CostelloNews.com

' 'The Daily Show's' Jon Stewart to Host 'Night of Too Many Stars: An Overbooked Benefit for Autism Education' Airing Live on Comedy Central(R) on Sunday, October 15 at 8:00 P.M. ET

Appearances By Jack Black, Steve Carell, Kristin Chenoweth, Sacha Baron Cohen, Stephen Colbert, Elvis Costello, Jimmy Fallon, Will Ferrell, Ricky Gervais, Norm Macdonald, Christopher Meloni, Moby, Mike Myers, Bob Odenkirk and David Cross, Amy Poehler, Paul Rudd, Adam Sandler, Martin Short, Tony Sirico, Ben Stiller, Triumph The Insult Comic Dog, Brian Williams and More .'

'FilmAid invites you to attend our 1st Annual Power of Film Gala on Monday, October 16, 2006 at the Time Warner Café in New York City. The Benefit will honor Ambassador Richard Holbrooke and Jane Rosenthal and will feature a special musical performance by Elvis Costello! '

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The Rolling Stones
Soldier Field,
Chicago, IL
Support : Elvis Costello and The Imposters
Wed, Oct 11, 2006 07:00 PM

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The San Francisco Chronicle reports -

Free Elvis Costello. That's an offer, incidentally, not a call to arms. The renowned British singer will be performing in Golden Gate Park for free -- to the chagrin of touts and delight of those who couldn't find/afford tickets to his other two Bay Area performances this year, with Allen Toussaint and the San Francisco Symphony.

It's an afternoon show, starting at 3 p.m. Friday with an opening set from country greats Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock. Elvis plays solo and with the Hammer of the Honky-Tonk Gods, an ad-hoc band he describes as "very much in the spirit of the event." The event being Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. The festival , now in its sixth year, has expanded from two free days of music to three, featuring more than 60 acts on five stages.

"All I know about the festival is what I've been told by friends and all of them sing its praises," Costello says by phone from Toronto, where he's playing with Toussaint. "In fact, a lot of my pals are playing -- T Bone (Burnett), Emmylou (Harris), Billy Bragg -- so I'm going to be sticking around for the whole weekend to see all the great people on the bill. All I can say is that whoever this gent is who's paying for it, I take my hat off to him."

That gent is Warren Hellman, a San Francisco financier whose outside obsessions include extreme sports, philanthropy and playing banjo. The first festival, in 2001 (eight bands on two stages; sounds a bit paltry now) gave him an excuse to present some of his favorite performers, like Hazel Dickens and Harris. They've returned every year since, along with others who've become almost regulars -- Steve Earle, Del McCoury, Gillian Welch -- plus new additions from across the spectrum of folk, country, Americana and singer-songwriters. Numbering among them this time are Richard Thompson, North Mississippi Allstars and Alejandro Escovedo, men not best known for their banjo licks.

Getting Costello to headline the inaugural Day 3 was quite a coup. With one date left to go on his U.S. tour, he was looking forward to going home with his wife, Diana Krall, to get ready for the twins she's expecting in December.

"There's a lot to do, and my plan was to take a break from touring for a long time, at least a year, because I want to be around for that. Actually, I was thinking I might never go back. I might just stay at home writing songs, or even maybe open a tobacconist's," he says, laughing.

What persuaded him to come back to the Bay Area was a close relationship with the place that "goes back 30 years. It was the first place I ever played in America -- in fact, the first night I ever spent in America was in a HoJo in Mill Valley, because though we were playing in San Francisco we couldn't afford a hotel there," he says. "And it was the first place in America where they played me on the radio. I remember doing long free-form shows with Bonnie Simmons on KSAN, a great station, in the last few years of its existence. Since then there've been so many shows in the Bay Area and I've made so many friends there" -- four of whom are in the Hammer of the Honky-Tonk Gods: Austin DeLone, Pete Thomas, Davey Faragher and Bill Kirchen, whose new album was borrowed for the band's name.

"The name gives a real indication of what kind of show this will be. It's very different. There's going to be a lot of spontaneity and a lot of different people. At one point I think there'll be a string band and around seven vocalists. Barring delayed planes and flat tires, I hope there'll be some very special guests."

There's warmth in his voice when he says, "I'm really looking forward to this festival. It sounds like a ball. And a great way for me to sign off from playing concerts for a long time."

