Music Article Archives

Legends of Southern Rock: 38 Special

by Michael Buffalo Smith 38 Special was formed by neighborhood friends

Delaney & Bonnie & Friends: Six Degrees of Swampland

Elvin Bishop: The GRITZ Interview

by Michael Buffalo Smith "Elvin Bisop's sittin' on a bale of hay He ain't good lookin' but he sure can play." - Charlie Daniels

2008 Georgia Music Hall of Fame Inductions

2008 Georgia Music Hall of Fame

LOST IN SPACE: The Epic Saga of Fort Worth's Space Opera (Chapter 2)

CHAPTER TWO: HOUSTON, WE HAVE A PARTY (and later, a problem)... "I'm at the club one evening and three guys show up, and we're talking gawky, zit-faced teenagers... they wanted me to come to Fort Worth and make an album with them. They say... let read more...

Where Are They Now? Former Marshall Tucker Band Bassist Tim Lawter

by Michael Buffalo Smith Tim Lawter played the bass guitar in The read more...

Charlie Daniels: Six Degrees of Swampland

"Bocephus and

Southern Rock Forever! The Bo Bice Interview

by Michael Buffalo Smith When Bo Bice won runner up (to Carrie Underwood) in the 2005 American Idol competition, it was just the beginning of a rise to stardom for the Alabama born Southern Rocker. Following his Clive Davis produced debut of 2005, Bo is back with read more...

The Bruce Burch Interview

The Bruce Burch read more...

Randall Bramblett Interview 2008

by Michael Buffalo Smith Randall Bramblett has a hot new album out this month on New West records, (Now It’s Tomorrow) but this ain’t his first rodeo. Bramblett has been read more...

The 25 Best Songs: The Mashall Tucker Band

by Michael Buffalo Smith I will never forget the first time I heard the music of The Marshall Tucker Band. Not only were they a blend of every kind of music I loved, from blues to country rock to jazz, they were from my home town of Spartanburg, SC. It was an immediate read more...

The 100 Defining Moments in Southern Rock: Part Six (Final Installment)

17. Bonnie Bramlett’s Run On Roseanne (1991) Bonnie (Then called Bonnie Sheridan) shows up as a waitress in a diner and a friend of Roseanne in both the third and read more...

LOST IN SPACE: The Epic Saga of Fort Worth's Space Opera

by Frank Gutch A FOREWORD, OF SORTS... I have to laugh when I think of how many people, including those in the music industry, considered Space Opera one of Canada's best rock exports. It is understandable, as the only information on read more...

Guest Blog by Dick Cooper: Remembering Jerry Wexler

by Dick Cooper This has been a hard time for me. Jerry Wexler was more than a mentor; he altered the forces of nature and changed the world for me. I was never sure why he read more...

What It Is--Is Swamp Music--Is What It Is

What It Is—Swamp Music—Is What It Is

GRITZ Presents: Buffalo Roaming

BUFFALO ROAMING

Adam MacDougall Interview: The Black Crowes Electric Spanking of Warpaint Babies

Adam MacDougall read more...

The 100 Defining Moments in Southern Rock: Part Five

by Michael Buffalo Smith And we continue.... 28. “Stompin’ Room Only” Released (2003) The “Holy Grail” for Marshall Tucker Band fans, read more...

The 100 Defining Moments in Southern Rock: Part Four

by Michael Buffalo Smith 39. Jammin’ for Danny Joe Brown - (July 18, 1999) An all star concert headed up by Riff West to raise money for

Chuck Leavell: Rolling Stone & Tree Farmer

Mystery And Manners' Honorary Southern Artists: Volume One

Mystery And Manners' Honorary Southern Artists Overview: Volume One By James Calemine

The 100 Defining Moments in Southern Rock: Part Three

59. “Freebird” The Movie Premiers (1996) Drawn mostly from Lynyrd Skynyrd’s 1976 show at Knebworth Fair in England. the movie also included footage from a few read more...

Steve Cropper: The Master Song Craftsman and Rhythm King

The Steve Cropper Interview

Wynton and Willie and the Blues

by Penne J. Laubenthal The Marsalis family and Willie Nelson and I go way back. I have been a fan read more...

The 100 Defining Moments in Southern Rock: Part Two

79. Cameron Crowe Puts The Allmans On the Cover of the Rolling Stone (December 6, 1973) Cameron Crowe went on the road with The Allman Brothers at the age of 15, and read more...

The 100 Defining Moments in Southern Rock: Part One

by Michael Buffalo Smith 100. “Pony Boy” Hand bone (1973) Dickey Betts brought country music sensibility into

Charlie Musselwhite: The Master of Smokestack Lightning

Charlie Musselwhite Interview The Master of Smokestack Lightning By James Calemine "I'm ready as anybody could be..."

Filming a Southern Movie in Rome, Georgia with Jimmy Hall and Tommy Talton

by Michael Buffalo Smith Ken Wheeler is betting the farm on a movie. Wheeler, a farmer from the Rome, Georgia area, is putting his money, heart and soul into the read more...

The Bonnie Bramlett Interview 2008

by Michael Buffalo Smith Bonnie Bramlett is the true Queen of Southern Rock. A true soul singer if ever there was one, Bonnie has performed and recorded with the best of the best, not read more...

Bob Dylan's Renaldo & Clara: Asleep In The Tomb

Bob Dylan’s Lost Classic Renaldo & Clara: Asleep In the Tomb By James Calemine "I've been read more...

The Ten Greatest Southern Rock Cities

by Michael Buffalo Smith 1. Jacksonville, Florida The birthplace of

Tift Merritt: A Poetic Songbird

Tift Merritt A Poetic Songbird By James Calemine "I can't keep quiet Oh, I can't hide I want to shout and read more...

Marshall Tucker: The Next Generation: An Interview with Justin McCorkle

by Michael Buffalo Smith We’ve all heard the old saying, “the apple doesn’t fall far from the tree.” No where does that old chestnut hold more true than in the case of Justin McCorkle. Justin was born the only son of

The Greatest Songwriters of The Southern Rock Era

by Michael Buffalo Smith 1. Dickey read more...

The Greatest Instrumentalists of The Southern Rock Era

INSTRUMENTALISTS (OTHER THAN GUITAR/KEYS/DRUM KIT) by Michael Buffalo Smith

Guest Blog by Molly Hatchet's John Galvin: The Taste of Southern Rock

THE TASTE OF SOUTHERN ROCK by John Galvin of Molly Hatchet I was first read more...

Guest Blog: Henry Paul On Marshall Tucker

by Henry Paul My first recollection of The Marshall Tucker Band was hearing them on the radio and seeing read more...

The Greatest Keyboard Players of The Southern Rock Era

by Michael Buffalo Smith 1. Chuck Leavell Take one look at the Georgia boy’s

The Majestic and Graceful Music of Amy LaVere

The Majestic and Graceful Music of Amy LaVere The Amy LaVere Interview By James Calemine

The Greatest Bass Players of the Southern Rock Era

1. Tommy Caldwell - According to all of the members of The Marshall Tucker read more...

Great Southern Record Producers

"There are three kinds of record producers. The first kind is the documentarian -- someone like Leonard Chess, who goes into a bar on the South Side of Chicago, sees Muddy Waters with a six-piece combo, then pulls him into the studio the next day and says, read more...

The Greatest Drummers of The Southern Rock Era

by Michael Buffalo Smith 1. Jakson Spires of Blackfoot In my opinion,

The Gentle Spirit of Jonathan Wilson

A Southern Son Out West By James Calemine “Are you satisfied? Are you occupied? Do you have enough time To read more...

Eddie Hinton Does Porretta--Again!

by Penne J. Laubenthal Eighteen years ago in April of 1991 an Italian named Graziano Uliani, founder of the

Top 25 Songs of The Southern Rock Era

by Michael Buffalo Smith 1. Freebird - Lynyrd Skynyrd As if there was any doubt read more...

The Greatest Vocalists of The Southern Rock Era

by Michael Buffalo Smith

The Top Ten Guitarists of the Southern Rock Era

The Greatest Guitar Slingers of The Southern Rock Era by Michael Buffalo Smith

Capricorn Records - A Tribute

Swampland's Tribute To Capricorn Records When Jerry Wexler of Atlantic Records gave Phil Walden and Frank Fenter the read more...

GRITZ Southern Rock Lists

SWAMPLAND'S SOUTHERN ROCK LISTS

Capricorn Records Discography 1969 - 1979

CAPRICORN LABEL ALBUM DISCOGRAPHY Number - Title - Artist [Release Date] (Chart) read more...

