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MUSIC
HUFFINGTON
02.02.14
Dog Ears
In which we spotlight music from a diversity of genres and
decades, lending an insider’s ear to what deserves to be heard.
BY THE EVERLASTING PHIL RAMONE AND DANIELLE EVIN
PORTER WAGONER
CITY AND COLOUR
LOUIE AUSTEN
Country-gospel showman Porter Wagoner was born in central Missouri in
1927. By his early 20s, Wagoner was
doing radio spots, and soon after he
signed with RCA Records, netting several country chart toppers. A soldier of
the Grand Ole Opry since 1957, Wagoner also made a name for himself on
television by the ’60s as host of The
Porter Wagoner Show. The broadcast
became a 21-year outpost for rising
talent. Collaborations include Clint
Eastwood, Pam Gadd, Tammy Wynette, Red Sovine, and George Jones.
Accolades include induction into the
Country Music Hall of Fame in 2002,
four Grammy Awards, and three CMAs.
With decades of classics to collect,
get the 1956 title “A Satisfied Mind,”
from The Essential Porter Wagoner.
City and Colour, founded in the early
aughts, is the brainchild and nom de
plume of Canadian soundscapist/
multi-instrumentalist Dallas Green
(Alexisfire). Among the rotating cast
are guitarists Dante Schwebel and
Daniel Romano, drummers Dylan Green
and Doug MacGregor, bassists Jack
Lawrence and Scott Remila, and keyboardist Matt Kelly. Collaborations
include Ron Sexsmith, Spencer Burton
(Attack in Black), and the late producer
Dan Achen. Accolades include a 2009
Juno Award for Songwriter of the Year.
With over a dozen releases to date, grab
ahold of “We Found Each Other in the
Dark,” from City and Colour’s 2011 gem
Little Hell, produced by Alex Newport
(Death Cab For Cutie). A satisfying fix
of melody and sweetness.
Lounge magnetar Louie Austen was born
Alois Luef in Vienna soon after the curtain closed on WWII. Austen, classically
trained, served as a jazz crooner on the
cabaret scene for decades before making
his mark in electronic music. In 1998, he
was discovered by composer/producer
Mario Neugebauer, and at the hit of Y2K
issued his debut with Neugebauer at the
helm. Austen entered the international
spotlight with a flambeur cameo in the
2007 Oscar-winner The Counterfeiters, and continues to amass a bounty of
work counting over 20 releases to date.
Collaborations/shared stages include
Peaches, Gonzalez, Joyce Muniz, Gunne,
Patrick Pulsinger, Phonique, and Melnyk.
The feisty sophisticate constantly tours
the world. Discover “One Night in Rio,”
from his 2006 project Hear My Song.
TAP HERE TO BUY: iTunes
GENRE: Country
ARTIST: Porter Wagoner
SONG: A Satisfied Mind
ALBUM: The Essential Porter Wagoner
TAP HERE TO BUY: iTunes
GENRE: Alternative
ARTIST: City and Colour
SONG: We Found Each
Other in the Dark
ALBUM: Little Hell
TAP HERE TO BUY: iTunes
GENRE: Dance
ARTIST: Louie Austen
SONG: One Night in Rio
ALBUM: Hear My Song