Oh, hallelujah!
Like so many contemporary Americana singers, Parker Millsap, our featured artist on this March edition of Trail Mix, got his start in church. The Oklahoma singer, whose work is tinged with strains of folk, gospel, and blues, grew up singing hymns in his family’s Pentencostal congregation.
Such Sunday practice certainly paid dividends, as Millsap brings a soul and passion to his craft that is rarely found outside a Southern church. Check out “Pining,” fresh from his brand new record, The Very Last Day, on this month’s mix.
A particularly interesting tune on this month’s mix comes from The Black Canyon Gang, a group – prior to a couple weeks ago – that I had never heard of. Their song, “Lonesome City,” is a part of the soon to be released Wayfaring Strangers:Cosmic American Music, a collection of nineteen vintage country songs recorded between 1968 and 1980 that, prior to today, really never saw the light of day. Each song on this record comes from a band with an incredible story; groups of friends who just got together to make music and bands who had big dreams but flopped, were swindled and scammed or outright ignored.
Few voices have been as poignant as those of Lucinda Williams, who is featured this month in our magazine, and Grant Lee Phillips, long time front man for Grant Lee Buffalo, in Americana music over the last few decades. Trail Mix is happy to include tunes from these two iconic singers.
Brand new songs from The Cave Singers, Judah & The Lion, Allen Stone, The Suitcase Junket, Frank Solivan & Dirty Kitchen, and Eli West highlight one of the deepest and most eclectic mixes we have been lucky enough to feature.
Also featured this month are new tracks from Johnny Boyd, The Haymarket Squares, Trevor Green, Tim McNary, Dead Winter Carpenters, Carter Tanton, and Brett Harris.
Simply too much great stuff bundled up into the mix this month!
Be sure to stay tuned to the Trail Mix blog, too. On tap are chats with Caleb Caudle, The Hip Abduction, and The Pines.
And, as always, make sure to go out and purchase some of these records or seek out these great bands when they come to a stage in, or near, your town. Thank them for sharing their music with us on Trail Mix.
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