Tanya Tucker, “Sweet Home Sound.” Tanya Tucker, one of outlaw country’s most cherished voices, is back withSweet Western Sound. Tucker built a career on earnest songwriting and authenticity, which hasn’t changed on her newest record. Produced by Brandi Carlile and Shooter Jennings, this album follows in the footsteps of…

Inside the Johnny Cash Museum in Nashville on Feb. 12, 2022. Roman Gokhman/STAFF. As you read this (assuming, as usual, that you’re reading it as soon as it’s published) I am on a ranch to see a rodeo. No, really. I know that’s not usually my scene, but I’m…

The best albums of 2021 include Billie Eilish, Brandi Carlile, Tyler, The Creator, Little Simz, Olivia Rodrigo, Wolf Alice, Gojira, Rise Against, Yola and Lord Huron. We’ve made it to the end! These are our absolute favorite 10 albums of the year. What we discovered as a team was…

To get a bead on In These Silent Days, the new album by Brandi Carlile, it may help to compare it to an LP that came out 50 years before it: Joni Mitchell’s era-defining and massively influential Blue. Carlile has had Mitchell’s classic work on her mind a lot in recent…

The Highwomen perform at BottleRock Napa Valley at the Napa Valley Expo on Sept. 3, 2021. Adam Pardee/STAFF. NAPA — After country star Chris Stapleton, himself a replacement to Stevie Nicks, suddenly became ill the day before BottleRock Napa Valley was to start, the festival’s producers acted quickly. They realized…

Brandi Carlile performs at the Greek Theatre in Berkeley on Sept. 21, 2019. Photos: Michael Smyth. BERKELEY — Sometimes everything just lines up. Something happens between an artist and the audience, and between the audience and the artist; something about the venue is just right; something in the artist’s…

Brandi Carlile performs at Outside Lands in San Francisco on Aug. 7, 2016. Photo: Roman Gokhman/Staff. Fans not able to get a ticket to see Brandi Carlile at one of her two shows at the Hearst Greek Theatre in Berkeley on Sept. 21 and 22 can still see the…

The supergroup concept can become a minefield. As big talents and personalities clash, there’s no guarantee that the final product will live up to its potential. At their best, such collaborations can push top tier artists to magnificent results. In the case of the high-powered country supergroup The Highwomen,…

Moon Taxi performs at BottleRock Napa Valley on May 30, 2014. Roman Gokhman/STAFF. Check out photos and videos from the first BottleRock Napa Valley Festival at he Napa Valley Expo, held from May 9 to 12, 2013. Want to view all the videos, in order? The playlist is here. Thursday, May…