San Francisco Chronicle

Elvis Costello takes Hammer to festival

- Sylvie Simmons
Sunday, October 1, 2006

Free Elvis Costello. That's an offer, incidentally, not a call to arms. The renowned British singer will be performing in Golden Gate Park for free -- to the chagrin of touts and delight of those who couldn't find/afford tickets to his other two Bay Area performances this year, with Allen Toussaint and the San Francisco Symphony.

It's an afternoon show, starting at 3 p.m. Friday with an opening set from country greats Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Butch Hancock. Elvis plays solo and with the Hammer of the Honky-Tonk Gods, an ad-hoc band he describes as "very much in the spirit of the event." The event being Hardly Strictly Bluegrass. The festival , now in its sixth year, has expanded from two free days of music to three, featuring more than 60 acts on five stages.

"All I know about the festival is what I've been told by friends and all of them sing its praises," Costello says by phone from Toronto, where he's playing with Toussaint. "In fact, a lot of my pals are playing -- T Bone (Burnett), Emmylou (Harris), Billy Bragg -- so I'm going to be sticking around for the whole weekend to see all the great people on the bill. All I can say is that whoever this gent is who's paying for it, I take my hat off to him."

That gent is Warren Hellman, a San Francisco financier whose outside obsessions include extreme sports, philanthropy and playing banjo. The first festival, in 2001 (eight bands on two stages; sounds a bit paltry now) gave him an excuse to present some of his favorite performers, like Hazel Dickens and Harris. They've returned every year since, along with others who've become almost regulars -- Steve Earle, Del McCoury, Gillian Welch -- plus new additions from across the spectrum of folk, country, Americana and singer-songwriters. Numbering among them this time are Richard Thompson, North Mississippi Allstars and Alejandro Escovedo, men not best known for their banjo licks.

Getting Costello to headline the inaugural Day 3 was quite a coup. With one date left to go on his U.S. tour, he was looking forward to going home with his wife, Diana Krall, to get ready for the twins she's expecting in December.

"There's a lot to do, and my plan was to take a break from touring for a long time, at least a year, because I want to be around for that. Actually, I was thinking I might never go back. I might just stay at home writing songs, or even maybe open a tobacconist's," he says, laughing.

What persuaded him to come back to the Bay Area was a close relationship with the place that "goes back 30 years. It was the first place I ever played in America -- in fact, the first night I ever spent in America was in a HoJo in Mill Valley, because though we were playing in San Francisco we couldn't afford a hotel there," he says. "And it was the first place in America where they played me on the radio. I remember doing long free-form shows with Bonnie Simmons on KSAN, a great station, in the last few years of its existence. Since then there've been so many shows in the Bay Area and I've made so many friends there" -- four of whom are in the Hammer of the Honky-Tonk Gods: Austin DeLone, Pete Thomas, Davey Faragher and Bill Kirchen, whose new album was borrowed for the band's name.

"The name gives a real indication of what kind of show this will be. It's very different. There's going to be a lot of spontaneity and a lot of different people. At one point I think there'll be a string band and around seven vocalists. Barring delayed planes and flat tires, I hope there'll be some very special guests."

There's warmth in his voice when he says, "I'm really looking forward to this festival. It sounds like a ball. And a great way for me to sign off from playing concerts for a long time."

Sylvie Simmons is a freelance writer.

Posted by PostMaster General at 1:24 AM | Permalink | Comments (2)

The Robertson County Times reports -
( extract)

Friday night’s 5th Annual Americana Honors & Awards show at the Ryman Auditorium opened with funk and moved through folk, soul, bluegrass, jazz and country and lots of places in between.

British rock icon Elvis Costello, New Orleans soulster Allen Toussaint, Nashville songwriting great Rodney Crowell, singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash, virtuoso acoustic instrumentalist Sam Bush and deep funk band The Dynamites all took the Ryman Auditorium stage on an awards night that was every bit as diverse as a typical Grammy evening.

Other lifetime achievement awards went to Sugar Hill Records founder Barry Poss, producer/engineer Allen Toussaint (presented by Costello), performer and famed singer-songwriter Alejandro Esco-vedo and Nashvillians Mickey Newbury (the songwriter received the posthumous President’s Award) and Rodney Crowell.

