Farmer John and some other people

On Friday night I went to 12th and Porter – a really great rock and roll club – to see a band called King Billy. ( I know – let’s hope for their sake they don’t break big in Glasgow) The band have been put together by Trey Bruce, a songwriter with whom I have worked as well as being a VP of Chrysalis Publishing and a producer. At the moment Great American Country (MTV type country channel) have been following the band around on the road. There seems to be a real buzz about them and they are interesting as they haven’t yet released a record and have no radio support – only TV. We’ll play a track on Tuesday night that will probably go on the album when it gets released. Hey don’t tell me we’ve not got all the inside scoops!

Talking about radio, it’s always confused me how you would have more chance of hearing the artists we feature in on BBC Scotland in Scotland than you would in Nashville. There is no FM station that plays Americana apart from the odd spot play on Lightning 100 – though, so far I’ve not heard one. The Legend WSM is a medium-wave station (“somethings sound better on AM” was their tag line) and occasionally plays Americana but certainly wouldn’t stray very far into alt country. I suppose you do what I do – check out the record shops and play your alt country soundtrack. I am however really enjoying the local college station who hooked me with beck’s new version of Dylan’s Leopard Skin Pill Box Hat from the new War Child album. It was also here that I heard a truly great show called Nashville Jumps and a great version of Farmer John by Don and Dewey. if you can find that record, let me know.

I worked over the weekend with a new artist called Gabe Dixon. Gabe is that rare breed a
Nashvillean who grew up here. He made is first solo album in L.A. and immediately after was asked to play piano on the Paul McCartney ‘Driving Rain’ album. After that he was asked if he’s like to join the band, but declined as his own album was coming out and he needed to be there to work it. However he did, he told me, get to do one show with Macca – and for that – and Paul asking him to he play “The Long and Winding Road” so he could be freed up to play bass – he’s extremely grateful. Very nice guy and great singer and writer.

News today is that we’ve missed a couple of Tornadoes and the weather has cleared up. The sun is shining. Can’t wait for tomorrow’s show. We’ll be on air at 2 but you folk join us at 8.