www.moonlightonthemtn.com
 
Friends of The Moonlight--
 
We not gonna waste any of your time commenting on the weather--- that's what old folks do when they can't think of anything else to talk about, and probably the less said about it right now, the better. Let's just not sweat it---
 
Except to say that the forecast calls for a long string of identical days in the weeks to come, the monotony of which could be detrimental to a person's psyche... imagine pulling a summer's duty in the bakery at a large military base in New Mexico...!
Relentless tedium is dangerous, especially at elevated temperatures--- so we're doing our part for public mental health by offering you a multifarious melange of entertainment this month. Everything from Irish to jazzgrass to fingerstyle guitar to Nashville songwriters to gender-bending folk-pop makes its appearance on the datebook in June, we urge you to pick two or three that'll change yer channel, and let us see you come through the door---
 
JUST THIS WEEK--
 
Thursday the 9th--- KAREN E. REYNOLDS, and ROBERT K. WOLF, 7:30pm, $12
     Sounds like two fiction writers, what with those middle initials thrown in there--- and that ain't far from the truth, really... both these performers bring with them a rich array of chronicles and characters to populate their narratives. Reynolds epitomizes the lyrical legacy of Knoxville, one of America's least-recognized musical meccas, having been raised by the river and devoted her life to the pursuit of east Tennessee tunesmithing. Through her own record label, co-writes, radio program, and mentorship of many developing performers, Karen has made a huge difference in advancing the art of contemporary Southern songcraft. And, oh yes-- she's a fun show, too!
 
www.karenereynolds.com
 
     Though transplanted from more exotic climes, Wolf has found fertile soil hereabouts to propagate his particular blend of influences and innovations--- he's an urban folkie outta Brooklyn NY, with an early background in music theory and arranging, a topical humorist with a penchant for irreverence, and a hit-song co-writer with many of the best in Nashville, which he's adopted as his home base for the last fifteen years. Robert doesn't relish the idea of your snoozing through his show--- and we suggest you be ready for some unpredictable curveballs.
 
www.reverbnation.com/rkwmusic
 
 
Friday the 10th-- RANDALL BRAMBLETT, 7:30pm, $15
     Here we got a bona-fide Dixie boy, one of coastal Georgia's white kids who idolized James Brown and Ray Charles before discovering Dylan, James Taylor, and Carol King in college. By that time, his prodigious skills on keyboards, sax, and vocals put him on the path to high-end success, first with the legendary jazz-rock outfit Sea Level, then as touring sideman on some of Big Rock's top circuits, with Traffic, Steve Winwood, Levon Helm, Bonnie Raitt, and a long list of others you'll know.
 
All along the way, though, Bramblett has insistently explored his own original catalog, producing seven gem-like collections of funky, soulful, meditative, spooky, snappy, musky psychedelic/jazz/groove creations that defy classification... apart from saying that
he knows exactly what you want to hear at almost any given minute. Randall comes to us in near-solo format tonight, with some help from his long-time friend and co-writer Jason Slatton, who we know so well from the local trio The Hearts... this can't be anything but wonderful, do NOT goof off and miss it...
 
www.randallbramblett.com
 
 
Saturday the 11th-- JANET HALL O'NEIL, DAN FARMER, AND STEVE NORRIS, 7:30, $12
     From even closer to home comes our three-way round for Saturday night, a song swap featuring a trio of central Alabama's finest part-time songwriters... Janet will be most familiar to a great number of us, owing to her ten thousand nights as a local TV news anchor... though many have now come to think of her as a formidable and engaging writer and performer of her own bluesy folk/pop tunes. Those in the know will remember that Janet and Dan Farmer were a popular musical duo back in their Tuscaloosa college days some (mumblefluffle) years ago--- since then, Dan's kept his chops playing with local country-rock icons Crooked Road, and as a busy co-writer with some of Nashville's most appreciative songmakers. Shelby Countian Steve Norris somehow wisecracked his way into collusion with them, and now adds his fair share of clever and neatly-carved country-folk cantatas to the evening--- we can guarantee you a couple of down-home hours of pure Southern-cooked versery, shot through with inspiration, nostalgia, and genial tomfoolery.  
 
www.myspace.com/janethalloneil
www.danfarmersongs.com
www.journeymangeezer.com
 
 
Monday the 13th-- JOY KILLS SORROW, 7:30pm, $12
     We normally wouldn't try hosting a show on Monday night, but the chance to feature this Boston-based neo-bluegrass quintet is something we couldn't turn down. Though they are mere twenty-somethings, the music press and critics-who-matter have been wagging tongues over JKS since their debut record in 2006, and even more ferociously in response to the newer disc, "Darkness Sure Becomes This City." Easy to understand-- the players include a National Flatpicking Champion guitarist, Berklee's first full-scholarship mandolin student, the world-class banjo player they filched from Crooked Still, a first-place winner of the John Lennon Songwriting Competition.... and the Performer of the Year at the 2008 Canadian Folk Music Awards. All in one band... and only twelve dollars!
 
“Subtle and snazzy, this new jack acoustic outfit merges bluegrass with jazz like it was the most natural combination in the world. Kind of like a more accessible, less pleased with themselves Nickel Creek, these are virtuoso art-folkies who understand the value of being just folks, too.”   - Los Angeles Daily News
 
www.joykillssorrow.com
 
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LOOK AHEAD TO NEXT WEEK, AS WELL---->
 
Friday 17th, INDIA RAMEY, Birmingham's own Neko Case, an ex-barrister gone country/blues
 
Saturday 18th, DELNORA REED, and JESSE TERRY, two dynamic Tennessee writer/player/vocalists---  & both good-lookin'!
 
 
We keep adding future events to the web Calendar, don't forget to check it out--- how about right now?
 
www.moonlightonthemtn.com/MOTM/Calendar.html
 
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The survival and health of this ongoing concert series depends partly--- well, actually a LOT--- on your willingness to support it with additional contributions... good thing we've made them tax deductible! We appreciate your donations, whatever size and form they may take----
 
www.moonlightmusicalliance.org
 
A thousand and six thank you's!