Email Author William Michael Smith

2011 Stories by William Michael Smith

• Allen Oldies Band

  published December 29, 2011

  What better way to kick in the New Year than an evening of dancing to a Houston institution, the Allen Oldies Band. Lifelong Houstonian Allen Hill... More >>

• Cody Canada and The Departed

  published December 29, 2011

  Some people in the Red Dirt Music world are still kicking and moaning about the break-up of Cross Canadian Ragweed, but that milk's been spilt.... More >>

• Ten Albums That Should Be Grammy Nominated Over Linda Chorney's

  published Dec 23, 2011

  The small world of Americana music is all a-twitter over New Jersey woman Linda Chorney's nomination for a Grammy in the Americana category. In case you haven't been following the story, Chorney disco... More >>

• Robert Earl Keen

  published December 22, 2011

  Okay, so Robert Earl Keen doesn't make the kinds of records that fly off the shelves like he used to. Maybe that's an unreal expectation for a guy... More >>

• Linda Chorney Still Hasn't Withdrawn Her Grammy Nomination

  published Dec 20, 2011

  The comments sections on several articles about Linda Chorney, the woman who gamed the system and social networked her way onto the final Grammy ballot in the Americana category, tend to be pretty neg... More >>

• Scott Merritt Goes Lo-Fi on Latest Eaglesmith Album

  published Dec 20, 2011

  One of our favorite albums of the year is Fred Eaglesmith's 6 Volts. Like the Le Noise project from Neil Young and producer Daniel Lanois, 6 Volts is decidedly lo-fi. The main technical challenge for ... More >>

• Del McCoury Band Descends on Conroe

  published Dec 16, 2011

  Conroe's Sounds of Texas Music Series has pulled a major coup that should have local bluegrass fans' hearts palpitating with their booking of the Del McCoury Band for February 4, 2012. McCoury and hi... More >>

• Grammy Sham: Americana Artist Gets Nominated Through the Web

  published Dec 15, 2011

  As if the Grammys didn't have enough credibility issues, NARAS, the organization that controls the process, has left a loophole large enough for a complete unknown to manipulate her way onto the final... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  Robert Ellis, Hayes Carll Honored by American Songwriter Magazine

  published Dec 13, 2011

  If one understands the historical depth and context of the singer-songwriter tradition in Houston -- and it was flourishing here long before it migrated to Austin or before a few (mostly Texan) outlaw... More >>

• Lyle Lovett

  published December 15, 2011

  When it comes to Texans, Lyle Lovett shares a spot just below Willie Nelson for public favor. With every album he's made, it's always been obvious... More >>

• Blaggards

  published December 15, 2011

  The Blaggards channel Shane MacGowan and his band, the Pogues, those snorty, surly-but-smart Irish troublemakers who, but for music, might be in... More >>

• Commercial Break

  published December 15, 2011

  For the past decade, working in commercial radio has been similar to being an attorney or a banker when it comes to job respect from the public.... More >>

• Welcome to Third Rock, NASA's New Radio Station

  published Dec 13, 2011

  Satellite radio got some new competition from a little old outfit called NASA when the government agency went live Monday with its new internet radio station, Third Rock. The station is described in... More >>

• Ellis Paul

  published December 8, 2011

  A veteran, constantly touring troubadour, Ellis Paul is one of the most respected artists in the folk genre. A man of many talents with 15 albums... More >>

• Marc Benno Remembers Badass Doyle Bramhall

  published Dec 02, 2011

  The unexpected passing of Doyle Bramhall of heart failure November 12 has caused Lonesome, Onry and Mean to revisit the man's career. And while Bramhall is probably best known for his association with... More >>

• Last Night: Brennen Leigh at Under the Volcano

  published Dec 01, 2011

  Austin singer-songwriter Brennen Leigh broke country hard on an initially smallish, talkative crowd at Under the Volcano last night. Opening with "Paint Myself Blue" as a teaser/warmup, she immediatel... More >>

• Richardson and del Grosso Honored by Downbeat Magazine

  published Nov 30, 2011

  While most of Houston only yawned when it was released, the Jonn Richardson/Rich del Grosso album Time Slips On By made Downbeat magazine's recently published Best of 2011 list. Richardson, a monster... More >>

• U.S. Marine Corps' Toys for Tots Program Fundraiser

  published December 1, 2011

  The annual Marine Corps sponsored Toys for Tots benefit at Mucky Duck always presents a great and varied lineup, and this year is no exception.... More >>

• John Fullbright

  published December 1, 2011

  For anyone who has seen young Oklahoman John Fullbright sing his smarty-pants common-man songs and play guitar, accordion, harmonica, mandolin and... More >>

• Yoko Ono Just Wants to Be Liked...on Facebook

  published Nov 25, 2011

  OK, Facebook finally went too far last night when it casually offered me a chance to "like" Yoko Ono. Six others I'm somehow connected with via F-book (and I'm starting to wonder why I'm connected to ... More >>

• Street Dogs

  published November 24, 2011

  Part Dropkick Murphys, part angry pit bulls on the loose with guitars, Boston punks Street Dogs take no political prisoners. Led by former... More >>

• The Wylie Llama for President

  published November 24, 2011

  The great Americano-Texican balladeer Kinky Friedman has run for Governor of Texas, so why shouldn't Ray Wylie Hubbard, a.k.a. "the Wylie Llama,"... More >>

• Friday Night: Hollisters at Blanco's

  published Nov 21, 2011

  A capacity crowd jammed into Blanco's Friday night for the return of 90s local favorites, the Hollisters. The dance floor was thronged, the beer line was long, strings were bent and twanged, and there... More >>

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  FEATURED STORY

  RIP Joe Gracey, Austin Media Giant

  published Nov 17, 2011

  Another Austin music legend, Joe Gracey, passed away this morning of cancer complications. He was 61. When Lonesome, Onry and Mean arrived in Austin in June, 1973 after having worked in radio in West... More >>

• Fred Eaglesmith: Dangerous To Himself

  published Nov 16, 2011

  Fred Ealesmith's latest release 6 Volts is rapidly becoming our most played disk since we scored a copy at his recent show at Mucky Duck. Recorded live as a band with ONE MICROPHONE(!) as one track mo... More >>