Mountain Blog

We're happy to announce that power pop institution Matthew Sweet will be returning to Mountain Stage for our October 23 show at the Culture Center theater in Charleston. Matthew Sweet has a new album coming out this fall called Modern Art, and it's also worth pointing out that he's coming up on the 20^th anniversary of the release of his now classic song (and album) "Girlfriend." (Feeling old yet?)

This show also features former Drive-By Trucker Jason Isbell and his band The 400 Unit, icon of Americana music James McMurtry, and Portland-based folk rockers Blitzen Trapper.

We've said it before and we'll say it again -- this one is shaping up to be a bit of a barnburner. 

Tickets are on sale now. See you at the rock show.

This week’s radio broadcast is a premiere episode featuring California pop-rock from Jenny & Johnny, piano wild-man Jason D. Williams and his band, power-pop pioneer Dwight Twilley, rockers The Alternate Routes and England-born New York-based songwriter James Maddock.

Click here to find a station in your area where you can listen. You can also click here to see the playlist and read more about each artist, and you can preview this week’s show via our Mountain Stage Song of the Week – this week, Jenny & Johnny’s Jenny Lewis takes the helm with the powerful ballad “End of the Affair.”

Mountain Stage has a series of live shows coming up – one in Morgantown, another in Athens (Ohio), and two more in Charleston. Tickets for these shows are on sale now and going fast.

Check out our live show schedule to learn more about the musicians featured at each of these events, as well as information about where you can pick up tickets. Thanks for listening!

Mountain Stage is happy to announce that two more acts have been booked for a pair of upcoming shows at the Culture Center Theater in Charleston.

October 16, we’ll welcome Nashville-based singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Charlie Worsham..

Featured on the Grand Ole Opry in 1998 as a 12-year-old banjo prodigy, lately Worsham has been catching buzz for his forays into rootsy pop, and has been opening for some of the biggest mainstream acts in country music – but don’t let that scare you. Worsham has an active YouTube channel where you can see his full range of talent as a singer, picker, and writer on display, including a "cover project" where he spends just 12 hours recording a unique version of a song picked by his Twitter followers.This show will also features Brett Dennen, The Kruger Brothers and the Red Clay Ramblers.

On October 23, Oregon-based alternative country-folk band Blitzen Trapper will be joining us. Their 2007 album Wild Mountain Nation was met with great enthusiasm by critics, and their 2008 follow-up Furr was named the 13^th best album of the year by Rolling Stone.

You can download a free EP from the band’s website here, and their forthcoming album, American Goldwing, is available for streaming (again, for free!) on Paste Magazine’s website. You can also check out the the band's latest video below. Or, if you’re out and about, you can check out Blitzen Trapper on their co-headlining tour with recent Mountain Stage favorite Dawes.

Also appearing live will be Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit, and James McMurtry. More artists will be announced for these shows as they are confirmed. Stay connected with us for the latest.

Thanks for supporting Mountain Stage!

This week’s radio broadcast of Mountain Stage features Louisiana legend Buckwheat Zydeco, along with Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats, songwriter Jesse Harris, Britpop band The Magic Numbers, and Danish singer-songwriter Tina Dico.

As contemporary zydeco’s most popular performer for the past few decades, Stanley “Buckwheat” Dural has taken the genre to places where few would have imagined, blending bayou sounds with funk and roadhouse rock Buckwheat’s appearances on Mountain Stage have developed a reputation over the years for being fun and unpredictable, and his seventh visit was no exception.

Also on the show are London-based pop-rock band The Magic Numbers. Comprised of two pairs of brothers and sisters, the four blend the melodic experimentation of artists like the Flaming Lips with the sweet harmonies of '60s pop groups like the Lovin' Spoonful and the Mamas & the Papas.

Lee Rocker of the Stray Cats also appears. As the original bassist for one of the rockabilly revival’s original acts, Lee Rocker is arguably one of the people most responsible for the resurgence of the upright bass in roots music. He’s released a pair of well received albums on Alligator records over the past few years, Racin' the Devil, and most recently Black Cat Bone.

You’ll also hear from singer/songwriters Jesse Harris and Tina Dico. Harris won a Grammy for his song “Come Away With Me,” which was recorded by Norah Jones, and Dico has enjoyed much success in her native Denmark, and throughout Europe.

