Dan Kening

It would be difficult to find an artist whose music spans more genres of American roots music than Dave Alvin's does. Perhaps best known for his 1979-1986 stint with the...

Various artists Rhythm, Country & Blues (MCA) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR) It's an intriguing idea whose time has certainly come: pair some of country music's top stars with some of the biggest names...

When most people think of songwriter Jimmy Webb, they think of the string of late '60s hits that earned him five Grammy Awards by the time he was 21: "Up,...

Various artists Pastures of Plenty: An Austin Celebration of Woody Guthrie (DejaDisc) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR) The cream of the much-ballyhooed Austin singer-songwriter scene gathers each year to pay tribute to seminal folksinger...

Most bands would kill for exposure in a major motion picture. Chicago's Drovers, though, take their high-profile appearance in the thriller "Blink," starring Madeleine Stowe and Aidan Quinn, in stride....

Eleanor McEvoy Eleanor McEvoy (Geffen) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR) Ireland has produced some interesting female singers, ranging from the strident (Sinead O'Connor) to the ethereal (Enya). Philosophically, Eleanor McEvoy is somewhere in between....

In these politically correct times, it would be a disservice to characterize Patty Larkin's music as "folk" music. Think of it instead as electric guitar-challenged music. Larkin is on the...

The popularity of folk, roots and world music may wax and wane, but the University of Chicago Folk Festival rolls on regardless of fashion. With interest in folk and ethnic...

A small group of listeners disenchanted with changes in public radio WBEZ-FM 91.5's program schedule effective Jan. 1 made their displeasure known Thursday at the annual joint meeting of the...

Freddy Jones Band Waiting for the Night (Capricorn) (STAR)(STAR)(STAR) Almost lost amid the hubbub over local bands singing to major labels has been the Freddy Jones Band. Unlike alternative rockers...