I noticed a few freshly shaved faces once December rolled around, as many guys donated to men’s health charities with “No Shave November” and “Movember” events. Roots music of late embraces the beard, so much so that beard care products are frequently on merch tables. This week’s Podcast Corner collects a few folks featuring fabulous facial hair, highlighting Spooner Oldham, Willy Tea Taylor, and Ben Miller Band.
Spooner Oldham is in the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame and Musicians Hall of Fame, as well as on nearly every excellent album to come out of Muscle Shoals (and Memphis and Los Angeles) since the 1960s. The legendary keyboard player and songwriter is known for his Southern Soul and rock tour support, as well. One of hundreds of Dan Penn and Spooner Oldham tunes is featured in this week’s Americana Music Show podcast.
Willy Tea Taylor‘s latest album, Knuckleball Prime, is on Blackwing Music, a label under the California-based pencil company with a penchant for great music. I once watched an online concert from their lobby featuring Ted Russell Kamp. (Disclosure: Blackwing once sent me a box of Blackwing 602s because I posted about how they are the only pencils that do not smear for lefties like me. Just good marketing on their part; we have no relationship.) Taylor also sports notable facial hair. He is featured in this week’s Freight Train Boogie podcast.
Ben Miller Band hails from Joplin, Missouri, and toured relentlessly in a van for years. All three of the guys represent our bearded brethren. With gloves modified with pickups for the washboard and other home-crafted instrumentation meshed with technology, this trio is mesmerizing to watch live — and exhausting! They rock hard. Ben Miller Band is featured in this week’s Country Fried Rock podcast.
Click the arrows below to scroll to each of this week’s podcasts and find the links to listen!
