Charlie Argo
Caught in a battle between the southern blues man in his soul and the country gentleman his momma raised him to be, the two worlds collide on Charlie Argo's sleeve, where the babyfaced crooner wears his heart. Lovers of soulful singers, like Otis Redding, to fans of the bluesy organ-filled vibes reminiscent of John Mayer's 2006 album 'Continuum,' will be captivated by the singer/songwriter's southern soul. Combining his background in gospel and soul music with
inspiration drawn from modern-day artists such as fellow native Alabamian/Americana Roots artist, Jason Isbell, U.K. singer/songwriter James Morrison and earlier southern musicians like rock legend Gregg Allman and 90’s country star Travis Tritt, the Nashville based 28-year-old has managed to blend a plethora of styles that dance on the outskirts of country music into a sound that stands on its own.
‘In the Name of Love’ debuted #1 on the Itunes 'Blues' chart and reached the Top 150 of the Itunes 'All Genres' chart. The E.P.'s first single ‘Tennessee Will’, written by Charlie's friend/hit songwriter, Adam Hood and the legendary Pat McLaughlin, reached #1 on the Itunes 'Blue Singles" chart and is the only song on the E.P. not, at least, co-written by Argo himself. The song was written by another Alabama Americana/Roots Rock artist and songwriter, Adam Hood (Anderson East, Brent Cobb, Whiskey Myers, Josh Abbott Band, Little Big Town, Randy Rogers) and legendary hit songwriter Pat McLaughlin (John Prine, John Anderson, Delbert McClinton, Bonnie Raitt, George Strait, Don Williams, Nathaniel Rateliff) and is the only song on the E.P. not, at least, co-written by Argo himself.
Solo artist. Frontman. Behind-the-scenes songwriter. For more than a decade, Adam Hood has left his mark both onstage and in the writing room, carving out a southern sound that mixes equal parts country, soul and American roots music.
It's a sound that began shape in Opelika, Alabama. Raised by working-class parents, Hood started playing hometown
Adam Hood
shows as a 16 year-old, landing a weekly residency at a local restaurant. He'd perform there every Friday and Saturday night, filling his set list with songs by John Hiatt, Hank Williams Jr, and Vince Gill. As the years progressed, the gigs continued — not only in his home state, but across the entire country. Eventually even landing himself a three-year nationwide tour opening for Leon Russell.
These days, though, Hood is no longer just putting his own stamp on the songs of chart-topping country stars. Instead, many of those acts -- including Little Big Town, Miranda Lambert, Anderson East, Josh Abbott Band, Lee Ann Womack & Brent Cobb -- are playing his songs.
In 2016, Hood signed a publishing deal with Warner/Chappell Nashville and GRAMMY Award-winning producer Dave Cobb’s Low Country Sound. All while remaining adamantly focused on his own career, playing around 100 shows annually promoting third solo release, Welcome to the Big World, and now his newest release, Somewhere in Between.
A showcase for both his frontman abilities and songwriting chops, Somewhere in Between shines a light on Hood's strength as a live performer. He recorded most of the album live at Nashville's Sound Emporium Studios over two quick days. Teaming up with friend and producer Oran Thornton (Miranda Lambert's Revolution, Angaleena Presley's Wrangled) their goal was to create something that reflected the raw, real sound of his concerts, where overdubs and unlimited takes are never an option. The result is a record that reflects Hood's working-class roots, mixing the upbeat thrill of his roadhouse roots-rock songs with the contemplative, stripped-down sway of his country ballads.
Joining him in the studio were guitarist Pat McLaughlin, bassist Lex Price, and drummer Jerry Roe. All of whom captured their parts in just a handful of live takes while Hood simultaneously tracked his vocals. Stripped free of studio trickery and lushly layered arrangements,
Somewhere in Between is an honest, story-driven record. One that’s both relatable and deeply autobiographical, with Hood writing or co-writing ten of the record’s eleven tracks, alongside friends like McLaughlin, Brent Cobb -- who also appears on the electrified "She Don't Love Me" -- Josh Abbott, Jason Eady, and plenty of others.
