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Our latest posts
  • [ March 27, 2026 ] Americana 25 festival comes to Liverpool in November with Chuck Prophet, Steve Wynn and more! News
  • [ March 27, 2026 ] Something for the weekend: Mary Chapin Carpenter & the Mountain Goats “Put the Message in the Box” Tracks
  • [ March 27, 2026 ] Abigail Lapell announces new album “Shadow Child” out in May News
  • [ March 27, 2026 ] Michael Weston King “Nothing Can Hurt Me Anymore” Album Reviews
  • [ March 27, 2026 ] Preview: Joe Martin to release new record and play spring and autumn UK tours News
HomeAuthorsMartin Johnson

Articles by Martin Johnson

About Martin Johnson
I've been a music obsessive for more years than I care to admit to. Part of my enjoyment from music comes from discovering new sounds and artists while continuing to explore the roots of American 20th century music that has impacted the whole of world culture.
AUK's Chain Gang

AUK’s Chain Gang: Johnny Cash “Cocaine Blues”

October 25, 2021 Martin Johnson 0
Last week Lyndon Bolton opened up the world of Bear Family Records which left virtually unlimited options for this week’s AUK Chain Gang given their more than extensive roots music catalogue. However, for us music fans […]
Interviews

Interview: Misty River’s Carmen Phelan on why she was born to play americana

October 18, 2021 Martin Johnson 2
How a diagnosis of a potentially life-changing condition helped in achieving a long held ambition. Carmen Phelan has had a long career as a sought-after session musician on fiddle and violin before deciding in her 30’s […]
Interviews

Cajun Corner – Interview: Louis Michot on discovering new 80-year-old Louisiana fiddle music

October 13, 2021 Martin Johnson 0
Louisiana music may be under threat but Louis Michot and Nouveau Electric Records are fighting back. Rick Bayles, editor of Cajun Corner, writes: Something very special for Cajun Corner this time round. Interviews editor, Martin Johnson, […]
Album Reviews

Norman Blake “Day By Day”

October 8, 2021 Martin Johnson 0
Timeless versions of classic old-time tunes by a master interpreter and instrumentalist. This is a special record, and it is all the more special because Norman Blake is now 83. If you think you have heard […]
Interviews

Interview: Ray Benson of Asleep At The Wheel on 50 years of western swing

October 8, 2021 Martin Johnson 0
How a little hippie boy and his friends helped preserve and enhance Bob Wills’ legacy. .Asleep At Wheel have been keeping the western swing genre alive ever since a little Jewish hippie boy named Ray Benson […]

Posts pagination

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our latest posts

Americana 25 festival comes to Liverpool in November with Chuck Prophet, Steve Wynn and more!

News
March 27, 2026 7

Something for the weekend: Mary Chapin Carpenter & the Mountain Goats “Put the Message in the Box”

Tracks
March 27, 2026 0

Abigail Lapell announces new album “Shadow Child” out in May

News
March 27, 2026 0

Michael Weston King “Nothing Can Hurt Me Anymore”

Album Reviews
March 27, 2026 2
Joe Martin

Preview: Joe Martin to release new record and play spring and autumn UK tours

News
March 27, 2026 0
News

Americana 25 festival comes to Liverpool in November with Chuck Prophet, Steve Wynn and more!

March 27, 2026 7
We are mightily delighted to announce today full details for Americana 25, our celebration of 25 years of Americana UK which comes to two stages across Liverpool’s Rough Trade venue and Quaker Meeting House on Saturday […]
Tracks

Something for the weekend: Mary Chapin Carpenter & the Mountain Goats “Put the Message in the Box”

March 27, 2026 0
Well that’s it from us for this week, an exciting day for us as we announce full details for our 25 year event which takes place in Liverpool later this year – you can find more […]
News

Abigail Lapell announces new album “Shadow Child” out in May

March 27, 2026 0
Award-winning Toronto singer-songwriter Abigail Lapell has announced her upcoming new album Shadow Child, an album about motherhood whose nine songs each represent a month of gestation, will be released May 8th via Outside Music. Lapell has […]

  • Americana 25 festival comes to Liverpool in November with Chuck Prophet, Steve Wynn and more!
  • Something for the weekend: Mary Chapin Carpenter & the Mountain Goats “Put the Message in the Box”
  • Abigail Lapell announces new album “Shadow Child” out in May
  • Michael Weston King “Nothing Can Hurt Me Anymore”
  • Preview: Joe Martin to release new record and play spring and autumn UK tours
  • Classic Clips: Ryan Adams, The Infamous Stringdusters & Nicki Bluhm “Oh My Sweet Carolina” – Stephen Colbert Show, 2017
  • Paperback Riders: Dana Spiotta “Stone Arabia”
  • The latest AUK podcast is now available featuring Spencer Cullum
  • The Talbot Trail Boys “The Talbot Trail Boys”
  • Susto Stringband “Hard Drug” – visions of death
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
  • Paula Cooke: Accommodation booked and can't wait!
  • Rick Bayles: Accomodation reserved!
  • Mike Ritchie: Looks terrific. Accommodation booked.

Latest interviews

Interviews

Interview: Michael Timmins on “More Acoustic Junk”, Cowboy Junkies and, well… other Mike stuff

March 25, 2026 1
A few months ago, we got an album of more (acoustic) junk from the Junkies. Okay, that is a horrible image. Better start over. Michael Timmins, along with siblings Margo and Peter, and Alan Anton, the […]
Interviews

Interview: Bob Lind on “It Oughta Be Easy”

March 12, 2026 0
Folk icon talks life, hope, and his 2026 record. Bob Lind recently released his fourth studio album of new material in the past fourteen years, “It Oughta Be Easy,” a characteristically literate, introspective, and often humorous […]
Interviews

Video Interview: Dave Alvin on The Third Mind’s “Spellbinder”

March 11, 2026 2
While Dave Alvin is regarded as one of the greats of American roots music, his taste in music and his own music from the Blasters onwards has included hints of his musical eclecticism. Evidently, he always […]

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Videos

Video: Midnight North “Back to California”

November 30, 2023 0
Check out this upbeat, stirring song from Midnight North.  ‘Back to California’ has an immediate impact, compelling from the first jangling notes to the last.  The song is busy with musical layers, arranged masterfully; it’s rich, […]
Album Reviews

400 Bears “400 Bears” (2020)

November 24, 2020 1
‘400 Bears’ is the self-titled solo project of Paul Wilkinson from the band Mason Porter.  Wilkinson describes the album as being guided by the spirits of music his parents introduced him to when he was younger.  He […]
Columns

Sounds from beyond the Shed – Week 115

October 13, 2023 0
Posh seats and a boring gig. Spent a brilliant couple of days in old London town this last week. Ostensibly to catch up with friends, have a few drinks, meet up with an ex-pupil for a […]

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