Mystery and Manners Dispatch Archives
New Allman Brothers Documentary Premiere May 16
New Allman Brothers Documentary Premieres May 16 5/7/08 This afternoon Allman Brothers Tour Mystic
Tom Waits Glitter And Doom Tour Dates (Mostly Southern)
Tom Waits Glitter And Doom Tour Dates Mostly Southern 5/6/08 “Well they call me William the pleaser/I sold opium read more...
Mavis Staples To Headline Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival
Mavis Staples To Headline Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival 5/5/08 “I know no one can sing the blues
...The Kentucky Derby In Athens, Georgia...
Athens, Georgia…May 3, 2008…The Kentucky Derby… “When you’re sitting back In your rose pink read more...
Music Maker Relief Foundation & Dust-To-Digital
Music Maker Relief Foundation & Dust-To-Digital Preserve The Oldest Traditions 5/2/08 The North Carolina-based
Mystery And Manners Honorary Southern Artist(s) Part Six: Clarence White
Mystery And Manners Honorary Southern Artist(s)—PART SIX Clarence White By James Calemine “Tempted and tried
Emmylou Harris Inducted Into Country Music Hall of Fame
Emmylou Inducted Into The Country Music Hall of Fame 4/29/08 Last Sunday, April 27,
Mudcrutch & Gram Parsons' Florida Roots
Mudcrutch & Gram Parsons’ Florida Roots 4/27/08 This
New Orleans Jazzfest: In Wake Of The Flood
Randy Newman’s “Louisiana 1927” Becomes Un-official Anthem For New Orleans Jazzfest 4/27/08 In the wake of Katrina, many read more...
The Midnight Hour
A Backward Glance During The Midnight Hour 4/27/08 At this midnight hour preparations are being made for upcoming Mystery read more...
The Return of Mudcrutch
Tom Petty Resurrects His Old Florida Band Mudcrutch 4/24/05 Tom Petty and Tom Leadon (brother of Eagle Bernie) formed Mudcrutch with Randall read more...
Widespread Panic In Orange Beach, Alabama
Widespread Panic On The Beach 4/19/08 Morning Folks, Last night proved a fine night. The weather here in Orange Beach, Alabama, is read more...
...Night Before Widespread Panic On The Beach...
A Prelude To The Spectacle 4/17/08 Before I take off for the three
The Blessing of Mavis Staples
The Blessing of Mavis Staples 4/14/08 Mavis Staples serves as a beacon of light in the sinister music business. Her golden voice appears on read more...
Outward Bound
“The eye and mind would be functioning as a camera. The writing would be selective and necessarily interpretive—but once the image was written the words would be final.” --Hunter read more...
Dickinson's Eats & Dylan's Prize
Bob Dylan Wins Pulitzer Prize & Jim Dickinson's Best On The Road Eating 4/7/08 Evening Folks, I hope all is well on this read more...
A Shot of the Blues
A Daily Dose of Authenticity...Keith Richards...James Burton...MLK...Widespread Panic...The Black Crowes...Jim Dickinson... 4/4/08 As Spring read more...
The Legacy of Ardent Records
The Legacy of Ardent Records 4/2/08 In light of my recent interview with the great
Time To Panic
A Journey To The Classic City For A Meeting With Seasoned Professionals 3/29/08
The Road To Hell Is Paved with Good Intentions
A Few Insights For The Faithful On A Thursday Evening 3/27/08 Pollen read more...
Bound For Glory
“I was thirteen when I went to live with a family of thirteen people in a two-room house. I was going on fifteen when I got me a job shining shoes, read more...
Mudcrutch: Tom Petty's Florida Roots
The surprise announcement of Mudcrutch's reunion is welcome news to the Swampland Footprint. Mudcrutch is an essential chapter in Tom Petty's career. Mudcrutch evolved out of an early Gainesville, FL band of Petty's called the Epics. The Epics also featured a read more...
Brother To Jackals & the Jukebox Chronicles
A Few Notes From The Underground 3/18/08 "Art is the perpetual motion of illusion. The highest purpose of art is to inspire. What read more...
