineup shows just want a respected guitarist Elvin is with his peers. The guests on the album include B.B. King, George Thorogood, read more...

A Tail of Two Cities

Review of: Gov't Mule

(ATO) All I can say is “wow!” The Mule is burning white hot on both of the two live shows in this double DVD set. The first show was recorded at the Orpheum  Theatre in Boston back in 2004. Warren Haynes and the boys knock it read more...

You Can't Help But Love Me

Review of: Amanda Martin

(amandamartin.net) Amanda Martin could very well be the next big thing in Nashville’s huge circle of young female artists. To make it these days, you have to possess something special and different read more...

Sunset Man

Review of: James Otto

James Otto has taken things to a whole new level. The MuzikMafia (i.e., Big and Rich, Keith Anderson and Gretchen Wilson) member turned out a very good debut with Days of Our Lives in 2002, to be sure, but with a change of label (from Mercury to Warner read more...

Love on the Inside (Deluxe Fan Edition)

Review of: Sugarland

(Mercury Nashville) I have really enjoyed watching Sugarland’s rocket ride to the top of the country charts over the past few years. Like so many others, I was hooked from the very first time I saw Jennifer Nettles smiling and singing “Baby Girl” on read more...

Now It's Tomorrow

Review of: Randall Bramblett

(New West) For his seventh solo album, Randall Bramblett sticks with the same band, producer (Gerry Hanson) and Atlanta studio he used for his excellent 2006 CD Rich Someday, and the read more...

Volkswagen Catfish

Review of: Fiddleworms

Of all the newer bands I have run across here at GRITZ over the past five years, none have burned their music into my brain any stronger than The Fiddleworms. This Muscle Shoals, Alabama rock band read more...

Doc Holliday

Review of: Doc Holliday

(Rock Candy) After building a reputation throughout the south for nine years as Roadhouse, Doc Holliday changed their name and came blazing out of Warner Robbins, Georgia in 1979 with read more...

Rocking the Boat: A Musical Conversation & Journey

Review of: Delbert McClinton

(JC Communications) Delbert McClinton hosted his first ever Blues Cruise in 1995. Thirteen years later, the event is one of the most successful events of its type ever. McClinton has played host to everyone from Bonnie and Bekka Bramlett to Jimmy Hall, from Paul Thorn read more...

One Foot In The Groove

Review of: Donnie Fritts

Donnie is simply one of the best songwriters around.  "One Foot in the Groove" is humorous, clever and heartbreaking. Everyone should own it.

Billy Bob Thornton & The Boxmasters

Review of: Billy Bob Thornton

Merrimack Hall, Huntsville, Alabama Friday, August 1, 2008 Merrimack Hall in Huntsville, Alabama is a beautiful, intimate, 300-seat theatre and concert hall that has been going strong for a little over a year. In fact, I believe the first show they read more...

Snake Oil

Review of: Lefty Williams Band

Down in Atlanta, Georgia there lives a young man who is destined to join Duane Allman among the greatest Georgia based guitarists ever to play blues and Southern Rock. His name is Lefty Williams, and the reason he is called Lefty is because he is missing a right arm. But hey, read more...

The Very Best of Little Richard

Review of: Little Richard

(Specialty) People are always asking me, "Buffalo, who were the original Southern Rockers?" Well, I always say The Allman Brothers Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd. The truth, however, is that Southern Rock and Roll was born as far back as 1955, when read more...

Perfectly Clear

Review of: Jewel

I have been a fan of Jewel since her first video appearance on MTV. I was blown away by the weet and innocent vocal of “You Were Meant for Me,” and the young girl with the crooked teeth and pretty smile who sang it. I bought the album, and every one since, even the read more...

Let's Start Something

Review of: Rob Roy Parnell

(Blue Rocket Records) Rob Roy Parnell has got that Texas Roadhouse thing goin’ on big time, and his new album - his first in nine years - Let’s Start Something, rocks from beginning to end with a Fabulous Thunderbirds meets Delbert read more...

Fennario

Review of: Emory Joseph

(Iris Records) Emory Joseph is a born entertainer. Not only that, but he is also a fine songwriter, as evident in his 2003 epic Labor and Spirits. On this outing, however, Joseph puts down the pen long enough to pay tribute to a pair or true musical legends, read more...

My Name is Jimmie

Review of: Jimmie Van Zant

Jimmie Van Zant may have taken a while to get the attention he deserves, but with the release of My Name is Jimmie, there’s no doubt he will get lots of buzz. It seems Jimmie is hitting on all cylinders. with great musicians, backing vocals, top flight production and read more...

Back When I Knew it All

Review of: Montgomery Gentry

(Sony) I’ve been enjoying Eddie and Troy since Hillbilly Shows in 1999, and have seen them live many times down at the Angelus benefits thrown by Charlie Daniels. I have also reviewed every album they have put out, and I have long held onto my belief that read more...

Nobody's Fault But Mine

Review of: Edwin McCain

(Saguaro Road Records) Living here in Greenville, SC, I watched Edwin McCain’s rise from local favorite to opener for his friends Hootie and The Blowfish, and onward and upward to read more...

Traveler's Rest

Review of: Outformation

(Red Eye USA) Atlanta’s Outformation falls into that narrow gap between Southern Rock and jam band, and on this, their second album they display elements of both. Traveler’s read more...

Rollin' with The Flow

Review of: Mark Chesnutt

(Lofton Creek Records) I had a hard time getting past the first track on Mark Chesnutt’s new CD. I mean, the laid back melody, the beautiful pedal steel, and the wonderful lyric of “Things to Do in Wichita” had me at “hello.” read more...

Devil in the Details

Review of: Hogjaw

Hogjaw is back and they are dishing up their heavy Southern Rock with an oversized ladle. The cover art on the CD rocks, which really sets the stage for the music, which is like a cross between Lynyrd Skynyrd and Metallica. Jonboat Jones (vocal/guitar), Craig Self (lead guitar), read more...

Bleedin' Black and White

Review of: Lee Sinclair

(Ruff Patch Music) Spartanburg, SC is once again a hot bed of great music with a whole new generation of players who grew up in the shadows of The Marshall Tucker Band reaching out and grabbing their own brass ring. Then once in a while, we get new music from read more...

From The Reach

Review of: Sonny Landreth

Sonny Landreth From The Reach Landfall Records Sonny Landreth returns with his first record in 5 years.  With his deep catalog of work both as a solo artist and a collaborator/contributor to others (

The Last Country Album

Review of: Heybale

(heybale.com) Now this is some real country music, fellow babies. Heybale has the real, honest to God country sound I grew up listening to in the 60’s and 70’s. I didn’t realize just how read more...

Deep Cuts

Review of: Tony Joe White

Tony Joe White Deep Cuts Swamp Records Tony Joe White, quite simply, is one of the most underappreciated musical forces of the last 50 years.  This doesn't mean that people haven't read more...

From The Mud...To The Sky

Review of: Tom Coerver & Goin' South

Tom Coerver is back with his fourth album, his second accompanied by his band Goin’ South, and quite possibly his best work yet. As has been Coerver’s M.O. in the past, he blends original songs with covers. And might I add, an eclectic mix of covers.

Everybodys Brother

Review of: Billy Joe Shaver

(Compadre) I love Billy Joe Shaver. He is one of the best songwriters of our time and one of the most soulful country voices of our generation. What is particularly special about his latest release is that it is all gospel music. Sure, it’s Shaver-ized read more...

See The Light

Review of: Bo Bice

There’s no doubt whatsoever as to where Alabama boy Bo Bice derived his musical influence. Anyone who was watching his rise from American Idol auditions all the way to the second place winner position (barely beaten out by current country superstar Carrie read more...

THE BOXMASTERS

Review of: THE BOXMASTERS

(Vanguard) It seems like these days everyone is imitating whatever the flavor of the month is in any given genre of music, and it is truly a rare and original thing to come across something totally fresh and original. I guess that’s why the new double read more...

Outlaws Forever

Review of: Tumbleweed Junction

(tumbleweedjunction.com) There’s more than a little influence from Hughie Thomasson and Toy Caldwell in the music of Tumbleweed Junction, whether they are cooking on a Southern Rocker like read more...

Lady Antebellum

Review of: Lady Antebellum

(Capitol) They’re young, they’re hot and most important of all, they are damned good. Their breakout single “Love Don’t Live Here” kicks off the album with a sound that brings to mind what Hootie and The Blowfish might read more...

Someone Else's Shoes - In Europe

Review of: Tommy Talton

(Hittin' The Note) I had this dream the other night, and I was walking in the park. It was a beautiful summer afternoon, and just before dusk when I stopped at one of the many park benches that lined the walkway. As I started to sit down, I noticed a pair of men’s read more...

