The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum recently learned the news of David Briggs’ passing. The museum issues the following statement:
“David Briggs could play keyboards in any style. For more than four decades, his deft touch graced countless country, R&B, rock and pop recordings. He was 18 years old when he played piano on Arthur Alexander’s epochal Muscle Shoals hit ‘You Better Move On.’
Recruited to Nashville by producer Owen Bradley, Briggs immediately became a studio fixture, enhancing records by Elvis Presley, Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire and many more. He further shaped Music City in co-founding Quadrafonic Studio and opening his own House of David studio. He was a man of music through and through,” says Kyle Young, CEO of the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum
Watch an interview with David Briggs from 2011 from the museum’s “Nashville Cats” program series here.
Daryl Hall just added a west coast run featuring opening act Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze starting October 19th in Reno, NV and ending November 4th in Denver, CO.
Tilbrook has previously performed with Hall on his award-winning web series, Live from Daryl’s House. “I’ve toured with Glenn in the past, and I’m a fan of his songs, and it will be great to work with him again,” said Daryl, whose previous tours included acts Howard Jones, Elvis Costello and Todd Rundgren. The format is the same, with Tilbrook performing a solo set in front of the house band to open, then joining Daryl Hall on-stage to close the show.
Added Tilbrook, “I am so excited to be playing with Daryl and his fabulous band this year. After having a blast touring with them in 2021, and re-igniting the flame in Daryl’s House in 2023, I look forward to reuniting with them and playing some of my favorite songs, Daryl songs and some other stuff that you’ll love! Come down and don’t break the furniture.”
The tour’s next leg brings them to the U.K. May 17th for dates in Glasgow, Birmingham, Manchester and Brighton, as well as the May 19th show at the Royal Albert Hall in London, which will represent Daryl’s first-ever solo performance there.
Last year, Hall also toured with Elvis Costello, and released D, his first solo album in 13 years, co-produced by fellow RHOF inductee Dave Stewart, who co-wrote seven of the nine new original songs, with Hall penning the other two, on Virgin Records. The album spawned two top 20 hits on the AC Chart.
Daryl Hall and Glenn Tilbrook Tour Schedule:
March 22 – Arena Theatre – Houston, TX
March 25 – Majestic Theatre – San Antonio, TX
March 28 – WinStar World Casino – Thackerville, OK
March 30 – Stifel Theatre – St. Louis, MO
April 1 – Warner Theatre – Erie, PA
April 3 – Genesee Theatre – Waukegan, IL
April 5 – Soaring Eagle Casino & Resort – Mt. Pleasant, MI
May 17 – SEC Armadillo – Glasgow, UK
May 19 – Royal Albert Hall – London, UK
May 21 – Symphony Hall – Birmingham, UK
May 23 – O2 Apollo – Manchester, UK
May 25 – Brighton Centre – Brighton, UK
July 11 – Foxwoods Resort Casino – Mashantucket, CT
July 13 – The Pavilion at Point of the Bluff Vineyard – Hammondsport, NY
July 15 – Lowell Memorial Auditorium – Lowell, MA
July 17 – Capitol Theatre – Port Chester, NY
July 19 – Wind Creek Event Center – Bethlehem, PA
July 21 – The Wellmont Theatre – Montclair, NJ
July 23 – The Paramount – Huntington, NY
July 25 – Ovation Hall – Atlantic City, NJ
October 19 – Grand Sierra Resort & Casino – Reno, NV
October 22 – Mountain Winery – Saratoga, CA
October 24 – Blue Note Summer Sessions – Napa, CA
October 26 – The Venetian – Las Vegas, NV
October 28 – YouTube Theater – Inglewood, CA
October 30 – Pechanga Resort Casino – Temecula, CA
November 1 – Fantasy Springs Resort Casino – Indio, CA
November 4 – Paramount Theatre – Denver, CO
Today, BET+ and Sony Music Vision announced that the “USHER: RENDEZVOUS IN PARIS” concert film will stream exclusively on BET+, beginning May 8.
The globally renowned entertainment icon, with over 80 million records sold worldwide and eight GRAMMY Awards, is bringing the ultimate intimate concert experience exclusively to BET+. Filmed during USHER’s eight-concert performance in Paris, “USHER: RENDEZVOUS IN PARIS” features chart-topping hits “Yeah!” “My Boo,” “U Got It Bad,” and more.
Directed by Anthony Mandler, “USHER: RENDEZVOUS IN PARIS” incorporates the essence of his landmark cultural phenomenon Vegas residencies into a seductive French touch confession. Captured during Paris Fashion Week at La Seine Musicale, the film features chart-topping hits and more from USHER’s 30-year career, performed with never-before-seen costumes and state-of-the-art lighting and special effects.
