Based out of Northern California, folk-goddess Diane Patterson unites an acoustic guitar and ukulele, a mighty pen, and a woman's voice weaving spirit and social commentary in songs and on stages around the world. Her latest album, Open Road, was released in February and here Patterson answers her Essential 8 and graciously talks about the story behind Open Road, activism, Ani DiFranco, and more.

Is there a story behind your album’s title?
Ha! I know Open Road sounds like rather a trite musician’s line about touring and all the random bits thereof. It ain’t about that, and if you see the gorgeous painting that my masterful friend Lindy Kehoe did for the cover, you might already have a wider view of the title. The song "Open Road" is inspired by the sacred deer, the boog, of ancient ritual lore, sitting on a high perch and observing the natural world. It’s a snapshot of ancient nomadic life on the steppe with animals, on horses, summer camp and winter camp and all kinds of hard work and play in blessed and beautiful places in between. “Cause every ride out, is a long ride home, living on an open road.”

When/where do you do your best writing?
I usually do my best writing when I’m alone on the land for a couple days and nights or in a quiet cabin with just my guitar and one joint that lasts me the whole time. Ha! But I think perhaps the most powerful song on this record is "Shape of Your Sorrow," and I couldn’t wait for my ‘alone time’ to write this one. We had just visited Ani DiFranco in her home for the first time, and she had asked me if I have to stop myself from crying when I perform my songs. She said, for her, it’s every night !! I was blown away. And then we got the news about the shooting in Orlando at Pulse Nightclub. Devastating. Right away I wondered what Ani was thinking and writing about that, so I started writing, “What is the shape of your sorrow? ... Tears that fall on your guitar.” I just started writing in the van, on the road. Then I read a powerful essay in The Nation from a man, queer like me, who pointed out that the gay nightclub scene is our safe place. It’s the refuge from the outside straight world. It’s where we can feel free to be ourselves, whatever gender bend we want to express that night, it’s all ok. So to have our queer family murdered like that at the gay bar was especially frightening and tragic, a loss of innocence for sure. So my song ends with a call for “Non-Violent Revolution, We’re here, we’re queer, Black lives matter.” And Ani did some haunting vocals on the the recording, she says, because I asked her to.

Do you write about personal experience, the experience of others, observations, made-up stories, something else or a combination?
I’m an activist at heart, and I often write when I feel needed, like when someone asks me to write a song, or when there’s an issue that I feel deeply about out in the world, and when I’m inspired by great movements, like Mni Wichoni, the movement at Standing Rock that’s still reverberating through indigenous communites around the world, to protect our world’s water. Standing Rock shows up in Spliff Song on this record, in the third verse, which starts out: “Take me willingly to stand on the front lines, Cause I’ll die free before I’ll let you leave me behind.” See, these really are desperate times, and instead of things getting better as the privileged class has been waking up in recent years, things have gotten so much worse with the state of the USA government and the environmental and social travesties that have worsened in an already life-or-death situation. And indigenous people have been aware of this environmental crisis for many generations as they’ve watched the cultures who lived in respect of the hand that feeds us dying away along with species and watersheds and ecosystems. So when I say in Spliff Song, “I’ll die free before I’ll let you leave me behind,” I’m touching on that dignity that lies at the heart of life, that dignity that says, I’m not gonna sit idle while the corporate profiteers and the privileged classes consume every last living blade of grass so they can live in comfort. No, what’s comfortable to the voice in the song is to honor the source of life, and if that means we have to carry our water and make a cook fire, then isn’t that beautiful, and can’t I hear the creek running and see the geese flying over and filling me with joy, and can’t I see my children laughing and learning in a flowering, living world. That flowering. living world is more important than my life. And the community we build, when we stand up for the living world, is what will sustain us, give us sanity, and make us happy in a way that money cannot buy.

