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Karen Jonas one the 2021 Wammie Award for Best Country/Americana Artist/Group. (Photo by Jim Williams)
The MusicianShip recognized winners of the 2021 Washington Area Music Awards, or Wammies in a virtual awards ceremony on Sunday.
Parklife DC salutes the 2021 Wammie Award winners!
Home Free and Don McLean (Home Free Photo by Ford Fairchild, Don McLean Photo by David Abbott)
On Feb. 3, 62 years ago, rock and roll legends Buddy Holly, Ritchie Valens, and J.P. “The Big Bopper” Richardson took a fateful flight. Singer-songwriter Don McLean first immortalized their loss with “American Pie” in 1971.
Today, all-vocal country entertainers Home Free teamed with Don for a special rendition of “American Pie” in a collaboration on the time-tested anthem.
Leah Belle Faser (Photo courtesy Michael J. Media Group)
Back in October, Atlanta singer-songwriter Leah Belle Faser impressed with her debut EP, Crossing Hermi’s Bridge. She now returns with “I Wonder What You Got for Me,” a charming country pop slice of Christmas wrapped neatly for your listening pleasure.
Lucinda Williams (Photo courtesy All Eyes Media)
Join award-winning, revered singer/songwriter Lucinda Williams on an unprecedented musical journey spanning time and multiple genres with her latest endeavor, Lu’s Jukebox! This six-episode series of mostly full-band, in-studio performances will feature a themed set of songs, curated by the multi-Grammy award winner. As a bonus, she’ll introduce an occasional Lu-rarity or new song that fits each episode’s theme.
Catch the next edition of the streaming concert series, Funny How Time Slips Away: A Night of ’60s Country Classics, via Mandolin on Thursday, Dec. 3.
Karen Jonas performs at Jammin’ Java on Sept. 10, 2020. (Photo by Mark Caicedo)
Playing a parking lot is not exactly the dream of every working musician but in the age of Covid it may be the best gig in the world. The cool evening, the sweet scent of recent rain, and the soft city lights helped make Karen Jonas’ album release show on a recent night at Jammin’ Java if not a dream, a lovely end of summer outdoor show.
If one’s imagination was allowed to wander, even the fading daylight on the western horizon transported us to fiery desert sunsets as Karen and her band performed songs from her new album, The Southwest Sky and Other Dreams (Yellow Brick Road).
Karen Jonas (Photo courtesy Big Hassle)
The voice of country music in the DMV is a big, bright voice that belongs to Virginia native Karen Jonas. A regular sight on DC concert stages, Karen releases her fifth album, The Southwest Sky and Other Dreams, on Friday, Aug. 28 via Yellow Brick Records.
On past tours, Karen has visited Texas, New Mexico, California, and their neighbors, scribbling notes while on the road. She drew upon those memories to animate the characters of The Southwest Sky and Other Dreams. The results are a little bit peppy and a little bit sad but always full of life.
Prior to the new album’s release, Parklife DC’s Mickey McCarter chatted with Karen about the record, her band, and her desire to get back on the road. And Karen plays a free outdoor album release show with her full band at Jammin’ Java on Thursday, Sept. 10.
LeAnn Rimes (Photo courtesy the artist)
Last year, singer-songwriter LeAnn Rimes released her first-ever live album, Rimes: Live at Gruene Hall, which she recorded at the oldest continually run dance hall in Texas.
Now like all artists, LeAnn is unable to tour due to the pandemic, so she’s trading Gruene Hall for a home performance with her Sunday Service concert via StageIt on Sunday, Sept. 6.
Tommy Emmanuel (Photo by Alysse Gafkjen)
Tommy Emmanuel, the acclaimed and Grammy-nominated acoustic guitarist, singer, and songwriter, hosts two livestream events with a portion of the proceeds benefiting two prominent independent venues in America. The first event on Saturday, Aug. 15, benefits The Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia.
“Without some support, we are in danger of losing some of the independent venues that are a part of our culture and our local communities,” Tommy said.
Bobby Bare, Charlie Daniels, and Randy Travis (Photo courtesy of 117 Entertainment)
Charlie Daniels’s biggest hit was “The Devil Went Down To Georgia,” but it’s not his best song. In my opinion, his best song was “Then, Now, and Until the End,” a celebration of the roots of American.Continue Reading
Morgan Geer of Drunken Prayer performs at Mum’s in Baltimore on May 17, 2019. (Photo by Marc Shea)
Drunken Prayer is the one-man band creation of Handsome Family and Freakwater guitarist Morgan Geer. Morgan has released a new single by Drunken Prayer called “Crazy Alone (Quarantine).”
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