James McMurtry

James McMurtry- photo credit: Mary Bruton Keating

Essentials: The Top 10 James McMurtry Songs

May 21, 2026 Graeme Tait 22

It was the legendary American author Stephen King who said, “James McMurtry may be the truest, fiercest songwriter of his generation”. At the same time, much closer to home, BBC Radio 2’s Bob Harris called him “the […]

The Top 10 Americana Songs of All Time: Graeme Tait

January 15, 2026 Graeme Tait 8

This new feature has now been running for approximately four months. During that time, I have simultaneously sympathised with my fellow writers at the magnitude of the challenge they have faced and marvelled at the array […]

Horsebath band at the end of their set at the Take Root festival on the Foyer stage

Live Review: Take Root Festival 2025, De Oosterpoort Groningen – 1st November 2025

November 10, 2025 NickBarber 1

Long a mainstay of the European americana festival scene, once again, Take Root Festival took over the six stages of the De Oosterpoort complex in Groningen, the Netherlands. The building itself is a multi-room/multi-space cultural centre […]

Interview: James McMurtry discusses creativity, cancer companies and latest album The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy

October 23, 2025 Alasdair Fotheringham 4

No one could ever accuse James McMurtry of being fanciful. After all, the characters in his songs invariably are edged with such direct, keen-eyed realism, it seems like they’ve walked straight out of the diner or […]

James McMurtry “The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy”

June 16, 2025 Dean Nardi 2

Never a shortage of incorrigible characters and unsettling images. For 36 years and 14 albums, Texas songwriter James McMurtry has, in a sense, followed in his father’s footsteps, presenting his brand of country noir music as […]