NSN Ian McLagan; Pat Buchanan 2-22-09

This was a night of two of rock's finest musicians, one a top-notch guitarist and the other a legendary keyboardist. First up was Pat Buchanan, a Nashville institution since moving here in 1993, making a return visit to NSN. He's in demand as a session guitarist and staff songwriter and even won the ACM for Guitar Player of the Year on 2006. But we know he's really a rocker, not country, and as usual, his firey playing and his set list tonight proved it:

Co-co-nut
The Luckiest Girl
Genius Of The Universe
Every Time You're With Me
Under The Sun
Baby Blue (Badfinger cover)
Christina
Smile On My Face
Atomic Fireball

When they finished, I told Pat that went by too quickly and he said yes, it seemed like about ten minutes instead of forty. But Pat was glad to give way to one of his idols, the great Ian McLagan.
Ian, or "Mac" as he's often called, is a genuine dyed-in-the-wool rock & roller, a member of the great bands Small Faces and The Faces. Over the past 4 decades, he's toured and recorded with rock royalty like The Stones, Dylan and Springsteen just to mention a few. It's his electric piano playing on The Faces' "Stay With Me" and The Rolling Stones' "Miss You." It's his hammond B3 on "Itchycoo Park," "Maggie May" and "You Wear It Well." He lives in Austin, Texas now and in recent years has been carrying on his genuine rock and roll with his group The Bump Band, which currently includes Jud Newcomb on guitar, Don Harvey on drums and Mark Andes on bass. Mark has his own impressive resume. Nashville fans will remember him from Firefall, Heart and several other great groups. Ian McLagan and the Bump Band is about as close as you can get these days to seeing The Faces themselves. This night proved to me that even though The Faces was filled with legendary names like Rod Stewart, Ronnie Wood and the late Ronnie Lane (who Ian obviously had great affection and admiration for), Ian McLagan must have been the soul of that band. I kept thinking all night if Rod Stewart would just cover Ian's songs, he'd make an album all rock & rollers could love again. The setlist:

I Will Follow
I'm Hot You're Cool *
You're My Girl
Date With An Angel
Loverman
Glad & Sorry
Little Girl
Never Say Never *
A Little Black Number
You're So Rude
Spiritual Babe
Little Troublemaker

After we went off the air they played three more, including finally, an unplanned "Cindy Incidentally," one of my all-time favorite Faces songs. Ian answered the questions about the rumours of a Faces reunion this year, by saying he doesn't know what will happen, that they rehearsed and it was fun, but he doesn't know what will come of it, he's still waiting for the phone to ring. Meanwhile, he's happy to be making great music with The Bump Band, and that's a good thing for all of us. Rock on, Mac!

NSN Serena Ryder, Josh Hoge 2-15-09

Just back from the Sunset Sessions music conference in San Diego, where I saw 30 live acts in 3 days, I was a little travel-weary, but still excited for this night's NSN show. I had just seen Serena Ryder for the first time out there on Friday night. She's a Canadian artist who won the Juno Award last year for Best New Artist and is newly nominated for the 2009 Juno for Artist Of The Year. I spoke with Serena out there and she was familiar with 3rd & Lindsley, having visited here in the past, and was looking forward to doing our show. The set I saw at Sunset Sessions was Serena with her full band and it rocked, but for this NSN, she was going to give us a much more intimate performance, totally solo, just her and her guitar. That was a twist that kept it interesting for me, and Serena was very entertaining in this setting, with some good stories between songs from her new album "Is It OK." The setlist:

Dark As The Black
All For One
Sweeping The Ashes
Little Bit Of Red *
Truth
Brand New Love
Weak In The Knees
What I Wanna Know
Sing Sing

I told Serena that now that you guys have seen her like this, she needs to come back later this year with the full band, so hopefully that can be worked out. Next up, we had a return visit from our hometown boy Josh Hoge. He grew up in a great musical family here in Franklin, TN. His grandfather was a jazz musician and his father and brother are both rock singers. Our audience is quite familiar with Josh's older brother, Will Hoge, who I spotted in the audience before the show. Will has spent the last several months recovering from a terrible motor scooter accident. I asked him if he was going to jump up on stage tonight and he joked that he didn't know how good he was at jumping yet. But as Josh told us near the end of his set, Will is just about all the way back and will be doing some shows starting in the spring. Will is quite a rocker, but Josh's musical sensibilities lie more in the rhythm and blues precincts. He did start out rocking pretty good with the two opening songs, especially "Take It Or Leave It," before settling into his familiar R&B groove. Josh is another artist who's hugely entertaining between songs, great storyteller and a jokester, and he managed to pull off the whole live broadcast without engaging in his passion for cussing! With a bunch of songs from his new album "Everything She Was" behind him, the last song on the setlist was "Ain't No Sunshine," the Bill Withers classic that Will has recorded. So, I thought this might be the spot were brother joined brother on stage, but not tonight. It was just a huge shout-out from Josh to Will, thanking him for turning him onto the song, which is now one of his favorites. If you weren't there, you missed it, because that one happened after the broadcast. Here's the whole setlist:

