S&S Interview with Anders Nygren, founder of Flathead Power

Henry Studley Toolbox, Work Of Genius

Keeping your tools organized is absolute zen. I cannot walk in my shop and not know where every tool is or what cabinet section within which it is located. Now is our tidiness on the level of Henry Studley? I think not, but the design of his toolbox and the contents within it speak of the precision to the instruments which he built. Just from the tool locations and setup it is easy to imagine how well his piano's were put together. 

We have spoken multiple times on how we are losing craftsmen and the art of having a trade and it is a sad state in our mind. Whatever hobby or craft that you have to which you find an affinity, push it to another level. Whether it be leather craft, welding, mechanic or even a musician, take it to another level and just keep pushing. The more things become just a commodity, lets challenge that reality and help to turn the tide.

Link to original article on FineWoodworking.com

Custom toolbox created by piano builder Henry Studley

The history of H.O. Studley and his tool chest
 
Massachusetts piano maker Henry Studley built his magnificent tool chest over the course of a 30-year career at the Poole Piano Company. The chest lived on the wall near his workbench, and he worked on it regularly, making changes and adding new tools as he acquired them. Using ebony, mother-of-pearl, ivory, rosewood, and mahogany -- all materials used in the manufacture of pianos -- he refined the chest to the point that now, more than 80 years after his death, it remains in a class of its own.

Packing more tools per square foot than seems physically possible, piano maker Henry Studley's unrivaled tool chest also manages to be beautiful in the process. The chest stands as perhaps the most exquisite example of 19th-century tool-chest craftsmanship.

Considering how many tools it holds, the famous chest is really quite small; when closed, it is just 9 in. deep, 39 in. high, and just more than 18 in. wide. Yet it houses so many tools -- some 300 -- so densely packed that three strong men strain to lift it.

For every tool, Studley fashioned a holder to keep it in place and to showcase it. Miniature wrenches, handmade saws, and some still unidentified piano-making tools each have intricate inlaid holders. Tiny clasps rotate out of the way so a tool can be removed. In places the clearances are so tight that the tools nearly touch. The chest, which hangs on ledgers secured to a wall, folds closed like a book. And as the chest is closed, tools protruding from the left side nestle into spaces between tools on the right side. Amazingly, despite being so densely packed, the tools are all easily accessible.

Custom calipers by H.O. Studley

Studley was well into his 80s when he retired from the piano company. Before he died in 1925, Studley gave the tool chest to a friend. That man's grandson, Peter Hardwick, loaned the chest to the Smithsonian National Museum of American History in Washington, D.C. in the late 1980s and later sold it to a private collector in the Midwest. That owner again sold the tool chest to another private collector, where it now resides.

Almost lost among the tools but no longer obscure to history, the name of the maker, H. O. Studley, and his Massachusetts hometown of Quincy are engraved on small plates just above his brace. Scraps of ebony, ivory, rosewood, and mother-of-pearl left over from his work as a piano maker gave Studley raw material for his tool chest and many of the tools it contains.

Henry Studley's custom toolbox with all the tools taken out

The Green Lady Killers Officially Endorse Evans, Pro-Mark, Puresound, Planet Waves and D'Addario

The Green Lady Killers are one of those bands that we knew from the minute we first heard and saw them, they had to be part of Rusty Knuckles Music. Whether it be the snarling to soothing vocals by Lady Van Buren or her insane guitar riffing, matched by CherryBomb's pounding rhythms. The dynamic duo has built a road ready machine of a band. Now that Ivy Rose has also joined the ranks and upped the ante on the bass, this is one band that is poised to dominate on the next album, that will be due out sometime later this year.

We have been workin' to pry some sort of info out of the ladies on what is the latest progress, but their lips are sealed shut and this can only mean one thing. Rehearsing and writing mode are all they are thinkin' on and that dear friends is great news for all of us. We have found out though that they will be recording the first single that will be debuting in May of 2012.

Along with the new album in the works, the ladies have been busy as all hell with new sponsorship deals flying in. Getting endorsement deals, when it comes to gear for a hard working band, is one of the best things next to high paying gigs and huge album sales. Ever added up all the time and effort spent on perfecting your rig set up and then constantly fixing it on the road or burning through strings and drum sticks? It takes a toll and knowing that great sponsors are behind ya is proof that you are headin' in the right direction.

