These songs warn us all…we’re at a fork in the road.
Music Posts
Widespread Panic Archive Series #2 Valdosta 1989
Volume Two of the mighty Widespread Panic’s Archive Series serves as testimony to the band’s power as an original quartet: John Bell, Michael Houser, Todd Nance and Dave Schools. The great Jim Oade recorded this amazing show from the backseat of his car in the parking...
Tom Petty’s Musical Gainesville Gang: Mudcrutch
Mudcrutch broke up fifty years ago. The Gainesville, Florida, band became local heroes by hosting a series of festivals at “Mudcrutch Farm”, which gained attention across the south. After Tom Petty left Gainesville for California, the group imploded in 1975. Soon...
Booker T & The MGs: McLemore Avenue
By James Calemine Recorded in January 1970, McLemore Avenue was the great Memphis group Booker T & The MGs tribute to the Beatles’ landmark album Abbey Road. Booker T. Jones revealed where the source of inspiration for McLemore Avenue originated: "My pure...
Ben Nichols: The Last Pale Light in the West
James Calemine Based on the Cormac McCarthy novel Blood Meridian, Ben Nichols’ solo album--The Last Pale Light in the West--ranks as a classic. Recorded at Easley and Ardent Studios in Memphis, every song revolves around the main characters of Blood Meridian--a...
The Wes Freed Interview
UPDATE: Wes Freed unfortunately passed away on September 4, 2022, at 58. By James Calemine Rock and Roll artwork weaves a brilliant tapestry into the patchwork quilt of American culture. Consider how images and liner notes to Bob Dylan’s Highway 61, The Rolling...
2008 Widespread Panic Induction Into Georgia Music Hall of Fame
(Published in the Official 30th Anniversary Georgia Music Hall of Fame 2008 Almanac) By James Calemine Through triumph and tragedy in the last 22 years, Widespread Panic never wavered in their mission to share their soulful music with anyone willing to listen. Few...
Harry Crews: Feast of Snakes
November in Mystic, Georgia, means it’s time for A Feast of Snakes.
The Gonzo Tapes: The Life and Work of Dr. Hunter S. Thompson
In March 2005, I was scheduled to interview Hunter S. Thompson after three requests over a year. I considered giving up after my third request until Thompson’s agent called me to say the interview was set for March 1. Unfortunately, nine days before the interview, on...
Ray Charles: The Spirit of Christmas
By James Calemine Originally released in 1985, Ray Charles’ The Spirit of Christmas ranks as one of the most soulful Christmas albums ever recorded. Concord Records re-released this holiday classic. The Spirit of Christmas kicks off with the Ray Charles digital-only...