Try
Take It Or Leave It *
Beautiful Distraction
360
Sarah Smile (Hall & Oates cover)
Stay Away
Shadow
Butch Cassidy
Space
Keeps Getting Better
--
Ain't No Sunshine (after the broadcast)

NSN The Gougers, Toby Lightman 2-8-09

A large audience decided to blow off another boring three-plus-hour Grammy Awards telecast to come see some good live music on this Nashville Sunday Night. It was an acoustic night with The Gougers making their first appearance on our show, and Toby Lightman making a return visit. Up first were The Gougers from Austin, Texas. We had just the two singers/guitarists/songwriters from the band, Shane Walker and Jamie Wilson for an intimate night of their mix of country/rock/folk/roots music. Their set:

Mocking Birds
Lil' Too Rough
Devil's Words
Ordinary
Manheim
Dusty Shoes
Wayfaring
Jet / Trail
Everybody Knows

New York-based singer/songwriter Toby Lightman first played NSN back in 2006, when her album "Bird On A Wire" was out and we were playing her song "Holding Me Down" on Lightning 100. Her return visit came in support of her new album, her first independent release, "Let Go." It was just Toby all by herself with her acoustic guitar, but she was poised, confident and entertaining. She was happy to see so many in Nashville come out to support her. Toby's set:

So Natural To Love
Don't Wake Me *
Fairweather Boyfriend
Milk & Honey
Better
Devils & Angels
Use Somebody
Colors
Front Row
One Day
I'm Gonna Break His Heart *
Slippin'
Love Is All Around
Let Go

NSN Casey Driessen, The Duhks 2-1-09

It was Superbowl Sunday and the TV's were on. We guesstimated we'd get underway about an hour late at 9pm and go 'til 11. Many times the Superbowl gets boring long before the end, so we were ready to get going with the show as soon as we could, but wouldn't you know it, this year it came down to the final seconds. Finally, we got on at 9:15 and it was worth the wait. Casey Driessen is a Nashville-based fiddle player who is much in demand as a sideman for Steve Earle, Bela Fleck, Jim Lauderdale, John Mayer, Blue Merle and many others, opened. He's a bold musical explorer and when he steps out on his own, he does it with his group he calls the Colorfools, and we had 'em tonight, showcasing songs from the Grammy-nominated CD "3D," and a new one coming later this year.

Hummingbirds
Sugarfoot Rag
Uncontinental Breakfast
Conversation With Death
Rose Tea
Jerusalem Ridge
Flexible Helix


Then it was late, but no one was leaving and the crowd kept growing for The Duhks. Great Nashville musicians like Bela Fleck, Gabe Dixon, Beau Stapleton and others were in the audience to see and hear this great Canadian band. Since their last visit, they'd added a new vocalist, Sarah Dugas, and her brother, Christian, on drums. Nashville producer Jay Joyce, who was also in the audience, produced their fine new album "Fast Paced World," and the vast majority of the set was songs from the new record:

Mighty Storm
Fast Paced World *
Adam's 3-Step / This Fall
New Rigged Ship
Toujours Vouloir
You Don't See It *
95 South
Death Came A'Knockin'
Ship High In Transit (listed as S.H.I.T. on the written setlist-ha ha)
Les Blues Cadien
Whole Lotta Love

The whole band showed off on that surprising, hard-rockin' yet bluegrass flavored cover of the Zep classic and Sarah unleashed rock vocals on it that would've made Plant proud.

NSN Diana DiGarmo; The Gourds 1-25-09

This was a night of great southern alternative country-rock. First up was Alabama-born Diana DiGarmo, famously the runner up on season 3 of American Idol, and who filmed CMT's "Gone Country" series in 2007. Now relocated to Nashville, she's released an EP called "Unplugged In Nashville" and is working on a new album for 2009. We got a preview tonight:

Pause
Find Me
Pieces
Yesterday's Makeup
Growing Pains
Thank You
I'm Gone
Like I'm Not Even Here

Then we got some good-time, honky-tonkin' alt-country from The Gourds. Out of Austin, TX, they're perennial favorites at the South-By-Southwest festival and have a new album called "Haymaker." Their set:

Country Love
Lower 48
New Dues
Luddite Juice
Blanket Show
Honeysuckle
All The Way To Jericho
Bridgett
Hey Thurman
Better Way
Country Gal
Fossil Contender
Labor
Pine Island
Pack

NSN Stephanie Chapman; Ashley Monroe & Trent Dabbs 1-18-09

We had great Nashville-based talent in both halves of this show. First was Stephanie Chapman, who recorded her album "This Song Is To You" here, with some of Nashville's best musicians playing on it and produced by the legendary Ray Kennedy. Her set:

Long Hot Summer
This Song Is To You
Unknown Legend (Neil Young cover)
Steely Dan
Drinking Cup
There
Cowboy I Tried
Train Of Love (Johnny Cash cover)

