South Carolina Review Archives
Vertically Coastal by Jerri Chaplin---A Review
Review of: Jerri Chaplin
I met Jerri Chaplin fifteen years ago at a conference for the National Association of Poetry Therapy. I was struck at that time by her warmth and genuineness and read more...
Said I Had A Vision: Songs & Labels of David Lee
Review of: David Lee & Various Artists
(Paradise of Bachelors) Said I Had A Vision revolves around the talented songwriter/preacher/producer David Lee from Cleveland, North Carolina. Ray Harper--of the Harper Brothers--led the Paradise of Bachelors label to Lee's door. Harper was the college roomate of read more...
This May Be My Last Time Singing
Review of: Various Artists
(Tompkins Square) Tompkins Square's latest release is an amazing 3-CD set titled This May Be My Last Time Singing: Raw African-American Gospel On 45RPM 1957-1982. Tompkins Square released this official statement regarding this rare package: Get read more...
Introducing Hope Waits
Review of: Hope Waits
(Spann Records) Born in Mornroe, Louisiana, Hope Waits endured a childhood of poverty, alcholisom and neglect. She left home at 15, moved to South Carolina and began singing in church choirs. Early on, Hope developed a love for Billie Holiday. Her mother was brutally read more...
Kiss Each Other Clean
Review of: Iron And Wine
(Warner Bros) Iron and Wine, the nom de disque of songwriter Sam Beam, can largely be credited with today's burgeoning field of southern singer-songwriters in the same way that the Drive-By Truckers led a new southern rock movement. As groups like Band of Horses read more...
Water Bound
Review of: Shannon Whitworth
(Thirty Tigers) Water Bound counts as Shannon Whitworth's second release. Whitworth served as a member of The Biscut Burners. She released her first album--No Expectations--in 2008 and hit the road. Born in Virginia, Whitworth grew up in South Carolina and read more...
Way Out West
Review of: Marshall Tucker Band
(Shout! Factory) In September of 1973, a young band from Spartanburg, SC found themselves on the stage of the famous Winterland Ballroom in San Francisco, California opening for The Allman Brothers Band. This is their show from that evening, a one hour show packed read more...
A Good Excuse
Review of: Dixie Tabernacle
(Storm Dog Records) Every time I hear Jimmy Hall open his mouth to sing, I feel like I’m in church. Better yet, an old fashioned Southern tent revival. His is a voice born of gospel and blues roots, mingled with a bit of Southern rock and delivered from deep read more...
Pat Conroy's "South of Broad": A Review
Review of: Pat Conroy
Published by Nan A. Talese/Doubleday Company, August 2009 Reviewed by Penne J. Laubenthal When I read my first Pat Conroy book in the early 70s, it was love at first paragraph. When I finished reading the read more...
The Essential, Limited Edition 3.0
Review of: Marshall Tucker Band
(Shout! Factory) I remember a time back the mid 1990s when the whole internet thing was just beginning to catch on. I was among the members of a small group of fans online that were building tribute pages to The Marshall Tucker Band. We all came together with our common love read more...
Around The Well
Review of: Iron And Wine
In less than five years, Iron and Wine rose from a batch of unadulterated home recordings to become one of the indie scene's most influential and successful artists. For those late to the party, Iron and Wine has but one member, Sam Beam who was born and raised in South read more...
Saints & Sinners
Review of: Jackson Crossing
A few years ago I was blown away by a band out of my hometown of Spartanburg, SC called Sevenmoore. The band featured some of Sparkle City’s finest players, including two founding members of The Marshall Tucker Band, Paul Riddle and Jerry Eubanks. As great as they were, I was read more...
Dixieland Delight
Review of: Clay Travis
As we head into the off season, now that the recruiting season is over (mostly), there might be no better time to pick up and read Clay Travis's
Love Songs
Review of: Marshall Tucker Band
The first thoughts that cross your mind when you think about The Marshall Tucker Band might not necessarily be thoughts of love songs. After all, these two fisted hombres have come to be known for rootin’ tootin’ cowboy songs, songs about cattle drives and hard living, read more...
Take The High Road (Silver Travis)
Review of: Silver Travis
The Silver Travis Band is back with their second album, and if you thought their debut was great, wait until you get a load of Take The High Road.
Boots, Buckles and Spurs
Review of: Various Artists
(Legacy) “I grew up dreamin’ of being a cowboy/ And loving the cowboy ways Pursuin’ a life of my high ridin’ heroes/I burned up my childhood days...” -Willie Nelson. “My Heroes Have read more...
Free and Easy
Review of: Charlie Tatman
(charlietatman.com) Charlie Tatman rocks, brothers and sisters. Sporting a whiskey soaked voice and a smoking guitar, the big Ohio man has true Dixie heart, and it comes through loud and clear in this read more...
