Rick Bayles

Book Review – Martin Wimmer “A Haven For Songs: Connecting The Dots About Americana Music”

December 8, 2021 Rick Bayles 0

An engaging view on Americana, as seen from Continental Europe. This is a very enjoyable book. It’s also a very timely reminder that Americana, as a genre, is now appreciated around the world and that it […]

AUK’s Chain Gang: Billy Bragg & Wilco “The Unwelcome Guest”

November 30, 2021 Rick Bayles 0

Last week’s Chain Gang used Folkway Records to serve as a link to Nancy Dupree from Lucinda Williams, so I thought I might make use of the same common factor in a slightly more roundabout way. […]

Classic Clips – The Highwomen “The Chain”, The Howard Stern Show, 2019

November 26, 2021 Rick Bayles 0

The Highwomen came about following a conversation Amanda Shires had with producer Dave Cobb, during the making of her 2016 album ‘My Piece of Land’. She thought of creating a female ‘supergroup’ in homage to the […]

Grapevine Springs “The Dark Sea”

November 22, 2021 Rick Bayles 0

EP that doesn’t offer quite enough. Working under the name Grapevine Springs, Norwegian musician Jon Ivar Stegarud has released this five-track EP, and it’s an intriguing recording. The Nordic take on Americana has become quite a […]

Whatever Happened to…The Balham Alligators

November 15, 2021 Rick Bayles 7

Whenever British-made Americana music is discussed you can, pretty much, assume that, sooner or later, the name Geraint Watkins will come up. Born in the village of Abertridwr, South Wales in 1951 the multi-instrumentalist would go […]