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How Leslie Mándoki Escaped Communism and Formed a Simpatico Supergroup of Band Leaders
Leslie Mándoki escaped a repressive life behind the Iron Curtain in Hungary in the mid-1970s with the dream of working with some of the day’s great rock and jazz musicians. Fueled by his deter...
Blake Shelton Talks John Anderson Friendship, Turkey Hunting, and a Voice Like Home (Exclusive)
Blake Shelton grew up idolizing Country Music Hall of Fame inductee John Anderson. The little kid from Ada, Oklahoma, had no way of knowing that he would grow up to be touring partners and turkey...
Uprooting From Belarus to Los Angeles Led Molchat Doma to Fourth Album, ‘Belaya Polosa’
By 2020, Molchat Doma had released their breakout album, Monument (Монумент) before the world paused during the pandemic. During this time, the Belarusian synth-rock trio found their 2018...
K.K. Downing Reflects on Differences Between European and American Metal Fandom
Since returning to concert stages last year, guitarist K.K. Downing and his band K.K.’s Priest have rocked fans everywhere from ballrooms to festival stages. It’s been a welcome rebirth for t...
Abi Carter Reveals the Most “Unexpected Part” of Winnin...he “Pain and Happiness” Behind Her Debut Album (Exclusive)
From the moment Abi Carter secured her Golden Ticket to Hollywood with a haunting spin on Billie Eilish’s “What Was I Made For?” everyone knew she would be the next American Idol. Everyone,...
Watch: Ringo Starr Reveals Why Taylor Swift Is This Generation’s Beatlemania (Exclusive)
It’s hard to compete with the fervor and ubiquity of the Beatlemania movement of the 1960s, but former Beatles drummer Ringo Starr believes one modern artist has come close. And after all, who ...
Abstract Crimewave Collaborated with Chrissie Hynde on ‘S...,’ Then She Returned Years Later for “The Longest Night”
A past artistic collaboration has come full circle for bandmates Björn Yttling and Joakim Åhlund. Ten years ago, Chrissie Hynde released her first solo album Stockholm. She teamed up with up th...
Exclusive: Benjamin Tod Discusses His New Album ‘Shooting Star” What the Future Holds for Him, and More
Most fans know Benjamin Tod from his work in Lost Dog Street Band or his deeply personal acoustic solo albums. Today (October 18), though, he is officially beginning a new chapter of his solo car...
Exclusive: Marcus Hummon Turns to Emily Dickinson For New EP, Hear Debut Single
Hit songwriter Marcus Hummon found inspiration in an unexpected place when starting his most recent project – the prose of Emily Dickinson. Songs For Emily will be available on Nov. 15. Based o...
Exclusive: How Country Music Has Become the “Heartbeat” of ‘Fire Country’
The hottest show on TV is set to the beat of country music. CBS’ Fire Country has been heating up the airwaves for years now. Ahead of its season 3 premiere on Oct. 18, the show leaned into its...
https://americansongwriter.com/exclusive-how-country-music-has-become-the-heartbeat-of-fire-country/
Exclusive: Hear George Jones’ New Song “The Honky Tonk ...rs,” the First Single From ‘The Lost Nashville Sessions’
Nancy Jones remembers her husband, George Jones, walking around singing “The Honky Tonk Downstairs” all the time–especially when he’d had too much to drink. “‘Lord have mercy that son...
Gashi Reclaims an American Dream and Country Music on ‘Brooklyn Cowboy’
There was a time when rapper, singer, and songwriter Larry Gashi, known as Gashi, was living what he thought was his music and the American Dream. He landed a major label, relocated to Los Angele...
Exclusive: Julian Bunetta, Producer for Sabrina Carpenter a... Swims, Explains Nuanced Songwriting and Moving Between Genres
Julian Bunetta was born with music in his DNA. His father, Peter Bunetta, was a drummer who produced records for Smokey Robinson and Kenny G. His uncle, Al Bunetta, was John Prine’s longtime ma...
Celisse Returns to Pilgrimage Festival in Full Force, Talks Joni Mitchell, Whiskey, and Tour Plans (Exclusive)
Celisse made a return to Pilgrimage Festival after two years, playing the main stage alongside other great acts like Dave Matthews Band, Hozier, Noah Kahan, and NEEDTOBREATHE, among many others. ...
