RECENT ARTICLES

At its best, a marriage between two people is a support system. It’s a spiritual, cognitive and physical space where the participants can convene and be made better. And for married musical couple, Michael Trent and Cary Ann Hearst, who comprise the Charleston, South Carolina-born band, Shovels & Rope, their marriage is indeed a source of mirth and rejuvenation. It’s also a source of music and collaboration. The two, which put out their first record in 2008, got married officially in 2009, and their folk-blues duo began to take off a few years later. More recently, the two became parents to two children. Together, Trent and Hearst strengthen and magnify one another’s abilities and this multi-faceted, productive relationship is evident on the duo’s 2021 release, Busted Jukebox (Juicebox) Volume 3. The record is inspired as much by their kids as it is from the songs the duo loves.

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Singer-songwriter and producer, QUIÑ (born Bianca Leonor Quiñones) loves a good windowsill. She’s a frequent daydreamer. In fact, as an infant, she used to scare her mom because she could stare off into space for long periods of time. As QUIÑ puts it now, she can “imagine with her eyes open” and often this zoning out is best done from one side of a windowpane. Since childhood, QUIÑ has grown to become a popular, capable artist and performer. She’s also invented a new term or genre-space for herself: fantasy soul. It’s an umbrella idea that acts as a safe place from which to grow, both as a solo artist and as a producer of other people’s work. After years of feeling insecure about herself and her artistry, QUIÑ has pushed herself to become a self-confident success. But none of what’s happened lately for QUIÑ might have come to fruition if she hadn’t gotten her own bedroom and her own windowsill from which to stare out.

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When most songwriters think about penning a fresh breakup song, it’s likely they’ll dig into the heartache. After all, it’s often the most palpable feeling in times of loneliness. But Las Vegas-based rising country star musician, Ashlie Amber, thinks about the matter differently. Amber thinks about the good times, the reasons she was with the person to begin with. Sure, there were reasons for the split. (Often in Amber’s case it’s because she’s chasing her career and not necessarily domestic dreams at this time.) But if there weren’t good parts, then why was the relationship a reality to begin with? So, she looks to the brighter side. The late nights, the extra shots of whiskey, the chosen sleepless mornings. This is valid subject matter for songs too, Amber says. To prove it, she wrote her new single, “Those Nights,” premiering today with American Songwriter, to celebrate the best of what was, especially in those exciting first days.

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When London-based singer-songwriter, Arlo Parks, first began writing music, she figured no one outside a few friends or her mom would hear it. At one point, though, Parks came across a quote in a book that read, essentially, “You are what you think about all day.” Well, Parks thought, all she thinks about is music and writing and expression, so maybe she should pursue those thoughts in earnest. So, Parks decided to allow herself a “gap year” in 2019 between finishing high school and finding a professional career. In that time, the artist proverbially hit it out of the park with millions of song streams and her gap year has yet to conclude.

In January, Parks released her acclaimed debut LP, Collapsed in Sunbeams, and today the 20-year-old artist is already working on new ideas and compositions for future projects. It’s a stunning output for a mature songwriter and performer poised to bring a great deal more to the world of creativity.

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For musician and songwriter, Mike Doughty, a borrowed electric bass changed everything. Doughty, the son of a military man, grew up on an army base. But that meant a more conservative upbringing, one where order was prioritized and improvisational soloing wasn’t, necessarily. Nevertheless, Doughty began to discover music – Led Zeppelin was an early favorite. As he began to open his mind to the idea of art and creativity, though, there weren’t many kids around the barracks to talk to or jam with. But there was one fellow – a football player around Doughty’s age – who had an electric bass and Doughty was able to borrow it. From there, he began to undertake the beginnings of composition. He plucked the low-E string endlessly and belted out lyrics. Later, of course, Doughty would go on to front the popular band, Soul Coughing. Today, Doughty is set to unveil his latest single, “I Hear The Ax Swinging,” from his newest project, Ghost of Vroom, which will release its debut LP on March 19th (pre-save it).

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As an American person of East African descent, living her formative years in Champagne, Illinois, the burgeoning artist, Somi, regularly felt like she resided between several realities. Musically, for example, there was often a difference between what she heard at home and what she encountered outside her front door. And while there is nothing wrong with that, per sé, having a foot, so to speak, in two distinct sonic pools does create a unique point of view for any musician. More recently, Somi has turned that vantage point into a creative thesis statement. It’s become her mission to bridge seemingly disparate parts, to bring them together in her songs, in the way she tells stories and in how she talks about the world. For this work, Somi has distinguished herself. To wit, she was recently nominated both for an NAACP award and a Grammy for her 2020 release, Holy Room: Live at Alte Oper with Frankfurt Radio Big Band, which is as much an homage to live performance as it is an example of art at its highest ambition.

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Singer-songwriter, Evvie McKinney, grew up in church in Memphis, Tennessee. As a result, religion has influenced essentially every decision she’s ever made since, both personally and professionally.

The artist, who rose to prominence by winning the inaugural season of the P. Diddy-led Fox television singing competition, The Four, has gone on to collaborate with famed songwriters, including Meghan Trainor. As a kid, McKinney’s family doted on her. She was the youngest of seven siblings and their attention, along with the experience she gained performing in church, helped propel her to become a professional artist. Today, McKinney is poised to unveil her debut EP, This Is Evvie McKinney, on February 26th after recently releasing several singles, including the rousing, “Bring The Whole Hood.” The new songs have helped earn the artist significant attention. In fact, her track, “Look No Further,” recently charted at number-2 on the Billboard Hot Gospel Songs. As McKinney’s career unfolds, she hopes to continue to achieve lofty goals while still keeping her feet grounded in her faith.

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