Avett Brothers Movie, “Joshua Tree,” and Why Bands Should Never Neglect to Sell T-Shirts

Just for a moment, let me indulge in that most obnoxious of fan brags, the dreaded “I saw them before they got big.” It was MerleFest, a million years ago (early aughts, to be slightly more precise), and I was making my way to some big stage when the sounds from a tiny stage, in the distinctly uncoveted 11 a.m. slot, caught my ear. I forget what I was walking over to see, but I remember well that I stopped in my tracks, grabbed my friend’s arm, and without a word (and with no resistance from him, since he’d heard the same thing I did) we changed course and went to that small stage, like moths to a flame. With only a sparse handful of people watching, the Avett Brothers — just Scott and Seth Avett and bassist Bob Crawford back then — were tearing it up. And we knew that their days of uncoveted time slots and tiny stages were numbered. Which, of course, was correct. Many albums later (and a whole lot more band members, lately), the Avett Brothers are the subject of a new documentary, May It Last: A Portrait of the Avett Brothers, co-produced by Judd Apatow. HBO recently purchased the rights to the film, though it hasn’t yet announced when it will air. But you can be sure I’ll tune in. [(Raleigh, NC) News & Observer]

While I’m fangirl-ing, I’ll risk roots readers’ ire by mentioning that last week was the 30th (!) anniversary of U2’s Joshua Tree. Maybe they’re not so rootsy (though this article makes some interesting points to the contrary), but my own roots — I was 10 when the album came out and just starting to think my own thoughts about music — run deep with these songs. And I bet I’m not alone. [Consequence of Sound]

Last weekend’s New York Times Magazine took a stab at mapping where music is going, based on 25 songs (which you can hear as you read in this cool interactive story). Included on the list are Adele, Leonard Cohen, Charles Bradley, Rufus Wainwright, and James McMurtry. [The New York Times Magazine]

Why T-shirts matter, and what you’re really selling as a band, according to the very colorful Martin Atkins, author of “Welcome to the Music Business, You’re F—ed!” [NPR]

“It has been determined that Gregg Allman will not be touring in 2017,” reads a message — with no further details — on Allman’s website. [Rolling Stone]

Don Warden, steel guitarist and longtime manager to Dolly Parton, died Saturday at age 87. [The Boot] 

New music on the horizon from Jason Isbell, the Mammals (they’re back!), a new pairing of Courtney Barnett and Kurt Vile, and Conor Oberst.