Tennessee based songsmith Drew Holcomb has turned himself into an Americana powerhouse.
Long known as a songwriter of the highest pedigree, Holcomb has been out on the road with his band, The Neighbors, in support of the group’s eight LPs for well over a decade. Recent adventures also include curating the Magnolia Record Club, which my son belonged to for a few months and features records each month by a fantastic array of roots musicians, and founding the Moon River Music Festival, a barnburner of a musical weekend that often sells out in hours.
Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors toured hard in the latter part of 2019 behind their latest release, the critically claimed Dragons, and they were wise to record the group’s show at Knoxville’s famed Tennessee Theater. The gorgeous room played like a virtual hometown show for Holcomb; a true son of Tennessee, Holcomb is Memphis born and an alum of the University of Tennessee. The spirit of an appreciative crowd, consisting of holdovers from his early Knoxville days and more recent converts and disciples, as well as an inspired Holcomb, are beautifully captured on the band’s latest release, Live at the Tennessee Theater. On display is the dynamic stage presence of The Neighbors and the songcraft that has propelled Holcomb to the top of the acoustic music world. Trail Mix is happy to be featuring a live rendition of “Dragons” this month.
Some familiar faces pop back up on the latest edition of Trail Mix. Renowned pianist, Holly Bowling, who was featured here for her interpretation of Phish tunes on solo piano, returns with a similar endeavor involving the Grateful Dead. Noted songwriter Will Kimbrough also has a new collection of tunes out, as does flatpicker extraordinaire Larry Keel, who has returned with a solo record.
Be sure to dig deep into this month’s mix and check out tunes from Pylon, The Wild Feathers, Ward Davis, The Suitcase Junket, Nathaniel Bellows, Howlin Rain, Selena Rosanbalm, Yacht Club 101, Stephanie Lambring, Jules Shear, Brad Brooks, Rachel Brooke, Dan Horne, Emily Brown, Farmer Dave Scher, and Source & Method. There’s a lot of goodness here.
As this mix goes live in the middle of November, one can’t but recognize that Thanksgiving is fast approaching. Despite the turmoil of 2020, take some time to disappear into these songs on Trail Mix – or any songs, really – and remember that there is so much for which we can all still be thankful. Find a friend and share a moment or two, remember to stay connected, and reach out to those you love and tell them they are on your heart. And share a little of that love with these incredible artists on Trail Mix. Order a record or attend a virtual concert. These musicians are still putting out for us, so let’s make sure they know we appreciate it.
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