All Article Archives
Kelly Perdue Memorial
KELLY PERDUE - REST IN PEACE Leader Of The Mando Mafia Band Dead At 45 by Derek Halsey December 2005 On the morning of December 15 the music community lost yet another musician with the 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...
Sam Shepard Stars in "Don't Come Knocking"
The Electric Cowboy Stars In Wim Wenders' Latest Film by James Calemine December '05 Sam Shepard’s career epitomizes the rugged soul of America’s West. The award 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...
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
Big Joe Duskin Still Kicks Out Old School Blues Piano
Big Joe Duskin is one of the last of the old time blues piano players who made boogie woogie music what is today. Coming off of his first CD release in 10 years, Big Joe Jumps Again! on Yellow Dog Records, the blues piano master was nominated for the 2005 WC Handy Comeback 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...
Road Trip to the Ray Brand Memorial Shows
The Ray of Light Benefit Shows Down in Alabama by Michael Buffalo Smith September 1, 2005 It seems like I have spent half of 2005 driving between Greenville, SC and Huntsville, Alabama. But this trip was a 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...
Good Ol' Tater Soup
GOOD OL' TATER SOUP IN THE WINTER; VIZZY SWIZZY IN THE SUMMER By Ron Williams March, 2005 Shhh! Don't tell nobody, but this recipe has some, well, rather French roots. Naw, not celeriac or such, I mean 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...
Breakfast With Hunter
Breakfast With Hunter: A Film By Wayne Ewing Starring Dr. Hunter S. Thompson by James Calemine Feb. 2005 “There may be flies on you and me, but there are no flies on Jesus.” 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...
Sam Peckinpah
The Furious Legacy of an American Maverick by James Calemine December 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...
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...
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...
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...
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...
How Southern Are You? Dare Ya! (Pork Brains)
How Southern Are You? Dare Ya! (PORK BRAINS) by Ron Williams (Photo features My Pet Pig, Prissy...) July 2004 I think it's one of those Jeff Foxworthy "Redneck" jokes that says the last words read more...
Phyllis Ann Bailey's Strawberry Preserves
Phyllis Ann Bailey's Strawberry Preserves by Ron Williams Spring City, Tenn., May 16, 2004 The Mexican migrant workers were picking strawberries and loading them onto a Chevy flatbed across Highway 27 outside of 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...
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
I Like My Chicken Fryin' Size
by Ron Williams December 2003 The Yellowhammer, Mockingbird, Brown Thrasher, Great Carolina Wren, no matter what is listed, are NOT the State Birds of Alabama, Mississippi, Georgia, Tennessee, or South Carolina. It is The 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...
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...
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...
The Yucatan is not a tanning salon: Pastel de lujo
by Ron Williams February 2003 I was basically asleep when our oldest son called in from Austin. I think I yelled to ask if his gig paid any real money, and then rolled over and hugged whatever damn dog was in the bed. Turns out, he was calling read more...
Hot Tamales and They Red Hot
Hot Tamales and They Red Hot by Ron Williams December 2002 On Friday, November 27, 1936, in a hotel room in San Antonio, Texas, Robert Johnson recorded "They’re Red Hot." While this song 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...
QUE TAL, Y'ALL! Tex-Mex Cheese Enchiladas
by Ron Williams October, 2002 Hatcher leaned back in the chair, "Back in the 60’s when I lived in Dallas, we could get some good stuff. Sometimes we’d have to go to the border or even into Mexico to get the 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...
Etoufee d' Ecrevissess (or "Mudbug Gravy")
Etoufee d’ Ecrevissess (or "Mudbug Gravy") by Ron Williams September, 2002 I caught crawdads as a kid under the rocks of creeks near Siloam Springs, Arkansas. It was great fun to turn over a rock and see 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...
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...
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...
Barney Barnwell, A Possum's Tale
What follows are some true-to-life tales told by a genuine mountain man, my friend Barney Barnwell of Campobello, S.C. (Camp'beller, that is.) Barney has lead The Plum Hollow Band as singer and fiddle player for over 25 years, playing a unique mix of bluegrass and rock and roll 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...
Cincinnati Five Way Chili
King-Federal, and the Queen City's Claim to Fast Food Fame Cincinnati Five Way Chili by Ron Williams December 2001 (OK, so I lied about waiting till March to write another column! This is my gift to the 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...
Holiday Recipe - Cornbread Dressing
Holiday Recipe - Cornbread Dressing by Ron Williams November 13, 2001 Why You Don't Hear, "I'll Beat The Dressing Out Of You."
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...
Retail Canned and Frozen Ready - to - Serve Southern Products
Company's Coming! Retail canned and frozen ready - to - serve Southern products A TRUE STORY by Ron Williams October 2001 (ring - ring) "Hello?"
Labor Day Recipes
Yeah, It's Me and I'm Drinkin' Again Labor Day Recipes by Ron Williams August 15, 2001 Labor Day in the South means one thing: Barbeque. It also means NEVER buy any product that happens to be manufactured the day 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 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...
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...
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.
Biscuits and Sausage Gravy
Get Your Biscuits in the Oven, and Your Buns in the Bed (Biscuits and Sausage Gravy) by Ron & Sandra Williams January 2001 When the South rises again, it will be with the help of White 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...
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...
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.
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...
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...
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...
Road Trip To Macon II
Road Trip to Macon, Georgia: The Sequel Makin' it Back to Macon, Again .38 Special, Chris Hicks, Eddie Stone and Remembering the Brothers by Michael Buffalo Smith and Scott Greene 2000