Amythyst Kiah - Hardly Strictly Bluegrass 2022 - Photo by Peter Dervin
No Depression readers know that Black musicians have always been essential to the story of roots music, and now the rest of the world is starting to take notice. An article last week in T, The New York Times Style Magazine, traces the contributions of Black folk musicians from the early 20th century to today, framed as both history and a very contemporary mission. Artists like Dom Flemons, Rhiannon Giddens, Amythyst Kiah, Jake Blount, and Tray Wellington are challenging the perception of roots music as the province of white people and not only claiming, but reclaiming, their place on the stage. The next question is how to get audiences to similarly diversify. Read the full article here, and, exclusively for New York Times subscribers, don’t miss this fantastic accompanying video.
It’s been a couple years since Kacey Musgraves’ last album, Star-Crossed (ND review), but she’s been staying plenty busy. For Musgraves, 2023 has been the year of duets, as Rolling Stone points out in this article. She already made a splash joining Zach Bryan on “I Remember Everything,” from his self-titled album that came out in August (ND review). And her duet vocals added a new dimension to Noah Kahan’s “She Calls Me Back,” which he revisited on a recent update to his 2022 breakthrough album Stick Season (you can read an interview with Kahan in our upcoming Winter 2023 journal). This week she marked yet another powerful collaboration with Madi Diaz on “Don’t Do Me Good,” a single from Diaz’s new album, Weird Faith, coming in February. You can check that out below:
The nonprofit Music Maker Foundation has been hard at work since 1994 supporting traditional musicians and making sure their contributions continue. Among the artists they’ve helped with housing and other basic needs, performance opportunities, and album releases are Algia Mae Hinton, Cool John Ferguson, The Glorifying Vines Sisters, Martha Spencer, Larry & Joe, and Beverly “Guitar” Watkins. But they need help from music fans to keep that support — and the music — going. Learn more and donate here; donations in November are being matched up to $50,000. You can also hear straight from artists in this video how Music Maker, with support from its donors, has made a difference in their lives.
WHAT WE’RE LISTENING TO
Here’s a sampling of the songs, albums, bands, and sounds No Depression staffers have been into this week:
Willi Carlisle – “When the Pills Wear Off,” from his new album, Critterland, coming in January (a portion of proceeds from streams and sales of the song will go to Hope in the Hills)
Mindy Smith – “Little Wings”
Jake Xerxes Fussell – Good and Green Again
Secret Emchy Society – “Burn the Bridge”
Noah Kahan with Hozier – “Northern Attitude”
Lucius – “Stranger Danger”
Emily Hackett & Hadley Kennary – “Growing Apart”
Jess Jocoy – “Our Little World”
Shay Martin Lovette – “Dark November,” from his new EP, True As They Come, coming in April
Nefesh Mountain – “More Love,” a Tim O’Brien cover from their new EP, The Cabin Sessions, coming in February
Katie Pruitt – “Blood Related”
