Introducing Jami Lynn and Dylan James

I'm on the performers committee of the Great River Folk Fest for the first time this year, www.facebook.com/greatriverfolkfest, and Jami Lynn's name came across the email. What a fine string banjo player for such a young pup from South Dakota; and he's a pretty good flat picker. Here's a link to her website. The duo formed like this: Black Hills duo Jami Lynn & Dylan James met on the street in the summer of 2012. Their fortuitous meeting not only revealed their shared love of folk, bluegrass, and jazz, but marked the beginning of an ambitious duo project harnessing Jami’s powerful vocals and Dylan’s first rate flat-picking skills.

I like I Like You

I like the fresh groove.  I like the harmonies.  I like the fact that all lady violin players are gorgeous.  I like how the use of a single trumpet changes the mood. I like "I Like You"

The video described it as:
The ever-colorful Wendy O'Sunshyne leads the equally colorful band, i like you. The band features a unique and energetic blend of vocals, percussion, guitar, violin, trumpet, upright bass and of course, ukulele. Here, the group performs their lively song "New Beginning" in Brant Kingman's North Minneapolis studio. mnoriginal.org

Brian Miller and Randy Gosa MN Irish Lumberjack song

Not to be stuck in one music genre, let's spend four minutes going back the northern woods in Minnesota, and listen to a Lumberjack song that Brian Miller collected, with Randy Gosa playing an absolutely wonderful mandolin piece.  Here is a website with more information.  http://www.evergreentrad.com/

Introducing Elin Ruth

Wow so I ran into Elin Ruth in Noisetrade.com and I have been mesmerized at her talent and then I go to YouTube, and these great songs have no hits.  Of course then I hit this interview video, and she was talking in SWEDISH, but by the end she sings in perfect English in a great acoustic sound with her on guitar.  Now I wish someone could translate it.

Not to be done, she has a website, and it becomes clearer... here are selections from her about:

After four celebrated records, numerous award nominations and a dozen top chart hits, Elin Ruth is back at the beginning. Last year she dropped everything for love and moved across the Atlantic. Now it’s time for the acclaimed Swedish singer-songwriter to release her first album in the United States......

The result is a playful pop album, eclectic but perfectly balanced. The country element is still there, but mixed up with soul and gospel, taking the listener on an emotion journey throughout the 10 songs...

In many ways, it’s only natural for Elin to end up in the country of her musical heroes. Growing up in the small town of Mönsterås, by the windy Swedish east coast, her dad filled the house with American folkrock. At the time Elin shrugged it of as “old man’s music”, but when her songwriting turned serious in her late teens, Bob Dylan, Woody Guthrie, Donovan, Leonard Cohen and Joni Mitchell all came re-visiting. Born on a cold winter’s day in 1981, she started playing piano at the modest age of four, developing a talent for playing by ear. Years later, she snatched a guitar from her dad’s home studio, spray-painted it red, and started to write proper pop songs.

Here's a video of her live... love how the languages switch so seamlessly.  I believe it's a matter of a short time when the US wraps it's arms around this talent.

Simmerkane I and the Fall River Sybils - Chadwick Stokes

There is something about linking up with artists when they share their music freely with you.  You end up sharing your precious email to get on their mailing list, and you get some of their music.  Noisetrade.com is just a conduit for such an exchange.  I've met artists that I've gone to iTunes to buy more and more, and I've reconnected with favorites who have put out live tracks or other songs that I haven't feasted on. Then Brandi Carlile used it as a tease for her Bear Creek Cd release by giving you one song off of it.  It's addictive and I still probably haven't listened to every track I've downloaded in my time.

This weekend I quickly downloaded an artist I hadn't heard of Elin Ruth, and two I knew a little about Carrie Rodriguez and Chadwick Stokes.  Which brings me back to the blog title; Chadwick would not be in my iTunes if it weren't for my son buying the song "Coffee & Wine" below.  I always thought he was from England based on his accent, but he's from that hot bed of acoustic music, Boston.  I'm enjoying the Simmerkane... it's a re-release of early stuff, very stripped down.  Here's a write up of it.  So now Chadwick has my email, we'll see what news he'll send me.



This is fun sneak view into the chorus behind him...

Rich Del Grosso... Mandolin Blues.

I was reminded tonight about Rich, and it took me such a short time to find him. I saw him over 15-20 years ago at the Great River Folk Fest.  Rich keeps the blues played on the mandolin alive and well... all I can say is that I wish I could play as well as him; and sing.. .that BIG baritone just let is slide.

Introducing the Wheeler Brothers

The Allman Brothers meet techno precision?  I do need to find out more about these guys.

More news on the release click here

Introducing Belle Starr

Belle Starr is probably a three piece group that you never expect... three drop dead gorgeous women, three outstanding fiddle players, three successful women that have played with other bands, and three Canadiens.


Here's how they describe themselves:

 Miranda likes champagne, pearls and stamps on her passport. www.mirandamulholland.com

Kendel likes the smell of leather, a well told story and the backbeat of old rock & roll . www.kendelcarson.com

Stephanie likes road trips, fiddle jams, and old mgm movie-musicals. www.stephaniecadman.com

I know of them because I follow Kendel Carson's career since she was playing with The Paperboys.  Then she went on to record & tour with the infamous Chip Taylor (Wild Thing)

But now Belle Starr is kicking some dust up in Canada, and life couldn't be sweeter for anyone who gets a chance to see them. Here's another write on them.   And here's a cool video they did covering a Fred Eaglesmith song.  Enjoy... I'm hoping they get to the states some day.. say my house concert series? 

