NATALIE GELMAN HOMETOWN: New York City INFLUENCES: Sheryl Crow, Jewel, Fiona Apple ALBUM: Streetlamp Musician, out now WEBSITE: nataliegelman.com Natalie Gelman grew up training with professionals from the Juilliard School and the New York City Opera. At 16, she borrowed a friend’s guitar and began writing songs. Too young to play the clubs, Gelman hit the city’s subways, busking on platforms for tips. She eventually became a popular fixture... 

ROD MELANCON HOMETOWN: Wright, La. INFLUENCES: Johnny Cash, Elvis Presley, Merle Haggard ALBUM: Mad Talkin’ Man EP, out now WEBSITE: rodmelancon.com As a boy in the bayou country of southern Louisiana, Rod Melancon was a faithful disciple of playwright Tennessee Williams. Committed to pursuing a career in acting, he moved to Hollywood in his early 20s. However, he changed course one Christmas when his parents gave him an acoustic guitar. “That... 

NRBQ This is considered blasphemy, I know, but Terry Adams’ current version of NRBQ, based on their show last week at B.B. King’s, is at the very least as good as any—and yes, that includes the best-loved, longest-running 1974-1994 lineup of Terry on keyboards and vocals, Joey Spampinato on bass and vocals, Al Anderson on guitar and vocals, and Tom Ardolino on drums. Now with the superb guitarist/vocalist Scott Ligon, bassist/vocalist Casey... 

JUSTIN HINES Outside of a few famous blind performers, you don’t often see artists with disabilities on stage. The late Teddy Pendergrass comes to mind, of course, as does Vic Chesnutt, likewise paralyzed and also deceased. Enter Justin Hines, the acclaimed Canadian singer-songwriter and international fundraiser for people with disabilities. The wheelchair-bound Hines, who has battled the rare genetic joint condition Larsen’s syndrome since birth,... 

TURTLES & ZOMBIES Having seen The Turtles and The Zombies (twice) in the last month, I can already declare this summer to be a success. The Zombies Actually, several years ago I got to see both bands together, at the Hippiefest tour stop in Coney Island. The two groups, both dating back to the 1960s and retaining their two key original members, quite appropriately shared the same backstage trailer, and each stayed on stage to watch the other’s... 

SLIM & CHET The longer we live, the longer our past, the shorter our future, the fewer our friends and heroes. Wednesday was particularly bad. I always enjoy grossing people out by relating how, some 30-plus years ago, I gave up backstage passes to Springsteen in Madison, Wisconsin, to drive to Milwaukee to see Slim Whitman. I’d say it’s the smartest thing I ever did, but in all fairness, I can’t remember if it was Slim or Mickey Gilley—which... 

SONGWRITERS HALL OF FAME 2013 INDUCTION Alison Krauss Due to the nature of the annual Songwriters Hall of Fame [SHOF] Induction Gala, the VIP cocktail party always brings out a motley bunch of old-guard music business luminaries, celebrated songwriters and the major recording artists who made them celebrated. Previous inductee (2009, with Eddie Brigati) Felix Cavaliere got there early Thursday evening. Of course he was asked how The Rascals: Once... 

JAMES TAYLOR WAS AT THE HEIGHT OF STARDOM when photographer Norman Seeff shot this session for the 1975 album Gorilla. “It was one of those wonderful weekdays in Malibu when you can go to the beach and no one’s there,” says Seeff. Having previously worked with Taylor, Seeff was aware of his unassuming nature in front of the camera. “I wouldn’t say he was shy, but reserved, retiring,” he explains. “He was very much himself and didn’t... 

THE CONCEPT OF WILLIE NELSON Confession: Something was missing in my recent bit on Willie Nelson’s 80th birthday. But I only realized it last week during a long walk home crosstown from the Cutting Room, where I and my new two friends had just seen Buster Poindexter (more on that later). During the show’s intermission, Lincoln Foley Schofield, the club’s booker, asked me how I liked the Willie celebration. It hadn’t even been a week, and I’d... 

DARLENE LOVE – 20 FEET Darlene Love, who at this point deserves to be called the Eighth Wonder of the World, noted after an outdoor screening at Open Road Rooftop (the roof of a former high school on the Lower East Side) of Twenty Feet From Stardom how most of the background singers that are the subject of the film—herself included—came from church music beginnings. She had just finished reprising live “Lean On Me,” which she performs,... 

