My music writing experience includes founding the blog Birmingham Box Set, which ran from 2008 to 2014. I continue to write about music, particularly in Birmingham, Alabama.
“The Alabama recording studio where music was never segregated”
What It Means to Be American, Jan. 4, 2018
“(Rod) Stewart was seeking the rhythm section that Mavis Staples had called out to on ‘I’ll Take You There.’ But instead of the shaped-by-their-struggles black
“Are we living in a golden age of Alabama music?”
Birmingham magazine, July 2016
“That phrasing is important: We may be living in a special moment, but it’s certainly not the only moment. Alabama music has a long history, with roots in gospel, rhythm and blues, jazz, rock ‘n’ roll, and country. Sam Phillips left Alabama in a time before the state had recording studios and went on to produce albums for legends including Elvis Presley. Phillips’ legacy, Sun Records, lives on in Memphis. W.C. Handy, known as the Father of the Blues, hailed from Florence. Emmylou Harris, Hank Williams Sr., The Commodores, Nat King Cole, the many beloved studio musicians of Muscle Shoals–just try to create a comprehensive list of influential Alabama musicians. You’re sure to leave holes.”
“As Bottletree closes, a reflection on the community atmosphere it created” (essay)
AL.com, March 28, 2015
“I never felt cool enough for Bottletree, but I also never felt like it mattered.”
“How to Craft Your Band’s Pitch for 5 Types of Media Outlets”
SonicBids.com, Oct. 29, 2014
“The media has come calling, and you can’t wait to tell your band’s story over, and over, and over again. Who cares if you sound like a broken record – any press is good press, right? Wrong. It’s true, you could have much worse problems. But think of it this way: If you saw an article about your favorite band (or actor, or comedian, or whatever), picked it up and dove in only to find the same anecdotes you’ve read a dozen times, you’d be disappointed and might even toss aside the whole story. Look at each media opportunity as a way to attract new listeners and draw your existing fanbase even closer.”