Gritz Legends of Southern Rock

A handful of bands from the Southern Rock Era have earned the title of "Legend." These are the bands that defined the genre and set the bar for all other bands in their wake. These are the few, the originals, the Legends of Southern Rock.

Billy Bob Thornton Talks About The New Boxmasters Album

by Michael Buffalo Smith Billy Bob Thornton is the new Lon Chaney. The new “man of a thousand faces.” And I’m not just talking about his movies. His music has shown read more...

Legends of Southern Rock: ZZ Top

by Michael Buffalo Smith "ZZ Top was the best band in the world at remaining mysterious for so long. That was part of their appeal. You saw these beards, and they didn’t talk as much as they do these days. There was just a real mystery about them for a long read more...

Jim Dickinson's All-Star Music & Film

In Jim Dickinson’s first contribution to Swampland/Mystery And Manners, he wrote an indelible piece on Memphis barbecue. For his second installment Dickinson cites his favorite pianists, films and a desert island music stash. The High Priest of Memphis read more...

Billy Bob Thornton : Six Degrees of Swampland

YOUR GUIDE TO ALL THINGS BILLY BOB AT SWAMPLAND.COM

New York City Southern Style: Alabama Studio Weekend in the Shoals

by Penne J. Laubenthal Imagine starting off your Saturday morning with the perfect Bloody Mary, garnished in typical southern fashion with pickled okra, and served to you by one of the country’s foremost clothing designers,

Widespread Panic: On The Beach

Record Stores of the Swampland Footprint

ALABAMA CD Cellar Anniston AL Oz Music Tuscaloosa AL ARKANSAS

Guest Blog by Charlie Daniels; Memories of a Friend

Memories of a Friend by Charlie Daniels I have the greatest respect for talented people who can take nothing and make something out of it. Such is the case of the songwriter. He pulls thoughts out of thin air

Th' Legendary Shack Shakers: "Treulogizing the Gothic South"

A review of “The Tentshow Trilogy”, consisting of “Believe”, “Pandelirium” and “Swampblood” (All on Yep Roc Records) by Frank Gutch

Billy Bob Thornton's Top Ten Southern Rock Albums

by Michael Buffalo Smith In keeping with our ongoing lists of favorite Southern Rock albums, we present the list of actor/musician

The Delaney Bramlett Interviews 2008 (Part Two) Duane, Janis and Eric

The Delaney Bramlett Interviews: Part Two Read Part One Here by Michael Buffalo Smith Tell me about the time Jimi Hendrix played in read more...

Jim Dickinson's Best Memphis Barbecue & Favorite Meals On The Road

When I interviewed the High Priest of Memphis Mojo—Jim Dickinson—I asked him if he’d be interested in submitting his inimitable insight on barbecue, music and movies. Mr. read more...

The Delaney Bramlett Interviews 2008 (Part One)

by Michael Buffalo Smith Delaney Bramlett was born on July 1, 1939, in Pontotoc County, Mississippi. His mother taught him the guitar, and he moved out to Los Angeles in 1959 where he became a read more...

The Top Ten Albums of Southern Rock

Southern Rock’s Top Ten Welcome to a new feature at GRITZ called Southern Rock’s Top Ten, where we will be asking the stars an journalists associated with the genre, as well as some of today’s country music stars, to share

The Top Ten Albums of Southern Rock According to...

On the heels of my own Top Twenty Five Southern Rock albums, we asked a few of our friends to share their own lists of Favorite Southern Rock albums, and we got a few real surprises, but one fact read more...

Merlefest at 21, Doc Watson at 85: Festival Notes

A Great American Music Festival And Its Host At The Crossroads by Derek Halsey "In 1934, Dad made me a little home-made banjo,” remembers Doc Watson, on the historic three-CD album of performances and read more...

Chris Hicks: Walking With The Dinosaurs

by Michael Buffalo Smith Chris Hicks is a force to be reckoned with. A Macon, Georgia native, he grew up in the shadows of giants during the hey day of Capricorn Records, listening to read more...

"Inhale! Inhale! Rock N Roll" by Chris Robinson

INHALE! INHALE! ROCK N ROLL By Chris Robinson Originally Published in New Musical Express July 17, 1993 You pick up the block of read more...

Dixie Fried with The High Priest of Memphis Mojo Jim Dickinson

JIM DICKINSON INTERVIEW DIXIE FRIED WITH THE HIGH PRIEST OF MEMPHIS MOJO By James Calemine "Some people say worried blues read more...

Billy Bob Thornton in Florence, Alabama

by Penne J. Laubenthal Severe weather warnings had been issued for North Alabama when I made my way to Florence for the Friday afternoon session of the 11th Annual George Lindsey Film Festival featuring

Down In The Groove With Widespread Panic's Todd Nance

DOWN IN THE GROOVE WITH WIDESPREAD PANIC’S TODD NANCE “Either brace yourself for elimination/Or your heart must have the courage read more...

Steve Grisham and Ghost Riders

As One Grits to Another... by Michael Buffalo Smith Steve Grisham is a Southern Rock road dog. A man with the Southern Rock running through his very veins. A Florida singer, songwriter, guitarist, producer and engineer, Grisham, also known as read more...

Patterson Hood and The Drive By Truckers

by Michael Buffalo Smith Patterson Hood grew up in Florence Alabama, across the Tennessee River from Muscle Shoals. Patterson began writing songs when he was in third grade and began playing guitar in bands at about 14. His father is David Hood of the legendary Muscle read more...

Legends of Southern Rock: Blackfoot

by Michael Buffalo Smith 1969, Jacksonville, Florida: Charlie Hargrett, Rick Medlocke and

Big House Benefit a Major Success

Article & Photos by John Charles Griffin The annual Allman Brother's Big House Museum Benefit was a rock'n'roll home run with near-capacity crowd at Macon's Armory Ballroom on Saturday, January 19th despite weather forecasts earlier that day for potential snow with ice read more...

The Galloway & Kelliher Interview

by Michael Buffalo Smith I met Mike Galloway and Timmy Kelliher, along with drummer Juan Perex, last November at The Jam 4 George in Spartanburg, SC. My friend Mark Emerick (Commander Cody Band guitarist and a read more...

Luther Dickinson Interview: The Secret Code of Memphis Guitars

Luther Dickinson Interview The Secret Code of Memphis Guitars By James Calemine "I'm gonna leave Memphis and spread the news/Memphis women read more...

Deryle Perryman and Dangerous Highway, a Film About Eddie Hinton

by Penne J. Laubenthal Dangerous Highway is an amazing documentary about the life and music of the incredibly talented and tragically fated Eddie Hinton, called the "greatest unknown

Toy Story

This Ol' Cowboy Lives On: Remembering Toy Caldwell (1999) by Michael Buffalo Smith When Toy Caldwell graduated from Dorman High School in Spartanburg, South Carolina in the mid-1960's, he knew that he had a steady gig at the read more...

Guest Blog by Dick Cooper: Delbert Needed a Drummer

By Dick Cooper Delbert needed a drummer. I didn’t realize it at the time, but the truth was Delbert read more...

The Sounds of David Barbe

THE SOUNDS OF DAVID BARBE

The Garfeel Ruff Story

by Michael Buffalo Smith From the book Carolina Dreams, 1997. When Rick Godfrey was six years old, he was playing the piano at his Grandmother’s house in Greenville, SC. read more...

Darius Goes West: Twelve Guys and a Dream

Once in a great while, just when you think there is no reason to get up in the morning and that there is no hope for humanity, and that people will just go on killing one another forever, and that tomorrow will be probably be even worse than today, then something happens to turn read more...

Legends of Southern Rock: The Outlaws

by Michael Buffalo Smith Formed in Tampa, Florida in 1972, The Outlaws featured vocalists/guitarists Hughie Thomasson Henry Paul, Billy Jones bassist Frank O'Keefe, and drummer Monte read more...

Macon Holiday Jam Was a Major Success

by John Charles Griffin Macon, Georgia's 2007 Holiday Benefit Jam was held on on December 21st at Cox Capitol Theatre. The event was a major success that featured music by Randall Bramblett,

The Appalachian Sounds of Fonotone Records

The Appalachian Sounds of Fonotone Records By James Calemine “I went out in the open field/Black snake bit me on the read more...

Billy C Farlow is Having Too Much Fun

by Penne J. Laubenthal Billy C Farlow, blues musician, song writer, and harmonica player who skyrocketed to fame in the early ‘70s with Commander Cody and His Lost Planet Airmen, is a force to be reckoned with read more...

