News - May 1, 2010
I just posted a new blog - "NotSXSW 2010: Grilled Squid, Kids on Sheep, & the Siberian Express." Go to No Depression to read it......Me and the Long Gone Daddys will finish recording our next CD, "Another Lost Highway" in the next month or two. It'll be released on Cow Island next February..............The Stone River Boys, Dave Gonzalez and Mike Barfield's new band, are on Cow Island Music ! Their first CD, "Love On The Dial," will be officially released by Cow Island on May 18, 2010. Pre-order it from Amazon ! ...
Posted: May 01, 2010
News - January 27, 2010
New CD !...........Me and the Long Gone Daddys recently began recording our next CD. It'll be titled "Another Lost Highway," and will include 12 new original tunes. We're expecting to finish recording around June 2010, and the cd will be released on Cow Island Music shortly thereafter. Stay tuned for more details ! Baltimore Sun Article .....................Sam Sessa wrote a real nice article about me in the Baltimore Sun on Jan 14. To read the story, go here. ..................."Kindly Keep it Country" Theme Song........Our good friend Joe Angel from Texas has made "Church on Saturday Night" (from our recording "Montgomery on My Mind: The Hank EP") the theme song for his radio show, "Kindly Keep it Country." It's on KEOS 89.1 FM, College Station/Bryan, TX, Saturday mornings from 7 AM - 9 AM (central time). For more details, go here. ..........Youtube Video from 11/09 KNON Dallas Radio Show & Gig.........I played a benefit concert for KNON in Dallas, TX this past November. (Justin Kolb joined me on upright bass). I also spent some time on KNON with my buddy Mark Mundy, the Friday afternoon DJ. Allen Hare, another friend from Dallas, posted a bunch of video he took of the radio show and gig on youtube. The link to all 7 videos is here. ...
Posted: February 18, 2010
News - December 4, 2009
News - December 4, 2009 Bid on a Songwriting Session !.....As part of their Holiday Helper Auction, WTMD (Towson University Radio) is auctioning off a one-on-one songwriting session with that "Arty Hill" character. Auction ends in about 6 days. There's a pretty healthy bidding war going on right now, so help support WTMD by clicking here and joining the fray...................Coal Country CD Now Available !....The companion CD to the documentary "Coal Country," is now available on Amazon. It includes the song "Beat on the Mountain," composed by me and Jason Ringenberg and performed by Jason & the Scorchers, as well as songs by Willie Nelson, John Prine, Ralph Stanley, and others. (The DVD and companion book are also available). To get your copy, go here ............Review......Great new review of Back on the Rail - I can honestly say we've never gotten one quite this surreal ........Green Hill Farm Photos.......Some wonderful photos of our Green Hill Farm gig taken by Tacy Judd (friend of pedal steel player, Lynn Kasdorf). ...
Posted: December 04, 2009
News - November 11, 2009
Cow Island Music recently inked a deal with Ford Sync and Napster to put "Church on Saturday Night," an original tune from our latest cd, on some pre-loaded sound systems in Ford Trucks sold in Texas. To read more about the Sync, go here......."Montgomery on My Mind," our latest, cd is # 1 on the Freeform American Roots (FAR) Chart for the month of October 2009 (we debuted at #3 last month). Here's the current FAR Chart Top 10, with my labelmates the Starline Rhythm Boys at # 7...............We also got a couple nice reviews: John Conquest of 3rd Coast Music Magazine says: "...this is a short album, but with Arty Hill, anyone into Real Country should be happy with anything they can get—there are times when he reminds me of Don Walser, and you can’t say any fairer than that....Hill is currently setting the bar for male country singers. (John Conquest, 3rd Coast Music Magazine, October 2009). (complete review not available online)................Country Standard Time says: "Making a tribute album to Hank Williams could be career suicide, but Arty Hill and His Long Gone Daddys pull off their eight song homage with solid vocals great picking and most of all, a ton of respect." Read the complete review here............My Favorite Drinking Songs (all of which, for some as-yet-undetermined reason, involve intermperate women) were recently featured in my buddy Mike Smith's "Lonesome, Onry, and Mean" blog. Read it here ..............And here's some new video from a solo show I did in Easton, MD a few weeks ago, edited and posted by my friend Cecile Davis: Church on Saturday Night, Jackson Shake, Drifting In....
