NSN Courtney Jaye; Sam & Ruby 12-14-08

I was really excited to have Nashville's own Sam & Ruby back on the show. I couldn't believe it had been so long since their last appearance, which was in April last year. That's when they first knocked me out with "Heaven's My Home" among others. It was my introduction to Courtney Jaye, also now a Nashvillian. She's got a new CD coming soon in 2009 and a few songs from it are already available on an EP called "The Exotic Sounds Of Courtney Jaye." Courtney's setlist:

Pipeline
I Need Love
Don't Tell A Girl
Sweet Ride (the new single)
Mele Kalikimaka (a Christmas song)
Tiger's Eye
Sweet Dreams
Maru Maru
Queen Of Sabotage
Box Wine
Sunlight

Courtney had dropcards on all the tables offering a free download of "Tiger's Eye." I grabbed four unused cards and offer you the download access codes from them here, so the first four people who read this can get the song. I was going to use one myself, but Courtney gave me a copy of the EP, so I don't need mine now. Redeem the codes at:

universalrepublic.com/courtneyjayedownload

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Now, on to Sam & Ruby. This partnership began organically. They met at a writer's night a couple years ago and then would go to see each other's shows. That led to singing a song or two together at each other's shows and obviously something very special happened when they teamed up. Audiences loved it and now it's a full-blown partnership and the duo are releasing their first full-length album in 2009 on Rykodisc records and it will include many of the songs we've come to love by them in concert, including the stunning "Heaven's My Home," which we've played on Lightning 100 and which was featured in the movie "The Secret Life Of Bees." Another of my favorites on the CD is "Too Much," which they strongly opened with on this night. The setlist:

Too Much
Sarah
Never Surrender
What Do I Do Now
The Best
This I Know
Suitcase Song
Heaven's My Home
The Here & The Now (first song they ever wrote together, title cut of the new album)
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas
Ain't Love Something
Chillin'

Seen in the audience: past NSN performer Audrey Spillman, drummer Bryan Owings, who's played with Patty Griffin and many others.

NSN with Cary Ott & Ben Taylor 12-7-08

Cary Ott, the former Chicagoan who's now Nashville-based, opened with a set that included the song we played from his Lucid Dream CD, "I Wouldn't Do That To You," as well as a cover of a song by The Band, "Twilight," that he contributed to a Teach For America benefit.

Sentimental Queens
Wear You Down
Daylight
I Wouldn't Do That To You
Am I Just One (a song that was featured on Grey's Anatomy)
Pink Sunglasses (a new song)
Twilight (the Band cover)
Ain't No Upside
Just Up The Road

Our headliner was Ben Taylor, son of James Taylor and Carly Simon - how 'bout those musical genes? He was accompanied by fellow artist David Saw.

Love Gets Sweeter
Must Of Fallen
Wrong
I See You
Nothing I Can Do (Ben said this one was about his mom)
Broken Down Figure (David Saw, title cut from his latest CD)
Wicked Way
America
Cow Cow Yiki
Turn On The Lights
Wilderness
After It's Over