It’s been kind of … newsy … this week, y’all. We’re thankful for music to soothe troubled hearts and to help speak our minds when sometimes it’s hard to find words. (Check here for a roundup of reactions to President Trump’s inauguration from roots artists. You just know some good songs are on the way soon.) It seems like a good time to remind everyone that here at No Depression, we traffic only in actual facts (or informed opinions) — the only “alternative” here is alternative country. In other words, we’d never lie to you, baby, so here’s some real, non-fake news you can use from the past week.
It’s hard to find a music lover who doesn’t also love movies, so let’s take a look at what films have been nominated for Oscars. There’s not a lot of twang among those music nominees, but it’s real good stuff nonetheless. [Oscar.go.com]
If you’re feeling a little bleak about the future, know there’s good music coming, at least. The smart folks at the Southern Folklife Collection at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill have dug up some rare gems that Yep Roc Records will put out for all the world to hear. First up: Dolly Parton’s first single, “Puppy Love.” [Yep Roc]
Another release bound to pique your interest is a new one from the Kinks’ Ray Davies. On Americana, he takes a hard look at America — and is backed by none other than the Jayhawks. [NPR]
Maggie Roche, who wrote songs and sang stunning harmonies with her sisters Suzzy and Terre with The Roches, died Saturday of breast cancer, at age 65. “She was a private person, too sensitive and shy for this world, but brimming with life, love, and talent,” Suzzy Roche wrote in announcing her sister’s death on Facebook. [New York Times]
For all you sound geeks, the world’s first “acoustically perfect” concert hall has made its debut in Germany. It’s got 10,000 acoustic tiles on the ceilings and walls, each of them unique, but besides that, it’s gorgeous. [Consequence of Sound]
We’ll leave you with perhaps our favorite moment of the week, which took place at the National Association of Music Merchants conference in Anaheim, Calif. As singer Grayson Erhard entertained folks in a hotel lobby with his rendition of “Superstition,” who should walk in but … Stevie Wonder. Wonder joined Erhard onstage, helped him out with the lyrics a bit, and magic was made. [Rolling Stone]
