North Carolina’s Tift Merritt has a gift for storytelling, a mean band, and a voice that wouldn’t be out of place on the Ryman stage, or a backwoods jukejoint. Continue reading “Tift Merritt – Traveling Alone”
Tift Merritt – Traveling Alone
Hillbilly Highway – Pure Manitoba Gold
by Sheldon Birnie
I was over at my pal JP’s place the other night, interviewing him about his show, “Destination Moon,” on CKUW for the upcoming issue of Stylus. After going over the process he uses to assemble his shows from his extensive LP collection, he dug into some country music for me as we enjoyed the last of our beverages. It has to be said, during the 1970s and early 1980s, with the proximity of K-Tel records and other pressing plants in Winnipeg, that a lot of pure gold was pumped out into the world, the bulk of which has either been destroyed, is sitting in peoples’ basements or thrift stores, or assembled piecemeal into collections like JP’s. Continue reading “Hillbilly Highway – Pure Manitoba Gold”
Hillbilly Highway – A few folks I’ve met this past year…
by Sheldon Birnie
Here we are in 2013, with lots to look forward to. Looking back on my own year, I’ve found a couple discs here on my desk that I’ve been meaning to comment on for months, but haven’t gotten around to. Now’s the time, I guess. Continue reading “Hillbilly Highway – A few folks I’ve met this past year…”
Hillbilly Highway – Holiday Hoedowns Abound
by Sheldon Birnie
Well, friends, it’s that time of year again — holidays albums are coming out of the woodwork, family get togethers spill into boozy bar nights, and the lucky ones have time off of work to get wild. If you’re in Winnipeg this holiday season, there’s plenty of holiday hoedowns abound to keep you rocking into the New Year. Continue reading “Hillbilly Highway – Holiday Hoedowns Abound”
Hillbilly Highway – DBT, Haulin’ Solo
by Sheldon Birnie
It’s been a busy year for Drive-By Truckers, both present and past, even though 2012 marked possibly their least active road-schedule since the early days of their 15+ years out on the Hillbilly Highway. Continue reading “Hillbilly Highway – DBT, Haulin’ Solo”
Hillbilly Highway – Reading Dave Bidini
by Sheldon Birnie
Dave Bidini, writer, film-maker, guitar-slayer, is riding the cold, icy road to town this weekend for a number of literary events. Continue reading “Hillbilly Highway – Reading Dave Bidini”
Hillbilly Highway – Jeff Stuart & The Hearts
by Sheldon Birnie
Jeff Stuart & The Hearts are a six-piece indie roots band out of Edmonton. Two albums deep, and with a bunch of festival gigs and big-time opening spots behind them, Jeff & The Hearts are taking to the Highway to spread their sound across Canada. With a stop in Winnipeg tonight with local lovelies The Sweet Alibi, Jeff took some time out of last-minute tour prep to chat with Stylus about their latest record, Equal Parts Reason & Moonlight, and touring and writing with a large band.
Continue reading “Hillbilly Highway – Jeff Stuart & The Hearts”
Corb Lund brings Cabin Fever to Winnipeg
by Sheldon Binie
Corb Lund has been around the independent Canadian music scene for over two decades now. Touring extensively in the 90s with heavy Edmonton alt-rockers the Smalls, and ramping up international success as a solo country & western artist since the late 90s, Corb Lund knows the value of hard work, good songs, and good friends. He took some time last month to chat over the phone with Stylus about his new record Cabin Fever, and his band the Hurtin’ Albertans’ upcoming Winnipeg show. While some technical difficulties appeared throughout our conversation, you’ll find the bulk of it below. Giddyup! Continue reading “Corb Lund brings Cabin Fever to Winnipeg”
Hillbilly Highway – Lower Companions drop new disc
by Sheldon Birnie
Since the 2009 release of their debut LP, Jason Maas & The Lower Companions have been grinding it out in Winnipeg’s roots scene. Now, on the eve of the release of their latest record, the six song Lock & Step, at the Times Change(d) this Saturday, singer, songwriter, and band leader Jason Maas got on the phone here to Stylus to talk about the band, the record, and what comes next for the Lower Companions. Continue reading “Hillbilly Highway – Lower Companions drop new disc”
Hillbilly Highway – All Neil weekend here on the Highway
by Sheldon Birnie
Well, there’s no escaping old Neil Young this week out here on the Hillbilly Highway. Continue reading “Hillbilly Highway – All Neil weekend here on the Highway”