WILLIE NELSON Consider this most varied grouping: Barbra Streisand, Sheryl Crow, Kris Kristofferson, Tony Bennett, Bono, John Mayer, Elvis Costello, Cyndi Lauper, Steven Tyler, Paul Anka, Carlos Santana, Sharon Osbourne, Ozzy Osbourne, Emmylou Harris, Sandra Bernhard, Dan Akroyd, Brad Paisley, Iggy Pop, Steve Earle, Tom Morello, Daryl Hall , John Oates, Marky Ramone, Lemmy, Tom Kenny, Vince Gill, B.J. Thomas, Howard Stern, Billy F Gibbons, Ranger... 

THE ROLLING STONES & CARRIE UNDERWOOD Carrie Underwood Speaking of the Stones, did you see where Carrie Underwood came out to sing on “It’s Only Rock ’n’ Roll (But I Like It)” during their show in Toronto? Reminds me of the first time I saw the Stones, 1975 tour, County Stadium, Milwaukee. The Eagles and Rufus opened. I’m with Lebowski on The Eagles, and could just as easily have seen the Stones without Rufus. I don’t remember who... 

FOGERTY & BURDON—FORTUNATE ONES The latest Rolling Stones round of touring brought forth the predictably two-part, contradictory media response: 1. They’re too old to rock ‘n’ roll and should have hung it up decades ago, and 2. Isn’t it incredible how Mick Jagger can run around the stage at 70? Quickly, no, the Stones aren’t too old to rock ’n’ roll, not so long as fans are still willing to shell out the big bucks to watch. And,... 

WRITTEN BY: DAVID BOWIE RECORDED: TRIDENT STUDIOS, LONDON PRODUCED BY: GUS DUDGEON DAVID BOWIE: VOCALS, ACOUSTIC GUITAR, STYLOPHONE HERBIE FLOWERS: BASS TERRY COX: DRUMS MICK WAYNE: ELECTRIC GUITAR RICK WAKEMAN: MELLOTRON, PIANO PAUL BUCKMASTER: STRINGS FROM THE ALBUM: DAVID BOWIE (1969)   “Space Oddity” DAVID BOWIE In the dark of London’s Cinerama theater, 22-year-old David Bowie stared at the space embryo floating across the theater’s... 

CHAKA KHAN HAD ONLY RECENTLY ACHIEVED stardom when photographer Norman Seeff shot this session for Rufus’ 1974 album, Rufusized. “I was living in my studio in Los Angeles,” Seeff recalls. “She began rolling around on my bed like a teenage girl—barefoot, wiggling her big toe at me. It was fun, creative and free.” The session was the first of several Seeff shot with the R&B legend, whose talent was entwined with a fragile temperament.... 

GREG KURSTIN Blazing his own trail from jazz scholar to pop hit-maker By Michael Gallant He’s produced a bevy of wildly successful artists including Kelly Clarkson, Pink, Ke$ha, Tegan and Sara, James Blunt, Dido and the Shins. But Greg Kurstin came to his hit-making career through an unconventional route—as a student of jazz piano. “I loved arranging songs and finding different voicings for chords,” says Kurstin, who studied at New York’s... 

THE BAND PERRY Guidance from a production guru yields a meticulously crafted album   After the success of the Band Perry’s 2010 debut album and multiplatinum smash “If I Die Young,” the family band was uncertain about their follow-up record, Pioneer. So the country trio trekked to Malibu, Calif., to hone their songs with the man they called the Song Doctor, producer Rick Rubin—and hone they did. “Every song we wrote, we rewrote again and... 

PAUL WILLIAMS The once-ubiquitous songwriter returns to stage, screen—and Capitol Hill Paul Williams became wildly successful for penning romantic 1970s hits including “We’ve Only Just Begun,” “An Old Fashioned Love Song” and “Evergreen.” But behind the scenes Paul Williams battled demons of addiction. “I did 48 Tonight shows,” he says. “I remember six.” Goodbye, Johnny Carson; hello, Betty Ford. Today, more than 20 years clean... 

ALICE IN CHAINS Setting the musical bar high and releasing no album before its time      In July 2011, Alice in Chains frontman Jerry Cantrell began working on the band’s new record, but the process proved too painful—not artistically but physically. The guitarist was experiencing severe shoulder pain and underwent surgery to remove bone deposits. A nightmarish scenario for any guitar player, Cantrell wrote it off as an occupational hazard.... 