Chris Robinson's "Inhale! Inhale! Rock N Roll" Article
Chris Robinson's 1993 Article "Inhale! Inhale! Rock N Roll" 3/15/08 In light of the Black Crowes' new release,
The Dickinson's Mojo & The Black Crowes' Voodoo
Mystery & Manners Investigates The Mojo of The Dickinson Family & The Black Crowes' Voodoo 3/11/02 "Don't bring down the read more...
Dylan Organizes Recordings of Unfinished Hank Williams Songs
Bob Dylan Discovers Unfinished Hank Williams Songs 2/28/08 "Odds and ends, odds and ends, Lost time is not found read more...
Latest Releases From James McMurtry & Otis Redding
Latest Releases From James McMurtry and Otis Redding 2/27/08
Down In the Groove with Widespread Panic's Todd Nance (PART TWO)
Down In The Groove with Widespread Panic's Todd Nance (Part Two) 2/26/08 I'd like to announce the second part of Mystery And Manners' read more...
Down In The Groove with Widespread Panic's Todd Nance (Part One)
Mystery & Manners Interview with Widespread Panic's Todd Nance (Part One) 2/25/08 I'd like to mention Mystery And read more...
Poetic Felony
MAXIM Magazine Reviews Black Crowes' Warpaint Without Hearing The Album 2/23/08 For some folks it's easy to hate the Black Crowes. Everyone read more...
Another Call To Harry Crews & Beyond
...An Ongoing Pursuit & Recording of the Mystery And Manners Saga...Widespread Panic...Jim Dickinson...Harry Crews and beyond... 2/19/08 “In the time I was with read more...
Levon Helm's Dirt Farmer Wins GRAMMY
Dirt Farmer Wins GRAMMY 2/11/08 Levon Helm's latest album,
Jim Dickinson On The Line
Mystery & Manners Interview With Memphis Legend Jim Dickinson 2/9/08 "She shivers just like jelly in the bowl."
Ryan Bingham Gets Help From Ford
Marc Ford & Son Join Texas Songwriter Ryan Bingham In the South 2/9/08
Widespread Soul
“When after all, it was read more...
Adventures In The (Pig) Skin Trade On Super Bowl Sunday
Roving Notes On Super Bowl Sunday 2/3/08 "There is some kind of back-door connection in my head between Super Bowls and The Allman read more...
Luther Dickinson: Night Before theTour...
Luther Dickinson Talks Present, Past & Future 1/16/08 Things have been quite busy as of late. I've just about completed my interview read more...
...A Rising Tide of Georgia Rock And Roll...
A Rising Tide of Georgia Rock And Roll: David Barbe, The Drive By Truckers, Bloodkin & The Black Crowes 1/10/08 "Every read more...
2008 Year of The Crowe
...Atlanta's Black Crowes Prepare for the Warpath... 1/7/08 Today the Black read more...
Criteria Studios: 50 Years Later
Legendary Miami Studio 50 Years Later 12/30/07 Jazz fanatic Mack Emerman started the Miami, Florida, Criteria Studio 50 years ago. The read more...
Lead Belly: A Life In Pictures
A New Lead Belly Book Hits The Streets 12/29/07 A new 250 page book on blues great
Dr. John Voices Frustration At Friday New Orleans Show
Dr. John Expresses Frustration With Katrina Fallout 12/29/07 Dr. John informed the audience--at his first of two shows in his hometown last read more...
Country's Top 100 Heartbreaks
A List of Country Music's Greatest Hurtin' Songs 12/28/07 Here's an interesting
Full Moon Fever With Stanley Booth
Full Moon Fever With Stanley Booth 12/24/07 Full moon on the Little Satilla River...I return to my homesoil for the holidays, and it ain't the read more...
Honeydripper Star Plays Hometown
Gary Clark Jr. Plays Austin 12/21/07 Musician Gary Clark, Jr.
George Porter Celebrates 60th Birthday
New Orleans Musician Celebrates 60th Birthday 12/21/07 The great George Porter Jr. will celebrate his 60th birthday next week at The read more...
Blues Trail Marker For "Nighthawk" McCollum
A New Blues Marker Tribute 12/19/07 In Friar's Point, Mississippi, a
New Willie Nelson Album Out January 29, 2008
New Nelson CD, Moment of Forever, Hits Streets Early 08 12/19/07 Great American read more...