In addition to bringing the vibrant live concert experience to the screen, USHER gives audiences a glimpse inside life beyond the stage, with immersive experiences creating a global movie moment that true fans won’t want to miss.
“I’m happy to be partnering with BET+ to bring the celebration of my 30-year career to you, the fans, to enjoy from the comfort of your homes,” said USHER.
“USHER: RENDEZVOUS IN PARIS is more than a concert film—it’s a cultural moment that reflects the kind of bold, high-impact storytelling our audience expects from BET+. We’re proud to partner with USHER and Sony Music Vision to deliver a cinematic event that centers Black excellence, artistry, and innovation,” said Jason Harvey, EVP and General Manager, BET+.
“USHER: RENDEZVOUS IN PARIS” is a film by and directed by Anthony Mandler. It is a production of Arcovision, Kingdom Films, and Laffitte Group Productions in association with HarbourView Media Group. The film is produced by Anthony Mandler, Usher Raymond, and Ron Laffitte. Executive Producers for Kingdom Films are Aakomon Jones and Angelo Gopee. Executive Producer for Arcovision is Kwesi Collisson. Executive Producers for Sony Music are Tom Mackay, Richard Story, and Krista Wegener. The project was co-financed by LMG Management LLC, Brand Usher LLC, and Harbour View Equity Partners. Sony Music Vision is the distributor.
As one of the best-selling artists in music history, with an illustrious three-decade career and over 80 million records sold worldwide, Usher’s impact on the industry is undeniable. His groundbreaking albums, including My Way and Confessions, have shattered records and earned him numerous accolades, including eight GRAMMY Awards. In 2024, Usher’s trailblazing journey continued with his headlining performance at the Apple Music halftime show for Super Bowl LVIII and the release of his highly anticipated ninth album, COMING HOME, which marked his debut as an independent artist.
Usher’s impact extends far beyond the realm of music. As the founding chairman of the New Look Foundation, the organization has served over 55,000 youth around the world through education and mentorship. His commitment to philanthropy and social activism has earned him widespread recognition, including the NAACP’s 2010 Ford Freedom Award Scholar and the prestigious Morehouse College Candle Award in 2014.
BET+ is the preeminent streaming service for the Black audience, with exclusive originals and thousands of TV episodes and movies from the best Black creators. A joint venture between BET and Tyler Perry Studios, BET+ allows users to stream Black culture, including hit movies, TV shows, stand-up comedy, award shows, and specials, all in one place. The service from BET Media Group, a subsidiary of Paramount Global, is the official home of Tyler Perry’s film, TV, and stage works. The subscription video-on-demand service also provides users with access to original content including Emmy-nominated The Ms. Pat Show from Lee Daniels, Martin: The Reunion, Diarra from Detroit, and College Hill: Celebrity Edition, and exclusive originals from Carl Weber including The Family Business and The Family Business: New Orleans to name a few. BET+ Essential, the limited-ad tier, provides access to the same great content with minimal ads from trusted advertisers. Visit BET Plus to learn more and follow @BETPlus on social to join the conversation and get the latest.
Puff of Smoke, the highly-anticipated ninth studio album from Grammy Award-nominated, progressive Americana trio The Wood Brothers, has been announced for release on August 1, 2025, via Honey Jar/Thirty Tigers. It’s preceded today by the album’s first single “Witness” and accompanied by a video for the song that was filmed and edited by founding member and bassist Chris Wood.
Recorded at The Wood Brothers’ creative home-base The Studio Nashville, Puff of Smoke is brimming with joy in the face of the human condition in 2025, delivering lyrical wisdom with the winking subtlety of John Prine and the musical hive mind of a seasoned group with two decades of shared experiences. But instead of providing a literal soundtrack to uncertain times or a roadmap to navigate them, the 11-song collection posits a happily contrarian outlook: Life can turn on a dime, and all we truly have is the moment at hand.
“We’re not in control and that can be good news,” says guitarist, vocalist and songwriter Oliver Wood. “Puff of Smoke speaks to the idea of letting go and taking the ride.”
Fans who have hopped aboard at waypoints along The Wood Brothers’ journey that began with their now classic 2006 debut Ways Not to Lose already know to expect a new drop from the band will bring inventive songwriting, a grounded lyrical wit, and an adventurous sweep of sonic avenues.
“There’s a lot to unpack musically in this band, and it’s been this evolutionary process over the years and on each subsequent record,” Chris Wood explains. “Over time, the diversity of things we can do has all become part of our language.”
