Jonathan Smith

AUK’s Chain Gang: Erika Jonsson “Queen of the Highway”

September 11, 2023 Jonathan Smith 1

Following on from the Drive-By Truckers, here’s a song featuring a whole load of real-life truckers. Erika Jonsson is a full-fledged americana star in her native Sweden, and is currently augmenting her living in the tricky […]

Classic Americana Albums: Tom Waits “Closing Time”

July 19, 2023 Jonathan Smith 1

A drunk props himself up at one end of a seedy bar; a down-and-out stumbles across a dirty city street in search of somewhere safe in an unfriendly city; a working girl looks blankly at the […]

Cowboy Junkies “Such Ferocious Beauty”

June 13, 2023 Jonathan Smith 0

Subdued, mystical palette from Canadian titans of Americana. It is now 35 years since the release of ‘The Trinity Sessions’, a record which even now stands as a pillar in the formation of Americana music. The […]

Dom Flemons “Traveling Wildfire”

May 31, 2023 Jonathan Smith 0

Subtle variations on solo album from Carolina Chocolate Drops co-founder. Having recorded four albums with Grammy award-winning trio The Carolina Chocolate Drops, ‘Traveling Wildfire’ is the fifth solo effort by Dom Flemons. His much-lauded role as […]

Cover Art Rough & Tumble "Only This Far"

The Rough & Tumble “Only This Far”

May 11, 2023 Jonathan Smith 0

Rawness meets polish on this striking acoustic songwriting outing. The Rough & Tumble are a duo comprising spousal bandmates Mallory Graham and Scott Tyler. Plying their musical trade travelling the roads of America in a motorhome, […]

For The Sake Of The Song: Dean Owens “Sally’s Song (I Dreamed Of Michael Marra)”

July 27, 2026 0

Dean Owens is, of course, no stranger to these pages. With twelve albums and numerous AUK awards behind him, a search on this site will provide pages of reviews, interviews and videos. Typing the name Michael […]

Mick Flannery “The House Must Win”

July 27, 2026 0

A labour of love, twenty years in the making from renowned Irish singer-songwriter. It is more than twenty years since Mick Flannery released his debut album Evening Train, but the tale it told of (as he puts […]

Robert Plant to receive Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award

July 27, 2026 0

The Americana Music Association has announced that singer, songwriter and musical trailblazer Robert Plant will receive the Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award during the 25th Annual Americana Honours & Awards, taking place on 16th September 2026, at […]

Articles by Jonathan Smith

AUK’s Chain Gang: Erika Jonsson “Queen of the Highway”

Classic Americana Albums: Tom Waits “Closing Time”

Cowboy Junkies “Such Ferocious Beauty”

Dom Flemons “Traveling Wildfire”

The Rough & Tumble “Only This Far”

For The Sake Of The Song: Dean Owens “Sally’s Song (I Dreamed Of Michael Marra)”

Mick Flannery “The House Must Win”

Robert Plant to receive Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award

Tucker Zimmerman “Dream Me A Dream”

Sounds from beyond the Shed 241 “Back in the swim”