Click here to view the list of stations and times where you can tune in.

Find us on Facebook to stay connected with the latest.

And check out our website, mountainstage.org to get the latest news about upcoming live shows and radio broadcasts. Thanks for listening to Mountain Stage!

This Monday, August 29, tickets to the October 2 Mountain Stage show at the Creative Arts Center in Morgantown go on sale.

Genre-bending cellist Ben Sollee (Sparrow Quartet, Dear Companion) will join us with songs from his latest solo album Inclusions, along with his band. Irish folk icon Paul Brady and Washington, DC based alt-pop group Vandaveer will also be there.

Tickets are $15 in advance, and $20 at the door. They’re available for purchase via TicketMaster.com, by phone by calling 304.293.SHOW, or the CAC box office.

Once again, Mountain Stage would like to thank our friends at West Virginia University for being such gracious hosts. We’ll see you at the show!

Mountain Stage is happy to announce three more live shows for the month of October.

Sunday, October 2 Mountain Stage will once again visit our friends in Morgantown for a show featuring genre-bending cellist Ben Sollee, enduring Irish singer-songwriter Paul Brady, and Washington, DC-base alt-folk band Vandaveer at the West Virginia University Creative Arts Center.

Additional acts for this show will be announced in the near future, so keep checking back with Mountain Stage for the latest. Tickets will be available August 29 at the CAC Box Office, by phone (304.293.SHOW) and at ticketmaster.com.

Sunday, October 16 Mountain Stage returns to the Culture Center Theater in Charleston for a show featuring folk-pop tunesmith Brett Dennen, acclaimed string band revivalists The Red Clay Ramblers, and Swiss bluegrass and folk trio The Kruger Brothers, with other acts to be announced.

Tickets for this show are on sale now online, by phone (800.594.TIXX) and at Taylor Books.

Finally, the October 23 show at the Culture Center is shaping up to be a bit of a barnburner. So far, Mountain Stage is set to welcome back neo-southern rockers (and former Drive-By Trucker) Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit, along with Texas-based Americana icon James McMurtry.

Other acts for this show will be announced as they are confirmed, which gives you another great reason to continue checking back with us at mountainstage.org or via our newly launched Twitter or Facebook (where we’re happy to report that we’ve just surpassed 10,000 likes).

Tickets for this show are also on sale now, online, by phone (800.594.TIXX) and at Taylor Books.

Check out the Live Show Schedule for more information about each of these events. You can visit each of these artists’ individual websites if you’d like to sample some of their music. You can visit the Mountain Stage page over at NPR Music, where you can stream our episodes segment by segment, even using your smart phone (a perfect soundtrack for your Friday activities).

Finally, check out the YouTube Channel where you can see exclusive interviews "Backstage at Mountain Stage" and see live performance clips of past guests.

Thanks for supporting Mountain Stage. Go out and see some live music this weekend, wherever you are!

This week’s radio broadcast is another premiere episode featuring The Felice Brothers, Alejandro Escovedo & the Sensitive Boys, North Carolina’s own Lost in the Trees, former Two Gallants singer Adam Haworth Stephens and West Virginia native and Colorado resident Mollie O’Brien and Rich Moore.

Browse our stations to find out where you can hear Mountain Stage in your area. Tell some friends on Facebook and get a preview in our Song of the Week. This time, it’s the title track from Mollie O’Brien & Rich Moore’s first proper studio album, Saints & Sinners.

You can also check out clips of the show and backstage interviews over at our YouTube channel, featuring the Felice Brothers, Alejandro Escovedo and more.

Thanks for listening!

On any given Sunday, it’s safe to say that the Mountain Stage crew will see its share of road-worn instruments come through the loading dock. But back in March when we visited Morgantown, we were a bit taken with wear on Great American Taxi’s Vince Herman’s Santa Cruz dreadnaught-style guitar. Not so much by the amount of it (of which there was a lot), but because the guitar was even that old.

Make no mistake though, this isn’t one of those pre-aged “relic” guitars that have become fashionable over the past few years. This is what a few hundred shows a year really looks like (depending on your playing style, of course).