“This album is a little bit schizophrenic and eclectic,” continues Oliver. “It goes in a number of different directions.”
Always looking to find new sounds to express in their music, the album’s opening track “Witness” dives deep into the pan-American songbook, garnished with a blast of back-alley New Orleans brass. On “The Trick,” The Wood Brothers’ resident multi-instrumentalist Jano Rix found the song’s signature sound by experimenting with a Fender Rhodes pushed through distortion and octave pedals. On “Above All Others,” he manipulated an analog synth to conjure the calliope sounds that give the song the sonic stamp of subconscious rumination. The loose, front stoop feel of “Slow Rise (to the middle)” and “You Choose Me” are first-take gold; the final versions that made the album were actually the first times the trio played them together in full.
While Puff Of Smoke distills The Wood Brothers’ curious musical minds, voracious appetite for the creative process, and love of spontaneity, it also finds inspiration in the group’s shared focus on meditation and mindfulness.
Oliver explains: “Songs like ‘The Trick’ and ‘Witness’ are very much about mindfulness. ‘The trick is not to give a damn’ — so, that’s detachment — or, ‘I’m just a witness’ — I’m just watching things happen. I’m not gonna be my feelings. I’m gonna watch ’em float by. Even a song like ‘Pray God Listens,’ which is a little bit humorous and cynical, leaves room to go a little deeper to find the compassion.”
Puff of Smoke is a reminder that life is both precious and precarious — a sentiment underscored by our current geopolitical moment and the unpredictable nature of life itself — and The Wood Brothers invite you to join the ride.
The summer months leading into the release of Puff of Smoke find The Wood Brothers on the road with festival dates and headline shows across the U.S., including Tedeschi Trucks Band’s Sun, Sand and Soul, Del McCoury’s Delfest and Rochester Jazz Festival, as well as a co-headline run with St. Paul & The Broken Bones beginning in June.
Puff Of Smoke Track Listing:
1. Witness
2. Puff of Smoke
3. Pray God Listens
4. Money Song
5. The Trick
6. Is It Up To You
7. Above All Others
8. The Waves
9. Slow Rise (to the middle)
10. You Choose Me
11. Till The End
The Wood Brothers
Tour Dates
5/3 – Miramar Beach, FL – Tedeschi Trucks Band’s Sun, Sand and Soul
5/16 – Raleigh, NC – Red Hat Amphitheater #
5/17 – Charlotte, NC – The Amp Ballantyne #
5/18 – Huber Heights, OH – Rose Music Center at The Heights #
5/20 – Norfolk, VA – Virginia Arts Festival
5/21 – Rocky Mount, VA – Harvester Performance Center
5/22 – Cumberland, MD – DelFest
5/23 – King of Prussia, PA – Concerts Under the Stars
5/24 – Asbury Park, NJ – The Stone Pony
6/11 – Dillon, CO – Dillon Amphitheater *
6/12 – Salt Lake City, UT – Red Butte Garden & Arboretum *
6/14 – Bonner, MT – KettleHouse Amphitheater *
6/15 – Woodinville, WA – Chateau Ste. Michelle *
6/18 – Santa Rosa, CA – Luther Burbank Center for the Arts *
6/19 – Reno, NV – Grand Theatre at The Grand Sierra Resort & Casino *
6/20 – Saratoga, CA – The Mountain Winery *
6/21 – Santa Barbara, CA – Santa Barbara Bowl *
6/23 – Chautauqua, NY – Chautauqua Institution Amphitheater
6/24 – Rochester, NY – Rochester International Jazz Fest
7/10 – Indianapolis, IN – Rock The Ruins *
7/11 – Cleveland, OH – MGM Northfield Park *
7/12 – Interlochen, MI – Interlochen Center for the Arts *
7/13 – Fort Wayne, IN – Sweetwater Performance Pavilion *
7/15 – Chesterfield, MO – The Factory *
7/16 – Kansas City, MO – Grinders KC *
7/17 – Salina, KS – The Stiefel Theatre *
7/18 – Morrison, CO – Red Rocks Amphitheatre #
7/19 – Paonia, CO – Big B’s Delicious Orchards
8/7 – Deerfield, MA – Tree House Brewing Company
8/8 – Lowell, MA – Lowell Summer Music Series
8/9 – Stowe, VT – Strawberry Jam Festival
8/10 – Westport, CT – Levitt Pavilion for the Performing Arts
8/12 – Annapolis, MD – Maryland Hall
8/13 – Richmond, VA – The National
8/14 – Wilmington, NC – Greenfield Lake Amphitheater
8/15 – Charleston, SC – The Refinery
8/16 – Ponte Vedra Beach, FL – Ponte Vedra Concert Hall
8/29 – Mill Spring, NC – Earl Scruggs Music Festival
8/31 – Charlestown, RI – Rhythm & Roots Festival
9/10-13 – Las Vegas, NV – Bender Jamboree Fest