Gator Country Live

Review of: Gator Country

Let me just start by stating a cold hard fact. These old Molly Hatchet tunes have never sounded better. With four former Hatchet members leading the pack - Jimmy Farrar, Bruce Crump, Steve Holland and Riff West, along with extraordinary guitar work from Linni Disse and Paul read more...

35 Biggest Hits

Review of: Toby Keith

(Show Dog Nashville) Toby Keith began his country career as one of those cute, curly haired pretty boys, but it didn’t take long for him to find his inner Outlaw and Southern rock roots. That’s when ol’ Toby really started dominating the charts. Since then, read more...

My Life's Been a Country Song

Review of: Chris Cagle

(Capitol) With this, his fourth release, Chris Cagle kicks things up a couple of notches, with a blend of country, rock and blues that slides very nicely nto your music read more...

Long Way from Moving On

Review of: Jackson Rohm

(jacksonrohm.com) The first time I ever heard of Jackson Rohm was by way of my New York friends Rick and Joann Pierce. They have been telling me about him for some time now, and I finally took the time to dig into his new read more...

Five Moons

Review of: The Beat Daddys

(beatdaddys.com) Larry Grisham and his band have been burning up the blues from their Alabama home and throughout the land for a lot of years now, and we have seen them cosistantly deliver the goods both live read more...

The Mighty Handful Volume One

Review of: The Mighty Handful

scottymoore.net The Mighty Handful is one helluva band. Headed up by former Elvis Presley guitarist Scotty Moore, the band features Billy “I Can Help” Swan on vocals; Bob Moore, also a read more...

The Very Best of Outlaw Country

Review of: Various Artists

(Legacy) The thing that sets this compilation apart from the plethora of others that are always being flooded into the market is the fact that it brings together Southern rockers and “outlaw” country artists on one excellent CD. It could be used as a read more...

One Hell of a Ride

Review of: Willie Nelson

(Columbia/Legacy) Willie Nelson is a Southern music icon. You’d be hard pressed to find anyone who has never heard of Willie, and equally challenged to find anyone who doesn’t like his music. As for me, I have been spinning Willie read more...

Trouble in Mind

Review of: Hayes Carll

(Lost Highway) Hayes Carll seems to be cut from the very same magic songwriter cloth that Robert Earl Keen, Todd Snyder and John Prine were cut from. While I really enjoyed his previous two albums, Trouble in Mind knocks those in the dirt. This one is chock full of read more...

Fortune Teller 2.0

Review of: Ghost Riders

(Mira Vista) www.beyond.fm Florida’s Ghost Riders are a Southern rock treasure. Lead off by Steve Grisham (The Outlaws) and featuring Barry Rapp (Henry Paul Band), Phill Stokes (Pure Prairie read more...

Backbone & Gristle

Review of: Mac Arnold

macarnold.com Mac Arnold blew everyone’s mind a few short years ago when he quit his day job to return to his true love, playing the blues. His first album, Nothin’ to Prove, backed by his most read more...

Do What's Right

Review of: Jack Pearson

(Candlefly) jackpearson.com Jack Pearson is one of our greatest living guitar players. Like many others, I fondly recall the brief tenure he enjoyed as a member of The Allman Brothers Band, and the bootlegs of read more...

Trucker Tracks Vol. 1

Review of: Various Artists

(Spec Records) There are thirteen tracks on Trucker Tracks, filled with some genuine houserockin’ Southern Rock and Outlaw country songs, all about that special breed of individual read more...

Street Survivors - Deluxe Edition

Review of: Lynyrd Skynyrd

Street Survivors - Deluxe Edition 30th Anniversary (Geffen/UMe) Mere days after the release of Street Survivors in 1977, the Freebird fell to the ground, silencing one of Southern Rock’s finest voices in Ronnie Van Zant. read more...

Dog Eat Dog World

Review of: Chris Hicks

Chris Hicks has paid his dues and more. First, as lead guitarist and vocalist for Loose Change, a band that caught the ear of music mogul Alan Walden, who maintains even today that Hicks is the “best undiscovered artist of our time.” Then Hicks was hired to play read more...

Brothers of the Southland

Review of: Brothers of the Southland

Brothers of The Southland is one of the best of the plethora of “all star” bands playing today, and their debut CD is a sheer joy from beginning to end. This is the kind of music that gets me downright excited. Maybe that’s why I named it as the best Southern Rock read more...

A Long Way from Tupelo

Review of: Paul Thorn

(Perpetual Obscurity) Paul Thorn hails from Tupelo, Mississippi, in the heart of the Delta country. A former pro-middleweight boxer, Thorn is a talented painter and a roots rocker who has toured with some of the top names in country and rock. His new read more...

Solos, Sessions and Encores

Review of: Stevie Ray Vaughan

(Epic/Legacy) When Stevie Ray Vaughan died in 1990, the world of Southern blues and rock and roll was dealt a devastating blow. We had lost another great in his prime, and the wounds we all felt left scars that remain unhealed eighteen years later. Thankfully, Stevie read more...

A New Kind of Blues

Review of: Delaney Bramlett

(Magnolia Gold) Delaney Bramlett is nothing less than a musical treasure. Now into his fifth decade as a musician, writer, producer and all around music mogul, Delaney sounds just as good as ever. A New Kind of Blues is his latest masterpiece, a collection of eleven read more...

Beautiful

Review of: Bonnie Bramlett

(Rockin' Camel) With the music business in a state of flux, it is indeed refreshing to come across an artist who isn’t struggling to reinvent herself daily to fit a fleeting slot that may not exist in a week’s time. The new offering from Bonnie Bramlett, read more...

Lovers

Review of: Bobby Whitlock & CoCo Carmel

(www.bobbywhitlock.com) Joined by a stellar group of musicians, music icon, Bobby Whitlock and wife, CoCo Carmel, have released a new CD, appropriately titled “Lovers” for Valentine’s Day. The ten tracks, recorded and produced mostly in Austin, TX chronicle read more...

Brighter Than Creation's Dark

Review of: Drive By Truckers

(New West) Athens, Georgia's Drive-By Truckers are the undisputed torch bearers of Southern Rock in the 21st century. They are as Dixie Fried as  Skynyrd, Marshall Tucker or the Allman Brothers. They blend all of their influences from Southern rock, country, folk, punk read more...

Change in the Weather

Review of: The Dust Devils

(Little Train) On their new release, Texas country rockers The Dust Devils com out of the chute with a pure Austin-style country title track, with Barbara Malteze giving 110 percent as she always does. If the rocker “Looking for Pearl” was my favorite cut read more...

Volume One

Review of: Johnny Neel & The Criminal Element

(Breakin’ Records) Johnny Neel is one funky white boy. He pours the funk on heavy with the opening track, “Toasted.” It’s Tower of Power meets Edgar Winter’s White Trash, with a little George Clinton tossed in for good measure. The band read more...

Outlaws & Renegades

Review of: Galloway & Kelliher

In my line of work I get to hear some pretty awesome Southern rock and country music. Sometimes I get blown away by the artist and musicianship, other times it’s the songwriting that draws me in. It’s rare to see a performer that brings it all to the table, but Galloway read more...

The Trailer Tapes

Review of: Chris Knight

(Drifter's Church 0010) Some albums are just meant to be heard. Chris Knight recorded 'The Trailer Tapes” in 1996 more to put the songs he'd written on tape than for release, but some songs are just not made to stay in the can. Last year, co-producers read more...

Pride and Joy (DVD)

Review of: Stevie Ray Vaughan & Double Trouble

(Epic Legacy) Released just after his death, Pride and Joy was a must-have VHS compilation of Stevie’s music videos shot between 1983 and 1989, including “Cold Shot,” “Lovestruck Baby,” “Superstition” and others. Of read more...

Lonely Just Like Me: The Final Chapter

Review of: Arthur Alexander

(Hacktone) In 1993 Arthur Alexander cut one of the most important records of his career, Lonely Just Like Me.  Thirty years earlier he had written songs that inspired The Beatles ("Anna"), Rolling Stones ("You Better Move On") and read more...

Review of: John Hammond

(Raven) Blues man John Hammond has recorded some fine albums during his long and varied career, including the Muscle Shoals inspired Southern Fried, but the two included on this CD are two of his very best. Source Point, produced by read more...

Cheap Whiskey EP

Review of: Hogjaw

myspace.com/hogjawband If you go looking for good ol’ Southern rock, Tucson, Arizona might very well be the last stop on your tour, but guess what? Out there on the spiritaul vortex in the read more...

Darren Brothers Band

Review of: Darren Brothers Band

(thedarrenbrothersband.com) I have really enjoyed getting to know Darren Brothers as the lead guitarist for The Winters Brothers Band over the past few years, and I always enjoy his playing style. The guy read more...

Motels & Highways

Review of: Old Union

oldunion.com Old Union continue to amaze me with their sophomore release, Motels & Highways. This Nashville based band that many lump into the “jam band” category is first and foremost a read more...

