|
|
"Bob Harris is a legend. Pure and simple. he has one of the most recognisable voices on
National radio and his 'Bob Harris Presents' shows are still the 'Holy Grail' of radio shows for
acts old and new. His tireless promotion of new acts is second to none. Other than the late, great John Peel, there aren't many people that lay claim to breaking as many bands through to the mainstream consciousness as Bob Harris. From the now legendary 'Whistle Test' TV shows through to his equally revered radio shows, when Bob gives his support to an artist, the public listen. Which is where the new 'Bob Harris Presents' comes in. Alongside the household names, such as John Prine, Billy Joe Shaver and Alison Krauss there are incredible tracks from new artists that Bob has been championing on his show. Whether it's the New Orleans drawl of Grayson Capps, or the plaintive Alana Levandoski, the lyrical genius of Todd Snider, this album captures the essence of the Americana genre." |
| Todd Snider - Vinyl Records
|
|
John Prine - Glory Of True Love
From the Grammy-winning ‘Fair & Square’ album, this is John Prine at this best. ‘I didn’t expect to be up here’ he said when collecting his award. ‘All the other nominees are at home in my record collection’. |
Tracy Bonham - Something Beautiful
Co-produced by Tracy Bonham and Greg Collins (U2/Matchbox 20) and featuring Mitchell Froom on piano, ‘Something Beautiful’ is the tour-de-force from Tracy’s third album, released in 2005. |
Ray Wylie Hubbard - Beauty Way
Ray Wylie Hubbard is a Texas legend. ‘Delirium Tremolos’ was released in 2005. Produced by Gurf Morlix, the album features a stunning cast of lone-star musicians, including Slaid Cleaves, James McMurtry, Jack Ingram and Eliza Gilkyson, who co-wrote this song. |
Kathleen Edwards - Back To Me
Lyrically brilliant and musically dynamic, Kathleen Edwards is the spearhead of an exciting new generation of outstanding Canadian musicians. ‘Back To Me’ is the follow-up to her debut album ‘Failer’, described by ‘Rolling Stone’ magazine as ‘… the arrival of a rare talent’. |
James McMurtry - Childish Things
Steven King describes James McMurtry as ‘the truest, fiercest songwriter of his generation’. Voted ‘Album of the Year’ at the 2006 Americana Music Awards, the brilliant ‘Childish Things’ spent eight weeks at No.1 on R&R’s Americana Music Radio Chart in 2005 and 2006. |
Grayson Capps - Wail & Ride
‘I write songs which have the voice of dead prophets masquerading as town drunks screaming ‘look at us we’re pretty too!’ Some people call me a preacher others a poet, a singer, a guitar player, a landscaper, but I am only an actor strutting and fretting across the stage’. |
Sarah Harmer - I Am Aglow
Reflecting the environment of Sarah Harmer’s childhood, ‘I’m A Mountain’ was recorded at the end of a two-week musical journey, rock climbing, caving, hiking and performing in theatres and halls along the Bruce Trail of the Niagara Escarpment in Southern Ontario. |
Patty Griffin - Top Of The World 
(Patty Griffin. Almo Music Corp, One Big Love Music / ASCAP) Signed by Dave Matthews to his ATO label in 2000, Patty Griffin is now established among the finest and most sensitive writers of her generation. ‘Top of the World’ was recorded by the Dixie Chicks on their album ‘Home’. |
Slaid Cleaves - Wishbones
Described as ‘…a richly detailed exploration of life’s darker corners where still a ray of hope somehow shines…’, ‘Wishbones’ hit the chart at No.1 in 2004, becoming the Americana Chart album of the year. Co-written by Ray Wylie Hubbard, the title song showcases Slaid Cleaves’ laconic, narrative style. |