Montgomery Dedicates New Year's Eve To Hank Williams
On New Year's Eve Hank Williams Fans Gather In Montgomery 12/17/07 "The eeriest thing I ever had to do in my life was at Hank's funeral when read more...
Ike Turner Dead at 76
Ike Turner Dead at 76 12/12/07 The story of guitarist/songwriter
Southern Greats Play Post Led Zeppelin London Gig
Sam Moore, Ben E. King, Percy Sledge and Solomon Burke Perform Post Led Zep Gig 12/11/07 Ex-Rolling Stone Bill Wyman's band, the
John Sayles Interview
Mystery & Manners John Sayles Interview 12/8/07 On Thursday I interviewed John Sayles. Sayles' new movie Honeydripper was filmed in Alabama. Honeydripper read more...
Gibson's Robot Guitar
Gibson's Robot Guitar On Sale 12/6/07 This Monday, Gibson's
No Country For Old Men Voted Best Film
Joel & Ethan Cohen's Film Earns High Praise 12/06/07 Southern writer
...Into The Deep...
Mystery & Manners Dispatch 12/05/07 Today marks the birthday of southern writer
The Black Crowes Put On Warpaint
The Black Crowes New Album Warpaint Set For Release 11/27/07
Willie Nelson: Dogs Best Friend
Dogs Best Friend: Willie Nelson 11/24/07 Willie read more...
Swampland Salutes Great Southern Writer Paul Hemphill
Mystery & Manners Highlights Writer Paul Hemphill 11/21/07 I'd like to take this opportunity to direct everyone's attention to the read more...
Johnny Cash's First Wife's New Book
New Book From the Late Vivian Cash 11/19/07 Vivian Cash,
Jerry Wexler Talks Bob Dylan, Doug Sahm and Muscle Shoals
Jerry Wexler Talks Dylan, Doug Sahm and Muscle Shoals 11/15/07 In these interview clips, the great Jerry Wexler discusses recording
The Word Returns
The Word Returns In December 11/14/07 Robert Randolph (The Robert Randolph Family Band), Cody &
Mystery & Manners' Honorary Southern Artist(s) PART FIVE: The Band
Mystery & Manners' Honorary Southern Artist(s) PART FIVE: The Band “Hail is beatin’ on the roof The bourbon is a hundred proof read more...
Music Maker Relief Foundation's Latest Project
Music Maker's Built For The Blues 11/13/07 Music Maker Relief Foundation operates as a non-profit organization dedicated to assisting poor read more...
Another James Brown Lawsuit
Latest Legal Distraction For James Brown Estate 11/12/07 All is not well among members of James Brown's family. Since his death on December read more...
Loretta Lynn Returns To The Ryman
Loretta Lynn Returns To The Ryman 11/12/07 On Thursday, November 15, Loretta Lynn returns to perform at the fabled Ryman Auditorium. The read more...
Coen Brothers Adapt Cormac McCarthy's Book No Country For Old Men Into Film
Coen Brothers Adapt Cormac McCarthy's Book No Country For Old Men Into Film 11/11/07 A new Coen Brothers movie, based read more...
Mystery & Manners' Honorary Southern Artist(s) PART FOUR: The Rolling Stones
Mystery & Manners' Honorary Southern Artist(s)PART FOUR: The Rolling Stones 11/8/07 "Will all your money Keep you from read more...
Blind Boys of Alabama 70 Years Young
Blind Boys of Alabama: 70 Years Young The Blind Boys of Alabama read more...
A Day In The Life of A Great American Guitarist (Marc Ford) PART THREE
A Day In the Life of A Great American Guitar Player: PART THREE Marc Ford In San Francisco 11/05/07 "Featherweight read more...
Mystery & Manners Dispatch From San Francisco
Dispatch From San Francisco 11/3/07 Notes written on a back porch facing Mt. Tamalpais, known to locals as "Mt. Tam". I arrived read more...
Mystery & Manners' Honorary Southern Artist(s) PART THREE--Tom Waits
Mystery & Manners' Honorary Southern Artist(s) PART THREE 10/31/07 "The quill from a buzzard The blood writes the word
Mystery & Manners' Honorary Southern Artist(s) PART TWO--Jerry Garcia
Mystery & Manners Honorary Southern Artist(s) Part Two 10/30/07 "I love the Dead. As far as Jerry Garcia, Jerry Garcia could walk read more...