The Green Lady Killers have secured prominent new endorsements from Evans, Pro-Mark, Puresound, Planet Waves and D'Addario products along with their other core sponsors in Gretsch and Fender. Be on the lookout for all sorts of interesting news and updates on these lethal femme fatales as the end of 2012 is going to be quite exciting for them.

The Green Lady Killers photo by Lance Dawes © 2011

Hang out with Green Lady Killers on Facebook

Green Lady Killers - Gear Endorsements

The Green Lady Killers are officially endorsed by Pro-Mark, Gretsch, D'Addario, Fender, Planet Waves and Evans Drumheads

The Green Lady Killers will be at Drunk & Disorderly Bowling on 5.9.12

Bimota Concept Bikes Powered By S and S XWedge VTwin

Bimota has come out with some very sleek designs in their concept drawings for a new cafe racer style bike aiming towards the US Audience and those wanting a performance driven v-twin powerplant. Personally I think these are amazing looking and from looks alone appear to be well thought out when it comes to performance and handling. No lines seem to crazy to adjust to and look to be a rider right off the showroom floor. Ok, when are they available?

Link to Bimota Motorcycles USA

Bimota Concept cafe racer style developed by Oberdan Bezzi

Find more concept motorcycles on BikeGlam.com

"The Italian designer Oberdan Bezzi is always very prolific of interesting ideas and fascinating projects. The latest offering from Oberdan Bezzi is known as Bimota XXX Concept. This mighty Drag-cruiser is more than a nod to the American audience than the Europeans.

 

The chassis is made of high quality items and best brands, as always in Bimota. According Oberdan: “The driving position is quite absurd for the pilot of the Old Continent, but it seems like the American biker.” The engine uses Power Cruiser Custom typical American with a look that will delight the most of the cafe -racers."

Bimota Concept cafe racer style developed by Oberdan Bezzi

Bimota Concept cafe racer style developed by Oberdan Bezzi

Bimota Concept cafe racer style developed by Oberdan Bezzi

Motorcycle Powered By Compressed Air?

Green technology is enabling or forcing many engineers on ways to think or rethink the continued evolution of motorsports. It is easy to argue from point of view and talk about how great a combustion engine sounds, but we are really into pushing forward with new ideas and creative concepts. We have a deep passion for all things involving gas and carburetion but what if you wanted to create a racing bike to break new records at Bonneville or your local drag strip. With that in mind, check out what some engineering students came up with for a concept motorcycle.

Saline Bird Concept is a speed record motorbike concept powered by a compressed air engine.

Like the Saline Airstream, the Saline Bird Concept is a race motorbike created for the Les Triplettes de Bonneville. The motorbike is powered by an compressed air engine fed by three air tanks with a total capacity of 27 liters. All of technical parts are mounted on a frame made of carbon fiber. The position of the biker is directly inspired by speed skier position for better aerodynamics.

The conventional body panels are replaced by leather skin parts that can be slipped on and off “like a sock” in order to switch between the different categories (with body panel or without it). It can also be turned into a road model by replacing the handlebar. Technical partners of the project include MDI (engine), LUXFER (air tank) and BRM.

The Saline Bird Concept was created by five design students at the ISD of Valenciennes (France) for their 2010-2011 final project.

Featured link on Car Body Design

Saline Bird Concept motorcycle

Saline Bird Concept motorcycle from rear axle

Saline Bird Concept motorcycle front end

Saline Bird Concept motorcycle with body panels removed

Jack White, Johnny Depp and The Lone Ranger

Is Jack White the best musician of our generation? His work ethic and the amount of music produced including the variety of projects just add further weight to his elite repertoire. The song he worked on with Alicia Keys for the James Bond franchise was more proof about how he can add a great track to a film. Really looking forward to what he can do for the whole soundtrack to the Lone Ranger. 

Jack White will be composing the soundtrack to the Lone Ranger film starring Johnny Depp

Link to article on Billboard.com

"Walt Disney Pictures has wrangled Jack White to compose the score for "The Lone Ranger."