The Truth
Review of: Superswamp Heroes
Pawley’s Island, SC brings us a fresh, new Southern Rock band with a fistful of excellent songs and a whole lot of musical passion. On this, their debut album, the quartet steps up to the plate ready to smack one out of the park. “Living Proof” gets read more...
Learn to Live
Review of: Darius Rucker
(Capitol Nashville) It came as no surprise to me when I caught wind of the story here a while back that Darius Rucker had “gone country.” After all, several years before Hootie and The Blowfish had their gazillion selling Cracked Rear View album, read more...
The Imus Ranch Record
Review of: Various Artists
(New West) Bekka Bramlett has a mystical effect on me. She always has, even as backing singer for Faith Hill, or dueting with Sam Moore, Billy Burdette or Joe Cocker. But like her mother before her, soul sensation Bonnie Bramlett, and her daddy Delaney for that matter, she read more...
Nobody's Fault But Mine
Review of: Edwin McCain
(Saguaro Road Records) Living here in Greenville, SC, I watched Edwin McCain’s rise from local favorite to opener for his friends Hootie and The Blowfish, and onward and upward to read more...
Bleedin' Black and White
Review of: Lee Sinclair
(Ruff Patch Music) Spartanburg, SC is once again a hot bed of great music with a whole new generation of players who grew up in the shadows of The Marshall Tucker Band reaching out and grabbing their own brass ring. Then once in a while, we get new music from read more...
The Very Best of Outlaw Country
Review of: Various Artists
(Legacy) The thing that sets this compilation apart from the plethora of others that are always being flooded into the market is the fact that it brings together Southern rockers and “outlaw” country artists on one excellent CD. It could be used as a read more...
Backbone & Gristle
Review of: Mac Arnold
macarnold.com Mac Arnold blew everyone’s mind a few short years ago when he quit his day job to return to his true love, playing the blues. His first album, Nothin’ to Prove, backed by his most read more...
See You In A Hundred Years
Review of: Logan Ward
See You In A Hundred Years by Logan Ward Benbella Books Has the stess of today's world with instant communication (Internet, cell phones, and texting), long work hours, and hectic urban pacing made a life on a rural farm seem appealing? read more...
Brothers of the Southland
Review of: Brothers of the Southland
Brothers of The Southland is one of the best of the plethora of “all star” bands playing today, and their debut CD is a sheer joy from beginning to end. This is the kind of music that gets me downright excited. Maybe that’s why I named it as the best Southern Rock read more...
Blues Sweet Blues
Review of: Music Maker Relief Foundation
Blues Sweet Blues Various Music Maker Artists Music Maker Series #91 & #92 By James Calemine Most of these songs (recorded from 1994-2006) on Blues Sweet Blues can be heard for the first time. Only Music Maker's stellar read more...
Review of: Marshall Tucker Band
(Shout!Factory) What a great and historic find this is. A remastered live DVD featuring all of the original members of The Marshall Tucker Band, recorded on February 18, 1977 at Capitol Theatre in Passaic, New Jersey. And if that wasn’t enough, the set read more...
Song of America
Review of: Various Artists
Song of America Various Artists 31 Tigers Records By James Calemine This 50-song, 3 CD collection tells the story of America through songs from the year 1492 through modern times. Song of America contains a diverse line-up of artists read more...
Billy Bob Thornton Rocks Myrtle Beach
Review of: Billy Bob Thornton
Billy Bob Thornton The Fabulous Boxmasters House of Blues North Myrtle Beach, SC August 16, 2007 Not only is Billy Bob Thornton my favorite read more...
Driving With The Devil
Review of: Neal Thompson
Driving With The Devil by Neal Thompson Crown Publishing “We read more...
The Next Adventure
Review of: Marshall Tucker Band
The Marshall Tucker Band revives the old school “brotherhood” on their latest album, The Next Adventure, bringing in family and friends to help out in the grandest tradition established back in the 1970’s Capricorn Records era. The core band is read more...
Carolina Mountain Time
Review of: Mark Emerick
(www.markemerick.com) Mark Emerick has filled the lead guitar spot in the Commander Cody Band for many years now, so it’s no small wonder he would tip his hat to the Commander on his first solo outing, covering read more...
Saul Williams, Greenville, S.C. 3/16/06
Review of: Saul Williams
Saul Williams Barnes & Noble Bookstore, Greenville, S.C. March 16, 2006 Saul Williams is a genius. He’s not only one of our greatest living poets, but also an amazing live performer, musician, and actor. We first discovered read more...
Renegades of Southern Rock, Nashville, TN 5/10/06
Review of: Renegades of Southern Rock
Renegades Of Southern Rock May 10th, 2006 Opryland Nashville Recently, friend and neighbor George McCorkle invited my wife and I out to hear his band The Renegades Of Southern Rock. To further add to the honor he asked if I would like read more...