October 27 & 28 Bridge School Benefit
21st Bridge School Benefit Hosts Various Musicians 10/27/07 In light of a
SWAMPLAND Goin' Out West...Frisco Bound...
Mystery & Manners Goin' Out West To San Francisco 10/25/07
Weirdness Way Down South
Weirdness Down South 10/22/07 People do crazy things, and every now and then I'd like to highlight their singular accomplishments. Recently, read more...
Birthday Cheers To Tom Petty
Mystery & Manners Cheers To Tom Petty 10/20/07 ...Raise a glass to Thomas Earl Petty, born October 20, 1950, in Gainesville, read more...
Ryan Bingham And The Drive By Truckers Hit the Road
Ryan Bingham and The Drive By Truckers Hit The Road 10/17/07 Ryan Bingham and the
A Day In The Life of A Great American Guitarist (Marc Ford) PART TWO
A Day In the Life of A Great American Guitarist Part Two 10/15/07
Thelonious Monk's North Carolina Roots
Thelonious Monk's North Carolina Roots 10/11/07 Yesterday marked 90 years since the birth of
Mystery & Manners' Honorary Southern Artist(s) PART ONE--Bob Dylan
...Mystery & Manners' Honorary Southern Artist(s)...PART ONE... 10/11/07 "Beat a path of retreat
Haggard's Horizon
Merle Haggard Gives Insight To Future In Billboard Q & A 10/9/07
Marc Ford Burns Through Atlanta
A Day In The Life of a Great American Guitarist: Marc Ford Burns Through Atlanta 10/7/07
William Eggleston: The Father of Color Photography
The Photography of William Eggleston 10/4/07 Born in Memphis, Tennessee, in 1939,
Ray McKinnon Randy and the Mob Blog
Ray McKinnon's Recent Blogs About His Latest Film, Randy and the Mob 10/3/07 As posted
The Paintings of Woodie Long
The Paintings of Woodie Long 10/2/07 Today I'd like to bring the reader's attention to the work of Woodie Long. Born in 1942, Long read more...
Otis Redding Film Premier October 8
Dreams To Remember Premier October 8 10/1/07 The new Otis Redding documentary, Dreams To Remember: The Legacy of Otis read more...
People Take Warning! Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs 1913-1938
Tompkins Square Releases Murder Ballads & Disaster Songs This Week 9/29/07 This week Tompkins Square released this
Blues Great Memphis Minnie Honored
Blues Great Memphis Minnie Honored 9/28/07 In Walls, Mississippi, the female guitarist and songwriter Memphis Minnie was honored with a read more...
Nuke Fallout Shelter For Alabama
Alabama City Reopening Nuke Fallout Shelter 9/27/07 In Huntsville, Alabama, they are planning to build a state of the art nuclear fallout read more...
Goin' Home: A Tribute To Fats Domino
GOIN' HOME: A TRIBUTE TO FATS DOMINO 9/26/07 Yesterday Vanguard released
Excerpt from Paul Hemphill's The Good Old Boys
Excerpt from Paul Hemphill's The Good Old Boys 9/24/07 In preparation for my upcoming article on
Autumnal Traditions and Emotional Rescue in Tuscaloosa
Autumnal Traditions and Emotional Rescue in Tuscaloosa 9/23/07 As Georgia's kicker lined up to miss the kick, sending the Georgia-Alabama game read more...
Ray McKinnon's Randy and the Mob
Ray McKinnon's New Film Randy and the Mob 9/22/07 From Capricorn Pictures...Here's the trailer for Adel, Georgia, native Ray McKinnon's new comedy Randy and the Mob. The Drive By Truckers' Patterson Hood contributed a song to the soundtrack. read more...
Dylan Plays The Ryman
BOB DYLAN PLAYS THE RYMAN AUDITORIUM IN NASHVILLE, TENNESSEE 9/21/07 Thursday Bob read more...
The Shadow And the Truth
9/19/07 ...THE SHADOW AND THE TRUTH... It's important to realize how blurred the fine line between reality and illusion co-exist. At read more...