Clapton: The Autobiography

Review of: Eric Clapton

(Broadway) After reading Clapton’s book, I sat back, breathed a sigh and said out loud to nobody in particular, “ It’s a wonder he lived through all of that.” And it really is. Fighting a lifetime of depression, drug and read more...

My Kind of Country

Review of: Van Zant

(Sony) I had someone remark the other day that I had not yet reviewed VanZant’s second album. Being the smart ass I can be at times, I informed him that this is actually the read more...

Rock and Roll Jesus

Review of: Kid Rock

(Atlantic) There’s no denying that Rock and Roll Jesus is the best record Kid Rock has ever released. Virtually every song is good, and if you can get past what some may call  the blasphemy of the title track and the hard-core chauvinism of read more...

Archives Volume One

Review of: Gram Parsons & The Flying Burrito Brothers

(Amoeba) This double CD documents two live performances by The Flying Burrito Brothers featuring Gram Parsons  at the Avalon Ballroom, San Francisco, in April 1969. I have owned the bootleg of one of these shows for a few years, but this official release sounds read more...

Review of: Marshall Tucker Band

(Shout!Factory) What a great and historic find this is. A remastered live DVD featuring all of the original members of The Marshall Tucker Band, recorded on February 18, 1977 at Capitol Theatre in Passaic, New Jersey. And if that wasn’t enough, the set read more...

The Best of The Johnny Cash Show 1969-1971

Review of: Johnny Cash

(Columbia/Legacy) I was in my early teens when The Johnny Cash Show originally aired. I recall watching it every week with my parents on an old black and white Motorola television, back in the days of three channels, when you either watched ABC, CBS, read more...

The Johnny Cash Christmas Specials 1976-77

Review of: Johnny Cash

The Johnny Cash Christmas Special 1976 The Johnny Cash Christmas Special 1977 (Shout!Factory) From the Country Music Hall of Fame Archive Series comes a pair of classic Christmas TV specials hosted by Johnny Cash and family.

Premonition

Review of: Jimmy Dormire

(1968/Dream Spirits Music) jimmydormire.com Jimmy Dormire is a helluva guitar player. His work with Confederate Railroad is always astounding, and he can pick that Southern rock and Outlaw Country like read more...

Deuces

Review of: Charlie Daniels Band

(Koch/Blue Hat) Deuces is Charlie Daniels’ finest work since Fire On The Mountain. Now I realize that is a bold statement, given the fact that he has produced dozens of excellent works between that seminal 1970’s album and this new read more...

Dylan (Boxed Set)

Review of: Bob Dylan

(Columbia/Legacy) I remember back in the 1980’s when Biograph came out. I thought that was the definitive boxed set on Dylan, and it most likely was at the time, but the new Dylan set takes the prize today as the ultimate Bob Dylan read more...

The Wheel Man

Review of: Watermelon Slim & The Workers

(Northern Blues) Oklahoma’s Watermelon Slim is quickly becoming one of my very favorite blues artists. His unique Southern vocals and tasty Dobro playing have crawled up my belly and into my heart. The title track, “The Wheel Man,” is catchy as hell, read more...

Raising Sand

Review of: Alison Krauss and Robert Plant

(Rounder) I have seen many unlikely duos in music over the past say, 20 years, but none more unlikely than the front man for Led Zeppelin pairing with the angelic bluegrass singer. It’s one of those situations where magic just seemed to happen without read more...

Beautiful Door

Review of: Billy Bob Thornton

(New Door/Universal) Billy Bob Thornton is the real deal. His music and songwriting are just as special to me as his movies, and the new record may just be his best yet.

Howl at the Blues

Review of: Stephen Foster & Howler

(White Horse) Stephen Foster is a major Southern talent. A super pianist and vocalist, Foster is also gifted with an extra pleasing singing voice and his arranging and producing are both top drawer. I had the pleasure of working with him on my own Southern read more...

Never Say Die - The Final Concert Film

Review of: Waylon Jennings & The Waymore Blues Band

(Legacy) Waylon Jennings was one of my all time favorite country singers, along with Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson and David Allan Coe. I remember when Waylon died, my heart just sank. What an entertainer he was. If there was ever any doubt, all you have to do is listen to the read more...

Camp Meeting

Review of: Bruce Hornsby

(Legacy) Virginia boy Bruce Hornsby can do it all. He has given us Top 40 pop classics like “Mandolin Rain” and “The Way it Is.”He has performed as a member of The Grateful Dead. He has worked with jazz guitarist Pat Metheny, horn man Branford read more...

Reloaded

Review of: Point Blank

(Dixie Frog) Texas Southern Rockers Point Blank are back, locked and loaded for bear. This live album proves that the boys still have all their chops, even after all these years. Rusty Burns still smokes the guitar and John O’Daniel kicks ass on lead vocals. The read more...

Live From Iraq

Review of: Charlie Daniels Band

(Blue Hat/Koch) The CDB put every bit of their heart and soul into these performance, recorded during various shows for American troops in Iraq. It’s an amazing, high energy show with Charlie firing the guys and girls up with his patriotic anthem “In read more...

Under The Influence of Buck

Review of: The Derailers

(Palo Duro) The Derailers are one hot band. Brian Hofeldt, Ed Adkins, Scott Matthews, Sweet Basil McJagger and Chris Schlotzhauer are some rockin’ Texans. On their new CD, the guys pay tribute to the late great Buck Owens, and they do it right. read more...

Billy Bob Thornton Rocks Myrtle Beach

Review of: Billy Bob Thornton

Billy Bob Thornton The Fabulous Boxmasters House of Blues North Myrtle Beach, SC August 16, 2007 Not only is Billy Bob Thornton my favorite read more...

Ex Tempore

Review of: Johnny Irion

(Rte 8 Records) The very first thought that ran through my mind the first time I played the new Johnny Irion CD was, “This guy reminds me of Neil Young.” Now let me be very clear, that is a good thing in my book. I had honestly never read more...

Clear Blue Flame

Review of: Delta Moon

(Jumping Jack Records) Whether playing the slide-guitar laced smooth groove of “Cool Your Jets” or the moonshine soaked title track, “Clear Blue Flame, “ Delta Moon continue to prove themselves as one of the very best of the newer Southern read more...

Review of: Steep Canyon Rangers

(Rebel Records) The Steep Canyon Rangers are one of the finest bluegrass bands playing today. They have already won the IBMA’s “Emerging Artist” award and are just beginning a career that is sure to keep them at the top of the read more...

Atlantic Records: The House That Ahmet Built

Review of: Ahmet Ertegun

(Atlantic DVD) Let me tell you a story. According to The Rolling Stones and Led Zappelin, that is the way Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun began his conversations, almost every time. When Ahmet was 14, he read more...

My December

Review of: Kelly Clarkson

(RCA) The original "American Idol: is back with a rocking new album that is sure to please her gazillion fans worldwide. The young Texan delivers a "one-two" punch with her current single, "Never Again," a ticked-off break up read more...

Bobby Bare Sings Lullaby's, Legends, and Lies

Review of: Bobby Bare

(Legacy) This classic double-album has been given the remaster treatment for it's CD debut. This is a truly wonderful release from Bare, featuring songs written by the late Shel Silverstein. Excellent songs include "Marie Laveau," a spooky song read more...

I Will Obey

Review of: Jo Jo Billingsley

(jojobillingsley.com) JoJo Billingsley, best known as one of Ronnie Van Zant's three "Honkettes" during Lynyrd Skynyrd's peak popularity, is delivering a new kind of message these days. A message read more...

Living Dangerously

Review of: TGZ

(King Mojo) TGZ stands for Toler, Gary and Zinner, namely “Dangerous” Dan Toler, formerly of The Allman Brothers Band and more recently Dickey Betts and Great Southern; Ron Gary, the piano wizard who plays with Webster Young and Tom Browne; and Matt read more...

Relentless

Review of: Jason Aldean

(Broken Bow) Georgia boy Jason Aldean, the Academy of Country Music's Top New Male Vocalist for 2006, is back with a brilliant second release that features several tunes co-written with John Rich. Aldean is once again produced by Michael Knox. Jason read more...

On My Way to You

Review of: Daniel Lee Martin

Florida export Daniel Lee Martin is different. He fits into the mold of the Nashville country formula, but at the same time, he has a uniqueness that sets him apart from the flavor of the moment. It’s his personality. Ask anyone who has met him. I have, down read more...

Build Your Own Fire

Review of: Jimmy Hall & The Muscle Shoals Rhythm Collective

(Zoho Roots) Jimmy Hall is one of the finest singers working today. I don’t say that just because he is the Southern fried lead vocalist of Wet Willie, or because he has recorded with everyone from Bonnie Bramlett to Jeff Beck. I say it because it is the read more...

