By Ryan Humbert - Summit FM Contributor

Americana music has been around for a lot longer than most people realize, going as far back as, say, The Flying Burrito Brothers and Gram Parsons, to name just two. The biggest issue is that most folks didn't know what to call it. Alt-Country? Roots Rock? Twangcore?

While it's certainly had a mild identity crisis over the years, it doesn't matter what you call it -- it's always been a mixture of traditional American music genres -- folk, country, blues, bluegrass, soul and more.

Here are five smoking-hot new songs for August 2023 -- enjoy!

Don't forget to tune into the Americana Roundup, every Sunday morning from 9 to 11AM on The Summit FM -- hosted by Ryan Humbert, lead singer of the Shootouts. For more information, visit AmericanaRoundup.com.

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

'Sailin' Shoes,' the sophomore effort from Little Feat, delivered on any promises put forth on their debut, yet changed up their approach a bit at the same time.  Released in 1972, 'Sailin' Shoes' was somewhat out of step, no pun intended, with so much of what was happening that year. A banner year for hard rock, progressive rock, and glam, new sounds and styles were the order of the day and to some extenet, Little Feat seemed like a holdover trading in blues, folk, and country sounds and a more earthy approach. 

There was, however, so much more going on with the songwriting of Lowell George, the sharp delivery of the band, and the ace production of Ted Templeman, that Little Feat were hardly yesterday’s news. 

Opening with the warm and inviting classic 'Easy To Slip,' the listener is pulled into a wonderful musical ride.  Songs like 'Willin',' 'Sailin Shoes,' A Apolitical Blues,' and 'Trouble sit very tall in the Little Feat catalog. These have been covered by everyone from Van Dyke Parks to Van Halen and Bob Weir to the Black Crowes. 

A real highlight is the straight on rocker 'Teenage Nervous Breakdown,' later covered by Nazareth, and the raucous 'Tripe Face Boogie.' showed the band could kick it out with the best of ‘em. If you need a comparison, of sorts, the album lands itself somewhere between the intersection of NRBQ and Rolling Stones Avenues, and that’s a pretty cool place to be. 

The band would soldier on through the '70s, changing styles and course as the mood struck, with the band coming to a halt with the death of Lowell George in 1979 at age 43, of a heart attack. His legacy and the band's catalog have a secure place in the hearts of fans worldwide, but 'Sailin' Shoes' was arguably their finest hour. The album was recently released in a deluxe Anniversary Edition. Enjoy as we present this week's Summit Essential. 

Hear tracks from "Sailing Shoes" all day long, one song per hour, this Thursday August 24th as our Summit Album Essentials!

By Brad Savage - Summit FM Program Director

On The Summit FM, you hear "Cruisin' The Decades - 100 Years of Music" each Friday at 5:00 pm! It has become a major "labour of love" for me to find and select the songs, as well as host this show. In fact, in many ways this "deep dive" into music history has led to me personally acquiring more and more and more physical media for my record collection, and spending more time than ever on "old" music.

It's funny because I absolutely love new music, emerging artists, local, and cutting edge new bands. Part of my job is to keep on top of new releases and know about the newest bands. But, there is magic is these classic recordings. This "Cruisin'" material is where it all came from, and it's the roots of modern music.

"Cruisin' The Decades: Global Edition" is now heard on 38 independent radio stations across the USA, Canada, Germany (shortwave radio), New Zealand, and now in Roatan, Honduras (Bay Islands). It is a global radio show and the mission and the concept is a love of music and the magic of the airwaves!

Here are some old songs I have been recently enjoying!

By Laura Smiley - Summit FM Sales Director

Wellness can be achieved by virtue of completing a journey and maintain a lifestyle. But it can also be magnified by our ability to appreciate and be thankful for the things that we already have! Summit Wellness continues to hum the melody of connection between feeling good and feeling grateful!  

Gratitude is a monthly feature contributed by Matt Anthony, Digital Media Producer and on-air host for the Summit FM. Matt reflects on instances where we might uncover more ways to appreciate what’s in front of us, and how those instances might contribute to our overall health and well-being. 