The studio announced Tuesday that the Grammy-winning rocker will write, produce and perform the score for director Gore Verbinski's upcoming adaptation of "The Lone Ranger."


"The Lone Ranger" will mark the White Stripes frontman's first time scoring a feature film. The film stars Johnny Depp as Tonto and Armie Hammer as John Reid. It is set to debut May 31, 2013.


White's first solo album, "Blunderbuss," was released Tuesday. He previously wrote and performed the theme song to the 2008 James Bond film "Quantum of Solace" with Alicia Keys.


In other Jack White news, it was announced last night (April 24) that Jack White's Third Man Records Rolling Record Store (i.e. a hopped up step-van) will be distributing concert tickets on the streets of NYC for White's upcoming AmEx Unstaged show at Webster Hall this Friday.

Johnny Depp playing Tonto in the new remake of the Lone Ranger

According to a statement released last night, "White will be giving back to the city that's so warmly embraced his debut album, as his Third Man Records Rolling Record Store hits the Big Apple on Thursday the 26th to bestow upon the citizenry free tickets to Jack White's American Express Unstaged concert at Webster Hall on Friday April 27 … An educational vinyl adventure center on wheels, Third Man Records' Rolling Record Store will be wheeling into locations all over the New York City area, then tweeting (@ThirdManRRS) each location along with instructions on how to claim a pair of free tickets to the show. There are only five pairs of tickets, one pair to be given away at each of five locations."


As previously reported, Jack's American Express Unstaged event will be directed by actor Gary Oldman. The show will be live-streamed and previewed by one new video each day leading up to Friday's performance, which can be seen here."

1929 Brough Superior SS100 Motorcycle

How often do you see another custom bike and it looks cookie cutter. As in you can see every bought part on there and it just feels pieced together, rather all parts coming together as a whole making a truly unique machine.

With that in mind, you just happen to glance over some classic images and there sits one of the most unique and truly superior designs in a machine built around two wheels. Do yourself a favor and dig into the Brough Superior motorcycle.

Brough Superior, one of the coolest motorcycles ever designed.

Link to original post on Classic Auctions

"A number of manufacturers have sought to produce the "ultimate" motorcycle, a machine with that intangible blend of performance, handling, quality, looks and that little "something" extra that places it above and beyond its competitors. A number have got close, but have not been able to make the transition from contemporary ultimate to achieving an enduring status as the pinnacle of desirability, that accolade falls to two manufacturers, Brough Superior and Vincent. Both machines were the result of one mans search for perfection, both were and are exclusive, admired by all and possessed by a select few, as desirable now as they were when built, however the Brough Superior did something that had not been achieved before, paving the way for the later Vincent, it became an object of desire for all. George Brough's customers included the aristocracy and royalty, the Brough Superior became one of the most desirable machines built, accepted and admired as much as a Rolls Royce or De Haviland Comet by all sectors of society, motorcyclist or not.

George Brough had learnt his trade whilst working at his fathers Brough company, but a divergence in views regarding motorcycle design, prompted George to establish his own company in a prefabricated concrete building at Haydn Road in Nottingham.

Advertisements for the first Brough Superior, the Mark 1, appeared in the press during November 1920 and orders were forthcoming, however, George Brough was not satisfied with his new machine and started development of a "super sports" model, the SS80, that became available during 1923. As with all his products, the SS80 was not a response to the views of the press and other "experts", it was developed by George Brough to meet his standards, tested and evolved by him. It was followed in 1925 by the SS100, an overhead valve 1000cc that was inspired by by Le Vack's record holding machine.