Coast to Coast

Review of: Winters Brothers Band

(South Star Records) The Winters Brothers Band’s 1978 album Coast to Coast is now available on CD, and includes bonus acoustic tracks and much more. The album, originally recorded at Capricorn Studios during the hey day of Southern Rock was read more...

Driving With The Devil

Review of: Neal Thompson

Driving With The Devil by Neal Thompson Crown Publishing “We read more...

The Very Best of Little Texas: Live and Loud

Review of: Little Texas

Country rockers Little Texas turn out a fine concert recording that not only read more...

The Point

Review of: Tishamingo

(Magnatude Records) One of Athens, Georgia’s rockingest ensembles,Tishamingo is back with their third release, The Point, produced by John Kerzweg (Creed, Jewel, Puddle of Mudd). Tishamingo is an outstanding example of what I call the read more...

Blue to the Bone

Review of: Bob Hart

(Blues Avenue) Louisiana guitar man Bob Hart has been ripping it up for years, going all the way back to the 1970’s when he played with the Southern rock band Buckeye, and he is as good as ever on this new release.  Fiery electric blues like “Take The read more...

Rich Someday

Review of: Randall Bramblett

I was first introduced to Randall Bramblett during his days with Sea Level, and his prowess on sax, vocals and keyboards have only grown throughout the years. His current band is super funky, as witnessed during their set for the Big House Foundation gala a few months back. read more...

An All-Star Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd

Review of: Various Artists

(New West) No other band has been milked for all it’s worth more than Lynyrd Skynyrd. I’m not being cruel, just honest. The new All Star Tribute to Lynyrd Skynyrd is the latest album to capitalize on the legacy Ronnie Van Zant left behind following his read more...

Trailercana

Review of: Antsy McClain and the Trailer Park Trubadours

(DPR Records) I have really been having fun listening to this one, Trailercana, the new release from Antsy McLain and The Trailer Park Troubadours. It’s kind of like a country-fried Barenaked Ladies, with witty southern lyrics and infectious hummable melody read more...

Bluestone Company

Review of: Bluestone Company

myspace.com/bluestonecompany Bluestone Company is one amazing Southern Rock band. You may know them by their former moniker, The Savoy Truffle, but these days, with a new name and renewed high read more...

Gov't Mule, Baton Rouge April 23, 2007

Review of: Gov't Mule

Gov't Mule has progressed from "power trio" par excellence to "Artisans and Alchemists of Funky Rock & Roll Soul Jazz Latin Reggae Gospel Blues" over the past few years and they gave a 'dog and pony show of diversity in motion' at the Texas Club in read more...

Ultimate Gospel

Review of: Johnny Cash

(Columbia Legacy) I have been a Johnny Cash fan my entire life. Seriously. Ever since my dad turned me onto his old 78 RPM records like “The Wreck of The Old 97” and of course “Folsom Prison Blues,” I have loved the man's work. Cash was read more...

Breakin' it Up, Breakin' it Down

Review of: Muddy Waters, Johnny Winter & James Cotton

(Epic Legacy) If I had to describe Breakin’ it Up, Breakin’ it Down in two words, I’d simply call it “buried treasure.” This full length live set, available here for the first time, was recorded during three shows back in 1977 following read more...

West Springs

Review of: Lee Bogan

(Lanier Records) Lee Bogan is simply one of the most talented people I have ever met. A world class songwriter who scored a major hit with Joe Diffie (“Honky Tonk Attitude”) and a performer who has played smoking lead guitar with Diffie, Billy Joe Royal, Artimus read more...

The Next Adventure

Review of: Marshall Tucker Band

The Marshall Tucker Band revives the old school “brotherhood” on their latest album, The Next Adventure, bringing in family and friends to help out in the grandest tradition established back in the 1970’s Capricorn Records era. The core band is read more...

Carolina Mountain Time

Review of: Mark Emerick

(www.markemerick.com) Mark Emerick has filled the lead guitar spot in the Commander Cody Band for many years now, so it’s no small wonder he would tip his hat to the Commander on his first solo outing, covering read more...

The Bar-B-Q Smoke House

Review of:

The Bar-B-Q Smoke House 3231 Point Mallard Parkway Decatur, Alabama (256) 350-0131 I have had some mighty fine BBQ in my day, from North Carolina to Georgia, South Carolina to Kentucky, but the BBQ plate at The Bar-B-Q Smoke House read more...

Some People Change

Review of: Montgomery Gentry

With their latest release, Some People Change, Montgomery Gentry goes far beyond their past efforts, bringing a new level of maturity into play that was foreshadowed on their last album, My Town. Make no mistake, the boys are not even thinking of hanging up their read more...

Molly Hatchet, Junefest 2001

Review of: Molly Hatchet

Molly Hatchet Junefest June 2, 2001 Silverbowl Las Vegas, Nevada The all day rock festival that drew over 40,000 sunbaked and windswept classic rock fans was an undeniable success, with sets by Styx, Journey, and Night read more...

Saul Williams, Greenville, S.C. 3/16/06

Review of: Saul Williams

Saul Williams Barnes & Noble Bookstore, Greenville, S.C. March 16, 2006 Saul Williams is a genius. He’s not only one of our greatest living poets, but also an amazing live performer, musician, and actor. We first discovered read more...

Bonnie Bramlett w/ The Capricorn Rhythm Section -

Review of: Bonnie Bramlett

BONNIE BRAMLETT THE CAPRICORN RHYTHM SECTION Nashville Station, Macon, GA March 25, 2006 “Oh, how I wish that I had written this song,” lamented Bonnie Bramlett, from the stage of the Nashville read more...

Blackfoot / Wet Willie / Southern Rock Allstars

Review of: Blackfoot

Blackfoot Wet Willie Southern Rock Allstars Iron Angels Bike Rally Angel City, Georgia April 22, 2006 Riding from Greenville, SC to Unidella, Georgia with Scott at the wheel and Jimmy holding down CD read more...

Govt Mule - Town Ballroom, Buffalo, NY 4/27/06

Review of: Gov't Mule

Gov't Mule Town Ballroom Buffalo NY April 27, 2006 Well a week later and we are still reeling over the royal ass kicking show we attended in Buffalo. When the Mule first emerged some ten years ago they quickly developed a base of die read more...

Mac Arnold & Plate Full O' Blues - The Handlebar

Review of: Mac Arnold

Mac Arnold & Plate Full O’ Blues The Handlebar Greenville, S.C. May 6, 2006 It was a celebration, a homecoming and an incrediblel blues show. Greenville, South Carolina packed out The Handlebar for a concert read more...

Renegades of Southern Rock, Nashville, TN 5/10/06

Review of: Renegades of Southern Rock

Renegades Of Southern Rock May 10th, 2006 Opryland Nashville Recently, friend and neighbor George McCorkle invited my wife and I out to hear his band The Renegades Of Southern Rock. To further add to the honor he asked if I would like read more...

The Allman Brothers Band, Niagara Falls, CAN 6/23,

Review of: The Allman Brothers Band

Allman Brothers Band June 23 & 24 , 2006 Niagara Falls Canada June 23 , 2006 Well despite the lateness of this review these shows made an ever lasting impression. At the new and spectacular Niagara Falls Vue Casino overlooking the read more...

Lynyrd Skynyrd / Shooter Jennings, Pittsburgh, PA

Review of: Lynyrd Skynyrd

Shooter Jennings / 3 Doors Down Lynyrd Skynyrd July 14,2006 Post Gazette, Pittsburgh, Pa Well it was a very hot and humid night when the Skynyrd boys rolled back into stee ltown with an all star show. First up was Shooter read more...

The Winters Brothers Band, Nolensville, TN 6/17/06

Review of: The Winters Brothers Band

THE WINTERS BROTHERS BAND ANNUAL SOUTHERN SUMMER JAM June 17, 2006 • Nolensville,TN I am the Winters barn. I have a relaxed and quiet life, since they’ve stopped farming. Sometimes it is boring just standing read more...

David Allan Coe - The Handlebar, Greenville, S.C.

Review of: David Allan Coe

DAVID ALLAN COE The Handlebar, Greenville, SC July 22, 2006 David Allan Coe took over that audience so fast it would make your head spin, and played a simply amazing show, opening with “Statesborro Blues,” and doing one read more...

Artimus Pyle, Red Wind Casino, Yelm, WA 9/4/06

Review of: Lynyrd Skynyrd

Artimus Pyle with Whiskey Creek Red Wind Casino, Yelm, Washington September 4, 2006 Legendary Lynyrd Skynyrd drummer, Artimus Pyle, came to the Nisqually Tribe’s Red Wind Casino on Sunday night of Labor Day Weekend read more...

The Northgate Soda Shop, Greenville, S.C.