# w/ The String Cheese Incident
* w/ St. Paul & The Broken Bones
The performer lineup has been revealed for the Recording Academy and GRAMMY Museum’s 2025 GRAMMY Hall Of Fame Gala, taking place Friday, May 16, at The Beverly Hilton in Los Angeles. Fourteen-time GRAMMY winner Emmylou Harris will be joined by GRAMMY-winning producer Daniel Lanois and acclaimed jazz drummer Brian Blade for a rare collaboration, while additional performers include celebrated percussionist and wife of Carlos Santana, Cindy Blackman; soul legend Eddie Floyd; drummer of iconic power-pop band Big Star, Jody Stephens; powerhouse vocalist and GRAMMY-winner Ledisi; GRAMMY-winning actor and singer Leslie Odom Jr.; and guitar virtuoso Orianthi; as well as previously announced performer, Grammy-winning composer and bandleader Jon Batiste. Notably, Harris, Floyd and Stephens all have recordings that are being newly inducted into the GRAMMY Hall Of Fame. Each performance will celebrate one of this year’s GRAMMY Hall Of Fame inductees, with more performers and details surrounding specific tributes to be announced soon.
As previously revealed, the evening will also include the presentation of the inaugural Ray Charles “Architect of Sound” Award, created in partnership with The Ray Charles Foundation. This new annual honor recognizes an artist whose creative legacy reflects the visionary innovation of Ray Charles. The first recipient is multi-GRAMMY Award winner Jon Batiste, who will also perform during the Gala. The event will additionally honor this year’s label honoree, Republic Records.
Returning as host is esteemed CBS News journalist Anthony Mason. The show will be produced by former GRAMMY Awards Executive Producer Ken Ehrlich, alongside Ron Basile, Lindsay Saunders Carl and Lynne Sheridan, with musical direction by GRAMMY and Latin GRAMMY Award-winning composer, producer and conductor Cheche Alara.
The Gala will celebrate the 2025 GRAMMY Hall Of Fame inducted recordings, which include iconic recordings such as JAY-Z’s Reasonable Doubt, Cat Stevens’ Tea For The Tillerman, Santana’s Supernatural, and classics from Big Star, Clara Ward, Eddie Floyd, Emmylou Harris, Fela Kuti & Afrika 70, Geeshie Wiley, Gloria Estefan & Miami Sound Machine, J.D. Crowe & The New South, Linda Martell, and Luther Vandross.
This year’s 23rd Annual Blues From The Top Festival features an eclectic, wonderful lineup: JJ Grey & Mofro, Little Feat, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, The Record Company, Sonny Landreth, Joanne Shaw Taylor, Dwayne Dopsie and The Zydeco Hellraisers, Southern Avenue, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, plus many more.
The 23rd Annual Blues from the Top Music Festival is presented by the Grand County Blues Society and takes place Friday, June 27 through Sunday, June 29 at Rendezvous Event Center (78821 US Hwy 40) in downtown Winter Park. Tickets on sale at www.bluesfromthetop.org.
Festival Details
Blues From The Top continues its tradition of bringing world-class music to the heart of Colorado’s Rocky Mountains, with multiple stages, a unique silent auction benefiting Blue Star Connection, scenic vistas, and the perfect summer vibe. Set in the picturesque mountain town of Winter Park, the festival offers an unparalleled musical experience, with performances spanning from legendary icons to up-and-coming talent.
Don’t Miss – Check Out The Music Side Stage in the Vendor Village
During set changes, festival-goers can head to the Check Out The Music Side Stage, located in the Vendor Village called Electric Avenue. This dynamic stage will showcase young, up-and-coming musicians, providing a platform for the next generation of blues & roots talent. It’s a unique opportunity to catch fresh, electrifying performances from the School of Rock, plus local and regional musicians, while enjoying the vibrant atmosphere of the festival’s vendor village with a host of unique retail and artwork booths.
Make it a Staycation…
Come up Thursday, June 26 by 6 p.m. for a special free concert at the Rendezvous Event Center in downtown Winter Park. Music continues nightly throughout town over the weekend. The event’s producers, along with our volunteers and amazing ski-town community, create a utopia of great music and an outdoor vibe for festival attendees.