Posted: November 11, 2009
News - July 17, 2009
"Montgomery on My Mind: The Hank EP"...........That's the title of our latest CD, to be released by Cow Island Music in September 2009. (For a description and track listing, see my June 9, 2009 news posting in the archive). Hear a sample of the lead-off track, "Church on Saturday Night," on the Cow Island myspace page: www.myspace.com/cowislandmusic. CD release party is at the Creative Alliance in Baltimore on October 23, 2009, with me and the Long Gone Daddys, Noble Lake (featuring lead singer/songwriter James Saarsgard and members of Wye Oak) and The Hello Strangers (sister duo and their band from Mercersburg, PA). In the meantime, please check the schedule for other upcoming shows.............Cow Island's re-Release of our 2005 CD "Back on the Rail" has been in the Freeform American Roots Chart's Top 20 for three consecutive months now. We've also gotten a bunch of kind reviews. From Rambles.net: "They're one fabulous band, and Hill is a 'billy singer who delivers the narrative -- sad, bitter, wry, humorous or odd -- with absolute authority. He is, moreover, a country songwriter of the first order. As a traditionalist in an age when mainstream "country" has devolved into an instantly disposable substance, he may be out of time, but he's never out of rhyme." .........From Country Standard Time: "Drenched in sawdust-on-the-floor feeling and smartly sequenced, this entertaining release is what country music used to be all about.".....From Vintage Guitar Magazine: "Vocally, Hill is perfect for these songs. "The 'everyman' quality of his voice is reminiscent of Johnny Cash, and has the integrity and skill to convey lyrics ranging from funny and silly ("I Ate Through the Jail") to an interracial romance love story that didn't sit well with locals ("Tammerlane"). This disc should catch a larger audience [.]".....From Jumping from 6 to 6: "This is what country music should be: real music by real people for real folks."......... Jason Ringenberg and I recently co-wrote a coal mining tune called "Beat on the Mountain." Jason & the Scorchers recorded it for their next CD, "Halcyon Times," due out in 2010, and it's been included in a new documentary, "Coal Country," directed by Mari-Lynn Evans (who directed "The Appalachians" a few years back). It will be screened in several cities in the upcoming months, and air on PBS next November. A companion CD and book will also be released. Go here to see a trailer: http://www.coalcountrythemovie.com/.....Take care - Arty. ...
Posted: July 17, 2009
News - June 9, 2009
Cow Island Music’s reissue of our 2005 CD, “Back on the Rail,” debuted at #15 on the Freeform American Roots (FAR) Chart last month, and is now up to #9 ! Check out the latest FAR chart at: http://www.tcmnradio.com/far/.......................... Me and the Long Gone Daddys are finishing up our latest recording project, “Montgomery On My Mind: The Hank EP.” Mixing and mastering will be complete in about 2 weeks. Here’s the track listing: 1. Church on Saturday Night 2. Pan American 3. I Can't Help It (If I'm Still In Love With You) 4. I'm A Long Gone Daddy 5. Don's Bop 6. Lovesick Blues 7. Take These Chains From My Heart 8. Montgomery on My Mind.....Tracks 1, 5 and 8 are originals. The rest were either written or made famous by the great Hank Williams. The CD will be released by Cow Island music in September.................I played some very fun gigs in Austin in late May, as well as our first 2 Step Dance in Baltimore at the Creative Alliance last week. It was a beautiful sight to see our 2 Step teacher, June Renner, teaching 100 folks how to dance ! Me and the LGDs had a great time, and are looking forward to the next dance, slated for October. I’ll be back in Texas, Boston and NYC this summer. Hope to see you soon ! Arty...