1929 Brough Superior SS100 right side of engine

1929 Brough Superior SS100 right side of motorcycle

The new machine was guaranteed to be able to reach the magic 100mph mark, but just as importantly it offered exceptional handling, braking and good looks. During the first year of production 69 of the JAP KTOR, delivering 45 bhp, powered machines were built. All were fitted with the patent "Castle" fork and three speed Sturmey Archer gearboxes and sold for £170. Little changed for 1926, although the "Alpine Grand Touring" was now available having been announced at the the end of of 1925 and at the 1926 Show the stripped down, tuned version of the SS100, the Pendine was shown for the first time. 1927 was a quiet year for the SS100 with the company focusing on the new "680", however for 1928 the SS100 received a new "super heavyweight" Sturmey gearbox to cope with the increased power output delivered by the JAP JTOR engine that had supplanted the KTOR as the standard fitment in the SS100. 1928 also saw the introduction of the Bentley and Draper sprung frame.

1929 saw 29 SS100s produced in Pendine and Grand Alpine form with the option of the B and D sprung frame and the three speed "super heavyweight" gearbox, although a few are believed to have been built with the standard unit. 1929 also saw the introduction of the new dual headlight, as fitted to the machine offered, although not all the 1929 SS100s were so equipped.

The beautiful example offered was purchased by the vendor as a complete, original machine in need of a complete restoration. It was restored between 2000 and 2001 and has subsequently been used extensively travelling to Scotland, Spain, France, Austria and Italy. The vendor describes the machine as being in excellent condition in all respects. It is offered with a Swansea V5C and a dating certificate."

1929 Brough Superior SS100 front wheel

1929 Brough Superior SS100 left side of motorcycle

1929 Brough Superior SS100 detail on engine

1929 Brough Superior SS100 dual gas caps on tank

Hellbound Glory Back On The Itunes Charts

Hellbound Glory without a doubt is one of the hardest working bands on the road today. Last year alone they toured over 8 months and this year they are already racking up the miles. After another successful US Tour they are now out this week with Kid Rock on his Chillin' The Most Cruise. Huge shout out to the fellas in Hellbound Glory for once again getting high placement on the Itunes charts.

Link up with Hellbound Glory on Facebook

Hellbound Glory once again making the Itunes Country Music Charts

Hellbound Glory is one of the featured bands on Kid Rock's Third Annual Chillin' The Most Cruise

Yakima Canutt - Best Stuntman Ever

Stuntmen get very little credit for their craft and then ya heard about some famous actor that did his own stunts and we are supposed to feel amazed. Well, lets feel amazed by what the real action hero's do. Without guys such as Yakima Canutt who single handedly invented the stuntman as a profession, the world should forever remember him.

Yakima Canutt being pulled by the horses on the ground called the "Transfer" his most famous stunt

Yakima Canutt doubling as John Wayne in the movie "Stagecoach"

Learn more about Yakima Canutt on wikipedia or watch the films he was in for some true action

Born Enos Edward Canutt in the Snake River Hills, near Colfax, Washington; he was one of five children of John Lemuel Canutt, a rancher, and Nettie Ellen Stevens. He grew up in eastern Washington on a ranch near Penawawa Creek, founded by his grandfather and operated by his father, who also served a term in the state legislature. His formal education was limited to elementary school in Green Lake, Washington, then a suburb of Seattle. He gained the education for his life's work on the family ranch, where he learned to hunt, trap, shoot, and ride.

He broke a wild bronco when 11. As a 6-foot-tall (1.8 m) sixteen-year-old he started bronc riding at the Whitman County Fair in Colfax in 1912 and at 17 he won the title of World's Best Bronco Buster. Canutt started rodeo riding professionally and gained a reputation as a bronc rider, bulldogger and all-around cowboy. It was at the 1914 Pendleton Round-Up, Pendleton, Oregon he got his nickname "Yakima" when a newspaper caption misidentified him. "Yakima Canutt may be the most famous person NOT from Yakima Washington" says Elizabeth Gibson, author of Yakima, Washington. Winning second place at the 1915 Pendleton Round-Up brought attention from show promoters, who invited him to compete around the country.

"I started in major rodeos in 1914, and went through to 1923. There was quite a crop of us traveling together, and we would have special railroad cars and cars for the horses. We'd play anywhere from three, six, eight ten-day shows. Bronc riding and bulldogging were my specialties, but I did some roping." said Canutt.

