Mark J. Pelavin

1 month ago | americanahighways.org | Mark J. Pelavin |Andrew Gulden |Glenn Cook |David Nowels

photos by Allison O’Brien / AOBThis slideshow requires JavaScript. Last Tuesday night, Donald Trump delivered the first State of the Union address of his second term. Two nights later, James McMurtry took the stage at The Ram’s Head in Annapolis and provided his own, far more unvarnished take on the state of the nation.

1 month ago | americanahighways.org | Mark J. Pelavin |John Apice |Andrew Gulden

Patterson Hood – Exploding Trees & Airplane ScreamsIn case it’s not obvious from the title, Patterson Hood’s new solo album, Exploding Trees & Airplane Screams, is an unusual record. It’s also a remarkable one – moving, powerful, sad, uplifting, and more. Best known as the co-founder of Drive-By Truckers, Hood has built a career on telling grand, messy, complicated Southern stories. But on his first solo album in over a decade—and fourth overall—he takes a different approach.

2 months ago | americanahighways.org | Mark J. Pelavin |John Apice

The War and Treaty Plus One – A Jubilant Celebration of Love and HopeMark Pelavin*It’s fitting that Plus One, the exuberant new album from husband-and-wife duo The War and Treaty, is being released on Valentine’s Day. Michael and Tanya Trotter’s music has always been a radiant celebration of love—between each other, their audience, and life itself—and Plus One delivers that spirit in full.

2 months ago | americanahighways.org | Mark J. Pelavin |John Apice

Drew & Ellie Holcomb – Memory Bank When is a debut album not a debut album? Drew’s last album, Strangers No More, recorded with his longtime band The Neighbors, reached #1 on the Americana charts, and its standout single “Find Your People” also topped the Americana Radio Singles Chart. Meanwhile, Ellie has carved out a successful career in Contemporary Christian Music (CCM), earning four Gospel Music Association (GMA) Dove Awards, while also authoring beloved children’s books.

Jan 22, 2025 | americanahighways.org | Mark J. Pelavin |H. R. Gertner

Neko Case – The Harder I Fight, The More I Love YouNeko Case’s harrowing new memoir, The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You, is like her music — challenging, powerful, beautiful, sad, and ultimately uplifting. The stories she shares of her childhood are absolutely heartbreaking. Throughout the book, Case refers to herself as someone who was “feral,” left alone to raise herself in the wild. Many artists are given to hyperbole.