Posted: June 09, 2009
Not SXSW Trip
Not SXSW Blog Wednesday, March 18, 2009 - Our evening flight from BWI to Austin was delayed, but while we waited we had a nice chat with Buddy Miller's ex-wife, Gail, who was also headed to Austin. She is a very nice gal with a great spirit ! She said Buddy is recovering from his recent heart attack and is doing well........We arrived in Austin at about 10 PM and went to Kerby Lane on S. Lamar for a late dinner. We ran into my Austin bandmate, Brennen Leigh, www.myspace.com/brennenleigh , and Noel McKay of the McKay Brothers, www.myspace.com/mckaybrothersband , who joined us. Despite the fact that it was after midnight (last call at Kerby Lane), the guy who seated us brought me a beer. I will be forever in his debt !! ....................Thursday March 19, 2009 - I got up around 7:30 AM, got myself together, warmed up my voice as much as I could, and went to KOOP radio for an on-air spot. Rod Moag and Ted Branson were the hosts - great guys both ! With a superfine Larivee acoustic guitar borrowed from my friend Billy Brent Malkus of the Texas Sapphires, I sang "Wreck of a Man" (from "Bar of Gold") and "Church on Saturday Night" (a tune I wrote for our upcoming Hank Williams tribute EP). ..................Jane had some work to do, so me and my buddy Jack O'Dell, www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=367051564 (in town to play with his current bandleader, Bill Kirchen, http://www.myspace.com/billkirchen , and to sit in on three of my gigs) tooled around town a little. We walked to a Tex-Mex place on Congress (across the bridge) for lunch, where Jane eventually met us. After lunch, Jane went back to work some more, so me and Jack went to Quincy's, a little boutique guitar shop between Riverside and South Congress. I went there to play a Collings I-35 (here's a photo: http://www.collingsguitars.com/Instruments/?ID=36 ). Man, was it nice !! I held back, though, and got out before it was too late. ...............Eventually we got packed up and made our way out to Giddyup's, in Mancheka, http://www.giddyups.com/ , for our gig. Jane handled the merch all weekend, btw, and did a great job. We just had "Arty Hill & the Pearl Dusters" shirts printed, and the merch bag, full of those and cds, was pretty dang heavy ! .................We got there a couple hours early to hear Mike Stinson, a Virginia honky tonk singer based in LA (www.mikestinson.net/ ). He's really good, a heck of a lyricist, and he and his quartet played an excellent set. His Tele player, Dave Gleason, (http://www.dave-gleason.com/ ) was phenomenal !! After they were through, Mike sat and talked with me and Jack for about 45 minutes. He's a very cool guy ! ........................Me and the Pearl Dusters went on at 9 PM. The band was comprised of Jack on drums, Brennen Leigh on rhythm guitar and vocals, Justin Kolb on bass, www.myspace.com/39997020 , and Burton Lee on pedal steel, www.myspace.com/burtonlee . Folks seemed to like our set a lot, and we had some dancers. Someone requested Merle Haggard's "Silver Wings" before we went up, so we played that one. We also played Porter Wagoner's "A Satisfied Mind" for my freinds Don and Linda Valk, who live in Austin and were at the show. My friends Beth and Jeff Petty from the Hank Williams Museum were also there, http://www.thehankwilliamsmuseum.com/ , on their first trip to Austin, and having a great time. After we were through, we stayed and had a couple drinks, and I ate some of the very good barbeque made on premises. We closed out the night with Beth and Jeff at the G & S Lounge. ...................Friday, March 20, 2009 - We got up around 9 AM or so, went over to Dominican Joe's and got some coffee and muffins (they know how to make 'em over there). Jane went for a manicure - she invited me, but I passed. Me and Jack walked around a little then went to Guero's on South Congress for lunch. Then we went to Cavender's western wear. Jack got a shirt, and I got a pair of Justin cowboy boots. Jane says I'm becoming a boot whore, but I only have about 5 pair, so I think it's a little soon to start the name-calling. Then I drove Jack out to Buta, where Bill Penn lives. Bill does booking for Bill Kirchen, and was Jack's host for the rest of his trip. Bill has a lovely home, and makes a fine cup of coffee ! .........................As we were leaving Cavender's, I got a call and learned that I'd have no pedal steel player for my Saturday and Sunday gigs. Nobody's fault, just last minute stuff beyond our control. Brennen also called me and said she had been double-booked for that evening without her knowledge, and her name was on the printed schedule for the other gig (it wasn't for mine). So we agreed she should go ahead and do the other gig. .....................Me and Jane got cleaned up and went out to Opal Divine's www.opaldivines.com/ , a couple hours prior to our set. The bands were playing on the outdoor deck, and the place was packed. James Hand, www.jamesslimhand.com/ , was finishing up his set when we arrived. It's always great to hear James sing: he's one of the great living country singers, and his band - Will Indian, Johnny Mac, and Speedy Sparks - is a crack outfit. Bill Hunt, Cow Island music boss, www.myspace.com/cowislandmusic , was there with