This week: Williams duo a favorite on radio, stage

  • By Sharon Wootton Special to The Herald
  • Thursday, January 8, 2009 11:19am
  • LifeGo-See-Do

If you’re a fan of rich harmonies and original songwriting, it’s a sure bet that acoustic musicians Robin and Linda Williams will deliver the goods.

They perform Saturday at Town Hall in Seattle, a concert that will reflect music from their latest, “Buena Vista,” as well as their traditional blend of bluegrass, folk, old-time and country.

The duo, playing within a quartet that includes bassist Jim Watson, a founding member of the Red Clay Ramblers, has won an International Bluegrass Music Association nomination, Crossroads’ Music “Gold Star” Award for the best Contemporary Folk CD of 1998; and appeared on The Grand Ole Opry, “Austin City Limits,” American “Mountain Stage,” “Music City Tonight,” and have enjoyed the rejuvenation of The Hopeful Gospel Quartet on Garrison Keillor’s “A Prairie Home Companion.”

They will share some of the characters in “Buena Vista,” including their exploration of the music of Maybelle Carter and Bill Monroe in “Maybelle’s Guitar and Monroe’s Mandolin.”

Hot Club of Cowtown: An advertisement brought violinist and vocalist Elana James and guitarist and vocalist Whit Smith together in the mid-’90s. Since then, they’ve grown into a hard-swinging trio playing modern Western swing, and have opened tours for Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson.

Hot Club of Cowtown also has performed on “A Prairie Home Companion,” “All Things Considered” and at The Grand Ole Opry. James and Smith are among the youngest to be inducted into the Texas Western Swing Hall of Fame.

Tamara Lewis: The singer and songwriter didn’t start playing a guitar until age 45, or performing for another two years. At 58, Lewis released her first CD, and last fall her second, “Living Down River.” Even more remarkable, this creative output came after a decade of being homebound with an immune disease. Lewis will perform country, folk, blues and jazz music.

Ray Manzarek &Roy Rogers: Manzarek, keyboardist and co-founder of The Doors, and top-notch slide-blues guitarist and two-time Grammy nominee Rogers have a debut album, the blues-jazz-classical all-instrumental “Ballads Before the Rain,” including their interpretation of the classics “The Crystal Ship” and “Riders on the Storm.”

Christo Govetas and Pasatempo: It’s time for Greek soul music in the form of Greek rebetika, which began as music of the underworld around the turn of the 20th century and is now called Greek blues. It focuses on timeless issues yet with a passion.

Carrie Rodriguez: The classically trained singer-songwriter has many levels to her career, perhaps reflected in the title of her latest CD, “She Ain’t Me.” She loves collaboration and has duet records and many tour dates, including Europe, with Chip Taylor; she plays the fiddle and can deliver Americana music.

Fountains of Wayne: The acoustic pop-rock quartet will perform music from an album-in-progress as well as ones from the past. FOW’s 2007 “Traffic and Weather” is a time-warp selection of late ’60s psychedelic, ’70s classic rock, and then moving through ’80s New Wave, ’90s alt-rock and, always, contemporary pop.

Out and about: Lenka, an Australian TV actress-turned-singer-songwriter, combines catchy pop with layers of world music. Her debut CD hit the third spot in Billboard’s Top Heatseekers chart (Monday, Chop Suey) … Multiple Grammy nominee and saxman Kenny Garrett’s latest is “Sketches of MD,” full of open-ended melodies over grooves (Tuesday and Wednesday, Jazz Alley) …

Mandolinist David Grisman delivers “dawg” music, a blend of swing, bluegrass, Latin, jazz and gypsy (Thursday through Jan. 18, Jazz Alley) … Jazz guitarist Peter White has 11 No. 1 singles that confirm his songwriting gifts (Saturday and Sunday, Jazz Alley) …

Talk to us

> Give us your news tips.

> Send us a letter to the editor.

> More Herald contact information.

More in Life

Camp Fire attendees pose after playing in the water. (Photo courtesy by Camp Fire)
The best childcare in Snohomish County

You voted, we tallied. Here are the results.

Whidbey duo uses fencing to teach self-discipline, sportsmanship to youth

Bob Tearse and Joseph Kleinman are sharing their sword-fighting expertise with young people on south Whidbey Island.

Lily Gladstone poses at the premiere of the Hulu miniseries "Under the Bridge" at the DGA Theatre, Monday, April 15, 2024, in Los Angeles. (AP Photo/Chris Pizzello)
Mountlake Terrace’s Lily Gladstone plays cop in Hulu’s ‘Under the Bridge’

The true-crime drama started streaming Wednesday. It’s Gladstone’s first part since her star turn in “Killers of the Flower Moon.”

Craig Chambers takes orders while working behind the bar at Obsidian Beer Hall on Friday, April 12, 2024, in downtown Everett, Washington. (Ryan Berry / The Herald)
Obsidian Beer Hall takes over former Toggle’s space in downtown Everett

Beyond beer, the Black-owned taphouse boasts a chill vibe with plush sofas, art on the walls and hip-hop on the speakers.

Glimpse the ancient past in northeast England

Hadrian’s Wall stretches 73 miles across the isle. It’s still one of England’s most thought-provoking sights.

I accidentally paid twice for my hotel. Can I get a refund?

Why did Valeska Wehr pay twice for her stay at a Marriott property in Boston? And why won’t Booking.com help her?

How do you want your kids to remember you when they grow up?

Childhood flies by, especially for parents. So how should we approach this limited time while our kids are still kids?

Dalton Dover performs during the 2023 CMA Fest on Friday, June 9, 2023, at the Spotify House in Nashville, Tenn. (Photo by Amy Harris/Invision/AP)
Music, theater and more: What’s happening in Snohomish County

The Red Hot Chili Pipers come to Edmonds, and country artist Dalton Dover performs Friday as part of the Everett Stampede.

A giant Bigfoot creation made by Terry Carrigan, 60, at his home-based Skywater Studios on Sunday, April 14, 2024 in Monroe, Washington. (Annie Barker / The Herald)
The 1,500-pound Sasquatch: Bigfoot comes to life in woods near Monroe

A possibly larger-than-life sculpture, created by Terry Carrigan of Skywater Studios, will be featured at this weekend’s “Oddmall” expo.

wisteria flower in Japan
Give your garden a whole new dimension with climbing plants

From clematis and jasmine to wisteria and honeysuckle, let any of these vine varieties creep into your heart – and garden.

Great Plant Pick: Dark Beauty Epimedium

What: New foliage on epimedium grandiflorum Dark Beauty, also known as Fairy… Continue reading

While not an Alberto, Diego or Bruno, this table is in a ‘Giacometti style’

Works by the Giacometti brothers are both valuable and influential. Other artists’ work is often said to be in their style.

Support local journalism

If you value local news, make a gift now to support the trusted journalism you get in The Daily Herald. Donations processed in this system are not tax deductible.