Tag Archives: Honky Tonk Music

americana, country, Country and Western, Honky Tonk, Kansas, Kentucky, nashville, Natalie Prauser, Red Dirt Country

CloudwatcherUno Podcast S10 Ep 4 ~ Natalie Prauser

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Natalie Prauser is a coffee aficionado, songstress and all round fabulous artist. We laugh, gasp and sit back in wonder on how this Kansas native is bringing her honky tonk music to life. Natalie’s album “Til The Sun Comes Up” is a veritable modern classic with all credit to her partner Marty Bush for mixing, producing and mastering the album. Let’s not forget also designing the look of the masterpiece as well.

“Til The Sun Comes Up” by Natalie Prauser

Natalie and Marty first met during Pre Covid times while Natalie was sleeping at a bar that Marty frequented. Plying him copious amounts of whiskey Natalie was determined to connect with Marty and that’s exactly what happened. The result is a relationship that has grown personally and professionally as musicians. There’s a to and fro of ideas and it’s a resource that Natalie draws upon Marty’s musical experience to decide which songs are EPIC and which are so so.

Natalie’s approach to songs varies but there was a time when she wrote “Cocaine” all on her phone while being a bouncer at Westport Saloon in Kansas City. Just imagine a 100 pound Natalie as a bouncer. Natalie’s mom recollects that as a child she was always writing songs and then at 13 she started playing at bars. For Natalie this was one of many paths that she could take, having dropped out of school, when Natalie was 16 she drove everywhere and slept in her car and be on the road as much as her finances would allow.

Natalie Prauser and Marty Bush

Natalie was living the vagabond existence and felt you don’t have to be Charley Crockett to live the life of a musician. Natalie’s musical heroes have been Bob Dylan, Townes Van Zandt, John Prine and Blaze Foley.

For the future Natalie will be on tour with Marty and will be enjoying the writing process and produce another Cabin Session album. There will be another video to showcase her music and will continue to be touring across the States for the next year.

Click below to join in with the conversation with CloudwatcherUno and Natalie Prauser. Also streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

americana, blues, country

CloudwatcherUno Podcast S6 Ep 3 ~ Jeremy Pinnell

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Jeremy Pinnell is a honky tonk musician of the highest order. Having released ‘OH/KY‘ in 2015 and then ‘Ties of Blood and Affection‘ in 2017, Jeremy brings out his third album ‘Goodbye LA‘ on October 1st 2021 from Sofaburn Records.

Killer tracks from that first album are ‘Sleep Song‘ and ‘Rodeo‘ from ‘OH/KY‘ which were already around for 15 years. Alternative County/Folk music was where Jeremy started but Country Music is where he is headed. While in Dayton, Kentucky Sofaburn Records and Jeremy came together to make sweet sweet music. Jeremy lived a wild kind of life back in the day and managed to record these experiences for this album. Jeremy is a connoisseur of hooks, he tries to add those big or small into everything he writes.

Photo: Cowtownchad

Between his first and second album Jeremy met a girl, had a son, got a steady job and got married and all this gratitude and contentment in his life is reflected in ‘Ties of Blood and Affection‘.

‘Ballad of 1982’ by Jeremy Pinnell

Zackary ‘EZ’ Nelson absolutely nailed it with the artwork for ‘Goodbye LA‘. Jeremy and the band worked hard for the last two years during the pandemic and can’t wait to show all his hard work so that people can hear the album. It’s an album that can make some fans uncomfortable as it progresses Jeremy’s sound in new directions.

The new album was recorded right under the wire in 2020. The time during the pandemic was used to getting the album mastered up to perfection. Jonathan Tyler as a producer was the right decision for Jeremy as he would make the whole experience of recording the songs and the album super exciting.

‘Big Ol Good‘ by Jeremy Pinnell

One of the most extraordinary songs on the new album is ‘Rosalie‘. It’s a story of a bar girl and a bar guy having a whole lotta fun. The album reflects the life of a troubadour whose living his life one song at a time.

Texas, Oklahoma, Tennessee are many of the states that Jeremy and the band have been paying at post pandemic. Going foward Jeremy and the boys will be travelling across the states to showcase one helluva album.