Emmylou Harris Retrospective "Songbird" Hits Streets Today
Songbird: Rare Tracks & Forgotten Gems Out Today 9/18/07 A new Emmylou Harris, 4 CD-1 DVD, retrospective was released today. read more...
Luther Dickinson Flies With The Black Crowes
Luther Dickinson Flies With The Black Crowes 9/17/07 The North Mississippi All-Stars guitarist
Macon's Tribute To Otis Redding
Macon's Tribute To Otis Redding 9/16/07 At the Georgia Music Hall of Fame read more...
Patterson Hood Song In New Ray McKinnon Film
Patterson Hood Song In New Ray McKinnon Film 9/12/07 Patterson Hood read more...
Runnin' Down A Dream: Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Perform at the New York Film Festival
9/10/07 ...Runnin' Down A Dream: A new Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers Film Showing at New York Film Festival ... Tom Petty read more...
Southeast Adventure Outfitters
read more...
Blind Willie McTell Named Stateboro's Second Legend In the Arts
9/9/07 Blind Willie McTell Named Statesboro's Second Legend In the Arts On September 7, 2007, the blues great Blind Willie McTell was read more...
Sounds of the South
9/8/07 Sounds of the South "Jack of diamonds told Queen of spades Gwine with me, Be on yo creepin way."
Brendan O'Brien's Golden Ear
9/7/07 Brendan "Bud" O'Brien remains a luminary on the Atlanta music scene. O'Brien played in various groups in Atlanta such as Right As read more...
Dog Days End?
8/28/07 Dog Days End? ...A Few Scattered Notes... "The wicked read more...
Lost Gram Parsons Shows From 1969 Set For Release
Lost Gram Parsons Shows Found For over a year dust of rumor circulated that lost Gram Parsons performances were unearthed...turns out this is true. This read more...
Breakfast With Paul, Drinks With Dan
8/19/07 Yesterday proved noteworthy. I met up with southern writer Paul Hemphill at
DEATH WEEK
The 30 year anniversary of Elvis Presley’s death falls on August 16, 2007. Like it or not, Elvis ranks as a southern icon. Elvis changed the way people looked at music the way Ted Turner changed the way people look at TV.
The Black Crowes Complete New Studio Album
Atlanta’s own, The Black Crowes will begin mixing their new album in September for a Spring 2008 release. The Crowes recently recorded 16 new songs at
...A Call To Harry Crews...
7/27/07 One of my heroes remains the Georgia writer Harry Crews. Some of Crews' books such as Feast of Snakes, Florida read more...
The Last Outpost of Time
7/9/07 “All that we see is but a dream within a dream.”
Fire On The Mountain
6/25/07 read more...
The Rise And Disappearance of Sly Stone
6/20/07 Few groups ever attain the musical power and wide commercial appeal of Sly & The Family Stone. From 1967-1974, the group proved a formidable band whose music crossed all social and musical barriers.
Johnny Cash Radio & Elvis Auction Items
6/18/07 The Sun Records boys are in the news again... Bill Miller is now hosting
Fathers Day: Hot Fun In the Summertime
6/17/07 Happy Father’s Day… …A few scattered notes from a spot overlooking some hills here in north Georgia on a read more...
The True Adventures of Stanley Booth
6/10/07 THE TRUE ADVENTURES OF STANLEY BOOTH As I wrote in the intro to my Charlie Louvin
A Smoke Out In Rome
6/8/07 Old Havana Cigar Company 327 Broad Street Rome, GA 30161 706-295-0546
Adventures In the Book Trade
6/6/07 Down on Moreland Avenue at A Cappella’s—located in Atlanta’s Little Five Points neighborhood—this Indie outlet serves as a read more...
Hotlanta Under Red Skies & Electric Blue
5/28/07 ...No rain in sight here in Hotlanta...the smoke from the wild fires in South Georgia creeped up this way last week...lingering like some biblical haze in the southern read more...
Keith Richards Donates To James Burton's Foundation
4/4/07 Keith Richards donated $20,000 to James Burton's Festival this weekend. Check out the Swampland interview with James Burton read more...
