SXSW Music: Must-See Singer-Songwriters
Ryan Adams, Robyn Hitchcock, Neko Case, and the next generation of solo strummers
By Jim Caligiuri, Fri., March 17, 2017
Robyn Hitchcock
Wed. 15, Buffalo Billiards, 9pm; Fri. 17, Central Presbyterian Church, 9:35pmIn a career dating back to psychedelic UK pop act the Soft Boys in the mid-Seventies, Robyn Hitchcock, 64, has borne the standard for pop songcraft falling between Beatlesque genius and Syd Barrett eccentricity. His 21st disc levitates in April, co-produced by Brendan Benson and featuring Gillian Welch, Pat Sansone of Wilco, and Grant-Lee Phillips.
Mark Eitzel
Wed. 15, ACL Live at the Moody Theater, 9pm; Thu. 16, St. David's Bethell Hall, 11pmAmerican Music Club president, Bay Arean Mark Eitzel released his newest solo effort, Hey Mr Ferryman, in January. Cut in London, it features his emotive, noir-ish vocals and intense lyrical wisdom in a manner bigger, darker, and more dramatic than much of his previous work.
Shannon McNally
Wed. 15, Cooper's BBQ, 11:50pmFrom Oxford, Miss., Shannon McNally releases her long-awaited, Rodney Crowell-produced album, Black Irish, in May. She'll be joined by Austin's Charlie Sexton at SXSW, and tours with Stephen Stills' the Rides this spring.
Ben Sollee
Wed. 15, Palm Door on Sabine, 12midA classically trained cellist and onetime Sparrow Quartet anchor from Louisville, Ky., Ben Sollee explores old-time mountain music, blues, and classical composers. Fifth studio album Infowars came out in October.
Jesse Colin Young
Thu. 16, Victorian Room at the Driskill, 10pmA legendary songwriter for his Sixties/Seventies work with the Youngbloods, Jesse Colin Young pioneered Americana. In 2016, he began reissuing his catalog on vinyl, while also readying a new collection of songs for later this year.
Parker Millsap
Fri. 17, Central Presbyterian Church, 7:45pmOklahoma's Parker Millsap had a stellar 2016 with his second solo disc, The Very Last Day, ending up on Top 10 lists nationwide and an appearance on Austin City Limits. He's recently been songwriting with Elton John in preparation for his next trip to the studio in April.
Sara Watkins
Fri. 17, Cooper's BBQ, 10pmFiddling third of bluegrass superstars Nickel Creek, Sara Watkins spent much of the last year working on her third album, Young in All the Wrong Ways, the most audacious turn in her career in terms of hooks, songwriting, and self-assurance.
Ryan Adams
Fri. 17, ACL Live at the Moody Theater, 11pmTwenty years have passed since Ryan Adams broke through with a band from North Carolina named Whiskeytown. Ups and downs, a rabid fan base, and his just-issued 16th solo disc, Prisoner, a response to his divorce from Mandy Moore, color a catalog filled with heartache, classic rock, and a supple voice.
Neko Case
Fri. 17, Clive Bar, 11pmAlt.country's queen revels in collaboration these days. She's in town with the New Pornographers, releasing Whiteout Conditions in April, while 2016 found her on the road with k.d. lang and Laura Veirs in a trio setting that drew a rabid response from critics and audiences alike.
Aaron Lee Tasjan
Fri. 17, Cooper's BBQ, 1amNashville's Aaron Lee Tasjan was once a member of the New York Dolls and served time with Drivin' n' Cryin', but his second album, 2016's Silver Tears, made him as a definitive Americana artist.
Lilly Hiatt
Sat. 18, Lamberts, 10pmDaughter of Americana godfather John Hiatt, Lilly Hiatt paves her own way. Wide-ranging roots styles over a pair of full-lengths, her songs rough up around the edges in anything other than your typical singer-songwriter fare.