Note numerous cracks in the finish (sometimes politely referred to as “spider webbing” by aficionados), and the dark areas above the strings and below the pickguard that have been preemptively filled with super glue to prevent Vince from wearing completely through the wood.

Pick it, son.

If you want to see Vince Herman in action, check out this video of Great American Taxi performing their song “Appalachian Soul” live on Mountain Stage, and you can listen to their entire set (along with many other Mountain Stage guests) at NPR Music.

Go out and see some live music wherever you are.

This week’s radio broadcast of Mountain Stage features an acoustic performance by Brooklyn-based rock & roll band, The Hold Steady. You’ll also hear from piano songstress Brooke Waggoner, contemporary string band Crooked Still, Americana songwriter Joe Pug and pop tune-smith Matt White.

Combining the guitar driven post-punk sensibilities of Midwestern bands like The Replacements and Husker Du with lyricism and cinematic storytelling reminiscent of 70’s-era Springsteen, The Hold Steady are often referred to as the best bar band in America. They visit Mountain Stage for a special acoustic performance in support of their most recent release, Heaven is Whenever.

Boston-based alternative bluegrass ensemble Crooked Still also appears. Some Strange Country, the group’s latest release, includes four original compositions alongside innovative arrangements of traditional tunes and a take on the Rolling Stones’ “You Got the Silver.” Guest vocalists include Ricky Skaggs and West Virginia’s own Tim O’Brien.

After studying to be a playwright at the University of North Carolina, Joe Pug moved to Chicago to pursue songwriting. He's earned opening slots for Steve Earle, M. Ward, and Josh Ritter, and an “Emerging Artist of the Year” nomination from the Americana Music Association. His full-length debut is Messenger.

You'll also hear from Louisiana-born piano songstress Brooke Waggoner, and pop tunesmith Matt White. Not long after White's appearance on Mountain Stage, one of his songs was featured in a lighthearted commercial for a strangely popular ground pork sandwich. His latest release is It's The Good Crazy, and Waggoner's latest effort is Go Easy Little Doves.

Click here for a list of stations where you can tune in. Thanks for supporting Mountain Stage!

Mountain Stage returns to the Culture Center this Sunday with a live show featuring Ollabelle, along with Foster & Lloyd, Chris Smither, The Henry Girls, and The Fox Hunt.

Taking their name from influential Appalachian songwriter Ola Belle Reed, the five members of Ollabelle (who all sing and play) blend indigenous American music styles, mixing folk, blues, and gospel.

Ollabelle’s self-titled first album was produced by roots music legend T-Bone Burnett, and their second album Riverside Battle Songs was co-produced with former Bob Dylan band member Larry Campbell. Their soon-to-be-released album is called Neon Blue Bird.

We’ll also be joined by country-pop duo Foster & Lloyd. Reuniting after more than two decades, Radney Foster and Bill Lloyd scored hits including “Crazy Over You,” "Sure Thing," "What Do You Want From Me This Time," "Texas in 1880" and "Fair Shake."

They toured internationally, garnered a Grammy nomination and were a constant presence at the CMA awards. When the two decided to call it quits in 1991, they chose Mountain Stage as the venue for their final show. The duo’s stellar new release, It’s Already Tomorrow, features a number of guests including Cheap Trick bassist Tom Peterson and Sam Bush.

Acoustic folk and blues singer Chris Smither returns to Mountain Stage. Smither has released nearly a dozen albums of his own material for the Flying Fish, Hightone, and Signature Sounds labels, and his songs "Love You Like a Man" and "I Feel the Same" have been recorded by guitarist and singer Bonnie Raitt.

Smither’s most recent album, Time Stands Still features songs by Mark Knopfler and Bob Dylan, and he just released a third live CD, Lost & Found, exclusively for fans through his website.

Making their first appearance on Mountain Stage are the Henry Girls. Comprised of three sisters - Joleen, Lorna and Karen McLaughlin - from Inishowen in Co. Donegal, Ireland, the Henry Girls create an eclectic mix of folk, blues and traditional Irish, framed by their 3-part harmonies. They appeared at the 2011 Celtic Connections festival in Glasgow, Scotland (where they first came to the attention of Mountain Stage), and count West Virginia’s The Fox Hunt among their musical friends.

