Here are this week’s five songs worth listening to.

Rhiannon Giddens–Tiny Desk Concert

Okay, I’m cheating here. This is actually several songs, but whatever. My list, my rules. I love Rhiannon’s voice, the soul within it and the message she so frequently delivers with eloquence. It’s 17 minutes of intimate gold. She came to my world through the Carolina Chocolate Drops, before moving on to a solo career. At The Purchaser’s Option is my personal favorite selection. It was second in this set.

Dorothy–Black Tar & Nicotine

This one is actually from last year. I’ll do that from time to time here, as I catch up on a significant back log of stuff to listen to. Dorothy works with Linda Perry as producer and Roc Nation as management, and she has a little Grace Slick in her. She was featured in my Tailgate edition of this column a few weeks back. This one is off 2018’s 28 Days In The Valley.

Black tar and nicotine, shot me in my arm and killed my dreams.

28 Days In the Valley, indeed.

Koe Wetzel–Ragweed

Loving a woman who loves the same music as you? Yeah, I can get on board with that one. And yeah, this one hits the sweet spot. I think Cross Canadian Ragweed was the only band Sarah and I had both seen live before we met. We were very divergent in taste before getting together. Ragweed was her gateway band into my world, sort of.

Tries to tell me that Oklahoma's better, but I ain't got time for that We've been wasting time getting drunk getting high I can't believe I fell in love 

Grace Potter–Back To Me (Daylight Sessions #2)

There is a special place in my heart for Grace Potter, even if she did once record a song with Kenny Chesney. She has enough of a hold on me I could forgive her for even that normally deal-breaking sin. On this one, she pairs with Lucius, a much more acceptable pairing for the background.

This is also a good time to remind people Grace Potter and Warren Haynes straight up murdered Honky Tonk Women at Hangout Festival once. That first YouTube comment nailed it: “Dear God she made me briefly forget my wife’s name.”

In this one, Grace is over it and ready to move on. Don’t leave me baby. I promise I will be better. And I don’t think I could drink you off my mind.

Here we are again, hanging by a thread, the truth is almost gone...

Lissie–Dragula (Rob Zombie cover)

Apparently, it is bad ass rocker chic week. Here we have another Lissie cover, doing Rob Zombie’s Dragula. This one was featured at the end of Haunt, which I have not seen yet. Yeah, this version nails that vibe. The only problem is, ECW isn’t around to feature this one in an intro video.

We’ll be back with five more next week. Until then, remember the immortal words…
“Songs are really just interesting things to be doing with the air.” Tom Waits