Ticket Prices & Details:
Festival-goers may choose from General Admission or V.I.P. tickets. For the best price, buy tickets early; as we get closer to the festival date, the ticket prices will increase. Tickets are available at BluesfromtheTop.org.
The Grand County Blues Society (GCBS) non-profit (501c3) was created in 2002 to enhance the cultural existence of Grand County residents and to be a beacon for our friends and visitors that love escaping to the shadow of the Continental Divide. For well over a decade, the GCBS has produced twenty-one Blues Festivals, over two hundred and eighty-five individual blues concerts, and has continued its support of our primary programs.
The Grand County Blues Society has been a pioneer in the realm of blues music education. School-age kids across Grand County are lucky to have been immersed in the blues. Not only have they been entertained by all the programs that have come their way, they have been on the stage, creating their own “bluesical” and giving performances on the festival stages over the years.
Blue Star Connection (BSC) is our most notable program, and in its twentieth year, has supplied over ninety-two Children’s Hospitals with valuable and plentiful collections of musical instruments for their music therapy departments. BSC has also gifted over eight hundred individual children personal instruments. We continue to support the music therapy industry with constant fundraising and an all-out effort to continue the mission of BSC. Music therapy needs an advocate, and we are proud to be considered a front-runner. We have done all of this with an all-volunteer board and a very loyal and generous membership.
With their highly anticipated debut album Back to Back arriving this Friday, April 25th, Vermont-based singer-songwriter Reid Parsons (they/she) shares one final preview: the glowing, intricately crafted single “Lightbulb.” Romantic, sinewy, and quietly radiant, “Lightbulb” is a celebration of enduring love and the subtle magic tucked inside life’s simplest moments.
“I wrote this song for a special person’s special day—one they pretend isn’t special at all,” Parsons shares. “It’s about someone who’s bursting with hope but wears a layer of playful cynicism to keep things in check. They’re the kind of person who lights up a room with their laugh, but also reminds you not to take things too seriously.”
Built around a crisp, hip-hop-inspired groove, “Lightbulb” floats on a delicate lattice of fingerpicked acoustic guitar, metronomic keys, and bass. Ethereal pedal steel and cello drift above it all, punctuated by sparkling guitar lines and descending classical runs reminiscent of chamber pop. The result is a lovingly crafted soundscape—described by Parsons as “a little, delicate but ornately decorated music box”—that balances clarity and complexity, groundedness and dreaminess.
The song’s central metaphor—“a little lightbulb on the ceiling”—offers a humble counterpoint to the grandiosity so often found in pop love songs. “There are no chandeliers or fancy LEDs in this picture,” Parsons explains. “Just a warm, steady glow—something simple but lasting. That’s how I think about love.”
“Lightbulb” is the third and final single from Back to Back, following the bossa nova-tinged title track and the bluesy anthem of resilience, “Get Out of Bed,” which was recently featured by The Big Takeover, who praised Parsons as “one of Vermont’s most compelling musical voices.” Engineered by Ben Collette (Trey Anastasio, Susan Tedeschi, Sharon Jones) and recorded live to tape at Burlington’s Tank Recording Studio, Back to Back is a stunning debut—an orchestral Americana record steeped in soul, folk, jazz, and classical influences.
Rooted in the slow, natural rhythms of their home state, Parsons’ songwriting is deeply informed by place, architecture, and human connection. “Music has always been where I can build a world to embrace all parts of myself,” they say. From tender reflections on intimacy to wry meditations on mental health, Back to Back invites listeners into that world—a thoughtfully constructed space where hope and realism coexist.
Raised in Moretown, VT, Parsons’ musical foundation includes childhood car rides scored by Lucinda Williams and Steely Dan, classical composition studies, and a long-running love affair with jazz and blues. They cut their teeth performing at the now-defunct Purple Moon Pub—once a launchpad for Grace Potter—and fronted a 13-piece soul and Motown band while studying music and anthropology. Back to Back was funded through a successful crowdfunding campaign and day jobs in farming and food systems, reflecting the same quiet integrity found in the music itself.
In support of the album, Parsons has announced a series of new live dates across Vermont this spring and summer, including a hometown release show on June 12th at Foam in Burlington. For more information and to purchase tickets, visit reidparsons.com.