Speaking of The Fox Hunt – the Martinsburg-based string band rounds out the show. Upon returning from a tour of Ireland this spring, the Fox Hunt became the first act to sell out the Shepherdtown, WV Opera House. On the road 150 days a year, the band has amassed a loyal following and was recently featured on CNN.com.

If you'd like to learn more about the artists featured on this show, check out our Mountain Stage newsletter by clicking here (it's a .pdf download). Tickets are available online and at Taylor Books. The doors open at 6:30, and the action begins at 7. See you at the show!

Recorded live on the campus of West Virginia University in Morgantown, this week’s encore broadcast of Mountain Stage features Lizz Wright, The Holmes Brothers, Paper Raincoat, Fruit Bats, Deolinda and Raul Midon.

Embracing the history of jazz, gospel and rhythm & blues, vocalist Lizz Wright took the music world by storm in 2003 with her debut album Salt which put her rich, gospel-trained contralto in a soulful R&B-meets-jazz setting.

Her sophomore release Dreaming Wide Awake combined songs performed by Neil Young, Fats Waller, The Beatles, and Madonna with collaborations with some contemporary songwriters.

Her latest release, Fellowship, continues her musical evolution. You can hear a preview of her performance in our Mountain Stage Song of the Week.

 

With their soulful blend of gospel, country and rhythm & blues, The Holmes Brothers have rightfully been called one of the country’s best and most important roots groups.

Brothers Wendell and Sherman have played together for more than a half-century, while so-called late-comer Popsy Dixon joined some 30 years ago.

On their latest release Feed My Soul, the trio takes on a range of material that includes tunes by the Beatles and West Virginia native John “Some Kind of Wonderful” Ellison, as well as nine originals.

We’re also joined by indie pop group Fruit Bats. An early entry into the folk-rock boom of the new millennium, the group has been through several personnel changes over the years, but revolves around singer/songwriter Eric D. Johnson.

The group continues to use bright melodies, defiant major-key chord structures to create its own brand of shimmery pop. Their most recent release is Tripper.

Also appearing is Paper Raincoat. Comprised of Brooklyn-based songwriters Amber Rubarth and Alex Wong, the pair have joined forces to create music that blends pop-folk orchestral arrangements with electronic textures and memorable melodies. 

Rubarth, who is the winner of the 2010 Mountain Stage New Song Contest, will also appear on this Sunday’s (August 7, 2011) live Mountain Stage show.

Heralded as a “virtuoso” by The New York Times, New Mexico-born, New York-based Raul Midon created a buzz even before the release of his debut album.

Stevie Wonder, Jason Mraz (who have also collaborated with Midon in the studio) and Jeff Beck are champions of Midon’s music, and more recently, Midon recruited West Virginia native Bill Withers to come to his house and record. The result was featured in the acclaimed documentary Still Bill.

Finally, you’ll also hear from the Portuguese quartet Deolinda. This group of classical, jazz, and traditional players draws on the roots of their homeland’s traditional and popular music. The group’s debut, Cancao ao Lado went Platinum in Portugal within 22 weeks of its release.
Find a radio station and time where you can listen in your area by clicking here, and connect with us on Facebook to stay in touch with the latest information.

Thanks for listening to Mountain Stage!

If you’re on the fence about this Sunday’s live Mountain Stage show featuring John Oates, along with Amber Rubarth, Blame Sally and Frontier Ruckus, then we think the recent addition of Kansas blues rockers Moreland & Arbuckle will seal the deal.

Guitarist Aaron Moreland and vocalist / harmonica player Dustin Arbuckle met at a Wichita open mic in 2001, and have been playing together in different capacities ever since. The band’s pared back sound combines elements of traditional delta blues, rock, country and soul with a lo-fi electric edge that will no doubt remind some listeners of groups like The Black Keys and the White Stripes.

In the video above, Morland is playing a handmade electric cigar box guitar – a throwback to a tool commonly used by the bluesmen of the early 1900’s who were too impoverished to afford the real thing.

Moreland & Arbuckle’s new album isn’t out until August 23, but they’ve recently received attention from Paste Magazine and the influential My Old Kentucky Blog, where you can get a taste of what they’ll bring this Sunday.

Tickets for this show are available at the Civic Center box office, online, and by phone (800.745.3000). Doors open at 6:30, and the show starts at 7. We’ll see you there.