“Hailing from Bourbon County, Kentucky, Erin Sliney passionately writes and performs soulful country and folk songs that channel raw human emotion.
“She holds a master’s degree in Resilient and Sustainable Communities and has spent the last seven years collecting experiences, perspectives, and sounds from remote corners of the country.”
Harrie Snels, a fan, wrote, “This album has great country songs that will cheer you up, protest songs that will wake you up, and beautiful country ballads with an intimate sound due to the fine acoustic arrangements that will make you sit down, listen, and enjoy. Favorite track: ‘Daylight.’”
Erin Sliney – vocals, guitar, percussion, fiddle, piano Darnaby Kerns – trumpet, background vocals Cam Clark – guitar, bass, percussion John Sliney – background vocals Aaron Pollitt – percussion, harmonica
Songs composed and performed by Erin Sliney
Price: $1 (USD) for track; $8 (USD) for 12-track album
SUN BOATS: HARPER REESE (right), ZACK SHAFER, SAM DEBATIN (left)
BRUCE’S RECOMMENDATION OF MUSIC
Music: “Orange”
Album: SEEDS AND FIELDS
Artist: Sun Boats, aka Sunboats
Artist Location: Athens, Ohio
Info:
This band is not on Bandcamp, but it is on YouTube.
Sun Boats:
Zack Shafer — guitar and vocals
Harper Reese — guitar and vocals
Sam Debatin — guitar and vocals
They are also members of Velvet Green.
“Brick City Records is a student-run record label at Ohio University. We are focused on providing students real world experience in multiple aspects of the recording and music industry. Brick City Records is operated by School of Media Arts & Studies students who work with local musicians to provide recording, promotion, distribution, publicity, and concert booking services. Each year, Brick City produces and distributes new releases for a select number of artists, culminating in a large release concert in April.”
Price: FREE Download (or you can buy it on Amazon, but Amazon sucks)
Dan Canterbury and Bruce Dalzell, emcee (Right)Ayana JohnsonPart of A Very Appreciative AudienceDan CanterburyRiley JamesRylee BapstRylee BapstSam (Samantha, Middle) and Rowan (Left) and KC (Right)Sam (Samantha)RowanKCDallas CraftDallas Crafthttp://www.dallascraftmusic.comBuce Dalzell, Emcee
J.D. Hutchison is better than just better. In Athens County, Ohio, He is sometimes called “Lost John,” which is an odd name for such an obviously all-together guy. Maybe he got that nickname because of his self-derogatory humor (“I counted all the way up to ten once and learned all my ABCs up to M and N”). A better nickname for him would be “The Real Deal.”
This album opens strongly with his blues song “Little Legs Moan”: “‘Don’t want to hurt you’ / That’s what she said / She did not hurt me, boys / She killed me stone dead / With the little legs moan.”
These lines from “Another Fool’s Café” shows his way of poetry-izing lyrics: “There’s always an empty table or two / It’s a hill jack twilight zone / The door is always open / And the lights are always on / Ain’t no bottom to the bottle, boys / No difference in the night and day / There ain’t no hands on the clock / In another fool’s café.”
Another standout song is his “Since My Bird has Flied Away,” which has been covered by Ingrid Lucia & The Flying Neutrinos, John Kirkpatrick and Chris Parkinson, and The Local Girls. Any singer-songwriter will probably tell you that the ultimate compliment is other people covering your songs. A few lyrics: “I need to change my head around / Maybe trip out to the zoo / Take a walk downtown / Hell, I don’t know what to do / But nothing seems to matter / Since my bird has flied away.” The bird, of course, is a woman.
Readers of this review should make heavy use of Amazon’s preview snippets of J.D. Hutchison’s songs on this page. Fans of roots music (defined as various combinations of blues, folk, country, bluegrass, and whatever else the singer-songwriter knows will make the song better) will find much to like. J.D. Hutchison is a regionally famous singer-songwriter who in my humble opinion ought to be at least nationally famous — and a whole lot richer. Better late than later.
I love this album, all songs of which are by J.D. Hutchison.
Support local music, and be aware that in the age of the Internet and the WWW, Athens County is local worldwide.
Terry Smith: “Athens music scene loses big part of its heart and soul; goodbye J.D.”
The tight-knit Athens music community took a major hit Tuesday, Nov. 2, [2021] when singer/songwriter/picker/raconteur/bandleader J.D. Hutchison succumbed to cancer. In late October as word spread that Hutchison’s time was short, tributes flooded social media from near and far. They haven’t stopped since his passing.
Like so many others, I had tremendous respect and admiration for John, both as a person and a musician. He was among the most interesting, funny, iconoclastic and massively talented individuals I’ve ever known. He couldn’t speak a line of song or sentence without injecting a dollop of his singular perspective and wit into it.
We find our first mentors right beside us as we’re born and grow: fathers and mothers, older sisters and brothers. We find other mentors out in the greater world as we come of age. J.D. Hutchison was one to me. We were fast friends from our first meeting in ‘74, and he taught me so much by example, and encouraged me as an artist and musician to follow the heart.
J.D. was a true renaissance man who studied the many facets of our world and reflected upon them all as a cartoonist, actor, songwriter and musician. Despite his relative obscurity–he served as a sort of court jester of the college town of Athens, Ohio for much of his life–he influenced a great many people in his 81 years. He made us laugh as we looked deeper.
John was anti-music business and you had to tease song pitches out of him, like when my band Hot Rize grabbed “My Little Darlin’” after he sang it to me a capella just outside a honkytonk men’s room door. His performances, whether as a solo, with his bluegrass brother Robert as The Hutchison Brothers or with the rock band Hillbilly Jive, were exciting, entertaining and vital, each one a unique experience. As good as his onstage performances were, it was in conversation that he really shone. He was always engaged, interested, generous and thoughtful.