Growing up in the mountains of Georgia, Jacob Bryant ventured into music via his family’s Bluegrass band which led to him picking up the guitar at age eight and later, playing in church, where he served as leader of the youth group. After graduating from high school, he continued to hone his craft, but a series of jarring events led him down a darker path. But it was the grief surrounding those events that fueled his songwriting, pushing him to dive into music and record incredibly personal anthems including, “Sometimes I Pray," “Save My Soul,” “This Side of Sober,” and “Up In Flames.”
After five EP’s Bryant is on track to release his first full-length album later this year. The second single from the project, “Pour Whiskey On My Grave,” is an emotional song close to Bryant’s heart that is connecting with listeners far and wide, garnering over 5.5 million views for its accompanying video. In advance of the album’s upcoming release, Bryant kindly took the time to speak about his journey, the story behind the song, working with Jesse Triplett, and more.

You were involved with music from a young age. Did you always know that it was something you wanted to pursue professionally?
Yes and no. I've always played music and wanted it to be a part of my life, but I didn’t really want to pursue it as a full-time career until my Mom passed in 2010. My mom loved music, it was all she ever cared about, and her passing put fuel under my ass to go out and try to make it happen. My mother would have wanted me to continue with my music; and when she passed, I wanted to make it happen for her. 

After she passed [Bryant's mother died suddenly on New Year's Day 2010], you went down a bit of a dark path. Was there a specific moment when you realized you were going to turn things around? 
There were about four years where I don’t remember a lot of anything, but I think anyone can understand that happening after losing someone so close to you so unexpectedly. It was tough to deal with and admittedly, I did dumb stuff for a little while. As far as addiction goes, one day I woke up and walked to the bathroom to start my day just like I did every morning, but when I saw myself that morning, I realized I was not happy and I didn't want to be like this anymore. I knew I needed to slow everything down and get myself together.

And that Bryant did, moving forward with music and releasing four EPs including 2016's, UP IN SMOKE, which debuted at # 7 on iTunes Country Chart and saw the video for “A Woman’s Touch” debut at # 1 on CMT Music 12 Pack Countdown – and stayed in the Top 5 for 17 weeks. Bryant's latest single, "Pour Whiskey On My Grave," is making a splash and it's accompanying video just hit 5.5 MILLION views and 162,000 FB shares. Shot entirely in black and white near his hometown of Jasper, Georgia, the piece is an arresting look at death that features a bad-ass preacher, loose women, and drinking buddies - all portrayed by Bryant's real-life friends and family members in all their outlaw glory.   

"Pour Whiskey On My Grave,” has gotten an incredible amount of attention.  How did you come to record the song and what do you think is making people connect with it?  
I was doing a writer’s round in Nashville with a songwriter I had never met before, Jami Grooms. He was playing the song and at the first line I was captivated because it reminded me of my mom - I always go to her grave, pour a beer out for her, drink one myself and visit with her. I mouthed over to my manager that I wanted to cut it, and here we are. 

I think it's just one of those songs that anyone who has lost someone can relate to. We’ve heard from a lot of military who are latching onto the song saying it reminds them of the brothers they lost. It’s a song that makes you want to celebrate life and I’m glad people are digging it.

Even though he’s been performing since the age of 5, Robbie Davis did not jump into music as a career early on. He grew up on a horse ranch in Florida and became a trained EMT, ocean lifeguard, fireman, Florida Everglades guide, and airboat captain - all of which came to an end when a hit-and-run accident left him unable to perform those duties. During his rehabilitation, Robbie visited Nashville and realized he had an opportunity to pursue music and grabbed it with both hands. Not long after relocating to Nashville (where he played at the Bluebird), Davis moved to LA where he currently resides, writing and performing music including his latest Memoirs of A Wayward Man. Recently Davis took the time to talk about the significance of the album's title, the stories behind the songs, the Opry, Stapleton, and more.

