Arts and Entertainment

Country Hall of Famer Don Williams enjoyed some of his most successful and productive years in the late 70s and early 80s, and now his son Tim Williams has unearthed some never-heard master recordings from that era. He and Don’s longtime producer Garth Fundis have enhanced and enriched those performances with contemporary tracks to make the new album Epilogue: The Cellar Tapes. They spoke with Craig Havighurst at Williams’s favorite studio about this special release.

Andy Leftwich was a Tennessee string picking prodigy who crushed it at fiddle competitions and was working by his late teens. Then, before he turned twenty, he was offered a job (on stage no less) by legend Ricky Skaggs. For 15 years with Kentucky Thunder, he built a reputation as one of the most complete and technically gifted musicians in bluegrass, sharing in numerous IBMA and Grammy Awards. Now, after a few years of being independent, he’s fired up his solo career with two enthralling instrumental albums.

Since arriving years ago from his hometown of Toronto, Frank Evans has put a stamp on Nashville’s storied bluegrass scene like few others in such a short time. Deft and original on both Scruggs-style bluegrass and old-time clawhammer playing, he’s been a versatile and in-demand sideman. Now he’s getting set to release his first solo album as a leader, full of original instrumentals and creatively unearthed songs from the deep catalog of roots music.

The table was set on Thursday for this Fall’s 25th annual Americana Honors and Awards with nominations across the awards’ five categories. Those looking for patterns or breakout acts won’t find them, with recognition being widely spread.

We love it when great things happen to good people, especially when the story is a total surprise, and that’s what’s been going on with Alabama-raised singer and songwriter Kashus Culpepper. He’d never been on a stage or played the guitar before 2020, but a confluence of free time, an encouraging group of friends, and a timely instrument helped Kashus find his voice and his calling. He’s been celebrated by the media and stars like Elton John, and his debut album Act 1 has surprised many with its depth and power.

It seemed like a good time to spotlight some of the best bluegrass, old-time and folk albums from Nashville and nearby that have been released so far this year. Craig reviews key acoustic recordings by Thomm Jutz, Jarrod Walker, Paper Wings, Sierra Hull, Daniel Grindstaff, Ed Snodderly, Jim Hurst and the second collaborative record by Jim Lauderdale and the Po' Ramblin' Boys. All can be heard on The Old Fashioned, airing Saturdays at 9 am and Tuesdays at 8 pm.

For almost 20 years, the 12 South Taproom hosted improvised live music on Mondays that outshone many of the city’s clubs with cover charges and 21-and-up policies. Some of Nashville’s best guitarists and rhythm sections held court. A bluegrass collective has made the place jovial since 2016. On the eve of the Taproom’s closure, Craig Havighurst salutes this beloved neighborhood institution and the kinds of micro-scenes that fade in and out in Music City.

Fifteen years into their close and literally harmonious relationship, Joey Ryan and Kenneth Pattengale sound as satisfied and enriched as ever by the audience and aura they’ve established in Americana music. The Milk Carton Kids name was a self-effacing joke about how quickly they expected to be forgotten, but it’s been quite the opposite. They’ve earned four Grammy nominations and an Americana Award as Duo/Group of the Year. Audiences still lean in to hear the nuances of their quiet and thoughtful sound. Their seventh album Lost Cause Lover Fool is the latest iteration of their less-is-more approach to folk artistry.

Liam Duncan grew up in the small city of Brandon, Manitoba and moved to the provincial capitol and musical hotbed of Winnipeg as soon as he could, thinking he might be a session musician and sideman. But post pandemic, he’s been Boy Golden, a quirky, neo-romantic persona making some of Canada’s most compelling folk rock. During a swing through Nashville, Boy Golden talked about shifting focus from Canada to the US, his tight band of old friends, and his new album Best Of Our Possible Lives.

The Nashville Musicians Association - the union representing working players - has launched a Fair Trade Music program that gives consumers insight into which venues treat musicians best in the city’s downtown core. Ten venues were chosen, based on the results of a confidential survey of more than 300 musicians. The union made anonymous comments about difficult working conditions available to WMOT exclusively.