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Articles by Mayer Danzig
Maddie Medley on Confessional Lyricism and Why She No Longer Plays Guitar Live
Photo credit Chloe Barkley We haven’t had a consistent touring vehicle. We have an old Ford Econoline van that sometimes works, sometimes doesn’t, so we’ll often take our Subaru if we don’t have to fit an upright bass or drums in with us. Last year we crammed five people, merch, a guitar, and a drum set into the Subaru for a run of shows from Nashville to Denver, and after that I said, “We’ll just rent a van from now on”.
Monday Morning Video – More Dolly
What is your favorite new release for week of November 6?
Brand New Heartache on Wavy Gravy and Their “Parental Escape Pod”
Photo credit Anna Haas Our Tour Vehicle is the majestic Honda Odyssey which has lived up to its namesake. It has over 200K miles on it and has done 3 cross country trips. Why a minivan? Well, we have three kids and Eleese does music classes for little kids with her other business, so we needed a practical family car as well as something that could haul our gear, and Eleese’s stuff for kids’ classes.
Monday Morning Video: Our Fall Finale at Groove NYC
We’re closing out the 2026 Twangville Fall Showcase Series on Saturday, November 14th in NYC with a high-proof dose of grit, melody, and conviction. Matt Woods, Mic Harrison, and Carissa Johnson — solo, no chaser. Two of them come out of East Tennessee, and the third came up in Boston’s punk scene. None of them make polite music, and we’re OK with that. Come help us close out the season at Groove on the 14th. We’re billing it as a quiet acoustic evening. There’s a good chance we’re lying.
Last Call for Live Music: Twangville’s Fall Finale in NYC
One More for 2026! We’re closing out the Twangville Fall Showcase Series—and our live show calendar for the year—with one final night in Greenwich Village. Join us on Saturday, November 14 as we return to Groove to wrap up 2026 in style. Taking the stage for our season finale: Matt Woods: Grity East Tennessee Americana with big heart and raw storytelling. Mic Harrison: Pure Knoxville roots-rock pedigree, straight to the Village. Carissa Johnson: A high-octane dose of Boston-bred indie rock energy.
Mac Cornish on Borrowed Rehearsal Spaces and Her Biggest Blessings
Photo credit Mandi Fountain My tour vehicle is a 2009 Chevy Suburban I bought from my parents. It had sat parked in their garage for a long time so it only has 110,000 miles on it, and I’ve put about 45,000 of those on it! No crazy breakdowns yet(knock on wood), but while living in Nashville my elderly neighbor without insurance hit the back of it while it was parked and my bumper’s been messed up ever since. I think it adds some character though.
Monday Morning Video – Preview Our Next NYC Showcase
On Wednesday, November 4, Twangville presents Robert Cody Maxwell, Brandon Callies, and Bird Streets. The show has moved from Groove to Wild Horses, a brand-new East Village room that’s ready for its first Twangville night. Maxwell’s songs draw on early heartland rock, moving between folksy confessionals and full-volume rock and roll. Callies pairs roots-rock grit with power-pop hooks, as on his solo album Sunrise Diner. If you like our show posters, Callies is the artist who creates them.
Jake Blount on a Chicken Named George and Why You Should Let Some Opportunities Go
When I’m on the road by myself or with a small crew, I tour in my trusty Subaru Outback. I have no notable break-down stories to date, but the time is likely coming! When I tour with the band, we always seem to end up renting a Chrysler Pacifica. We had a Dodge Grand Caravan once. Worst vehicle I’ve ever driven, and we wound up stuck with it in an apocalyptic ice storm in the Pacific Northwest a few years ago—big-rigs jackknifed all over the road and more crashes than we could count.
Monday Morning Video – Dallas House Show Preview
Twice a year we gather in a Dallas backyard on a Sunday afternoon to eat, drink and hear a few great songwriters up close. If you’ve been to one of our previous Socials, you know how special they are: magical performances with the vibe of a casual party. On Sunday, October 25th we welcome Jeff Black, Zoë Pete Ford and John Hollier. Black is a Nashville songwriter whose songs have been recorded by Alison Krauss, Waylon Jennings and Sam Bush.
John R. Miller on a New Year’s Eve Gig and Putting the Robots to Work
Photo credit Larry Niehues My van currently is a 2013 Chevy Express 3500, 15 passenger with about 240k miles on it (150k of which are mine). Got it in Spring of 2021 when we started touring again. It’s actually broken down in East Nashville right now. I went to Fanny’s House of Music last night, and when I got out the starter had shit the bed. Which is fine because the A/C is blowing hot air right now anyway. Lots of places to get a salad or a veggie burger these days.