his lovely wife Marci. I also got to meet John Conquest, who is in charge of the whole Notsxsw thing, in person. Definitely a music man to his core, with a wicked (and merciless) sense of humor. ........................My labelmates the Dixons went on before us, www.myspace.com/thedixonshonkytonk , and did a great job. They had Austin guitar picker Bobby Horton, www.myspace.com/bobbyhorton, sitting in with them. He's a very talented player. I'm especially envious of anyone who can play so well with a thumbpick (I tried one once and almost put my eye out). ..................The Pearl Duster lineup was Jack and Justin, plus Nathan Fleming on pedal steel, www.myspace.com/oldnumberthree . Our set went over real well. We had a number of dancers. We also debuted "King of that Thing," a western swing tune I wrote about Nathan's formidable prowess on the pedal steel, and he tore it up ! My friends Mark Mundy and Diedre from KNON (Texas Renegade Radio, Dallas) were there, http://www.knon.org/index.php?id=262 . Mark and a couple other folks were shouting for us to close with "If You See Me Comin" (from "Bar of Gold"). They were shouting pretty loud, too. Now, I don't think Nathan and Justin have ever played that tune before, but they could have fooled me. They dug into it hard, and folks loved it ! ...............We hung around for a while, watched Jack play a thunderous set with Bill Kirchen, and had a few beers. My buddy William White, www.myspace.com/elvistcb , well-known Austin two-stepper and man-about-town, came up to me and started talking about a song idea he had. Wife cheats on husband, another fella knows about it, but vows not to tell. I said "You got a title ?" William said "Yeah: 'Victoria's Secret is safe with me.'" I said, "Dag, that's pretty good !" We talked about it a little, and I made some suggestions. ......................Then a bunch of us went to G & S again, this time to see Mike Stinson's set there (Bill Kirchen sat in - it was killer !). I also got to meet Pamela Des Barres, http://www.pameladesbarres.com/ , who was there with Mike. She was very nice (and very easy on the eyes...). I complimented her on the liner notes she wrote for the recently unearthed live Burritos show, http://www.amazon.com/Gram-Parsons-Archive-Vol-Ballroom/dp/B000W1V8DU/ref=pd_lpo_k2_dp_k2a_1_img?pf_rd_p=304485601&pf_rd_s=lpo-top-stripe-2&pf_rd_t=201&pf_rd_i=B000002LKH&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=1Q1GQTDTTFP0A76PWG10 , which is, of course, the obvious thing to do when you meet Pamela Des Barres. She is a true blue and very knowledgeable fan of country music ! And she was there when it happened, so I guess she oughta know... .............Saturday, March 21, 2009 - We got up around 9 AM, and I had a revelation about William's "Victoria's Secret" song idea. Was it the last Lone Star I had before bed, or shaking Pamela Des Barres's hand ? Either way, I got out a pad and pen and wrote most of the tune. Jane got dressed before I finished, so we to Dominican Joe's for coffee, and I took my pad and paper with me in my knapsack. We sat down and she said "Do you need to be alone with whatever you're working on ?" I said "No" (which I think was the right answer). We finished our coffee, Jane went for a massage, and I went back to the room and pretty much finished the song. ................Around noon I met Bill and Marci Hunt for brunch at Guero's. We did a post-mortem on the Opal's gig, and wondered how in the heck folks were dealing with the setup at G & S (small room, brutal for the audience if you played loud). I concluded that I'd use a smaller amp setup, and we'd play quieter than usual. ......................I went with Bill and Marci to Cheapo's record store to watch the Dixon's in-store, which was excellent. I also picked up a couple cool cds: "The Hot Guitars of Biller and Wakefield," http://www.amazon.com/Hot-Guitars-Biller-Wakefield/dp/B00000I8XC ; a used copy of "Strange Fruit," alternate takes from Billie Holiday's Commodore recordings (which was a major-league steal at $9), http://www.amazon.com/Strange-Fruit-Alternate-Billie-Holiday/dp/B000059RT1/ref=sr_1_12?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1238125269&sr=1-12 ; and the Collector's Choice reissue of the Bob Wills Tiffany Transcriptions, which is remastered and housed in 10 very cool digipaks with the original album art on the covers, http://www.amazon.com/Tiffany-Transcriptions-Wills-Texas-Playboys/dp/B001LDRP26/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=music&qid=1238125508&sr=1-1 .........................My now-cowriter William White was at the Dixons gig, and joined Jane me us for lunch near Cheapo's. Then we went to Roadhouse Rags, www.myspace.com/roadhouserags , to see the Texas Sapphires' set, http://www.myspace.com/thetexassapphires . To say they killed would be putting it mildly - it may just be the best set I've ever heard them play ! Billy Brent and Rebecca were singing great, and the band (Justin Kolb, Slimbawb on steel, and Scott Matthews on drums) was absolutely kicking. They closed with my tune "Nashville Moon," which they do so well they've got me thinking somebody else wrote it... ...............We went back to the room. Jane took a nap, and I wrote charts for some newer tunes - "Church on