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Alt Root Weekly Top Ten 8/12/2026
Based on a song Steve Earle created while curating songwriter workshops in Brooklyn last spring, “Volver a Celaya”, is the first partnership for Stev and legendary SoCal musicians, Los Lobos. Meeting the band in Richmond, Virginia, Steve Berlin (Los Lobos) produced the track at Red Amp Studios. Of the song, Steve Earle shared that ‘the character speaking to you in this song is based on guys that I worked with framing houses, right after I dropped out of high school in 1971. At first, I worked with other guys who looked like me - anglos on crews that worked from 7:00am ‘til 3:30 and then knocked off and headed to the nearest beer joint. Minimum wage was $1.60 an hour and I never took home a check bigger than 85 bucks - until I discovered Mexican crews worked from ‘can’t see to can’t see,’ sometimes putting in 50, even 55 hours a week. Shortly after starting with those guys, I held a hundred dollars in my hand for the first time in my life. It was simply a different way of thinking about making a living. These guys put in all the hours they could, brought the money home to their family on the westside - or back across the border to Mexico. I didn’t mind working late because, as far as I knew, nothing cool happened ‘til dark anyway. These days, with the word ‘immigration’ on the tip of everyone’s tongue, I found myself wondering where Cruz, Armando, and Eusebio are today and what they would make of this mess, so I set to putting words in their mouths. When writing was done and it was time to record, there wasn’t a shred of doubt in my mind who to call. Los Lobos and I have been connected at our roots since the beginning of our careers. We’ve shared stages at festivals and toured together as a package but collaborating in the studio was a box unchecked - until now’.
The tune tops our Top Ten for Wednesday August 12, 2026, joining new music from Peter Parcek Band with “How Many Times”, from his upcoming (08-14-26) release, Most of the Time, and Pokey LaFarge, who delivers a low-down boogie with “Hambone”, from his upcoming (09-11-26) album, Rent Money. Meshell Ndegeocello joins with Cat Power for a single covering Human League with “Don’t You Want Me”, while Laura Cortese stands tall to “Face the Rain” with a cut from her upcoming (10-9-26) release, Lucky Water. Honolulu O’Dughi hears the “Freight Train Rollin’ in the Night”, Twilark admit to being “Tired to Sleep” with a song from their upcoming (09-11-26) Never Learned the Tide, and Surrender Hill are “Not Alone” on a track from their recent release, Wild Country. JP Reali doses the Grateful Dead with the Blues on his cover of the band’s “West L.A. Fadeaway” from his recent release, Grateful Blues. April N Smith walks “Into the Fire” as he builds to a raging blaze in her new single on the Top Ten for Wednesday August 12, 2026.
01 Volver a Celaya – Steve Earle, Los Lobos (single available on New West Records)
Listen and buy “Volver a Celaya” by Steve Earle, Los Lobos from AMAZON
Visit the Steve Earle website for more band and purchase information
02 How Many Times – Peter Parcek (from the album Most of the Time available on Lightnin’ Records)
Most of the Time by Peter Parcek will be available on August 14, 2026
Listen and buy “How Many Times” by Peter Parcek from AMAZON
Visit the Peter Parcek website for more band and purchase information
03 Hambone – Pokey LaFarge (from the album Rent Money available on Boxer Boy Records/ONErpm)
Rent Money by Pokey LaFarge will be available on September 11, 2026
Listen and buy “Hambone” by Pokey LaFarge from AMAZON
Visit the Pokey LaFarge website for more band and purchase information
04 Don’t You Want Me – Meshell Ndegeocello and Cat Power (single available on Blue Note Records/UMG)
Listen and buy “Don’t You Want Me” by Meshell Ndegeocello and Cat Power from AMAZON
Visit the Meshell Ndegeocello website for more band and purchase information
05 Face the Rain – Laura Cortese (from the album Lucky Water available on Compass Records)
Lucky Water by Laura Cortese will be available on October 9, 2026
Listen and buy “Face the Rain” by Laura Cortese from AMAZON
Visit the Laura Cortese website for more band and purchase information
06 Freight Train Rollin’ in the Night – Honolulu O’Dughi (from the album Phoenix Song Dogs available as a self-release)
Listen and buy “Freight Train Rollin’ in the Night” by Honolulu O’Dughi from AMAZON
Visit the Honolulu O’Dughi website for more band and purchase information