During the 1916 season, he became interested in divorcee Kitty Wilks, who had won the Lady's Bronc-Riding Championship a couple of times. They married on July 20, 1917 while at a show in Kalispell, Montana; he was 21 and she 23. The couple divorced about 1922. While bulldogging in Idaho, Canutt's mouth and upper lip were torn by a bull's horn; but after stitches, Canutt returned to the competition. It wasn't until a year later that a plastic surgeon could correct the injury. World's champion

Canutt won his first world championship at the Olympics of the West in 1917 and won more championships in the next few years. In between rodeos he broke horses for the French government in World War I. In 1918, he went to Spokane to enlist in the Navy and was stationed in Bremerton. In the fall he was given a 30-day furlough to defend his rodeo title. Having enlisted for the war, he was discharged in spring 1919. At the 1919 Calgary Stampede he competed in the bucking event and met Pete Knight.

He traveled to Los Angeles for a rodeo, and decided to winter in Hollywood, where he met screen personalities. It was here that Tom Mix, who had also started in rodeos, invited him to be in two of his pictures. Mix added to his flashy wardrobe by borrowing two of Canutt's two-tone shirts and having his tailor make 40 copies. Canutt got his first taste of stunting with a fight scene on a serial called Lightning Brice; he didn't stay, and left Hollywood to play the 1920 rodeo circuit.

The Fort Worth rodeo was nicknamed "Yak's show" after he won the saddle-bronc competition three years in 1921, 1922 and 1923. He had won the saddle-bronc competition in Pendleton in 1917, 1919, and 1923 and came second in 1915, and 1929. Canutt won the steer bulldogging in 1920, and 1921 and won the All-Around Police Gazette belt in 1917, 1919, 1920 and 1923.[2] While in Hollywood in 1923 for an awards ceremony, he was offered eight western action pictures for producer Ben Wilson at Burwillow Studios; the first was to be Riding Mad. Actor

Canutt had been perfecting tricks such as the Crupper Mount, a leap-frog over the horse's rump into the saddle. Douglas Fairbanks used some in his film The Gaucho. Fairbanks and Canutt became friends and competed regularly at Fairbanks' gym. Canutt took small parts in pictures of others to get experience. It was in Branded a Bandit (1924) that his nose was broken in a 12-foot fall from a cliff. The picture was delayed several weeks, and when it resumed Canutt's close shots were from the side. A plastic surgeon reset the nose, which healed, inspiring Canutt to remark that he thought it looked better. Stuntman Yakima in John Ford's Stagecoach after doing the "transfer" part of his most famous stunt

When his contract with Wilson expired in 1927, Canutt was making appearances at rodeos across the country. By 1928 the talkies were coming out and though he had been in 48 silent pictures, Canutt knew his career was in trouble. His voice had been damaged from flu in the Navy. He started taking on bit parts and stunts, and realized more could be done with action in pictures.

In 1930 between pictures and rodeoing, Canutt met Minnie Audrea Yeager Rice at a party at her parents' home. She was 12 years his junior. They kept company during the next year while he picked up work on the serials for Mascot Pictures Corporation. They married on November 12, 1931.

When rodeo riders invaded Hollywood, they brought a battery of rodeo techniques that Canutt would expand and improve, including horse falls and wagon wrecks, along with the harnesses and cable rigs to make the stunts foolproof and safe. Among the new safety devices was the 'L' stirrup, which allowed a man to fall off a horse without getting hung in the stirrup. Canutt also developed cabling and equipment to cause spectacular wagon crashes, while releasing the team, all on the same spot every time. Safety methods such as these saved film-makers time and money and prevented accidents and injury to performers. One of Yakima's inventions was the 'Running W' stunt, bringing down a horse at the gallop by attaching a wire, anchored to the ground, to its fetlocks and launching the rider forwards spectacularly. This either killed the horse, or rendered it badly shaken and unusable for the rest of the day. The 'Running W' is now banned and has been replaced with the falling-horse technique. It is believed that the last time it was used was on the 1983 Iraqi film al-Mas' Ala Al-Kubra when the British actor and friend of Yak Marc Sinden and stuntman Ken Buckle (who had been trained by Yak) performed the stunt three times during a cavalry charge sequence.

