My friend Marc’s freshman dorm room was a half a flight of stairs from the front door. If he was around, his door would be open and there would be music playing. You couldn’t come or go from our dorm…
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VB Awaremess Month: What Does it Mean for a Band to Make It?
One of the things going through my mind with The Vulgar Boatmen is how do you define the quality of a band and how that relates to its perceived success? Did they make it?
There has always been a thick…
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September is Vulgar Boatmen Awareness Month
Last year I declared September 23rd to be National Vulgar Boatmen Appreciation Day. (Casual Readers: The Vulgar Boatmen have a song titled “23rd of September.”)
The point of Vulgar Boatmen awareness month is to highlight the fact that our language…
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Remembering D. C. Fitzgerald
Today, August 31st, would have been my friend and guitar teacher D.C. Fitzgerald’s 75th birthday. Our Lord took him home on November 13th, 2006.
In my opinion, he is one of the all-time greats in American Music. A singer, songwriter…
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Interview with Jacob Stempky (aka Jebbh Mixus)
I first read about The Mixus Brothers in the Pittsburgh City Paper several years ago. The article interested me enough to check out their music. Their laid-back “we’re just a couple of dads making music on the side” description of…
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You Ain't Goin' Nowhere (Chet Vincent and) Famous Horses
I’ve worn out my vinyl copy of The Basement Tapes. I never bothered to upgrade to CD.
I still remember the trip my family took to Tower Records in Manhattan where I bought it. I had a list of albums…
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Lori McKenna Makes Me Cry
Lori McKenna makes cry – in a good “It’s a Wonderful Life” way. The kind of cry when you realize that the love and generosity of people is greater than you thought. Love is big. You are small. Even though…
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Dylan Goes Electric - 55 Years Ago
July 25th is the anniversary of Bob Dylan going electric at the Newport Folk Festival in 1965. I should have posted this yesterday, but I got distracted finishing my post on The Band.
Dylan going electric at Newport is kind…
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Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band
James and I finally got to watch "Once Were Brothers: Robbie Robertson and The Band." I had wanted to see it in the theater, but that was then.
I've loved The Band since I was 14. I've read every book…
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How Do They Do It?
When I read interviews with other musicians and artists, I always want to ask, "How do you do it? How do you fit everything into your life - job, family, etc..." I'm going to try to ask other artists these…
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The Holiday Cafe
The Deep Roots are scheduled to open for the Evan Dean Band at the Pleasant Hills Community Day on Saturday, August 8th (Covid permitting). James and I will also be at Scout Camp in West Virginia the week before. That's…
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Pandemic Songs - That's Another Story
So after listening to The Mixus Brothers "For the Sake of Humanity," I stumbled across this article about The Tweedy Family in the New Yorker (1). Then I remembered that Scott Mervis from the Post-Gazette posting something on Facebook asking…
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Hats Off to the Mixus Brothers
The Mixus Brothers have style. They have a definitive look, a definitive sound, and distinct lyrics. As soon as you hear them, they are instantly recognizable. It can be nobody else. That may sound easy, but try it sometime. As…
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The Best Band in This Town - Meeting of Important People
I am so happy to see Meeting of Important People headlining The Three Rivers Arts Festival this year. The Festival did not play out as planned, but the fact that this criminally underrated band is getting the attention they deserve…
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Dion's New Album - Blues With Friends
Dion's latest album, Blues with Friends, was released today and it has received a lot of positive press. Most stories note the impressive list of friends (Bruce Springsteen, Jeff Beck, Paul Simon, and Van Morrison), the quality of the new…
Read moreHello World
Yesterday American Songwriter magazine premiered a new song by Dion called, "Song for Same Cooke (Here in America)." Everyone knows Dion DiMucci. He is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, but the song was co-written with my uncle…
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