“I’ve got time on my hands, I’ve got you on my mind. I’ve got a heart that’s beating like a hundred dollar valentine.”
Chris Smither, with that line, had me. I was hooked. Once I heard that line, taken from the title track of his 2012 release, Hundred Dollar Valentine, I became an instant fan. Hundred Dollar Valentine became my favorite record of that year and I have since spent time delving deeper into Smither’s catalog, becoming more familiar with his older material. With each new song I discover, I become a bigger fan.
You can imagine my joy when I discovered Smither will release Still On The Levee, a two disc retrospective covering the five decades Smither has been recording music, on July 22nd. The twenty-five tracks contained on the two discs showcase Smither’s distinctive finger picking guitar style and his sly as a cat lyrical wit. Hearing Smither sing is to be invited to be party to the inside joke, to be on the inside looking out. Throughout both discs, I can see the glimmer in his eye and hear the smirk in his tone.
Joining Smither on this retrospective are fellow acoustic luminaries like Allen Toussaint, Loudon Wainwright III, and even members of the rock band Morphone. Trail Mix is very excited to kick of this month’s mix with Chris Smither’s “Love You Like A Man.”
Also featured among the 29 tracks on this month’s mix are a couple brand new singer/songwriters that you need to become better acquainted with. Check out the new tunes from Jonah Tolchin and Jen Starsinic and stay tuned to the Trail Mix blog for features on both.
The July mix features new tracks from Grammy winner Jim Lauderdale, Chatham County Line, long one of my favorite North Carolina bands, I Draw Slow, who hail from Ireland. Trail Mix is also happy to feature a new track from Bombadil; considering the hardships that band has faced over the last five years or so, a new track from Bombadil is always something to celebrate.
Be sure to check out new stuff from Soldier’s Heart, The Quiet American, NRBQ, Zoe Muth, Rotary Downs, Joseph Huber, Waylon Speed, Tom Freund, Carolina Story, True North, The Pharmacy, Eight Dollar Mountain, and much, much more. Spread the word and post our Trail Mix link on your favorite social media outlet. Tell a friend and listen, listen, listen. And, of course, get out and buy some of this music. You’ll make your ears happy.