Saturday Night," "Big Drops of Trouble," "Halfway House" - and for "Victoria's Secret is Safe With Me." I also called around in hopes of finding a steel player, but no luck. ...................We got to G & S about 90 minutes early. Saw the tail end of Ruthie & the Wranglers' set www.myspace.com/ruthieandthewranglers (very cool - with special guests Jack O'Dell on drums and monster picker Jim Stringer on guitar http://www.myspace.com/jimstringergeetar ). While I was wandering around G & S (it's kinda big), the Dixons' guitarist, Chris Hartway, appeared. I hadn't seen him around the last couple days, and he said he'd been on tour with his other band, The Defibulators www.myspace.com/thedefibulators . I said "Does Justin still play fiddle with you ?" I had played with Justin Smith at a Hank tribute at the Rodeo Bar a couple years earlier, and really liked his playing. He said "Yeah." I said "Where is he ?" He I found him outside, explained that I was down a steel player and asked if he wanted to sit in with us. He agreed. Justin and Brennen arrived and I went over the new tunes with them, and gave them the charts. We watched the last half of the Dixons set, then we went on. ........................The Pearl Dusters than night were Jack, Justin Kolb, Brennen, and Justin Smith on fiddle (who, btw, had never heard a single one of my original tunes). Justin Smith was phemonenal, from first note to last - the audience loved his playing ! We played, among others, "Church on Saturday Night" (which only Jack and I had ever played) and "Big Drops of Trouble" (which no one in the band had ever played). The band nailed both. Brennen sang Billy Dee's tune "What'll I Do," which will be on her upcoming CD. She does a fantastic job with that one. Toward the end of the set, I told the story about William and "Victoria's Secret," and we played the tune. It sounded great - Jack even sang harmony on the chorus ! The whole thing made me realize how lucky I am to play with such great musicians. It's tough to do stuff on the fly like that, but when you have the right players and it all comes together, there's nothing like it ! ........................After our set, we went to Ginny's to see Heybale, www.myspace.com/heybaletheband . This was the musical highlight of the weekend for me. I've played a gig with their excellent drummer, Tom Lewis, but I've never seen the band live. Redd Volkaert is, of course, the best Tele player on the planet. Then there's Earl Poole Ball, who was Johnny Cash's long-time piano player, and Gary Claxton, one of my favorite country singers (there was an excellent sub for Kevin Smith on bass). Man, what a band !! They did a scorching version of Willie's "Bloody Mary Morning," a killer "Apartment Number 9," and a version of "C'est la Vie" that had Jane shaking it like no one was watching (but believe me, the whole bar was...). ...........................Sunday, March 22, 2009 - We slept till about 10:30 AM, thank God. I met Bill and Marci for brunch at Guero's (if it ain't broke, don't fix it). Marci's first question to me was "You're bringing that fiddle player tonight, right ?" to which I replied, "Apparently so." I called Justin Smith and he said he was available for my gig that night at Nutty Brown. I also found a steel player - Joel Weinstein, who plays with another fine Austin singer, Weldon Henson, http://www.myspace.com/weldonhenson . Also stopped out to the Brookly Country Cookout and saw the Dixons' fine set. ......................Eventually I drove out to Nutty Brown www.nuttybrown.com/ , where we were playing that night, to check out the setup. Two stages - we were playing on the parking lot stage. When I got there, Shotgun Party was finishing their set, www.myspace.com/shotgunfiesta , and Leo Rondeau was starting his, www.myspace.com/leorondeau . Both bands sounded very good, as did James Intveld, who was playing the main stage, http://www.myspace.com/jamesintveld . It was mighty windy out there, though, and the dust was flying. I drove back to the hotel to get dressed and pick up Jane, then we went back to Nutty Brown. We caught Ruby Dee & the Snakehandlers' set - cool stuff ! http://www.myspace.com/rubydeeandthesnakehandlers ......................The Pearl Dusters that night were Justin Kolb, Justin Smith, Brennen Leigh, Joel Weinstein, and Karen Biller on drums http://www.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewProfile&friendID=288698086 . This was the first time I'd ever played with Karen, and it sure was a treat ! We played Bar of Gold about 2-3 songs into the set. By the time we got a few measures, she dropped into about the deepest country shuffle I've ever sung over - all the blood rushed out of head and into my socks !! The whole band grooved great, and there were a bunch of couples dancing in the parking lot, kicking up lots of dust. Despite the fact that it was almost pitch dark, the wind was blowing like a sonofagun, and I couldn't hear very much on stage...I'm not sure how we made it through, but folks seemed to like it anyways ! .........................We got on the plane around 7:30 the next morning to come home. We were late and my Tele had to go through baggage (!!!!!) but arrived in Baltimore unharmed. Kinda like me. I can't ask for any more than that. Arty ...
