AUSTIN--I kicked off Friday's exploration of Americana by attending the SXSW
panel "Made For You and Me: Woody Guthrie's Dust Bowl Legacy." While Guthrie
spent the latter part of his life on the East Coast (in and out of
hospitals), the legendary songwriter was born in nearby Oklahoma, where he's
now more popular than ever. Starting out with a passionate version of Woody's
"1913 Massacre" by local singer Michael Fracasso, this panel focused on
Guthrie's great influence in contemporary music as well as examining his
early years in the Southwest.
While writer/music historian Dave Marsh did a fine job moderating the
discussion with club owner Greg Johnson, Fracasso and singer Jimmy LaFave,
the star of the show was undoubtedly Woody's 77-year-old sister, Mary Jo
Guthrie Edgmon. Exploring her childhood memories of Oklahoma and her close
relationship with her older brother in a somewhat tangential fashion, Edgmon
touched the crowd with her homespun manner and earnest emotions. With
sensitive discussion and Okie-born Jimmy LaFave singing an amazing Bob
Childers composition entitled "Woody's Road," it was abundantly clear that
this was a panel conceived directly from the heart. By the time LaFave,
Fracasso, the Red Dirt Rangers and Edgmon joined together on the nearby
podium for a rousing version of "Oklahoma Hills," there was no doubt that the
spirit of Woody Guthrie was still alive and well.
The next part of my Americana pursuit led me to the Paramount movie theater
in downtown Austin for Neil Young's new concert documentary, "Silver & Gold."
The doc was shown as part of the SXSW Film Festival and the premiere was
attended by Young himself. In terms of contemporary singer-songwriters,
nobody except Bob Dylan is as influential and enduring as Neil Young. A fully
digital experience, the film contains nearly all new songs performed last
year in Austin's Bass Concert Hall.
While versions of these songs will also be on his forthcoming studio album of
the same name, "Silver & Gold" showcases Young indulging himself amidst an
impressive batch of acoustic guitars, a pump organ, a piano and several
harmonicas. With great new compositions like "Buffalo Springfield Again" and
"Out of Control," as well as an occasional oldie like "Long May You Run,"
this gentle documentary is the exact opposite of his last, electrified
concert film, "Year of the Horse." Still, "Silver & Gold" is an acquired
taste at best and only recommended for staunch Neil Young fans.
Still seeking great American artists, I quickly drove over to the Cactus Café
on the University of Texas campus to catch full sets by Michael Fracasso,
Peter Case and the former leader of The Byrds, Roger McGuinn. While Fracasso
and Case both were in fine form, the audience was especially taken with the
performance of McGuinn. Opening with a version of "Lover of the Bayou" off of
the recently re-released Byrds CD, "Untitled/Unissued," McGuinn wasted little
time before diving into a string of well-loved Byrds classics. Switching back
and forth from electric to acoustic 12-string guitars, McGuinn sang "Chestnut
Mare," "Mr. Tambourine Man," "Turn! Turn! Turn!," and "Eight Miles High" in
rapid succession.
Encouraging the crowd to scream uninhibitedly (but for only four bars at a
time) during "So You Want to Be a Rock and Roll Star," McGuinn showed his
sense of humor as well as his love for performing the electrified folk music
that has touched people for almost four decades. Closing out his set with
"I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better When You're Gone," McGuinn left the stage to a
standing ovation. It was just one of the several ovations McGuinn received in
the course of his fifty-minute set and in my humble estimation he deserved
every one of them.
EXPLORING
AMERICANA