Engine 145 - A Roots Music Publication

At this point, it would be easier to list who isn’t appearing at George Jones’ final Nashville concert. Billy Ray Cyrus, Don McLean, and Cyndi Lauper have all been added to the lineup, bringing the current total to 50+ musical guests. Chuck Dauphin of Billboard reviewed one of Randy Travis’ recent performances with the Nashville Symphony: [...]

Continue reading "Tift Merritt Collaborates with Classical Pianist Simone Dinnerstein; The Spinney Brothers’ Next Album Due in May; Album Releases"

George Jones announced several farewell tour dates. Out January 23 on Omnivore Records: Don Rich Sings George Jones and Buck Owens’ Honky Tonk Man, a collection of previously unreleased recordings. Flaco Jimenez played an NPR Tiny Desk Concert. Wanda Jackson’s got a new video for “Am I Even a Memory,” her duet with Justin Townes [...]

Continue reading "George Jones Announces Tour Dates; Real Gone Music to Reissue Two John Hartford Records; Album Releases"

Australian country singer Kasey Chambers is, to put it lightly, a little busy these days. She and husband Shane Nicholson have just completed their second album together, Wreck and Ruin, her covers record, Storybook, comes out in the States this week, and in between the gigs, the studio time, and the interviews, she’s got three [...]

Continue reading "Traditional But Not Conventional: An Exclusive Interview with Kasey Chambers"

The April Trail Mix from Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine, featuring tracks from Sierra Hull, The Steel Wheels, Steep Canyon Rangers, Casey Driessen, and more is available for free download. NPR is streaming new albums from Alabama Shakes and Bonnie Raitt. And Performing Songwriter has the new one from Nanci Griffith. Preview The Hillbenders’ new song, [...]

Continue reading "Stream New Music From Nanci Griffith and Alabama Shakes; Punch Brothers Cover The Cars; Album Releases"

When it comes to Ireland’s national treasures, The Chieftains have to rank right up there with the Blarney Stone and the Guinness brewery in Dublin. There’s nothing wrong with the contemporary acts that have blended Irish music with rock (Flogging Molly, Dropkick Murphys) or New Age easy listening (Enya) – for the most part, at [...]

Continue reading "The Chieftains — Voice of Ages"

Whitney Duncan, fresh off her Survivor experience, has taken to Kickstarter to help raise funds for a new album called Where The Back Roads Run. “This is so fun for me, because I can make the record I want to make!  I really hope ya’ll are as excited about this project as I am…it was [...]

Continue reading "New Whitney Duncan Album In Works; Miley Cyrus Has Death Threats and Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver Announce Gospel Album"

Alison Krauss and Union Station recorded some music that’ll play on Sunday’s episode of The Simpsons. Songwriter Danny Morrison passed away on Tuesday. Jim Caligiuri caught a three-hour Chris Isaak show in Austin: With a new backdrop simulating Sun Studios, Isaak concentrated on his latest album, Beyond the Sun, a collection of songs that were [...]

Continue reading "AKUS Records Music for The Simpsons; Video of Randy Travis’ Arrest Released; Dehlia Low to Take Hiatus"

As Engine 145 finds its legs and more importantly, its audience, it is probably important to look back as we look forward. For years, a collection of writers from all over the map came together and contributed to another website called The 9513. We celebrated the country music that inspired us and critiqued new releases- [...]

Continue reading "Friday Five: The Phoenix"