Oh, the songs!  A beautiful rainy evening with two artists and the perfect textures and stories for shelter.  Please leave a comment or review below, and enjoy the highlight video and these photos by Rodney Bursiel.

Diana Jones channels the “flavour of a bygone era” (The Guardian UK). Combining high lonesome singing, traditional strains of mountain and old-time music, and a highly literate lyrical sensibility, Jones’ songs “sound like they’ve spent a couple of generations being marinated on an Appalachian mountain porch” (Uncut magazine).  She has shared the stage with Martina McBride, Del McCoury Band, Guy Clark, Odetta, Old Crow Medicine Show, and John Gorka.  She performs concerts internationally and has toured with the legendary Richard Thompson.  Joan Baez, recently covered her song, “Henry Russell’s Last Words,” on the Grammy-nominated album Day After Tomorrow.  Diana’s latest release, Better Times Will Come, is steeped in subtle, simple, deeply rooted original songs.  She is gathering cheers from critics the world over. 

Red House Records recording artist Danny Schmidt is an authentic timeless troubadour in the tradition of Townes Van Zandt, Bob Dylan, Leonard Cohen, and Dave Carter, who delivers his craft with a quiet power, a level of complexity, and an underlying humanity that is truly rare.  His guitar work is effortless and sparkling, his arrangements are fresh and unpredictable, his voice ageless.  Danny’s writing spans from deeply-rooted Appalachian mountain gospel to haunted English balladry, from syncopated Piedmont country blues to vagabond 60’s protest folk.  In the words of Sing Out Magazine: “He is perhaps the best new songwriter we’ve heard in the last 15 years.”

Danny it the winner of the 2007 New Folk Award at the Kerrville Folk Festival.  His new album, Instead the Forest Rose to Sing, is beautifully crafted, and Q magazine says it simply “demands your attention.” 

For more information on this artist, visit http://www.dannyschmidt.com, http://www.dianajonesmusic.com

Phillip Dane says:

Wow.  So much to think about this morning, after being present for all of the details that became the tiles of last night’s special mosaic.  Starting with the walk down the drive, the beauty, light, and warmth of Blue Rock and “its people” made such a welcoming place to be - in the midst of the rain, fog, and chill in the air - and the evening only got better.  From Billy’s initial call to be present, to the artists’ care for their music (and one another), to the audience’s tears, sighs, and applause - last night’s concert was truly special.

Danny Schmidt was an understated force, and Diana Jones was polished, accomplished, and simply *on*.  “Authentic” is a word that describes both performances - especially the personalization of Danny’s songs, and the genre and period-appropriate authenticity of Diana’s music (including her initial offering on a lovely vintage four-string tenor guitar).  It was clear they both *felt* what they were offering, and I was moved by the honesty and appreciation they each managed to communicate through their music and their audience interactions.

I can’t say enough.  I’m a fan of Blue Rock, and I’ll be back for more.