Click below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring Jeremy Pinnell. Also streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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Behind The Song with Dan Whitaker

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Dan Whitakers new album ‘One More Story Told‘ is out on Friday 13th August 2021 and is a collection of new old songs as in all songs rediscovered or reimagined for a new audience. One such song is ‘Please Tell My Baby‘ a song that was written almost 20 years ago. Then Dan was in a band called ‘Great Plain Gypsies‘ and was the principal songwriter and singer for the band at the time. It’s a song about two lovers who part ways without the ease and convenience of today’s modern technology. For one reason or another the lovers can’t be together and this song explores what happens when two souls can’t be together.

‘Behind The Song‘ is available on Friday 13th August 2021 to watch on @youtube and to listen on @applepodcasts or wherever you get your podcasts.

Click below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring Dan Whitaker. Also streaming on Apple Podcasts or wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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Artist Showcase with Victoria Bailey

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“Jesus, Red Wine and Patsy Cline, Victoria Bailey’s new album is getting 5 star reviews absolutely everywhere. There’s just not a bad song on it.” Bob Harris, Radio 2 – The Country Show with Bob Harris.

Victoria Bailey’s album ‘Jesus, Red Wine & Patsy Cline’ combines the three things that she feels most defines her right now in the middle of a pandemic. Her love for her faith, a good glass of wine and classic country music from her heroes Patsy Cline, Emmylou Harris, Loretta Lynn, and Dolly Parton. The album was produced by Jeremy Long (released in 2020 via Rock Ridge Music). It’s a timeless classic honky tonk album that announces Victoria as the newest generation of artists to carry on the legacy of those legends.

Victoria Bailey Photo: Stefanie Vinsel Johnson

In this podcast CloudwatcherUno sits down with With Victoria Bailey and we talk about putting out new music, releasing a full album in the pandemic and concentrating on live performances. Two new songs will be released in the coming months, one is an original ‘Queen of the Rodeo’ (there’s also a video that was filmed for the song as well as meetingfilming the real life Rodeo Queen of California Morgan Laughlin) and another is a Randy Newman cover ‘Rider in The Rain‘.

‘Spent My Dime On White Wine’ by Victoria Bailey

LA is not known for country music but it was the birthplace of the Bakersfield Sound that included such artists as Merle Haggard, Dwight Yoakum, Buck Owens and Victoria Bailey has captured that sound in her music and her album. Although Victoria Bailey didn’t grow up with country music, her father’s influence came with rock ‘n’ roll and her mother played folk records but fell in love with country music when she visited Nashville for the first time.

Victoria Bailey: Photo: Stefanie Vinsel Johnson

We talk about inspiration for the ‘Ramblin’ Man‘, ‘Skid Row‘, why outlaws are so charming, why Springsteen is really the boss and whether teenage Victoria Bailey thinks adult Victoria Bailey is really cool or not? Why her voice is her first instrument followed closely by her guitar, looking at touring in England and playing live music.

‘Honky Tonk Woman’ performed by Victoria Bailey
Victoria Bailey on the podcast. Photo: CloudwatcherUno

Click below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring Victoria Bailey. Also streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict and wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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Exclusive: Power & Sound Revival Festival Interview

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Michelle and Olivia Williams the founders of the Power and Sound revival festival. Photo: Bunnies & Poppies

CloudwatcherUno interviews the founders of the Power and Roots Revival Festival. We talk about what it means to start a new festival and the passion that is needed to bring it to life. Headline acts for the festival will be Them Dirty Roses, 49 Winchester and Whiskey Foxtrot.

Power and Sound Revival Festival on 22nd May 2021 at Piedmont Dragway in Julian, North Carolina.

Why set up a new Festival?

After the year and half we have had I figured we needed something to look forward to. It gives bands a place to play, people a place to come and have a good time and revel in the simple act of being together again. I think we have seen and felt how important that is. 

Why is it called Power and Sound Revival?

I wanted a name that would get across what it was about. The power being the car/bike/van show. The Sound being the music and the engines. The revival part because of what I previously stated, about reveling in the simple act of being together again. I have to credit my brother Seth for the name though. 

How did you find your artists?

