| Remembering Vic Chesnutt: Folks, it is with heavy heart that I pass along the following obituaries of my friend Vic Chesnutt. I met Vic when he was a guest of the Radio Thrift Shop on WFMU in 1995, and over the years I was always amazed at his humor, grace and the power of his music. The first obituary was written by Rene Spencer Saller for Ted Barron's blog Boogie Woogie Flu. It references two songs Vic performed live on the Radio Thrift Shop in 1995, when Nicholas Hill and I were broadcasting live from the Musuem of Television and Radio. I believe Vic appeared that day with his wife, Tina, Joey Burns and John Convertino of Calexico, and Alex McManus of Lambchop. We had had a tense day, arguing with the museum over moving some furniture to allow Vic's wheelchair passage through to our broadcast studio. In the end, Vic prevailed and I remember, after all the hustle of getting a remote broadcast on the air, settling into the wonder of Vic's performance. Read on about Vic and his music here and the circumstances of his death here. He will be missed. | |
| Remembering John Peel: Laura's reminiscences of John Peel are included in the box set Kats Karavan: The History Of John Peel On The Radio. The set is as varied and interesting as John's programs, and contains material from several of artists recalling their Peel sessions. | |
| Real Live Dolly!: Laura contributed a testimonial to the booklet for Dolly Parton: Singer, Songwriter, Legend, Icon
a new, career-spanning box set in stores now. |
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| 20 Years of Merge! Our friends at Merge Records are celebrating their 20th year. Laura proudly participated in two anniversary projects: Score: Twenty Years of Merge Records, The Covers, to which she contributed "Cowboy On The Moon" by fellow Nashvillians Lambchop.She was also included in an oral history of Merge called Our Noise: The Book. Check it all out at here! |
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| Fit for a Queen: Thanks to everyone who came to see Laura's tribute to Kitty Wells at the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville. What a special treat to get asked at the last minute to play some of Wells' songs on the Grand Ole Opry's new Country Classics Thursday night broadcast. In case you missed, check out here! |
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| Lucinda Speaks! Lucinda Williams describes how hearing Laura's cover of "Letters" on "Humming By The Flowered Vine" influenced the song choices on her new album, "Little Honey." Read it here! | |
| Laura's acoustic version of the New Order song "Love Vigilantes" is included on the soundtrack of the film, "Body of War," a profile of Iraq veteran Tomas Young. The soundtrack is available now from Sire Records, and also features tracks by Eddie Vedder, Bruce Springsteen, Billy Bragg, and others. | |
| Elvis & Laura on TV!: Elvis Costello and Laura harmonize on the old James Taylor/George Jones duet "Bartender's Blues" on the fourth episode of Costello's new Spectacle show on the Sundance channel. In case you missed it, check it out here! | |
| Check out the reviews and previews of Laura's recent East Coast tour in the Washington Post, Boston Globe, Philadelphia City Paper and New Haven Advocate, read her rant on her musical heroines at the record collector blog Boogie Woogie Flu and hear her recent appearance on WNYC public radio. |
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| Laura at Vanity Fair: Read an essay on the Patsy Cline crash site written by Laura for Vanity Fair magazine's blog. Find it here! | |
| Patsy vs. Kitty: Check out Laura's contribution to the book, Rock And Roll Cage Match, Music's Greatest Rivalries Decided. Laura details her fascination with Kitty Wells and Patsy Cline, telling how, in her eyes, there can be only one "Queen of Country Music." You can buy it here! | |
| Laura's acclaimed "Radio Thrift Shop," a NYC radio institution since 1992, is now streaming live worldwide on WFMU every other Wednesday morning from 6-9 am EST, with all show archives and playlists available for streaming on demand. | |
| Laura's new digital-only covers EP, "Trains and Boats and Planes," is now available for download from iTunes, Amazon, eMusic, and most digital retailers (but is NOT being sold in stores). Laura's first new recordings in three years are travel-themed, based on the Burt Bacharach-Hal David title track, along with thoughtfully-chosen songs by Roger Miller, Merle Haggard, John Hartford, Gordon Lightfoot, New Order, and three previously-released tracks. Read a new interview with Laura from Pop Matters and a story on the new release in the The Times of London. | |
| Check out Laura's interpretation of the NYC subway map, featuring streaming audio of her entire 2005 album "Humming by the Flowered Vine." | |
| Don't Get Lost! This week's episode of Theme Time Radio Hour with Bob Dylan (entitled "Don't Get Lost") opened with Laura's recording of "14th Street" from "Humming By The Flowered Vine." WOW, the third song of Laura's to be played on Theme Time Radio Hour, we are not worthy! The program airs again on the SIRIUS XM Deep Tracks channel (SIRIUS 16, XM 40) Sunday at 8 am and Monday at 8 am ET. |
