Doc Watson remembered.
Legendary bluegrass musician Doc Watson passed away this year at age 89.
With dozens of records, seven Grammys, and an encyclopedic knowledge of American traditional music, Watson left behind an unmatched legacy. Now his family is working to produce Doc Watson Family Milestones, an intimate, multimedia portrait of a musical hero.
Doc Watson by A. Maxwell
Back to the roots.
Phil Madeira is the renaissance man of Nashville.
A multi-intrumentalist who’s worked with everyone in town and written songs for artists ranging from Garth Brooks to Keb’ Mo’, Madeira is turning now to a new solo recording. Having sucessfully funded a collaborative album on Kickstarter last year, Madiera is reaching out to his backers once again to fund an even more personal project.
This sweet slice of American roots music is our Project of the Day.
I’ve been releasing records since 1992 so this new double album will be my 20th anniversary project. I have been fortunate that there have always been healthy independent labels willing and able to do the risky, dirty work of releasing one of my records. But times have changed, the future is now, and the music industry is looking for its face in a foggy mirror. Regardless, I believe the tangible, physical thing, the album itself as art object, is what keeps songwriting and recording exciting for me.
—Simon Joyner on his career, the contemporary musical landscape and his new Kickstarter project. As genuine and honest as his songs.
KSR IRL: This week Marissa Nadler comes to NYC promoting her latest album, Box of Ceder. With the help of Kickstarter, Nadler self-released the record this past June and is currently touring the northeast with Faces on Film. She’ll play Mercury Lounge on July 27th and Littlefield July 30th.
“If you measured artists’ popularity by the devotion of their cults, Marissa Nadler wouldn’t exactly be overlooked. After four finely wrought neo-folk albums, the Massachusetts-based songwriter got by with a little help from her fans in making this self-titled, self-released album. That successful Kickstarter funding campaign bears deeply rewarding fruit on Marissa Nadler, an uncommonly detailed album that’s full of otherworldly romantic melancholy, whether in country-glinting “The Sun Always Reminds Me of You” or synth-touched “Baby, I Will Leave You in the Morning”. Nadler’s patient, often-elliptical songwriting shines through clearly enough to welcome a whole new crowd of rabid supporters.” — Marc Hogan via Pitchfork’s Overlooked Records of 2011