The James Burton Guitar Festival
....Interviewing the King of the Telecaster, James Burton, ranks as a great thrill for me... James Burton's musical accomplishments outshine any other guitar player. He's played and recorded with over read more...
2007 Jazzfest Lineup Announced
3/10/07 Jazzfest begins in New Orleans on April 27 and continues through May 6. Some of the performers this year include Dr. John, Van Morrison, Lucinda Williams, Percy Sledge, T-Bone Burnett, James Carter, MOFRO, Little Freddie King, Norah Jones, Pharoah Sanders, Johnny read more...
Music Maker Relief Foundation: A Treasure Trove of American Music
'Blues will never die because it is a spirit. It is an uplift and the way you feel it, that is the way it is. And it brings a lot of joy to people. Music is made to make happiness, make you smile and forget your troubles. In the Good Book it says to make a joyful noise. It doesn't read more...
Po Monkey's: One of the Last Great Juke Joints
Merigold, read more...
...Story of Blind Lemon Jefferson On New York Stage...
2/21/07 A New York Theater Company presents a musical revue based on the life of Blind Lemon Jefferson. The show began last week in New York. This successful play appeared in Switzerland and France, while the Netherlands and Belgium come next. This presentation proves, once read more...
Folkstreams-The Land Where The Blues Began
2/20/07 Folkstreams.net encapsulates many great films based on blues in the south. Folklorist Alan Lomax traveled to the Mississippi Delta in the 1930s and 1940s to record and preserve the work of great blues read more...
"Honeyboy" Edwards Still Playing The Blues At 91
2/19/07 David "Honeyboy" Edwards, born June 28, 1915, in Shaw, Mississippi, began playing the guitar at an early age. Over the years, Edwards has played with Charlie Patton, Howlin' Wolf, Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, and Keith Richards--the only living artist to read more...
Swampland Sanctuary...Musical Lineage From "Land of the Trembling Earth" To Charlie Louvin's Latest CD...
As the narrator of Swampland.com, perhaps I should paint a picture of my background before I guide you to the latest recording by the great Charlie Louvin. I grew up on the Georgia Coast--about sixty miles from the Okefenokee Swamp, or "Land of the Trembling Earth"--and read more...
Sir Mack Rice Keeps On Keepin' On
2/18/07 Stax Records songwriter Sir Mack Rice penned "Mustang Sally" (Wilson Pickett), "Respect Yourself" (Staple Singers), "Cheaper To Keep Her" (Johnny Taylor), and "Cadillac Assembly Line" for Albert King. Sir Mack survives as one read more...
The Four Horsemen Tour
2/11/07 Guy Clark, Joe Ely, John Hiatt, and Lyle Lovett will swap songs on a 33 city tour through the United States and Canada that begins tonight in Nashville. Joe Ely's new CD Happy Songs From Rattlesnake read more...
Rough Guide To the Blues
2/10/07 Rough Guide To The Blues serves as a fine starter kit to some of America's greatest blues artists. This CD was released
Third Annual Robert Johnson Blues Festival Set For May
2/9/07 Born May, 8, 1911, in Hazelhurst, Mississippi, Robert Johnson's legend radiates from his 29 compositions. In Johnson's hometown on May 5, 2007, a blues festival will take place on the famous Ragsdale Street to honor Johnson. This weekend marks the 96th birthday of the read more...
...The British Travel To The American South In Search Of The Blues...
2/4/07 Britain's prestigious The Telegraph journeys to the American South on a quest for legendary blues landmarks. James Calemine The Telegraph
GRAMMY ARTISTS DISCUSS MUSIC WITH HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS
2/1/07 Grammy Award-winning artists such as Ludicris and Earl Klugh discuss the music industry with high school students in Atlanta. James Calemine
18th Annual Savannah Music Festival Announced
2/1/07 The 18th Annual Savannah Music Festival occurs this year from March 15-April 1, 2007. The event, designed to showcase indigenous music from the deep south, begins on a festive St. Patrick's Day weekend in Savannah, Georgia. Some of the eclectic performers include read more...
2007 Blind Willie McTell Blues Festival Date Set
1/27/07 "I know no one can sing the blues like Blind Willie McTell."