Reid Parsons – Upcoming Tour Dates
Saturday, May 3 – Marigold Gallery – Burlington, VT
Friday, June 6 – Nectar’s – Burlington, VT
Thursday, June 12 – Foam (Album Release Show) – Burlington, VT
Saturday, July 5 – Shelburne Vineyard – Shelburne, VT
Back To Back by Reid Parsons:
1. Back to Back
2. Get Out of Bed
3. Lightbulb
4. Heavy Load
5. Show Me You Love Me
6. Holiday
7. I’m On Fire
8. Figure It Out
9. Same Old Shit
10. Where Are You Now
5x Grammy Award-winning singer, songwriter and performer Mary Chapin Carpenter will release her anticipated new album Personal History on June 6 (pre-order). In advance of the release, the album song “Bitter Ender” is out today.
Carpenter’s 17th album, Personal History was produced by Bonny Light Horseman’s Josh Kaufman (Bob Weir, The National) and recorded live at Peter Gabriel’s Real World Studios in Bath, England. Across the eleven tracks, Carpenter presents a set of songs more autobiographical than any collection that has come before.
Carpenter shares, “A novel that I’ve loved for years is My Name is Lucy Barton, written by Elizabeth Strout. There’s this moment where the main character is taking a creative writing course, and her teacher says to her, ‘You will only have one story. You will write your one story in many ways.’ I remember reading that line and taking an audible breath. In that moment, I said out loud to no one, ‘Oh, that’s what the songs are.’”
On the heels of the album’s release, Carpenter will join forces with fellow Grammy Award-winning artist and songwriter, Brandy Clark, for a special tour this summer and fall. The extensive run kicks off June 9 in Portland, OR and includes stops at New York’s Town Hall, Nashville’s historic Ryman Auditorium, Los Angeles’ Wilshire Ebell Theatre, Seattle’s Benaroya Hall, Denver’s Botanic Gardens, Minneapolis’ Orpheum Theatre, Ridgefield, CT’s Ridgefield Playhouse (two nights), Vienna’s Wolf Trap and Evanston’s Cahn Auditorium among many others. Additional summer performances include a return to the legendary Newport Folk Festival on July 27 and a stop at Louisville’s Bourbon & Beyond Festival on September 12. See below for complete tour itinerary.
One of music’s “most reliable and empathetic songwriters” (Pitchfork), Carpenter has sold over 17 million records over the course of her renowned career. With hits like “Down At The Twist And Shout” and “He Thinks He’ll Keep Her,” she has won five Grammy Awards (with 18 nominations), two CMA Awards, two ACM Awards, is one of only twenty-two female members of the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and is a recipient of the 2023 ACM Honors Poet’s Award.
Carpenter’s last solo recording, 2021’s One Night Lonely (Live), was nominated for Best Folk Album at the 65th Annual Grammy Awards—exactly 30 years after her very first nomination. A rare solo performance, the album was recorded at Virginia’s legendary Wolf Trap and features songs from across her acclaimed career, including from her last solo studio album, The Dirt And The Stars.
Most recently, Carpenter released Looking For The Thread, a collaborative album with legendary Scottish folk stars and songwriters Karine Polwart and Julie Fowlis. Released to widespread praise, Folk Alley describes it as, “a set of warm, introspective, and stunningly gorgeous songs…It’s beauty and warmth touch our souls deeply, and each song is a many faceted gem of love and hope,” while Music Row calls the project “enchanting” and The Arts Desk declares, “It’s only January but this is an album of the year…a class act, heartfelt and beautifully crafted.”
In addition to her work as a musician, last fall Carpenter unveiled her new podcast, “Hope is a Muscle,” which finds her in conversation with people from all walks of life including Joan Baez, Adriene Mishler, John Darnielle and U.S. Congressman Jamie Raskin. During its run, the podcast was in the top five music podcasts on both Apple and Spotify Platforms. Previously, in 2020, Carpenter released the three-part audio liner notes podcast, “One Story,” with American poet, Sarah Kay.