Monday Morning Video – de la Cour & Mayfield Show Preview (Boston/NYC)
Two of our favorite albums of 2025 came from Ben de la Cour and Joelton Mayfield, and this month we get to put them on the same stage. De la Cour calls his songs “night songs,” and on New Roses he plays nearly every instrument himself. Mayfield’s Crowd Pleaser, his first full-length, was close to a decade in the making. The common thread between them is songs that command attention. The two will trade songs at Club Passim in Cambridge on Tuesday, October 20, and at Café Wha?
A Few Words with Abe Partridge
Café Wha? opened in 1959 in a MacDougal Street basement in Greenwich Village, and it has long been an early stop for artists still building their audiences. Bob Dylan first played the room in January 1961, Jimi Hendrix worked through multiple sets a night there as Jimmy James in the mid-1960s, and Bruce Springsteen did afternoon sets with the Castiles in 1967. In advance of his show this Friday at NYC’s Café Wha?
A Few Words with The Damnwells’ Alex Dezen
The Damnwells’ Air Stereo turns 20 this year. It’s not old enough to drink yet, but the band is throwing it a party anyway with two special shows. The first was a sold-out night at Lodge Room in Los Angeles on September 10. The second is at Racket in NYC on Friday, October 9 (get tix). I’m not gonna miss the NYC show, and neither should you. Ahead of the New York date, Dezen shared some memories about the album.
Miko Marks on Music’s Healing Power and Never Breaking a Guitar String
Photo credit Karen Santos My tour vehicle varies. It’s usually our own cars traveling across country. For a few years, we used sprinter vans. We have been fortunate to not have to make any repairs and no breakdowns thus far…knock on wood. It’s pretty hard to eat cheaply on the road as I take my nutrition pretty seriously and that sometimes costs a bit more than $25.00 so I tend to lean into salads with a bit of protein and stay away from fast food.
AmericanaFest 2026, Say What?!
One of my favorite things about attending music conferences and festivals are the crazy comments that you hear along the way. Here are a few choice selections from this year’s AmericanaFest. Lifetime achievement award? I’m not done yet. Mike Campbell, accepting a lifetime achievement award Always blame the bass player, they almost never have a mic.
Monday Morning Video – Our Dial Back Sound Collab Shows (NYC + Boston)
Dial Back Sound is a studio and label in Water Valley, Mississippi, owned by Drive-By Truckers bassist Matt Patton. It’s more like a community than a studio: artists from across the country have traveled there to tap some of the mojo that lives in the room. Twangville is thrilled to collaborate with Matt Patton and Dial Back Sound to showcase artists who have recorded at the studio, at City Winery’s Haymarket Lounge in Boston on October 14 and Groove in New York on October 15.
AmericanaFest 2026, Mayer’s Picks (Part 3)
THE HEARTBREAKERS featuring CHRIS STAPLETON It was hard not to be moved, from exhilaration to overwhelming emotion, watching the founding Heartbreakers reunite for the first time in more than 20 years and then accept a lifetime achievement award. (Don’t miss Shawn’s Americana Honors awards show coverage) JOHN PRINE TRIBUTE John Prine would have been 80 this year, and both he and his legacy need to be celebrated.
AmericanaFest 2026, Mayer’s Picks (Part 2)
Neelys Band This group’s weekly gig at Nashville institution American Legion Post 82 was required attendance even before their AmericanaFest blowout. Their performance alone was a thrill. Then came the special guests: Margo Price delivering a rip-roaring “9 to 5,” Shakey Graves joining Price for an incredible duet of “Islands in the Stream,” and Duane Betts (with Price on vocals) leading the band through a spectacular “Blue Sky” to close out the show.
AmericanaFest 2026, Mayer’s Picks (Part 1)
BOY GOLDEN I caught Boy Golden twice, and both sets were terrific in song and stagecraft. At the second show, I recognized a guy in a Boy Golden t-shirt from the previous set. I struck up a conversation and it turned out to be Dad Golden. Boy Golden also had to follow the reunion of Tom Petty’s original Heartbreakers (with Chris Stapleton) at the Americana Honors awards show, which gives Boy Golden a bragging right few can match: the Heartbreakers were the opening act.