STEPHEN STILLS His career at 60 years and counting, an icon looks back—and forward By Jeff Tamarkin Even at 82 tracks packed onto four CDs, Carry On, the new Stephen Stills retrospective boxed set, barely scratches the surface of one of rock’s most iconic careers. After all, how can one afternoon’s listening encapsulate a half-century of creativity? We first heard Stills in 1966 with Buffalo Springfield (“For What It’s Worth” remains... 

BOZ SCAGGS  The genre-blending genius takes on classic songs in a historic studio  By Jeff Tamarkin Play Boz Scaggs’ 44-year-old debut album, his 1976 multiplatinum megahit Silk Degrees, or his pair of standards records from the past decade, and one constant emerges from his music: He remains true to his vision, finding that sweet spot where R&B, pop, jazz, blues and rock intersect and then customizing it. Scaggs’ attention to detail, level... 

EVE After a decade of changes, the rapper turns up the intensity on a new set  In the 11 years since her last album, Eve has been rather busy. She released singles, made guest appearances on more than a dozen tracks for other artists, had her own sitcom, appeared in the two Barbershop films, and launched a fashion line. But Lip Lock, her long-awaited return, wasn’t a snap decision. “It’s been a bit of journey. I’ve been trying to put out... 

SPIN DOCTORS   The alt-rockers revisit their blues roots and reinvent their sound   While touring in England behind the 2011 release of Pocket Full of Kryptonite: 20th Anniversary Edition, the Spin Doctors made a discovery: Their future lay in their past. Before the band hit the charts in the early ’90s with peppy, poppy alt-rock tunes such as “Little Miss Can’t Be Wrong,” “Two Princes” and “Jimmy Olsen’s Blues,” their stock... 

PATTY GRIFFIN The beloved singer-songwriter crafts a melodic tribute to her father “When I was younger, I could dive headfirst into writing about things like I knew a lot about them,” says Patty Griffin. She pauses, then laughs, “Now I realize I don’t know anything about anything.” Considering the singer-songwriter’s poetic and revealing lyrics have led artists like Emmylou Harris and the Dixie Chicks to record her material, many would... 

TALIB KWELI Proving labels can’t confine or define him on   his latest project  Talib Kweli has a well-earned reputation for being a smart, socially and politically aware lyricist. But with Prisoner of Conscious, his fifth solo album, Kweli is hoping to show he’s in touch with his emotional side. “Just calling the album Prisoner of Conscious,” says the rapper. “I don’t see myself as a prisoner of conscience, so I set out to make an... 

ADAM ANT The former U.K. chart-topper gets back into the swing of performing     Creatively speaking, Adam Ant has soared over the mountaintops and stumbled on the valley’s floor. Clinically diagnosed with bipolar disorder in 2003, he had fallen off the radar eight years earlier, after the release of Wonderful. He eventually battled through the disease to release Adam Ant Is the BlueBlack Hussar in Marrying the Gunner’s Daughter, his first studio... 

STEPH MACPHERSON HOMETOWN: Victoria, British Columbia, Canada INFLUENCES: Bob Dylan, Fleetwood Mac, Joni Mitchell                                              ALBUM: Bells & Whistles, out now WEBSITE: stephmacpherson.com As a child in British Columbia, Steph Macpherson entertained family and friends by singing along with pop divas Madonna and Tiffany and Disney movies like The Little Mermaid. Soon she began taking piano... 

KREE WOODS HOMETOWN: Memphis, Tenn. INFLUENCES: Joni Mitchell, Patty Griffin, John Mayer ALBUM: Talking Underwater, out now WEBSITE: kreewoods.com After graduating from Auburn University with a degree in musical theater, Kree Woods was headed to New York City. That is, until a meeting in Nashville with Grammy Award-winning engineer and producer John Jaszcz. Sensing her potential, he convinced her to reconsider and record a few tracks. Her self-titled... 

CHARLIE WORSHAM HOMETOWN: Grenada, Miss. INFLUENCES: Vince Gill, Marty Stuart, ZZ Top ALBUM: As yet untitled LP, out 2013 WEBSITE: charlieworsham.com Born and raised in Mississippi hill country, Charlie Worsham was a child prodigy, playing banjo with bluegrass legend Jimmy Martin at the Ryman Auditorium at the age of 10. Two years later, he performed at the Grand Ole Opry with Mike Snider. Studying at Boston’s Berklee College of Music further honed... 