Somewhere in Between is an album that finally finds Hood telling his own story. A dedicated family man, he wrote "Locomotive" — a heartland anthem, full of Telecaster twang and sunny swagger — after watching his young daughter develop her motor skills while playing with a set of blocks. Balancing his life as a relentless road-warrior, Hood penned highway ballad "Downturn" about a life filled with wanderlust and long drives from gig to gig.
As a blue-collar songwriter, Hood shines a light on everyday experiences — from family and friends to the thrill of Friday nights. Partly because he’s stuck to his roots. The native Alabaman still lives in the Yellowhammer State and celebrates America's rural pockets with songs like "Keeping Me Here" and "Real Small Town," two songs filled with images of main streets, open landscapes, hard times, and good people.
"It's southern music," he says, grouping Somewhere in Between’s wide range of music under an appropriate banner. "That's what it represents: the soulful side of southern music, the country side of southern music, the genuineness of southern culture, and the way I grew up. One of the t-shirts I sell at every show simply says ‘Southern Songs,’ and It's a good summary of what I do. It's what I've always done."
Anderson East
Maybe We Never Die, Anderson East's third release for Elektra/Low Country Sound takes the Alabama born, Nashville-based singer-songwriter’s seductively vintage voice in a decidedly fresh direction. The 12 tracks flow together with an overarching sense of urgency but maintain distinct musical boundaries. The energy toggles between a hunger for vulnerability in togetherness and a clinging to solitude as a romantic self-defense. There is consternation
with the speed and volume at which the world operates and solace to be found in the simple act of getting up and going. And the beguiling title track, with its woozy strings swirling around East’s celestial falsetto as it curls towards the ceiling like smoke is, as they say, a whole mood; a sense of a single night’s dusk-to-sunrise contemplation. Collaborating once again with Dave Cobb along with longtime bandleader and now co-producer Philip Towns, East has found an enticing new avenue, one that maintains a connection to his past but keeps his eyes on the road ahead.
Maybe We Never Die is East's first new music since 2018's breakthrough album,Encore, which featured the Grammy-nominated #1 AAA radio single, "All On My Mind." Heralded by critics,The New York Times praised Encore as, “...an often lustrous revisiting of raucous Southern soul, rousingly delivered and pinpoint precise. He has a voice full of extremely careful scrape and crunch, but his howls never feel unhinged," while Rolling Stone declared, “On Encore, East’s influences meld seamlessly, stacking the album with Stax-worthy R&B grooves, gospel-blues ooohs and aaahs, surging keys and blasting brass.” Known for his magnetic live performances, East and his band have performed sold-out shows worldwide and have been featured on ABC's "Jimmy Kimmel Live!," CBS' "The Late Show with Stephen Colbert" and "CBS This Morning Saturday," NBC's "TODAY" and "Late Night with Seth Meyers," PBS' "Austin City Limits" and more
Marc Broussard
Marc Broussard is an artist with a unique gift of channeling the spirits of classic R&B, rock and soul into contemporary terms. His father, Louisiana hall of fame guitarist, of “The Boogie Kings” nurtured Marc’s musical gifts at an early age, and the vibrant Lafayette, Louisiana music scene gave Marc the opportunity to practice his craft consistently from childhood through early adulthood. After releasing a successful independent EP at age 20, Marc signed a record
deal with Island Records. Marc’s song “Home” was successful at radio and catapulted him onto the national touring stage. His music has been placed in many TV shows and movies. Marc released multiple albums with major labels over the next 10 years, but has recently returned to his independent roots.
The Wildflowers
The international touring band The Wildflowers are America’s #1 tribute to Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.