Allman Brothers To Headline Wanee Festival in April
The Allman Brothers Band will once again headline the annual Wanee Festival in Live Oak, Florida on April 13th and 14th. Besides the Brothers, the read more...
Southern Writers Finalists For National Book Award...And Other Swampland Miscellany...
1/21/07 Southern writers Cormac McCarthy and Richard Ford are among finalists named for the 33rd annual National Book Award. Tennessee born Cormac McCarthy is nominated for his latest novel, The Road, a heart-rending story between a father and his young son in a read more...
Our New John Hammond Interview is Waiting for You!
John Hammond is simply an amazing performer. Prior to my interview with him last week, I only knew a little about the man. I knew that he had an album called Southern Fried because I owned it back in the seventies. It was a fantastic record that featured the read more...
John Lee Hooker Returns In 2007
1/18/07 Born near Clarksdale, Mississippi, in 1917, John Lee Hooker ranked as one of America's last great bluesmen. In 1948, he experienced his first number one hit, "Boogie Chillun." Other songs such as "I'm In the Mood," "Crawling King read more...
Southern Rock Album of the Week: The Capricorn Rhythm Section
It’s no secret that I am a huge fan of the old Capricorn Records catalog. Everything from The Allman Brothers Band to Marshall Tucker, Wet Willie, Bonnie Bramlett, Cowboy, Eddie Hinton, Dickey Betts and all the rest. No small wonder I became excited when I first got wind read more...
Southern Musicians Infiltrate California Desert
1/11/07 On May 5-6 an abundance of southern musicians will perform at the inaugural Stagecoach Festival in Indio, California. The festival takes place at the empire Polo Field; tickets go on sale January 20. Some of the long list of performers include Willie Nelson, read more...
...An Early New Year Update & Insight...
...Welcome to the year 2007... In this new age of technology it seems regional identities become washed away by modernization with a McDonald's, Wal-Mart, or Quik Trip on every street corner across the country. The antiquated division between southern read more...
Steel Guitarist "Sneaky" Pete Kleinow Dies
"Sneaky" Pete Kleinow, renowned for his unique pedal steel guitar playing -- most notably with Gram Parsons and The Flying Burrito Brothers -- died on Saturday morning (January 6) from complications brought on by Alzheimer's disease in a nursing facility in Petaluma, read more...
Bye Bye Sonny...Williamson's Final Recordings with Clapton and Page
1/7/06 Born on December 15, 1899, in Glendora Mississippi, Aleck Miller (aka Sonny Boy Williamson) ranks as one America's greatest bluesmen. During his lifetime, Williamson played with Robert Johnson, Elmore James, Willie Dixon, Otis Spann, Buddy Guy, Robbie Robertson, Levon read more...
Texas Fiddler Elana James To Release Solo Debut
1/5/07 Recently, Texas fiddler Elana James was asked to join Bob Dylan's band and now she plans to release her solo debut...James Calemine
Del Reeves RIP
Del Reeves, a Grand Ole Opry star who sprinkled his performances with humor and hit No. 1 on the country charts in 1965 with the song "Girl on the Billboard," has died. He was 74. Reeves died Monday, New Year's Day, read more...
A New Aretha Franklin Album Due In Early 2007
1/1/07 "The Queen of Soul', Aretha Franklin, readies her latest CD, Aretha: A Woman Falling Out of Love. The album is set for release in early 2007 on her own Aretha's Records. Born in Memphis, Franklin grew up in Detroit--where she now resides and the read more...
"Fathead" Newman Performs New Years Eve Show Before Jazz Institution Closes Doors
1/1/07 On New Years Eve, Dallas, Texas, native David "Fathead' Newman performed at Chicago's oldest jazz club, The Jazz Showcase, before the 59 year old club closed its doors. The Jazz Showcase featured artists--among many others--such as Louis Armstrong, Charlie read more...
Tony Joe White Releases "Uncovered" on Swamp Records
1/1/07 On Tony Joe White's latest CD, Uncovered, he renders new versions of "Rainy Night in Georgia", "Did Somebody Make a Fool Out of You", and "Taking the Midnight Train", as well as seven new compositions. Musicians such as Elvis read more...