On our last meeting, Jan and I had a short but wonderful visit with J.D. — going for fish sandwiches at Miller’s, hearing new and old poems and songs played on his piano in his spartan apartment where he displayed his assortment of barometers and umpteen Scrabble sets. He was wearing a t-shirt that said “Master of the Tiles.” Love was shared as always, and that love remains now and will remain for as long as I live.
Bob Stewart
I remember Frank McDermott letting me take an accordion I was thinking about buying over to J.D. at Casa to see what he thought about it. J.D. set the case down on the floor by his booth, opened the case and immediately started playing a tune. Sherrie turned down the music in the restaurant and J.D. carried on playing like he was in his living room. Well of course, he was.
KC Waltz
Friend, mentor, bench warmer, artist, bard, and family member, J.D. was all these things to me. He gave of himself to all around him with a mischievous twinkle in his eyes. He loved young folks and was always encouraging their dreams, musical or otherwise. He was my “Funkle” and I was/am honored to have him in my life. All hail The Last of the Iron-Assed Folksingers!
Steve Zarate
I feel blessed by every moment I had with J.D., first just loving his musicianship and later in fascinating conversations that left me marveling at the wise insights he so casually dispensed. J.D. treated friends like family, and I never saw him act superior to any other person, not once. He would call me Steven, and in parting company he’d make this hand gesture, kind of cockin’ it at me, and his eyes always seemed to twinkle when he smiled farewell. I’ll carry J.D.’s wonderful songs, endearing smile and twinkling eyes in my heart always.
“Gein and the Graverobbers was an instrumental horror surf band from Boston Mass. From 1999-2009 we released 1 EP and 3 albums and toured all over the U.S. and Europe.”
Inferneaux, a fan, wrote, “It’s good instrumental surf rock; it automatically turns any day into a good day.”
Price: $1 (USD) for track; $5 (USD) for 15-track album
Other Artists: Various, includes Louis Armstrong, Spike Jones, Boris Karloff and Bing Crosby, Cab Calloway, Anita O’Day and many more.
Artist Location: Various
Record Label: Moochin’ About
Record Label Location: England
Info: 129 track collection of spooky Jazz, Blues & Rock & Roll …”
Bosquet Bailes, a fan, wrote, “Mortuorios Para Vuestros Oídos. [Mortuaries For Your Ears.] Favorite track: ‘Frankie and Igor At a Rock and Roll Party.’”
moggydon, a fan, wrote, “Ah, the wonder of Spike Jones! I want one of his suits! How can yo not sleep at ghost? (Honestly, the above is what autocorrect made of my not typing ‘how can you not smile at this?’ carefully enough! How apt!)
Steve Lake, a fan, wrote, “Moochin’ About is just an excellent label; epic EVERYTHING! and they’re all great!”
collidascope, a fan, wrote, “Just epic collection. Little jewels from my youth and the radio and the night. Favorite track: ‘The Shadow Knows.’”
No, Vincent Price is not in the collection, but Bobby “Boris” Pickett’s “Monster Mash” is.
Phil Tiki – Guitar Quasar – Guitar Dickie – Bass Brian Wilson – Drums
Kahuna Cole, a fan, wrote, “The Atomic Tourists hit the surf running with a couple of nice mellow covers! Surf’s Up! Favorite track: ‘Bullwinkle Part 2.’”
“Kerry Pastine has always gravitated toward an original sound steeped in tradition, but with a modern edge. When it comes to musical projects, she insists on a hint of danger, good times and a damn good dance party. Simplicity rules, but needs to be backed up with taste and musical chops. Until now, she has always hesitated with putting her name on the marquee. But the time is now. It’s time to introduce Kerry Pastine and the Crime Scene. This ride ain’t a vintage Cadillac. This is a souped-up hot rod with bulletproof glass, a modern chassis and a shiny new engine. The perfect vehicle for a life of crime and musical performances born of sin.”
Laurent DESPLANCHES, a fan, wrote: “Long live rockabilly. Another discovery on the web, I love it !” Favorite track: “Follow Me.”
Sherrilynn Nelson wrote about the YouTube “Play the Rush (Live)” video, above, “Beautiful perfection… mesmerizing! What an amazing live recording! You guys are raising the standard, I can’t get enough of these videos! I’m blown away and totally missing Denver right now.”
Price: “Play the Rush (Live)” is a FREE track.
$1 (USD) for other single tracks: $9.99 (USD) for 13-track album
“Aldora Britain Records is an e-zine and record label that promotes the music and work of authentic independent or underground artists from all around the world. Originally established in 2013, they revamped themselves in 2018 with a brand-new approach. Their first weekly compilation, aptly titled THE SECOND COMING, was released in late 2019. They now also release original singles, EPs and charity projects.”
“Crawl” also appears on Kerry Pastine and the Crime Scene’s album CITY OF LOVE — 12 tracks for $12 (USD)
“Kerry Pastine has always gravitated toward an original sound steeped in tradition, but with a modern edge. When it comes to musical projects, she insists on a hint of danger, good times and a damn good dance party. Simplicity rules, but needs to be backed up with taste and musical chops. Until now, she has always hesitated with putting her name on the marquee. But the time is now. It’s time to introduce Kerry Pastine and the Crime Scene. This ride ain’t a vintage Cadillac. This is a souped-up hot rod with bulletproof glass, a modern chassis and a shiny new engine. The perfect vehicle for a life of crime and musical performances born of sin.”
Price: £0.50 (GBP) for 12-track album featuring various artists
davidbruceblog #2 