Maine Music to Hear — Now
The October issue of Down East features '10-Maine Musicians You Need to Hear Right Now.' To hear three musicians — NOW — click here:
Marsden Hartley and Winslow Homer are familiar names. So are Sarah Orne Jewett, E.B. White, and Robert McCloskey. But while Maine’s visual artists and literary icons have achieved international prominence, the same isn’t true of our music stars.Does the name Howie Day ring a bell? How about Patty Griffin? Arguably the state’s most well-known musical exports, neither of them live here any longer, nor really made any hay when they did. And, honestly, neither of them is all that popular anyway. Country fans might count Dick Curless, and jazz fans know Lenny Breau, but both are now deceased. So it’s safe to say that the mainstream is largely ignorant of the treasure trove of talent who currently live, perform, and record in the Pine Tree State.
In an effort to change all that, here’s a sampling of three local musicians you should be listening to right now.
Ray LaMontagne’s dusky voice is often likened to that of Irish crooner Van Morrison, channeling emotion and pathos like few before it. Click here to hear a track.
Spencer Albee is wildly regarded as one of Maine’s best songwriters, building on a solid foundation of Paul McCartney and Bad Company. To hear a track click here.
Sara Cox has already established herself as the queen of Maine’s oft-celebrated roots-music scene. To hear a track click here.
Which Maine musician is on your playlist? Sign in and add your comments below.
Views expressed in blogs such as Media Mutt and others published on Down East.com reflect neither Down East's editorial stance nor the views of Down East Enterprise.
Reader Comments:
Lindsay Ray has an incredible vocal range and beautifully haunting original lyrics. And we're not the only ones listening to this woman from Belfast: She's recently signed with Original Signal.
Visit her myspace site, address below; the reward is well worth the effort of the time spent cutting and pasting!
http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=user.viewprofile&friendid=73092466
I only have one question. In listing 10 Maine Musicians that you need to hear right now, how could you leave out Tim Janis?
Perhaps it is because he is in a class all by himself.