Spotlighting Roger Knox, with Dallas Good of the Sadies and Tawny Newsom of Skull Orchard

This week, we’re sharing a special collection of songs with you, one at a time, performed by some of the finest artists at work in Americana music these days. The tunes in question have been plucked fresh from a new album with Roger Knox which will be released on 2/12 by the fine folks at Bloodshot Records.

From Bloodshot: 

“Since Roger has such an inspiring life story and rich musical history, we wanted to have fellow musicians—the artistic contributors to his album—tell you about how Roger’s musical journey connected with each of them throughout the making of this album. Each day we will feature a different artist who contributed to Roger’s album, their testimonial, and an exclusive streaming track from the forthcoming album.”

Monday, we kicked off this series with a track from Kelly Hogan, yesterday it was one with the great and talented Dave Alvin, and today we’re sharing a song featuring Dallas Good and Tawny Newsome. Tawny Newsome of Skull Orchard and Dallas Good of the Sadies sing with Roger on “Arafura Pearl” and “Streets of Tamworth.” 

Here’s what Tawny had to say about working with Roger Knox: 

“I am so pleased I finally got to sing with Roger. Since I was asked to be involved in this project in 2009, there has always been this question of being able to get him into the country to perform. I’d heard he encountered problems when it was somehow decided he ‘lacked essential, cultural uniqueness.’ I have never met an artist who’s such vibrant and fascinating uniqueness made me question my own. A lovely, lovely man. I could listen to his soft-spoken stories about Murrie and Koorie life for days and days.”

Here’s what Dallas Good had to say:

“Roger Knox is a really special person. He is probably one of the only people ever to survive two horrible plane crashes in one day.

Sure, he is a man who is known to have run terror-stricken from falling snow but it’s unlikely he fears much else. Through this record, his voice can tell the stories of his peoples’ oppression through country and western music, the most racist genre of popular music ever.”

LISTEN: Roger Knox with Tawny Newsome and Dallas Good, “Arafura Pearl”

*Sponsored by Bloodshot Records. Visit their website for more information about this release.