Liner Notes

Touring in a band since he was 17 years old, Nashville's Elliott Blaufuss has learned a lot about life. He's gained insight into human nature, life on the road, isolation. Lots of fodder for songwriting, including how to love a "Dive Motel", as he describes in the first single released from his debut full length album, The Sea Between Us, out tomorrow. His album release show is tonight at The Dive Motel in Nashville.

I wrote in January about the important but hidden connections between Americana music and jazz, and little did I know at the time that an exemplary recording had recently been released. Now I’ve discovered Sweet Tooth, a mostly instrumental suite for jazz sextet from bass player and singer Mali Obomsawin. Folk music fans may know her as a member of the excellent former trio Lula Wiles (with Eleanor Buckland and Isa Burke), but with this debut project, Obomsawin proves she’s also a visionary composer. She steps into the spotlight with a story to tell about her roots in the Abenaki First Nation at Odanak, part of Canada’s Wabanaki Confederacy.

Most knew him as a sideman, a drummer whose contributions elevated those he performed with such as Morphine, Treat Her Right, Jeffrey Foucault and Chris Smither among others. He was also a songwriter. Billy Conway passed away in December of 2021 and shortly thereafter, a group of close friends and collaborators gathered to pay tribute and record some of the songs he left behind. That recording, Further On: The Songs of Billy Conway is out today.

WMOT's Top 10 albums represent sonic diversity- from legends like Bonnie Raitt digging into the blues to Bluegrass breakout Molly Tuttle returning to her roots. See the top 100 albums played on WMOT in 2022 and be listening for the 89 and a half Top Spins of 2022 Countdown in two parts. The first starts with our number 1 album and ends with 45- that will be played on December 30 starting at 2pm and replaying at 7am on December 31. The first weekend in January, we will bring you #46 through 90 at those same times.

How a long-time music executive became a children's author with a message of love over everything this holiday season.

Our year-end list of the most played songs of 2022 features 100 songs by Grammy winners and current nominees, Americana Honors & Awards winners, newcomers, and veterans. Listen December 20 at 7 p.m. for our Tuesday Night Special featuring songs from the list.

Steve Poltz takes the lead this year, for the annual recording of a Bob Dylan song by a group of stellar Nashville musicians. Spearheaded by Tim Easton for the ninth consecutive year, the project raises money and awareness for SAFPAW, The Southern Alliance for People and Animal Welfare.

From his genre-bending sophomore album, The Comet, to a deep dive into his old-time music roots, Charlie Treat talks about making a traditional style bluegrass record in just a few days for his new release, Into The Wild Mystic Mountain, out today.

Guitarist, songwriter and analog enthusiast Jack Schneider talks about his fascination with fretted instruments and working alongside Nashville legends as well as up and coming artists on his debut full length, Best Be on My Way, out now.

Nashville's Zach & Maggie go all in with their ode to Paul Simon's, "You Can Call Me Al", releasing their own video, plus another version side by side with the original.