SALT-COUNTRY
Be an ambassador for new music BY DON STICKSEL HTT Contributor
Prison Book Club (as I’m writing this, I just found out about The Fox Hunt; more about that in a minute). Well, as of this column Los John’s a helluva songwriter and Angeles just got put back on an deserving of wider recognition. indoor mask mandate. We’re being From North Carolina, I headed passed over on tours because clubs back to the Motherland, my still aren’t booking in the shortold hometown of Minneapolis, term, and this is another setback. Minnesota, where I got to see The It’s totally and completely at the World’s Longest Running Monday feet of the unvaccinated. Guess Night Residency featuring the Roe what dumb-dumbs, the vaccine Family Singers at the 331 Club. works. Get vaccinated, dammit. For at least 15 years, they’ve been Since our last visit, I’ve been slinging old-time country music visiting my folks in North Carolina with a twist (Misfits covers anyone?). and, while I was there, had the They’re hard at work on their chance to see two artists: John seventh album, which means there Howie Jr. and the Rosewood are six others for you to dig into. Bluff and John R. Miller. Now that I’m back in California, John Howie Jr. has been making I’m looking forward to Sundays at country music for at least 25 years, the Grand Ole Echo, LA’s finest starting out as the frontman for the showcase of roots music where you Two Dollar Pistols in the Raleighcan see the likes of Elijah Ocean, Durham area. Between his two Jamie Wyatt, Victoria Bailey, Lasers outfits, there are at least eight albums Lasers Birmingham, Francesca to check out. John’s a solid dude and Brown and anyone else who might one of the reasons I do what I do. be coming through town but like John R. Miller just released his I said earlier, that’s at a standstill. second solo album, “Depreciated.” Until that changes, the Los Angeles Originally hailing from West scene can stand on its own two legs Virginia, John calls Nashville home because we’re brimming with lots of now. Before going solo, he was local talent, and that brings me to in the bands The Fox Hunt and this month’s topic: music discovery.
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Don Sticksel, AKA DJ Salty Cracker I like to think I know a lot. That I have my finger on the pulse, so to speak, but when I read my fellow HTT columns, I find I’m missing out on great music. Why? Because for as small as the world has become through tech, music is by and large still a regional pastime. Unless you’re determined to make a living at it, most musicians are just happy to play locally or do short weekend runs for whatever reason: a lack of funds, a job, family, etc. Touring is a full-time gig that requires a lot of grit and determination and
HONKY TONK TIMES