AMBOY DUKES Marshall Crenshaw Not often you’re confronted with an ethical dilemma at a rock show. It happened last week at Marshall Crenshaw’s show at New York’s City Winery, first song. I was probably the only one with the problem, maybe the only one who recognized it. Crenshaw didn’t say anything before or after opening with the case in point, “Journey to the Center of the Mind.” Actually, besides three people I knew in the audience,... 

GEORGE JONES’ SHOES  So let’s ask the question, even though we’ve been told time and again in the days following the death of the great George Jones that the answer is “no one,” “Who’s gonna fill his shoes?” Actually, his funeral, if not offering a direct answer, put up several artists who at the very least should be standing beside him now in the Country Music Hall of Fame. Starting with Tanya Tucker, who was spectacular in opening... 

BOSTON Reach Out and Touch (Somebody’s Hand) Amazing how programmed we are to expect or seek out music to go with every major (and minor) event in our lives—and how bad it so often is. MSNBC is particularly bad during the day, mostly in trying to be hip. I’ve actually heard Elvis Costello and the Sex Pistols coming out of Morning Joe commercial breaks—my fault for falling asleep watching the channel the night before. Yesterday, predictably,... 

LES BLANK A National Treasure Les Blank died last Sunday at 77. Taylor Hackford called him a “national treasure.” “Although his films are not well known at the moment, they’ll take their place,” he told The New York Times. “Films are great when they live a long time, and I think Les’ will live.” Blank was quietly renowned for intimate documentaries exploring comparatively unknown music genres and regional cultures (Cajun/Zydeco titles... 

Merle Kilgore, Cindy Walker, BMI’s Frances Preston SONGWRITER MERLE KILGORE The Tall Texan Merle Kilgore with Elvis Presley Hard to believe that it’s been eight years now since we lost that cuddly bear Merle Kilgore, best known at the end for being Hank Williams, Jr.’s longtime manager/cheerleader—though he had also worked with Hank, Sr., carrying his guitar at the Louisiana Hayride when he was 14. But Kilgore also had great success as a... 

ROBYN HITCHCOCK   The enduring godfather of alt-rock is still full of sonic surprises  By Russell Hall  If Robyn Hitchcock never again hears the word “quirky,” that’ll be just fine with him. “I think what people mean is that, for me, an idea can come from anywhere,” he says. “They come from under the table, from behind the sofa, or from the back of a cupboard. They’re not the first places everybody looks. I suppose you could call... 

THE GAME A chart-topping rapper takes on the concept of religion  “I just feel free,” says the Game. “I’ve got good friends, I’m eating right, working out, doing my music. That’s how I feel.” That’s pretty good for the Compton, Calif., native, who was nearly shot to death when a drug deal went awry in 2001. Even after being signed by Dr. Dre in 2003, the artist born Jayceon Taylor feuded with 50 Cent, Jay-Z and Dre, leaving the... 

ERIC BURDON One of rock’s most distinctive voices gets personal with a new album   Ask Eric Burdon what’s on his mind and he says, “Being successful at my next gig.” After a half-century of lending his voice to hits, including “The House of the Rising Sun,” “It’s My Life,” and “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” for British Invasion band the Animals, and offering funk icons War their first taste of stardom in 1970 with “Spill... 

RICHARD THOMPSON The British folk-rock hero makes an Americana connection on his latest Richard Thompson is not content to stay in one musical place. Since the 1960s, when his ace guitar skills led Fairport Convention into the rarified league of groundbreaking musicians who invented British folk rock, he’s been something of a human prism, shifting and turning his talents to spotlight musical beauty—sometimes in the unlikeliest of places, as when... 

AARON NEVILLE An American treasure revisits the music that honed his otherworldly vocals   Aaron Neville has sung R&B, gospel and country, everywhere from Bourbon Street to Sesame Street, but now he’s returning to the street-corner sounds he’s loved since boyhood with his doo-wop record, My True Story. For the new album, Neville’s first on Blue Note Records, he called label president Don Was, who in turn reached out to longtime doo-wop... 

KRIS KRISTOFFERSON On his new album, a legendary storyteller sizes up a life well lived  At 76, Kris Kristofferson is as focused on his art as he was four decades ago. “For me, the creative part is when I write it and get it on tape,” he says. “After that, I really don’t have anything to do with the business part of it. Let the others do the hard part.” Kristofferson—whose résumé includes Grammy award-winning singer-songwriter, actor,... 