Toussaint, a fixture in the Crescent City who has made significant marks as a songwriter, producer, piano player, arranger and recording artist, performed with Costello, who remarked on the oddity of an Americana category that’s wide enough to reach across oceans.

“I don’t know how it is an English guy got up here at the Americana awards,” he said, before talking of his love for American-born music and of the impact that Toussaint has made on American popular music.

Robertson County Times, TN

Saturday, 09/23/06

Strident views welcome at Americana Awards
Ryman show’s politics as diverse as musical styles

By PETER COOPER
Staff Writer

Friday night’s 5th Annual Americana Honors & Awards show at the Ryman Auditorium opened with funk and moved through folk, soul, bluegrass, jazz and country and lots of places in between.

British rock icon Elvis Costello, New Orleans soulster Allen Toussaint, Nashville songwriting great Rodney Crowell, singer-songwriter Rosanne Cash, virtuoso acoustic instrumentalist Sam Bush and deep funk band The Dynamites all took the Ryman Auditorium stage on an awards night that was every bit as diverse as a typical Grammy evening.

The politics were as diverse as the music. While contemporary country and rock stations tend to stay away from pointed political commentary, the smaller, more jagged Americana world has no trouble with strident views on any side of the fence.

James McMurtry won album of the year (Childish Things) and song of the year (“We Can’t Make It Here”) for music that attacks the American political, social and military status quo.

Charlie Daniels — whose songs include right-leaning sentiments such as “This ain’t no rag, it’s a flag, and we don’t wear it on our heads” and “You know what’s wrong with the world today? People done gone put their Bibles away” — received the Spirit of Americana Free Speech Award.

Neil Young, whose latest album includes the lyric “Let’s impeach the president for lying,” won out as artist of the year.

“Americana” is loosely defined as “American roots music based on the traditions of country,” but Friday’s show spread beyond that, encompassing territories best described as “the things that aren’t on mass-market commercial radio but deserve an airing.”

Daniels reveled in a show that featured a disparity of sounds and viewpoints. “I’m deeply honored to be recognized for freedom of speech. I exercise mine every day,” he said, before accepting an award that had previously been given to luminaries Johnny Cash, Steve Earle, Judy Collins and Kris Kristofferson. “Patriotism is not blind allegiance to any ideology or political party. Nobody is right all the time. Reasonable people will sit down and work together.”

McMurtry, the son of novelist Larry McMurtry, thanked his dad onstage for lending him a sports coat suitable for the occasion. Backstage, he noted the chance-taking aspects of Americana stations that have allowed his “We Can’t Make It Here” on the airwaves. “It’s very brave of them to play that,” he said. “Also, it’s a 7½-minute record. So they’re breaking their own mold there.”

More Americana stalwart artists reside in Nashville than in any other city, yet most awards Friday night went to musicians who reside outside Music City. Of the yearly, non-career achievement awards, only The Greencards’ emerging artist win and Kenny Vaughan’s top instrumentalist prize went to Nashville area residents.

Vaughan, who has performed and/or recorded with respected singer-songwriters, including show host Jim Lauderdale, Marty Stuart, Rodney Crowell, Lucinda Williams, Kim Richey and Patty Loveless, also received a lifetime achievement award. Vaughan is a riveting guitarist, capable of melodic flights and of acrobatic solos. He also has an unflappable stage presence that Marty Stuart found fit to remark upon.

“If Kenny were a car, he’d be a Nash Metropolitan,” Stuart said. “If he were fabric, he’d no doubt be sharkskin.” Stuart went on to call Vaughan “a genius who does most of his thinking with his heart.”

Other lifetime achievement awards went to Sugar Hill Records founder Barry Poss, producer/engineer Allen Toussaint (presented by Costello), performer and famed singer-songwriter Alejandro Esco-vedo and Nashvillians Mickey Newbury (the songwriter received the posthumous President’s Award) and Rodney Crowell.

Toussaint, a fixture in the Crescent City who has made significant marks as a songwriter, producer, piano player, arranger and recording artist, performed with Costello, who remarked on the oddity of an Americana category that’s wide enough to reach across oceans.

“I don’t know how it is an English guy got up here at the Americana awards,” he said, before talking of his love for American-born music and of the impact that Toussaint has made on American popular music.

Crowell’s Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting was introduced by Vince Gill, who sang a guitar/vocal version of Crowell’s “’Til I Gain Control Again.”

