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  3. 154028-2319

Artists out of the mainstream or currently en vogue

Some of the music that became favorites for me were much out of the mainstream/media/news.  One that has brough me constant pleasure over the years has been Julia Fordham.  There have been others that either fell out of favor or were beyond their prime that were better than "the public" response.  Chet Baker and Paul Desmond did work for CTI that were better than their earlier work.  Even though I am not much into country some of my friends feel Johnny Cash did some of his best work later in life.   Speaking of which Rosanne Cash may be one of the ultimate "country" singers that should not be thought of as country. 

I guess what I am searching for here is some of those less know artists that deserve more exposure than they may receive.   Thanks
whatjd
bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,976 posts
 

Just about all my faves are "out of the mainstream", to one degree or another.

Welshman Dave Edmunds recently announced his retirement (he is now 75 years old), and was for many years my favorite Rock ’n’ Roll guitarist, and producer (Rockpile---his band with Nick Lowe, The Everly Brothers, The Fabulous Thunderbirds, Carlene Carter, K.D. Lang, The Flamin’ Groovies, The Stray Cats, Jimmie Vaughan, Mason Ruffner, Foghat, many others).

Thank God there is a guitarist/singer/bandleader (for Emmylou Harris)/producer who has taken Edmunds’ place: the great Buddy Miller. Whether solo, with his wife Julie, Emmylou, or other collaborators (Jim Lauderdale, for one), all fantastic music, imo amongst the very best being made today. Listen to Buddy’s recording of Tom T. Hall’s song "That’s How I got To Memphis" to hear real white soul!

Is John Hiatt mainstream? How 'bout Rodney Crowell? Emmylou Harris? Patty Loveless? Marty Stuart? Richard Thompson? I KNOW Iris Dement isn't, and she's at the absolute top of my list, a list very long due to the fact that a LOT of great music is being created right now.

slaw's avatar
slaw
22,167 posts
 
Mary Gauthier
Caroline Spence
John Moreland
Frazy Ford
Nichole Atkins



bdp24's avatar
bdp24
9,976 posts
 
Yes @slaw, Mary definitely qualifies as being out of the mainstream. One of her albums was produced by the aforementioned Buddy Miller (to whom I am at this very moment listening), another by Gurf Morlix, guitarist/harmony singer/bandleader/producer for Lucinda Williams in the 80’s and 90’s. Mary is fantastic, and didn’t start her professional music career until her late-30’s (I believe), having for years been a chef in New Orleans.
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