Did you have a musical mentor and how did they influence you?
That’s a great question. My musical mentors are my mother, Ruth Anne Davis, and also my late uncle, Ronnie Davis. My mom is a classically trained musician and performer , She is honestly, the most incredible piano player you will ever hear. I grew up on a horse ranch in Plantation, Florida... “The Rockin’ D.” It was aptly named because there was always music being played. Some of my earliest memories as a child were laying in my cowboy themed room late at night and smiling ear to ear listening to my mother play the piano. I remember her playing thundering, roof raising versions of “how great thou art” and medleys of Jerry Lee Lewis And Elvis songs. Her playing filled our home with music and it permeated my soul. My dad always said that the only thing he could play was the radio But he was always playing Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Elvis and many more of the greats. Family reunions included my uncle Ron (who bought me my first guitar at age 7) playing guitar, my older brother Jeff playing the trumpet, my younger sister Julie playing her violin and everyone singing along to whatever  song we chose to sing. Those early days as a kid influenced me in such a deep way that it made music just as much a necessity as good biscuits and gravy. It was nourishment for the soul!​

What’s the story behind the album title?
That’s very loaded question for me. Where I am now in my life is a million miles away from where I thought I would end up as a younger man. I think there are two things that you have to understand about this album title. The first thing you have to understand is WHAT the definition of the word “wayward” is. “Difficult to control or predict, disobedient, rebellious, wild…” These are all words that describe one chapter of my life. The chapters before and the chapters after would have much different descriptive words but for that particular chapter I chose “wayward.“ The second thing that you have to understand is WHY. WHY I was “Wayward” is a much more complicated story but to sum it up in a few words would sound something like this… I had it all figured out. I knew what I was going to do with my life and I knew how and where I was going to do it. I knew what it would take to get there and I  had worked very hard to accomplish it. I was on a path to a successful career as a Marine officer and a firefighter it was all I ever wanted to do and I was good at it Then in one life changing moment I was hit by a car intentionally while I was on duty rendering me a career ending injury that ended all of it and pretty much set me adrift,  I became what some may refer to as a “wayward man” and it took many years for me to heal physically, mentally and spiritually. The only thing that survived the tragedy was my love of music. The songs on this album have been with me throughout the process and I am elated to share them with the you now as I stand on the opposite side of the “wayward “ abyss gazing back at what I once thought would always be my reality. And I’ve gotta tell you it makes me smile… Because I’ve come so far !

Sarah Shook & the Disarmers’ debut album, Sidelong, commanded listeners’ attention with its refreshingly blunt and unapologetically honest songwriting, tight musicianship, and outlaw spirit. Their upcoming outing, Years, finds that spirit ever present in the collection’s ten tracks as the foursome grow and refine their style with sharpened songwriting, a deepened sound, and unique perspectives that emphasize vulnerability, resiliency, empathy, and defiance. Ahead of the album’s release, Shook the time to chat about the story behind “Years,” her love of snakes, touring, and more.

Bloodshot re-issued your 2015 record Sidelong last year, so with Years being your first all-new record with them, did you approach the process of making it any differently?
Before Sidelong, we had never recorded a full-length album. Over Easter weekend of 2015, we did four days of tracking; it was a pretty high stress situation and I was totally wasted the entire time. So, before we started on the pre-production for Years, I spent some time getting myself together, determined to approach this recording session a little differently. I wanted to be sober and fully present both emotionally and mentally. I managed to swing that, and I think that it’s very palpable if you listen to the two albums back to back.

That’s incredibly self-aware to be able to make that decision, see it through, and then be able to see the difference.
Songwriters pull from varied experiences when they write and where songs are often fictional, the songs on Years feel like you not only wrote them, but you lived them.
These songs absolutely come from personal experience. Years is a breakup album that I wrote while still in a relationship and it's the first album where I feel like one of the constant themes is exploring the dynamics of relationships not solely from my point of view, but also from my respective partner, or ex-partner’s, point of view as well. As problematic as that can be and the conflict that can cause, many of the songs are empathetic ones where I put myself in the position of someone else and use the way that I see them in a situation as the basis for a song.
​
While they’re your truths, the feelings in them connect with many.
It’s funny I was thinking about that a while ago. Anyone who is an adult has exes and this similar set of experiences where you have to go through some hard stuff, recognize patterns, examine motives, and make tough decisions. And in the end, hopefully you learn about yourself and come out a better person. We’re all definitely in the same boat as far as that goes.