Then came an interesting team up of two Nashville artists who've had considerable success on their own, were fans of each other's music and had written together in the past. They took it to the next step, collaborating on a studio recording that has come out as a self-titled EP. Ashley Monroe & Trent Dabbs played these for us:

I'm Coming Over
See Right Through *
Laying Low
When The Day Is Done
Angeline
Everything I Wanted
Now That I Know *
Gone
Drink For Two **
Shine

NSN Ben Sollee; The Spring Standards 1-11-09

Two unique emerging acts for this NSN. First, from just up the road in Louisville, KY, came Ben Sollee, named by NPR as one of their Top 10 Unknown Artists in 2007. His set:

Teach Me Baby
A Few Honest Words
Prettiest Tree On The Mountain
A Change Is Gonna Come
I Can't
Bury Me With My Car
Crazy
Panning For Gold
It's Not Impossible
Only A Song

Then a trio from New York who are all songwriters and multi-instumentalists and create a sound you might expect from a band twice their size. James Cleare, Heather Robb and James Smith are an energetic three-part harmony force called The Spring Standards.

Where Did You Go
True
In The Underground
Goodbye Midnight
Trouble
Premonition
Nowadays
Skyline
Drowning
Your Lie
Little Bug

NSN Emily West; Dave Pahanish 1-4-09

We started the new year of Nashville Sunday Nights with two acclaimed and upcoming Nashville-based singer/songwriters, Emily West and Dave Pahanish. Emily, who had a successful single with "Rocks In Your Shoes" in 2008, and is working on her full-length debut, was first:

Bullet Proof
Mississippi's Crying
Enjoy The Ride
Rocks In Your Shoes
Annie's Got A New Gun
It Doesn't Matter Anymore
I Hate Love
Blue Sky
That Kind Of Happy

Dave Pahanish has self-released several albums, including his latest, called "Nashvillian." He's gotten rave reviews from the likes of Performing Songwriter, ABC News, CitySearch and others. His set:

Did You Love
Right Back Atcha
Brighter Days
What Am I Waiting For
Divine Everlasting Love
Completely Yours (with Emily West)
Without You
The One That Got Away
Do You Believe Me Now
I Will
This American Life

NSN Curtis Peoples; Andy Davis 12-28-08

Our last show of 2008, brought us two fine singer/songwriters, San Diego's Curtis Peoples and Nashville's own Andy Davis. Curtis was up first:

Tell Me I'm Wrong
Exit Scene
One More Time
Heart Will Fall
Wake Up
Holding Me Down
All I Want
Back Where I Started

Andy Davis, celebrating his first full-band album "Let The Woman," was also one of the artists we spotlighted on the Ten Out Of Tenn Christmas CD with his great original Christmas song "Christmas Time." Now it was three days past Christmas, would he play it? We weren't disappointed:

Good Life
Earth & Venus
Chicago
Believable Doubt
At Last
Old Soul
Christmastime
Let The Woman
Black Keys
Brown Eyes

NSN Audrey Spillman; Sixpence None The Richer 12-23-08

This was a special Christmas Eve Eve broadcast on a Tuesday night, returning two of our local favorites to the airwaves, Audrey Spillman and Sixpence None The Richer. Audrey had last been on NSN in August, but tonight's set had a Christmas twist:

Find Us Here
Fade
Comfort You / What Are You Doing New Year's
What You've Been Doing To Me
The River (Joni Mitchell cover)
Tomorrow
The Ride
Have Yourself A Merry Little Christmas

Sixpence None The Richer had previously visited us twice this year on NSN, but tonight's show spotlighted their new Christmas album "The Dawn Of Grace." Steve Mason of Jars Of Clay guested on some songs. The set:

O Come O Come Emmanuel
The River
Maybe This Christmas
Wishing For This
Eternal Gifts (with Kate York)
Angels We Have Heard On High (with Kate York)
Christmas Island
It Came Upon A Midnight Clear
The Last Christmas
Hard Candy Christmas
O Holy Night
Some Children See Him
Christmas For Two

NSN The Wrights; Gretchen Peters 12-21-08

Two great Nashville-based acts gave us a special pre-Christmas show. First up were the husband-wife team, The Wrights (Adam & Shannon). Their set:

Trouble *
I Cried
Good Luck Charm
Always Tomorrow
We'll Drink Money
Since You Left Me
Too Late Now
Miles For You
Teardrop Express *
Need A Little Hope In My Heart
Flying Home

Next up was Gretchen Peters, one of Nashville's best singer/songwriters. She's written for a wide range of artists, received multiple Grammy nominations for Song Of The Year, and recorded several acclaimed albums of her own. The latest is a new Christmas album called "Northern Lights." Gretchen's set:

Song For A Winter's Night
Coventry Carol
I Wonder As I Wonder
December Child
(Charlie's) Angels *
Waitin' On Mary
In The Bleak Midwinter
Careful How You Go *
Northern Lights
Christmas Time Is Here
Silent Night
On A Bus to St. Cloud
(play out) Charlie's Angels