It was while working on Mascot serials that Canutt practiced and perfected his most famous stunts, including the drop from a stagecoach that he would employ in John Ford's 1939 Stagecoach. He first did it in Riders of the Dawn in 1937 while doubling for Jack Randall. In his 1981 film Raiders of the Lost Ark, Steven Speilberg paid homage to Canutt, recreating the stunt when a stuntman, Terry Leonard, (doubling for Harrison Ford) 'dropped' from the front of a German Army transport truck, was dragged underneath (along a prepared trench) and then climbed up the back and round to the front again.

Free Riding in Rio - Red Bull Trial X Sessions

As of late we have been officially hooked on watching free riding videos while eating lunch. Yep, its just one of those things that mixes a skateboarding, bmx and motorcross mindset into a visual amalgamation of action sports porn. The way the free riders tackle any object and make it their own is just too damn cool. Add in a beastly little motor and all of a sudden a concrete bank is approachable from all sorts of new angles.

“Go Ready” Bands in Country Music Right Now, from Saving Country Music

Triggerman over at Saving Country Music has a pure voice, when it comes to speaking his mind and backing up his words. He is a solid source of country music news, anecdotes and most of all a beacon in the night, when it comes to state of things in what we refer to as roots or underground country. 

Below is a mighty depiction of the bands that are ready to roll in the realm of country music. We all know this and these bands are the future, but many more folks need to hear about them so we can grow the genre with "Real Country Music" and not the watered down pop crap that fills radio stations nation wide.

Go out and see these bands live and help to support the future of country music.

Link to original article on Saving Country Music

"Hollywood seems obsessed with finding talent among the masses with their silly reality show contests like American Idol and The Voice, when in reality there’s a boatload of talent just sitting there waiting to be discovered right under their surgically-crafted, cosmetically-sculptured noses. But of course they don’t want to actually find any talent, because then what would they have to sell commercials for boner pills and high fructose corn syrup in the next season?

So here’s a list of some bands that are go ready, right now, no excuses. These are not fey, artsy acts, goat worshipers, or punk gone country screamo shows. These are performers that even using Music Row’s shallow approach to music, are marketable, young, hip, with hit-caliber songs ready for country radio, excellent live shows, and would immediately improve the quality and appeal of the genre.

This is just my list, admittedly short, so if you have another artist in mind, please use the comments section to share. And no, this is not about selling out stadiums, it is about creating financial sustainability for talented artists that deserve it.

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Sunday Valley

If music was roulette and Sunday Valley were a square, I’d push my pile of chips and bet on them all in. Sturgill Simpson and the boys are in the studio as we speak making the “Album of their dreams” as Sturg puts it, that will include a guest appearance by Hargus “Pig” Robbins among others, just announced as a 2012 inductee to the Country Music Hall of Fame. But what puts this band over the top is their live performance that harkens back to how one must have felt when Hendrix or Stevie Ray Vaughn took the stage before their break: an unbelievable, dynamic, jaw-dropping experience that leaves you awe-stricken from the combination of originality and sheer talent. Buy your Sunday Valley stock now and watch it rise.

“2012 will be the year of Sunday Valley”. –that’s my quote.

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Hellbound Glory

Hellbound Glory stock has been slowly rising over the last few years, but is still nowhere near where it needs to be. Leroy Virgil is like the Chris LeDoux and Keith Whitley of our time all wrapped up into one. The sideways smile, the legendary-caliber songwriting, there’s no excuses why Hellbound Glory shouldn’t be selling out mid-sized venues and making a fair living playing the type of country music that country music needs. At the least Music Row is a fool for not poaching the Hellbound Glory discography and Leroy Virgil’s brain for his songwriting gold to slot with their already established artists. Every day that goes by that Hellbound Glory remains mired in the underground is another day that country music isn’t putting its best foot forward, and is not making the best case of why it is an important, relevant genre.

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Turnpike Troubadours

One of the best bands to see live, and Red Dirt DJ’s will tell you songs like “Every Girl” are great for radio. They have a new album coming out on May 8th called Goodbye Normal Street, and let’s hope this is the one that puts them over the top, and past the boundaries of the Texoma corridor. Unlike some of the other artists on this list who find themselves in their mid 30′s, where it feels like the window could be closing for them in the coming years, the Troubadour’s window feels like it is just opening. Potential has always been one of their best assets. Now it’s time for that potential to be cashed in for solid growth and success.