Alot of them I already knew personally or frequently listened to their music. I reached out to some of my favorite NC and regional acts and luckily they were down to do it. 

‘Grew Up In The Country’ by Them Dirty Roses who are playing the Power and Sound Revival Festival

What’s it being like to organise a festival from scratch?

It’s been a learning experience for sure. Going into it I knew the basics of a festival but not the tiny little details that actually make it work. Michelle and I have both worked hard and learned a ton. Luckily everyone I have reached out to ask questions has been so helpful and willing to help out. 

Why are you so passionate about music? 

I’ve grown up around it my whole life. My older brother started playing music at bars when he was 14 and I always tagged along even though I was only about 10 at the time. I got to meet a lot of great musicians and music fans because of that. That is definitely where the love of it started, getting exposed to the music scene at such a young age. 

Which band are you most looking forward to seeing performing?

That’s a hard question, I’m just happy to see live music again. I’m excited about all of the bands playing. 

‘Its A Shame’ by 49 Winchester who are playing the Power and Sound Revival Festival

How much has the pandemic influenced your thinking around keeping everyone at a safe distance? 

It has had a huge part in how we are going about things. We’re going to take all the precautions we can at the time of the festival. As well as encourage social distancing and wearing a mask. 

How important is everyone safety while their at the Festival?

It’s obviously very important to us, we are going to do everything we can to keep it safe and practical for all of our attendees. 

This seems to be a true family affair how did this come about?

Well it kind of goes back to my brother playing in bars at 14. Obviously he needed an adult to get in and play so my parents came and so did I. Michelle, my mom started booking all of his bar gigs and eventually started her own booking company. As I got older I knew I wanted to do something in the music industry, so here we are. 

‘San Isidro’ by Whiskey Foxtrot who are playing the Power and Sound Revival Festival

Knowing now what it takes to put on the festival would you do it again? 

Most definitely, we’ve been pulling this thing together during the pandemic and figuring out how to make it as safe as possible. So I figure if we can do this during a pandemic the other years should be much easier….hopefully 

Where do you see the festival growing in say 5 years?

I would really love for it to be a 3-4 day festival with multiple stages. Be able to hire more artists and help get their name out there. Maybe also have a bike ride to the festival as well. We have a lot of ideas about how we could expand on the festival, we just have to get the first year under our belts.

So make it a date music lovers go check out tickets at powerandsoundrevival.com

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CloudwatcherUno Podcast S3 Ep7 ~ Dan Whitaker

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Dan Whitaker – Chicago Showman

Dan Whitaker is a name you may not have heard of but needs to be on your music radar. His body of work ranges from solo albums like ‘Moving On With You’ and his honky tonk band ‘The Shinebenders’. Dan began his musical journey by listening to Johnny Cash, Grateful Dead and Punk Rock. His first band was more a rock band but slowly he started listening to classic country artists by drowning his sorrows by listening to Kris Kristofferson and Willie Nelson.

Dan Whitaker a song writing maestro.

Dan started with the saxophone at a young age but then later on learned piano, then bass and then picked up the guitar aged 16 with further tutelage under jazz musicians later in life. Big influences on his music has been Blues and Appalachian music and distilled into his jazz infused country music.

The remastered ‘Moving On With You’ album released in 2020 was and is his most personal album, living in a bad section of Chicago he wrote all the songs due to a combination of isolation and marking another stage in his life by getting married. Dan expressed himself in his songs and then recorded the album in his living room live way back in 1999. ‘Star Crossed Lovers’ and ‘Without Your Love’ are stand out tracks in the album. On the podcast we get to hear ‘August Gray’ a true country and western classic to my ears and ‘Can’t Take It With You’ an absolute gem of a song.

Dan Whitaker – Going boldly where no musician has gone before.

There’s a richness to Dan’s voice that speaks of his experience, the important things in your life, the melodies and threads of the universe speaking to him and coming out as lyrics that speak on a deeper level.

‘August Gray’ from the remastered album ‘Moving On With You’ by Dan Whitaker

When inspiration strikes Dan tries to use that and write down this seed of a song before it floats away. His dreams act as a way to inspire the melodies and chords in his songs. For the past 15 years he’s been paying with The Shinebenders’ and then when the pandemic he was by himself with the benefit of the band so he started doing livestreams with his older more folk and rock songs.