“I’m honored that you’ve recognized a body of work that I’ve put together over the last 30 years,” Crowell said. “I’m assuming that I have an invitation to continue, to keep trying to make it work and keep trying to make it rhyme.”

The awards are to be broadcast by Sirius and XM satellite radio stations, as well as by BBC Radio 2 in Europe and Voice of America across the world. Buddy Miller served as band leader, and he led a finale sing-along of Bob Dylan’s folk classic “Blowin’ in the Wind.”

Kieran Kane, who performed as part of a trio with Kevin Welch and Fats Kaplin, said Americana’s atypical blend of roots music struck him as quite sensible.

“It seems there’s a common thread that runs through all of this,” Kane said. “It’s organic music. It’s not processed.” •

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CMT reports -

( extract)

Throughout her career, Emmylou Harris has always been a true friend and champion to songwriters, but on Tuesday night (Sept. 19) in Nashville, it was the songwriters who honored her with a tribute concert at the new Schermerhorn Symphony Center in
downtown Nashville.

The guest list included Elvis Costello, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle, Patty Griffin, Dave Matthews, Allison Moorer and Gillian Welch -- all of whom performed at least one song that was connected to Harris' career. As a result, words seemed almost unnecessary to convey her sterling reputation in the music world.

Costello began the evening with an eloquent speech, then led the first-rate band -- Brady Blade, Sam Bush, Chris Donohue, Steve Fishell, Phil Madeira and Buddy Miller -- into "Sweet Dreams," which Harris took to No. 1 on the country charts in 1976. After that, Bush and Miller stepped forward for the Louvin Brothers' classic duet, "If I Could Only Win Your Love," which Harris brought back to the country Top 10 in 1975.

With Moorer at his side, Earle approached the microphone and reminisced about how Harris recorded "Guitar Town" for her 1992 album Live at the Ryman when his life was in ruins from a heroin addiction. He also noted she also sang with him on one of his most heartbreaking compositions, "Goodbye," for his comeback album, Train a Comin'. She later covered the song on her 1995 Daniel Lanois-produced rock album, Wrecking Ball.

In a spirit of camaraderie that Harris is known for, Earle and Moorer traded verses on "Goodbye" and then turned over the stage to Rodney Crowell. Harris and Crowell have been friends for more than 30 years, ever since she gave him a job in her Hot Band. With a big grin, Crowell told the audience about his former wife once bailing him out of a Los Angeles jail with the money he made from singing with Harris. Then he teamed with new artist Chris Janson to perform the barnburner he partially wrote during that brief stint behind bars -- "I Ain't Living Long Like This." And for a moment, it seemed that the sparkling new symphony hall, which has been open for less than two weeks, was the most luxurious honky-tonk you've ever seen.

The music turned more introspective as Griffin delivered a pristine version of "Boulder to Birmingham," one of Harris' earliest solo offerings and writing credits. (Harris' admirers can breathe a sigh of relief that she ultimately had a change of heart after penning the lyric, "I don't want to hear a sad story.") After the band exited the stage, Welch and partner David Rawlings praised Harris as "our friend and inspiration" and then offered a haunting rendition of "Hickory Wind." Afterward, Costello returned for a lively roll through "Mystery Train" with the couple.

Curiously, the affable Matthews chose to sing one of his own hits, "Grave Digger," and then invited Griffin to harmonize with him on "O Sister," a song from Bob Dylan's 1976 album, Desire. (Harris served as the primary harmony vocalist on the project. As her astonished houseguests will tell you, she has a gold plaque from Dylan's album hanging in her bathroom.) Finally, Costello joined Griffin at the microphone for the first time ever to sing the timeless "Love Hurts," which Harris initially recorded with her mentor, Gram Parsons.

Wed. September 20.2006 6:15 PM EDT

Emmylou Harris Honored by Musicians She Inspired

Performers Included Costello, Crowell, Earle, Griffin, Matthews, Welch

Craig Shelburne

Throughout her career, Emmylou Harris has always been a true friend and champion to songwriters, but on Tuesday night (Sept. 19) in Nashville, it was the songwriters who honored her with a tribute concert at the new Schermerhorn Symphony Center in
downtown Nashville.

