Singer Songwriters Rarely Mentioned By Audiophiles
Grayson Capps 1st record If You Knew My Mind is a great record. He wrote Love Song for Bobby Long (Movie theme song) which was based on the novel Off Magazine Street by Everett Capps, his dad. Married to Trina Shoemaker, a recording engineer. https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=WZf0aZmN2pI |
Shane MacGowan Shane MacGowan with Sinead O’Connor - Haunted https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_q7307IWwr4 Legendary Bruce Springsteen chats about Shane MacGowan | The Late Late Show | RTÉ One https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rOlAxENYtpg The Great Hunger:The Life & Songs Of Shane MacGowan (Complete Version) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KOu6PbfLO1g |
Lots of good ones already nominated (particularly Iris Dement, a national treasure revered by other songwriters, including John Prine, Merle Haggard, and Emmylou Harris). One conspicuously missing is Julie Miller, wife and collaborator of Buddy Miller. Buddy is Emmylou’s guitarist, harmony singer, and bandleader, but doesn’t do much writing. When you’re as good at what you as is Buddy (including producing), you don’t need to. He and Julie's collaborative albums are fantastic, as are their individual solo albums. |
@millercarbon -- Thanks for jogging my memories regarding John Stewart. I received a cassette of "California Bloodlines" in exchange for doing a rate-the-record segment on an American Bandstand episode. Ya' shoulda' seen the yellow bellbottoms I was wearing...but the VHS tape I recorded the show on deconstructed years ago. Anyway, at first I thought the album was embarrassingly straight-arrow and cornball but I quickly grew to love it. I bought the LP when the cassette stretched itself out of existence (do you catch the semblance of a subplot in this post?). I bought every record the guy ever put out. I saw him play the Troubadour. He'd totally lost his voice by then but it was still a treat to see him live. Truly one of my favorite artists. |
Just a couple more because I don't know why they aren't being listened to by everyone. Maybe they are and I just don't know??? Frazey Ford - All of them U Kin B the Sun is my current go to for deep Bass. YouTube doesn't do it justice. https://youtu.be/IcWJmTSDJHU Sister Sparrow & the Dirty Birds. I prefer the earlier albums Shara Nova She spent 12 years with My Brightest Diamond https://youtu.be/QAhs-Yc250w |
John Stewart https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyqaAEwIhNI When your terrific audiophile suitable video has only 270 views you know you're "rarely mentioned". Yet he wrote the hits Daydream Believer (The Monkees), and Gold https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EQb48nj4Ys8 Not to mention one of the best unknown songs ever, Odin Spirit of the Water, with Linda Ronstadt on backing vocals! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-KV681yjUp4 |
@danager: "Pieta Brown: Freeway is a great album I don’t see her mentioned by audiophiles and have no idea whether she’s mainstream but she’s darn good." Yeah, well it's a common pattern. For example, there seem to many audiophiles whose familiarity with Jazz singers is entirely confined to Diana Kraal and Patricia Barber. |
@stuartk Thanks for the tip on Anna Tivel. I will check her out posthaste. Re McMurtry. While I could agree that his songs are not exactly shot through with happiness and optimism, I do not find him to be "decidedly cynical." In fact, we need more protest songs as vivid and strong as "We Can't Make It Here Anymore." That may not be what you have in mind, but we don't hear his work the same way, and that's fine, of course. |
@waltersalas: There's no doubt that J. McMurtry is highly skilled but, personally, I find his decidedly cynical viewpoint blunts my desire to listen to him more than just ocassionally. I'd strongly suggest you check out Anna Tivel if you admire "great little short stories". @inscrutable: FYI: I consider Tift Merrit and Kasey Chambers more mainsteam than those I listed. My aim was to highlight lesser-known artists. |
I saw Lindsay lou and flatbellies not too long ago at microbrewery in Michigan. The Ragbirds similar sound, also hail from Michigan. Some of the older artists meaningful to me. David Ackles, Eric Anderson, Mary Black, Chuck & Mary Perrin, Tim Hardin, Judy Henske, Ralph McTell, Phil Ochs, Sally Oldfield, Tom Paxton, Judy Rodrick, Dick Rosmini, Bridget St. John, Loudin Wainwright III, Robin Wlliamson, . Some newer are Richard Buckner, Terry Callier, Olivia Chaney, Iris DeMent, Mary Gauthier, Nanci Griffith. So many more, some of these may be somewhat more popular in folk/American circles, not as well known to general public. |
