Album Review: Sam Lewis - Waiting On You

Last week we posted about a marketing strategy from Nashville based singer-songwriter Sam Lewis for his upcoming release, Waiting On You, on April 21st. Well I've been listening to a preview version and straight up - this album is phenomenal; perhaps my favorite of the year so far. It captures a blues and soulful side of Lewis  that I don't remember from his self titled debut album. Now, this isn't a blues album - although the blues piano in Reinventing the Blues is close - just Lewis and many excellent players which include Kenny Vaughan, guitarist Darrell Scott, guitarist Will Kimbrough, pianist Gabe Dixon, and backup vocals from The McCrary Sisters. Seriously, what a supporting cast; plus the album was produced by Oliver Wood, of The Wood Brothers. Talk to Me and 3/4 Time are my favorite tracks, but in reality, there are no sub-standard tracks. Just listen to the pedal steel in Never Again or the orchestration in Texas. Powerful stuff.Pair this gem with Nashville's brewery and live music venue Tennessee Brew Works. Cheers.

John Prine & Emmylou Harris Duet at WolfTrap

Last night John Prine and Emmylou Harris were the co-bill for an awesome show at the Filene Center at Wolf Trap. The night featured each artist performing separately with their bands, but also included duets between Prine & Harris with In Spite of Ourselves, Angel from Montgomery, and in the encore, Paradise. What a duo - I would love to hear an entire evening of them performing together - Prine's powerful songwriting and simple melodies combined with the angelic voice of Harris. Will Kimbrough sitting in again on the banjo would be an added bonus. Prine started the evening off like last time with Spanish Pipedream and made sure he included Lake Marie and on the complete opposite side - Lets Talk Dirty In Hawaiian. The most moving song in Harris' set was her tribute to Gram Parsons and when John Starling, formerly of The Seldom Scene and now fronting John Starling and Carolina Star joined her onstage. Thanks to both artists for appearing in the DC area.

Here's the only video I was able to capture last night before told to put the camera away.


Update:emmylunatic has posted a couple videos of the show on YouTube such as Angel from Montgomery.