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The Horse Flies formed in Ithaca, NY in the early 1980s and [sadly] retired the band in 2016. They consistently explored an intersection of the old and new to create a musical world all their own. They blended Americana roots with indie rock, ethnic percussion, old-time American fiddle music, creative songwriting, and a fierce, percolating groove. -Bandcamp

Raised in Missouri, Stevens spent her professional life in Los Angeles fronting a country rock band, Leslie Stevens and The Badgers. Here she is on her own, and she does quite well. Thanks, Lee!

Says Cooper of this track, ‘A group of Catholic school friends and I started a gang of sorts when we were 11. We had a problem with authority, which meant everyone over the age of 12. So we set about throwing water balloons and eggs and toilet paper rolls, graduating to firecrackers and cherry bombs. I had just turned 13 when one night I decided to throw a cherry bomb on Harry Truman's front porch. I yelled "give 'em hell Harry" as the thing went off with a kaboom. Luckily Harry and Bess were not home and there was no Secret Service assigned to retired presidents at the time.’

‘Random Somebody is the artist identity of Björgvin Benediktsson from Audio Issues. He likes to blend his love of singer- songwriters with his passion for rock ’n’ roll, trying to blend the popular folk/Americana sound of Mumford & Sons with the attitude of Foo Fighters. And hopefully, not failing too badly in the process.’ I am a big fan of Björgvin’s Audio Issues posts. He is extremely knowledgeable about recording, mixing and mastering audio. I’ve learned a lot from him. And he doesn’t just teach – he DOES! https://randomsomebody.bandcamp.com/track/sympathy

Bass – Craig Nelson; Guitar – Zane Baxter. Album produced by Jerry Douglas. At one time, Maura had been in the highly-regarded Irish folk band De Dannan.

Corey Harris on acoustic guitar and vocal. Woody said: ‘It’s against th’ law to shoot, it’s against the law to miss.’ He also said this: ‘Some people liked me, hated me, walked with me, walked over me, jeered me, cheered me, rooted me and hooted me, and before long I was invited in and booted out of every public place of entertainment… But I decided that the songs was a music and language of all tongues.’

This is an album of Dixieland jazz Maria Muldaur made with Tuba Skinny, the New Orleans street band. ‘There is something about New Orleans culture with its masks and costumes that suggests what’s hidden may be truer than what’s revealed. This song was originally performed by Frankie “Half Pint” Jaxon, who sometimes performed as a man and other times as a woman. Muldaur sings the seemingly innocent lyrics about being true to one’s disposition with a sly inflection and is backed by a bawdy horn section that suggests doing what comes naturally might be more risqué than it initially appears.’

Iron & Wine's Sam Beam wrote all of the Album’s songs, which were recorded by the two bands together at Wavelab Studio in Tucson, Arizona. ‘Musical collaborations can be a dicey proposition. The blending of two styles and sounds can lead to the cancellation of the aspects of each that make them interesting and unique in the first place, which in turn leads to an inferior record. Iron & Wine and Calexico decided to tempt fate and hook up in 2004 and 'In the Reins' is the result. The record manages to blend the best aspects of the two groups and comes off a winner in all respects.’

Hurray’s new album, “The Past Is Still Alive”, is ‘built on twin pillars of peril and promise that have forever been foundational to this country.’ “Hawkmoon,” honors the ‘life-changing impact instilled by the first trans woman Segarra ever met, a fellow traveler named Miss Jonathan.’

Recorded in Nashville. Bass - Charlie McCoy, drums - Kenneth Buttrey. The song has been interpreted as a plea to his manager Albert Grossman, who was also his landlord at the time. In 1971, Dylan said that he did not have Grossman in mind when composing the song, but "only later when people pointed out that the song may have been written for Grossman, I thought it could have been ... it's an abstract song."

‘The arches of commerce have made the sky corrupt.’ Album producer – T-Bone Burnett; Guitar – Elvis Costello, Marc Ribot; Oud – Sandy Bull.

Walker’s first album for Elektra and his first self-produced outing. Flute – Tomas Ramirez, French Horn – David Amram.