"Microscopic Moments of Mirth"
By Matt Anthony - Summit FM Contributor

At the 2:34 mark of The Rolling Stones’ version of “Just My Imagination’” from the iconic Some Girls album, there’s a seemingly unnoticeable 3-chord slide-riff that jumps out of the mix. I’m not sure whether it’s Keef or Woody who is responsible for it. But I remember hearing it for the first time, when it gently massaged the Jensen Coaxial speakers of my ’71 Old Cutlass.  I was blown away.  

In the over 40 years since then, whenever I listened to their version of The Temptations classic, I would ready myself, as if I had a Fender Telecaster in my hands, and playfully mimic that quick, soulful, staccato burst of gooey joy that, for whatever reason, took hold of me on that day in 1978. 

Why did it do that? 

As I advance along the AARP-timeline, I’ve come to realize that ‘gratitude’ can come in very small, bite-size chunks.  And our appreciation of these tiny events may not be immediately apparent, as it was when first hearing Side 1/Song 3 of Some Girls.  Social media has instructed us that the big achievements in our lives get top billing.  For instance, moments ago, while scrolling through my Facebook page, a friend announced a major, life-changing job promotion. A family-member shared photos of a gender-reveal party.  And over on Instagram, two of my nephews boasted loudly of the seats they procured for a huge EDM show. 

I've had a hard time leaving this town 
I've been losing everything that I've found 

Within the last year, I’ve introduced a couple of good friends to the music of The Clarks.  My friend, Gary, likes to read the lyrics when he encounters a new song.  As a history and theology buff, his eyes were instantly widened from the instant “Born Too Late’ invaded the Bluetooth speaker that sat on their front porch. He was in love with them. 

Now, I’m not a musician by any stretch of the imagination, primarily just tinkering from time to time on an old Sigma acoustic. But that G-to-Am-to-D transition at the :42 mark is the goosebump-moment.  Why is that? How do we explain it? I mean, it’s a chord-progression that takes less than three seconds? 

These small moments of gratitude can be largely complex. And the appreciation of them can go amazingly unnoticed.  This life-lesson has become much more magnified after January of 2019 when I was entrusted with being a caregiver. What has become much more pronounced for me as we make our way through the 4^th year of this disease is that tiny instances of joy can often be shrouded by the big picture.  And that means that we sometimes have to take more time to find them. 

So, I try to keep this mantra alive every day: uncover something blissful and magnify it.  But it’s tough.   

‘Music’ seems to be a worthy barometer.  When I come home in the middle of the day to check on my bride to make sure that she’s safe and to find out she’s spending her day, I can usually count on help from Jerry Garcia and Bob Weir. The house is normally full of music. Generally, it’s (coincidentally) the Grateful Dead.  Donna and her son have been long-time fans, so Terrapin Station or American Beauty provides lunch-time entertainment. Snagging a few bites of quinoa while watching her joyfully mouthing the words is pretty simple but pretty remarkable. 

Fire wheel burning in the air 
You will follow me and we will ride to glory 
Way up, the middle of the air 

The smiley-face that a server at a restaurant places next to her name on the check when she thanks you for visiting. That refreshing, clean, swept-away smell that emerges after a storm has blown through and the humidity has lowered. Or, as experienced this past week, that comforting mellowness of being able to put your stuff back in its place after a weekend full of painting the interior of your home. 

No, they don’t compare, necessarily, to graduation ceremonies, trips to Hawaii, or the birth of a daughter.  But while life is punctuated with major milestones, its DNA is comprised of smaller, somewhat mundane, ebb-and-flow events that, on the surface, seem incongruous with the ‘big stuff’.  

But these are the things that matter. These are the things that get us through. They mirror the historic double-tap ending of “Won’t Get Fooled Again”. That delicious pause before Michael Hutchence mumbles the line, “You’re one of my kind”.  That silky, sexy trumpet-punch when Miles announces his entrance at 1:32 of “So What” inside Kind Of Blue. 