Goodbye, Babylon: A Patchwork Quilt of American Music

GOODBYE, BABYLON A Patchwork Quilt of American Music By James Calemine

Way Down South With John Sayles

Way Down South with John Sayles By James Calemine John Sayles’ films command respect. His latest film, Honeydripper, takes read more...

Bonnie Bramlett Returns with "Beautiful" On Valentine's Day

by Bill Thames Bonnie Bramlett now becomes the third former Capricorn Records artist, along with Jimmy Hall (Wet Willie), and the Capricorn Rhythm Section, to sign with Rockin' Camel Music of Gadsden, AL.

John Carter Cash: Johnny and June's Son Talks About His Parents

by Michael Buffalo Smith John Carter Cash is one busy man. As the only son of country music legends Johnny Cash and

Southern Rock and Irish Music Join Forces On Tour

Ireland's Best Vocal Group to Tour With Southern Rockers The Winters Brothers Band by Michael Buffalo Smith Talk about a fresh idea. Ireland's number one ballad and folk group (and holders of eight gold albums) The Dublin City Ramblers have read more...

A Celebration of The Life & Work of Paul Hemphill

A Celebration of The Life & Work of Paul Hemphill By James Calemine "I was ridin' number nine Headin' south from Caroline

Scott Boyer On Cowboy, The Decoys and a Lifetime of Southern Music

by Michael Buffalo Smith We met up with Scott Boyer at his home in Killen, Alabama, near Muscle Shoals. His puppy dog Rusty was running around playing and having a high old time, while Scott sat behind a keyboard in his home studio to open up about Cowboy, The Decoys read more...

West Virginia Music Hall of Fame To Induct First Ever Honorees

Inaugural Class Of Nominees A Diverse Group by Derek Halsey On November 16th, 2007, the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame will induct its first ever class of honorees. Formed in 2005, the Hall of Fame has been building up to these read more...

The 2007 International Bluegrass Music Association Awards Report

by Derek Halsey On October 4th, 2007 the International Bluegrass Music Association (IBMA) held their 18th annual bluegrass music awards show. In a break from past years, when a lot of the same people seemed to win the awards year after year, the read more...

Billy Bob Thornton On Touring, Acting and Southern Rocking

by Michael Buffalo Smith Billy Bob Thornton is one busy cat these days. Besides the recent premier of Mr. read more...

Hughie Thomasson Remembered

The world of Southern Rock lost another champion on September 9, 2007 with the passing of Hughie Thomasson. The founding father of the “Florida guitar army” The Outlaws and a long time member read more...

Tom Coerver: On Louisiana, China Sky and Hurricane Katrina

BACKWATER TALES FROM A GREAT SOUTHERN MUSICIAN by Michael Buffalo Smith Tom Coerver is a musician's musician. A good ol' Louisiana boy who has an inate ability to play just about any musical instrument he can get his hands on, including a

Danny Brooks: Southern By The Grace of God

Canadian by Birth—Southern by the Grace of God by Bill Thames More than anything else, Danny Brooks is spiritual, but Danny Brooks is soul, too, and deep South gospel tinged with haunting blues. And if you listen close enough read more...

Legends of Southern Rock: The Allman Brothers Band

by Michael Buffalo Smith The Allman Brothers Band is pretty much universally accepted as the premier Southern Rock band, the first, the read more...

The King Is Dead! Hang The Doctor!

The King Is Dead! Hang the Doctor!

The Allman and Oakley Fence Fund Seeks to Protect Grave Sites

by Michael Buffalo Smith There has been an ongoing battle in Macon, Georgia for several years now concerning the grave sites of Duane Allman and Berry Oakley at Rose Hill Cemetery. Over the course of the years, the grave sites have attracted thousands of visitors, and while read more...

Chris Cagle: The GRITZ Interview

Country Star Chris Cagle – The Long, Hard Road To Making It In Nashville By Derek Halsey “What’s funny is, every year I’d go, ‘Is this over? Do they even know me? Is it going to read more...

Bragg Jam 2007 in Macon: A Photo Retrospective

Macon's annual Bragg Jam, held on July 28, 2007, was again a stellar success. Bragg Jam always draws a lot of Middle Georgia acts, many who were friends with Brax and Taylor "Tate" Bragg, the brothers the event commemorates. The Bragg brothers were read more...

W.C. Handy Music Festival, Florence, Alabama, July 22-29

“If Beale Street could talk Married men would have to take up their beds and walk…” Beale Street Blues W. C. Handy wrote those words when he was read more...

Tommy Talton and the Cowboy Reunion

by Michael Buffalo Smith One of Capricorn Records' finest bands during the 1970's was Cowboy, an outstanding country-rock band headed up by Tommy Talton and Scott Boyer. During the past few read more...

Memories of George McCorkle

The first time I met George McCorkle, I was bagging groceries at a Community Cash store in Spartanburg, SC. During those days, many of the Marshall Tucker Band and their wives shopped at the store for read more...

The Divine Spark of Sly & The Family Stone

By James Calemine

Legends of Southern Rock: Lynyrd Skynyrd

by Michael Buffalo Smith Lynyrd Skynyrd may very well be the most popular Southern Rock band of all time. After a skyrocketing climb to the top of the charts during the 1970’s, combined with exhaustive touring, the band who named themselves after their high school gym read more...

Marc Ford Interview

Marc Ford’s Southern Harmony by James Calemine May, 2007 “It’s too soon to tell the difference Read that page another day It’s not clear the lines you’re crossing Just read more...

Kirk West

Kirk West Swampland Interview James Calemine April, 2007 KIRK WEST’S PHOTOGRAPHIC MEMORIES Kirk West plays an integral part in The Allman Brothers Band organization. West began taking photographs in the '70s which included read more...

MerleFest 2007: A Preview

By Michael Buffalo Smith MerleFest 2007, the Americana Music Celebration Presented by Lowe’s, (the 20th annual festival in celebration of the music of the late Merle Watson and his father Doc Watson) will be presented on the campus of Wilkes Community College in read more...

James Burton

James Burton Swampland Interview Guitar Man: An Original Six-String Journeyman by James Calemine March 2007 Born in Shreveport, Louisiana, on August 21, 1939, guitarist-extraordinaire James Burton read more...

Montgomery Gentry

by Michael Buffalo Smith March, 2007 I’ve been fortunate enough to see Montgomery Gentry perform several times, including a handful of impromptu gigs during the annual Angelus benefit down in Tampa, Florida. During the four read more...

Tim Duffy: Music Maker Relief Foundation

Tim Duffy Swampland Interview Music Maker Relief Foundation A Treasure Trove of American Music by James Calemine March, 2007 Music Maker Relief foundation, a non-profit read more...

Ed King's Journal: Rock and Roll Hall of Fame

ED KING'S JOURNAL: Skynyrd Guitarist's Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame Induction Blog

Charlie Louvin

CHARLIE LOUVIN INSURED BEYOND THE GRAVE by James Calemine February 2007 The Louvin Brothers legendary songs transcend time. Born Ira (April 21, 1924) and Charlie (July 7, 1927) Loudermilk, the brothers were read more...

Legends of Southern Rock: The Charlie Daniels Band

by Michael Buffalo Smith For decades Charlie Daniels has refused to label his music as anything other than "CDB music," music that helped elect an American president and been popularized on a read more...

Legends of Southern Rock: The Marshall Tucker Band

by Michael Buffalo Smith "I saw Marshall Tucker in Memphis at the Midsouth Coliseum back in - it must have been ‘73 or ‘74. They were the headliners and the other two acts were The Outlaws and The Charlie Daniels Band. Of course read more...

Clay Walker

Clay Walker's Texas Country by Michael Buffalo Smith January 2007 Country star Clay Walker first topped the Billboard country singles chart in 1993 with “What’s It to You” and read more...

John Hammond

by Michael Buffalo Smith January 2007 After three decades, John Hammond proves he's still a vital performer in American music. One of the very few white blues musicians performing at the beginning of the first blues renaissance of the mid-'60s, he found read more...

Vince Gill

VINCE GILL - FINALLY DOING IT HIS WAY “There was no skin involved. I didn’t drop my pants, but they got the message. I flipped them off and the police all gave me a standing O. It was really surreal. It was like a scene from Spinal read more...

GABBAFEST 2006

AN EYEWITNESS ACCOUNT Article and Photos by Bill Thames November 2006 The Georgia Allman Brothers Band Association read more...

2006 Americana Music Conference and Awards

Road Trip to The 7th Annual Americana Music Conference & Awards by Michael read more...