“Who doesn’t love Tom Petty?” bassist Darryell Stone asked himself one day in 2012 while listening to the radio. There was only one answer he could imagine, “Nobody.” Testing his hypothesis, Stone polled friends, family and fellow musicians how they felt about Petty. The result was always the same. Everyone loves Tom Petty.
One of these fellow musicians just happened to be Tom Petty’s doppelganger, guitarist and lead vocalist Jonathan Guthrie. Guthrie was an avid fan and had always fantasized about being a Heartbreaker. As two seasoned musicians and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers fans, there was really only one thing for them to do – form a Tom Petty tribute band.
The Wildflowers, 2019
It wasn’t hard for Stone and Guthrie to find skilled musicians excited about playing in a Tom Petty tribute band. Drummer Steve Lucas, formerly of Feverdog and a band mate of Stone’s local band, Theatrix, quickly signed on. Lucas brought with him his M-80’s band mate Glenn Freeman. Freeman, who boasts of seeing multiple Tom Petty concerts in the 80s, brought an instrumental cornucopia to the group with keyboards, harmonica, guitar and backing vocals. Lead guitarist Curt Granger rounded out the lineup. With 30+ years experience in Birmingham’s local music scene, Granger has played in such circuit bands as Pyrate, Scream Sophie, and his own solo project, as well as creating a line of world-renowned boutique guitar amplifiers.
The new Tom Petty tribute band rehearsed with one focus – to recreate the music of Tom Petty with precision, attention to detail, and a reverent respect. Parts were studied in great detail, down to inflections in the very way each word of every lyric was sang.
Performing locally in the first year, it didn’t take long for the band to be noticed. Word spread quickly, which led to more shows outside the band’s home state, which led to more word of mouth and exposure. Soon the band was gaining interest from venues across the southeast, which led to more travel and more Tom Petty fans discovering them.
Jump ahead 100 shows and The Wildflowers have become one of the most popular tribute shows across the southeast US, and quickly gaining recognition in other regions.
Equipped with decades of experience and a passion for Tom Petty’s magic way with songs, The Wildflowers bring music lovers of all stripes what they adore. More Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers.
Ian Moore
Ian Moore is a touring and recording artist with 14 releases to date. He has spent much of the last 30 years traveling the world through his music and has been fundamentally changed and formed as a result. The son of a Buddhist scholar father and a social worker mother, the stage has given him a unique perspective on the human condition. The lifelong pursuit of music, with it’s inevitable twists and turns has allowed—and forced—Ian to look deeply into the duality
of art and life in order to find balance and harmony between the two. Ian is the President and co-founder of SMASH (Seattle Musicians Access to Sustainable Healthcare) and is a Grammy Governor. When not touring and recording, he seeks out nature and quiet. He is an avid outdoorsman and beekeeper, a lover of ethnic foods and cooking, and a relentless pursuer of knowledge and spirit. He lives on Vashon Island, WA with his wife and two teenage sons.
Paul Thorn
Some years ago I happened to see Paul Thorn performing on an outdoor stage at a street festival in the heart of a small Mississippi town. Suddenly, in mid song, Thorn stopped playing and looked down at the upturned, sugar-splattered face of a fan on the front row. “I sure would like me a funnel cake,” Thorn announced. The crowd exploded with laughter. By the end of the next song, someone in the audience had responded, and soon Thorn was happily munching on the
doughy confection.
And that, dear people, is one more shining example of how Paul Thorn is able to breathe in the air around him, everyday and commonplace, and exhale something original and often side-splitting funny. It’s a kind of genius, and it’s there plain to see, in his music, his art and through his performances, which not only showcase his chops as a singer-songwriter, but as a pitch-perfect improv comic.
His audiences love it. And they come back for more because no two Paul Thorn performances are alike. For further confirmation of this, check out Thorn’s YouTube videos, though I warn you. You will find yourself a long time in this rabbit hole.
We live in a world where the terms “artist” and “genius” have been rendered meaningless through overuse. To use either in describing Thorn, though, is not overreach. Pick up any of his dozen or so CDs. The evidence is plain to see. Just listen.