These are the moments that can inspire true gratitude. 

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

I've been listening to music probably every day since 1967. From transistor AM radio all the way to streaming audio, it's been a long strange trip of sounds to say the least. Countless 45's, albums and cds obtained over the decades, a laundry list of concerts attended, promoted and performed along the way as well. I’ll be honest, this far along the trail, it's hard to get the wind knocked out of me by a band. 

I still look and listen for new bands and artists all the time with hopes that there will be one that creates the right spark. Ideally it would be a long lasting relationship, one where you immerse yourself in their world and look forward to each and every release. Other times, it may be a less involved romance or, to paraphrase Pink Floyd, they give you a “quick short, sharp shock.” Sometimes, that's just what the doctor ordered, and does the trick. It is with that spirit in mind, I would like to tell you about a recent obsession of mine, Otoboke Beaver. 

Otoboke Beaver are a fierce female foursome from Osaka, Japan. They formed in 2009, releasing a handful of singles and ep's before finally issuing their first proper album, ‘Super Champion, last year. The best way to experience this fantastic four, however, is to see them live, but if that isn’t on the docket, YouTube will suffice for the time being. 

It's a safe bet that you have never witnessed energy, chaos, harmony, precision and cuteness all at the same time quite like Otoboke Beaver. They are all excellent musicians and though what they play is very rooted in a hardcore/thrash hybrid of sorts, they manage to mix in spot on harmonies and prog-like precision that all adds up to a sonic explosion like you've never heard. Dressed up in the sharpest mid-60's mod girl attire complete with old school stage moves, the juxtaposition of sweet and sinister side by side is both alarming and engaging. 

Led by singer Accorinrin and guitarist Yoyoyoshie, who are backed by a most dynamic rhythm section of bassist Hirochan and Kahokiss on drums, these four lovely ladies are a Molotov cocktail of caffeine, amphetamine, anger and joy that at once assaults and captivates as it plants a big wide smile on your face.  

The list of unique acts from Japan to make inroads in America goes back to at least, 1963 with singer Kyu Sakamoto, who scored a number one hit with "Sukiyaki." Sung in Japanese, it sold an astonishing 13 million copies at the time. There were the Mops, a garage band formed in 1966 who adopted a Stones/Beatles approach, the psychedelic sounds of the Flower Travelin' Band, and in the early 1970s a fantastic combo that mixed glam, pop and prog called the Sadistic Mika Band.  

Signed to Harvest/EMI records and produced by Chris Thomas, the Sadistic Mika Band landed the opening slot on the Roxy Music tour in 1975 and actually received slight commercial radio airplay in some markets, Cleveland being one of them. Fast forward a few and we have the Plastics, Yellow Magic Orchestra, Shonen Knife, and later Guitar Wolf, Teengenerate ,High Rise, Keiji Haino, Marble Sheep and on and on, and, let us not forget Yoko Ono's part in all this!. Japan has always had an interesting music scene, but rarely made a dent elsewhere.  

Sometimes, the Japanese interpretation of Western styles is, let’s say, charmingly alarming. High Rise, for instance, took the crash, bang wallop of Blue Cheer, only, as if Blue Cheer weren’t loud and Neanderthal enough, High Rise opted to turn up the volume to internal organ vibrating levels as they delivered their three chords in the 1990s. 

But I digress – back to Otoboke Beaver!  

Songs like "I Am Not Maternal," "I Won't Dish Out Salads," "Leave Me Alone! No, Stay with Me!" and "Let's Go Shopping After The Show" are blasts of mayhem, the longest song clocking in at just over two minutes. It was a live video of "I Checked Your Cell Phone" that first caught my attention. Randomly popping up in my YouTube feed, I was, for some reason, curious enough to click it. Once there, I couldn't turn back! The KEXP Session posted here is perhaps the best and most well rounded presentation of what they do. Actual live concerts tend to be more chaotic, often finding Yoyoyoshie diving in the crowd, guitar in hand. 