Mine to Love – A Premiere from Ever More Nest
Photo credit: Greg Miles When was the last time you heard a waltz? And the last time you saw clowns waltzing? I’m guessing that the former is more likely than the latter. Either way, New Orleans’ Ever More Nest has you covered, red noses and all. The waltz in question is “Mine to Love,” and its subject has few precedents. Sure, there are plenty of songs about exes, but what about a current love’s ex?
Levi Foster on Luxury Road Food and Wanting to Be Johnny Cash
Photo credit Sabrina Burnette I tour in a 2001 GMC Savana Van with around 220,000 miles on it. Her name is “Nightshade,” inspired by her mysterious dark green color. With that many miles, she has definitely given me a few stories. The most memorable was breaking down on I 65 South in Kentucky in the middle of the night when a tie rod disconnected, causing the front wheel to lose alignment and making the van impossible to drive safely.
Riffs, Heartache, and Swagger: Live in NYC on Nov 4
Some nights are built for quiet contemplation. Wednesday, November 4 at Groove in NYC is not one of those nights. We’re bringing together three powerhouse songwriters who turn angst, roots-grit, and power-pop hooks into an absolute masterclass of live rock and roll. From classic heartland anthems and gritty Texas pop to shimmering, apocalyptic indie-pop, this lineup bridges the gap between raw-nerve storytelling and full-tilt melodic muscle.
Monday Morning Video – Leeroy Stagger Honors the Prophets
What is your favorite new release for week of September 25?
Twangville Presents: The Dallas Sunday Social
Mark your calendars, Texas: the Twangville Sunday Social is back! A cherished twice-a-year tradition, we’re gathering in the Dallas backyard for another crisp autumn afternoon of world-class songcraft, cold refreshments, and great company. There’s a distinct magic to songwriters sharing a back porch—where raw talent takes center stage in the round, and the tales behind the music can carry just as much weight as the songs themselves. This edition features a powerhouse trio of storytellers.
Brody Price on Camping While on Tour and Terry Allen’s Day-Job Rule
Photo credit Jake Hall I have traveled in my Subaru ever since I started touring solo back in 2017. At this point it has about 150K miles on it and is still going strong. When we started doing more serious traveling with the full band in 2021, we switched to a van for a very short period but quickly reverted back to the Subaru… it has served us really well.
Monday Morning Video – Wilco
Winter’s just around the corner, so let’s get you in the mood with this one: Wilco at the Snow Job Festival, Marble Mountain Ski Resort in Newfoundland, March 18, 1997 — outdoors, in the dead of winter, surrounded by snowy mountains. None of it slowed the band down. Being There had come out five months earlier, and the set leans on it, with Jeff Tweedy and Jay Bennett trading guitar pyrotechnics that heat the place up fast.
Twangville Presents: Joelton Mayfield and Ben de la Cour
In January 1961, a 19-year-old Bob Dylan made his first New York City appearance at Cafe Wha? on MacDougal Street. That same year, he turned up in Cambridge at Club 47 — now Club Passim — and talked his way onto the stage between another act’s sets. Both rooms are still standing, still booking songwriters. Joelton Mayfield and Ben de la Cour step onto those historic stages this October, bringing their songs to Club Passim in Cambridge on Tuesday, October 20th, and Cafe Wha?
“Sweet Song” – a Premiere from Leah Tash
From the very first bar, Leah Tash’s “Sweet Song” brings the kind of charm that’s impossible to ignore. A bright, plinky piano sets the backdrop, but it’s the infectious, happy-go-lucky melody that immediately hooks you in. It takes a special talent to balance classic country influences without sounding dated. Tash drew inspiration for her new EP from Willie Nelson, the poster child for that skill. But Tash, in her own right, makes it look effortless, and sound wonderful.
Twangville x Dial Back Sound: Live in Boston & NYC
While not often discussed, the choice of recording studio has a profound impact on a record. Great music rarely comes from sterile, assembly-line spaces—it comes from studios with character and warmth, filled with vintage gear and musical mojo in the walls. That mindset is at the heart of Dial Back Sound, located in the quiet artist haven of Water Valley, Mississippi (just south of Oxford).
Leon Majcen on Record Release Strategies and the Downside of Truck Leases
Photo credit Harrison Hargrave I tour out of my Toyota Tundra. It’s got a Leer cap on it and me and the band have been known to go out for a month and some change without having to tow a trailer. Just the essentials. Gotta love Toyota. I got it on a lease a few years ago since I couldn’t afford the financing for it at the time. I was only supposed to put 36K miles on it in 3 years and I’m at 140K. Something’s gotta pan out one of these days otherwise ya boi is gonna be screwed. CHIPOTLE.
