In a “Love in the time of Corona” message published last week on the Eunice, La.-based Cajun music record company Valcour Records website, label president Joel Savoy announced a novel web-only release geared to helping local musicians. “Since we’re all in quarantine and all our creative friends are offering content for us to enjoy while we can’t actually be together, it seems appropriate for me to start a new Valcour Records project,” wrote Savoy. “Now the tricky part is, I c

Punk Rope's Tim Haft and Shana Brady at Otto's Shrunken Head As it says on the Punk Rope website, “We give a skip.” So much so, in fact, that the New York-based jump rope-cum-punk rock exercise program, now unable to hold actual classes during the current coronavirus pandemic, is offering “Virtual Punk Rope” instruction via the Zoom remote video conferencing service. Last week’s class starred Shana Brady, who holds a BS degree in exercise physiology along with certifications

One of the major tenets of music criticism is that great artists must take risks. By that criterion, there was no greater artist than Kenny Rogers. The chronology: Houston native Rogers learned guitar and fiddle and played in a rockabilly recording band, The Scholars, in high school. He also recorded solo singles and performed on American Bandstand. Dropping out of the University of Texas, he played bass in jazz combo the Bobby Doyle Three, and played bass on country star Mic

Hohner's Sonny Terry Heritage Edition harmonica Blues harmonica enthusiasts have reason to rejoice over the venerable German harmonica and accordion manufacturer Hohner’s new Sonny Terry Heritage Edition entry in its Signature Series of harmonicas honoring great Hohner harmonica players. “We’re ecstatic about it!” says Drew Lewis, Hohner’s brand manager for harmonicas and melodicas. “It’s the first time we’ve really been able to honor one of the blues legends.” Indeed, the So