Tag Archives: jcshepard.com
Winter 1918 on the Eastern Front
While the Bolsheviks seized power in Russia in the October Revolution in early November 1917, their revolution continued to sport contradictions between the Old Style and the New through the Winter of 1918. Â On 1 Feb 1919 Old Style, Russia … Continue reading
Kukla, Fran & Ollie: A Nation of Immigrants
Burr Tillstrom—the puppeteer behind the Kukla, Fran & Ollie children’s show—is my family’s claim to fame. I missed his centenary last autumn.  Franklin Burr Tillstrom was born 13 October 1917 in Chicago, Illinois, and had an older brother Richard (1911-2008). … Continue reading
JC’s Top Tunes of 2017
They say art thrives in the face of chaos, that genius requires difficulty that must be overcome. 2017 was a difficult year for many—to the benefit of roots music, and hopefully, eventually, to the greater good. We lost friends like … Continue reading
2017 Blog Posts in Review—Political Order, Political Decay
Online traffic follows the new. In 2017, JCShepard.com wasn’t so much of the new and our numbers reflect that. But that’s OK. I played a lot of music. I read a lot of books. I didn’t get out to play … Continue reading
Americana Radio Albums 2017
The Americana Music Association released their 2017 Americana Airplay Chart Top 100 Albums. I tend to track the AMA Radio chart fairly closely through the year. Spotify helps feed the new music habit—or is that “enable the new music habit”? … Continue reading
Three Ladies and a Cowboy: Buy Good Roots Music for Xmas
Black Friday. Small Biz Saturday. Sunday. Cyber Monday. Whatever Whenever. There’s no good excuse not to buy somebody you love some good music for Christmas. Or Hanukkah, Or Kwanzaa, Or Yuletide. Or Whatever. The Americana Radio Charts et al are … Continue reading
Americana Music Awards 2017
As autumn leaves turn golden hues, music awards season begins each Fall with awards for golden tunes. Â Each September, the Americana Music Association bestows Honors and Awards on the previous year’s crop and the genre’s legends. The Americana Honors & … Continue reading
Telluride, Bluegrass and the Cross of Gold (Repost #APACO17)
My first time into Telluride I was coming in from the East. The summer was hot and dry; the Colorado backcountry better suited to rattlesnakes than trout water. I had been camping up the Black Canyon of the Gunnison, some … Continue reading
West County Line
Building permits required. Archuleta-LaPlata county line, US Highway 160 east of Bayfield, Colorado. .
Neuromancer the Movie
Rumors are surfacing again that William Gibson‘s classic cyberpunk SciFi novel Neuromancer may finally be reaching the big screen.  The 1984 story—winner of the Hugo, Nebula and Philip K. Dick awards—has had far-reaching impact on pop culture as Gibson fleshed out … Continue reading
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