(ware)HOUSE Radio

Welcome to Game 1 of an Aaron Lee Tasjan double-header… One Tasjan tune today. Another by him tomorrow. Two in a row. I like Aaron Lee Tasjan that much. I chased his booking agent for two years before we made a date for Tasjan at the (ware)HOUSE. We announced the show, and sold out in hours. The show would have been April 19, 2020. Damn COVID. Tasjan’s management assures me: He will re-book at the (ware)HOUSE.  Meanwhile, about those songs I mentioned… The first one… Tasjan moved to Nashville after stints with Semi-Precious Weapons (glam rock), New York Dolls, and other bands not usually associated with Music City.  He took to Nashville quickly and created music that hugs Hank Williams, Roy Orbison, and many other Country/Americana ghosts. Familiar, yet original. Song of the Day is one of those songs. Those songs had Nashville buzzing. But don’t get too cozy with the Hank-and-Roy vibe. Don’t put Tasjan in the “Americana” box. Tasjan has complex musical DNA: Semi-Precious Weapons, New York Dolls, Bowie, Beatles, Petty, Elliot Smith, and so on. Tomorrow, I’ll share one that he wrote and recorded in Nashville, that ain’t your Daddy’s Nashville sound. But first… Today’s Song: Title: Memphis RainArtist: Aaron Lee Tasjan Album “SIlver Tears” (2016) Today’s YouTube link is a video. Worth checking out…https://youtu.be/9HdvZHL3zU8 Here are the Playlists: Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3xYKtYparrdJRYAjBj9kjx?si=eb6c3ebc30484204   Apple:https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/ware-house-concerts-song-of-the-day/pl.u-Ggz26cZlAVLj 

I began yesterday to read Mary Gauthier’s new book, “Saved by a Song: The Art and Healing Power of Songwriting.”  Part memoir, part artist’s manifesto, this book is earning rave reviews, and I’m loving it so far. Gauthier is one of my favorite songwriters. But (how’s this for irony!?) the Mary Gauthier track I like best is a COVER song — written by the great Canadian songwriter Fred Eaglesmith. My favorite song from my favorite Mary Gauthier album is… Today’s Song of the Day Title: Your Sister CriedArtist: Mary GauthierAlbum: Mercy Now (2005) YouTube Link:https://youtu.be/sTMJCIBaZwY Here are the Playlists:   Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3xYKtYparrdJRYAjBj9kjx?si=eb6c3ebc30484204   Apple:https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/ware-house-concerts-song-of-the-day/pl.u-Ggz26cZlAVLj 

I’ve been thinking about music, and how much I miss it. COVID silenced most live music, including (ware)HOUSE Concerts. Concerts will be back at the (ware)HOUSE, I’m just not sure when. Until then, I’m going to share songs with you. Beginning on Thursday, I’ll send daily emails with the (ware)HOUSE Concerts Song of the Day. This is a sneak peek. Each email will tell you about one song. Then I’ll add the song to a public playlist that I’ll share on Spotify and Apple music. If you have those services, you can save the playlist. The playlist will grow by one song per day. If you don’t have those services, you can find the songs through other services. I’ll link to the song on YouTube if I can find it. Here are the Playlists (including the song for this intro email) Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3xYKtYparrdJRYAjBj9kjx?si=eb6c3ebc30484204 Apple: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/ware-house-concerts-song-of-the-day/pl.u-Ggz26cZlAVLj ********** Today’s Song  Title: Black Rose Artist: Shannon McNally (w/ Buddy Miller) Album: The Waylon Sessions (2021) YouTube Link: https://youtu.be/e__q_MtOlwk Notes   Shannon McNally played (ware)HOUSE Concert #3 — way back when in December 2017.   In May 2021, she released this album of Waylon Jennings covers. Rave reviews, well deserved. Slow songs, fast songs, she does ‘em all. Special guests, she’s got ‘em — including Buddy Miller on this track.   It’s a great album.

Before the world shut down, I booked Sarah Potenza to play at the (ware)HOUSE. We had to postpone that March 2020 concert (we will reschedule). But when (ware)HOUSE Concerts were on hold, Sarah Potenza remained busy — including a stint on NBC’s America’s Got Talent.  Today’s song of the day is the one she performed on her AGT audition. Here the video: https://youtu.be/T6IKSFubZ14 And here are the details… Today’s Song   Title: WorthyArtist: Sarah PotenzaAlbum: Road to Rome (2019) Here are the Playlists:   Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3xYKtYparrdJRYAjBj9kjx?si=eb6c3ebc30484204   Apple:https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/ware-house-concerts-song-of-the-day/pl.u-Ggz26cZlAVLj 

I saw Paul Thorn at Delmar Hall here in St. Louis last week.  Great concert, featuring lots of songs from his fantastic new album “Never Too Late to Cry.”  That album’s title track is today’s (ware)HOUSE Concerts Song of the Day. The song’s about Paul’s sister, Deborah. Before she died in 2018, Paul used to call her, late at night, after gigs. Deborah was a night-owl, the only one of Paul’s siblings who might be awake when he called. He would apologize when she picked up. “Sorry to call so late.”  She’d always reply: “I love you, Paul. It’s never too late to call.” When he introduced the song at Delmar Hall, he said, “I hope all of you have someone in your life who tells you it’s never too late to call.”  Amen, Paul.  Today’s Song Title: It’s Never too Late to CallArtist: Paul ThornAlbum: Never too Late to Call (2021) YouTube Link:https://youtu.be/JXBwpzr3XSs Here are the Playlists:  Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3xYKtYparrdJRYAjBj9kjx?si=eb6c3ebc30484204   Apple:https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/ware-house-concerts-song-of-the-day/pl.u-Ggz26cZlAVLj 

I was on Twitter the other day and saw a post that said Tom T. Hall was twice the songwriter Bob Dylan is.  And the crowd went crazy. Some cheered loudly. Others booed and hissed.  That’s how I learned that Tom T. Hall died earlier this month. Turns out that Hall-v-Dylan debate has been raging for decades — since 1995 when Dylan ripped Hall and Merle Haggard at some awards ceremony. I think it’s kind of silly. Saying Hall is better than Dylan (or vice-versa) is like saying blue is better than green or Scotch is better than bourbon. It’s a matter of taste. And you can enjoy ‘em all.  So I’ll step out of the ring on this one and say only: Tom T. Hall was a helluva songwriter and a great storyteller. He tells one of those stories in… Today’s Song Title: Tulsa Telephone BookArtist: Tom T. HallAlbum: In Search of a Song YouTube Link:https://youtu.be/TUiNpnUQucA Here are the Playlists (including the song for this intro email)  Spotify:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/3xYKtYparrdJRYAjBj9kjx?si=eb6c3ebc30484204   Apple:https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/ware-house-concerts-song-of-the-day/pl.u-Ggz26cZlAVLj