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Our latest posts
  • [ August 7, 2026 ] Our new supporters playlist is out later today – win tickets to see Dawn Landes live News
  • [ August 7, 2026 ] The latest AUK Podcast featuring Dogwood Tales is available now News
  • [ August 7, 2026 ] Icarus Phoenix “Choke” – and now I can barely speak Tracks
  • [ August 7, 2026 ] Video Premiere: Izzie Walsh “I Need You More” Videos
  • [ August 6, 2026 ] Essentials: The Top 10 Samantha Crain Songs Essentials
HomeAuthorsGordon Sharpe

Articles by Gordon Sharpe

About Gordon Sharpe
Retired music fan longing to get back to the Lakes and hoping to visit Scotland before much longer - somehow South Cheshire just doesn't cut it. Still seeking the grail in terms of a convincing description of what Americana really is but really enjoying the search. And still wondering when Kenny Rogers will get his just deserts
Classic Americana Albums

Classic Americana Albums: Randy Newman “Sail Away”

March 30, 2022 Gordon Sharpe 2
A unique voice and – for once – it’s no exaggeration. In a number of previous articles, I have let it be known that I have great admiration for Randy Newman and I suggested that the […]
Book Reviews

Paperback Riders: Peter Biskind “Easy Riders, Raging Bulls”

March 25, 2022 Gordon Sharpe 0
Paperback Riders at the pictures. If, as I do, you love the American cinema of the 70s then you may not want to read this book, you may not even want to read this article. That […]
Other stuff

Will Oldham and John Sayles – “Matewan”

March 16, 2022 Gordon Sharpe 0
A powerful tale of working life in the 1920’s Virginia coal mines. Americana goes to the movies, as Gordon Sharpe takes another of his occasional looks at films making good use of an Americana-based soundtrack… Film […]
Book Reviews

Book Review – Philip Watson “Bill Frisell: Beautiful Dreamer”

March 15, 2022 Gordon Sharpe 0
An encapsulation of the diverse music, if not quite the life, of a major American musician. In an article in August 2020, about notable acoustic guitar players, I threw in a wild card with Bill Frisell. […]
AUK's Chain Gang

AUK’s Chain Gang: Malvina Reynolds “Little Boxes”

March 14, 2022 Gordon Sharpe 0
The link to last week’s feature is that of property and housing and, whereas we were contemplating an apparently desirable ocean-front property, this week we are looking at the other end of the market – little […]

Posts pagination

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our latest posts

Our new supporters playlist is out later today – win tickets to see Dawn Landes live

News
August 7, 2026 0

The latest AUK Podcast featuring Dogwood Tales is available now

News
August 7, 2026 0

Icarus Phoenix “Choke” – and now I can barely speak

Tracks
August 7, 2026 0

Video Premiere: Izzie Walsh “I Need You More”

Videos
August 7, 2026 0

Essentials: The Top 10 Samantha Crain Songs

Essentials
August 6, 2026 0
News

Our new supporters playlist is out later today – win tickets to see Dawn Landes live

August 7, 2026 0
If you’re not subscribing to our monthly supporters newsletter you’ll be missing out on our exclusive supporters playlist of the best new americana we’ve heard over the last few weeks which this month includes new tracks […]
News

The latest AUK Podcast featuring Dogwood Tales is available now

August 7, 2026 0
This week’s podcast features the band Dogwood Tales in conversation as they wait for their album, Every Star In Rockingham County, to come out on 28th of this month. There’s also a couple of new tracks […]
Tracks

Icarus Phoenix “Choke” – and now I can barely speak

August 7, 2026 0
And to end the week on Tracks we have a new release from Icarus Phoenix, the Baltimore-based, Montana/Utah-rooted band led by Drew Danburry.  Choke is a song that Drew tells us “is about running away from […]

  • Our new supporters playlist is out later today – win tickets to see Dawn Landes live
  • The latest AUK Podcast featuring Dogwood Tales is available now
  • Icarus Phoenix “Choke” – and now I can barely speak
  • Video Premiere: Izzie Walsh “I Need You More”
  • Essentials: The Top 10 Samantha Crain Songs
  • Bird “Held Here Together”
  • Live Review: Joshua Ray Walker + Malin Pettersen, The Lower Third, London – 28th July 2026
  • Phil Odgers & John Kettle “The War is Over – The Songs of Phil Ochs Vol 2”
  • Freddy Trujillo takes flight with his fifth solo album
  • Railcard “Unstable Neighbour” – let’s get on, ok?
Billy Bragg Bob Dylan Bruce Springsteen Chuck Prophet Courtney Marie Andrews Dean Owens Drive By Truckers Emmylou Harris Jason Isbell Johnny Cash John Prine Lucinda Williams Margo Price Neil Young Peter Bruntnell Robert Vincent Ryan Adams Steve Earle Sturgill Simpson The Band The Byrds The Delines Tom Petty Wilco Willie Nelson
  • Graeme Tait: Lol. Sorry, Alan, I knew as soon as I'd chosen to cover Tom Waits for this feature you'd be a…
  • Alan Peatfield: OK, Graeme - just one observation ... the obvious one. "As a songwriter he is right up there; on the…
  • Graeme Tait: Hi Alan. Glad you approve. It was an excellent gig.

Latest interviews

Interviews

Video Interview: Aaron Lee Tasjan on “Get Over It, Underdog” and Todd Snider

August 4, 2026 0
Nashville East resident Aaron Lee Tasjan has long been a favourite of Americana UK, and with 12 albums to his name, including his latest Get Over It, Underdog, and approaching 40, he is no longer the […]
Interviews

Video Interview: American Aquarium’s BJ Barham finds “New Ways To Lose”

July 29, 2026 0
American Aquarium appear to be on a creative roll with their latest album, New Ways To Lose, getting great reviews even though it is their twentieth album in as many years. Added to this is the […]
Interviews

Interview: David Keenan on inspiration, optimism and telling stories

July 28, 2026 0
“Radiate a smile if we’re only here for a short while / no we don’t want to miss a day / cus there’s so much we must do,” sings David Keenan on Radiate a Smile, four […]

You may have missed…

Videos

Video: Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley “Brown-Eyed Women”

February 3, 2020 0
Country legend Vince Gill supplies vocals on this new song from the Grammy-nominated duo, Rob Ickes & Trey Hensley.  It showcases their excellent finger-picking and slide guitar and the pair’s vocal performance offers a very hummable […]
Obituaries

The Song Remains: Roland White 1938 – 2022

April 5, 2022 2
Bluegrass and country rock legend Roland White wasn’t born to rock’n’roll. Legend can sometimes be an overused term when discussing musicians, but it perfectly describes bluegrass mandolinist Roland White who sadly died on April 1st.  Over […]
Interviews

Interview: Aoife O’Donovan on “All My Friends” coming to the Barbican

June 4, 2024 0
Folk music is music for the people and is the best genre fit for an eclectic artist. Aoife O’Donovan’s latest album ‘All My Friends’ is a celebration of America’s 19th Amendment and the history of women’s […]

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