- On Monday, Jerry Reed, country singer-songwriter and actor, passed away at 71 at his home outside Nashville. Reed, who penned hits for such legends as Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash, was a masterful guitarist and musician in his own right — appearing repeatedly on the pop and country charts during the ’70s and ’80s. Reed received his first record contract in 1955 at the tender age of 18 and, according to his agent, “was still recording right up until he couldn’t any more.” The L.A. Times has published a compelling piece describing the life and work of this influential musician.
- Breedlove has produced 25 Jeff Tweedy Signature Model Guitars. According to one seller, each is “built from beautiful solid master-grade Indian Rosewood with a master-grade Red Spruce top in 12-fret OOO body size,” with “a herringbone rosette and top purfling, an L.R. Baggs M1 pickup, Tweedy designed Honeycomb Inlays in the fingerboard and a Flower and Bees inlay in the headstock”--and they’re all signed by Jeff Tweedy and Kim Breedlove. What’s the catch? $5,999.00.
- The upcoming election is get some musicians even more fired up, with the Obama campaign playing The National’s “Fake Empire” in an official campaign commercial, and Rage Against the Machine making an impromptu performance to protest the Republican National Convention--notwithstanding state oppression (and/or band’s failure to obtain a proper permit), which caused the power to be kept off. According to reports, “Killing in the Name,” perfomed a cappella, is quite rousing.
- The video games get another premiere: According to Billboard, The Smashing Pumpkins will release their new single, “G.L.O.W.,” through the Guitar Hero: World Tour. Complete with a digital, playable Billy Corgan.
- Wilco and Fleet Foxes, performing in Spokane, covered Bob Dylan’s “I Shall Be Released,” a performance that seems at least worthy of a YouTube link:
- Tour Dates: Dr. Dog (whose The Old Days was recently featured as a KEXP Song of the Day) will be at the Tractor Tavern with Hacienda on September 24; Santogold will be at the Showbox on October 4; Against Me!, with Future of the Left and Ted Leo & the Pharmacists, will be at the Showbox on October 24; The Sea & Cake will be at Chop Suey with Field Music on November 29; and the Decemberists will be at the Moore Theatre on November 30.
