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In Texas, everything is larger than life, and that includes Kinky Friedman, the cigar-smoking, self-proclaimed Jewish cowboy, who first got noticed with his debut album, Sold American from 1973. He toured with Dylan’s Rolling Thunder Review, and he’s even been on stage at the Grand Ole Opry. He’s a songwriter, satirist, author, politician, entrepreneur, and animal lover. Yet, it’s been an eternity...

It was 60 years ago that James Dean, his star just beginning to rise, died in an auto accident. The crash, and the events surrounding Dean’s death have been shrouded in mystery. Author Keith Elliot Greenberg attempts to put some of those pieces together in a new book, Too Fast to Live, Too Young to Die: James Dean’s Final Hours, from Applause Books. We talked with Greenberg back in 2010 about anot...

Legendary vocalist Jon Anderson led the progressive rock band Yes for almost 40 years – his soaring voice can be heard on such classic albums as Fragile, Close to the Edge and 90125. The work he did with that band brought a level of sophistication seldom heard in popular music. Anderson stepped away for a solo career in 2008. His latest project returns him to a band format – and has been a long ti...

Johnny Mathis has spent 60 years singing and recording the music he loves. He’s enjoyed unprecedented worldwide success and his hits have included “Chances Are,” “Wonderful Wonderful,” “Misty,” and “It’s Not For Me to Say.” He’s also been a pioneer at the same time – in ways you might not even realize. For instance, he was the first artist ever to release a Greatest Hits album. He’s getting ready...

Marshall Crenshaw first gained notoriety with his 1982 debut album which featured the MTV hit “Someday Someway.” A few years back, he came up with a unique way to deliver music to his fans – he set up a subscription service where, beginning in early 2013, he delivered six EP’s over the course of two years on both vinyl and digital downloads. Each EP had a formula – one new song, one cover song, an...

Tommy Keene first gained national attention with his 1983 EP Places That Are Gone, which was a college radio hit, and earned him accolades from the Village Voice, among others. Since then, Tommy has churned out a catalog of excellent albums, collaborated with Rob Pollard of Guided By Voices, and toured with Paul Westerberg, but one thing has remained constant, his gift of melody. Tommy’s just rele...

Who did the first rock n’ roll song? It’s a discussion that music fans have had for over a half century. Well, it wasn’t Elvis or Bill Haley. A strong case can be made for Lloyd Price who wrote and recorded “Lawdy Miss Clawdy” way back in 1952. That song sent shockwaves through black, and white audiences alike, and started Price down some uncharted territory. A successful black entertainer was har...

We chat with Stony Plain head Holger Peterson about a new Jeff Healey compilation – The Best of the Stony Plain Years. Healey was an amazingly talented musician, best known for his 1989 top five hit “Angel Eyes.” He lost his sight at an early age, picked up the guitar at three, and developed an unique style of playing the instrument on his lap. The Jeff Healey Band showcased his talents as a seari...

Saxophonist Jessy J is one of the hottest stars in Smooth Jazz, she’s hit #1 on the charts several times with her songs, and she’s collaborated with everyone from jazz legend Joe Sample to classic rockers Aerosmith. She’s just released her fifth album, My One and Only One – her most consistent record yet, featuring a great mix of Smooth Jazz with Latin & Pop elements. As typical, she’s brought in...

Bruce Kulick is best known for his 12-year, non-makeup stint in KISS – he played on five studio albums, including Asylum, Crazy Nights, Hot in the Shade, Revenge and Carnival of Souls. He was also featured on the MTV Unplugged video. Kulick has had a colorful career which included touring with Meat Loaf, recording with Michael Bolton and Billy Squier, and his most recent stint, as guitarist in the...

Indianapolis singer Tad Robinson has a knack for creating soul records that just sound effortless. We raved about his last record, Back in Style, from 2011. Now he’s back with another CD called Day Into Night. Once again, he’s achieved that perfect blend of smooth R&B featuring Robinson’s soulful vocals leading the way. We chat the recording process for his new CD, which features a guest appearanc...

Chandler Travis and David Greenberger have had a musical friendship that’s lasted over 30 years. Bocce & Bourbon – the Comfortable Songs of Chandler Travis & David Greenberger sums up that partnership by culling songs from Travis’ multiple bands, The Incredible Casuals, The Chandler Travis Philharmonic, The Catbirds, and The Chandler Travis Three-O, with lyrics all penned by Greenberger. In additi...