Monday Morning Video – Patty Griffin
Monday Morning Video – Patty Griffin Monday, September 14, 2026 By Mayer Danzig Patty Griffin’s “Top of the World” is a deathbed reckoning — a life examined right at the end, loss and regret laid out plain. Here it’s just her acoustic guitar and voice, with a subtle electric guitar underneath adding to the song’s melancholy and beauty. If anything, the sparse arrangement makes the regret harder to look away from.
Twangville On The Road: The Fall Showcase Series
We’re taking Twangville on the road this fall — and you’re invited! We’re thrilled to unveil our Fall Showcase Series: seven distinct nights of live music across three states. We’ve put together an exceptional lineup of songwriters, roots revivalists, and road-tested troubadours, from folk to rock ’n’ roll and plenty in between. From a cozy house concert to historic stages, each stop offers the chance to get up close with artists we’re excited to share with you.
Clayton Nile Young on Working at the Mayo Clinic and Learning to Talk While Tuning
Ford F150, 50k miles, no breakdowns. I don’t tour enough to justify eating cheap/healthy. I usually treat it as a vacation and pig out. I have never broken a fiddle string during a show luckily. I rehearse in my home office. I work remotely for a medical job at Mayo Clinic. My job as a Medical Dosimetrist has major swings in workload. Sometimes I have the flexibility to practice during the workday while on break.
Monday Morning Video – The Northern Belle
It’s been two years since Oslo’s The Northern Belle put out an album — 2024’s Bats in the Attic — and the follow-up, Even Cowgirls Get Sad, arrives August 21. For this latest release, Andreassen brought together some talented friends from across the Norwegian Americana community. The music is easy-going, anchored by the crystalline voice of singer-songwriter Stine Andreassen: pop melancholy, shiny but not without its shadows, as the album title suggests.
“Don’t Fence Me In” – a Premiere from Sanford
Brooklyn by way of South Carolina, Jay Sanford follows January’s Big Tent Revival with an old-school two-sided (digital) single. The A-side, “Don’t Fence Me In,” takes a honky-tonk two-step and runs it through a rock engine — same dance-floor bones, more muscle.
Futurebirds’ Carter King on Gas-Station Chicken Tenders and 401(k) Plans
Photo credit Jacq Justice Nowadays we rent our tour vehicles. Many years back, after the loss of our beloved Ford e-350 van, PAC0, we didn’t think we could love again in that kind of way. Renting is super convenient, shoutout to Bandago. No one is left with a wrecked van to clean after tour, or mechanical upkeep to deal with. When they break down (or you get in an accident), they bring a fresh one, and tour rolls on. We’ve gotten new vans delivered in the Lower East Side of NYC, central TX, etc.
Monday Morning Video – Dolly Parton
Plenty has already been written about Dolly Parton, and the stories and praise will continue to flow. All are glorious tributes to an artist whose impact spanned generations and will continue to do so across those that follow. Twangville Shawn already shared his memories of Dolly.
Admiral Radio on a Crab Bake-Inspired First Song and the Value of Cover Gigs
Photo credit New Norm Studios – Wright Media We’ve got a 2015 Toyota Sienna named Ramona after Ray Wylie Hubbard’s “Snake Farm”. We got her in 2024 and have put about 50k miles on her. She’s been a great touring companion! We did have a scare at the end of our spring tour earlier this year when a semi’s tire exploded in front of us outside St. Louis and completely busted the radiator. We had to load all of our gear into a rental and make the long drive home not knowing if she was totaled or not.
Monday Morning Video – Otis Redding
Few performers could captivate a crowd like Otis Redding. It’s been a minute since we paid tribute to one of the masters of the craft, so this week’s Monday Morning Video goes back to a legendary performance from the 1967 Monterey Pop Festival, captured just months before Redding died in a plane crash.
Lisa Bouchelle on a Big Tour Mistake and Exercising Her ‘Poetic License’
My car is named Maude, and she’s been with me all through the many tours I’ve done as a solo artist. There have been a few Maudes, as she keeps getting rein-CAR-nated every time I need to get a new vehicle! My first tour, opening for Blues Traveler, I drove myself 12,000 miles around the country. When John Popper saw me, being a small female, he said, “Oh my God, you’re going to end up in a ditch on the side of the road!” And he and the band kept an eye out for me.
