Stasia Lanier

Fifteen years after his death and 40 years after the release of his widely beloved song 'Rocky Mountain High,' ATO Records celebrates John Denver's life and music with 'The Music Is You: A Tribute to John Denver'. The album features covers of Denver's most popular songs by a diverse group of artists including Dave Matthews, My Morning Jacket, Train, Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros and many others. A portion of the proceeds will be donated to The Wilderness Society in John's name. 

NPR Music First Listen series featured the CD recently. NPR’s Robin Hilton has this to say:

Part of the key to Holly Williams’ success as a singer-songwriter is that it’s never been her mission to try and live up to the legacy cast by her famous and prolific father and grandfather – Hank Jr. and Sr., respectively – nor has she spent a lot of time trying to live it down.

For four decades, Richard Thompson has consistently set songwriting and performance standards to which others aspire. He has long been acknowledged as both a sensitive writer and an innovative guitarist. 

Thompson has just released his new CD  'Electric', produced by another guitar hero, Buddy Miller. The disc features some rock and roll, along with a few acoustic gems. Check out Ken Tucker's review from 'Fresh Air' here.  

“I don’t know if it was ever some big idea,” says Kelly Willis with a musical laugh. “It’s just something we’ve always sort of done. Our Christmas shows were always so fun, and obviously we’ve always been part of each other’s records. But we’re also our own people. We’ve always been very careful about not losing sight of that. We didn’t want to get lost in a duo because we are so different, and we’ve each worked so hard to establish our own careers.” The thing about chemistry, though, is it can’t be denied.

Ben Harper has teamed with renowned harmonica master Charlie Musselwhite to create 'Get Up!', a piercing song-cycle of struggle and heart, just released on Stax Records. Recorded in Los Angeles and produced by Harper, Get Up!, is his 12th studio album and first new recording since 2011's 'Give Till It's Gone'.

"Charlie and I have been looking to make this record for over ten years and now that we've gotten to it," stated Harper, "I can't wait to play it live."

My True Story, the new album from soul/R&B legend and multiple Grammy Award-winning artist Aaron Neville, just released on Blue Note Records. The album, produced by Don Was and Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards, finds Neville revitalizing some of his favorite songs from the doo-wop era that have become the underpinning for all of the remarkable music he has created across five decades. (Watch a video about the making of My True Story here.)

Joey Burns and John Convertino have long called upon an extended range of musical influences, blending them together so distinctly that the results have almost become a genre of their own. Nonetheless, the choice of New Orleans may still come as a surprise to many. CALEXICO are, after all, associated with a style that their name - borrowed from a small town of less than 40,000 inhabitants on the border between the US and Mexico - has always defined with an unusual precision.

On 'Bring it on Home', Shannon Whitworth and Barrett Smith offer up a collection of their favorite songs by their favorite songwriters. From Paul Simon to A.C. Jobim - to Sam Cooke, the album features beautiful arrangements of timeless tunes. All About Jazz writes, "Relaxed and confident, Whitworth and Smith work their way across an almost 100 year landscape of music that is the crowning achievement of the song writer's craft.

"I’m laying out some extreme emotional highs and lows, which feels good," observes Carrie Rodriguez on her fifth solo album Give Me All You Got, an album of personal and confessional songs that returns the Austin, TX singer and fiddler to the task of songwriting after 2010's covers album Love and Circumstance.

'The Carpenter' is the 2012 album from the critically acclaimed North Carolina Folk-Pop-Rock band The Avett Brothers. Produced by Rick Rubin and recorded in North Carolina and Malibu, the record follows the group's 2009 breakthrough release and celebrated major label debut, I And Love And You. Blending Bluegrass, Folk and Punk with a Rock 'n' Roll attitude, the quintet, led by brothers Seth and Scott Avett, continues to pen poignant and powerful songs on this new release.

The Wallflowers long-awaited new studio album 'Glad All Over' was released in October. Recorded in Nashville at Easy Eye Sound studio, the new album finds frontman Jakob Dylan joining original band members Greg Richling (bass) and Rami Jaffee (keyboards), with The Wallflowers’ longtime guitarist Stuart Mathis and drummer Jack Irons (Red Hot Chili Peppers, Pearl Jam) rounding out the lineup.

The Colbys are a New Orleans style band with influences from jazz to down home blues, featuring vocalist Bev Rohlehr and keyboardist John Colby.    Their CD Christmas Gumbo delivers with big band arrangements of "Santa's Comin'," "White Christmas," and "Winter Wonderland." "Twas The Night Before Christmas" is a slow jam with a New Orleans hook. The fun, jazz fusion arrangement of "My (Bev's) Favorite Things" delivers a creative lyrical twist.

Holidays Rule, a fun and diverse collection of seasonal music featuring an array of contributions from across the musical spectrum is out in time for Christmas 2012 and available for your pledge of support to KSUT. Make a year-end contribution of $72 or more to receive the CD as your thank you gift.

Buddy Miller and Jim Lauderdale are two of the pioneers of Americana. Their solo recordings, songwriting, studio session work and live performances (as front men and musical directors) have made them treasures of the roots and country music scene. In an unexpected moment of inspiration, the two have collaborated to make a true duets record, trading licks and verses for one of the most inspired and fun albums of 2012.

