Maybe I'm A-Maised
Lots of new beginnings as May blooms. May Day, or shall I say Maisy Day, kicked off with the debut release of Maisy Owen’s Dark on a Sunny Day. This Nashville born and bred singer/songwriter offers a distinctly unique voice and style of her own, mixed with her delicate and intricate fingerpicking guitar. Seek this one out. Especially the opening “My Youth Is All For You” and the Nick Drake channelled “God Fear.” Northern California gets treated to a Maisy show on Thursday May 14th at the beautiful Little Saint in Healdsburg. Come on out if you’re anywhere in range!
Stream Dark on a Sunny Day in Hi-Res on Qobuz
Also hitting our world on Maisy Day was the new one from Kacey Musgraves. You’d have to be under a rock by now not to have been hit with some of the promotional output for her new Middle Of Nowhere album, which is worth every inch of the push it gets. Some are calling it a return to Country or whatever, it’s simply another killer of a Kacey album. This time combining all the geniuses who’ve been on her journey with her through the years in the songwriting and producing roles… Daniel Tashian, Ian Fitchuck, Shane McAnally and Luke Laird. Simply put, it’s freaking loaded with gems and hell has indeed froze over as she buries the hatchet with Miranda Lambert as they team up on “Horses And Divorces.” Needless to say my obsession continues.
Topping of the May kickoff was a night at the Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, CA with Molly Tuttle and Ketch Secor playing a fantastic show together, just the two of them, until they were joined by the legendary Peter Rowan. First a songwriting partnership and now engaged (with the wedding planners in the audience), this was Molly & Ketch’s first tour as a duo and it had just as much fun and flair as seeing them with their respective bands. It’s always special seeing Molly on her Northern California home turf, and watching her grow as an artist in every aspect is a treat. Working a room and knowing how to read one has been something Ketch has had a handle on forever from his years with Old Crow Medicine Show, and he seemed almost ready to trade in Tennessee for Mill Valley. And why not when someone like Peter Rowan is local and can hop on stage at 84 years old and sing like it’s 1976 on tunes like “Walls Of Time,” “From My Mountain,” “Midnight Moonlight” and a show closer with the Jerry Garcia/RobertHunter classic “Ripple.” Molly’s touring a bunch, so go see her, in any configuration… solo, duo or band. It’s “always a hoot” to quote Jerry G.
Molly Tuttle, Ketch Secor & Peter Rowan - “Ripple” at Sweetwater Music Hall -
Mill Valley, CA 5/1/26
Great to see you, @Rob Bleetstein, joining the crew here on Substack. Rob, at some point I’d love to get you on one of my occasional Sustain What “Sunday Sanity” music conversations - like this one with John McEuen and the poet @Andrei Codrescu: A Poet and a Picker Explore Everything from Romania's Election to How Steve Martin Learned Banjo https://revkin.substack.com/p/a-poet-and-a-picker-explore-everything?utm_source=publication-search
Connect via revkin@substack.com.
Glad to have discovered you on Substack! I've enjoyed writing here, too (my latest is about last week's NONCOMM in Philly; I'm sure you know many who were there.) https://martinanderson1.substack.com/p/indie-music-public-radio-and-creating?r=1yadlx&utm_campaign=post-expanded-share&utm_medium=post%20viewer I promise to spend more time with Maisy. I too love Kacey's new one, and I too had a blast seeing Molly and Ketch and Peter, the other week at MerleFest.
Speaking of Old & In the Way, you may know of Brooks Otis, who played banjo with the Hart Valley Drifters back when Jerry was on guitar with them. Apparently it was Brooks who inspired Jerry to go for the banjo? Brooks went on to be a folk radio host at KHSU in Arcata (where I met him), and a multi-instrumentalist with various local bands, and co-owned Wildwood Music store. He passed away over the weekend. Various connections made with Clarence and Roland White and Mike Seeger, too. Hmm, maybe this should be my next Substack...