Season 2 of “Spectacle: Elvis Costello with…” Premieres December 9

Sundance Channel will premiere the second season of its critically acclaimed music/talk original series Spectacle: Elvis Costello with… on Wednesday, December 9, 2009 at 10:00pm et/pt. Spectacle: Elvis Costello with… combines the best elements of talk and music television and lets viewers in on intimate conversation and performance with host Costello and his guests ranging from legendary performers to promising new artists. The series, executive produced by Sir Elton John, includes one-on-one interviews, unprecedented pairings, group discussions, as well as extraordinary performances, from impromptu “illustrative” moments to full band (and even multi-band) productions. Among the confirmed guests for the seven-part season are: Bono, The Edge, Bruce Springsteen, Sheryl Crow, Lyle Lovett, John Prine, Ron Sexsmith, Neko Case, Jesse Winchester, Ray LaMontagne, Nick Lowe, Levon Helm, Richard Thompson and Allen Toussaint.

Read Full Post »

Levon Helm Remains on Vocal Rest Following Negative Biopsy Results

Legendary Drummer/vocalist Continues Weekly ‘Rambles’ and Tour Dates

Rock icon, Levon Helm, who released his second solo album, Electric Dirt in June, lost his voice earlier this summer while on tour.  Doctors discovered a lesion on his vocal cords and attributed it to acid reflux.  The lesion was then removed via laser.  A biopsy was done and revealed NO CANCER. However, Levon has been placed on strict vocal rest in order for him to heal.  The good news is that Levon WILL sing again following vigorous work with his vocal  coach and the support of his family, friends and the incredible loyalty of his dedicated fans!

Losing his voice has not slowed Levon down.  He and his band members, Larry Campbell, Jim Weider, Amy Helm, Teresa Williams, Brian Mitchell, Erik Lawrence, Howard Johnson, Clark Gayton, Jay Collins, Byron Isaacs and Steven Bernstein continue to perform to sold out crowds at his weekly ‘midnight ramble concerts’!  There have been no cancellations of shows and the band continues on their various tour stops including this week’s performance at the Austin City Limits Festival on October 3^rd.  The outpouring of encouragement and warmth from whom Levon has called, “the greatest fans in the world” are sure to inspire a full recovery!

Levon Helm and Larry Campbell recently taped a performance on Elvis Costello’s Spectacle show which will air on the Sundance Channel in January.  On October 9^th, he will be performing on Don Imus’ new show on the Fox Business Network.

Submitted by Vanguard Records

Read Full Post »

Levon Helm – Ramble at the Ryman PBS special

Unparalleled Group of Musicians Join Helm for an Historic Evening

photo by Paul LaRaia

On most Saturday nights since January 2004, Levon Helm has hosted evenings of music at the “barn,” his home studio in Woodstock, New York. These magical nights are called The Midnight Ramble Sessions. On September 17, 2008, Helm took the Midnight Ramble on the road to one of America’s treasured venues, Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium, where ­ accompanied by such luminaries as Buddy Miller, John Hiatt, Sheryl Crow and Sam Bush ­ the Levon Helm Band gave birth to a night of stage magic. Captured in pristine high definition LEVON HELM – RAMBLE AT THE RYMAN is part of special programming airing on PBS in August 2009 (check local listings).

The performance is a veritable tour through the American songbook, featuring tunes from Helm’s tenure with The Band, as well as selections from the 2008 Grammy winning Electric Dirt and classics from artists such as Chuck Berry, the Carter Family and more.

Read Full Post »

Levon Helm to Release Second Solo CD June 30th

Legendary musician and rock icon, Levon Helm will be releasing his second solo recording June 30th entitled, Electric Dirt on Dirt Farmer Music/Vanguard Records.  As with, Dirt Farmer, Multi-instrumentalist Larry Campbell, took the reigns as producer, recorded at ‘The Barn’ – The Levon Helm Studios.

Electric Dirt again finds Levon steeped in tradition in his connection to the land and those who live by it and at the same time goes deeper and fuller in painting a musical canvas by incorporating some gospel, blues and soul with a wide range of original compositions and eclectic cover songs. “Our objective here was to take the honesty, innocence and purity of the Dirt Farmer record which represents a true element of what Levon is all about but also expand on that and explore deeper the goldmine of Levon’s musical artistry” states Campbell.

