At AUK we are now well into our quest to find the ‘Top 10 Americana Albums Ever’. Over the coming weeks and months each AUK writer will in turn, present their own personal selections. When each writer has had their say, a shortlist of the most frequently chosen albums will be drawn up and voted on, in order to generate the definitive AUK writers top ten. So whilst we put ourselves through this hell, you get to sit back and admire or despair as suits your own tastes. This week’s tortured soul is Peter Churchill. Continue reading “AUK’s Top 10 Americana albums ever: Peter Churchill”
Given the way in in which people typically consume music nowadays, all too often the lyrics are sidelined, if not completely overlooked. But great lyrics are often what make the best songs truly memorable. The following is the first in an occasional series about songs with great lyrics. Mark Underwood explains what makes the following 10 tracks so special. 
Apologies for continually posting about festivals 5000 miles away. RS report: “Jackson Browne, Steve Winwood, Little Steven and the Disciples of Soul, Peter Wolf and Jaimoe’s Jasssz Band will perform in three cities in September as part of the third annual Laid Back festival. Gregg Allman, who died last month at age 69, co-founded the event, with the 2017 edition of the festival set to be presented in his honor. The Laid Back lineup is slated to visit Holmdel, NJ (September 21), Hartford, CT (September 23) and Wantagh, NY (September 24). Additional festival dates will be announced this fall. 
Rolling Stone have a piece this morning on a chat David Browne (no relation) had with Jackson Browne following Joan Baez’s induction into the 2017 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. You can see a clip of the speech he gave below. He reports: “Browne and Baez have crossed paths multiple times over the years, with Baez having covered and interpreted songs by Browne on her own albums. Last year, the folk legends performed on stage for Baez’s 75th birthday celebration at New York’s Beacon Theater. After Browne gave a deeply personal speech about Baez, tracing her involvement in his own musical upbringing, he spoke with Rolling Stone about the importance of the ceremony. He remembers when the Rock Hall was just an intimate affair at the Waldorf Astoria in New York and personally finding inspiration and new insights with each new class.