Monday Morning Video – Gram Parsons
Gram Parsons left behind almost no video of his performances so any surviving footage is worth watching on that basis alone. That this clip comes from just seven months before his death only adds to its significance. It’s from a late February 1973 show at Liberty Hall in Houston, with the Fallen Angels — Emmylou Harris, pedal steel player Neil Flanz, drummer N.D. Smart II, bassist Kyle Tullis, and guitarist Jock Bartley. The picture is rough. The audio is worse. But it sure sounds good.
Alicia Blue on Tour Salads and Her Painful First Gig
Photo credit Yiota Katsaitis So far it’s been a rented Chrysler Pacifica van and lord it’s a great vehicle. Look forward though to stepping up to the next thing. I try and get a salad or veggies anywhere possible, because you don’t know when/where you’ll get the greens again. I usually have two meals to keep it simple. Keeping the protein up so I’m full in a healthier way. Sign me up for Texas Roadhouse grilled chicken salad and fries. Ask my band – they’ll tell ya. I almost never break strings.
Monday Morning Video – Maggie Rose & Old Crow Medicine Show
What is your favorite new release for week of August 7? Silverada – Living Proof Rowena Wise – Bad Things Feel Good The Grascals – Not That Gone Grace Potter – Trespasser The Mountain Goats – Days Slack Key Ohana – The Ohana Sessions Surrender Hill – Wild Country Margaret Glaspy – I Am Both Paul Carrack – The Country Side of Paul Carrack, Vol.
Prodigal Father – a Premiere from Kevin Gordon
Kevin Gordon is as authentic as they come. His Southern stories are rooted in truth, though only he knows exactly how much. He brings those tales to life with a literary eye, set against guitars as gritty as the stories themselves. There are countless reasons a great song gets left off an album — which makes it all the more satisfying when it finally finds its way to listeners. Such was the case with “Prodigal Father,” a lost gem from the sessions for The In Between, Gordon’s most recent album.
Pieta Brown on Borrowing Iris DeMent’s Van and Listening to Pharoah Sanders
Photo credit Mei-Ling Right now I have a Honda CR-V Touring … only 90,000 miles… I finally traded the last one at about 200,000… this one and the last one have run SOOO well! I’m knocking on wood…such a solid micro-tour-bus…For the road I’ve also borrowed Iris DeMent’s van! And I’ve rented bigger cars…but for the Midwest shows with a duo or trio the CR-V rules… I love bringing my own groceries…or finding little grocery stores along the way… but who can resist a great diner breakfast?
Bonus Monday Video – David Garza
Bonus Monday Video – David Garza Monday, August 03, 2026 By Mayer Danzig Seems like an appropriate day to re-share this gem from Texas virtuoso David Garza. Honest words are like August thirds They just both come maybe once in a year VIDEO About the author: Mild-mannered corporate executive by day, excitable Twangville denizen by night.
Monday Morning Video – Glen Hansard
Glen Hansard died last week, and it’s hard to know where to start. He was one of the genuine ones — in his music and in how he moved through the world. That’s a rare thing, and it’s the thing we’ll miss most. I’ve written before about my favorite Hansard memory: an impromptu moment at a 2015 Atlanta show that said everything about who he was. Let’s celebrate his legacy with three videos. We start with a 2015 backyard acoustic session in Germany.
“Start a Band” – A Premiere from Bleu
LA popmeister Bleu doesn’t release a lot of his own music these days — he’s too busy writing and producing for television, film, and other artists. But personal experience provided the impetus for his new album: a tribute to two close friends he lost, longtime studio partner Ducky Carlisle and college best friend Alex Scutro. Some albums mourn a loss. Others celebrate a legacy. Bleu took the latter approach with Sargeant Pepper Grinder — a declaration he makes with the title alone.
Chris Pierce on His Old Ford Bronco and His “Lone Wolf” Years
Photo credit Miles Bitton In the early years, I’d load up my old Ford Bronco for tours and take it as far as it would go. I travelled coast to coast in that truck and learned a lot about the road and mechanics along the way! These days, I usually fly or train to a major city and rent a vehicle for the tour, returning it in the last city of the tour. With rental cars, it’s a “take what you can get” kind of thing.
Monday Morning Video – William Matheny
William Matheny’s new album, Material Witness, was released earlier this month. It’s great songwriting with real rock and roll grit. The title track gets the live-in-studio treatment for this week’s video — just Matheny and his band, no overdubs to hide behind. Matheny played NYC last night, a show I appropriated as my birthday party. It confirmed what this video already shows: as great as these songs are on record, they’re even better live.
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