louise on the left (coast)

What do legendary musicians Iris DeMent and John Prine, crazy-good writer, Joyce Maynard and Jim Barringer, a SF lawyer , for goodness sake, all have in common? True love, Baby, true love! Joyce and her true love, Jim got themselves hitched this summer and posted online that they sang a duet a cover of In Spite Of Ourselves including a few of their own verses at the end (see below). I happen to love the original song and think they're additional lyrics below are clever and creative enough to warrant my posting here. Watch: FROM JOYCE MAYNARD'S FACEBOOK PAGE: So , to accompany the pictures posted below by my friend, of Jim and me singing at our wedding last Saturday, I wanted to share the lyrics to John Prine's "In Spite of Ourselves", with my add-on verse. (Jim wrote a great one   , but I don't have it handy. I bet if you go to his FB page--Jim Barringer-- he'll oblige.....(and you'll get a nice big dose of lefty politics while you'

I have to admit what initially what caught my eye about this was that she was playing with Jim Lauderdale, who really is the real (Country) deal. So, this intrigued me.  Then I took a closer look at this clip from the future holiday release, Country Strong ." What really sticks in my craw is watching Gwyneth deliver a song which is about as far from the truth as it gets . Come on.  When you're the daughter of a producer and an award-winning actress?  When you're a vegan millionaire with an army of maids, an entourage of personal chefs, and married to a fucking rock star? It's just kinda hard to stomach her croon as if she's from Butcher Holler and the tough life she endures. I have weathered, colder winters And longer summers, without a drop of rain   Push me in a corner and I’ll come out fightin’ I may lose but I’ll always keep my face Oh, please.  Butcher Holler my ass. Watch:

Sometimes you have no recollection what you were doing during a life-changing moment in history, but I can tell you precisely what I was doing the night Lennon was shot. I was in New York City.  And I was waiting for Jim Lauderdale to start his set. At the time he wasn't Jim the Grammy winner, he was Jim the talented, but largely unknown musician by night and office worker at Rolling Stone Magazine, by day. For me, it was the year I took off from college in 1980, when I lived in a sublet on Riverside Drive on the Upper West Side. That particular night I remember very well, Jim asked if I wanted to come hear him play an acoustic set at the East Side YMCA. I did, naturally, and invited another college friend to join me. We met at the Y and took our seats in the echoey hall.  I believe it was on 72nd street.  Well,  I think it was 72nd, it might have been 79th. I know is that it seemed to be directly across Central Park from and the Dakota, where the Lennon's li

My very "first BF" (see note below), Americana Country Music Legend Jim Lauderdale , is currently in the running to win a Grammy tomorrow. (It also happens to be my birthday tomorrow, as well, so I'm feeling lucky for him and asking everyone to wish him happy-winning vibes, as well.) His album, "Could We Get Any Closer?" is nominated for Best Bluegrass Album in the 52nd Grammy Awards, and if he wins it will be his third. (Interestingly, he's up against Steve Martin, also nominated in the same category.) I just wanted to say that Jim's a terrific person, and one of the finest, most driven and talented musicians on the planet and nobody deserves more recognition for his consistently perfect contributions to the world of music than Lauderdale does. So we're rooting for him tomorrow and asking you to keep your fingers crossed for him, as well. Here's a link to his awesome Web site where you'll find information on his nominated album, "Cou

Lucinda Williams played at The Wiltern last night. It was the last stop on her long tour promoting her newest CD Little Honey , and yet, she sounded as strong and real as if it were their first show out. I've seen her shows before, and I can tell you that her voice is even mightier now than it was in the past. She's expanded the intensity her range both musically and artistically. And talk about power. She's got it in spades, let me tell you. This woman is my inspiration for how to Not Go Gently Into That Good Night. But, meet every stage of our journey with grace, love and a deep appreciation for what is good about this Sweet Old World . Anyone who had wanted to be there, but couldn't make it? Well, sorry, but, you missed a fine night of great of great roots, rock 'n roll. Forgot to mention that she was joined for a few songs by Matthew Sweet and Susanna Hoffs (who, for the record, has much better legs than Matthew.) for a cover of Cinnamon Girl . ( Ma

This is Neil Ravenna.    Chef Neil Ravenna. And this is also a testament to how cool technology can be: Neil is a very, very, very old friend of mine. Knowing him goes so far back, it's almost a reptilian memory for me, it's so old. Therefore, finding him, via facebook, was something of a shock to my memory cells. I simply didn't think they worked that far back. Turns out even though I knew him as a kid in pre-1970 Vermont -- he's now gone even farther back to my old stomping ground, (the south.) And is currently a chef at Miss Melissa's Cafe in Moundville, AL! Holy Moses! This is from a podcast off their site called The Liars Table . I love it. Here he is cooking something so delicious that I'm going to have to go out and make it for us all tonight. Yes, Chef Neil Ravenna , you do need a cooking show. A cool one. Complete with Lucinda Williams, Jim Lauderdale on the radio over your grill and finishing by enjoying desert with you out in your Mary gro

I just feel like posting some Beck videos because other than freaking out about the news these days, his work's really haunted me since his concert -- I guess it was very evocative since so many images from the show keep playing in my mind, both musically and visually. One moment in particular, one tune from last week I just can't get out of my head was his "Where It's At." I'm so happy someone caught it for posterity for me -- Enjoy. *Seriously. I have to tell you, this really was the tune that moved into the harddrive of my brain faster than a lower eastside tenement squatter. Also, just now found someone else's upload of some cool moments from last week's super fine concert at the Hollywood Bowl Concert 9/20/08. Enjoy. I just saw his video of Guess I'm Doing Fine and was struck by how much he reminds me of Gram Parsons. Especially the way he shot this particular video. Hm. At one point I wondered if it would be too far a musical stretch