FEATURES

Applaud Americana Art Ames tracks Americana music’s trajectory across the Home of the Brave and up the charts

Bluegrass Like “Orange Blossom Special,” bluegrass picks up steam. Young bands with traditional instruments hop aboard

DEPARTMENTS

Letter After a wild flight in an Airplane, Jorma Kaukonen returns to Earth and his roots

Kickin’ in Your Stall The real reason they call musicians “cats.” It’s the upkeep

Opening Act Snippets, fun, interviews, reviews. Find destination festivals with quirky perks

Influences It takes the state of Texas to contain the talents of both Delbert McClinton and Bill Kirchen

On The Record Gov’t Mule again gives us something to Shout! about. Lurrie Bell’s got Blues in My Soul, Dudley Taft’s got Deep Deep Blue, Too Slim and the Taildraggers have a Blue Heart

Re.Issues Elvis Presley adopted Memphis, and Stax came with the package; Paul Aaronson on The King’s ’73 Stax sessions. Harry Nilsson’s brilliant body of work in a box set and great stuff from Merry Clayton and Sly & the Family Stone

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning Marva Whitney’s rocky road to respect

What’d I Say Having toiled for years, six artists come out of the shadows to release strong albums

The Good Seats The Wang Theatre, Boston’s analog performance palace, resurrected by a digital pioneer

Also Appearing Alabama Shakes up the crowd at the Cap. B.B. King, Los Lobos, Los Lonely Boys and Willie Nile rock New York City while Joe Bonamassa and the Rolling Stones set fire to DVDs; Roy Orbison (like Elmore), in print

Listen Up Arnie Goodman’s bluescentric picks for our nation’s top music cities. Paul Natkin casts a wider net. Disagree? Email arnie@elmoremagazine.com

Get to Know: 20 Music Royals

This Month’s Trivia