Band of Horses Shine on New LP Thanks to a Lifetime of Hard Work

For Ben Bridwell, frontman and principal songwriter for the indie rock group Band of Horses, his career still makes no sense. That is to say, Bridwell remains rather astonished by it. That the now-43-year-old Irmo, South Carolina-born artist has earned a Grammy nomination or played to tens of thousands of people at festivals like Lollapalooza makes his head spin. He never started out wanting to front a band. In fact, when he landed in Seattle years ago, he was homeless, living on the street with a sleeping bag tied to his back. But even then, he knew one thing was essential for forward progress in any endeavor: hard work. It’s an instinct that remains with Bridwell today and it shines through on the latest Band of Horses album, Things Are Great, which is set to drop on Friday (March 4).

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Jennifer Hudson: Born Into Music

When you tell Grammy, Oscar, and Emmy Award-winning artist Jennifer Hudson that you’re starting the interview for the American Songwriter Magazine Legends issue, of which she is a central figure, her response is, “Me?” Then she laughs quickly and follows up with a “thank you!” She does all this in a way that is true and honest. Hudson expresses the kind of “Thank you” that a friend might when you tell them their book of poetry is well-written or their apartment is well-put-together.

In terms of accomplishments, Hudson sits atop a mountain that’s all her own. Yet, there remains something about her that lives outside of that lofty peak. Perhaps this is the result of a hard life combined with a lot of hard-won hardware. Hudson, who experienced unspeakable lows in 2008 with the murder of three of her close family members, has constantly pushed forward in her life and career.

Indeed, that’s often the mark of a legend: perseverance, resilience, and some unimaginable sense of poise. Most recently, Hudson demonstrated all three when she took on the role of fellow music legend Aretha Franklin in the 2021 biopic, Respect (out now via MGM and Universal Pictures Home Entertainment to own on Blu-ray, DVD, and Digital). But perhaps more than anything else, Hudson credits a single mentality with allowing her to succeed in ways few—if any—artists have before her.

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Dionne Warwick Talks Vegas, Politics, Spotify-Neil Young, Twitter, and Oreo Cookies

There’s been a question circulating the world these days and it goes something like this: Who is the most universally beloved person today? Who is that person we can all agree on that we like? In a fractured, at times-even war-torn world, that can be a hard question to answer. But an obvious choice to consider is the one and only Dionne Warwick.

The 81-year-old New Jersey-born Warwick has earned a resurgence in popular culture recently with her chef’s kiss pitch-perfect presence on Twitter. She also reached the hearts of many via a recent appearance on the famed variety show Saturday Night Live, with comedian Ego Nwodim. But even before that, Warwick was singing hit after hit, from “That’s What Friends Are For” to “Say A Little Prayer.”

Warwick, who is one of the best-selling and most successful singers in the history of popular music, continues to add accomplishments to her resume and headlines to her oeuvre. She recently released a memoir, My Life, As I See It, she’s been nominated for the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, she recently earned a Lifetime Achievement Grammy Award and a new CNN documentary about her life, narrated by Snoop Dogg, is being released.

She is also set to headline a new Las Vegas residency, beginning March 24 at The Stirling Club. American Songwriter caught up with Miss Warwick to ask her about all these accomplishments, as well as to get her thoughts on the potential of global war, the Neil Young-Spotify controversy, and much, much more.

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Jon Pardi Soars on New Single “Last Night Lonely”; Announces Ain’t Always The Cowboy Summer Tour Dates

Country singer Jon Pardi doesn’t have a rocket ship. The Nashville-based songwriter and performer knows this to be true (both literally and metaphorically). But that doesn’t stop him from sonically taking flight. For Pardi, his proverbial flying machine is much more akin to a warplane, he says, one of those double-winged metallic creatures that soar steadily in the air as many others whiz and whir past.

But for Pardi, a career is not a sprint. It’s a marathon, a lifetime of work. And the California native recently added new fuel to his journey with the release of his latest single, “Last Night Lonely,” which he unveiled on February 18. Now, Pardi is exclusively announcing an extensive summer tour with American Songwriter. Dubbed the Ain’t Always The Cowboy Tour, the 25-date trek is set to kick off in July and run through September with friends and collaborators Lainey Wilson and Hailey Whitters. (See tour dates below).