The guest list included Elvis Costello, Rodney Crowell, Steve Earle, Patty Griffin, Dave Matthews, Allison Moorer and Gillian Welch -- all of whom performed at least one song that was connected to Harris' career. As a result, words seemed almost unnecessary to convey her sterling reputation in the music world.

Harris attended the event, sitting in the middle of the room, listening intently to the songs and moving her head along in rhythm. At the end of the evening, she accepted the Dale Franklin Award from Leadership Music, an educational non-profit organization of music professionals. The award recognizes "a music industry leader who exemplifies the highest quality of leadership and leading by example."

But, oh, the music that came before it. Reflecting on Harris' career, it's hard to choose just one song that's instantly recognizable as her musical signature. Instead, she has accrued a catalog of exceptional material that still holds up decades later.

Costello began the evening with an eloquent speech, then led the first-rate band -- Brady Blade, Sam Bush, Chris Donohue, Steve Fishell, Phil Madeira and Buddy Miller -- into "Sweet Dreams," which Harris took to No. 1 on the country charts in 1976. After that, Bush and Miller stepped forward for the Louvin Brothers' classic duet, "If I Could Only Win Your Love," which Harris brought back to the country Top 10 in 1975.

With Moorer at his side, Earle approached the microphone and reminisced about how Harris recorded "Guitar Town" for her 1992 album Live at the Ryman when his life was in ruins from a heroin addiction. He also noted she also sang with him on one of his most heartbreaking compositions, "Goodbye," for his comeback album, Train a Comin'. She later covered the song on her 1995 Daniel Lanois-produced rock album, Wrecking Ball.

In a spirit of camaraderie that Harris is known for, Earle and Moorer traded verses on "Goodbye" and then turned over the stage to Rodney Crowell. Harris and Crowell have been friends for more than 30 years, ever since she gave him a job in her Hot Band. With a big grin, Crowell told the audience about his former wife once bailing him out of a Los Angeles jail with the money he made from singing with Harris. Then he teamed with new artist Chris Janson to perform the barnburner he partially wrote during that brief stint behind bars -- "I Ain't Living Long Like This." And for a moment, it seemed that the sparkling new symphony hall, which has been open for less than two weeks, was the most luxurious honky-tonk you've ever seen.

The music turned more introspective as Griffin delivered a pristine version of "Boulder to Birmingham," one of Harris' earliest solo offerings and writing credits. (Harris' admirers can breathe a sigh of relief that she ultimately had a change of heart after penning the lyric, "I don't want to hear a sad story.") After the band exited the stage, Welch and partner David Rawlings praised Harris as "our friend and inspiration" and then offered a haunting rendition of "Hickory Wind." Afterward, Costello returned for a lively roll through "Mystery Train" with the couple.

Curiously, the affable Matthews chose to sing one of his own hits, "Grave Digger," and then invited Griffin to harmonize with him on "O Sister," a song from Bob Dylan's 1976 album, Desire. (Harris served as the primary harmony vocalist on the project. As her astonished houseguests will tell you, she has a gold plaque from Dylan's album hanging in her bathroom.) Finally, Costello joined Griffin at the microphone for the first time ever to sing the timeless "Love Hurts," which Harris initially recorded with her mentor, Gram Parsons.

Of course, the star of the show was indisputably Emmylou Harris herself. Joined by longtime friends Mary Ann Kennedy and Pam Rose, she chose to cover Neil Young's enigmatic "After the Gold Rush," then spoke highly of everyone involved with the memorable evening and her illustrious career. She also personally thanked her mother, daughters, aunts, cousins and her brother -- noting that he had finally forgiven her for losing his entire Buck Owens record collection when she lived in New York City before becoming a star.

"I love this town. I came here not really planning on staying," she said, noting that she had somewhat of a gypsy tendency. "The reason I stayed is because of the people. This is an extraordinary community, and I'm thankful to be a part of it."

She also recalled when she was touring with Willie Nelson and introduced her excited aunt to him. "She pinched his cheek and said, 'Well, she couldn't be with a better bunch!' And that's how I feel tonight," Harris said.

Earlier in the evening, Griffin remarked that Harris has a way of deflecting compliments by turning the praise back to the other person. Anyone who has seen her perform can attest that it's true. On this September evening, rather than simply accepting the award and bidding goodnight, she brought everyone back on stage for a finale of Steve Earle's "Pilgrim."

And if anyone can relate to the importance of the journey, surely it would be Emmylou Harris.

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