Exclusive: Hayes & The Heathens Say New Band is a Quirky, Funky Snowball
Americana engine Hayes Carll and gold-selling rock group The Band of Heathens unearthed unexpected musical camaraderie about a year ago when playing together in Luckenbach—a discovery that turn...
https://americansongwriter.com/exclusive-hayes-the-heathens-say-new-band-is-a-quirky-funky-snowball/
The Reklaws Deliver Musical Tribute to Late Mother on ‘Outliving (For Mom),’ Launch Flo Walker Stardust Fund
When the Reklaws first appeared on America’s Got Talent on June 11, 2024, the country duo, made up of brother and sister Stuart and Jenna Walker, used their audition to bring attention to menta...
Trailblazing Artist Shawna Virago Discusses Realities for ...ustry and Her Latest Album ‘Blood in Her Dreams’, and More
One could use many words to describe Shawna Virago. She’s a singer/songwriter, filmmaker, artist, trailblazer, activist, and much more. One of the first openly transgender artists, Virago has b...
Chicago’s Lee Loughnane on Releasing the Band’s Long-Lost 1971 Concert at the Kennedy Center
By 1971, Chicago had been together four years and had three consecutive hit albums from their 1969 debut Chicago Transit Authority, Chicago (1970), and Chicago III (1971). That year, Chicago was ...
Exclusive: JD Clayton Discusses His Groove-Heavy New Single “Let You Down” and the Evolution of His Sound
Fort Smith, Arkansas-based singer/songwriter JD Clayton has been on fire lately. He and his band have been touring nearly non-stop and he’s been releasing some of the best music of his career. ...
Why Myles Smith “Is the Future of Music”: From Social Media Origins to 2010s Nostalgia (Exclusive)
To the masses, it seems Myles Smith’s stardom happened overnight. Well, by the way of social media, that might be true. However, Smith’s journey from pubs to platform stages spans two decades...
NEEDTOBREATHE Play Their First Pilgrimage Festival, Talk Ph...py, Collaborations, and Who They’re Listening to (Exclusive)
NEEDTOBREATHE has been in the music business for almost 25 years, but they recently played their first Pilgrimage Festival in Franklin, Tennessee. Despite muddy and rainy conditions that weekend,...
Exclusive: Ashlie Amber Talks New EP ‘M.O.’ and Strivin...sn’t a Clear Path to Success for Artists Who Look Like Me”
Burgeoning Nashville-based country star Ashlie Amber is set to release her latest EP, M.O., on Friday (October 11). But here via American Songwriter, Amber shares the exclusive premiere of the ti...
American Songwriter Throwback: Music is First Priority for Dolly Parton
This article first appeared in the March/April 1999 issue of American Songwriter Magazine. Songs Are The Door To Parton’s Dreams The saying is that you can’t go home again, but Dolly Parton h...
Exclusive: ‘Yellowstone’ Star Luke Grimes Is Working With Carhartt To Celebrate Montana’s Bitterroot Valley Community
America knows him as Kayce Dutton on the neo-Western series Yellowstone or a budding country music phenomenon. But sometimes, Luke Grimes is just a Montana resident, shedding his TV star image an...
Mindy Gledhill Recconnects With Her Inner Child and Covers The Cranberries on New Album ‘The Phone Booth Sessions Vol. 1’
When Mindy Gledhill stepped into an old phone booth at an antique shop, she immediately knew what had to be done next. She purchased the vintage piece and transformed it into her recording box. T...
Charlie Worsham Talks Collaborating with Country Stars, Confirms New Album Is on the Way
Charlie Worsham has had an interesting career. The singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist gained early acclaim after his home state of Mississippi’s senate recognized him for his musical p...
American Songwriter Throwback: Robert Plant, Buddy Miller and Patty Griffin Dive Deep into ‘Band of Joy’
This article first appeared in the January/February 2011 issue of American Songwriter Magazine. A fiery orange color dominates the sky above Clearwater, Florida, as the sun begins its descent. Th...
Exclusive: Gavin DeGraw Talks 20 Years of “I Don’t Want...� Recording Timeless Songs and the Joy of Retiring His Parents
Two decades have passed since Gavin DeGraw released his seminal breakthrough smash of an album, Chariot, which prompted today’s middle-aged moms to drive around in their Saturns screaming the w...
Jamestown Revival Duo Explain How Louis L’Amour Stories Have Inspired Their Songwriting
Texas roots rock/Americana group Jamestown Revival co-wrote the score to the Tony Award-winning Broadway musical The Outsiders, a late-‘60s period piece about class friction and teen warfare af...
Watch: Vince Gill Recalls Kris Kristofferson Flying Helicop... Johnny Cash’s House to Hand-Deliver a Demo Tape (Exclusive)
Country music lost legendary singer, songwriter, and storyteller Kris Kristofferson on September 28. Kristofferson had been in declining health for years and passed away peacefully at his home in...