Joe Diffie

CATCHING UP WITH AN OLD FRIEND by Lee Bogan November, 2006

Kinky Friedman

"I won't be bullied and I can't be bought." PUSHING THE MIDDLE FINGER VOTE AND A NEW CD by Derek Halsey November 2006

Ken Block of Sister Hazel

A Band With A Mission by Sonny Edwards November 2006 Sister Hazel rocks! They Rock Boats, they Rock Slopes, and they are read more...

David Allan Coe 2006

OUTLAW UPDATE: COE TALKS ABOUT REBEL MEETS REBEL and THE COE SHOW by Michael Buffalo Smith The Mysterious Rhinestone Cowboy himself, David Allan Coe, continues to build on his own mythology with the read more...

1st ANNUAL GIBSON SUMMER JAM

by Barry Barnes September 2006 Gibson Guitar Corporation hosted their 1st Annual Gibson Summer Jam celebrating the opening of its new Gibson Custom factory on Elm Hill Pike in Nashville, Tennessee on July 27-29, read more...

Mama Louise's Most Excellent Birthday Jam

Story & Photos by by Bill Thames September 2006 A pessimist might say, “a good deed never goes unpunished,” but last weekend, in a room full of smiling optimists, Gregg Allman told the crowd that, “one shared read more...

John Cowan

JOHN COWAN: NEWGRASS, OLD GRASS, BORROWED GRASS, BLUEGRASS By Barry Barnes (Edited by Derek Halsey) September 2006 John Cowan is a major player in the world of bluegrass music. From his days with New Grass Revival in read more...

Artimus Pyle 2006

ARTIMUS SPITS HIS VENOM AND RECOILS AN INTERVIEW WITH SKYNYRD ICON ARTIMUS PYLE by Michael Buffalo Smith September, 2006 Legendary Southern rock drummer and recent Rock and Roll Hall of Fame read more...

Reflections on Willie Nelson: The Complete Atlantic Sessions

WILLIE NELSON: THE COMPLETE ATLANTIC SESSIONS …A JOURNEY TO THE RESERVOIR OF AMERICAN COUNTRY & SOUL… by James Calemine “If America had one voice, it would be Willie’s…” - Emmylou read more...

Reflections on Gram Parsons: The Complete Reprise Sessions

GRAM PARSONS - THE COMPLETE REPRISE SESSIONS by James Calemine “In my hour of darkness, in my hour of need Oh Lord grant me vision oh Lord grant me speed.” (from Return of the Grievous read more...

Jim Van Cleve

Jim Van Cleve Taking Bluegrass Music In His Own Direction By Derek Halsey July 2006 Still in his 20’s, Jim VanCleve is a young fiddler that is what bluegrass radio show host Wayne Clyburn would read more...

Claire Lynch

ONE NEW DAY AT A TIME Claire Lynch Has Something For Everyone By Sonny Edwards July 2006 To the careful observer, there are all manner of days. No one can count them all, but they include, in part, read more...

Bryan Sutton

BRYAN SUTTON: A Great Guitarist Digs Deep With The Legends By Derek Halsey July 2006 Bryan Sutton’s resume speaks for itself. He came out of a musically inclined family in North Carolina with the intent of becoming a read more...

Mac Arnold

BLUES COMEBACK OF THE YEAR: MAC ARNOLD by Michael Buffalo Smith July 2006 South Carolina bluesman Mac Arnold knows the blues. The one time bass player for Muddy Waters, Arnold has played and sung the read more...

Billy Bob Thornton

The Wit and Wisdom of Actor, Director, Writer, Musician and Southern Rock Fan by Michael Buffalo Smith July 2006 I have been a fan of Billy Bob for years. I vaguely recall his acting in the old Burt Reynolds TV read more...

One County Over: Ralph Stanley Sings the Music of the Carter Family

by Derek Halsey May, 2006 AP, Sara, and Maybelle Carter did not invent country music. The music had been evolving in the Appalachian Mountains for generations before the trio made their fateful trip to Bristol, Tennessee in 1927 to record their read more...

Cowboy Jack Clement

COWBOY JACK CLEMENT CASH, PRIDE, SUN and POLKA by Michael Buffalo Smith May, 2006 Cowboy Jack Clement is a true Nashville legend if ever there was one. From his days working at Sun Studios, to writing hit songs for read more...

Derek Trucks

DEREK TRUCKS The Time of His Life by Derek Halsey May 2006 There are times in a lucky musician’s life when good things happen, one right after another. I use the word ‘lucky’ because there are far more read more...

Luther Dickinson 2006

Luther Dickinson Of The North Mississippi Allstars By Derek Halsey May 2006 The self-described ‘world boogie’ sounds of the North Mississippi Allstars have been flowing out of this trio for ten read more...

Phil Walden Memorial

Phil Was a Capricorn By Michael Buffalo Smith May 2006 Phil Walden, 66, the Capricorn Records founder who launched the careers of Otis Redding and the Allman Brothers Band, died on Sunday, April 23, 2006 after a long read more...

Danielle Howle

A HOOTIE NEW ALBUM : DANIELLE HOWLE ROCKS by Michael Buffalo Smith May 2006 Danielle Howle is an amazing performer. Based in Columbia, South Carolina, she first rose to prominence as a member of the rock band read more...

Immortal Blues - In Memoriam: Chris Whitley

IMMORTAL BLUES - IN MEMORIAM: CHRIS WHITLEY 1960-2005 by James Calemine There’s a dirt floor Underneath here To receive us When changes fail May this shovel Loose your trouble Lay them

Hank Williams III

THE NEXT GENERATION OF A COUNTRY LEGACY by Michael Buffalo Smith April, 2006 Hank Williams the third, better known as "Hank III," embodies a lot of the same restless, wandering spirit, rebel read more...

Marshall Chapman 2006

CALL THE LLAMAS...EVERYTHING YOU EVER WANTED TO KNOW ABOUT THE TALL GIRL, BUT WERE AFRAID TO ASK by Michael Buffalo Smith April, 2006 During the seven years that GRITZ Magazine has been in cyberspace, read more...

Larry Rice Memorial

LARRY RICE Bluegrass Musician and Dickey Betts Band Alumnus Dies of Cancer by Derek Halsey April 2006 Larry Rice- Bluegrass Musician and Dickey Betts’ Band Alumnus- Dies Of Cancer We at Gritz Magazine have sad news to read more...

The Georgia Sea Island Singers - Preserving Coastal Music Traditions

The Georgia Sea Island Singers Preserving Coastal Music Traditions By James Calemine Spring 2006 After four decades, Frankie and Doug Quimby continue to travel the world as the Georgia Sea Island Singers, read more...

Road Trip to The Annual Angelus Benefit

by Michael Buffalo Smith & Scott Greene Feb. 2, 2006 Buffalo: I look forward to this every year. The annual pilgrimage from Upstate SC down to Tampa, Florida for Charlie Daniels’ three day read more...

Subdudes Return

subdudes embark on new tour with new album By Richard J. Atkins, Ed.D. February 2006 The subdudes, a New Orleans-based act spanning numerous genres (blues, folk, R&B, country, Cajun, read more...

Buddy Miles

MILES OF MUSIC by Michael Buffalo Smith February, 2006 Buddy Miles career spans over 49 years including 70 albums, six World tours, television specials, charity events, TV commercials and music videos. read more...

Marty Stuart Takes Charge of His Music

MARTY STUART TAKES CHARGE OF HIS MUSIC by Derek Halsey February, 2006 Marty Stuart has entered what may be the golden age of his career. He has taken hold of the reins of his musical visions and ideas by starting his own read more...

ZZ Top

ZZ TOP FOREVER by Russell Hall December 2005 ZZ Top’s run of thirty-five years with the same lineup is, in some ways, the rock and roll equivalent of Joe read more...

Lynyrd Skynyrd's Well Deserved Hall of Fame Induction

Would You Still Remember Me? LYNYRD SKYNYRD'S WELL DESERVED HALL OF FAME INDUCTION by Michael Buffalo Smith December 2005 Eight years. Eight long years of read more...

Sonny Landreth

SONNY LANDRETH by Derek Halsey December 2005 Sonny Landreth has honed his slide guitar playing skills for 41 of his 54 years on Earth, and along the read more...

Blackfoot

BLACKFOOT ON THE REUNION By Michael Buffalo Smith December 2005 In one of the best surprises of recent Southern Rock history, the hard rocking, take no prisoners band Blackfoot has reunited read more...

The Jam for Duane: 2005

THE JAM FOR DUANE: 2005 by Mitch Lopate November 2005 Jam For Duane October 27-29 2nd Street Music Hall Gadsden, AL I’m tellin’ ya read more...

