Former Manitou Springs resident and gallery owner Jermaine Rogers is back in Houston.  He turned us on to fellow Houston artist Natalie Irish.  Jermaine told me she kisses her paintings.  I’m thinking she paints a picture, then kisses it.  That’s not exactly what Natalie does. 

Like that if you like this: Jermaine Rogers, Brian Ewing

Not a fan of Tebowmania.  Anyone else notice the biggest Tebow fans were chicks?  No doubt, he is a hottie.  Was the off-the-hook unbridled support of the Gazette’s editorial staff Tebow’s kiss of death?  Who knows, but Elway couldn’t get rid of him fast enough once he had a plan B.  Good luck Timmy, you’ll love New York.  No hard feelings, okay?  Here’s the late, great Ernest Tubb.

Amanda Shires is a fiddle prodigy who grew up around Lubbock (mom) and Mineral Wells (dad).  Amanda put out one of the best albums of 2011 - ”Carrying Lightning”.  Young Amanda has played with the likes of the Texas Playboys, Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Rod Picott, Thrift Store Cowboys, and Justin Townes Earl.  And (Colorado connection), for a time, Devotchka.  In 2012, Amanda’s been nicknamed “Pearl” and is all over Todd Snider’s new joint “Agnostic Hymns and Stoner Fables”.  You go, girl.  Here’s a stream of “In Between Jobs” from Agnostic Hymms and Stoner Fables”.

Here’s a song from “Carrying Lightning” featuring Rod Picott at the Allgood Cafe in Deep Ellum:

An upcoming trip to London has got me wondering about one of the great misunderstood lyrics of my youth. When Gary P. Nunn decided that he’ll take his cowboy hat, where’s he going? You know, where those limey eyes are eying the prize, some people call manly footware? The Marble Arch Station is a “tube” station in London.   That’s worth a side trip.  Here’s the Lost Gonzo Band playing London Homesick Blues at Willie Nelson’s 4th of July Picnic in 1974:

The Hobart Brothers and Lil’ Sis Hobart look a lot like Jon Dee Graham, Freedy Johnston, and Susan Cowsill.  A lot.  Check out “Baby Didn’t I Love You”  01-Baby-Didnt-I-Love-You

Like that if you like this: Pistol Annies, Flatlanders, Continental Drifters

Hayes Carll, Amanda Shires, Pistol Annies, Lucinda.  See the full list here.

The Bluebird Theater in Denver will host the last show of the “You and Me Tour Phase Two” on April 10.  A Spree concert is an experience like no other. You should go. Really.

THE POLYPHONIC SPREE “YOU + ME” PHASE ONE from Good Records Recordings on Vimeo.

I took a chance on Graham Wilkinson’s latest full-length cd “Yearbook” based on a review I read somewhere and was  pleasantly surprised to find Lloyd Maines and Hayes Carll (as well as Alejandro Escovedo) involved in the making of the alt-pop ”Yearbook” in 2009.  Here’s a song from Graham’s new disk “The Spiritual Accessories EP” recorded a couple of months ago at MoMo’s with our friend Drew Smith. 

Like that if you like this: Bob Schneider, Hayes Carll, Drew Smith

Jeff Tweedy conjurs Popeye, Olive Oyl, Bluto, Wimpy and Swee’Pea out of a can of Wilco Spinach in this Toon Noir interpretation of “Dawned on Me”.

Thursday, June 21 • Alison Krauss & Union Station featuring Jerry Douglas | John Prine | Laura Marling | Thelma & Louise featuring Chris Thile & Béla Fleck | Greensky Bluegrass | Dan Mangan | Della Mae

Friday, June 22 • John Fogerty | Leftover Salmon | Del McCoury Band | Béla Fleck & the Marcus Roberts Trio | Peter Rowan Bluegrass Band | Edgar Meyer & Mike Marshall | Joy Kills Sorrow | Head for the Hills

Saturday, June 23 • Sam Bush Band | k.d. lang & the Siss Boom Bang | Bruce Hornsby & the Noisemakers | Yonder Mountain String Band | Jerry Douglas featuring Omar Hakim & Viktor Krauss | The Devil Makes Three | Run Boy Run

Sunday, June 24 • Telluride House Band featuring Sam Bush, Béla Fleck, Jerry Douglas, Edgar Meyer, Bryan Sutton & Stuart Duncan | Glen Hansard | Punch Brothers | O’Brien Party of Seven | and several more early-day sets still to be announced…