HELLO GOODBYE: Tex-Mex supergroup LOS SUPER SEVEN have re-assembled for a third album. Raul Malo, Rick Trevino, Flaco Jimenez, Joe Ely and Freddy Fender return from the earlier outings, while Delbert McClinton, John Hiatt, Clarence “Gatemouth” Brown and Redd Volkaert are among the new recruits this time around. The disc, Heard It On The X, is scheduled for a March release on Telarc….
It’s not really an original Jayhawks reunion per se, but GARY LOURIS and MARK OLSON are teaming up to tour together for about three weeks from mid-February to early March in the east and midwest. The two songwriters, backed by a drummer, will play songs from their respective catalogues and also from their days as Jayhawks bandmates. There are also tentative plans for additional dates in other parts of the country later in the year….
New West Records band SLOBBERBONE announced in December that they will call it quits in early 2005. After a New Year’s Eve date in Dallas, they plan a handful of shows in other cities before a final gig in their hometown of Denton, Texas.
AUSTIN CITY LIMITS: While thousands will be packing their bags and heading to Austin in March for SXSW, the GREENCARDS have loaded up their gear and moved to Nashville. Their new album, the aptly named Moving On, comes out on Dualtone in January….
Another Austin act, RECKLESS KELLY, made a temporary visit to Nashville recently, to record with producer Ray Kennedy. Wicked Twisted Road is set for a February release on Sugar Hill….
This winter the spotlight will shine on two of Austin’s most eccentric characters. ROKY ERICKSON is the subject of a two-disc retrospective, I Have Always Been Here Before, due in February on Shout Factory; and Dead Dog’s Eyeball, the mid-’90s album of DANIEL JOHNSTON songs performed by K. MCCARTY, receives a bonus track-bolstered reissue on Merge January 25.
COMING SOON: The legendary Dan Penn helped produce the debut outing from the HACIENDA BROTHERS, featuring longtime Dave Alvin sideman Chris Gaffney and ex-Paladin Dave Gonzalez. Koch Nashville has set a February release date for the disc….
On February 8, Red House releases These Times We’re Living In, a collection of topical tunes from the likes of Greg Brown, Eliza Gilkyson and Suzzy & Maggie Roche….
REDBIRD, a trio consisting of Kris Delmhorst, Jeffrey Foucault and Peter Mulvey, unveils its self-titled debut on February 22 on Signature Sounds….
That same day, Koch Nashville releases I’m Your Biggest Fan, the latest from country singer DALLAS WAYNE.
ON THE HORIZON: March 1 brings the second Rounder Records release from Canadian singer-songwriter KATHLEEN EDWARDS, titled Back To Me….Another March 1, release comes from the BLIND BOYS OF ALABAMA, on RealWorld. The Blind Boys also appear, along with Big Joe Turner, Robert Bradley and T-Bone Walker, on the Lackawanna Blues film soundtrack, due from Vanguard February 2 ….
The Fall Leaf Pages, the latest from Southern California slowcore band RADAR BROTHERS, has a March 22 release date from Merge….
Look for The Forgotten Arm, the latest from AIMEE MANN, in March….
JESSE MCREYNOLDS, from Jim & Jesse, and the Whitstein Brothers’ CHARLES WHITSTEIN have teamed up to pay tribute to some of the great bluegrass brothers acts. Gone But Not Forgotten is slated for a March release from Pinecastle.
ON THE DOTTED LINE: New West Records has signed up SARAH LEE GUTHRIE & JOHNNY IRION. Exploration, co-produced by Jayhawks leader Gary Louris, is due out in early March….
JOHN DOE joins his fellow Knitter and ex-X mate Dave Alvin on the Yep Roc label….
JOSH RITTER has signed with V2 Records, which will include an EP of live tracks in an upcoming reissue of Ritter’s Hello Starling album….
Texas troubadour JIMMY LAFAVE has hooked up with Twin Cities-based Red House Records. Expect a new album in the spring….
Singer-songwriter KATE MCDONNELL has signed up with Appleseed. Her label debut Where The Mangos Are, due February 22, features a cover of Steve Earle’s “The Goodbye Song”.
IN THE STUDIO: Sugar Hill Records band NICKEL CREEK has turned to Eric Valentine (Smashmouth, Good Charlotte) to produce their next outing. The band’s guitarist, Sean Watkins, is working on his next solo effort as well….
BRENDAN BENSON has been recording his next album with his Detroit neighbor, White Stripes frontman Jack White. Look for a release on V2 later this spring….
The BE GOOD TANYAS, who appear on the forthcoming Because Of Winn-Dixie soundtrack, have ventured back to the studio, as have their Nettwerk America labelmates OLD CROW MEDICINE SHOW.
HONOR ROLL: When EMMYLOU HARRIS received ASCAP’s Founders Award recently, it served as an occasion for a rare Hot Band reunion….
In December, RICKY SKAGGS received a Honorary Doctor of Humanities degree from Eastern Kentucky University, which is located near Skaggs’ birthplace of Cordell, Kentucky….
BILLY JOE SHAVER and GUY CLARK were among the 2004 class of inductees into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame….
BMI presented its 2004 Icon Award to LORETTA LYNN….
Bluegrass legend RALPH STANLEY has received perhaps the highest honor: his own museum. In late 2004, the Ralph Stanley Museum and Traditional Mountain Music Center opened in Clintwood, Virginia.
ODDS AND ENDS: Giving the concept of the music cruise a Festival Express twist, ROOTS ON THE RAILS has organized two cross-Canada musical train trips for March. The Cowboy Train, featuring Tom Russell and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, travels from Vancouver March 19-23, while the Songwriter Train, featuring Nanci Griffith and Mary Gauthier, makes the return route March 25-29. For more info, go to www.rootsontherails.com….
Compadre Records singer-songwriter KATE CAMPBELL will perform a selection of her songs with the Ballet Memphis January 15-16….
KIMMIE RHODES premieres her latest performance art piece “Windblown January” 21-22 at the Crighton Theater in Conroe, Texas, outside of Houston….
JOHN WESLEY HARDING has an April publication date with Little, Brown for first novel, Misfortune. He also has been working on a musical collaboration with Kelly Hogan, Brian Lohman and Nora O’Connor, tentatively set for release this summer on Appleseed.
ALL THE FIXINS: A Town & Country article in ND #54 on Moviola incorrectly stated that the band’s latest record was released on California Recordings. The disc was released on the Anyway label….
A Town & Country article in ND #54 on Laurie & John Stirratt incorrectly stated that a vinyl edition of Circles by John’s band Autumn Defense was released on the Broadmoor label. It was issued by Cooking Vinyl.