Dan Whitaker from the podcast. Photo: CloudwatcherUno

This time alone has allowed Dan to focus on producing more music by himself. His next album will be a solo album which is full of songs that were left dormant but now will see the light of day. Dan plays 6 different instruments on the album and with support from some of The Shinebenders’. The music world will be a better place for Dan Whitaker an ambassador for honest, heart-breaking and inspiring music.

Click below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring Dan Whitaker. Also streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict and wherever you listen to your podcasts.

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CloudwatcherUno Podcast S2 Ep9 ~ Roscoe Parker Band

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Roscoe Parker Band is playing the long game in the world of country and western music.

Roscoe Parker Band needs to be on your music radar. You definitely need to listen to ‘You Might Get Lost, You Might Get Hurt’ it’s a fantastic album full of hidden gems and lyrics that make you want to get up and dance. It’s taken six years to get here but it’s been worth the wait. You’ll think your listening to a mid western country artist except he comes from Malmo, Sweden. Yes, Sweden. The music scene from these countries is breaking through onto the country and western scene.

Roscoe Parker Band will bring the magic to your playlist.

Growing up in southern Sweden, Rickard’s idol was Bruce Springsteen. Who didn’t want to be Springsteen eh? In this podcast we get to hear three songs from the latest album ‘You Might Get Lost, You Might Get Hurt’ and they are ‘Jackson Town’ ‘Let It Burn’ and ‘Still Drinkin’ My Beer from a Can’. The last song Rickard had help from Daniel Hollow but essentially its a biographical song about how deep down you can’t forget your roots.

‘Jackson Town’ by Roscoe Parker Band

We discuss factory made music versus independent artists and the struggle to keep your music authentic and not just a product for the masses. Roscoe Parker Band shows how much fun you can have with the country and western genre. His music combines the best of honky tonk with a clean 21st century sound. Inspiration comes at any time for these songs, from being outside running and walking, cooking in the kitchen even being in the bathroom!

The new album from Roscoe Parker Band. Go get this album! Your ears will thank you.

For the future there are already three or four songs already prepared for the second album. I for one can’t wait to hear these on this future album.

Click down below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring Roscoe Parker Band. Also streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict and many other platforms.

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CloudwatcherUno Podcast S2 Ep7 ~ Joshua Ray Walker

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Joshua Ray Walker

Joshua Ray Walker has the voice that you find only once in a generation. Once you’ve listened to tracks such as ‘Loving County’ where he yodels his heart out and produces a spine chilling effect down your back. Not since Dwight Yoakum and Slim Whitman has there been an artist who can combine the craft of singing, yodelling and lyrics that hit you right between the eyes to such an effect.

‘Loving County’ by Joshua Ray Walker from the album ‘Glad You Made It’

Joshua’s music makes you want to think, cry and dance all at the same time. This is an artist who at his peak did 280 shows a year and only slowed down to release his first album ‘Wish You Were Here’. In the fall of 2019 he started his first Scandinavian where he discovered first hand the European love for all things country and western.

Joshua Ray Walker

Growing up in East Dallas Joshua would spend his time with his grandfather and was inspired for his love for bluegrass, soul funk and afrobeat music. Joshua loves the diversity of where he lives and enjoys the melting pot of cultures especially tejano music that influenced him coming out of backyards and continues to influence his music.

Joshua Ray Walker
‘Voices’ by Joshua Ray Walker from the album ‘Glad You Made It’

Joshua tells the story behind ‘Fondly’ which was the first song he ever wrote. It was important for Joshua to have this song on his first album. The song was inspired by his love for his grandfather and the loss that he felt when he passed away. Without his grandfather teaching Joshua in his workshop and the many instruments that he could pick up as young boy we wouldn’t have the magic of the albums that we have now.

Joshua Ray Walker

Joshua’s songs deal with subjects as diverse as underage sex workers, suicide, heartbreak and other intrinsic emotions that make the human condition. Joshua is inspired by those who feel downtrodden and who have fallen through the cracks of society. Its these characters that Joshua breathes life into through the genius of his music.

