Kenneth Womack

1 week ago | salon.com | Kenneth Womack

The Band famously concluded the first act of their unparalleled story with "The Last Waltz," their much-heralded swan song at San Francisco’s Winterland Ballroom on Thanksgiving Day in 1976. By that juncture, they were already the stuff of musical legend, having served as Bob Dylan’s backup group, performing at Woodstock and releasing a pair of time-eclipsing albums in "Music from Big Pink"(1968) and "The Band"(1969).

2 weeks ago | salon.com | Kenneth Womack

As we memorialize Brian Wilson’s death on Wednesday at age 82, it is difficult to comprehend the vast extent of his musical legacy. Indeed, the scope of his creative imprint is all but incalculable. As the leader of The Beach Boys, he elevated American music and the notion of recording artistry in one fell swoop in the mid-1960s. In so doing, he stoked the aspirations of no less than The Beatles, establishing a loose rivalry that would reshape the face of popular music in the bargain.

2 months ago | salon.com | Kenneth Womack

Now in its third year, the American Music Honors convened on Saturday evening at Monmouth University in unforgettable fashion. Presented by the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music, the annual event honors American artists who have achieved excellence as musicians while also championing creative and social integrity. This year’s class included a star-studded roster featuring Smokey Robinson, John Fogerty, Emmylou Harris, Tom Morello and Joe Ely.

2 months ago | yahoo.com | Kenneth Womack

Now in its third year, the American Music Honors convened on Saturday evening at Monmouth University in unforgettable fashion. Presented by the Bruce Springsteen Archives and Center for American Music, the annual event honors American artists who have achieved excellence as musicians while also championing creative and social integrity. This year’s class included a star-studded roster featuring Smokey Robinson, John Fogerty, Emmylou Harris, Tom Morello and Joe Ely.

2 months ago | salon.com | Kenneth Womack

When it comes to elevating our understanding of The Beatles, Ian Leslie’s new book "John & Paul: A Love Story in Songs" is a mixed bag. On the one hand, Leslie provides elegant readings of a host of Lennon and McCartney classics. But on the other, he romanticizes the legendary songwriting duo’s friendship out of proportion with the immutable facts of history.