Scottish singer-songwriter Son of the Chief, better known as Mackie Mackintosh, recently released his debut solo album, Needless Road. With clear influence from Beat Generation writers, country music narratives, and the emotional core of singer-songwriter confessionals, Needless Road, inspired by the diaries he kept while traveling North America in 2009, tells the story of every individual, at times lost and looking for direction in this world, and how sometimes it’s the wrong turns that can lead to the right destination. 
​
Via email, Mackintosh kindly took the time to speak about the project including the story behind the album's title, trusting your instincts, Dave Cobb, and more.

With any particular song, was there an “a-ha” moment when you knew the song was completed and perfect?
It seems hard to believe now, but the song “Me & You Make Blue” was not actually conceived or written as a duet. It wasn’t until just before we began recording and I was figuring out the harmony parts that it suddenly dawned on me that it should really be done as a duet. It seems so obvious now, especially given the title! Also the conversational style of the lyric and the references to different shades and colors were really clearly suggesting two voices but I guess sometimes you just can’t see the wood for the trees! Anyway, the penny dropped eventually and I’m very glad it did as Ruth did a great job on her vocal to help bring it all together.
 
What’s the story behind your album’s title?
Needless Road is a street in my hometown (Perth, Scotland) and in fact very close to where I grew up. I’ve always thought it was an unusual and interesting name for a street, I mean why have a road that’s needless? And who’s going to go down a needless road? But I guess we all do from time to time and that certainly fit the story and themes of the album which revolve around looking for direction, taking some wrong turns and then trying to find your way back. Then out of interest I decided to google “Needless Road” and in doing so I discovered that the only other one in the world is somewhere in Tennessee! I thought that was also a neat connection to make, connecting me and my hometown to the very US State that’s home to the roots music that I was trying to incorporate into the sound of the album.
 
Do you write about personal experience, the experience of others, observations, made-up stories, something else or a combination?
Very much all of the above, and that was definitely the case with Needless Road. The initial inspiration for the album actually came from the diary I kept when travelling across America in 2009 which contained a real combination of my own personal experiences and observations, and also stories from people I met along the way. So that was certainly what informed the first few songs and then when I was about halfway through writing the record I started to thread together a loosely based narrative which would in turn inspire the remaining songs in a more fictional style. Having said that, I also believe that whenever writing more fictionalized or character based songs there’s always at least a little bit of the writer’s voice or personal experience masked in the lyric somewhere.

​Award-winning musicians, Eric Uglum and Bud Bierhaus, have played music together for over 30 years, including time in the acclaimed California bluegrass band, Copperline. They reunited in 2015, forming Bluegrass duo, The Vintage Martins and now often play as a trio with Ron Block of Alison Krauss and Union Station. In 2017 The Vintage Martins signed a record deal with Kentucky based indie label, Eastwood Records, and are poised to re-release their debut album, Traveled, and a new album in 2018. ​Recently, Eric and Bud took some time to answer a few questions via email where they discussed musical mentors and songwriting, relayed advice received, and more.

Did you have a musical mentor? If so, who was it and how did they influence you?
EU: Like most serious players, I have many mentors. Bonnie Raitt, Stuart Duncan, Tony Rice, and Ron Block to name a few. I am always drawn to instrumentalists and vocalists who show depth and legitimacy. 

Several years ago, a bluegrass band I was in called Lost Highway was thrilled to get Ralph Stanley to sing with us on a project. It was my job to sing whatever remaining part in the vocal trio that Ralph chose not to sing. I prepared the session by singing the tenor and high baritone harmony's in my best 35-year Stanley style. When Ralph arrived, I asked him which part he would like to sing. He said, "I believe I'll sing the tenor!". So I muted my best Stanley-style tenor part that I had sung only an hour before, and was shocked to hear the real Ralph Stanley sing the same part! I was floored by his unique and soulful approach, and I realized anew how brilliant a traditional singer he was. Definitely one of my heroes!

