Deep Roots Magazine

Deep Roots Magazine

Roots Music and Meaningful Matters

 
 

 

Communing With Misfortune, In Search of Justice

Falsely convicted of murder, four Native Alaskans--the Fairbanks Four--were freed in 2015 after 18 years in prison. Composer Emerson Eads responded with MASS FOR THE OPPRESSED.
by David McGee
 

 
 

And The Truth Will Set You Free

JAMES KING, one of our greatest roots singers, takes some classic and relatively low-profile country and bluegrass tunes, puts a great backing band together, and delivers a bonafide classic of interpretive vocalizing.
by David McGee
 

 

 

The Man With All the Toys

With four Christmas albums to his credit, BRIAN SETZER and his ORCHESTRA occupy rarified air in the holiday music realm.
by David McGee
 

 
 

Brooklyn, Blintzes, Baseball and Ballads With Johnny Mercer (Field Notes From a Music Biz Life)

In chapters 6 and 7 of his memoirs, MICHAEL SIGMAN recalls his father CARL SIGMAN's songwriting apprenticeship with JOHNNY MERCER and how the rocky course of his adolescent years seemed to parallel his dad's hit songs.
by David McGee
 

 

 

Family Ties

Bluegrass newcomers FLATT LONESOME are capturing the traditional world's attention with their debut album. A flawless start it's not, but the band is positioning itself for a long, fruitful run.
by David McGee
 

 
 

A Christmas Classic For A Nuclear Armageddon

A seasonal classic born of an interfaith couple’s mutual concern for the fate of the world during the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. The origin story of 'DO YOU HEAR WHAT I HEAR?'
by David McGee
 

 

 

Sovereignty Well Earned

You may think these fellows rather audacious in naming themselves Royal Southern Brotherhood, but when you see their lineup includes an Allman, a Neville and a Zito, well, good to see you, fellows. As that funnyman from Transyl...
by David McGee
 

 
 

A Stop at Theresa’s

It was Junior Wells’s return to the Delmark fold; it was the titan Otis Spann’s last recording session. Buddy Guy was on guitar, Fred Below on drums. The spirit was that of Theresa's Lounge. Stop by.
by David McGee