I will tell you that this is not for the faint of heart, nor is it something I would listen to all the time, but there is something very special about this foursome that are doing something very original, not taking themselves too seriously and at the same time, totally delivering the goods. Does anyone remember ‘Pink Lady and Jeff’? Never mind.  

I don't know what else to say, other than, welcome to the world of Otoboke Beaver! Hate mail and/or thank you cards all welcome! 

By Laura Smiley - Summit FM Sales Director

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

As the Goo Goo Dolls stumbled out of their home base in Buffalo, New York back in 1986, it would have been hard for anyone at the time to have them pegged as becoming a million selling pop group. As they began, their sound was more akin to the ragged aesthetics of the Replacements brushed with some pseudo-Metal tendencies with a punk spirit driving them. 

They were one of countless bands dealing in similar sounds at the time. Their 1986 debut on Celluoid Records showed off that style and featured the lead vocals of bassist Robby Takac. Soon they were signed by Metal Blade Records, an odd match up, that led to the album 'Jed,' a smiliar batch of songs, the only difference being that guitarist John Rzeznik took the lead vocal on a couple tracks. This small alteration would set coordinate for the road ahead and on the follow-up, Rzeznik would handle the bulk of vocals, setting the stage for their major label debut. 

Over the next 4 or 5 years, the band, now signed to Warner Brothers, honed their style mixing hard edged rock with more pop styles and production values, each album gaining more attention. Songs like 'Long Way Down' and especially 'Name' put them on MTV and radio and suddenly, this ragged mob from Buffalo were a cleaned up pop band ready to take on the world. 

Released in 1998, 'Dizzy Up The Girl. Fulfilled any promises put forth by the previous few albums with the single 'Iris' being omnipresent for the following year. The album would go on to sell over four million copies and cement the band as a favorite in the 'post-grunge' era of the late 1990s. 

The spotlight may have moved, but the Goo Goo Dolls remain, fan base intact, consistently releasing albums along the post-Dizzy path right up to 2022's 'Chaos In Bloom.' 

Catch the Goo Goo Dolls and OAR at Blossom Music Center on Sunday, August 20th

By Michelle Charles - Summit FM Development Director

Our Member Spotlight this month shines on Youngstown listener (90.7 FM) Barry Carroll. Barry is part of the Gold Guitar Club and has been a member of the Summit FM since 2020. You also may have heard him on the airwaves because he is one of our Summit FM 330 Artists! 

Barry is originally from Boone County, KY but now resides in New Middletown with his wife Tonya. He has been a musician most of his life but started writing songs in his mid-fifties when he met Michael Estok at Court Street Recording. 

I asked Barry a few questions so we can learn a bit more about him. 

What was your first live concert? Bob Seger at Riverfront Coliseum in Cincinnati, OH 

What is an artist that you discovered on the Summit FM? Canfield, OH native JD Eicher 

What is your favorite band of all time? Led Zeppelin, because they made me lean toward the more mystical side of life 

What is your favorite movie?  Forrest Gump 

What book are you reading right now? Jayber Crow by Wendell Berry 

What is one thing most people don’t know about you? I took my first stab at songwriting while living in a state park in Topeka, KS but put it aside until my mid-fifties. 

By Dave Swanson - Summit FM Contributor

"Yes, I'm going to be a pop star. Oh mama, mama see me, mama, mama see me I'm a pop star" - Cat Stevens 1970 

Pop stardom, that fickle mistress of temptation for youngsters, and record companies, never subsides. It may mutate over time, take slightly different shapes and disguises, but pop stardom is usually a sudden downpour as opposed to a torrential rain. 

The idea of the 'pop star' sort of began with Frank Sinatra, as the 'bobbysoxers' of the day were all in a tizzy at the ace crooner who was too adult and talented to be fully cast in that role. Ever since then, from Elvis Presley to the Beatles and beyond, pop musicians and performers were often thrust into the role of 'pop star.' 