Read Full Post »

Crosby, Stills & Nash to Cap off Spectacular Musical Line-up at 14th Annual Gathering of the Vibes Festival 2009

Four-day event to showcase musical legends, support charitable causes and Celebrate 40th Anniversary of Woodstock

BRIDGEPORT, Conn. (April 7, 2009):  Crosby, Stills & Nash (CSN) will be among several extraordinary musical artists to perform at the 14th Annual Gathering of the Vibes, July 23-26, 2009, at Seaside Park, Bridgeport, Connecticut.  In celebration of the 40th Anniversary of the Woodstock Music and Arts Festival, CSN will be joined by fellow Woodstock participants Bob Weir of the Grateful Dead, Levon Helm, former drummer and vocalist for The Band, and activist Wavy Gravy, who will serve as master of ceremonies.

CSN, whose first gig together was in 1969 at Woodstock, will highlight a very special Sunday Family Day at the Vibes.  The final day of this year’s four-day event also features performances from the world-famous Harlem Gospel Choir, progressive reggae artists John Brown’s Body, neoclassic rockers Grace Potter and the Nocturnals, and legendary blues guitarist Buddy Guy.  To encourage families to make an event of the day, kids 15 and under will be admitted FREE with their parents on Sunday, July 26.

“This is a great opportunity for families to get out and some spend quality time with each other in an absolutely beautiful environment,” said Ken Hays, executive director of Gathering of the Vibes.  ”Last year, we had over 1,200 attendees under the age of 13 join us for an incredible weekend on the shores of Long Island Sound.  This is a chance for parents to share some of the music that makes up the soundtrack of their lives with the next generation.”

The Vibes 2009 Main Stage line-up includes: Crosby, Stills & Nash, The Grateful Dead’s Bob Weir & RatDog, five-time Grammy award winner Buddy Guy, funk legend George Clinton, Boston’s indie-rockers State Radio and Guster, longtime Vibes favorite moe., legendary drummer Levon Helm, the Harlem Gospel Choir and many, many more!

* Additional artists to be confirmed.

Read Full Post »

Red House to Release New Records from Jorma Kaukonen & Guy Davis

ST. PAUL, MN — Red House Records is proud to announce the February 10, 2009 release of two new blues/roots classics from rock legend Jorma Kaukonen and his good friend and award-winning bluesman Guy Davis.

Jorma Kaukonen’s River of Time has a funky, organic feel that grew out of an ensemble recording he did at producer Larry Campbell’s studio in Woodstock, New York. Joining him were longtime friends and collaborators Barry Mitterhoff (mandolin, tenor banjo, tenor guitar and octave mandolin) and Myron Heart (vocals, upright bass) as well as Grammy winner Levon Helm (drums), Lincoln Schleifer (bass) and Teresa Campbell (vocals). Exploring his musical roots in rock and blues, this up-tempo album mixes original tunes with blues and country covers, all packaged in an accessible, radio-friendly manner that will appeal to folk, Americana and blues fans.

Guy Davis’ Sweetheart Like You is a classic mix of acoustic blues and soulful originals. Starting off with his unique take on the Bob Dylan classic, Guy takes you back to his home with songs about his family and about the hard paths life takes you down. Featuring a guest appearance by his son Martial, the album is alternately humorous and heartbreaking and shows why Mojo says that “no one puts together a tangier salad from the mixed greens of African American music quite like Guy Davis.”

Submitted by Red House Records

Read Full Post »

Americana Music Association Announces Top 100 of 2008

Monday December 15^th marked the year ending chart for 2008 and with this chart, we are excited to announce that our friends at Amazon.com will be posting our Top Ten on the Americana Landing Page moving forward into the New Year.  Visit our landing page and click on the Airplay Chart box on the right hand side of the page to see what’s hot.

Also, today we announce the Annual Americana Top 100 albums. The Top Ten most played records, as charted on the Americana Airplay Chart include:

1. Hayes Carll
2. James McMurtry
3. Robert Plant & Alison Krauss
4. Steve Earle
5. Tift Merritt
6. Ryan Bingham
7. John Hiatt
8. Band of Heathens
9. Levon Helm
10. Alejandro Escovedo

Click here to view the full Top 100!

We have had a great year; our chart remains a fixture at R&R Magazine and with its placement in other periodicals like Rolling Stone Magazine and Country (in the UK) the americana movement continues to grow.

Submitted by Jed Hilly, executive director, the Americana Music Association

Read Full Post »