We are all saddened by the passing of guitar legend, inventor and entertainer Les Paul and in commemoration of his fabulous life we called on an old friend of Les and The Alternate Root, radio legend Ralph Drake. Ralph turned us on to an interview he did with the legend and we've got it for you in this issue of The Alternate Root.
The Boxmasters have arrrived in the Top 5 on the Americana Airplay Chart just in time for their cover appearance on the magazine. Billy Bob Thornton and the boys did a stellar interview with Danny McCloskey and you'll find it along with the double album Modbilly right here in The Alternate Root.
Country music singer Roger Wallace is a regular on the "cool" circuit in Austin so we asked Roger to give us the lowdown on the "Real" Country Music scene in Austin.
Our regular columns by Anne McCue, Scott Kempner with another edition of The Del Lords Manifesto as well as our own Big Kev's Ask The Consigliere are all here once again.
What about publicity? Our Publicist Series continues with Kim Grant from KG Media in Los Angles. She's a good one...read it and learn!
The Motel Time Series is now legendary and this month is no dissapointment...Two Tons of Steel and Tift Merritt join Fredo and the Big Man. Big Kev also brings us two killer interviews from WXLV in Allentown with Shooter Jennings and Greg Trooper. Certainly a highlight of this issue is the rare Living Room Series concert with Rodney Crowell from the Alt. Root Archives...just a slew of cool interactive media from The Alternate Root .
As usual we dig around to find some new and interesting Indie artists to feature and this issue doesn't dissapoint. Check out Grant Peeples, a Florida singer / songwriter that has one of the best 'unknown' albums of the year! Also Will Phalen and The Stereo Addicts from Milwaukee with a sweet album called Middle West and a cool interview with frontman Will Phalen.
Perhaps the first Bluegrass Supergroup from Colorado just might be Honey Don't...great album, great band, and a fab interview with founder and songwriter Bill Powers. A "don't miss" is the interview with folk music singer and all around hipster Jim Keaveny talking about his life on the street, trainhopping and his brilliant album Music Man.
T. Edwin Doss tells the story of Rocky's Run and how his little resort on the shores of Lake Ana, VA has become a hot 'House Concert' venue.
Something new in The Alternate Root is an exclusive excerpt from the upcoming autobiography of one of the industries top managers and artist development guru's Vicky Hamilton. Vicky managed Guns and Roses, Poison, Faster Pussycat and many of the great LA Strip bands in the 80's and 90's and her book Trimming Tits off of Tires is scheduled for release...read the chapter about the day before Guns and Roses conquered the earth!
Cool NEW videos from our Roots Interactive Pages with Roger Salloom, Austin Lounge Lizards, Grant Peeples, Will Phalen and The Stereo Addicts, Ruby Dee and The Snakehandlers and The Mystix.
Jim Hynes' Blues Roundup returns with 'Where Are All the Girls With Guitars' featuring Ana Popovic, Laurie Morvan, Candye Cane, Dani Wilde, Joanne Shaw Taylor, and Fiona Boyes.
Rhode Island roots rockers Deer Tick once again grace the pages of The Alternate Root with a cool feature.
Reviews! We have some great reviews from Harold Hill, Danny McCloskey, Songs With Vision and Jim Hynes, Blues radio programmer at WXLV and free-lance writer for Elmore among others. This issue we cover Charlie Robison, Ryan Bingham, Slaid Cleaves, Sonny Landreth, Magnolia Electric Co., These United States, Tim Easton, Porterdavis, Billy Hector, Big Pete Pearson, Eddie C. Campbell, Chris Smither, The Wiyos, and more!
All in all it's another big Summer Double Issue you won't want to miss, so graba coffee and pull up a chair...we're digging up all the Roots!
-The Alternate Root-
