“It's about time that BILL MILLER, the "Alter-Native" singer-songwriter, had his body of work anthologized. This compilation spans over ten years of music, starting with his first two albums released on Warner Bros., and wonderfully spotlights Miller's hymn-like poetry, exhilarating falsetto and "spiritual" guitar playing. It would be easy to draw comparisons to such talents as Bob Dylan, Neil Young and Bruce Springsteen when describing Miller's music; his rich lyrical folk-rock has drawn praise from big fans as diverse as Tori Amos, Eddie Vedder, Arlo Guthrie, Bono and Edgar Winter. In addition to an upcoming PBS special that pairs Miller with symphony musicians, this collection will go a long way toward documenting his greatness and drawing attention to this man's art. Appropriately enough, it should come as no surprise that his Mohican name translates to "Birdsong." SPIRIT SONGS is an essential piece to add to your folk and Native American bins, especially in time for the release of the PBS special SONGS OF THE SPIRIT. (Available: March 16)
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One of the seminal groups of the folk movement, the ROOFTOP Singers are best known for "Walk Right In," their #1 hit from the winter of 1963. Consisting of Erik Darling (formerly of the Weavers), 12 string guitarist Bill Svanoe, and female vocalist Lynne Taylor, the Rooftop Singers had a similar line-up as Peter, Paul & Mary. Though they didn't have the career longevity of Peter, Paul & Mary, "Walk Right In" was a huge hit, holding down the #1 spot for an astonishing 13 weeks, and also crossing over to the Country and R&B charts. What many folk music fans don't realize is that the group had an incredible repertoire of folk and blues songs interpreted in their classic 12 string driven sound. Now for the first time ever, the best tracks of the Rooftop Singers are collected on BEST OF THE VANGUARD YEARS. This standout collection contains 27 songs from this legendary folk group singing a wide assortment of everything from folk and blues to classic Americana. With liner notes by folk historian Dave Samuelson, and updated 20-bit mastering and improved graphics, this is a must have CD for new and old folk fans. (Available: January 27)
“BAPTISM is of a piece with the ‘concept’ albums of the late '60s, but more ambitious than most and different from all of them. BAEZ by this time was immersed in various causes, concerning the Vietnam War, the human condition, and the general state of the world, and it seemed as though every note of music that she sang was treated as important. …BAPTISM was BAEZ getting more serious than she already was, right down to the settings of her music, and redirecting her talent from folk song to art song, complete with orchestral accompaniment. …In 1968, amid the strife spreading across the world, the album had a built-in urgency that made it work as a mixture of art and message.” – allmusic.com
(Available:October 14)
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Lyle Lovett, Willie Nelson, Dwight Yoakam, Tom Waits…just a handful of fans who pledge allegiance to KINKY. This Jewish country music singer from Palestine, TX has a sharp wit and a BIG funny-bone; his recent stature as a best-selling novelist should help shine the light back on his ground-breaking (and side-splitting) recorded legacy, specifically this debut album for Vanguard Records – SOLD AMERICAN. As Jim Bessman writes in the album’s liner notes, “True, KINKY was politically incorrect before politically incorrect was cool. …One of the most colorful and controversial characters ever to come out of country music.”
(Available: September 9)