Bobby Bare

THE BARE ESSENTIALS: BOBBY BARE IS BACK by Michael Buffalo Smith November 2005 In the late '50s, he moved from Ohio to Los Angeles. Bare's first appearance on record was in 1958, as he recorded his own blues tune "The All read more...

Rodney Moag

Austin's own western swingin', yodel singin', morse-codin', on the roadin', book writin', out-of sightin', college teachin', language speakin', fiddle playin', radio deejayin', pickin' singin', always grinnin', college professor

Delbert McClinton

DELBERT McCLINTON KEEPS IT REAL by Michael Buffalo Smith November 2005 Delbert McClinton’s formative years were spent as a member of The Straitjackets, the house band at a blues/rhythm and blues club on the outskirts of read more...

Michael Doucet (BeauSoleil)

BeauSoleil’s Michael Doucet Talks Of Hurricanes And Louisiana Music by Derek Halsey November 2005 BeauSoleil has been one of the premier bands to come out of Louisiana since its inception in 1975. Hailing from read more...

Shooter Jennings

Ol’ Shooter : Are you ready for the country? Are you ready for him? November 2005 by Michael Buffalo Smith At the age of 25, Shooter Jennings, the only son of legendary country music icon Waylon Jennings read more...

Mighty Field of Vision Internet and Radio Foundation Started

JOHN D. WYKER HEADS UP INTERNET RADIO STATION Decatur man's Internet station called a 'vision' of the future; music includes oldies, demos By Ronnie Thomas/Decatur Daily, Decatur, Al October, 2005 The read more...

John D. Wyker's Cat Tales - Eddie Hinton

AN EDDIE HINTON CAT TALE October, 2005 In The long, hot, stinking summer of 1984 Eddie Hinton caught a Greyhound Bus back into my hardware store, Hammer Swingin' Life...This was Hinton at his worst...No Nothin'...but a mean read more...

Al Kooper

AL KOOPER Black Coffee and Some Lynyrd Skynyrd, Please by Michael Buffalo Smith October, 2005 No introduction is necessary. If you listen to rock and pop music, you know who Al Kooper is. For those of us entangled in the world read more...

Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi Allstars)

LUTHER DICKINSON TALKS ABOUT HIS DAD'S MUSICAL LEGACY, ELECTRIC BLUE WATERMELON AND TOURING WITH JOHN HIATT By James Calemine October 2005 Luther Dickinson called me from Texas while the North Mississippi Allstars bus rolled read more...

Jerry Reed

WHEN YOU'RE HOT, YOU'RE HOT An Interview with Country Superstar/Actor Jerry Reed by Michael Buffalo Smith September, 2005 Jerry Reed is a true star. From his string of hit read more...

The Paul Thorn Interview

by Michael Buffalo Smith (Originally appeared in GRITZ print magazine issue #11, Summer 2005) Paul Thorn is one of a kind. A good ol’ Southern boy who was raised in Elvis’ home town of Tupelo, Mississippi, Thorn has a mighty voice read more...

Jimmy Martin

Jimmy Martin--Mr. Good N’ Country, the King Of Bluegrass By Derek Halsey June 2005 Jimmy Martin died on May 14, 2005 of bladder cancer at the age of 77. Almost a year before that he was kind enough to have granted us read more...

In Memory of Ray Brand

A TRIBUTE TO RAY BRAND GRITZ Archangel Benefit, May 7, read more...

John D. Wyker's Cat Tales - Dan Penn

A DAN PENN CAT TALE by JD Wyker April, 2005 Conway Twitty's version of "Is A Bluebird Blue" was real important to Dan Penn...or should I say Wallace Pennington..It was the first real money he made as a read more...

Hughie Thomasson

HUGHIE THOMASSON REFORMS THE OUTLAWS by William Turley Spring 2005 THIS PAGE DEDICATED TO THE MEMORY OF "WILD BILL" TURLEY, ENTERED INTO ETERNAL REST, SEPTEMBER 2005. A TRUE OUTLAWS AND SOUTHER ROCK FAN, AND A HELLUVA read more...

John D. Wyker's Cat Tales - Macon & Capricorn Records

Macon & Capricorn Records Cat Tale The year 1969 was a wild and strange and crazy time for me.When the editor of GRITZ asked me to write a Cat Tale about the time I spent in Macon,Georgia I was honored to be asked and to be able to say read more...

Road Trip to The Angelus, 2004

Roadtrip - Charlie Palooza 2004 by Michael Buffalo Smith My fourth trip to the Annual Charlie Daniels Country Concert and Golf Classic to benefit The Angelus House was the best ever - A road trip under sunny skies, quite a drive from read more...

Rich Robinson (Black Crowes)

AS THE CROWE FLIES RICH ROBINSON ON THE BLACK CROWES AND GOING SOLO By James Calemine This interview was conducted with Rich Robinson four months before the Black Crowes regrouped in February of 2005 to tour for their “All Join read more...

2004 Americana Music Conference

AMERICANA MUSIC CONFERENCE NASHVILLE, TN SEPTEMBER 23-25, 2004 by Michael Buffalo Smith October 2004 The ride up to Nashville was beautiful. The majesty of the Blue Ridge read more...

Tony Joe White

TONY JOE WHITE: THE SWAMP FOX by Michael Buffalo Smith October 2004 Tony Joe White is an American treasure. In 1969, Tony Joe came bursting out of the read more...

JJ Cale

By Derek Halsey October 2004 J.J. Cale is one of the most famous songwriters in history, yet he can walk down the street and not be recognized by anyone. Eric Clapton was asked in an interview not long ago read more...

Americana Late Night

by Derek Halsey October 2004 One of the cool things about the Americana Music Conference is the nighttime jams that happen throughout Nashville during the week. I arrive on Tuesday night and end up read more...

Road Trip To The Mountains

Road Trip to the Mountains The Appalachian String Band Festival Camp Washington Carver - Clifftop, West Virginia July 27- August 2, 2004 by Derek Halsey October read more...

Floyd Miles

By Michael Buffalo Smith October 2004 The pride of Daytona Beach, Florida, Floyd Miles is a world class blues and r&b singer who grew up friends with Duane and Gregg Allman, recorded with everyone from Dickey Betts to Edgar Winter, and now divides read more...

Mudcat: Shake 'Em On Down

MUDCAT: SHAKE ‘EM ON DOWN By James Calemine October 2004 Daniel “Mudcat” Dudeck sits in a wooden chair on the small stage playing Blind Willie McTell’s read more...

Johnny Neel: Mr. Soul

Johnny Neel: Mr. Soul by James Calemine “Smokestack Lightning Shining just like Gold.” Howlin’ Wolf You can’t teach soul. Johnny Neel ranks as one of the country’s most read more...

Drive-By Truckers: Southern (Dis)Comfort

DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS Southern (Dis)Comfort: It’s Only Rock and Roll by James Calemine I “People need trouble——a little frustration to sharpen the read more...

Lee Roy Parnell

LEE ROY PARNELL GUITARS, SLIDES AND THE BLUES by Michael RedTail Wolf Nystrom July 2004 I know you're a native Texan, but I don't know what town you were born in. Abilene, Texas and I grew up on a ranch read more...

Sam Bush

SAM BUSH by Derek Halsey June 2004 Gritz Magazine caught up with Sam Bush at Merlefest 2004, back in April. He took a minute to talk about his first studio read more...

Rickey Medlocke

RICKEY MEDLOCKE by Michael Buffalo Smith June 2004 These days Rickey Medlocke is touring the world as one of the “three guitar army” of Lynyrd Skynyrd, read more...

David Allan Coe

THE ORIGINAL OUTLAW: DAVID ALLAN COE by Michael Buffalo Smith June 2004 Let’s face it, David Allan Coe defies categorization. For three decades, Coe has read more...

Marshall Chapman 2004

TALL Y’ALL: MARSHALL CHAPMAN by Michael Buffalo Smith April 2004 Marshall Chapman has created quite a name for herself in Nashville as one of Music read more...

Bernie Leadon

By Michael Buffalo Smith April 2004 Bernie Leadon is perhaps best known as the multi-instrumentalist/vocalist/singer/songwriter of The Eagles, having appeared on all of their first five albums, as well as read more...

John Townsend

By Michael Buffalo Smith April 2004 This issue, we have located one of the true great voices of rock and roll, John Townsend, who struck gold during the 1970s with the hit “Smoke from a Distant read more...

Capricorn Records

By Russell Hall April 2004 In a business where executives often achieve legendary status, Capricorn Records founder Phil Walden has always been something of an anomaly. Unlike say, Jerry Wexler or Ahmet read more...