David Allan Coe - The Handlebar, Greenville, S.C.
Review of: David Allan Coe
DAVID ALLAN COE The Handlebar, Greenville, SC July 22, 2006 David Allan Coe took over that audience so fast it would make your head spin, and played a simply amazing show, opening with “Statesborro Blues,” and doing one read more...
Tyler's Cove, Pawley's Island, S.C.
Review of:
Tyler's Cove The Hammock Shops Hwy. 17 Pawley's Island (803) 237-4848
Island Cafe & Deli, Pawley's Island, S.C.
Review of:
Island Cafe & Deli Pawley's Island (843) 237-9527 If you are traveling to the southern coast of South Carolina to thePawley's Island, Litchfield, Georgetown area do yourself a favor and dine at Island Cafe and Deli. Over our Labor Day read more...
The Marshall Tucker Band, Voodoo Lounge, Riverside
Review of: Marshall Tucker Band
THE MARSHALL TUCKER BAND THE RAVERS Voodoo Lounge, Riverside, California November 18, 2006 To start off, the evening of Saturday, November 18, 2006 in a Southern California town named Riverside, CA, the Marshall Tucker Band took the "Long read more...
The Northgate Soda Shop, Greenville, S.C.
Review of:
A Greenville, South Carolina Treasure The Northgate Soda Shop by Michael Buffalo Smith Say you like a little old time rock and roll, a good, homemade cheeseburger and a cherry smash? Boy, do we have a place for you! A small read more...
Raw Sugar
Review of: Cootie Stark
Raw Sugar provides 71 minutes of old-time music enhanced by a warm, clear sound quality. Cootie Stark, a Greenville, South Carolina native, survives as one of the last authentic Piedmont blues guitarist/singer alive. Stark played on the streets of Knoxville, Greensboro, read more...
Live From The Garden State
Review of: Marshall Tucker Band
The Marshall Tucker Band Live From The Garden State 1981 (Shout! Factory) During it’s very first year on television, MTV brought us real music, everything from punk to new wave, pop to Southern rock. It was during that read more...
Anthology
Review of: Marshall Tucker Band
The Marshall Tucker Band Anthology (Shout! Factory) As a homeboy fan of The Tucker Boys, I have seen the collected “hits” packaged, repackaged, and repackaged again. Some were winners, some were just more rehashes. But now, read more...
Mellowicious
Review of: Marshall Chapman
Marshall Chapman Mellowicious (TallGirl) I’ve always felt that Marshall Chapman is a brilliant writer, and I’ve been following her career since her debut album, Me, I’m Feeling Free came out on Epic Records back in the read more...
Beyond The Horizon
Review of: Marshall Tucker Band
The Marshall Tucker Band Beyond The Horizon (Shout! Factory) It’s been a while since we’ve heard a new album from The Marshall Tucker Band, but boy howdy - it was worth the wait, sports fans. The current lineup read more...
Thank You, Mark
Review of: Danielle Howle
Danielle Howle Thank You, Mark (Valley ENT) South Carolina girl Danielle Howle returns with one of her best records ever, full of personality and intelligent lyrics. The read more...
Where A Country Boy Belongs
Review of: Marshall Tucker Band
The Marshall Tucker Band Where A Country Boy Belongs (Shout!Factory) This compilation collects the cream of the crop of country flavored tracks from The Marshall Tucker Band, from the beginning in 1972 all the way up to 2006 read more...
Where We All Belong
Review of: Marshall Tucker Band
Where We All Belong The Marshall Tucker Band (CD Shout! Factory) (Review of Vinyl) MTB singer Doug Gray says that this is his favorite MTB album, and I can see why. Released in 1974 on Capricorn Records as a two read more...
Lost in America
Review of: Edwin McCain
Edwin McCain Lost In America (Vanguard) Here in Greenville, SC everyone seems to know Edwin McCain. It reminds me of growing up in Spartanburg (just 30 miles away) during the 1970’s when everyone “knew” The read more...
Friends Of Old Time Music
Review of: Various Artists
Friends Of Old Time Music The Folk Arrival 1961-1965 (Smithsonian Folkways) Between 1961 and 1965, New York’s Friends of Old Time Music presented 14 concerts that introduced dozens of traditional musicians to city folk for the very read more...
Stompin' Room Only
Review of: Marshall Tucker Band
The Marshall Tucker Band Stompin’ Room Only (Shout! Factory) Who says you can’t go back? With Stompin’ Room Only, we get a chance to read more...
Gangstabilly
Review of: Drive By Truckers
Gangstabilly The Drive By Truckers New West Records By James Calemine Gangstabilly counts as the first