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Joel Rafael Joel Rafael
Thirteen Stories High
(Inside Recordings)
Southern California folk singer Joel Rafael's "Thirteen Stories High" is his first recording of originals since 2000's acclaimed "Hopper." After years of saluting Woody Guthrie, he mixes personal and political songs encouraging people to be more alert in life and love. Guests include Graham Nash, David Crosby and Jimmy LaFave's band.

1. "Thirteen Stories High" - Joel Rafael says his latest recording mixes new and old songs.
2. "This Is My Country" - Joel Rafael didn't expect this protest song would be so timely.
3. "Awareness songs" - Joel Rafael's "Song of Socrates" and "Open Up Your Heart."
4. "Missing Pages" - Joel Rafael says this song never made it onto a CD - until now.

Visit artist's web site: http://www.JoelRafael.com


© Copyright 2008, BEHINDtheBEAT, Inc.
Tom Paxton Tom Paxton
Comedians & Angels
(Appleseed Recordings)
"Comedians and Angels," the new recording by folk singer Tom Paxton, reflects and celebrates all kinds of love: from family to friends to country to flights of fancy. Now 70, Paxton says his conception of love songs has never been broader. His latest CD mixes new songs and new versions from his vast catalog. Paxton is a master of down-to-earth songs that stir memories, inspire, appreciate and give thanks.

1. "Comedians and Angels" - Tom Paxton says he did not set out to make a CD on the theme of love.
2. "Love" - Tom Paxton says nothing is more important than love. Nothing.
3. "The First Song is For You" - Tom Paxton reveals his secret partner in songwriting.
4. "Two New Favorites" - Tom Paxton on two new songs that are special.

Visit artist's web site: http://www.tompaxton.com


© Copyright 2008, BEHINDtheBEAT, Inc.
John Gorka John Gorka
The Gypsy Life
(AIX Records)
John Gorka is a songwriter's songwriter. A true craftsman with a rich baritone voice, his songs are always memorable: setting moods, sketching characters, posing quandaries or facing ironies. "The Gypsy Life" is a special recording. Produced by AIX Records to commemorate 20 years of work, this DVD/CD box set features 19 songs in various hi-fidelity formats. For old fans or newcomers, it is a fabulous way to meet and enjoy a master songwriter.

1. "The Gypsy Life" - John Gorka finally found a video project he really liked.
2. "Writing in the Margins" - A talk with an Iraq War veteran sparked this song.
3. "Lightning's Blues" - A little humor and metaphor goes a long way in a song.
4. "Songwriting" - John Gorka says what he likes most about making music.
5. "Advice" - A bit of advice for those facing (song) writer's block.

Visit artist's web site: http://www.johngorka.com


© Copyright 2007, BEHINDtheBEAT, Inc.
Tripping Lily Tripping Lily
The Couch Sessions LIVE
(Tripping Lily)
Tripping Lily is an acoustic quartet that plays jaunty, ear-catching modern folk music with snappy rhythms and smart lyrics. The group - including the Brecelis brothers, Alex and Demetrius - began in Nashville and moved to Boston, where they made waves in the local folk scene. Their debut CD, "The Couch Sessions LIVE," was recorded live and captures the spirit of their shows.

1. "Welcome" - Demetrius Brecelis says Tripping Lily's debut CD gives the flavor of their live performances.
2. "Nothing Goes" - A tongue-in-cheek song by mandolinist Alex Brecelis.
3. "Over You" - The CD's "pop song," by fiddler-vocalist Monica Rizzio, poses a real quandry.
4. "The Instruments" - Tripping Lily's instruments, by Chicago builder Martin Brunkalla, contribute to the group's sound and name.

Visit artist's web site: http://www.trippinglily.com


© Copyright 2007, BEHINDtheBEAT, Inc.
Guy Clark Guy Clark
Workbench Songs
(Dualtone Music)
Guy Clark's Grammy-nominated recording, "Workbench Songs," is filled with a master singer-songwriter's latest musings on ordinary life - with a folksy twist. Clark's characters could be found anywhere along the rural highways, road stops and small cities across the country. His gift is making snapshots of America as timeless as anything penned by the Greek poets.

1. "Workbench Songs" - Guy Glark reflects on writing, co-writing and a poet's touch.
2. "Cowboy Poetry" - Guy Clark's characters in his songs are real and imagined.
3. "No Lonesome Tune" - Guy Clark's recent CDs all have a Townes Van Zant song.
4. "The Life" - Guy Clark says building guitars and writing songs go hand in hand.

Visit artist's web site: http://www.guyclark.com


© Copyright 2006, BEHINDtheBEAT, Inc.
Shannon McNally Shannon McNally
Geronimo
(Back Porch)
Shannon McNally is a very talented singer-songwriter whose catchy, provocative songs bring a sometimes-tough, sometimes-tender take to a range of southern rock-blues-roots styles. In "Geronimo," she is backed by a who's who of studio notables and delivers a compelling mix of songs that attest to her dogged spirit. In music and life, she is more interested in the right road than the easy one.

1. "Geronimo" - Shannon McNally says "Geronimo" is a personal musical milestone.
2. "Sweet Forgiveness" - Shannon McNally wanted the CD to be filled with musical fire and her spirit.
3. "Beautiful and Strange" - Songwriting, like the title of this striking song, is beautiful and strange.
4. "Tennessee Blues" - Shannon McNally recalls the one-take magic of this recording.