My day was brought to me by..

Crosley turntables...!  I'll tell you I had an old Pioneer turntable for 20+ years, but it just wasn't holding the speed any more.  Now I have this cool turntable that comes with software and a USB for great importing.  I even used today the noise reduction on an old 60's record and while it lost that vinyl sound, it was clean and easy to listen to... dang it was not expensive too.

I remember when I first played a few records my son was amazed I had to turn it over to hear the other side.

On Very Last Day...

On very last day we may watch Revelations play out... what I'm hoping for a choir of people singing this song.. HA... It was really only today when I was importing some new OLD OLD vinyl that I was given.  I knew a lot of Peter Paul and Mary, but this was one new to me.  It was on their "In The Wind" LP released in 1963... goodness I was FIVE.

Sponsor ad- Part Mormon LDS by Mary Mack

That's a faith that I believe can go places... and if Mary Mack is new to you... she's the second funniest person living in the Twin Cities.  Here was here introduction post in the blog: http://thezemmyshow.blogspot.com/2010/05/introducing-mary-mack.html

Alva- Filled with So Much Grace

Alva is a an Irish, Dublin-based contemporary gospel singer that some how stumbled upon a friend Allison Sattinger's song "So Much Grace"  She's got that big voice that can handle a big orchestra behind her.  I think I should look deeper into her music, any one who the tastes to like an angel's song of grace should be one that gets my attention.



I'll share you time hunting around my site... this is the third time this song has appeared in the blog.

Here's cover by Decadence http://thezemmyshow.blogspot.com/2010/03/decadence-so-much-grace.html

Here's Allison's song put to a montage of pictures after she played my House Concert Series called Bluff View Concerts  http://thezemmyshow.blogspot.com/2009/06/i-am-filled-with-so-much-grace.html

The life of a songwriter... a share from Carolyn Arends

Carolyn Arends is a highly successful and talented songwriter in Canada; and while her music fits into the Christian category, I've always thought of her as talented storyteller... who can definitely rhyme her songs... HA... I completely enjoyed this post. http://carolynarends.com/site/blog/my-songwriting-life-documented-sesame-street

John Cougar Mellencamp on digital music

I don't really disagree with John... the little performing artist shouldn't be paying huge fees, but if YouTube is not playing ASCAP or BMI fees for the blatant rip off of songs too many of their users posts... it's an absolute shame. I cover songs on YouTube and always give credit, and when our band covers them in concert; we're playing in bars that pay ASCAP and BMI fees. Some one get an hold on the fact that there is stealing going on... YouTube has become many person's radio, and that's just one.. .hell I hear Pandora might not stay around forever because they play by the rules and pay royalties. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/john-mellencamp/online-piracy-search-engines_b_2018332.html

Shel.. they are getting bigger and biggier

SHEL thinks the favorite line is "They all sing and care deeply for ultimate frisbee." It reinforces and scares me to think again they are getting too BIG to play the Bluff View Concerts in little old Holmen Wisconsin. Though they need to understand that Lady Olivia is the prettiest kitty in the world, we have God's country water as made famous from Old Style, and we have the warmest house concert audience in Western Wisconsin. and I ain't lying.

Music.Interview.With.Shel.From.Nashville

Song in me... Gabrielle Louise

I'm a sucker for an a cappella song sung by two beautiful women. This video just popped up in my YouTube viewer. I was it's first or second viewer... head over and make this a hugely successful post. Here is her Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/TheGabrielleLouiseShow or the duo at https://www.facebook.com/InglishAndLouise

Baptized and Set Free.

The premise behind The Zemmy Show was that it was kind of a modern Johnny Cash show, and you know Johnny loved a good hymn too. Here's also a great blog about the song. http://caseyandthesunshine.blogspot.com/2013/01/baptized-and-set-free.html

Ghost?

Ghost? Fleeting Love? Boy you have me, but this is a beautiful melody and soulful singing. Hola! Aquí puedes disfrutar el #VideoClip “Mi Razón de Existir“ de Alberto Ross. Shared from the United Global Musicians Google + community... curious, stop here.

Sweet Wyoming Home.

Nanci Griffith described Bill Staines as today's Woody Guthrie, has aged a little, but still can play and get the audience to sing... A song of home... Sweet Wyoming Home... pretty nice close up video.

Perseverance by Michele McLaughlin performed by Dustin Schipper

This might be the last summer our 22 year our hanged with us rather than his own rental unit in college. He had recaptured his love of playing the piano, and he played several songs over and over. This song my Michele McLaughlin was a favorite. I convinced him to allow me to record him so that I could share it with his Grandma and others who just don't see him that often. He made one slight flaw and it was all I could do to have him let me not delete it. Girls, he'll be a degreed Artist working his way to an Architect degree; and he's single up in Eau Claire yet. Doesn't know where graduate school will take him. The cool thing about YouTube is that the composer Michele McLaughlin commented from her site. She's a wonderful artist. Dustin has been playing piano off and on since he was four when he studied with Jack Wallace, the most patient piano teacher who is trained the Suzuki method. Thanks to Jack we also have a video of Dustin playing Two Worlds from a Disney movie when he was about 7.