The Late Great Townes Van Zandt

A deluge of Townes Van Zandt releases flood the market since his death on January 1, 1997. A bitter legal battles ensues over Van Zandt's prolific song catalogue. Various related projects recently became available such as Norah Jones' Handsome Band: Live 2004, Margaret Brown's read more...

Tony Smotherman

Yngwie, Skynyrd and The Queen of England by Levin Sheridan March, 2004 Tony Smotherman is one of the most outstanding of the new breed of guitar slingers. GRITZ caught up with Tony for this read more...

Johnny Sandlin

Johnny Sandlin Southern Producer, Engineer and Musician by Michael Buffalo Smith Spring 2004 You can find his name in the credits of most any Capricorn read more...

Doug Gray

Searchin’ for a Rainbow Doug Gray of The Marshall Tucker Band by Michael Buffalo Smith March 2004 The Marshall Tucker Band has never stopped rocking since their inception in the early 1970s; there has always read more...

The World Comes Out To Merlefest

THE WORLD COMES OUT TO MERLEFEST By Derek Halsey June 2004 Merlefest Music Festival April 29-May 2, 2004

Charlie Daniels 2003

The Heart & Soul of Charlie Daniels by Michael Buffalo Smith December 2003 For the cover story of our third print issue in 2003 I called on our old friend Charlie Daniels. Having interviewed him read more...

Richard Young (Kentucky Headhunters)

RICHARD YOUNG: THE KENTUCKY HEADHUNTERS by Michael Buffalo Smith September 2003 For the second part of our Kentucky Headhunters spotlight, we spoke with read more...

Del McCoury

MAN OF THE YEAR: DEL McCOURY By Derek Halsey September 2003 The story of the rise of the Del McCoury Band is an impressive one. These days they are playing before large crowds of young read more...

Hurt: Remembering Johnny Cash

by Michael Buffalo Smith September 2003 During the last several years of his life Johnny Cash was in severe pain 24 hours a day. For many men it would have meant retiring from the spotlight and into read more...

Bluegrass Rules at the 2003 IBMAs

by Derek Halsey August 2003 The International Bluegrass Music Association’s yearly convention is already a couple of days old when I arrive on Wednesday afternoon on read more...

Freddie Edwards

FREDDIE EDWARDS: THE CHARLIE DANIELS BAND by Michael Buffalo Smith August 2003 As one of the two drummers for The Charlie Daniels Band for fourteen years, Fred Edwards was a part of the Southern rock scene during read more...

Remembering June Carter Cash

REMEMBERING JUNE CARTER CASH By Derek Halsey July 2003 On May 18th, 2003, Johnny Cash sat in the pew of the First Baptist Church in Hendersonville, Tennessee looking as old as he ever has. read more...

Larry "L.J." Junstrom

Larry Junstrom Recalls His Days with Lynyrd Skynyrd and Talks About His Band, .38 Special by Scott Greene July 2003

Dale Krantz Rossington

Rossington-Collins, The Rossington Band and Lynyrd Skynyrd by Michael Buffalo Smith Summer 2003 She may be in the background as a backup singer for Skynyrd now, but there was a time when Dale Krantz was the read more...

Patterson Hood

PATTERSON HOOD of THE DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS by Michael Buffalo Smith July 2003 The Drive-By Truckers are taking the music world by the short hairs, rocking hard and read more...

Greg Martin (Kentucky Headhunters)

by Michael Buffalo Smith July 2003 The Kentucky Headhunters are back and in fine form with their new album Soul, a fun-filled romp through Muscle Shoals influenced soul and Memphis flavored r&b. We caught up read more...

Gary Rossington

GARY ROSSINGTON - THE HEART OF LYNYRD SKYNYRD by Michael Buffalo Smith June, 2003

Billy Joe Shaver

ODE TO BILLY JOE - AN INTERVIEW WITH BILLY JOE SHAVER by Derek Halsey Spring 2003 Billy Joe Shaver is one of the best and most prolific songwriters that America has ever produced. He is known to a lot of people for being a huge part read more...

Ace Moreland: A Remembrance

Ace Moreland: A Remembrance by Paul Doell February 2003 Ace Moreland’s most recent album (Give It To Get It, released on the King Snake-Icehouse label in 2000) includes a 1998 photo of the lean, lanky read more...

Edwin McCain

by Michael Buffalo Smith December 2002 These days, Edwin McCain is busier than ever, which is somewhat odd considering he just quit the major label Atlantic Records to sign with a small Tennessee indie called read more...

JD Crowe

Bluegrass Legend J.D. Crowe by Derek Halsey December 2002 In 1956, a 15 year old J.D. Crowe came out of Lexington, Kentucky and joined the legendary Jimmy read more...

Tommy Crain

TOMMY CRAIN by Michael Buffalo Smith December 2002 During our first three years on the internet, one question that got asked more often than any other was, read more...

2002 IBMA Bluegrass Awards Roadtrip

IBMA BLUEGRASS AWARDS ROAD TRIP By Derek Halsey December 2002 As I drove into Louisville, Kentucky on this misty October night I reached for the radio dial to see read more...

Tom Dowd

From The Manhattan Project to the Allman Brothers Band An Interview with Tom Dowd by Michael Buffalo Smith Fall 2002 Okay. We know that he has produced some of the greatest records in the read more...

Tom Dowd (Part 2)

The last name on my name list is someone that has become kind of a legend in our Southern rock genre. What can you say about Ronnie Van Zant? Ronnie was a gem. Ronnie was a brilliant writer. We spent most of our time together traveling on the road for a day read more...

Tom Dowd Memorial

TOM DOWD The Legendary Producer Dies on October 27, 2002 By Derek Halsey Last May I was invited to be backstage at the Grand Ole Opry as the guest of the excellent country and western singer, Joni Harms, whom I had interviewed read more...

Road Trip to New Orleans

ROAD TRIP TO NEW ORLEANS THE LEGENDARY JAZZ & HERITAGE FESTIVAL Report/Photos By Derek Halsey First Appeared in GRITZ, Print issue #2, Fall 2002 New Orleans is a city being rebuilt these days, as Hurricane read more...

Jupiter Coyote

Deep Inside The Cosmos Factory Jupiter Coyote Jams by Scott Greene Summer 2002 In our neverending quest to bring you the best the music world has to offer, we are always looking for new and fresh acts to read more...

Don Winters

THEY CALL ME SWEET PAPA DON Papa Don Winters' Last Interview by Michael Buffalo Smith July 2002 Don Winters scored a major country hit as songwriter for The Louvin Brothers back in 1955 with “You’re Running read more...

Lucky Oceans (Asleep At The Wheel)

Asleep At The Wheel by Derek Halsey July, 2002 Lucky Oceans, along with Ray Benson and Lerroy Preston, were the founding members of the western swing, roots band called Asleep At The Wheel. In this read more...

Blue Mother Tupelo

Ricky and Micol Davis By Derek Halsey July 2002 Blue Mother Tupelo is a blues/rock/roots band out of Tennessee that has as good a thing going as any southern band out there. There are a lot of read more...

Charlie Hayward (The Charlie Daniels Band)

CHARLIE HAYWARD Playing in The Charlie Daniels Band by Michael Buffalo Smith June 2002 Since 1975, Charlie Hayward has held down the bottom for the Charlie read more...

O Sister Thou Hath Been There All Along - Women in Bluegrass

O SISTER THOU HATH BEEN THERE ALL ALONG Women in Bluegrass Music by Derek Halsey June 2002 In the documentary/concert movie Down From The Mountain the women musicians are just read more...

Peanutt Montgomery

Peanutt & The Possum A Visit with Songwriter/Musician Peanutt Montgomery by Michael Buffalo Smith June, 2002 When we made our way back down to Alabama for the George Lindsey Film & TV Festival, read more...

Dickey Betts 2002

BLUE SKIES AND TOMBSTONE EYES Dickey Betts and The Great Southern Reunion by Michael Buffalo Smith June, 2002

Barry Lee Harwood (Rossington Collins Band)

DON'T MISUNDERSTAND ME Barry Lee Harwood On Life After The Rossington Collins Band by Scott Greene May 2002 When the Skynyrd plane went down in the swamps of Mississippi, like so many of you, I thought read more...

Earl Scruggs Family and Friends

Earl Scruggs Family and Friends A WBZI and Cityfolk.org Production Dayton, Ohio April 14,2002 by Derek Halsey The Earl Scruggs Band featuring; Earl Scruggs, banjo and guitar. Gary Scruggs, vocals and read more...

