Tom Russell's folk-rock album bears witness to American immigrant history. Singer and songwriter Tom Russell is a man of many worlds. Born in Southern California, he has led country music bands that played honky-tonks in such far-flung locales as Vancouver, Canada's skid row and Oslo, Norway, traveled as a carnival entertainer in Puerto Rico, and taught criminology in … [Read more...] about Songs of the People
Music
Music: From a Whisper to a Scream
"Sometimes it is a spiritual experience, but most of the time it's not...You have to work very hard to get that. But that's okay. There's no free lunch, y'know?" – Van Morrison Leave it to Van Morrison to lend a bit of welcome perspective at the end of From a Whisper to a Scream, a three-hour history of Irish pop music, originally produced for RTE, now available on video. … [Read more...] about Music: From a Whisper to a Scream
Northern Roots Southern Branches
By James W. Flannery, Contributor
Photos Courtesy of U.S. Library of Congress
August / September 2001
Photos Courtesy of U.S. Library of Congress
August / September 2001
Will a re-examining of the Ulster Scots advance the idea of a "pluralist society" or lead to further separation? Southerners like to say they are not like other Americans, and often base that claim on their characteristic ways of talking, storytelling, preaching, dancing and, above all, playing country music. But few of them realize that those very qualities can be … [Read more...] about Northern Roots Southern Branches
Music Roundup
Paul Brady Oh What A World Compass Records Let's all ponder Paul Brady's career for a moment. The man has written songs that have been recorded by the likes of Tina Turner, Joe Cocker, and Cher. He's co-written with Roseanne Cash, Beth Nielsen-Chapman, and Curtis Stigers. "Luck of the Draw," as recorded by Bonnie Raitt, netted a Grammy in 1991. His own work – listen … [Read more...] about Music Roundup
Music: The Reel Thing
Modern Ireland can boast plenty of pop superstars whose recordings sell in the millions. But if U2, Van Morrison, Sinead O'Connor and Enya are undeniably Irish musicians, is what they play really Irish music? When listening to the artists whose recordings are reviewed below, you won't have to ponder that interesting philosophical question. There's nothing more genuinely … [Read more...] about Music: The Reel Thing