Visit artist's web site: http://www.shannonmcnally.com


© Copyright 2006, BEHINDtheBEAT, Inc.
Grateful Dead - annotated lyrics Grateful Dead
The Complete Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics
(FreePress)
"A scrap of age-old lullabye down some forgotten street" is how Grateful Dead lyricist Robert Hunter starts to describe his craft in the "Complete Annotated Grateful Dead Lyrics." David Dodd does the rest in a book that reveals the meaning, references and origins of the words and images in the band's enduring songs. While fans have followed the music for years, many will be stunned to see how deeply steeped the lyrics are in folk music, folk sensibilities and traditional storytelling.

1. "Character Sketches" - Many, if not most Grateful Dead songs, are tall tales: folk songs about people, places and predicaments.
2. "Fragments" - "Terrapin Station," an epic ballad, is deliberately incomplete: an old folk tradition.
3. "Mr. Charlie" - Pigpen - Ron McKernan - and Hunter drew on the dark side of the old South.
4. "The Dire Wolf" - A musical parable and fairy tale inspired by a San Francisco serial killer?

Visit artist's web site: http://gdstore.com/


© Copyright 2005, BEHINDtheBEAT, Inc.
Abigail Washburn Abigail Washburn
Song of the Traveling Daughter
(Nettwerk Productions)
Singer-songwriter Abigail Washburn's music shows just how small the world is. A lifelong singer and student of China and its culture, she started playing banjo and was soon blending Asian melodies with oldtime folk music. "Song of the Traveling Daughter," her debut CD, is filled with songs and sounds that cross both oceans and centuries.

1. "The Journey" - Abigail Washburn's musical journey has taken her from gospel choirs to singing in Chinese.
2. "Rockabye Dixie" - The first song Abigail Washburn wrote came just as she picked up the banjo.
3. "Song of the Traveling Daughter" - The recording's title track rewrites a classical Chinese poem with a very modern twist.
4. "Deep in the Night" - Abigail Washburn says her songs have messages of hope and personal transformation.

Visit artist's web site: http://www.abigailwashburn.com


© Copyright 2005, BEHINDtheBEAT, Inc.
Rodney Crowell Rodney Crowell
The Outsider
(Columbia Records)
Rodney Crowell's "The Outsider" has been nominated for two Grammy Awards and deservedly so. After 9/11, Crowell decided it was time to write from the heart - like never before. The result is a CD that's as political as it is personal, and wants to inspire people to their better angels.

1. "The Call" - What changed for an once mild-mannered singer-songwriter?
2. "Emotional Power" - Rodney Crowell says emotional insight - not wealth or power - is what he values.
3. "The Outsider" - Crowell says "The Outsider" is someone you would least expect.
4. "Things That Go Bump in the Day" - Crowell says the way to change the world starts with oneself.

Visit artist's web site: http://www.rodneycrowell.com


© Copyright 2006, BEHINDtheBEAT, Inc.
Mary Gauthier Mary Gauthier
Mercy Now
(Lost Highway)
Mary Gauthier's star has been rising in Americana circles and her latest CD, "Mercy Now," shows why. The Louisiana-born, singer-songwriter is known for simple yet striking songs. On 'Mercy Now,' Gauthier reveals a deeper and more thoughtful side. Her songs ponder life's challenges with grace, grit and compassion.

1. "Bittersweet" - Mary Gauthier's latest recording shows her more reflective side.
2. "Mercy Now" - The title cut is a song of forgiveness, starting with her father.
3. "Spirit" - Mary says several songs deal with life's spiritual mysteries.
4. "It Ain't The Wind, It's the Rain" - Mary says adversity has made her stronger and kinder.

Visit artist's web site: http://www.marygauthier.com


© Copyright 2005, BEHINDtheBEAT, Inc.
Jonathan Elias Jonathan Elias
American River
(Universal Classics)
Jonathan Elias' "American River" is a sweeping orchestral work that combimes elements of spoken word, traditional folk and modern concert minimalism. Nominated for a Grammy in the New Age category, it explores the twin themes of what's good and bad in America. It features many musicians, most notably Johnny Cash and members of his family.

1. "American River" - Jonathan Elias says "American River" is his latest recording to explore historic and epic themes.
2. "Musical Styles" - "American River" follows a musical course from traditional folk to modern minimalism.
3. "Cash Story" - John Carter Cash helped bring his father, Johnny Cash, sister Rosanne Cash, and many others to the project.
4. "Mariner Musician" - Jonathan Elias says his own musical journey has had some surprising turns through the years.

Visit artist's web site: http://www.jonathanelias.com


© Copyright 2005, BEHINDtheBEAT, Inc.
DittyBops Ditty Bops
Here, There, Everywhere
(Warner Bros)
The Ditty Bops are the Los Angeles-based duo of Amanda Barrett and Abby DeWald, whose debut recording "Here, There, Everywhere," was produced by Mitchell Froom. The pair, also multi-instrumentalists, sing upbeat, harmony-rich, quirky songs against a musical backdrop blending country swing, honky-tonk and ragtime. Their personality draws from vaudeville, but their songs and sound has many more modern touches and sensibilities.

1. "A Brief History" - Amanda Barrett recalls how chasing a lost cat led to the Ditty Bops.
2. "Two Songs" - Amanda Barrett says what inspired her writing "Pale Yellow" and "Ooh La La."
3. "Harmonies" - Both Amanda and Abby Dewald make up their vocal harmonies, but maybe Amanda does it a bit more.
4. "Short Stacks" - This song of reluctant love almost didn't make the CD.

Visit artist's web site: http://www.dittybops.com


© Copyright 2004, BEHINDtheBEAT, Inc.
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