Joshua Ray Walker from the podcast. Photo: CloudwatcherUno ©2020

Click down below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring Joshua Ray Walker. Also streaming on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts, Podcast Addict and many other platforms.

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CloudwatcherUno Podcast S2 Ep2 ~ William Poyer

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William Poyer performing live at Luna, February 2020 ~ Photograph by Matt Bradshaw

William Poyer is as unique as his music. An outstanding lyricist whose words come to life with a passion and haunting elegance that goes beyond poetry into the sublime spoken word of fellow artists Ray LaMontagne and Jason Isbell.

In this podcast CloudwatcherUno sits down with William and discuss his adventures in Mexico City, taking the brave step of moving across the world to find himself and learning to focus on his music and meeting fellow musical souls such as Jairus McDonald and José (Tato) Grageda from the band Peregrino. In those years he learnt a new language, met his wife and they have a beautiful baby boy.

Wiliam Poyer ~ Photograph by Russell Sansom

William has supported Great Lakes Band and Ferris and Sylvester on tour and has performed on stages large and small to connect with audiences with his music. In this podcast we get to hear two acoustic songs ‘Where Do I Begin’ and an unrecorded song ‘Forgiven’ which he will record in the home studio of Ferris and Sylvester.

‘Where Do I Begin’ by William Poyer

For William his passion has always been the acoustic guitar and from there his love of creating hooks, melodies to connect with audiences on an emotional level. William gets to showcase these talents on 10th October by performing in a socially distanced gig at the Old Joinery in Greenwich and a premiere a documentary about artists performing at the Spiritual Bar in Camden on October 22nd / 23rd 2020. Tickets for this event will be out shortly.

William Poyer from the podcast ~ Photograph CloudwatcherUno © 2020

Click down below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring William Poyer. Also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and many other platforms.

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CloudwatcherUno Podcast S1 Finale Ep10 ~ Whiskey Wolves of the West

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Tim Lee Jones (L) and Leroy Powell (R) from Whiskey Wolves of the West

Whiskey Wolves of the West is the best music you’ve ever heard. Don’t believe me? Before you jump in with your choices have you heard ‘I Can’t Take Me Anywhere’ or ‘End of Rope’ what about ‘Sound of the South’ you really need to hear ‘Poor Side of Town’ It’s a bold statement but it’s a statement of undeniable fact. Leroy Powell and Tim Jones are majestic singer songwriters in their own right. Accomplished instrumentalists and vocalists together they bring their musical personas to create the super band known as Whiskey Wolves of the West.

Whiskey Wolves of the West

In this podcast we talk to Tim and Leroy about what inspires them to write about the songs they have, what makes a song not just good but has ‘soul power’. We talk about their musical influences such as Jerry Garcia from the Grateful Dead and all the music in between that’s influenced them to write and perform on stage. And then there’s the special magic of collaboration between other souls who exchange their words, energy and passion to produce songs like Laura Evans ‘Take Me Back Home’. There was even a collaboration on the beginnings of a song with yours truly as well! Check out the podcast at 28:03 for ‘The Sun is a Long Distant Memory’

Whiskey Wolves of the West

We get to hear four songs in this podcast. ‘Ain’t Giving Up On You ‘, ‘Freedom’, ‘Friend of the Devil’ and ‘Lay That Needle Down’. It was a unique and special honour to listen to these two consummate musicians perform their songs with so much passion and joy in the heat of a Nashville garden.

For now the closest that we’ll get to having them play live in these pandemic times will be their ‘Welcome to the Backyard Party’ which they host on Face Book Live usually at 8pm CST on Saturday evenings. Looking forward they will be releasing a new single and playing outdoor gigs on September 4th in Augusta, Georgia and September 5th in Port Royal, South Carolina. They will also be releasing a second album in October 2020, the first was ‘I Can’t Take Me Anywhere’ which was released in April 2020.

Whiskey Wolves of the West from the podcast. Photograph ©CloudwatcherUno 2020

So go pour yourself a drink and toast to Leroy and Tim, the Whiskey Wolves of the West who end the first season of this podcast and make it a finale to remember.

Click down below to hear the podcast from CloudwatcherUno featuring Whiskey Wolves of the West. Also available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, Google Podcasts and many other platforms.