KSUT will feature 'Buddy and Jim' Friday 12/7 at noon.

Produced by D. James Goodwin, Glow marks a kind of artistic reboot for Kaki King, whose most recent recordings integrated traditional songcraft, additional musicians, and her own vocal stylings, all in pursuit of her tenaciously individualistic sonic vision. Glow returns to her instrumental roots and is accompanied by  the string quartet 'Ethel'.

The only thing growing faster than Gary Clark Jr.’s acclaim -- among fans, critics and iconic musicians alike -- is the scope of his talents and tastes.

Love This Giant developed like many a New York City-bred friendship. Both parties are kind of hazy about how it began, but after a couple of semi-chance encounters, David Byrne and Annie Clark, who records and performs as St. Vincent, embarked upon a creative dialogue that has flourished over the last three years.

Taos singer-songwriter Max Gomez stopped by the KSUT studios on Monday (11/5) for some live music and conversation with host Denny Rahilly.

Max Gomez got his start as a working musician at age 15, singing both original music and country and blues classics in bars around his hometown of Taos, NM.  He studied blues artists like Robert Johnson and Big Bill Broonzy, while also learning songs of legendary country/folk writers including Johnny Cash, Townes Van Zandt and Kris Kristofferson. “I’m influenced by the old stuff,” Max admits. “To me, that’s the best music.”

Babel, the follow up to Mumford & Sons 2009 debut album Sigh No More, was released on September 24. The album is produced by Markus Dravs.

Mumford & Sons has this to say about their highly anticipated new CD:

Diana Krall's extraordinary new album, 'Glad Rag Doll' (Verve Records) is an exhilarating and adventurous exploration of new sounds, new instrumentation and new musicians. It stars a singer and piano player, filled with mischief, humour and a renewed sense of tenderness and intimacy.

Beth Orton has recently released 'Sugaring Season,' her first album in six years and her Anti- Records debut. Recorded in Portland, Oregon, with producer Tucker Martine (My Morning Jacket, The Decemberists), the album bears the fruits of a period of introspection & renewal: deeply lyrical songwriting, a newfound expression of voice, and, more than ever before, a daring synthesis of her broad musical influences into a powerfully individual artistic vision. "I stretched myself as a singer on this record and used voices I never have before as a writer," she explains.

Dave Matthews Band recorded their latest album Away From The World with Steve Lillywhite, who produced its first three studio records Under The Table And Dreaming, Crash and Before These Crowded Streets.

Dave Matthews Band is Carter Beauford (drums), Stefan Lessard (bass), Dave Matthews (vocals, guitar) and Boyd Tinsley (violin). The band was the biggest ticket seller worldwide of the past decade.

"their strongest album in years" --Rolling Stone

Iris DeMent has returned with her first album of original music in 16 years, Sing The Delta, on her own Flariella label. The album brings the delta to life through timeless songs, DeMent's richly evocative voice and support from a cast of first-call musicians including Al Perkins, Reese Wynans, and album co-producers Bo Ramsey and Richard Bennett.

Van Morrison has returned to Blue Note Records with his new studio album ‘Born To Sing: No Plan B’ just released on October 2.  Morrison previously released the Grammy-nominated ‘What’s Wrong With This Picture?’ on Blue Note in 2003.

John Hiatt builds on the worldwide success of his last album Dirty Jeans & Mudslide Hymns,  with his new album Mystic Pinball.  Working again with producer Kevin “Caveman” Shirley, Hiatt delivers a record that features his timeless songwriting. 

Listen to the whole 'Mystic Pinball' CD on KSUT, Friday, September 28 at 12 noon.

Tempest is Bob Dylan's highly-anticipated 35th studio album and coincides with the 50th anniversary of his 1962 eponymous debut album. Produced by Jack Frost and recorded with the members of Dylan's touring band and Los Lobos' David Hidalgo, Tempest has received worldwide critical acclaim. 

In its five-star review, Rolling Stone calls Tempest, ''musically varied and full of curveballs....Dylan now stands virtually alone among his 1960s peers.''

In a span of less than two decades, Shemekia Copeland has evolved from teenage upstart to one of the most prominent voices in the blues. She's currently the most feted woman in the blues world and actually had a coronation where she was crowned and declared "Queen of the Blues" at the Chicago Blues Festival in 2011. Shemekia earned her crown with a series of high-quality recordings and an unrelenting tour schedule that has taken her to all corners of the globe.

Easily one of the hardest working bands in show biz, today’s Little Feat is a six-member powerhouse that ably carries on the group’s tradition of deftly blending Rock, R&B and blues to create a jammin’ blend of Americana that has earned accolades from critics, fellow musicians and fans alike for over four decades. Their new album, Rooster Rag features 10 brand new original songs including four co-writes with Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter plus two blues classics, one from Mississippi John Hurt and one from Willie Dixon.

The Well Pennies are an indie folk/pop duo consisting of husband and wife team, Bryan & Sarah Vanderpool. With a sound that blends '60s folk, '70s pop and a little Americana, The Well Pennies strive for a vibe that is new and old at the same time; taking influence from Feist, Sufjan Stevens, Iron & Wine and Nickel Creek.

Tune-in for their in-studio on KSUT Thursday (8/30) at 2:30. They're performing at the Four Corners Folk Festival Friday afternoon at 3:30.