Editor’s note: This article originally appeared in the Spring 2016/Roots & Branches issue of No Depression in print. When we’re not running a summer subscription drive (now through June 15), the stories in the ND journal are exclusive to print. Subscribe […]
With his suit and tie, ever-present cowboy hat, and I’ve-seen-it-all eyes, Junior Brown looks like he’s from the classic country era. Once he starts singing, though, it becomes clear that he’s no retro act. His songs are rooted in classic […]
You’d think Peter Harper would have taken up music early. He comes from a musical family, he spent much of his childhood in an instrument shop, and his brother is Grammy-award-winning rock star Ben Harper. But Harper’s a bit of […]
When Slaid Cleaves started writing songs, he would just come up with new verses to Hank Williams’ tunes. Once he had three or four verses, he would change the melody slightly, and— voilá—he had a song. “I used to feel […]
Sara Watkins grew up playing bluegrass. A gifted fiddler, singer and songwriter, she was just 8 years old when she first put bow to string. For the next 18 years, she played alongside her brother Sean Watkins and 2012 Genius Grant […]
A mini roots round-up by Cat Johnson Larry Stephenson – What Really Matters (Compass) Bluegrass veteran Larry Stephenson has a brand new batch of uplifting, insightful and personal songs to add to his impressive catalog. Driven by his clear, sweet […]
Dear Etta, Well, as of this morning, you’re in the hospital being kept alive with a breathing machine while your family battles over your estate. Ouch. Probably not what you had hoped your final days would look like. I’m really […]
by Cat Johnson The fact that indie-roots band The Builders and the Butchers hails from Portland may not be anything to write home about. That its members are originally from Alaska thickens the story a bit. That it formed in […]
by Cat Johnson Hailing from Santa Cruz, Calif., Americana outfit Tether Horse is quickly becoming a favorite of the local roots crowd. Formed in 2008, the band got its name from something that frontman/songwriter Matthew Joe Chaney saw […]
by Cat Johnson Catie Curtis is one of those artists that I feel like I’ve grown up in parallel with. From her heartfelt and innocent early music, to her work as a woman getting in touch with her deeper layers, […]