Review of:

A Greenville, South Carolina Treasure The Northgate Soda Shop by Michael Buffalo Smith Say you like a little old time rock and roll, a good, homemade cheeseburger and a cherry smash? Boy, do we have a place for you! A small read more...

H & H Restaurant, Macon, GA

Review of:

H & H Restaurant Macon, Georgia by Michael Buffalo Smith How many times have we heard the old adage, "don't judge a book by it's cover?" Never has that statement held more truth than in the case of The H & H read more...

Tyler's Cove, Pawley's Island, S.C.

Review of:

Tyler's Cove The Hammock Shops Hwy. 17 Pawley's Island (803) 237-4848

Island Cafe & Deli, Pawley's Island, S.C.

Review of:

Island Cafe & Deli Pawley's Island (843) 237-9527 If you are traveling to the southern coast of South Carolina to thePawley's Island, Litchfield, Georgetown area do yourself a favor and dine at Island Cafe and Deli. Over our Labor Day read more...

Side Street Pizza, Tryon, N.C.

Review of:

Side Street Pizza Tryon, North Carolina Mon.-Thurs. 11-9 Fri. and Sat. 11-10 Sun 3-9 Tel: 828 859-5325 I have to admit it, I have been enjoying the food at Side Street Pizza for well over ten years now, and it is still as good as it read more...

The Pilot House Restaurant, Wilmington, N.C.

Review of:

The Pilot House Restaurant Chandler's Wharf Wilmington, N. C. Our Sunday lunch visit to the Pilot House was an experience in perfection. A combination of all the finest elements of Southern cuisine and sea fare in one beautiful, romantic read more...

Fred's Restaurant, Franklin, VA

Review of:

Fred's Restaurant 107 South Main Street Franklin, Virginia (757)562-2919 http://www.fredsrestaurant.net/ After breaking down on our way to play the Leon Wilkeson Memorial Concert in read more...

The Marshall Tucker Band, Voodoo Lounge, Riverside

Review of: Marshall Tucker Band

THE MARSHALL TUCKER BAND THE RAVERS Voodoo Lounge, Riverside, California November 18, 2006 To start off, the evening of Saturday, November 18, 2006 in a Southern California town named Riverside, CA, the Marshall Tucker Band took the "Long read more...

Edgar Winter Group - Live at The Galaxy

Review of: Edgar Winter

Edgar Winter Group Live At The Galaxy (Classic Pictures) Edgar Winter’s rockin’ just as hard these days as he did back in 1973, and his new group sounds great. Yeah, I will always have fond memories of White Trash read more...

Southern Rock Allstars - Trouble's Comin' Live, Th

Review of: Southern Rock Allstars

Southern Rock Allstars Trouble’s Comin’ Live- The DVD (Tazer) For the many of us who have been waiting for so long to see this release, allow me to say, the wait was well worth it. Here we get the very best of The read more...

The Black Crowes - Freak 'N' Roll...Into The Fog

Review of: Black Crowes

The Black Crowes Freak’N’Roll ...Into The Fog The Black Crowes All Join Hands The Fillmore, San Francisco (Eagle Vision) Damn, it’s good to see Rich and Chris Robinson together again. This show, recorded during their read more...

Gram Parsons - Fallen Angel

Review of: Gram Parsons

Gram Parsons Fallen Angel A Film By Gandulf Hennig (Rhino) Gram Parsons was one of a kind, a pretty-boy with a trust fund and a whole lot of musical genius. He brought country music into the Byrds, performed with Paul Suratt in the read more...

Open Casket

Review of: Minton Sparks

Minton Sparks Open Casket (Ruckus Films) Minton Sparks is a wonderful storyteller. Her tales are true to life, southern fried stories made into free form poetry, set to a bed of music by John Jackson, Steve Conn, Pat FLynn read more...

A Salute to Hee Haw - Collector's Edition

Review of:

A Salute To Hee Haw Collector’s Edition (Time Life) This 5-disc DVD is jam packed with all the downright corny jokes and excellent musical performances that made Hee Haw a multi-generational success story. Hosted read more...

Robert Earl Keen - Live At The Ryman

Review of: Robert Earl Keen

Robert Earl Keen Live At The Ryman (Koch) The Ryman Auditorium is the best sounding music venue in the world. No wonder everyone wants to play there. Pair up that venue with the superior talent of singer-songwriter Rovert Earl Keen, read more...

Old Union & Mile 8 - October 29, 2005 EXIT/IN

Review of: Old Union

Old Union and Mile 8 October 29, 2005 EXIT/IN When two of Nashville’s favorite bands decided to stage the ultimate Halloween jam band concert, no one knew just how great the show would go down and what a fantastic DVD would come read more...

Country Music Changed My Life

Review of:

Country Music Changed My Life by Ken Burke (Chicago Review Press) My first exposure to Ken Burke was through his writings in Goldmine Magazine. His articles and reviews were always well written, and when Country Music read more...

Sing My Way Home: Voices of the New American Roots

Review of:

Sing My Way Home Voices of the New American Roots Rock by Keith and Kent Zimmerman (Backbeat Books) The Zimmerman brothers have really done their homework, and our libraries are just a little bit richer because of it. read more...

Hey Rube

Review of: Hunter S. Thompson

Hey Rube by Hunter S. Thompson (Simon and Schuster) When Hunter S. Thompson cashed in his chips, it was the end of one helluva game. One of America’s true treasures made an exit, and legions of devoted fans, including read more...

Honky Tonk Hero by Billy Joe Shaver

Review of: Billy Joe Shaver

Honky Tonk Hero by Billy Joe Shaver (University of Texas Press) Billy Joe Shaver had lead a very interesting life, to say the least. We have all been privy to certain chapters of the Texas singer/songwriter’s life by read more...

No Saints, No Saviors

Review of: The Allman Brothers Band

No Saints, No Saviors My Years With The Allman Brothers Band by Willie Perkins (Mercer University Press) Between the years of 1970 and 1989, Willie Perkins worked for the Allman Brother’s Band and as read more...

Between Rock And A Hard Place: Chuck Leavell

Review of: Chuck Leavell

Between Rock And A Hard Place Chuck Leavell with J. Marshall Craig (Mercer University Press) Chuck Leavell is a musician that has been around to see a lot of music history, and has been a big part of music history. In his new read more...

Lovesick Blues: The Life of Hank Williams

Review of: Hank Williams

Lovesick Blues: The Life Of Hank Williams by Paul Hemphill (Viking) So much has been written about Hank Williams Sr., arguably the greatest figure in country music, that it comes as a shock to find that a biography could be produced read more...

The Unsolved Murder of Lynyrd Skynyrd Bassist Leon

Review of: Lynyrd Skynyrd

The Unsolved Murder of Lynyrd Skynyrd Bassist Leon Wilkeson by Dale Bowman (Jaguar Publishing) When Leon Wilkeson was found dead in a Florida hotel back in 2001, the world not only lost a great bassist, but a totally unique, kind read more...

Rock 'N Blues Stew

Review of:

Rock 'N Blues Stew by Mitchell D. Lopate (Authorhouse) In his debut book, Gritz contributing writer Mitch Lopate collects many of his interviews, reviews, thoughts, essays, and commentaries into one fine volume. Many read more...

Skydog: The Duane Allman Story

Review of: The Allman Brothers Band

Skydog The Duane Allman Story by Randy Poe (Backbeat Books) I have been waiting on this book for years, and to coin a cliche, it was well worth the wait. Randy Poe has gone deep, digging through source material with read more...

Jammin' For Danny Joe Brown

Review of: Various Artists

(GWP Records) One of the most emotional all-star jams in recent history took place at Orlando, Florida's Club LaVela on July 18, 1999. A benefit to help offset the vast medical expenses of original Molly Hatchet lead singer Danny Joe Brown, the event , read more...

Pieces and Bits

Review of: Johnny Winter

(LLC) The long awaited video compilation produced by Val Minett (with Johnny's manager Teddy Slatus acting as Executive Producer) is now available, and it is nothing short of a beautiful thing. Previously unseen photos of Johnny taken by his wife Susan open read more...

Soldier of the Cross - The Concert

Review of: Ricky Skaggs

Ricky Skaggs and Kentucky Thunder (Skaggs Family) Ricky Skaggs brings his award winning gospel album Soldier Of The Cross to the stage for a rousing, spirit filled, bluegrass fueled set. Along with guest artists The Whites and Jerry read more...

Alison Krauss and Union Station - Live

Review of: Alison Krauss and Union Station

Alison Krauss and Union Station Live (Rounder Records CD/DVD) Alison Krauss and Union Station are on a roll. They have carved out an audience that supports their shows to the tune of sell-out after sell-out. Now, with the read more...

