Engine 145 - A Roots Music Publication

Man About Town may be Moot Davis’ third album, but it’s also responsible for several career firsts: it’s the first album after the singer-songwriter’s split from Pete Anderson’s Little Dog Records, the first project on his own label, Highway Kind, and the track listing includes both his first duet (recorded with Elizabeth Cook) and his [...]

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Having recorded his first song in 1962, this year Gene Watson is celebrating his fiftieth year in the music business. To celebrate, he’s released Best of the Best: 25 Greatest Hits—featuring re-recorded versions of some of his classics—on his own label, Fourteen Carat Records. While on the road, Gene found a few minutes to chat [...]

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Jimmy Wayne, above all else, is a humanitarian. Sure, lately he’s been a master of all things media-related: his novel Paper Angels was published last fall and his singing career has seen three albums and ten charted hits among them his number one smash hit “Do You Believe Me Now.” In addition, 2012 will likely [...]

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In 2004, Mississippi native Shelly Fairchild established herself as one of the most promising performers in mainstream country music with her debut album, Ride. The project’s first single, “You Don’t Lie Here Anymore,” was just a small taste of her considerable talents as a singer and songwriter. Though she would later tour as an opening [...]

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Second chances don’t often make themselves available in the music industry. Thankfully one found its way to Donna Ulisse (pronounced “you-liss-ee”). Like so many other aspiring country music artists, Ulisse followed her dream to Nashville where she first found work as a back-up and session singer, working with the likes of Jerry Reed. She finally [...]

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Keni Thomas has one of the most interesting back stories of any current country singer. He’s currently making music with his band Cornbread, but before he made music his career, he was an Army Ranger who first saw combat in 1993 at the Battle of Mogadishu, which would later be immortalized in Mark Bowden’s book, [...]

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Deana Carter feels like she’s just getting around to having perspective. The daughter of Fred Carter Jr., a guitarist who spent nearly two decades as the Nashville session player, Deana had an insider’s view to the country music industry like few others. But after securing and signing her first record deal with Capitol Records, there [...]

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The Seldom Scene is one of bluegrass music’s most influential bands, and a vital part of Washington, DC’s vibrant bluegrass history. This year, the band is celebrating its 40th anniversary. We got the chance to talk with guitarist and vocalist (and ENT surgeon) Dr. John Starling, one of the band’s founding members (he’s now retired), [...]

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Fresh Water in the Salton Sea, Drew Kennedy’s new project, is something of a novel idea. Yes, it’s the Texas-based singer-songwriter’s fifth album, but it’s also the title of his first book, a travel narrative that follows fictional alt-country artist Dan Murphy as he tours the American West alone, playing shows, encountering off-kilter characters, drinking [...]

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Del McCoury doesn’t laugh. He giggles, like the schoolboy he was over sixty years ago. Those who attended the one of the “Breakfast with Bill Monroe” sessions at last month’s IBMA World of Bluegrass heard that giggle a lot as McCoury, in sharply creased blue jeans and his trademark white pompadour, reminisced about his time [...]

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