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Whitey Morgan & The 78′s

When the question is posed of who is gonna fill the shoes of the true Outlaws and honky-tonkers, from the ones passed on like Waylon and Paycheck, to the ones going gray like Dale Watson and Marty Stuart, trust me, the answer is not going to be Justin Moore. Whitey Morgan & Co. are the true connection, the current torch bearers of the ballsy, twang-heavy true country sound that would expose all the pop country laundry list fluff from the first listen if only given a chance. Similar to how Bloodshot Records label mate Justin Townes Earle has popped in the last few years, now it is Whitey’s turn. Dues have been been paid. Now it’s time to cash in.

Young Up-And-Comers to Keep an Eye On

Paige Anderson

Paige Anderson’s ceiling is limitless. Amazing voice with natural pitch and control, and a highly skilled flat-picking guitar player, there’s nothing naturally holding Paige back. And as one of the young leaders in West Coast bluegrass circuits, and the leader of her family’s band “Anderson Family Bluegrass”, she’s shown the ambition and drive an artist needs in this competitive music environment. Young, beautiful, talented, there’s no excuses here, Paige Anderson is ripe to capture America’s heart.

Wyatt Maxwell

Another heartthrob and superpicker bound for great heights and who started out in a family band, Mad Max & The Wild Ones. A natural leader, he’s been out before paying dues by playing lead guitar for the legendary Wayne “The Train” Hancock and can slide into just about any band or vintage style of music and make it shine. The look and technique are all there, but what puts Wyatt into elite company is his sense of style and taste. As a guitar player or as a band leader, the sky is the limit for young Maxwell.

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Another name I must mention is Ruby Jane, who will unmistakably be huge in music someday, so unmistakably in fact it doesn’t even seem germane to put her on this list. She has moved more into the jazz and singer/songwriter world in recent months and years after her time touring with Willie Nelson and Asleep At The Wheel, but is still a name all lovers of great music should keep up with.

Also the beautiful and talented Rachel Brooke may be a little fey for the wide masses, but her voice and talent is nonetheless undeniable. Just like how Emmylou Harris was the hottest commodity in female harmony singers to put on your album for so many years, Rachel could fulfill this role with the pain in her voice and such mastery of taste and control, while exposing her great original songs to the greater world."

Ronnie Hymes And Carolina Freight - Just A Workin Man' - Album Sneak Peek

After settling in with Ronnie Hymes & Carolina Freight's latest tracks being recorded for the new album, I kept thinking on some interesting and different ways that we could start putting the word out on this great album. Going through our distributors, Itunes, Amazon, etc. is great, but its rather soul less. Don't get me wrong they are great ways to find new music, but we wanted something more and for it to be unique. Those are two things which drive us day to day.

The whole idea for the sign was hatched after hearing the banjo tracks and thinking on stop motion films. I knew there was a refined approach that we could use to leverage the two together. With a plan hatched, now I just had to convince ol' Ronnie Hymes what was possible. After a quick sketch and looking for scrap wood, we settled on a stack of old tongue and groove boards we found over at Habitat for Humanity. For under $200 worth of supplies including scrap wood, about nine or so new 2 x 4's, bolts, nuts, washers and fresh paint, we created the sign for the new album cover. This is just stage one of the album cover, part two will be revealed in a few weeks once we get the finishing touches all done.

So without further ado, have a listen and a view of the brand new track by Ronnie Hymes & Carolina Freight, due out later this summer.

Also, huge thank you to Ronnie, Yvonne, Buck and Frank for helping to contribute to such a huge project. Without their help none of this would have been possible.

Link up with Ronnie Hymes & Carolina Freight on Facebook

Link to the video on Vimeo

See It on youtube

Ronnie putting the custom box shapes for the sign into the tour van

The layout of the huge billboard we were about to paint for the album sign

Each box breaks down for easy storage and setup

Scrap wood purchased from Habit For Humanity

Scrap wood purchased from Habit For Humanity

Sign put into place for painting

Painting the huge 12ft x 12ft album sign, fuck photoshop, get back to basics!

