Mountain Blog

Mountain Stage is thrilled to present another premier broadcast of live performance radio this weekend, featuring iconic country singer and songwriter Rodney Crowell, along with Americana star Sara Watkins, bar room rockers Lucero, The Lost Brothers, and Doug Paisely. Click here to see a list of stations and times where you can listen in your area. Click here to take a look at the playlist. And preview our broadcast via our Mountain Stage song of the week: Sara Watkins original song “You and Me.” 

The standard bearer of country’s new traditionalist movement of the mid-‘80s, Rodney Crowell has contributed to some of modern country’s finest moments. After being discovered (and signed) by Jerry Reed in the mid-‘70s, Crowell went on to play (and write songs) for Emmylou Harris’ Hot Band. Next, he wrote for and produced (and married) Rosanne Cash.

In 1980, Crowell’s songwriting career took off when he scored a string of No. 1 hits for bands like the Oak Ridge Boys, Crystal Gayle and Bob Seeger. Finally, in 1988, Crowell’s own release, “Diamonds and Dirt,” connected with five consecutive No. 1 singles. The following year, "After all This Time" won a Grammy for “Best Country Song.”

 Subsequent projects have included the Cicadas, penning the first hit for his wife, singer Claudia Church, and his 2001 release “Houston Kid.” Crowell was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2003. His latest release, “Kin: Songs by Mary Karr & Rodney Crowell,” finds Crowell writing with fellow Texan and “The Liar’s Club” author Mary Karr. Crowell recently authored his autobiography titled “Chinaberry Sidwalks.”

Steadily playing hundreds of dates a year over the past decade, Memphis alt-country rockers Lucero have gone from an earnest indie band to a major label act. Formed by Ben Nichols in the late '90s, Lucero issued its first CD in 2001. Their 2003 release That Much Further West earned the group a spot on Rolling Stone's Hot List.

Released in spring of 2005, Nobody's Darlings was produced by legendary Memphis musician-producer Jim Dickinson. Meanwhile, that same year, director Aaron Goldman mixed archival footage with footage shot during the recording of the album, for his documentary on Lucero titled Dreaming in America.

In 2009, Nichols released a solo EP The Last Pale Light in the West and Lucero issued its major label debut, 1372 Overton Park which found the band incorporating more of a Memphis soul sound. In addition to working with Lucero, Nichols also released a solo record in early 2009 and co-stars in MTV’s $5 Cover, a series about the Memphis music scene. The band’s current release, Women & Work, released on Dave Matthews’ ATO Records, was described by longtime critic Thom Jurek as “all killer, no filler.”

After spending nearly two decades as one-third of the Grammy Award–winning Nickel Creek, singer, songwriter, and fiddler Sara Watkins often draws comparisons to Alison Krauss - who produced Nickel Creek’s debut in 2000. Watkins first solo disc, released in 2009, was produced by former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, and featured cameos by Gillian Welch, Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers’ keyboardist Benmont Tench, Elvis Costello drummer Pete Thomas; and bluegrassers like Tim O’Brien, Chris Eldridge, Ronnie McCoury and her Nickel Creek bandmates.

In the past three years, Watkins has toured the world as guest fiddle player and vocalist with the Decemberists as well as joining Garrison Keillor on his nationwide Summer Love performance tours. Watkins and her brother Sean regularly host the Watkins Family Hour at the L.A. club Largo, which often includes surprise cameos from friends and colleagues. She is currently touring with Jackson Browne, supporting her new release Sun Midnight Sun.

While Oisin Leech and Mark McCausland are not technically brothers, as The Lost Brothers, the pair draws influence from family bands such as The Kinks and The Everly Brothers. Originally from Ireland and now based in London, the group recorded its debut, “Trails of the Lonely,” in Portland, OR, and has become popular on both sides of the Atlantic.

The band received lavishly praised from the U.K. press (NME, and The Irish Times) and has performed in Glastonbury, Texas, New York, Portland, Toronto, Paris, and Ireland. The duo’s second album, “So Long John Fante,” is something of a tribute to author John Fante’s Depression-era work and was recorded in Nashville.

Born in Toronto, alt-country singer-songwriter Doug Paisley’s music is steeped in history. He spent 10 years paying in a Stanley Brothers tribute band, and released two albums of classic country covers before stepping out with his own songs to support Bonnie Price Billy. His latest album, “Constant Companion” received a four star review from Rolling Stone, and features contributions from Feist and The Band’s Garth Hudson.

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