Why did you chose to anchor the album with the songs you did?
EU:  Both Bud and I try to choose material that we can put ourselves into emotionally. That usually means strong melodies and sad pensive lyrics!

BB: We sort of backed into the ultimate selection of songs for this record with no real starting vision. I was recording songs I liked in my home studio and playing them for Eric. The ones we both liked ended up on the record. While recording the final version of them, some songs emerged that have long been favorites of Eric that neither of us had recorded previously (example: Its Only the Wind, Darcy Farrow). Eric also suggested I write an original or two, which I did...in the studio. This is not the first time he has persuaded me to write a song in his studio for a record, an odd approach but it seems to work out occasionally.

On their head-spinning third full-length, Dance Scandal at the Gymnasium!, The Claudettes - Johnny Iguana (piano), Berit Ulseth (vocals), Zach Verdoorn (bass, vocals), Matt Torre (drums) - summon vaudeville blues, ’60s soul, jazz, and psychobilly via Ulseth's ethereal vocals, and a blast of piano, drums, and “Bass VI” guitar. In advance of the album's March 23rd release, Iguana took some time to talk about the album, including the story behind its title, the song "Pull Closer to Me," where he does his best songwriting, and much more.

​Did you have a musical mentor? If so, who was it and how did they influence you?
I had three piano teachers. The first was my favorite, and she was responsible for teaching me technique and building my confidence. This was when I was eight through 10 years old. My uncle Steve also introduced me to two records that altered my course forever: Junior Wells' "Hoodoo Man Blues" and Jimmy Smith's "Organ Grinder Swing."

With any particular song, was there an “a-ha” moment when you knew the song was completed and perfect?
I approached writing "Pull Closer to Me" with reverence, because I'd written what I felt were really beautiful, honest, romantic lyrics, but they needed music to go with them. I think I had those words in my notebook for three or four years. When I decided to write the song, I spent many days just descending and descending the bass notes of the simple chords until I found the right progression and the drowning music finally mirrored the drowning words.

Is there a story behind your album’s title?
I had written the instrumental title track (well, it has yodeling and "oooh"-ing, but no words), and gave it that title. I love naming instrumentals. I felt the song had a throwback, vintage bluesy feel, but also had kind of a panic to it. The image of a dance at the school gymnasium had a nice wholesome early -'60s vibe to me, which I think goes well with these songs and the sound of the recording (though, as the cover image and the music suggests, there was some chaos at this particular fete).

Why did you chose to anchor the album with the songs you did?
I'm always writing, and this album is the set of 12 songs I had written most recently. I got inspired by my bandmates and their voices and personalities, and this is the result.

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In anticipation of his upcoming studio album, Born Ready, singer-songwriter Steve Moakler is hitting the road on a tour of the same name which kicks off March 22nd and travels on through May 19th hitting the highways from Virginia to Wisconsin and places in between. On Saturday, March 24th, Moakler will bring the Born Ready Tour to the Gramercy Theatre in NYC and in advance of the show, he graciously took some time to chat about the single, the electricity of the city, and more.
 
On March 24th, you’ll be returning to the Gramercy Theatre [Moakler headlined Sirius XM’s Highway Finds Tour there last year] for the Born Ready Tour. As you travel all over the country, what makes a NYC stop special for you?
There are a lot of things I like about the city. First of all, I love hunting down a good slice of pizza. I was born in New Jersey and raised in western PA, so I like to think I have good taste in pizza and always have to have a slice every time I am here. Another thing I love about NYC is the electricity. Even if I’m only there for a short time I always feel like I get a jolt. It’s an inspiring place. I also have a ton of family who live nearby, and they come out to the shows in droves to see me play. They have such a strong presence at the shows, I think the other people in the crowd feel their energy making it like this big family reunion of sorts, which is pretty cool.

The city and the people in it have this unique energy.
Is there anything that sets a NYC crowd apart from other towns or cities for you?
Oh yeah absolutely. That electricity you feel isn’t limited to the city, it’s in the people, too. Sometimes places can be a little sleepy, but I feel like NYC crowds always come with a great energy, ready to rock; from song one, we’re off to the races.