WAYNE SHORTER The trailblazing saxophonist waxes philosophical about the future of jazz By Jeff Tamarkin   Those who’ve heard Wayne Shorter blow a solo know the legendary jazz saxophonist seems to reside in a world of his own creation. Burrowing deep inside of a melody, he finds a nugget that intrigues him, grabs it and runs with it—the music twisting, turning, climbing, falling and ultimately journeying to a place far from where it began …... 

MADELEINE PEYROUX The jazz-pop vocalist’s new collection reimagines a country classic For many artists, a covers album often becomes a mishmash of haphazardly chosen songs that suit the singer’s voice better than they suit each other. But on The Blue Room, jazz singer Madeleine Peyroux not only interprets the work of other artists, she also pays tribute to one, Ray Charles, and his pioneering album Modern Sounds in Country  and Western Music. “Something’s... 

THE MAVERICKS Serving up a fresh helping of their distinctive Tex-Mex-via-Miami magic  The Mavericks—one of the more dynamic acts on the 1990s country scene—are back with their first full-length album in nearly a decade. “We hadn’t been in the same room together in that time, much less made music together,” says frontman Raul Malo. “There was talk of a reunion tour, but that wasn’t reason enough to bring back the band. The Mavericks... 

JOHN CORBETT Proving his musical mettle with a laid-back, Texas-tinged new album John Corbett made his name in Hollywood, but when it comes to music he’s no poseur—and latest album Leaving Nothin’ Behind offers proof. “The fact is, I have more of a pedigree to play this kind of music than guys with No. 1 hits right now,” says the West Virginia native who’s been playing country music since he was a kid. “The good news is that when people... 

JOSH ROUSE The pensive singer-songwriter strikes an upbeat tone on his latest effort     For Josh Rouse, family played an important role in the writing and recording of his 10th album, The Happiness Waltz. In 2006, Rouse moved from Nashville to Spain with his wife, and the couple now has a young child. He’s settled happily into fatherhood and married life, but his newfound responsibilities make for a delicate balancing act. “Before I was just... 

KEITH STEGALL Artist, songwriter, producer—he’s seen success from all sides By Michael Gallant When it comes to country music, few producers have made as profound a mark as Nashville’s Keith Stegall. The multitalented studio master has produced more than 20 platinum albums and sold more than 70 million records. His résumé includes 50 No. 1 hits, four Country Music Association Awards, 10 Academy of Country Music Awards—and the list goes... 

ASHLEY MONROE HOMETOWN: Knoxville, Tenn. INFLUENCES: Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris,Patsy Cline ALBUM: Like a Rose, out now WEBSITE: ashleymonroe.com A publishing deal as a Nashville songwriter helped Ashley Monroe land a major record deal in 2006. Although the deal fell through, she remained undaunted, scoring cuts with Jason Aldean and Carrie Underwood, collaborating with the Raconteurs, Ricky Skaggs and Trent Dabbs, and lending her voice to projects... 

ROZZI CRANE HOMETOWN: San Francisco, Calif. INFLUENCES: Lauryn Hill, Outkast,Destiny’s Child ALBUM: Rozzi Crane EP, out now WEBSITE: rozzicrane.com Rozzi Crane began performing while she pursued her degree at University of Southern California’s Thornton School of Music in L.A. “I’d play anywhere they’d let me,” she says. “Whether it was a dorm Christmas party or a formal USC event, I’d do it, because I love performing.” After earning... 

SPENCER DAY HOMETOWN: East Layton, Utah INFUENCES: Joni Mitchell, John Lennon, Paul Simon ALBUM: The Mystery of You, out now WEBSITE: spencerday.com Modern jazz singer and pianist Spencer Day learned the power of music during his troubled childhood. He grew up in a strict Mormon household in small-town Utah, and his parents divorced when he was young. His mother, a classical opera singer turned teacher, encouraged his love of music as a means of... 

Joel Coen did an interview last week in The New York Times about his and brother Ethan’s much-anticipated—but aren’t all CoBros films “much anticipated”?–film Inside Llewyn Davis. Based very loosely on Dave Van Ronk’s posthumous 2005 memoir The Mayor of MacDougal Street (written with Elijah Wald), Inside Llewyn Davis takes a darkly funny, typically ambiguous CoBros look at the pre-Dylan 1960s Greenwich Village folk scene,...