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Actor and Comedian Jeff Hiller on the Acclaimed HBO Show “Somebody Somewhere”

Jeff Hiller is one of the most sincere and delightful humans in Hollywood. And, boy, is he in Hollywood. The comedian and character actor has a lengthy IMDB page, including 30 Rock and Broad City, but his most recent project is a starring role in the popular and acclaimed HBO series, Somebody Somewhere.

In that show, Hiller displays his charm and capacity for friendship (much more on that below). We caught up with the hilarious and warm Hiller to talk to him about his career (from beginning to now), what it’s been like to “scrape” his way to the “lower middle” and what it’s been like to work on the new HBO series. Will there be a season 2? We hope to god!

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Q&AJake UittiUnder The Radar
Filmmaker Brian Petsos on Working with Andy Garcia and Oscar Isaac on his New Film “Big Gold Brick”

Filmmaker Brian Petsos builds worlds. Over the course of days, weeks, months, and years, his mind is at work, thinking about landscapes and settings, houses and those who might inhabit them. This is how he builds his movies. It’s not what some may think: he doesn’t sit at a keyboard and plunk away until he has it. No, he does it from the big picture to the miniscule.

Petsos’ latest film is the indie triumph, Big Gold Brick, which portrays a writer going through a meltdown before rising up from those proverbial ashes. It’s funny, dark, and involves a big cast with big names like Oscar Isaac, Andy Garcia, Lucy Hale, and Megan Fox, to name a few.

We caught up with Petsos to ask him about how he makes movies, how he got into the art form, and what it was like working with such marquee names. Big Gold Brick is due out this Friday via Samuel Goldwyn Films.

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Q&AJake UittiUnder The Radar
Five For Fighting’s John Ondrasik and American Musician Lanny Cordola Talk Afghanistan, the Power of Music and More

When Grammy-nominated artist John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting tweeted about raising awareness for girls in Afghanistan, American Songwriter knew something important was afoot.

“In 2016 Lanny Cordola moved to Kabul to teach young Afghan girls guitar,” Ondrasik wrote on social media. “I am honored to join @tmorello@BethHart@nilslofgren Victoria Williams & other artists to raise awareness for his girls and all still abandoned in Afghanistan in singing Tom’s beautiful ‘God Help Us All.'”

When Grammy-nominated artist John Ondrasik of Five For Fighting tweeted about raising awareness for girls in Afghanistan, American Songwriter knew something important was afoot.

“In 2016 Lanny Cordola moved to Kabul to teach young Afghan girls guitar,” Ondrasik wrote on social media. “I am honored to join @tmorello@BethHart@nilslofgren Victoria Williams & other artists to raise awareness for his girls and all still abandoned in Afghanistan in singing Tom’s beautiful ‘God Help Us All.'”

So, we reached out to Ondrasik and to Cordola to see if they wanted to talk about what’s happening abroad in the Middle East. Thankfully, they obliged.

Below, the two artists talk about their work in Afghanistan and elsewhere, how Cordola is helping a group of young girls stay alive and flourish with music and what artists like Tom Morello and Nandi Bushell are doing to help the efforts.

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Luther Campbell: Breaking Boundaries

Luther Campbell always liked when he got to hear the music first—before the radio stations. As a young DJ in Miami, Florida, in the 1980s, Campbell was part of a “record pool” which gave him early access to new singles and new artists. In his early twenties, he would spin records at parties, often at his mother’s house. He’d play reggae or whatever else got the people moving. That led Campbell—who also goes by Luke, Uncle Luke, Luke Skyywalker, and likely several other names throughout his career—to join a like-minded DJ group. He both produced beats and spun the records he had early access to at local parties. Little did anyone know that these humble, music-loving beginnings would eventually lead Campbell and his group, 2 Live Crew, to upending the world with their brash style of “nasty,” sex-infused, boundary-breaking songs.

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Joan Jett: Rebellion Personified

Captivating rock star Joan Jett thinks about her legacy, but not in the way many others might. Hers is a nuanced perspective in which she hopes her name can help carry on her music and the important songs and messages she’s been a part of. Yet, at the same time, Jett works to consciously sever herself from the potentially egotistical sensibility that somehow the musical sun could ever rise and fall at her behest.

