Call it “hick hop” or “country rap,” but whatever you aim to name this style of combining country lyric themes with rap production and attitudes, John Lee Smith, better known as Big Smo, does it like no other. Born in San Diego, Big Smo put out his first recordings in 2002. Not long after a […]
Tenn.
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John Nemeth
John Nemeth Start your New Year off with a winner, the winner of the 2014 Blues Music Award, Soul Blues Artist of the Year, that is. Also nominated for six other BMA’s, including BB King Artist of the Year, plus several others in years past, John Nemeth is on top of his game and going […]
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October Oddities
Robert Sampson plays and discusses the blues at the Woodlawn Fall Festival near Jacksonville on Sat., Oct. 18. Many a word spent here in this column relates to our bar scene, where much of the live music happens in Springfield. Hence the “oddities” comment in our headline describing these out-of-bar experiences occurring this week. Often […]
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Music relief for winter weather woes
The Angry Inch appear at the Legacy Theatre with Hedwig Thursday through Saturday this weekend and next. PHOTO COURTESY THE LEGACY THEATRE Oh my, isn’t that snow so pretty as it falls from the sky? Then how quickly it becomes ugly as we deal with the removal of said snow in order to continue our […]
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September soundings
Cool weather and cooler things to do appear as the fall season moves into our world with a pleasant and welcome entrance. As the days shorten, the night comes earlier and that means more “nightlife” for you and me. Another area band makes the effort to gain fan-based funding as Brushville (formerly Brushfire), a modern […]
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Amy Benton
Blessed with a lovely voice, a sweet smile, a creative streak and enough gumption to take on the music business world, Taylorville native Amy Benton lives her dream. Between consistent shows in central Illinois (she’s booked next weekend at the Office and Boondocks), our enterprising singer-songwriter makes steady trips to Nashville, Tenn., pitching songs to […]
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Hillbilly Casino
Wild, wooly, raucous and racy, these guys come on with a bang and stay lit all night. Well-known up and down and all around, plus parts beyond for the music, the show, the attitude, the tattoos, the sound, the look and their do-it-yourself ways, Hillbilly Casino is a force to be reckoned with on the […]
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December blues
For whatever reason, Springfield likes having the blues, at least when it comes to seeing bands that play the genre. And this month, just in time to thwart any possible pre-holiday, lowdown blue feelings, bands are in demand and plentiful. Our friends out at Boondocks, the new happening club on Dirksen Parkway (where Rockin’ Robin […]