Port Cities’ music is a perfect balance of Nashville (where much of their record was recorded) and Nova Scotia (where the band reside). Comprised of a trio of celebrated Nova Scotian musicians - Carleton Stone, Dylan Guthro and Breagh MacKinnon - Port Cities were drawn together through songwriting as independent artists, with every intention of crafting new material and then going their separate ways. However, things turned out a little differently.

The trio's new album, Back to the Bottom, is rustic, warm, and atmospheric, filled with indie intimacy and arena-pop anthems that blend MacKinnon’s silky jazz-schooled timbre, Guthro’s R&B influenced natural tendencies, and Stone’s acoustic troubadour style. Recently, Port Cities answered their Essential 8 and spoke about the project, how they pass the long hours in the van, James Taylor, and more.

Did you have a musical mentor? If so, who was it and how did they influence you?
One of our musical mentors as a band is our producer Gordie Sampson. He grew up in our hometown, but now lives in Nashville and has built a career as a Grammy winning songwriter. Growing up in Cape Breton, we were all big fans of his music. Once we got to know him, our respect for him only grew once we saw how generous he was with his time and talent when it came to mentoring young artists. 

We actually all met through a songwriting camp that Gordie puts on every year in Nova Scotia, since he knew us so well as individuals, and had a vision for what we could be as a combined force, it made so much sense for him to produce the album. Gordie is just generally an all around good person who continues to inspire us to keep pushing ourselves as songwriters and artists. 

Why did you chose to anchor the album with the songs you did?
We spent a while working on this first album, so we definitely didn’t rush into recording any songs we didn’t love. Since there are three lead singers in this band, we tried to make sure we had a good mix of songs we each sing lead on. 

We would get a rough demo of everything we wrote, whether it was the three of us, or a combination of one or two of us with other writers and once every few months we would sit down and go through everything to pick out any songs that stuck out. We always go by the motto of “the best song wins”, so we really make sure everyone was super excited about every song we chose for the album. 

How do you kill the long hours in the van?
Besides arguing about the best songs ever, I (Carleton) love asking stupid questions that annoy our tour manager but manage to pass the time (ex. if you could only eat at one fast food restaurant for the rest of your life, which would it be and why?). We also love listening to podcasts, and a new game we started is listening to Savage Love, and try and guess what Dan Savage will say to the callers before he gives them advice. 

On March 2, critically acclaimed singer- songwriter Jenn Bostic released her brand new single, Revival, a powerful pop/gospel track which features a Nashville gospel choir.

“Revival is an awakening of the soul, whether spiritual, or the awakening of a dream, a hope, or desire,” says Jenn. “It’s about the power of positive thinking and knowing that your best moments are still ahead of you.”

Produced by six-time Grammy award winner, Paul Salveson, Revival is the first single and title track from Bostic’s highly anticipated fourth album due May 4th. Recorded at House of Blues Studios in Nashville, Tennessee, the album features world-class musicians, including Jenn’s older brother, Jeff, on bass guitar. In anticipation of the release, Bostic kindly took the time to answer her Essential 8 and talk about the upcoming project, recharging on the road, Royal Albert Hall, and much more.
​
What’s the story behind your album’s title?
Revival is an awakening, a renewed strength,  a force. This album is the most authentic piece of art I’ve ever created. For the first time, I confidently stepped into the studio and knew exactly what I wanted to record. I drew from my influences of Bonnie Raitt, Bill Withers, Marc Broussard and Tedeschi Trucks. I didn’t think about what the radio might want to play, I focused on writing and recording music that inspires me. This album breathed new life into my lungs and it is my prayer that it revives dreams and hope to all who hear it.

Why did you chose to anchor the album with the songs you did?
The 12 songs I chose to record for the Revival album are songs that I love singing. They suit my voice in a way that feels effortless. The message behind each song is one that I want to spread into the world, and every single co-writer on this album is a dear friend of mine.