Doc Watson has passed

Williams Grimes recounts the life and career of Doc Watson. 

Here's more from the Los Angeles Times.

BobD is 71

Which means I'm ...

Charles Pierce, in his inimitable fashion, celebrates Bob Dylan's 71st birthday.

Joe Crookston's song "The Nazarene"

On Joe Crookston's latest release "Darkling & the BlueBird Jubilee"-- the song "The Nazarene" appears.

The opening lines are:

"Dad coaches baseball
I am on the team
mom think she's 
Jesus Christ The Nazarene..."

Mental illness is never directly spoken of, simply metaphorically dramatized and heartbreakingly so. So much so that stopping and paying full attention to this song will leave you in tears. But it's a good situation because the feelings are absolutely authentically generated and deserved.

Besides so much more, the particular ailment depicted delves into the question if being in the grips of such is hell or divine?

A Dar Williams update

Dar Williams and her latest release are the subjects of this Dan Armonaitis article. "NPR darling"?

A Gordon Lightfoot update

Here's the latest on Gordon Lightfoot, who is still performing.

Is there a first family of folk music?

The Wainright - McGarrigle - Roche families saga is a fascinating and certainly artistic one as David Carr presents.

Woody Guthrie, God and Jesus

Jeremy Jones has a very interesting article up titled "Woody Guthrie's God and Country" -- do take a read about the condemnation of the prosperity gospel and the grifters who wrap themselves in Jesus' cloak while harming so many others.

Wesley Britton reviews the latest release of Ian Tyson, who checks in at 78 years of age.