Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, October 6,2011

Girl-A-Thon II

Last year about this time, Girl-A-Thon debuted with a bang. There’s nothing like one successful event to warrant another, so off we go with round two of this hip and worthy event, from here on o

Band Spotlight | Thursday, October 6,2011

Whiskey Tango

By Tom Irwin

Wondering what exactly a Whiskey Tango might be? The four-piece group says, “it’s a hell-yeah, honky-tonk, roadhouse-type band, driven by harmonica, irony and keeping your x-mas lights up

Band Spotlight | Thursday, September 29,2011

Tom and Gretchen Show

By Tom Irwin

Wow, what a chance to see two modern legends of country and Americana songwriting under one roof. Ed Becker, Mount Olive resident and longtime program host on KDHX, the community radio station in St.

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, September 29,2011

Helping horses and Kickstarter

By Tom Irwin

Our topics this week discuss giving money to causes. What could be better than that? You don’t necessarily need to answer, just please continue.Steve Alexander began caring for abandoned horses

Band Spotlight | Thursday, September 22,2011

The Stone and Biscuit Band

By Tom Irwin

As founder, bassist and self-titled “senior member,” Joe O’Neill relates the beginning of the band as “almost by accident.” The 55-year-old musician hadn’t played b

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, September 22,2011

Tonguesnatcher Revue returns

By Tom Irwin

If the name is not enough to suck you in, please believe me, Tonguesnatcher Revue is a must-see band. And seeing is an important part of experiencing this musical group, long disciples of the theatric

Band Spotlight | Thursday, September 15,2011

John Paul Keith and the One Four Fives

By Tom Irwin

Raised outside of Knoxville, Tenn., John Paul Keith took the hard road to getting heard in the music business. His dad gave him a guitar at age 10 with lessons coming from studying records by the like

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, September 15,2011

Mid-month mish-mash

By Tom Irwin

Off we go into the fall festival season with events galore. Sometimes it’s nice to write about one thing (like next week’s return of Tonguesnatcher Revue on Sept. 24), but when so much stu

Band Spotlight | Thursday, September 8,2011

Deke Dickerson and the Ecco-fonics

By Tom Irwin

Hailing from nearby Columbia, Mo., Deke Dickerson has toured the world as an entertaining guitarist and developed an international career as a journalist/historian in the arena of American roots music

Music - Tom Irwin | Thursday, September 8,2011

September stuff

By Tom Irwin

Whew, what a summer of goings on it was. I’m all worn out from the excitement of fairs and festivals, and I’m supposing you are as well. Now things slow down a bit, but plenty of upcoming