New Music
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by Tom “Doc” Leytham“A Longtime Fan of the Band” The Red Clay Strays have released their debut album, Moment of Truth, and one would be hard pressed to find a more aptly named production. These young musicians from “Lower Alabama” have played together for the better part of five years wowing their fans with original music that gets you on the first listen. Or maybe “you get it” is a…
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By Johnny Cole Photos by Stephen Anderson Additional photos by Jody Campbell Not long ago, I had the privilege of catching Jay Megginson’s performance at Jack’s by the Tracks in Pascagoula, MS. I had previously seen Megginson perform as part of the duo, Barstow Revival, which was featured in a 2019 article by Brenda Germany here at The Southland Music Line. I first met Jay and his wife, Ragan, at…
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by Johnny Cole John Mellencamp’s highly anticipated studio album Strictly A One-Eyed Jack finally arrived in January of this year containing the new single “Did You Say Such A Thing”. While this newest release is his 25th studio album, Mellencamp has also had several more records released when you count his greatest hits, live and acoustic packages. This album is his first studio release since 2018’s Other People’s Stuff, an…
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A Review by Johnny Cole The song “Wasted Days” by John Mellencamp and Bruce Springsteen is by one of this year’s most anrticipated pairings, especially if you are fan of Sirius XM’s E Street Nation or recently attended this year’s Farm Aid. Both men achieved commericial heights during the 1980’s as they were able to tap into the lives of the blue-collar working-class living in the Ronald Reagan era of…
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An Article by Johnny Cole Photos by Stephen Anderson There is something very special when a singer-songwriter can naturally connect with his or her audience. The ability to write a great song that others can relate to is a rewarding accomplishment. Summerlyn Powers, a talented singer-songwriter from Fairhope, Alabama, continues to blossom as someone with that admirable gift. I first heard Summerlyn a few years ago at The Mississippi Songwriters…
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An Article by Johnny Cole Photos by Stephen Anderson After much anticipation, Lauren Murphy, singer-songwriter from the Alabama Gulf Coast with strong ties to the San Francisco Bay area, has officially released her latest album, “Psychedelics”. Following its December 2020 pre-release show, Murphy will now, rightfully, begin promoting it in 2021. In a previous review of Murphy’s music The Southland Music Line said “Lauren Murphy can always be found delighting…
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An Article by Johnny Cole Photos by Stephen Anderson The year 2020 will be remembered for many things in addition to primarily causing difficulties in many aspects of our lives. The music industry has taken a hit due to the cancellations and postponements of many tours and live music events. Yet, music continues to endure! Earlier this year, The Southland Music Line featured the article “Music Will Find A Way…
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An Article by Johnny Cole Photos by Stephen Anderson In early 2018 while enjoying a mutual friend’s show at a popular live music venue in Mobile, Alabama, I met Joshua Stephen Ward, a singer-songwriter from the area. During the break, we struck up a conversation when he mentioned that he had completed a soon to be released album of original material. In my business, it is common to hear that,…
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An Article by Brenda Germany “I didn’t plan to go ‘find’ the blues. The blues found me. I’ve been consumed by it for over 40 years. Like Sam Chatmon said, ‘The blues is my daily occupation!’ ” – Libby Rae Watson In all likelihood, many of us have memories of irreplaceable and precious items threatened by the flood waters of Hurricane Katrina. For blueswoman Libby Rae Watson of Pascagoula, Mississippi,…
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An Article by Johnny Cole Photos by Stephen Anderson Southern Alabama born, Laurie Anne Armour, nicknamed LA by her friends, first came to my attention during a songwriters’ round at The Peoples Room of Mobile (previously known as The Listening Room). LA had already released her debut EP “Ebb and Flow” and was very familiar to the vibrant music scene around Mobile, Alabama. LA’s charming way of connecting with and…
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