BONUS TRACKS: A Tour of 50 States in 49 Days, A Big Break From Merch Cuts, and More

Touring can take artists to a dizzying number of states in quick succession, that’s nothing new. But Devon Allman and Donavon Frankenreiter decided a few weeks ago to pick up the pace even more, setting out to play a show in all 50 states within 49 days. Kicking off their See It All America tour Aug. 5 with a show in Maryland, then Pennsylvania the same day, they performed songs from their recent collaborative EP, Rollers, and from each of their catalogs. Logging more than 14,000 miles on a bus, plus same-day flights in and out of Hawaii and Alaska, they wrapped up Sept. 22 in California at Frankenreiter’s BeachLife Ranch festival. The feat beats the previous Guinness World Record for “Fastest Time to Play a Concert in Each of the 50 US States,” which was 50 days, set by Adam Brodsky in 2003. Read more about Allman and Frankenreiter’s path to this crazy idea, plus their route through big cities and small towns across America, in this story from Rolling Stone.

In a program called “On the Road Again” developed with Willie Nelson, Live Nation announced this week that it is dropping merch cuts from its contracts with artists at around 80 of its clubs, meaning artists will keep all of the money they make from merch table sales instead of having to pay a percentage to the venue. (Check out our merch cuts story from 2022 for more about how that usually works and why artists hate it.) The program will also pay artists a $1,500 stipend per show for gas and travel expenses and offer bonuses to crew — though details of that part of the program were not specified. It seems like a sorely needed win for artists, but the National Independent Venue Association (NIVA) isn’t so sure. In a statement to Consequence, NIVA cast the program as “temporary measures” and expressed concern that it’s an attempt to “squeeze out independent venues.” Independent venues, of course, have always been free to waive merch cuts. And in fact the #MyMerch campaign from the Union of Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW) has spent the last year encouraging venues to do just that. You can check this list to see whether your favorite local venues have pledged to end that practice, and if not, feel free to ask them why.

Red carpet interviews are usually pretty superficial, but several folks walking the red carpet outside the Ryman Auditorium before the Americana Music Honors & Awards show last week had some deep things to say about what holds Americana together as a genre. For Brandi Carlile, “it’s based on an ideology of inclusion.” Read more of her thoughts, plus what others think of who the genre includes (and who it needs to do a better job of including), in this piece from Variety. You can read ND’s own recap, including photos from the red carpet, the awards show, and showcases around town last week, here.

Singer-songwriter Emma Swift shared tough news this week that she’s recovering from “a severe nervous breakdown/mental health collapse” she had back in May. On a GoFundMe page launched to help cover her medical and living expenses, Swift says she was hospitalized for five weeks, and while she’s now home, she’s been advised that her recovery will be slow. She’s continued to struggle with her mental health and is unable to work. To learn more and to donate, visit her GoFundMe page here. Swift’s most recent album was 2020’s Blonde on the Tracks, an album of Bob Dylan covers (ND review).

WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO

A sampling of the songs, albums, bands, and sounds No Depression staffers have been into this week:

Glen Hansard – “There’s No Mountain,” from his new album, All That Was East Is West of Me Now, coming in October
Alice Gerrard – “Sun to Sun,” the title track from her new album, coming in October
Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway – “San Joaquin”
Arny Margret – dinner alone [EP]
Dusk – “Dusk”
Black Pumas – “Mrs. Postman,” from their new album, Chronicles of a Diamond, coming in October

Allison Russell – The Returner
Trace Mountains – Lost in the Country
Abby Hamilton – “Whatever Helps You Sleep”
Edan Archer – “No Good Johnny”
Yebba – “The Age of Worry”
Jeff Rosenstock – Hellmode
Juliana Hatfield – “Telephone Line”
The Staves – “You Held It All”
The Wandering Hearts – “About America”
Anya Hinkle – “Fortuna”