PERSONAL HISTORY TRACK LISTING
1. What Did You Miss
2. Paint + Turpentine
3. New Religion
4. Girl And Her Dog
5. The Saving Things
6. Hello My Name Is
7. Bitter Ender
8. The Night We Never Met
9. Home Is A Song (feat. Anäis Mitchell)
10. Say It Anyway
11. Coda
MARY CHAPIN CARPENTER 2025 TOUR DATES
June 9—Portland, OR—Revolution Hall*
June 10—Seattle, WA—Benaroya Hall*
June 11—Eugene, OR—Hult Center*
June 13—Napa, CA—Uptown Theatre*
June 14—Saratoga, CA—Mountain Winery*
June 16—Santa Barbara, CA—Lobero Theatre*
June 19—San Diego, CA—Humphreys*
June 20—Los Angeles, CA—Wilshire Ebell Theatre*
June 21—Tucson, AZ—Fox Theatre*
June 22—Scottsdale, AZ—Scottsdale Performing Arts Center*
June 24—Aspen, CO—Wheeler Opera House*
June 25—Denver, CO—Botanic Gardens*
June 26—Colorado Springs, CO—Pikes Peak Performing Arts Center*
June 27—Steamboat Springs, CO—Strings Music Pavilion*
June 28—Fort Collins, CO—The Gardens on Spring Creek*
July 27—Newport, RI—Newport Folk Festival
July 29—Brownfield, ME—Stone Mountain Arts Center
July 30—Brownfield, ME—Stone Mountain Arts Center
August 1—Portland, ME—State Theatre*
August 2—Laconia, NH—Colonial Theatre*
August 3—Nashua, NH—Nashua Center for the Arts*
August 6—Toronto, ON—Massey Hall*
August 7—Grand Rapids, MI—Frederik Meijer Gardens*
August 8— Chautauqua, NY— Chautauqua Amphitheater*
August 9—Poughkeepsie, NY—Bardavon*
August 10—Northampton, MA—Academy of Music*
August 12—Ridgefield, CT—Ridgefield Playhouse*
August 13—Ridgefield, CT—Ridgefield Playhouse*
August 14—Kennett Square, PA—Longwood Gardens Open Air Theatre*
August 15—Richmond, VA—The National*
August 16—Vienna, VA—Wolf Trap*
September 12—Louisville, KY—Bourbon & Beyond Festival
September 25—Medford, MA—Chevalier Theatre*
September 26—Rutland, VT—Paramount Theatre*
September 27—New York, NY—Town Hall*
September 28—Princeton, NJ—McCarter Theatre*
September 30—Charleston, SC—Charleston Music Hall*
October 1—Durham, NC—Durham Performing Arts Center*
October 2—Nashville, TN—Ryman Auditorium*
October 3—Chattanooga, TN—Walker Theatre*
October 4—Charlotte, NC—Knight Theater*
October 5—Knoxville, TN—Bijou Theatre*
October 7—Akron, OH—Goodyear Theater*
October 8—Ann Arbor, MI—Michigan Theater*
October 9—Evanston, IL—Cahn Auditorium*
October 10—Madison, WI—The Orpheum*
October 11—Minneapolis, MN—Orpheum Theatre*
*with Brandy Clark
David Thomas didn’t just front Pere Ubu. He was Pere Ubu — a guiding voice, a warped compass, and an uncompromising force of creativity who stayed true to the band’s vision for nearly five decades. As fans mourn the passing of this avant-garage pioneer, it’s worth pausing to remember not just the albums and the legend, but the lesser-known corners of his wild, weird, and wonderful world.
Here are 5 things you might not know about David Thomas and Pere Ubu:
1. The Band Was Born in a Shared House Full of Noise and Ideas Before they became the sonic disruptors of the underground, founding members of Pere Ubu—including Allen Ravenstine, Tom Herman, and Scott Krauss—lived in a chaotic Cleveland house owned by Ravenstine. It wasn’t just a place to sleep. It was a laboratory of sound, ideas, and shared meals — where the band’s earliest experiments were blasted into the air and onto four-track tapes.
2. David Thomas Didn’t Play an Instrument — and That Was the Point While most bandleaders strummed something, Thomas refused. His voice was his instrument, and he bent it into shapes few could follow. He howled, whispered, barked, and crooned with a theatricality that made you question whether he was channeling dada poetry, carnival barking, or a ghost from an AM radio broadcast. His performance was performance art, plain and simple.
3. He Invented a Genre Just to Mess With Journalists Tired of being pigeonholed into punk, post-punk, or art-rock, Thomas coined the term “avant-garage” to describe Pere Ubu’s sound — a head-on collision of musique concrète, garage rock, and industrial noise. The term was never meant to stick. It was a joke, a jab, and a challenge all at once. And yet, it’s now part of their legacy.
4. They Scored Sci-Fi Films — Live and in Real Time Pere Ubu didn’t just play gigs; they performed films. The band composed live scores for B-movie sci-fi classics like It Came From Outer Space and X: The Man with X-Ray Eyes, projecting the movie while soundtracking it in real time. It was like stepping into a 1950s drive-in through a haunted avant-garde portal. David Thomas called it “a geography of sound in two acts.”
5. He Once Turned a French Absurdist Play into a Full Rock Opera In 2008, Thomas adapted Ubu Roi — the same play that inspired the band’s name — into a full-blown multimedia stage production titled Bring Me The Head of Ubu Roi. It featured animations by the Brothers Quay, a rock opera soundtrack by Pere Ubu, and David himself playing the grotesque title role. For him, absurdism wasn’t just a genre — it was a worldview.