Hank Williams Site Torn Down
12/28/06 Newsreel... A Hank Williams Tribute Site Torn Down...Plans To Resurrect New Monument Afoot in 2007...James Calemine sundaygazettemail.com/section/Today/2006122032
James Brown RIP
The "Godfather of Soul" dies at age 73 ATLANTA, Georgia (AP) -- James Brown, the dynamic, pompadoured "Godfather of Soul," whose rasping vocals and revolutionary rhythms made him a founder of rap, funk and read more...
...Fertile Land of the Underdog...
12/24/06 Dreamer I've been called A dreamer With no future at all Loser They say I won't succeed Refuser To conformity -Eddie Hinton "Dreamer" -A light rain falls on the read more...
Levon Helm Sues & Continues Midnight Ramble...
12/21/06 Levon Helm, the Band's legendary drummer, is suing Cingular for a commercial that uses his song "The Weight" as a soundtrack to a cell phone commercial. Helm's lawyers intend to file papers in the Supreme Court for rumuneration from the read more...
Street Named After Merle Haggard
12/21/06 In Oildale, California, a small town north of Bakersfield, a road will be named after Merle Haggard. County supervisors voted 4-1 to rename a two-mile stretch (7th Standard Road between North Chester Avenue and Highway 99) to Merle Haggard Drive. Fans plan to raise read more...
Chuck Leavell's Werewolves Play Charity In San Francisco...
12/18/06 Famed Rolling Stones, Allman Brothers Band and Eric Clapton keyboardist, Chuck Leavell performs on January 18, 2007 at Bimbo's 365 Club in San Francisco to raise money for Bay Area music programs. The benefit is called "Groove Is In The Heart". Van read more...
Dispatch From The Front Lines...Winds of Change...Holiday Greetings From Swampland...
12/15/06 The mission statement expresses our intention while these "Dispatches" will give you a glimpse behind the scenes...current & upcoming events...as well as observations, and random thoughts. We're really just getting started here at Swampland. For every read more...
Swampland Flag Flies Half Mast For Ahmet Ertegun...Doc Watson Visits Hotlanta
12/15/06 Atlantic Records founder Ahmet Ertegun died December 14, 2006 in Manhattan at 83. Ertegun guided the careers of musical legends such as John Coltrane, Ray Charles, Aretha Franklin, Big Joe Turner, King Curtis, The Rolling Stones, and Led Zeppelin. Ertegun fell read more...
Dr. John's Ongoing Voodoo...Tom Petty's Big Highway Companion Weekend on Radio...
12/14/06 The Tom Petty Highway Companion Big Weekend takes place on December 15-17 at 10AET on XM 200. The station will also broadcast rare live Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers performances. Petty also hosts a show called Buried Treasure on XM Satellite Radio set read more...
Porter Wagoner Signs New Deal, Marty Stuart to Produce
Los Angeles based Anti Records announces the signing of Country Music Hall of Famer, Porter Wagoner in celebration of his 50th year with The Grand Ole Opry in 2007. The project entitled “Wagonmaster” will be produced by Marty Stuart and is the first in a series read more...
Lucinda's Latest
12/10/06 Lucinda Williams' new CD, West, hits the street on February 13, 2007 on Lost Highway. West, Lucinda's eighth CD, resonates an enduring collection of songs which may be among her finest. We anticipate her return. JC
Robinson & Dickinson Collaborate
12/10/06 Rich Robinson (Black Crowes) and Luther Dickinson (North Mississippi All-Stars) will perform as Circle Sound on Friday January 19, 2007, at the Bowery Ballroom in New York. Black Crowes bassist Sven Pippien and Robinson solo project drummer Bill Dobrow serve as the read more...
Music Reel - Black Crowes, Music Maker, Warren Haynes, and Daniel Hutchens
The Black Crowes completed the final leg of their rockin' fall tour--considering two key members (guitarist Marc Ford and keyboardist Ed Harsch) departed--in November as well as Chris Robinson's unfortunate matrimony tabloid exposure. The Crowes recently released The Lost read more...
SWAMPLAND MISSION STATEMENT
Greetings Friends, Allow me to introduce Swampland’s mission…This electric crusade operates at a mystical reservoir where music, literature, film, food, photography, art, sports, current events, and other indelible southern cultural read more...