The scenery of Thorn’s rural South is changing. The trailer parks, gravel roads around Tupelo and high school beauty queens flicker in the rear-view mirror. Two years ago, Thorn returned to his early gospel roots with the release of “Don’t Let the Devil Ride.”
Samantha Fish
Over the course of her career as an award-winning artist, singer/songwriter/guitarist Samantha Fish has brought extraordinary power to her self-expression, capturing her inner world in combustible riffs, visceral rhythms, and spine-tingling vocal work. On her new album Faster, she joins forces with superproducer Martin Kierszenbaum (Lady Gaga, Sting, Sheryl Crow) and imbues even more intensity into her electrifying brand of blues/rock-and-roll. With Fish
accompanied by legendary drummer Josh Freese (Guns N’ Roses, Nine Inch Nails, The Replacements) and bassist Diego Navaira of The Last Bandoleros, the result is a singular body of work both irresistibly galvanizing and emotionally raw.
The follow-up to 2019’s Kill or Be Kind (Fish’s Rounder Records debut), Faster came to life at the famed Village Studios in Los Angeles, where she and Kierszenbaum uncovered new possibilities in her captivating sound. “Kansas City played a major part in bringing us together: I was born and raised in KC and Martin has some familial ties. Shortly after being introduced last year, we had a conversation about making an album,” she recalls. “His track record was perfect for what I wanted to do with this album, which was to expand into different genres while retaining the roots I’d built in the blues world.” Revealing her affinity for North Mississippi blues heroes like R.L. Burnside and wildly inventive iconoclasts like Prince, the album ultimately embodies an unbridled energy true to its emotional core. “The whole record has a theme of taking charge and taking the reins, in a relationship or in life in general,” says Fish. “I really thought that after 2020 I’d end up with a really dismal, bleak album, but instead, we came up with something that’s fun and sexy and so empowering.”
Drive By Truckers
On the title track to Welcome 2 Club XIII, Drive-By Truckers pay homage to the Muscle Shoals honky-tonk where founding members Patterson Hood and Mike Cooley got their start: a concrete-floored dive lit like a disco, with the nightly promise of penny beer and truly dubious
cover bands. “There were no cool bars in town and Club XIII was the best we had—but it wasn’t all that good, and our band wasn’t particularly liked there,” says Hood, referring to
the vocalist/guitarists’ former band Adam’s House Cat. “From time to time the owner would throw us a Wednesday night or let us open for a hair-metal band we were a terrible fit for, and everyone would hang out outside until we were done playing. It wasn’t very funny at the time, but it’s funny to us now.” The 14th studio album from Drive-By Truckers—whose lineup also includes keyboardist/guitarist Jay Gonzalez, bassist Matt Patton, and drummer Brad Morgan—Welcome 2 Club XIII looks back on their formative years with both deadpan pragmatism and profound tenderness, instilling each song with the kind of lived-in detail that invites bittersweet reminiscence of your own misspent youth.
Produced by longtime Drive-By Truckers collaborator David Barbe and mainly recorded at his studio in Athens, Georgia, Welcome 2 Club XIII took shape over the course of three frenetic days in summer 2021—a doubly extraordinary feat considering that the band had no prior intentions of making a new album. “We had some shows coming up and decided to get together and practice, since we hadn’t even seen each other in a year and a half because of the pandemic,”Hood recalls. “We started demoing song ideas, and pretty soon we realized we had a whole record. It was all sort of magical.” Featuring background vocals from the likes of Margo Price,R.E.M.’s Mike Mills, and Mississippi-bred singer/songwriter Schaefer Llana, Welcome 2 Club XIII was recorded live with most songs cut in one or two takes, fully harnessing the band’s freewheeling energy. “For us it’s always about just getting together and having fun, but this timethere was the added feeling of being set free after a long time of wondering if we’d ever get todo this again,” notes Cooley.