David Thomas was never chasing fame, and Pere Ubu was never chasing hits. But together, they created a body of work that shaped the DNA of post-punk, art rock, and everything that came after. As Thomas once said, “We are not the future of rock and roll. We are its present.”
And with that, we say goodbye — not to a man who passed, but to a voice that echoes.
You might want to sit down for this one – and maybe throw on “La Femme d’Argent” while you’re at it.
Just days after selling out four shows in a row at the legendary Salle Pleyel in Paris, the French downtempo icons AIR have announced a pair of gorgeous, groove-laden releases that will drop just in time for Record Store Day on April 12. This is not a drill. This is Moon Safari season.
First up: Blue Moon Safari, a full reimagining of their beloved debut by none other than genre-blurring British producer Vegyn – aka Joe Thornalley, known for his boundary-pushing work with Frank Ocean and Travis Scott. It’s an inspired choice, really. Moon Safari was the ultimate chill-out record for the turn of the millennium. Vegyn, the next-gen sonic architect, takes it apart and rebuilds it into something that’s still seductively familiar… but a little dreamier, a little weirder, a little now.
Songs like “Sexy Boy,” “All I Need,” and “Kelly Watch the Stars” helped define an era — the kind of tracks that turned couches into rocket ships and bedrooms into outer space. And now, on Blue Moon Safari, they’ve been reshaped with love and flair, ready to inspire a new generation of headphone introverts and late-night lounge-dwellers.
But wait — there’s more.
AIR are also releasing Moon Safari Live & Demos, a white vinyl-only Record Store Day gem that collects ten previously unreleased rarities, demos, and BBC live sessions from their debut era. This is the kind of stuff crate-diggers dream about: studio moments frozen in time, fragile ideas that blossomed into genre-defining grooves, and the stripped-down beginnings of what would become one of the most influential electronic albums of the 1990s.
With these two releases, AIR is doing something rare — they’re opening up their musical scrapbook and letting us peek behind the velvet curtain of Moon Safari. It’s a nostalgic celebration, yes, but it’s also a bold look forward. Because if Vegyn’s remixes tell us anything, it’s that AIR’s sound isn’t stuck in the past — it’s part of the future, too.
So here’s your checklist: circle April 12 on your calendar. Head to your local record store. Get your hands on Blue Moon Safari and Moon Safari Live & Demos. And don’t be surprised if you float all the way home.
Because twenty-six years later, Moon Safari is still showing us how to land softly in a loud world.
Air 2025 Tour Dates
5/6 – Crans, SWI @ Caribana Festival
5/24 Sao Paulo, BRA @ C6 Festival
5/28 Lima, PERU @ Arena 1
5/30 Bogota, COL @ Coliseo Midplus
6/6 – London, UK @ Lido Festival
6/7 – Paris, FRA @ We Love Green Festival
6/17 – Dublin, IR @ Fairview Park
6/21 – Lido De Camaiore, ITA @ La Primera Estate Festival
6/23 – Zagreb, CRO @ InMusic Festival
6/24 – Sofia, BUL @ Arena Sofia Kolodruma
6/26 – Madrid, SPA @ Noches Del Botanico
6/28 – Istanbul, TUR @ Gezgin Salon Festival
6/29 – Athens, GRE @ Herodes Atticus Theater
7/3 – Herouville, FRA @ Beauregard Festival
7/5 – Eindhoven, NL @ Klokgebouw
7/6 – Luxembourg, LUX @ Rockhal
7/9 – Aix Les Bains, FRA @ Musilac
7/10 – Juan Les Pins, FRA @ Jazz A Juan
7/11 – La Rochelle, FRA @ Francos
7/16 – Munich, GER @ Tollwood Tent Festival
7/18 – Hamburg, GER @ Stadtpark Open Air Festival
7/24 – Arles, FRA @ Les Escales @ Theatre Antique
7/25 – Toulouse, FRA @ Poney Club
7/26 – St Nazaire, FRA @ Escales De St Nazaire
7/27 – Suffolk, UK @ Latitude Festival
8/1 – Oxfordshire, UK @ Wilderness Festival
8/2 – North Berwick, Scotland (UK) @ The Lighthouse Festival
8/6 – Bonn, GER @ Kunstrasen Open Air Festival
8/7 – Lokeren, BEL @ Lokerse Feesten
8/8 – Helsinki, FI @ Flow Festival
8/16 – Paredes De Coura, POR @ Paredes De Coura Festival
9/21 – Los Angeles, CA, USA @ Hollywood Bowl w/ The LA Philharmonic Orchestra