Lyve: The Vicious Cycle Tour

Review of: Lynyrd Skynyrd

(Sanctuary) Recorded live in Nashville at the Amsouth Amphitheater in July, 2003, Lyve is an excellent documentation of the highly successful Vicious Cycle tour the band has taken around the world during 2003. The set list features all of the read more...

Blues Story

Review of: Various Artists

(Shout! Factory) Up until now, the definitive blues documentary had to be Deep Blues, The Robert Palmer vehicle that took us all deep into the Delta on a ride we would never forget. Now comes a simple awesome chronicle of the blues genre, Blues Story, told by read more...

Live at The Beacon

Review of: The Allman Brothers Band

( Sanctuary) The Allman Brothers Band’s annual spring pilgrimage to New York’s Beacon Theatre has become a rock-n-roll ritual, and in 2003, the band returned again to the Beacon for another series of sold out shows featuring the current lineup of read more...

John D. Wyker & Eddie Hinton - Johnny Wyker Video

Review of: John D. Wyker & Eddie Hinton

(MFOV) Once in a very blue moon, something crosses my desk that is absolutely, without a doubt, totally unique. Well sir, they don’t come any more unique than my buddy John D. Wyker. But more than just being cool and unique “John Wyker Volume 1” is read more...

Heartworn Highways

Review of: Various Artists

(Catfish Entertainment/Snapper Music) In the early 1970’s outlaw country music came onto the scene to clear the air. The mainstream country music ideology of the day was known as the Nashville Sound, but folks like Willie and Waylon chose to do it read more...

All Star Bluegrass Celebration

Review of: Various Artists

(Sugar Hill) Both the DVD and the CD of this live show, recorded onstage at the revered Ryman Auditorium in Nashville, are absolutely indispensable to any lover of Bluegrass music. I mean, the cream of the crop of today’s pickers are on hand, and the read more...

Tom Dowd & The Language of Music

Review of: Tom Dowd

(Palm Pictures) thelanguageofmusic.com The documentary Rolling Stone calls “brilliant” and rock critic Dave Marsh cites as “ a truly beautiful picture,” pays read more...

Live From The Garden State

Review of: Marshall Tucker Band

The Marshall Tucker Band Live From The Garden State 1981 (Shout! Factory) During it’s very first year on television, MTV brought us real music, everything from punk to new wave, pop to Southern rock. It was during that read more...

The Legends, Live in 1971

Review of: Ike & Tina Turner

Ike and Tina Turner The Legends - Live in 1971 (Eagle Vision) Red hot, smokin’, funky, get down, Soul Train, sexy, sweaty, rhythm and blues soul, delivered by the masters. Filmed at the pinnacle read more...

The Man, His World, His Music

Review of: Johnny Cash

(Sanctuary) Watching this DVD is a little like looking at home movies. Actually, a lot of it is old home movies. And the fact that many of us children of the sixties and seventies felt like Johnny Cash was a part of our family, causes it all to make sense. read more...

Back Where It All Begins

Review of: Dickey Betts & Great Southern

Back Where It All Begins - Live At The Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Museum (Eaglevision) Like many, I was really and truly bummed out a few years ago when Dickey Betts left the Allman Brothers Band. I just knew it would read more...

Official Bootleg

Review of: Saturday Night Special Band

(www.saturdaynightspecialband) Talk about your “ultimate” Lynyrd Skynyrd tribute band. Saturday Night Special, a band of New York rockers with a real knack for duplicating the sound of the original Lynyrd Skynyrd, has all four aces up their read more...

Live From Austin, Texas Cash, Hiatt, Yoakam, & Tex

Review of: Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash John Hiatt Eric Johnson Dwight Yoakam Texas Tornados Live From Austin Texas - (New West) With the latest installment of DVD’s and CD’s culled from the archives of the read more...

CDB-DVD-Live

Review of: Charlie Daniels Band

(Koch) I could not have imagined a better DVD from our old friends The Charlie Daniels Band. In this, their first ever concert DVD, we get a full length, absolutely smoking live set from Charlie Daniels, Joel "Taz" DiGregorio, Charlie Hayward, Bruce read more...

Live At The Atlanta International Pop Festival

Review of: The Allman Brothers Band

The Allman Brothers Band Live At The Atlanta International Pop Festival (Columbia/Legacy) At the risk of sounding cliche, or even worse, like a fan-boy who lives and breathes in peach hues and mushroom induced hallucinations of grandeur, I just gotta say read more...

Trouble's Comin' Live

Review of: Southern Rock Allstars

Southern Rock Allstars Trouble’s Comin’ Live (southernrock.com) The Southern Rock Allstars have been rocking across the country and back again for years now, pleasing old fans and making new ones along the way. So when word read more...

Lyve - The Vicious Cycle Tour

Review of: Lynyrd Skynyrd

Lynyrd Skynyrd Lyve - The Vicious Cycle Tour (Sanctuary) Lynyrd Skynyrd is riding the wave of a true career resurgence. Not since the days of Ronnie Van Zant has the band been so heavily in the public eye. Last year’s Vicious Cycle was hailed by read more...

Drive Train

Review of: 38 Special

38 Special Drive Train (Sanctuary) This ain’t your father’s 38 Special,kids. 38 get their rocks out on Drive Train in what many are calling their best album ever. Yep, you heard right - ever.

Ghost Train From Georgia

Review of: Grinderswitch

Grinderswitch Ghost Train From Georgia (New South) On their first all-new album in 30 years Dru Lombar and his band turn in an utterly fantastic record. “Dixie Flyer” has already been getting good air play in Europe, and read more...

Southwest Stampede

Review of: The Winters Brothers Band

The Winters Brothers Band Southwest Stampede (SouthStar Records) Ladies and gentlemen, The Winters Brothers Band have delivered what may be their best album since their 1970’s debut. Southwest Stampede is a 12-song disc filled with read more...

Under The Influence

Review of: Various Artists

Under The Influence A Jam Band Tribute To Lynyrd Skynyrd (Sanctuary) First came Skynyrd Frynds, with an eclectic mix of country and pop stars covering the Ronnie Van Zant song book - then came Lonesome Skynyrd Time, read more...

Waterfront View

Review of: Tom Coerver

Tom Coerver Waterfront View (tomcoerver.com) Here’s proof once again that DIY and indie artists, nine times out of ten, are making better music than anything you will find on the major labels. On this, his read more...

Eddie Stone and Friends

Review of: Eddie Stone and Friends

Eddie Stone and Friends (Phoenix Music) Just like the good ol’ days of Capricorn Records, Eddie Stone and the folks at Phoenix Music have assembled a cool new Southern Rock album packed with great tunes and some heavy weight guest artists. Eddie, who read more...

Anthology

Review of: Marshall Tucker Band

The Marshall Tucker Band Anthology (Shout! Factory) As a homeboy fan of The Tucker Boys, I have seen the collected “hits” packaged, repackaged, and repackaged again. Some were winners, some were just more rehashes. But now, read more...

Corn Pickin' and Slick Slidin'

Review of: James Burton and Ralph Mooney

James Burton and Ralph Mooney Corn Pickin’ and Slick Slidin’ Merle Travis and Joe Maphis Country Music’s Two Guitar Greats Speedy West Steel Guitar (Sundazed) It’s no secret read more...

Straight To Hell

Review of: Hank Williams III

Hank III Straight To Hell (Bruc) The grandson of Hank Williams is a true original. He keeps you guessing. One minute, he is crooning a country ballad that would make grandpa proud, and the next minute he is rockin’ out punk read more...

Back To The Well

Review of: Lee Roy Parnell

Lee Roy Parnell Back To The Well (Universal South) Lee Roy Parnell is the mac daddy. He is a guitar player’s guitar player. We love to hear Lee Roy. And on Back To The Well, he dips deep into that cool water, and anyone who’s read more...

Roots, Blues, and Jazz

Review of: Bonnie Bramlett & The Mr. Groove Band

Bonnie Bramlett & The Mr. Groove Band Roots, Blues, and Jazz (ZOHO Music) The legendary Bonnie Bramlett has teamed up with the very excellent Mr.Groove Band for an outstanding recording featuring a couple of original songs and some read more...

Mellowicious

Review of: Marshall Chapman

Marshall Chapman Mellowicious (TallGirl) I’ve always felt that Marshall Chapman is a brilliant writer, and I’ve been following her career since her debut album, Me, I’m Feeling Free came out on Epic Records back in the read more...

Rebel Souls

Review of: Doc Holliday

Doc Holliday Rebel Souls (Phoenix) Doc Holliday pays apt tribute to some of their own musical heroes on their latest outing, Rebel Souls, including not only Southern brothers like The Allman Brothers Band, Marshall Tucker and Lynyrd read more...

Rocking The Mile

Review of: Rhythm Pigs

Rhythm Pigs Rocking The Mile (Swine) Drummer Timmy Fodrey says that Rocking The Mile is being released as a kind of buffer between the full length original album Stone Ground and their next original release coming in late 2006 . Rocking read more...