In truth, Jett is, of course, a legend. She’s rebellion personified, which is and was no easy task to achieve. But to let in the various permutations of what that word—legend—means it can cloud or blind one to what’s important. Namely, maintaining a personal openness to the world and to others. Instead of living starry-eyed, Jett wants to live a philosophically-minded life, to be one of those people who leans into encouragement and not dismissal. She wants to tell others: Go for it!

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Hurray for the Riff Raff’s Alynda Segarra on Riding the Rails, Finding Safety and Healing Through Music

Alynda Segarra, frontwoman for the indie rock band Hurray for the Riff Raff, knows what it’s like to feel at-risk. She knows what it’s like to feel invisible. She knows what it’s like to hop trains, sleep under trees, duck into bushes and hedges and she knows what it’s like to be on the run. In many ways, these moments are the foundation for who she is, both as a person today and as an artist. But these days she is also creating new formative moments upon which she’ll stand, assured. She’s continuing to grow and evolve in big ways. She’s continuing to listen as well as to make new music. These are the ingredients of her newest record, Life On Earth, which is set to drop on Friday (February 18). These are the lenses through which she sees and experiences the world around her.

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Black History Month: Black Artists Talk About Their Black Influences and Inspirations

February is Black History Month and American Songwriter wanted to reach out to some of our favorite Black songwriters and musicians to ask them about their career influences when it comes to Black artists who have helped them along the way or even inspired them from afar.

Below you will see stories and responses from acclaimed musicians like Leon Bridges, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, Malina Moye, Big Freedia, and many more. So, without further ado, let’s dive into some living breathing musical history and see who these artists look to for musical, spiritual, and communal guidance.

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John Lurie Excels at Music, Watercolors and Wisdom on HBO’s ‘Painting With John’

When John Lurie was in his mid-teens, his sister gave his older brother a harmonica for his birthday. That, combined with the acquisition of a Little Walter record, had the two brothers obsessed with both the idea of the instrument and making music together. Lurie, who today stars in the HBO television show Painting With John, which debuts its second season on Friday (February 18), practiced on the harmonica obsessively. In high school, he and his brother started a band called Crud in which he played and sang. Not long after, he jammed with Mississippi Fred McDowell and Canned Heat with John Lee Hooker. Thus, a career in the arts was born.

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What’s the Difference Between Alto, Tenor and Bass Trombones?

Trombones are one of the more interesting and unique instruments that you’ll see anywhere. Unlike saxophones, pianos, guitars or virtually any other musical instrument, trombones have no reeds, keys or strings. With trombones, it’s all about moving their long slides.

That said, like trumpets, cornets and other brass instruments, the sound that trombones make is largely dependent upon the intricate tubing that comprises the horn. Also significant to the instrument’s sound is its bell size and the shape of its bore (interior chamber). In this article, we’ll explore the things that differentiate the three most popular types of trombones: alto, tenor and bass. But before we do, let’s talk about some of their history and commonalities.

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Exclusive Premiere: Lester Chambers and Moonalice Make Beautiful Harmony on New Song, “Let’s Get Funky”

Growing up in Mississippi, the son of sharecroppers, Lester Chambers used to love to hear his voice in harmony. What’s more, he loved hearing that harmony echo. Today, the 81-year-old frontman for the Bay Area-based band Moonalice looks back on those early years fondly. It was the time when his dream began—a dream that’s continued through today, into his ninth decade. In this way, Chambers’ voice has been echoing in real-time as long as anybody’s in music history. And that career continues with Moonalice’s latest single, “Let’s Get Funky,” a song Chambers first began to write some 50 years ago and one that American Songwriter is premiering today in its latest form.

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Greta Van Fleet Push Forward—It’s All Part of the Plan

If there’s a secret to the success of the Michigan-born rock band Greta Van Fleet, it’s that the members have always allowed themselves to push the proverbial envelope—to go deep, further, and even toward the weird in their work. To head toward extremes says the group’s frontman and lead singer, Josh Kiszka. The band, which is comprised of brothers Josh on the mic, Jake on guitar, and Sam on bass, along with close friend Danny Wagner on drums, didn’t limit themselves in their exploration and internal discoveries as they coalesced and improved as musicians. The strategy has worked. The result so far has been sold our tours, an SNL appearance, and Grammy recognition. But accolades aren’t necessarily what drives the band. Rather, acceptance from their heroes is, along with the process of going through that which excites and calms their creative minds, which occurs almost in the same breath.

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