Posted: March 28, 2009
February 28, 2009 - Hank Williams Tribute !
Here's some more details on the Hank Tribute: Tickets: $16, $14 mbrs & stus. Show starts a 8 PM. Members’ Happy Hour 7pm w/ munchies, $2 drinks & priority seating. ..................Eddie Macintosh - I was thrilled to get Eddie, lead singer of Baltimore rockabilly champs The Garnet Hearts, www.myspace.com/thegarnethearts, for the show. Anyone who has heard the GHs knows Eddie is a great singer, and one of the best rockabilly/country songwriters around. Me and him had a long discussion about Hank one night at the Ottobar (which I sorta remember...) and there's no doubt that Eddie has more than a little Hank in his heart.............Glen Moomau - West Virginia-born Glen Moomau is usually seen fronting his blues band The Blue Flames. He's a master of 50s-style Chicago blues harp who sings in an intense, growling baritone. I thought it was appropriate to have a blues singer on this bill. Hank learned guitar from a Greenville, AL street singer named Rufus "Tee-Tot" Payne, and all Hank's music is infused with the blues. I rehearsed with Glen last Sunday, and man, he sounds great ! His version of "Move it on Over" made me want to go break some stained glass............The Hello Strangers - While spending a weekend in Mercersburg, PA last year, me and Jane met up with Brechyn Chase. We talked a little, and found out that she and her sister, Larissa Smith, have a group called the Hello Strangers, www.myspace.com/thehellostrangers. (Any group named after a Carter Family song is cool with me !). When I got back home, I looked them up on myspace. Their original tune "Pregnant in Jail" just floored me ! The HSs spent some time playing in Austin, too, and it sure shows in their soulful singing. They're excited to come to Baltimore and sing some of their favorite Hank tunes, including a version of "I'm So Lonesome I Could Cry" which is sure to raise some goosebumps ! ....................Nick Beaudoing - Nick is lead singer of the Doc Marshalls, www.myspace.com/thedocmarshalls, a superb NYC-based alt-country band. Their latest CD, "Honest for Once," tore up the Nashville-based AMA (Americana Music Assoc.) chart in 2008, and they played lots of successful shows around the country, including a tour of Texas. Nick is a fine songwriter and accordian player, and he's equally at home with both country and Cajun music. He's gonna play a set of his favorite Hank tunes, and also join Glen Moomau on a version of "Jambalaya" ! ........................Lindy Loo, your Hillbilly Hostess - Lindy is originally from Kansas, and now entertains audiences in NYC with her homespun humor, fine voice, and unparalleled hostessing skills. I've done a few shows with Lindy now, and there's nobody I'd rather have running the show !.............Arty Hill & the Long Gone Daddys - We'll be backing up all the singers, and playing a few tunes ourselves. We're currently working on our Hank Williams tribute CD, so we'll preview a couple of original tunes that'll be on the CD, plus a couple of our favorite Hank numbers, including Pan American and at least one yodel tune ! ................Last but not least, GET YOUR TICKETS IN ADVANCE ! The Creative Alliance is an intimate venue, and there's a good chance the show will sell out. To order tickets, go to: http://www.creativealliance.org/events/eventItem1656.html and click on the appropriate link............Hope to see you there ! ...
Posted: February 12, 2009
News - January 8, 2008
2008 "Best of" Lists......The Freeform American Roots (FAR) Chart year-end lists are out, and man, are we thrilled ! Me and the Long Gone Daddys made the top 10 in 4 categories, the most categories for any artist ! Album of the Year (#5, Bar of Gold), Best Male Artist (#7, Arty Hill), Best Group (#7, Arty Hill & the Long Gone Daddys), and Best Songwriter (# 4, Arty Hill). Meanwhile, my record label, Cow Island Music, owned and operated by Mr. Bill Hunt, was voted 1 in the "Best in Industry" category, and other CI acts (Starline Rhythm Boys, The Dixons) made strong showings, too. A big thanks to all the DJs who voted for us , and all the folks who came to shows and bought our CDs this year !.......(To read more about the FAR Chart, go to www.tcmnradio.com/far).....We also made the Bus of Real Country's Top 10 list(http://blog.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=blog.ListAll&friendID=56971486), and the Top 20 list of Bill Frater at KRCB in Santa Rosa, CA (http://FreightTrainBoogie.com). Thanks Jan & Bill !.......Radio Interview: I'll be a special guest on The Bedtime Snack Show Tuesday, January 13th at 11 PM EST, on 91.3, The Summit, Akron, OH. To listen live go to www.913thesummit.com. The interviews were recorded in November 2008 at the Kent Stage in Kent Ohio. ...