Tom Chapin is a three-time Grammy-award winning artist who’s released 24 albums over his long career. He’s one of the few artists who’ve been able to lead a dual life as both a folk artist and popular childrens’ performer. His new album, 70, celebrates his milestone birthday with a diverse collection of acoustic-based tunes – socially-conscious tracks rub shoulders with heartfelt love songs. It’s...

Musician, actor, TV theme singer, voice-over announcer – Billy Vera is all of those things. He scored several R&B hits in the late Sixties, including “Country Girl, City Man,” a duet with Judy Clay. But, Billy is best known for his surprise #1 hit in 1987, “At This Moment,” which gained popularity from being included on the hit TV show Family Ties. Yet, he’s also an avid music historian – writing...

Canadian singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Ben Wilkins is back with his sophomore album, All From Hello. Still intact is his keen sense for melodic hooks and lush arranging. But, this time around, Wilkins has steered things in a definite soulful direction. He’s released the new disc on his own Midnight Train Records, which even includes a guest vocal from former Pointer Sister, Bonnie Po...

Our conversation with guitar great Albert Lee continues. He talks about his influences, how he began playing with Emmylou Harris, Eric Clapton, the Everly Brothers and Bill Wyman. He also talks about the emotional Concert For George which he took part in, last year’s Everly Brothers tribute at the Rock n’ Roll Hall of Fame, and playing with Spinal Tap.

Legendary guitarist Albert Lee has played with a diverse set of people – Emmylou Harris, Eric Clapton, the Everly Brothers and Bill Wyman, and that’s just scratching the surface. He’s also released over 20 solo albums, and was featured prominently in the Tribute to George Harrison concert DVD. All of this is testament to his versatility – from R&B, Rock, Rockabilly to Country – His latest project...

The Grahams, Alyssa & Doug Graham, have been friends since elementary school, and are now husband & wife. They set out to record a followup to their debut, Riverman’s Daughter, which came out in 2013 – and decided to get some inspiration by riding some of the legendary trains which criss cross the heartland of America. Not only did they record a new studio album, entitled Glory Bound, they also pu...

Ian Anderson led Jethro Tull for around 40 years, releasing a string of hit albums that endure to this day. A few years ago, he began releasing records under his own name. But, don’t worry – the classic Jethro Tull sound is still intact. Anderson’s latest project is a live rock opera entitled “Jethro Tull.” Yet, it’s not about the band, but rather the original person, who was an English agricultur...

Blues legend John Mayall continues to record albums and play shows, just like he’s done for the past 50 years. His latest project is an opportunity to look back – John Mayall’s Bluesbreakers Live in 1967 features never before heard live performances featuring a version of the band that was only together three months. Featuring Peter Green on guitar, John McVie on bass and Mick Fleetwood on drums –...

Translator is best known for their 1982 college radio hit “Everywhere That I’m Not.” The California band released four major label albums before calling it quits in the mid Eighties. The band reconvened in 2012 for a brand new album called Big Green Lawn. Now, they’ve dug through the archives for Sometimes People Forget, a collection of demos and rarities that the band recorded during their peak y...

If you’re a rock or metal fan, odds are you’ve seen Hugh Gilmour’s work. He’s been designing the art and layout for CDs, shirts, posters & DVDs for over 20 years now. He’s worked with artists as diverse as Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, Emerson Lake & Palmer, and his latest project, Bad Company, where he designed the artwork for the first two CDs, their debut & Straight Shooter, remastered with delux...

Australian singer/songwriter Paul Kelly has tackled many different styles in his long career. His latest project brings together some of the finest singers from his native country, and the result is Paul Kelly Presents the Merri Soul Sessions (read our review here), a collection of eleven R&B-tinged tracks recorded with a live band. Some of the guests include Clairy Browne, Vika & Linda Bull, Kira...

Did you know Blood Sweat & Tears played Woodstock? Why weren’t they included in the film and soundtrack footage? We find out the answer to that and much more as our conversation with former BS&T frontman David Clayton Thomas continues. He discusses how his friendship with bluesman John Lee Hooker helped jumpstart his career in New York, and how no one expected the runaway success of the band’s sec...

David Clayton Thomas is one of the most recognizable voices in all of popular music. He led the hugely successful band Blood Sweat & Tears for around 30 years, having hits like “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy,” and “Spinning Wheel,” before embarking on a solo career in the early 2000’s. His latest project is a true labor of love, Soul Ballads (view entry on Amazon.com) comprises 12 classic R&B track...