Gathering Dust

Review of: The Dust Devils

The Dust Devils Gathering Dust (Heritage) The Texas duo of Kevin Higgins and Barbara Maltese turn in a tight, creative country rock set filled with great lyrical stories, powerful melodies and addictive guitar work.

Out Of The Ashes

Review of: Jessi Colter

Jessi Colter Out Of The Ashes (Shout! Factory) Jessi Colter, widow of the King of Country Outlaws, Waylon Jennings, is back with what can only be called the finest album of her career. Produced by the enigmatic Don Was, read more...

Home

Review of: Delaney and Bonnie

Delaney and Bonnie Home (Stax) For their second album back in 1969, Delaney and Bonnie Bramlett found their true “home” among the black musicians at Stax Records. Backed by Booker T. and the MG’s and an read more...

What's Wrong With Right

Review of: Hacienda Brothers

Hacienda Brothers What’s Wrong With Right (Proper) The Hacienda Brothers, led by singer/songwriter Chris Gaffney and Dave Gonzalez, ripped up the charts with their debut album last year, a fantastic “Western Soul” read more...

That's How They Do It In Dixie

Review of: Hank Williams, Jr.

Hank Williams, Jr. That’s How They Do It In Dixie (Curb) Bocephus is back with the ultimate “Greatest Hits” collection, along with a pair of hot new tunes.”Stirrin’ It Up” is typical Hank, Jr., and the read more...

Thirds...& More

Review of: Tom Coerver

Tom Coerver & Goin’ South Thirds...& More (www.tomcoerver.com) Louisiana guitar slinger Tom Coerver is back, and on this his third album, he abandons the solo thing, teaming up with bassist Bill Doran and drummer read more...

It's Never Too Late

Review of: Donna Hall

Donna Hall It’s Never Too Late (donnahall.net) For those of us who have followed Donna Hall as backup singer for Wet Willie since the early 70’s, this one has been a long time coming. Like the title says, “It’s read more...

Amsterdam Live

Review of: Big Bill Broonzy

Big Bill Broonzy Amsterdam Live (Munich Records) The Big Bill Broonzy boxed set features live performances from two outstanding shows recorded in Amsterdam back in 1953. The songs are supplemented with Bill’s story telling.

Shell-Shocked

Review of: David Kimbrough Jr.

David Kimbrough Jr. Shell-Shocked (Blues Cool Records) David Kimbrough, the son of the late and great North Mississippi bluesman Junior Kimbrough, recorded this album called “Shell-Shocked” less than a week after getting out read more...

29 Dances

Review of: Jan Smith

Jan Smith 29 Dances (Landslide Records) I am always leery when I get CDs in the mail such as Jan Smith’s “29 Dances” - original songwriter I’ve never heard of, singing her own stuff on a small label, with some read more...

The Soul Jazz Sessions

Review of: Moe Denham

Moe Denham The Soul Jazz Sessions (Thortch Recordings ) Back in the day, some of the coolest vinyl recordings that you could find would be by the Hammond B-3 organ artists who would kick it up on the keyboards and totally swing it. read more...

Rebel Meets Rebel

Review of: David Allan Coe & Cowboys From Hell

David Allan Coe & Cowboys From Hell Rebel Meets Rebel (Big Vin Records) Country’s favorite outlaw teams up with his pals from Pantera to rock the freakin’ roof off the house, blending metal and country into something read more...

Goodbye Guitar

Review of: Tony Gilkyson

Tony Gilkyson Goodbye Guitar (Rolling Sea Records) Tony Gilkyson has been there and done that in the music world. His father, Terry Gilkyson, was a songwriter for the Disney Company who wrote well-known songs such as “Memories Are read more...

King Karma

Review of: King Karma

King Karma (Centurion) King Karma rocks, ladys and gentlemen.They embody everything we loved about Zeppelin, Sammy Hagar, Montrose and early Aerosmith, all wrapped up neatly in a Southern package. The record was produced by none other read more...

Live & Lost

Review of: Copperhead

Copperhead Live & Lost (Eastwinds) According to the liner notes, this is “the last chapter from this storied band from Lake James, NC.” I don’t know their current status but on this disc, they kick some serious ass! read more...

American Minor

Review of: American Minor

American Minor American Minor (Red Ink) When Rob McCutcheon’s wailing vocals and the twin guitar attack of Bud Carroll and Josh Gragg enter on ‘Walk On’ it’s immediately obvious that you’re about to read more...

Playing Around - The Songwriter Sessions Vol. 2

Review of: Eddie Hinton

(Zane) When the word went around that there was another volume of unreleased Hinton material about to hit that was amazing enough - but not enough to prepare for just how good it was going to be. 18 studio tracks and two ‘bonus’ live recordings read more...

Beyond The Horizon

Review of: Marshall Tucker Band

The Marshall Tucker Band Beyond The Horizon (Shout! Factory) It’s been a while since we’ve heard a new album from The Marshall Tucker Band, but boy howdy - it was worth the wait, sports fans. The current lineup read more...

Live At Bonnaroo

Review of: Warren Haynes

Warren Haynes Live At Bonnaroo (ATO) Around these parts, we all agree on one thing. Warren Haynes is “da man.” This Asheville, N.C. born musician does it all, and does it well. From his band Gov’t Mule to his position read more...

Deja Voodoo

Review of: Gov't Mule

Gov’t Mule Deja Voodoo (ATO) The Mule is back! On this, the band’s first release since finding permanent replacements for the late Allen Woody (it takes two to fill the Wood man’s shoes) - Andy Hess on bass and Danny read more...

Lonely Runs Both Ways

Review of: Alison Krauss and Union Station

Alison Krauss and Union Station feat; Jerry Douglas Lonely Runs Both Ways (Rounder Records) The new album, Lonely Runs Both Ways, by read more...

Double Wide & Live

Review of: Southern Culture On The Skids

Southern Culture On The Skids Double Wide & Live (Yep Roc) The South’s #1 party band is back with a red-hot, Dixie-fried, live set that smokes from beginning to end. Recorded live in Chapel Hill, North Carolina,

Thank You, Mark

Review of: Danielle Howle

Danielle Howle Thank You, Mark (Valley ENT) South Carolina girl Danielle Howle returns with one of her best records ever, full of personality and intelligent lyrics. The read more...

Under Pressure

Review of: Duwayne Burnside and the Mississippi Mafia

Duwayne Burnside and the Mississippi Mafia Under Pressure (Blues Cool Records) Duwayne Burnside has stepped up with a new recording of his own called Under read more...

Kevn Kinney's Sun Tangled Angel Revival

Review of: Kevn Kinney

(Compadre) Singer-songwriter, troubadour, former Drivin’ and Cryin’ front man Kevn Kinney has assembled his own Southern theme album, with help from Gibb Droll, Bryan Howard and Dave Johnson along with Dave Schools, Edwin McCain, and a slew of others, and read more...

Billy and the Kid

Review of: Billy Joe Shaver

Billy Joe Shaver Billy and the Kid (Compadre Records) Tinkering with unfinished recordings made by a gifted artist can be a tricky proposition. From the Beatles’ “Free As A Bird” to countless similar efforts (Townes Van Zandt’s A read more...

Try A Little Kindness

Review of: Bobby Osborne and the Rocky Top X-press

Bobby Osborne and the Rocky Top X-press Try A Little Kindness (Rounder Records) Well, what the heck do you do when you’ve had a 50-year career in music with your brother, having won award after award, having been inducted into read more...

This Old Road

Review of: Kris Kristofferson

Kris Kristofferson This Old Road (New West) One of America’s all time greatest song-writers is back, stripped bare of any ornamental musical enhancements, just the man and his wonderful songs. Producer Don Was has once again woven read more...

Taking The Long Way

Review of: Dixie Chicks

The Dixie Chicks Taking The Long Way (Columbia) Since the release of their last album, 2002's Home, the Dixie Chicks have been ridiculed, scorned, banned from country radio and called out onto the carpet a gazillion times read more...

Live From Across The Pond

Review of: Robert Cray

Robert Cray Band Live From Across The Pond (Nozzle/Vanguard) I remember the exact moment in time when I first heard Robert Cray. I was sharing a place in Union, SC with my buddy Gregg, who played guitar in a band with me. The read more...

Heard It In A Love Song

Review of: Mark Chesnutt

Mark Chesnutt Heard It in A Love Song (CBUJ Ent) It wasn’t just the title of this album that caught my eye, although anyone who reads my writings on a regular basis knows just how big a fan I am of The read more...

Bougainvillea's Call

Review of: Dickey Betts

Dickey Betts Bougainvillea’s Call The Very Best of 1973-1988 (Raven) This excellent compilation includes all the best of Dickey Betts’ best work between the mid-seventy and late 1980’s. The lone Allman read more...