Posted: January 08, 2009
News Update - November 26, 2008
Had a great trip to Nashville and Montgomery a couple weeks ago. Ike Jonson sat in with me at Norm's in Nashville, and the audience included Scorcher Warner E. Hodges and his wife Debbie, and my friends Jeff and Beth Petty from the Hank Williams Museum. Nathan Bell did a great job opening the show......Played Goat Hill Tavern in Montgomery the following night, which is fast becoming one of my favorite gigs. Andy Norman, simply one of the best country singers around, sat in, and we traded off classic country tunes, including some of our favorite Keith Whitley numbers. Don Lynch, the old "Alabama Cat," played pedal steel with me on both gigs, and just tore it up........Bus of Real Country has been playing "If You See Me Comin'" from Bar of Gold lately, and I think we made their Top 20. They've also been playing Miss Leslie's "In the Matter of Me and You" from her latest CD, Between the Whiskey and the Wine. Man, is that great tune !...Go here to find out more about Bus of Real Country ........My buddy Jason Ringenberg's video "It's a Farmer Jason," which has been playing on Nashville Public television this year, got an Emmy Nomination ! Go here to read about all the NPT Nominees .....More Cool Music for your Christmas List !...This year Time Life put "Legends of the Grand Old Opry: Loretta Lynn Live," which includes cuts from 1963-67. It's phenomenal - Loretta's in a class by herself, that's for sure. There's a 2006 DVD called "Smokey Robinson and the Miracles: the Definitive Performances" that has classic tv performances, extensive new interviews, and acapella audio versions (they pull out the band tracks) of Smokey's big hits. Well worth buying ! Bear Family's second Merle Haggard box set, "Hag: The Studio Recordings 1969-76" is not only full of great music, but Deke Dickerson's liner notes are some of the best I've ever read - in fact, I'm probably gonna read them again, just to make sure I didn's miss anything.......Happy Turkey Day, folks ! ...
Posted: November 27, 2008
News- October 20, 2008 - Austin, Hank EP, & T-Shirts !
Hey Folks, Just got back from a great weekend in Austin. Friday night I sat in with Brennen Leigh's bluegrass band, the Fundamentalists. More murder ballads per square inch than I've heard in a while, and plenty of Jimmy Martin to sop up the blood with.........Brennen also joined me on Saturday at Ginny's, along with Nathan Fleming (steel), Justin Kolb (bass), and Ron Sherrod (drums). It went great, and I'll be back at Ginny's in January. .........As you can see from the schedule, I'm pretty busy in November (a couple gigs here in Baltimore, plus Nashville, Montgomery, and Kent, Ohio). But I'm taking December off to work on my next recording with the Long Gone Daddys: a Hank Williams tribute EP. It'll include 4 Hank tunes, plus 3 of my new originals: a song about the Opry ("Church on Saturday Night"), an instrumental ("Don's Bop"), and a song about Montgomery, Alabama ("Montgomery on my Mind"). We're hoping to finish recording by March 1. ..........In the meantime, I've got t-shirts for sale ! Black with gold lettering, "Arty Hill & the Long Gone Daddys" on front, and "Bar of Gold" (in small letters just below the neckline) on back. Soft organic cotton, $20 ($25 for XXL) plus shipping. Let me know if you'd like one and we'll get it in the mail. See you soon, Arty ...
Posted: October 22, 2008
August 25th- News
Played a few shows in Baltimore the last few weeks...great to see all our friends again ! I'm also in the process of booking shows in NYC, Nashville, and my hometown of Cambridge, MD.........Been playing a couple new tunes that'll be on the next record, including "Twelve Pack Morning." About 9 songs are written, I need to finish about 3 more, and we'll probably start recording in January 2009........Saw Kenny and Amanda Smith play two killer sets at the Gettysburg Bluegrass Festival last weekend, including their version of "Drive That Fast" ! (see below) My buds the Steep Canyon Rangers also played two A-1 sets that day, as did Dale Ann Bradley.......Just finished reading Robert Gordon's biography of Muddy Waters, "Can't Be Satisfied" - highly recommended......Right now I'm knee deep in my 12 CD Hank Thompson Box Set.......We'll be at the FREE Johnstown Folk Festival in Johnstown PA this weekend, Sunday from 4-6 PM. Hope to see you there ! .......Kenny and Amanda Smith recently posted their version of "Drive That Fast," a tune I wrote especially for them, on their myspace page. To hear "Drive That Fast," click here.. The song appears on their latest CD "Live & Learn," now for sale here .......William Michael Smith of the Houston Press recently interviewed me for a 4-part series on Honky Tonk music. Read Part 1 here. ...
