Friends & neighbors, I am pleased and humbled to be in the company of Peter Guralnick & William Gay & Elijah Wald & others in this Oxford American music issue devoted to Mississippi, birthplace and cradle of both blues and rock and roll. My piece is about a mixtape Barry Hannah made for me in the early 90's when I stalled out a bit writing my first novel, The Wonder Book of the Air.
If you want to hear most of what's on the mixtape, see my Spotify, Songs That Got Us Through WWII, or order this cd here.
Dallas and Fort Worth folk, find this issue at your Barnes & Noble, because it will be accompanied by cds of the music everybody's writing about, and these cds are always amazing. I hold Marc Smirnoff and this magazine personally responsible for the "Americana" music phenom. Consider subscribing to this magazine that turns 20 years old soon. If you're looking for a holiday gift for someone who like music and literature, this is it.
You can read my essay here.