Mikey and Ronnie watching me paint all afternoon, lazy bums, hahaha!

Finishing up all the details on the lettering

Almost done at sunset, in total, took about 8 hours to paint the full sign

Flat Tires Destroy DiveBar Raleigh On 4.21.12

Over the weekend, Willie Nelson was immortalized in Austin, more pot was smoked on 4.20 at 4:20 than in previous years, earth day made us realize that once again we live on planet earth, but most of all the Flat Tires proved how they are becoming the best damn Juke Joint Rock N' Rollers on planet earth.

Dig into the Flat Tires on Facebook

Flat Tires invaded The DiveBar Raleigh on 4.21.12

Flat Tires set list from DiveBar Raleigh show on 4.12.21

Flat Tires at DiveBar Raleigh show on 4.12.21

Flat Tires at DiveBar Raleigh show on 4.12.21

Flat Tires at DiveBar Raleigh show on 4.12.21

Coca Cola And Spotify Equal Pop Fizzle?

Advertising runs everything we know, plain and simple. If it wasn't for advertising would we have all the shows on TV? I highly doubt it, as there would be a lack of money to produce such entities. This convergence is good and bad, but at least if you can see through the crap and understand its just marketing. Hell, use the service as needed without feeling like you have to drink a coke to enjoy the streaming music of Spotify.

Personally, we hope that Spotify does well. Not in the sense that it is a perfect service, but it serves a purpose and could potentially help more bands to be heard. It isn't the best thing since sliced bread, but its a start at a solid music streaming service, which can cue up most anything you want on demand. Other services are offering similar products, but Spotify seems to be taking the lead or at least getting the most attention. If Coca-Cola can inject advertising dollars and help to get the bands paid from the streams instead of the paltry amounts that Spotify pays now, then great.

So here it is Coke, use this Spotify partnership as a platform for the streaming music service to better pay the bands. If both of yall cannot do that, well move on to the next batch of sheep.

See the original article on Hypebot.com

Coca Cola and Spotify are creating new partnership for music streaming

"Yesterday Spotify and CocaCola announced a major partnership. Brands have taken an interesting role beyond just ad dollars at Spotify starting with its July 2011 launch. I know this because I worked with Chevy to partner with blogs/publishers to generate editorial exposure for Spotify and Chevy in exchange for advance access to the streaming service for their readers. It seemed only suitable that Spotify would try to evolve this symbiotic relationship with brands even further.

During the morning talk, Spotify founder Daniel Ek made at Ad Age's Digital Conference, he kept referring to Spotify as a platform as opposed to simply a streaming service. Depending on the brand, having a Spotify app might even be more important than having a Pinterest or Instagram account because of the emotional role music plays in people's everyday lives. To quote a Coca-cola rep, "we're trying to develop a Coca-Cola experience within Spotify." 


On the surface this partnership sounds pretty innovative. Coca-cola will tie Spotify into their global marketing efforts (including Olympics, FIFA, and various live events) and help Spotify launch their service in new markets. Spotify will help Coca-Cola look cool by injecting them into the conversation of music fans. In addition, the two partnered this past weekend to host a friendly competition between 6 different hack teams. The winner, named "London Calling," will be an integral part of the public launch of this partnership. 


However, the whole event was presented very ambiguously and vague without going into much specifics. Since this all was kept fairly abstruse, it's hard to ignore whether or not how the listening community will react to an even deeper branded experience when some already see Spotify ads as an interruption? On the flipside, Spotify insisted at the Press Event that "this is not an advertising campaign [with Coca-cola]." In addition, Daniel sited Subaru's First Car playlist as a successful brand in his Ad Age presentation by saying that the average person on the playlist listened for an average of 70+minutes. People shared and spoke about what song defined their first car, and Subaru wins because they're at the core of conversation.


Discovery & Amplification
I guess my gut insists that in order for the execution of this partnership to be successful, Coca-cola needs to improve the Discovery and Amplification experiences of listeners without inauthentically injecting their beverages into conversation."