Alecia Nugent
Blurring the edges between Country and Bluegrass, ‘A Little Girl…a big four-lane’ brings ‘a touch of the hills, a touch of Nashville and a touch of the torch singer’. What’s more, ‘When It Comes Down To Us’ boasts one of the longest music-publisher credits in history. |
Hayes Carll - Wish I Hadn't Stayed So Long
‘Shooting stars and whiskey bottles all scattered cross the yard…’ Wow! I was hooked from the first line of the first Hayes Carll song I ever heard. ‘Wish I Hadn’t Stayed So Long’ is the opening track of ‘Little Rock’, my favourite album of 2005. |
Alana Levandoski - Don't You Remember
Known as the ‘it’ girl of Canadian roots music, Alana is a wonderfully warm, thoughtful and expressive artist from rural Western Canada. ‘Don’t You Remember’ is from Alana’s beautiful debut album ‘Unsettled Down’. Americana-light. |
Eve Selis - The Ballad Of Kate Morgan
I introduced an evening with Eve Selis at the Soul Café in Maidstone, UK a while back, which instantly went into my top 10 gigs of all time. Featuring the top-deck guitar playing of Marc‘Twang’ Intravaia and ‘Cactus’ Jim Soldi (Johnny Cash band), she was sensational. ‘The Ballad of Kate Morgan’ is a mainstay of her live set. |
Billy Joe Shaver - Freedom's Child
Recently inducted into the Texas Country music Hall of Fame, Billy Joe Shaver is another legendary troubadour. ‘In Nashville, they consider me a Texas guy. But I just move around a lot, so yeah, I guess I’m kinda an outsider. I’d call what I do down-home, Americana, blue collar. Sounds like country, doesn’t it?’ |
Chris Knight - Saved By Love
You can always tell when somebody really means it and for my money Chris Knight is up there with Bruce Springsteen, Steve Earle and Robert Earl Keen. This is a lighter song from his gritty ‘Enough Rope’ album, produced by Gary Nicholson and mastered by Ray Kennedy. |
Alison Krauss - Stay
‘Stay’ is the beautiful opening track from the 1999 Gold album ‘Forget About It’, since when Alison Krauss has become the Most Awarded Grammy female Artist in History. |
(Todd Snider.
Bro ‘n’ Sis Music / BMI, Keith Sykes Music)
(John Prine, Roger Cook. TommyJack Music / BMI, Lucky Four Music admin. Peer Music / BMI)
(Tracy Bonham, Gregg Wells, Marc Copely. Little Bon-Bon Music, Gary Wells Music / IRS Music / BMI,
Mlarcky Music)
(Eliza Gilkyson, Mark Andes. Gilky Songs / BMI, Sounds Like Music / ASCAP)
(Kathleen Edwards.)
(James McMurtry. Short Trip Music admin by Bug / BMI)
(Grayson Capps. Grey Sun Songs / BMI)
(Sarah Harmer. Pare Publishing, SOCAN / BMI)
(Slaid Cleaves, Ray Wylie Hubbard. Happy Valley Music, Magic Rat Music / BMI, Mt. Kharma Music /
ASCAP admin by Bug)
(Carl Jackson, Ray Kirkland. Colonel Rebel Music, Rushing Water Music, Kentucky Thunder Music /
ASCAP - Yankee Clipper Music, Lyrics Springs Music, Wandachord Music / BMI, admin by ICG-Lehsem Music LLC /
ASCAP – Lehsem Songs / BMI, admin by Music & Media International).
(Hayes Carll. Highway 87 Songs SESAC)
(Alana Levandoski. Brycemoor Music / SOCAN)
(Eve Selis, Marc Intravaia, Doug Crider, Jim Soldi. Lemonade & Whiskey Music / SESAC, I’ll
Take The Soup Music / SESAC, Lazy Kato Music / BMI, Sock Ray Blue Music / SESAC)
CD: ‘Freedom’s Child’. Compadre
(Chris Knight, Gary Nicholson. Enough Rope Music / ASCAP, Sony / ATV Cross Keys Publishing /
Gary Nicholson Music / ASCAP)
(Allyson Taylor, Larry Byrom. Indigo Sky Music Publishing, ASCAP-Nehiamiahs Wall / BMI)