07 Tired to Sleep – Twilark (from the album Never Learned the Tide available on Canon Pence Music)
Never Learned the Tide by Twilark will be available on September 11, 2026
Listen and buy “Tired to Sleep” by Twilark from AMAZON
Visit the Twilark website for more band and purchase information
08 Not Alone – Surrender Hill (from the album Wild Country available as a self-release)
Listen and buy “Not Alone” by Surrender Hill from AMAZON
Visit the Surrender Hill website for more band and purchase information
09 West L.A. Fadeaway – JP Reali (from the album Grateful Blues available on Reali Records)
Listen and buy “West L.A. Fadeaway” by JP Reali from AMAZON
Visit the JP Reali website for more band and purchase information
10 Into the Fire – April N Smith (single available on April N. Smith Music)
Listen and buy “Into the Fire” by April N Smith from AMAZON
Visit the April N Smith website for more band and purchase information
The tune tops our Top Ten for Wednesday August 12, 2026, joining new music from Peter Parcek Band with “How Many Times”, from his upcoming (08-14-26) release, Most of the Time, and Pokey LaFarge, who delivers a low-down boogie with “Hambone”, from his upcoming (09-11-26) album, Rent Money. Meshell Ndegeocello joins with Cat Power for a single covering Human League with “Don’t You Want Me”, while Laura Cortese stands tall to “Face the Rain” with a cut from her upcoming (10-9-26) release, Lucky Water. Honolulu O’Dughi hears the “Freight Train Rollin’ in the Night”, Twilark admit to being “Tired to Sleep” with a song from their upcoming (09-11-26) Never Learned the Tide, and Surrender Hill are “Not Alone” on a track from their recent release, Wild Country. JP Reali doses the Grateful Dead with the Blues on his cover of the band’s “West L.A. Fadeaway” from his recent release, Grateful Blues. April N Smith walks “Into the Fire” as he builds to a raging blaze in her new single on the Top Ten for Wednesday August 12, 2026.
01 Volver a Celaya – Steve Earle, Los Lobos (single available on New West Records)
Listen and buy “Volver a Celaya” by Steve Earle, Los Lobos from AMAZON
Visit the Steve Earle website for more band and purchase information
02 How Many Times – Peter Parcek (from the album Most of the Time available on Lightnin’ Records)
Most of the Time by Peter Parcek will be available on August 14, 2026
Listen and buy “How Many Times” by Peter Parcek from AMAZON
Visit the Peter Parcek website for more band and purchase information
03 Hambone – Pokey LaFarge (from the album Rent Money available on Boxer Boy Records/ONErpm)
Rent Money by Pokey LaFarge will be available on September 11, 2026
Listen and buy “Hambone” by Pokey LaFarge from AMAZON
Visit the Pokey LaFarge website for more band and purchase information
04 Don’t You Want Me – Meshell Ndegeocello and Cat Power (single available on Blue Note Records/UMG)
Listen and buy “Don’t You Want Me” by Meshell Ndegeocello and Cat Power from AMAZON
Visit the Meshell Ndegeocello website for more band and purchase information
05 Face the Rain – Laura Cortese (from the album Lucky Water available on Compass Records)
Lucky Water by Laura Cortese will be available on October 9, 2026
Listen and buy “Face the Rain” by Laura Cortese from AMAZON
Visit the Laura Cortese website for more band and purchase information
06 Freight Train Rollin’ in the Night – Honolulu O’Dughi (from the album Phoenix Song Dogs available as a self-release)
Listen and buy “Freight Train Rollin’ in the Night” by Honolulu O’Dughi from AMAZON
Visit the Honolulu O’Dughi website for more band and purchase information
07 Tired to Sleep – Twilark (from the album Never Learned the Tide available on Canon Pence Music)
Never Learned the Tide by Twilark will be available on September 11, 2026
Listen and buy “Tired to Sleep” by Twilark from AMAZON
Visit the Twilark website for more band and purchase information
08 Not Alone – Surrender Hill (from the album Wild Country available as a self-release)
Listen and buy “Not Alone” by Surrender Hill from AMAZON
Visit the Surrender Hill website for more band and purchase information
09 West L.A. Fadeaway – JP Reali (from the album Grateful Blues available on Reali Records)
Listen and buy “West L.A. Fadeaway” by JP Reali from AMAZON
Visit the JP Reali website for more band and purchase information
10 Into the Fire – April N Smith (single available on April N. Smith Music)
Listen and buy “Into the Fire” by April N Smith from AMAZON
Visit the April N Smith website for more band and purchase information