David Holt

David Holt's Folkways and Riverwalk And Working with Doc Watson by Derek Halsey April 2002 David Holt has been a musician, storyteller, and television show host for about thirty years or so. He has put out read more...

Clarence Fountain (Blind Boys of Alabama)

Clarence Fountain Interview Higher Ground by James Calemine Spring 2002 On September 3, 2002, Real World Records released the new Blind Boys of Alabama album titled Higher Ground, featuring read more...

Billy C. Farlow

Still Having "Too Much Fun." by Michael Buffalo Smith March 2002 The former lead vocalist of Commander Cody & His Lost Planet Airmen is still rocking and singing the blues with read more...

Wayne Moss

ALL THE GOOD PEOPLE DOWN IN TENNESSEE ARE DIGGING BAREFOOT JERRY… An Interview with Wayne Moss By Derek Halsey February 2002 Wayne Moss is a musician who has played in the studio with everyone from Nancy Sinatra to Bob read more...

Dickie Harrell (Gene Vincent)

The Drummer from Gene Vincent & The Blue Caps is Alive and Well in Virginia by Michael Buffalo Smith February 2002 The most exciting rock and roller of the 1950's may have been Elvis, but read more...

Warren Haynes 2002

Goin' Off the Deep End with Warren Haynes by Michael Buffalo Smith February 2002 From his massive body of work with Gov’t Mule and The Allman Brothers Band, to his unforgettable jams as a member of Phil read more...

Alan Walden

Skynyrd, The Allmans and Otis Alan Walden's Career in Rock and Soul by Michael Buffalo Smith January 2002 Anyone who has read anything at all about the history of Southern Music is familiar with read more...

John McEuen

The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band Instrumentalist Recalls The Early Days, Duane Allman, Steve Martin and a Lifetime of Music by Derek Halsey January 2002 John McEuen has been in the music read more...

Best Releases of 2001

by Michael Buffalo Smith 1. The Deep End Volume 1 - Gov't Mule What an amazing and unparalleled tribute to the late Allen Woody. Featuring all of his favorite fellow bass players, playing some great music with his band mates Warren Haynes and Matt read more...

Artimus Pyle 2001

Street Survivor: Artimus Pyle on his friend Allen Woody, the new APB album and life in general by Michael Buffalo Smith December 2001 Hi Artimus. I’d like to begin this second read more...

Lee Bogan

The Good Lord, Family and Friends Lee Bogan Knows What it Takes To Make a Country Hit by Michael Buffalo Smith December 2001 From his years as guitarist for country stars Joe read more...

John Hartford Memorial

Where Does an Old Time River Man Go? John Hartford Remembered By Derek Halsey December 2001 In the cool autumn air the sounds of the riverboats were everywhere. There is nothing like the whistle of a ship like the Delta read more...

Leon Russell

STILL PLAYING A SONG FOR YOU Leon Russell On Bangladesh, Mad Dogs and Englishmen, and His Hot New Independent Label by Michael Buffalo Smith November 2001 As I dialed up the number, my mind was still busy filtering the read more...

David Ball

Checking in with Our Amigo, David Ball by Michael Buffalo Smith November 2001 I can remember seeing David Ball, along with Champ Hood and the late Walter Hyatt as Uncle Walt's Band here in Upstate read more...

Celebration of Life Event, 2001

On the Road in Florida Celebrating Life in St. Augustine by Michael Buffalo Smith November 1, 2001 The Celebration of Life memorial Concert and benefit was held on October 20, 2001 read more...

Doc Holliday

What’s Up, Doc? Doc Holliday and Bruce Brookshire’s Southern Spirit by Michael Buffalo Smith October 2001 One of the hardest working bands in the lexicon of Southern Rock was and is Doc read more...

Drive-By Truckers

KEEP ON TRUCKIN' The Drive-By Truckers Contribute to the New Mythology by Dick Cooper October 2001 BELOW: The building where "Southern Rock Opera" was recorded.

Jeff Carlisi (.38 Special)

The Guitarist Talks About 38 Special, Lynyrd Skynyrd and Big People by Scott Greene October 2001 Jeff Carlisi, Architect? Were it not for a recession, he could be designing buildings instead of crafting guitar read more...

Ed King 2001

Ed King: A Second Helping Waking up to The Strawberry Alarm Clock by Michael Buffalo Smith September 2001 Ed King is a walking rock and roll lesson. From his teenage success with The Strawberry Alarm Clock read more...

Red Dog Campbell

The Original Road Dog Red Dog Campbell’s Thirty-Three Years with The Allman Brothers Band by Michael Buffalo Smith August 2001 He’s the most famous “roadie” on the planet, no read more...

Johnny Winter

NOTHIN' BUT THE BLUES Johnny Winter in The 21st Century by Michael Buffalo Smith August 2001 Johnny Winter is a legend. Sure, that title gets tossed around in rock and roll like a Frisbee in the park on Sunday, read more...

Stephen Foster

Music, Muscle Shoals and The Mighty Field of Vision by Mitch Lopate August 2001 Warning, reader! The following story is laden with hair-pin turns, dangerous escapes, party-till-you-drop read more...

Leon Wilkeson Memorial

The Cat in The Hat - Remembering Leon Wilkeson July 27, 2001 "If I leave here tomorrow, would you still remember me? I must be traveling on now, there's just too many places I've got to see." - RVZ We had been read more...

The Randall Hall Interview

Southern By The Grace of God Randall Hall Stays True to His Southern Rock Roots by Michael Buffalo Smith, July 2001 Lynyrd Skynyrd has showcased some mighty fine musicians over the years, from the original band to the current read more...

The Great Molly Hatchet Give Away, 2001

THE GREAT MOLLY HATCHET GIVEAWAY ROCKS LAS VEGAS by Michael Buffalo Smith, 2001 The First Annual "I Love Molly Hatchet" contest wrapped up in Las Vegas, Nevada June 1-3, 2001, with first place winner read more...

Geoff Hanson

Of Pigs and Panic An Interview with Film Maker Geoff Hanson by Michael Buffalo Smith July 2001 Christopher and Geoff Hanson are turning out to be an excellent pair of movie read more...

John Lee Hooker Memorial

John Lee Hooker (1917-2001) The Man is Gone, But The Boogie Lives On by J.C. Juanis June 21, 2001 The music community lost a great one today, when news of the death of bluesman John Lee Hooker read more...

Dru Lombar

Dru Lombar Recalls Grinderswitch, Joe Dan and Southern Rock of the Seventies by Michael Buffalo Smith June 2001 (prior to the reformation of Grinderswitch, the death of Joe Dan Petty and ultimately the death of read more...

Steve Ripley (The Tractors)

FAST GIRLS AND COUNTRY MUSIC The Steve Ripley/Tractors Interview by Ken Burke June 2001 The 1992 hit "Baby Likes To Rock It" made Steve Ripley and his band The Tractors stars virtually overnight. read more...

Dave Hlubek

Playin’ in The Allstar Band Dave Hlubek Talks About Molly Hatchet, The Southern Rock Allstars and TV by Michael Buffalo Smith May 2001 Dave Hlubek needs no introduction to fans of Southern read more...

Travis Wammack

"SCRATCHY" WAS JUST THE BEGINNING Travis Wammack is Still Rocking May, 2001 by Michael B. Smith We can think of no better introduction to our exclusive interview than the following article from ROLLING read more...

George McCorkle 2001

Checking Back in with George McCorkle Rockin’ Blues on an American Street by Michael Buffalo Smith April 2001 George McCorkle was a founding member of The Marshall Tucker Band and, for the past read more...

Larry Howard

The Southern Rock of Ages Former Grinderswitch guitarist Larry Howard talks about his old band, his friends like The Allman Brothers and Marshall Tucker Band and his journey toward a higher calling. by Michael Buffalo read more...

Bloodkin: Cutthroat Blues

Bloodkin Cutthroat Blues by James Calemine The music business is a cruel and shallow money trench, a long plastic hallway where thieves and pimps run free, and good men die like dogs. There’s also a negative side.

Johnny Neel

From The Allmans to Gov't Mule, Johnny Neel Rocks The Blues with Style by Michael Buffalo Smith April 2001 Where were you born and raised? read more...

Jay Johnson

You Doesn’t Have To Call Me Johnson! Jay Johnson ponders the state of rock and roll and traces his footsteps from Radio Tokyo to The Rossington Band to The Southern Rock Allstars by Michael Buffalo Smith

Van Zant

BROTHERS IN ARMS Donnie and Johnny Van Zant Talk About Their Brother, Their Parents, and Their Second Collaborative Album By Michael B. Smith March, 2001 Perhaps no other name in Southern Rock conjures up as read more...

