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It would be hard to name any songwriter in Nashville’s long history whose work has been recorded by more stars across more genres of music than Gary Nicholson. The Texas native came to Nashville in 1980 after stints in Ft. Worth and Los Angeles, and not only did he amass an impressive string of country music hits with Vince Gill, Patty Loveless, and more, he became Music City’s go-to soul and R&B man, conjuring songs for Bonnie Raitt, Etta James, BB King, The Fabulous Thunderbirds and even Ringo Starr. Now at 74 he’s turned his own performing/recording life to songs of conscience and social protest, as on his new album Common Sense.
  • I was raised on instrumental music before I fell in love with songs and songwriters, so I keep my radar scanning for contemporary instrumental records in the roots music space. For years, such albums came predominantly from the bluegrass universe, but through 2024 and on into this year, I kept latching on to sonic excursions encompassing rock, blues, guitar folk and twangy jazz. Here’s a roundup of recent recordings that will set your head bobbing while requiring no verbal skills.
  • Sierra Ferrell, fresh off her Artist and Album Of The Year wins at last Fall’s Americana Honors & Awards, went four-for-four in her first-ever nominations on Sunday at the 67th Grammy Awards. She shared American Roots Song honors with Nashville’s Melody Walker. Songwriter Ruthie Foster secured a first-ever Grammy for herself and her new label Sun Records. Billy Strings and the duo of Gillian Welch and David Rawlings won awards as well. While on the prime time broadcast, roots music didn’t get its turn.
  • Sam Grisman, the 35-year-old son of mandolin icon David “Dawg” Grisman, grew up in a unique and supercharged musical environment, to put it mildly. Jerry Garcia was coming over all the time to the family home to pick and record old-time folk music with the elder Grisman. Bluegrass legends came and went, rehearsing and recording, and giving Sam something to aspire to when he picked up the bass as a little kid. After a decade working and touring as sideman, he’s now based in Nashville leading his own collective, the Sam Grisman Project, which is nurturing the repertoire of the Grisman/Garcia partnership, with selected tunes from the Grateful Dead repertoire as well. With a remarkable concert at the Ryman Auditorium in January 2025, Sam stepped into a new phase of his musical life.
LINER NOTES
WMOT VIDEO: LIVE SESSIONS ON NPR MUSIC
  • Tiny Desk winner Alisa Amador performed "Extraño" and "Milonga Accidental" at the 2024 AmericanaFest Day Stage. Watch the songs here.
  • Last week, James McMurtry and BettySoo stopped by the WMOT studio to discuss performing in drag across the South and life on the road during their current tour. The duo also performed "Henry & Me", "Broken Freedom Song", and "Gulf Road". Listen to the full episode here.
  • Watch Cris Jacobs perform "Queen of the Avenue" and "Poor Davey" from his latest bluegrass inspired record 'One of These Days' live from the 2024 AmericanaFest Day Stage.
  • Mindy Smith and Ray Benson rang in the new year with music from their latest projects at our January Wired In show. Watch their live studio performances here.
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