www.erichisaw.com

Eric Hisaw (pronounced High Saw) has been in the game long enough for one reviewer to describe him as a "journeyman" musician. There's no disrespect in that label, suggesting as it does someone who'll get the job done, and get it done well. After twenty years or so in the business you suspect the possibility of stardom has passed him by, but…

http://www.joeyandrory.com/ 

Surprised to find they had a winning combination in Joey's voice, Rory's songs and their collective homely charm, this husband and wife team are catching their wave with a set of Christmas songs that invite you to share the vibe of their Tennessee farmhouse home at this time of year. These songs are currently being toured around the States…

www.kimmierhodes.com

Originally released twelve months ago, Miracles On Christmas Day is set for re-release this December and  there are probably those who buy albums to be dragged out at this time of year, as part of their own personal Christmas traditions. With nine original new songs, Miracles does benefit from avoiding…

www.redhouserecords.com

Groove master, Canadian-born, Austin residing guitarist and harmonica act Ray Bonneville follows up his genial 2008 album, Goin’ By Feel with another storming record. Bonneville’s full-bodied music is something to behold and compared to that of Mark Knopfler, Chris Smither, Ray Wylie Hubbard and a man who plays on the album Gurf Morlix…

www.signaturesounds.com

www.thesweetbacksisters.com

The SweetBack Sisters are primarily Emily Miller (lead, harmony vocals) and Zara Bode (lead and harmony vocals plus a little acoustic…

http://www.rootstime.be/CD%20REVIEUW/2011/NOV1/CD74.html

LORETTA LYNN —YOUR SQUAW IS ON THE WARPATH / FIST CITY (Raven Records)

www.ravenrecords.com.au

Two superb albums on one cd plus, bonus tracks can’t be bad and it isn’t! For not only does the listener get to enjoy two classic albums from Lynn of the late 1960s but a handful of tracks from her 1970s ‘Loretta Lynn Writes ‘Em And Sings ‘Em’ album and others too!

It is wall-to-wall good stuff framed…

www.deadlygentlemen.com 

              Bluegrass like you've never heard it from a predominantly young band playing in a furious blur of energy, enthusiasm and skill. Fronted by Greg Liszt, banjo wizard from Crooked Still, The Deadly Gentlemen play songs that are never straightforward but fizz with energy and invention as they burst off in…

I think this just might be a bit special; the story goes that Ally MacLeod, sometime film-maker,  dance teacher and New York City resident, was back home in the Highlands doing some work with Martin Stephenson (sometime Daintee, all-round musical wonder). Discussing their shared love of country music, Martin asked Ally to sing him a song.  I suspect he had to pick his jaw up off the floor by the time…

I woke up to floods of face book tributes for my friend Jackie Leven and soon found myself in floods of tears, Ive posted his Coffee Shop Session recorded nearly a year ago, to veetle with a heavy heart and as a tribute to him and his art. If you would like to remember him, listen…

An eight-year wait; two people, two guitars, one banjo, a harmonica or two, twenty-three songs, four standing ovations, three encores, an 1800 capacity crowd – yes it was the much anticipated first night of Gillian Welch’s 2011 UK tour.   

Although all the pre-show publicity suggests that it is Welch alone, of course her long-term musical partner, Dave Rawlings, accompanied her – and how! The man is a genius on guitar and stands up against the very best you will ever see.…

www.largerivermusic.com

www.katecampbell.com

Singer-songwriter Kate Campbell has long been one of those whose work I have championed. Her studious songs are of the kind that edge their way…

www.myspace.com/michaellonesomeplayboys 

Californian Michael Ubaldini has been maki ng music in the areas where country meets rock and roll for the better part of two decades. Sometimes the…

FTB podcast #140 features the new album by THE DEEP DARK WOODS called The Place I Left Behind. Also new music from SONS OF FATHERS, NIKKI LANE and THE INFAMOUS…

www.franc-cinelli.com 

Born in Rome, raised in London, Franc Cinelli has been working his musical apprenticeship over the last few years, releasing a favourably received album, Glue, back in 2008. I'm writing this whilst Franc plays an album launch party in London, which I think he's playing solo. There's two sides to Franc's music; on…

www.grahamrobins.com  

So, where has Graham Robins been all our lives? A man of mature years, it is safe to say, this is just his third album in 40-odd years of being a working musician - and it's really very good indeed. Distilling soul, country and jazz, Graham Robins has the voice, the hat and the look to come over as something of a Van Morrison doppelganger. When an artist comes so close to sounding…

www.jasonandpharis.com 

Hmmm… who are these guys? Well Pharis and Jason Romero are North American old-time musicians who live in a log cabin deep in woods of British Columbia. Pharis is a wonderful, sweet-toned vocalist possessing hints of Gillian Welch while Jason is a banjo picker, vocalist and as is the…