Each month we visit with a member of the community to find out what music they've been digging.
I'm still waiting for this year's song of the summer, but in the meantime, I've been listening to artists I've recently seen perform live. I'm a longtime fan of the Avett Brothers (from my home state of North Carolina!) and I went nuts over the video for "Country Kid," the second single from their new, self-titled album. It's such a nostalgic taste of growing up in small-town Carolina. And I adore Sierra Ferrell's Trail of Flowers. Her "American Dreaming" hits me in the heart every time, and "Dollar Bill Bar" is another example of her fantastic songwriting and extraordinary voice. She's the real deal! They played a double bill at Albany's MVP Arena in May and turned it into an intimate space with their off-the-charts performances.
Another great artist I saw recently is Orville Peck; he's got an amazing voice and his new album of duets, Stampede, is fantastic. A highlight is his duet with Willie Nelson, "Cowboys are Frequently Secretly Fond of Each Other," written by my ol' pal Ned Sublette back in 1981. Willie recorded it in 2005, and Peck sang it at Willie's 90th birthday concert at the Hollywood Bowl last year. Willie loved Orville's version and suggested they cut a duet—which kicked off what became Stampede. Another choice cut is his slow-burning collaboration with Allison Russell, "Chemical Sunset." Speaking of Willie Nelson, his new album (his 152nd!), The Border, is superb, with a killer title track. I can't wait to see the 91-year-old onstage for the third summer in a row, with his Outlaw Country Festival—this year at Bethel Woods with a few pals you may have heard of: Bob Dylan, Robert Plant, and Allison Krauss. You'll see me there, up front!
