Remember when weekends were just for laying around and not doing much of anything? Now there’s a protest on every corner and a lot of people searching for ways to vent their frustration, their anger, their fears. Music, as always, is just what we need, right when we need it. And lots of artists are speaking out in ways old and new.
In honor of people speaking out, including at women’s marches like the one she attended in Stanley, Idaho, Carole King re-released a recording she made in 1982 called “One Small Voice.” [Huffington Post]
For three days (Feb. 9-11), Shakey Graves will make his entire catalog available on Bandcamp for a “pay what you want” price. Half of the proceeds will go to “one or more good causes. These can be charities, think tanks, frozen natives, music programs, homeless shelters, basically anything nice you can think of” — he’s asking fans to suggest organizations to support. [Facebook]
Speaking of Bandcamp, this Friday would be a great day to purchase some music there. In protest of the president’s “extreme vetting” executive order, Bandcamp will donate its share of sales that day to the ACLU. They’ve also put together a playlist of music by artists from the seven countries listed in the order. [Paste]
Ahead of his lifetime achievement award at the Grammys, Charley Pride talked to NPR about navigating a country music business that marveled, “Oh, you look like them and sound like us.” [NPR Music]
The Library of Congress’ American Folklife Center has put another big batch of papers from Alan Lomax and others in the Lomax family online. The manuscript pages — now numbering nearly 300,000 — is a treasure trove for researchers, but there are plenty of gems we laypeople can appreciate too. [Library of Congress]
Bob Dylan’s not done mining the Great American Songbook — not nearly. He’s releasing a 3-disc set (with 30 songs) called Triplicate on March 31. [NPR Music]
Some pretty holy stuff in roots music legend has taken place at the Ryman, and Jason Isbell’s reunion with the Drive-by Truckers last week feels like it belongs on that list. It was all grins (and great riffs) as they teamed up on “Heathens.” [Rolling Stone]
“He left an impression at all times.” Derek Trucks shares his memories of his uncle and former bandmate Butch Trucks, who died by suicide last week. [Rolling Stone]
It’s always a good time when Jeff Tweedy shows up on “Portlandia” (for precedent, watch this). This time, he’s testifying to the powers of the music attorney who sued him to make him stop appropriating the key of G. [Stereogum]
