Band Spotlight | Thursday, January 26,2012

Mike McClure Band

If you were from Oklahoma and if you were into hard-rocking, good country music like that of the Red Dirt scene, seeing Mike McClure’s name would send you boot-scootin’ for the ticket boot

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, January 26,2012

2012 forecast

By Tom Irwin

What good are predictions anyway? Is there any meaning in the fact that someone states “so-and-so shall do that and turn out this way” and then it does, or doesn’t for that matter? R

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, January 19,2012

Early morning ruminations

By Tom Irwin

Oh boy, call it a late one, or early as the case may be. The clock says 4:32 a.m. and I’m wide awake. The problem stems from the schedule switch I attempt to accomplish each week as the nighttim

Band Spotlight | Thursday, January 19,2012

Mike Zito

By Tom Irwin

A St. Louis native who took to working at Tower Grove Music fresh out of high school intent on making music a lifelong endeavor, Mike Zito plays the blues like nobody’s business. After years of

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, January 12,2012

Talking with Todd

By Tom Irwin

I just had the best time visiting with Todd Snider on the phone. I’ve always heard he was a nice guy and he even wrote a song called “Alright Guy” that made number one on the country

Band Spotlight | Thursday, January 12,2012

Eric Lee Beddingfield

By Tom Irwin

From his hometown of Augusta, Ga., Eric Lee Beddingfield has scaled the heights of country music stardom to play on the Grand Ole Opry, plus record with George Jones and Dolly Parton, while sharing th

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, January 5,2012

Elvis by the numbers

By Tom Irwin

As I prepare to research Elvis Presley and numbers, what better snack than one of the King’s favorite repasts. According to one of the many Internet sites on everything-about-Elvis, the recipe i

Band Spotlight | Thursday, January 5,2012

Cabin Fever

By Tom Irwin

In 2005 this hardworking, easy-playing quintet of Zach Johnson (vocals, harmonica), Mike Eck (vocals, guitar), Danny Sronce (vocals, guitar), Geoff Ryan (electric bass) and Justin Schmidt (percussion,

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, December 29,2011

New Year’s news

By Tom Irwin

Wow, I feel like one of those people saying, “Wow, it’s New Year’s already? I thought we just celebrated the last one.” Or something akin to that exclamation of realization and

Band Spotlight | Thursday, December 29,2011

Robert Sampson & Blues Gumbo

By Tom Irwin

Not just another blues band, this group of seasoned area musicians comes together to play music bringing decades of experience in performance, perseverance and practice. With Jacksonville resident Rob