Posted: August 25, 2008
July 1, 2008 News
I'm gonna be joining my buddy Jason for his solo show at the Rodeo Bar on Sunday, July 13th. www.rodeobar.com. Also, Jason and the Scorchers will be receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award from the Americana Music Association at their annual conference in Nashville this September. ('bout time !). To read more, go here ..... Thanks to Sam Sessa for featuring me in Baltimore Sun Live . Sam interviewed me in connection with our taping of WTMD's Baltimore Unsigned a couple weeks ago.....Speaking of Interviews, the good folks who run the "Every City Needs Their Country" myspace page - dedicated to bringing country radio to NYC - started a website, and I'm their first featured artist -mighty nice of them ! They emailed me some questions, and printed my answers with virtually no edits. ...
Posted: July 01, 2008
Real Country Radio & Bus of Real Country
Real Country Radio, a website "dedicated to preserving the legacies of classic country artists as well as promoting newcomers who bear like qualities," just did a feature on us. And the song "Bar of Gold" is currently No. 2 on RCR's favorite Live 365 station, Bus of Real Country. Here's the chart, and here's the BRC station weblink. Sign up for Live 365 and vote for each song with the "thumbs" on the right side of the player window. ...
Posted: May 30, 2008
'Bar of Gold' is # 1 on FAR Chart Two Months running !
For the second month in a row (February, March 2008) Arty Hill & the Long Gone Daddys' 2d release, "Bar of Gold," was No. 1 on the Freeform American Roots (FAR) Chart. Per the FAR website: "FAR charts are compiled from reports sent in by actual DJs with freeform (i.e. no playlists) radio shows on public, college and community stations round the country (and world). Each of them lists the six albums they took most pleasure in playing, one of which can be their Album of the Month (designated by a * and their initials)." For the month of March, eleven DJs designated "Bar of Gold" as their Album of the Month ! Preacher's Jack's "Pictures from Life's Other Side" (also on Cow Island) continues to hang tough at No. 18. See the FAR chart here. ...
Posted: April 05, 2008
New CD news !
Arty Hill and the Long Gone Daddys' "Bar of Gold" was officially released on February 12, 2008 ! Thanks to Arty's label, Cow Island Music , it's available on sites all over the net - Amazon, Cd Universe, and CD Baby, among others... "Bar of Gold" includes 12 original tunes, plenty of steel from Dave Giegerich, Heather Twigg on fiddle, and Arty plays the lion's share of twangin' Telecaster. .....Jason Ringenberg wrote the liner notes, and named "Bar of Gold" as one of his favorite CDs of the year. Read Jason's complete list at Hanx. (It's the 6th list from the top)....And check out Arty's Myspace Page for the latest gig updates !...
Posted: February 26, 2008
Arty Guests on Jason "Best of" !
Jason Ringenberg has just released a 2 CD career retrospective, Best Tracks and Side Tracks, 1979-2007. CD 1 compiles the "best of" Jason's recording career, as well as some new versions of his best-known Scorcher material. CD 2 includes alternate takes, covers, and a bunch of other fun stuff - including Arty and Jason's live country version of the Scorcher butt-kicker "Cappucino Rosie," with Heather Twigg on fiddle (recorded live at the Creative Alliance at the Patterson, right here in Baltimore). Jason's writing and singing is some of the most soulful around. So if you'd like to get ya'll some soul, go right here to Jason's Website ...
Posted: January 19, 2008
Arty's New Sponsors !
This year at the annual International Bluegrass Music Association convention in Nashville, Arty finalized sponsorship deals with John Pearse Strings and Collings Guitars. These folks make the best flattop guitars and strings around, so please give them your support ! ...
Posted: October 16, 2007
Nashville Moon
The Texas Sapphires have added Arty's "Nashville Moon" to their live shows, and it will appear on their upcoming live CD, "Roadhouse Gems." And here on youtube you can hear 'em, one of the best bands in Austin, play "Ooh Las Vegas" and "Nashville Moon."... ...
Posted: August 21, 2007
Reviews
Blue Suede News gave our first CD, "Back on the Rail," a great review ! Click on the "Press" link to read it......and Jeff Wold from Minnesota did the same for the Roots Rock Radio website. Read it at Roots Rock Radio ...
Posted: August 15, 2007