With the Norman Luboff Choir. The music is based on a small piece of a spiritual folk song. The lyrics are based on a biblical narrative from John: 19: 26-27, and is sung on Good Friday. ‘For Christians, Good Friday is a crucial day of the year because it celebrates what they believe to be the most pivotal day in the history of the world. On Good Friday, Jesus willingly suffered and died by crucifixion as the ultimate sacrifice for our sins.’ It is that belief that qualifies a person as Christian. There is a non-biblical reference, by a Roman–Jewish historian and military leader named Flavius Josephus, to the life and execution of Jesus by Pilate. So his gruesome crucifixion did occur.

A tribute to the U.S. Constitution’s 19th Amendment, which a century ago outlawed voter discrimination based on gender, thereby granting women the right to vote. “All My Friends” takes listeners back in time using archival documents and sound, tracing the history of women's rights in America. The album came together thanks to two major commissions —from the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra and the FreshGrass Foundation. O'Donovan hopes that a project like this will inspire listeners to think about ways they can get more involved in their own communities, to engage with the democratic process that the 19th amendment granted all Americans. “It’s something that’s bigger than all of us,” she says. “Community is so important, and it’s really important to come outside of your home. Come away from your computer. Come away from your little feedback chamber that you’re in. Be a part of something. Be a part of your community and volunteer. Just get out there and get involved.”

The Grammy Award winning bluesman is R.L. Burnside’s grandson. This is from his latest album, set for release on April 5.

Folk duo from Baltimore.

New Orleans singer, songwriter, and guitarist Sean Riley has just released a new album, which ‘uniquely explores a celebration of dancehall days, communal feasts, all-night hoots & tints some of it with the lows of life, the grief, fears & our unavoidable losses.’ Thanks, Lee!

Dori is from Galax, Virginia. The album was produced by Teddy Thompson.

Singer-songwriter and podcaster Joe Pug explores growing from a young adult, full of spark and enthusiasm and questionable judgment, to a full-fledged grown-up, on his latest album. About songwriting, he says, “It’s not hard to write a bunch of words that rhyme. It’s not hard to come up with a narrative anymore. It’s not hard to come up with a riff on guitar. it’s fine,” Pug says. “What is hard is re-mystifying all that stuff so that as you’re working with it, you yourself are surprised in the same way that a listener is for the first time.”

Donna the Buffalo has become a lifestyle for its members and audiences. I just love them!

Cotton performed professionally since the age of nine and learned directly from the masters – he toured in the bands of Sonny Boy Williamson, Howlin’ Wolf and Muddy Waters. He launched his solo career in the 1960s, releasing almost 30 albums and touring worldwide. He died in 2017.

For Mark.

The album was recorded in Russell's new studios, Paradise Studios in Burbank, CA. Harmonica by Mickey Raphael. Leon’s birthday is this coming Tues.

Tunstall is a Scottish singer-songwriter from St. Andrews, Fife. This is from her second album, released back in 2004. Accompaniment, in part, by The Love Sponge Strings.

Knoxville, TN, native Kyle Bingham, who goes by the stage name Adeem the Artist, ‘tackles topics often ignored in country music,’ and is a seventh-generation Carolinian, a non-binary and blue-collar artist.

Produced by Brandi Carlile and Shooter Jennings, the album was Tucker’s first new material since 2002’s Tanya. The 65-year-old country singer shot to fame with “Delta Dawn” in 1972 at 13 and appeared on the cover of Rolling Stone at 15.

Amos Garrett on guitar; both Amos and Geoff also play trombone!

Johnson recorded a total of 30 tracks for Columbia between 1927 and 1930, creating a priceless legacy. He created unforgettable music by marrying the raw gospel fervor of his vocals with the steely blues fire of his guitar. His songs were mostly traditional or came from hymnals, but when Johnson performed them, his soul-shaking voice and amazing slide guitar transformed each one into something wholly original. This album, released in 2016, features inspired interpretations of the iconic slide guitarist/vocalist’s most seminal material. “He’s one of only a handful of musicians who really feel like sacred music to me,” says Derek Trucks.