Once record companies and managers did their homework, they realized there was a lot of money to be made by having a reasonable facsimile in the spotlight, with musical ability being an afterthought. Bobby Rydell, Fabian and so on would 'fit the suit' of the era, with the Monkees being the ultimate conclusion as of 1966. Assembled to star in a television show, the Monkees were a product of outside sources, assembled to satisfy the constant Beatles craving among the youth. 

One thing the elders didn't count on was, the Monkees were real people with actual talent and ideas. Cutting any puppet strings early on, the TV band became a real band (another story for another time I’ll gladly tell ya about!) Musical supervisor of the TV show, Don Kirshner, vowed that would never happen again, and ultimately came up the Archies, a cartoon 'musical group' who, of course, couldn't talk back. 

The idea of the kid who fit the suit and became the pop star was used over and over again. In 1970, the advent of the Partridge Family thrust 20-year-old David Cassidy into the pop spotlight as lead singer of this fictitious band. Cassidy could certainly sing and though he had aspirations as a guitarist, he never shook the ship, playing the role he was cast in and selling millions of records along the way. It wouldn't be until post-Partridge time that he would pursue a more serious musical adventure, working with everyone from members of the Beach Boys, the Turtles and America to guitar hero Mick Ronson. 

Toward the end of the decade, David's half-brother, Shaun, was molded into the role of pop star. Riding high with the television series, 'Hardy Boys Mysteries,' he recorded a pair of albums for Warner Brothers Records, both of which, full of the most saccharine laced pop songs, hit the Top 10.The next two LP's did next to nothing and by 1980 Shaun was old news in the pop star world. It was then that he decided to try to salvage some kind of musical career by jumping in the deep end of the pool. 

Enter Todd Rundgren, producer extraordinaire, ace songwriter and musician to save the day. The idea was to move Shaun into the new era with new sounds to ride the 'new wave.' The first step was Todd enlisting his own band, Utopia, to be Shaun's backing band. The second idea was to pick the material. 

Select cover songs were chosen, David Bowie's Glam-era classic 'Rebel Rebel,' Ian Hunter's 'Once Bitten Twice Shy,' and one of the more interesting choices, David Byrne's 'The Book I Read,' which first appeared on the Talking Heads 1977 debut. The album's highlight may just be 'So Sad About Us' from the Mod-era of the Who (also covered by the Jam). Throughout, Utopia proves to be a wise choice as backing band.

Interestingly, this musical shapeshifting wasn't all that far of a reach. "I was 15 or 16 years old and hanging out with Iggy Pop and the New York Dolls.," Cassidy explained to Yahoo News in 2020. "I had no business being in any of those places at my age, and I lived to tell the tale, and I am grateful for that." See photographic proof courtesy of the book 'Please Kill Me - The Uncensored Oral History Of Punk' by Legs McNeil and Gillian McCain. 

"I'd been listening to rock n roll ever since I can remember; "Da Do Ron Ron" was the first single I ever bought," Cassidy told Trouser Press magazine upon the album's release. "I had enjoyed the album Todd did for Grand Funk, but I really wasn't familiar with what he had been doing with Utopia. Todd gave me a list of records to familiarize myself with, some of them great, some of them terrible, but all material he thought I should know." 

The bulk of the album was Rundgren originals including one of the album's best moments, 'Cool Fire,' co-written with Cassidy. Chalk it up to new technology in uncharted waters or merely adopting the kitchen sink approach, Rundren's knack for connecting with an artist in production style was off base here. Most of the album, save for a couple songs, is weighed down with gimmicky, overdone synth moves and a general sense of "new" which tended to work against the songs. 

"Overall, my attitude toward music has changed," Shaun continued. "I used to have to like the songs or the way the performer would sing. Now, I'm more interested in commitment." 

Ultimately, the album bombed, despite a handful of positive reviews, and effectively ended Cassidy's 'pop star' career. Looking back at this wild experiment some 43 years later it's clear this was a brave, yet failed, move by Cassidy to try to claim his own ground. Even though Todd's production choices were questionable, the blame lies in the changing times and the hangover created by most every 'pop star' during their time in the spotlight.