Sister Hazel

Snapshot of a Band on the Verge Sister Hazel is Ready for Big Time by Julia Mclaughlin & Scott Greene February, 2001 Sister Hazel, from Gainesville, FL, recently released their third CD, read more...

Paul Hornsby

An Ear for Southern Rock Paul Hornsby On Hourglass, Capricorn Records and A Life in Music by Michael Buffalo Smith January, 2001 Paul Hornsby's name is synonymous with Southern Rock, as both musician and producer. The following read more...

Col. Bruce Hampton

THE DADDY OF US ALL Col. Bruce Hampton (ret) Discusses Everything from Andy Griffith to Slingblade to The Aquarium Rescue Unit , Horse Racing and Zambee by Michael B. Smith January, 2001 Col. Bruce read more...

Dash Crofts

Blowing through the Jasmine in My Mind The Return of Dash Crofts by Michael Buffalo Smith January 2001 Dash Crofts, one half of the legendary duo of Seals & Crofts, released his first ever solo read more...

Bernard Allison

Across the Water, and Back Again An Interview with Bernard Allison by Michael Buffalo Smith January, 2001 Bernard Allison was born the son of a blues legend, the late Luther Allison, and with eight read more...

Best Releases of 2000

My Top CD's of 2000 by Michael Buffalo Smith It's never an easy task to attempt a "Top 40" list. My opinions, like those of everyone else, change with the wind. Still, as a music journalist, I feel compelled at year's end to read more...

Stanley Booth: Can I Get A Witness

Can I Get A Witness The True Adventures of Stanley Booth By James Calemine Winter 2000 Jack Kerouac was a writer. That is, he wrote. Many people who call themselves writers and have their names on books aren’t writers read more...

Larry Byrom (Steppenwolf)

Looking for Adventure In Whatever Comes Our Way by Mitch Lopate November, 2000 Before becoming one of Nashville's finest session guitarists, Larry Byrom rocked it hard as the axe man for one of rock and roll's read more...

Dickey Betts 2000

BACK TO WHERE IT ALL BEGINS An Exclusive with Dickey Betts by Michael Buffalo Smith November, 2000 The words, "no introduction is necessary" come immediately to mind as I sit down to write a foreword for the following read more...

Charlie Daniels 2000

Back to Tennessee: Catching Up with Charlie Daniels by Michael Buffalo Smith October 2000 What inspired you to record the songs you recorded for your new album Tailgate Party?

Jimmy Nalls

The Bionic Blues Man Jimmy Nalls Battles Disease and Keeps On Rockin’ by Michael Buffalo Smith Fall 2000 Jimmy Nalls is read more...

Bobby Whitlock

Layla, and Many Other Songs of Love Bobby Whitlock Talks About Derek & The Dominos, Duane Allman, Gram Parsons, Eric Clapton and more... by Mitch Lopate Winter 2000 I see you released a new album on the read more...

Pete Carr

THE MOST IMPORTANT THINGS IN LIFE ARE ROCK AND ROLL, AND A HOT CARR... An Interview with Muscle Shoals Guitar Legend, Pete Carr by Michael B. Smith /with Roxanne Crutcher May 2000 Pete Carr, recognized as one of the read more...

Remembering Eddie Hinton

Remembering Eddie Hinton "A Musician's Musician" by Dick Cooper Winter 2000 Eddie Hinton was a jewel. The many facets of his talent shone independently, and the whole was much greater than its parts. read more...

Charlie Daniels: Renaissance Hillbilly

Renaissance Hillbilly A Look Inside the Mind of Charlie Daniels by Michael Buffalo Smith October 2000 Not unlike the great state of Texas, Charlie Daniels is a little bit Western and a little bit Southern. read more...

Farther Down The Road with Taj Mahal

Farther Down The Road with Taj Mahal By James Calemine Taj Mahal remains a craftsman of many musical styles. His career reveals a vast scope submerged within traditions of roots music. This year Columbia released four Taj Mahal read more...

Delaney Bramlett

DELANEY, CLAPTON, ALLMAN AND FRIENDS A Conversation with Delaney Bramlett by Mitch Lopate Fall 2000 Be sure to read our read more...

In Memory of Allen Woody

In Memory of Allen Woody October 2, 1956 - August 25, 2000 This is the poem Warren read at the funeral.

Bill Payne (Little Feat)

All That You Dream Touching Base with Bill Payne of Little Feat by Michael B. Smith Summer, 2000 Bill Payne, an original member of the legendary Little Feat, is a musician in every sense of the word, from his read more...

Jerry Carrigan

Bama-Lam! Alabama's Drumming Legend by Allen Smith, July 2000 What do Leon Russell, Delbert McClinton, Ronnie Hawkins, and Willie Nelson have in common? How about Elvis Presley, Jerry Lee Lewis, and John Denver? Other read more...

Greg T. Walker

Greg T. Walker Recalls Blackfoot and Talks About the Here and Now by Scott Greene July 2000 If you were choosing a rhythm section for a Southern Rock Hall of Fame band, Greg T. Walker would be first off read more...

Jimmie Van Zant

COUSIN TO COUSIN Jimmie Van Zant Carries On Ronnie's Tradition with Love and Respect by Scott Greene, June, 2000 When you think of the name Van Zant, the three brothers from the West Side of Jacksonville, Florida read more...

Lonnie Mack

The Guitar Player's Guitar Player Gritz Speaks with Guitar Hero Lonnie Mack by Michael Buffalo Smith (June, 2000) Lonnie Mack is a roadhouse blues-rock legend - modern rock's first true guitar read more...

Jimmy Farrar: Still Alive and Well

by Scott Greene What do you think the "odds" are of someone who struggled and worked hard to make it in the music business and when they finally made it they walked away for what they consider to be the most important thing in life? Well, that's just read more...

Chuck Leavell

POUNDING KEYS & HUGGING TREES A Conversation with Chuck Leavell By Michael B. Smith June 2000 What can you say about Chuck Leavell? He is and has been one of the most sought-after keyboard players in rock and roll, read more...

Ace Moreland

KINGSNAKE HAS AN ACE UP THEIR SLEEVE Ace Moreland Remembers Steve Gaines, Talks About The Blues, Recording with Edgar Winter, and His Friend Derek Trucks by Michael Buffalo Smith June 2000 When read more...

Danny O'Keefe

Saving Our Planet: Danny O'Keefe Speaks up for Conservation and Land Stewardship, Feathered Friends & Tuneful Buddies, and Making Music That Has a Purpose. by Mitch Lopate Summer 2000 Danny read more...

Bonnie Bramlett

Don't You Remember You Told Me You Loved Me Baby? A Conversation with Bonnie Bramlett by Jill McLane Smith Summer 2000 From her work with Delaney and Bonnie and Friends, to her friendships with a who's-who of '60's and read more...

Janis Joplin Remembered

Recollections of Janis Seen Through the Eyes of Big Brother by Sam Andrew Summer 2000 Janis Joplin spent her childhood in Port Arthur, Texas. That town and indeed all of Texas east of Houston is bayou country, read more...

John D. Wyker

Hallucination Verification John Wyker and Mighty Field of Vision by Mitch Lopate 2000 Hallucination verification, John D. "WildCat" Wyker's back on the loose! Actually, it's hard to read more...

Don Barnes

There’s Still Something Special About .38 The Don Barnes Interview by Michael Buffalo Smith February 2000 One of the hardest working bands of the ‘80s and ‘90s, still going strong read more...

In Memory of Lonesome Dave Peverett

A TRIBUTE TO LONESOME DAVE PEVERETT by Roxane Crutcher Monday afternoon, I received the news of Lonesome Dave from the webmaster of Foghat...it was all I could do to hold back my emotions..."Rox, Just in case you haven't read more...

Dick Cooper

On and Off the Road with Dick Cooper by Mitch Lopate 2000 Dick Cooper wears many hats: music museum curator, band road manager, free-lance writer and photographer, motorcycle racer, traveler, martial arts disciple and read more...

Gov't Mule

BAD LITTLE DONKEY Gov’t Mule Conquers the World by Michael Buffalo Smith February 2000 Following in the footsteps of bands like The Grateful read more...

Johnson Family of Muscle Shoals

A Legendary Family by Dick Cooper, January 2000 Muscle Shoals music is hard to label because of its diversity. It is Rock, Pop, R & B, Country, Jazz, Folk, and most genres in between. While many influential people have come to the area and read more...

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