Where A Country Boy Belongs

Review of: Marshall Tucker Band

The Marshall Tucker Band Where A Country Boy Belongs (Shout!Factory) This compilation collects the cream of the crop of country flavored tracks from The Marshall Tucker Band, from the beginning in 1972 all the way up to 2006 read more...

Where We All Belong

Review of: Marshall Tucker Band

Where We All Belong The Marshall Tucker Band (CD Shout! Factory) (Review of Vinyl) MTB singer Doug Gray says that this is his favorite MTB album, and I can see why. Released in 1974 on Capricorn Records as a two read more...

Lady's Choice

Review of: Bonnie Bramlett

Lady's Choice Bonnie Bramlett (Capricorn Records CP-0169) 1976 Produced by Johnny Sandlin Recorded at Muscle Shoals Sound Studio Engineered by Sam Whiteside and Carolyn Harris Talk about a read more...

Mad Dogs and Okies

Review of: Jamie Oldaker

Jamie Oldaker’s Mad Dogs & Okies (Concord) Rock n’ roll drummer Jamie Oldaker, best known for his work with Eric Clapton, has assembled a magnificent all-star cast for “Mad Dogs & Okies,” with read more...

The Essential Marty Robbins

Review of: Marty Robbins

Marty Robbins The Essential (Columbia/Legacy) During his 30 year recording career, Marty Robbins was not only considered one of country music’s finest singers, but also one of Columbia’s best selling pop artists. “ A read more...

Classic Southern Gospel

Review of: Various Artists

Various Artists Classic Southern Gospel (Smithsonian Folkways) Sixty minutes of gospel hymns delivered by classic bluegrass artists like Bill Monroe, Red Allen, The Watson Family, The Country Gentlemen, and The Indian Bottom Association read more...

Mile Markers

Review of: Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash

Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash Mile Markers (Texas Cali Records) To answer the obvious first question,yes, prior to his passing, the man in black himself gave these guys permission to use his name within their own. How read more...

Year Of The Cock

Review of: Fiddleworms

Fiddleworms Year Of The Cock (Heart of Gold) Alabama’s own Fiddleworms are the next big name in jam bands. Yep, you read it here first, well, I assume you read it here first, anyway. The guys have a unique sound with read more...

Steamy

Review of: Heaven Davis

Heaven Davis Steamy (Wildchild Davis Records) I have to thank Tommy Crain for turning me onto the sweet soulful blues diva Heaven Davis. Man oh man, can this lady sing. This CD features outstanding songs, played with absolute read more...

This World Is Not My Home

Review of: Amy Levere

Amy Levere This World Is Not My Home (Archer) My first spin of Amy LaVere’s new CD evoked memories of my first exposure to Norah Jones or Jewel. They all have one thing in common, real star quality. Amy is assisted by some read more...

Cradle To The Grave

Review of: Liquid Groove Mojo

Liquid Groove Mojo Cradle To The Grave (Miracle Records) Man, oh man, these guys are good. Say you long for the tasty slide of Duane Allman? Well don’t we all? Joe Pitts seems to really channel Skydog at times on slide, read more...

It Is What It Is

Review of: Rebel Pride

Rebel Pride It Is What It Is (RP 032005) Every once in awhile, a band comes along that puts the “rock” back in Southern rock. Florida’s Rebel Pride is one of those. From the very opening riffs of “Stomp read more...

Flying Under The Radar

Review of: Kentucky Headhunters

Kentucky Headhunters Flying Under The Radar (CBuJ Entertainment) I don’t care what you say, The Kentucky Headhunters are a Southern Rock band. You can feel it in the music. Not only that, but read more...

Lost in America

Review of: Edwin McCain

Edwin McCain Lost In America (Vanguard) Here in Greenville, SC everyone seems to know Edwin McCain. It reminds me of growing up in Spartanburg (just 30 miles away) during the 1970’s when everyone “knew” The read more...

Highway Companion

Review of: Tom Petty

Tom Petty Highway Companion (American) Tom Petty is back kids. One of the most enduring, talented artists to ever mine the field called classic rock, Petty never seems to fail. Highway Companion is loaded with excellent read more...

Sugar Hill Records: A Retrospective

Review of: Various Artists

Sugar Hill Records A Retrospective (Sugar Hill) Sugar Hill has assembled a 25 -year retrospective boxed set that is absolutely amazing. Four discs, 81 tracks and a DVD featuring artist interviews, videos and more. Not a back track, from read more...

Longest Meow

Review of: Bobby Bare, Jr.

Bobby Bare Jr Longest Meow (Bloodshot) Bare, Jr. is back with an awesome record that vacilates between a seventies glam rock vibe, psychedelic Pink Floyd flavor and down and dirty 4-wheelin’ Southern Rock. Co-written with read more...

Green Winter

Review of: Love Tractor

Love Tractor Green Winter (Fundamental) I have always liked Love Tractor, and with Green Winter, the Athens, Georgia band once again turns in an excellent album. This is the second record in less than a year from the read more...

A Hot Piece of Grass

Review of: Hayseed Dixie

Hayseed Dixie A Hot Piece of Grass (CKV) I have been a fan of Hayseed Dixie for years now. Their tongue in cheek approach to rock-n-roll played bluegrass style has provided at least two great records, one a tribute to AC/DC and read more...

The Best Kept Secret

Review of: Jerry Douglas

Jerry Douglas The Best Kept Secret (Koch) Hands down, Jerry Douglas is the best Dobro picker ever, but besides that, he is a major innovator. The Bluegrass icon has turned out another of his “virtually bluegrass - read more...

Kingdom of XII

Review of: Molly Hatchet

Kingdom of  XII Molly Hatchet (Sanctuary) 2000 Kingdom of  XII is a true Molly Hatchet classic, beginning with the Vietnam veteran tribute "Heart Of The USA", and including the outlaw anthem read more...

Flirtin' With Disaster

Review of: Molly Hatchet

Flirtin with Disaster Molly Hatchet (Epic) 1979 There’s no arguing the fact that Flirtin’ with Disaster is one of Southern Rock’s most classic Lps.  It’s Southern Rock the way it was meant read more...

Molly Hatchet

Review of: Molly Hatchet

Molly Hatchet (Epic) 1978 Hatchet’s first album remains their finest to this day, kicking off in fifth gear with “Bounty Hunter” and never missing a beat as they lunge into “Gator Country,” a song that basically read more...

Ignoring All The Warning Signs

Review of: Chris Berardo & The DesBerardos

Chris Berardo & The Desberardos Ignoring All The Warning Signs (Lamon Records) Chris Berardo embodies everything I love about poplar music - a pleasing voice, beautiful melodies and hooks, well crafted lyrics. Shades of The read more...

High and Mighty

Review of: Gov't Mule

Gov’t Mule High and Mighty (ATO) What can be written about Asheville, NC native Warren Haynes that hasn’t been written before? Not much. Besides being the new “hardest working man in show business,” Haynes has read more...

American V: A Hundred Highways

Review of: Johnny Cash

Johnny Cash American V: A Hundred Highways (American/Lost Highway) Let me just start by saying that this is a beautiful album. I just can’t stop listening to it. I am, like many others, a huge Johnny Cash fan. Have been my read more...

Friends Of Old Time Music

Review of: Various Artists

Friends Of Old Time Music The Folk Arrival 1961-1965 (Smithsonian Folkways) Between 1961 and 1965, New York’s Friends of Old Time Music presented 14 concerts that introduced dozens of traditional musicians to city folk for the very read more...

Hooker

Review of: John Lee Hooker

John Lee Hooker Hooker (Boxed Set) (Shout! Factory) In a beautiful 4-CD set that both begins and ends with his most well known hit “Boogie Chillin,” blues legend John Lee Hooker is given all due respect with a read more...

Last Man Standing

Review of: Jerry Lee Lewis

Jerry Lee Lewis Last Man Standing (Artist First)

Nashville

Review of: Solomon Burke

Solomon Burke Nashville (Shout!Factory)

Stompin' Room Only

Review of: Marshall Tucker Band

The Marshall Tucker Band Stompin’ Room Only (Shout! Factory) Who says you can’t go back? With Stompin’ Room Only, we get a chance to read more...

Donnie Fritts and Friends

Review of: Various Artists

Donnie Fritts and Friends Norton Auditorium University of North Alabama Florence, AL January 22, 2000 Donnie Fritts began his lifetime in music read more...

Chock Full Of Country Goodness

Review of: Amazing Rhythm Aces

Amazing Rhythm Aces "Chock Full Of Country Goodness" Breaker Productions Born out of soul music's ashes, this six man ensemble played country music - meaning the music defined by Hank Williams, Bill Monroe, Bob Wills, and sometimes Al read more...