Monday Free CD: Dawes

Dawes is a band that has really taken off in the last 2 years.  So it's a bit ironic that their latest, biggest hit is a scene from a plane called "From A Window Seat."

What about the rest of the album?  We bet you'd like to find out what it sounds like, right?

Listen all day Monday for your chance to win it.


See the album trailer on Youtube.

Just Four Guys: Butchering The Beatles

Have you ever said out loud, "I wonder what it would sound like if Alice Cooper covered The Beatles"?

We didn't think so.

But Ray Whitaker is committed to covering all aspects of the Fab Four, even if it means delving into bands who butcher The Beatles.  In fact, there's an album called "Butchering The Beatles" and you can hear Ray's take on it on Just Four Guys, Sunday at 6pm ET, or in the archives.


Hear the full album on Youtube.

New on mvyradio: Steve Earle

Steve Earle is certainly a serious and thoughtful guy.  His voice can be gruff, and the big, bushy beard he's been sporting for the last few years can make him look a bit intimidating.

So one could easily miss that Earle has a really great sense of humor.  But songs like "21st Century Blues" show his hilarious/satirical side, which is at once hilarious and full of keen social commentary.

And to see what else is brand new on the station, visit the playlist page.  Look to the right for what's been added this week, and scroll to the bottom for songs in current rotation.

Buy it on Amazon and support Friends of mvyradio


Hear the song on Youtube.

Free Show: The Wild Feathers

We're bringing a free show to the steps of one of the most beautiful locations on Martha's Vineyard!

Saturday, July 6th, the up-and-coming band The Wild Feathers will perform on the porch of the Harborview Hotel, overlooking beautiful Edgartown Harbor, the Edgartown lighthouse and Chappaquiddick.  From 5 to 7 on Saturday the 6th, enjoy a free, rollicking acoustic set in a great setting.

Bringing in this national act for a free show is part of our way to say Thank You for supporting us this winter through the Save mvyradio campaign.  If you didn't have a chance to support us then, we will be taking donations, as well as selling Wild Feathers cds, to support Friends of mvyradio, the station's non-profit. Spread the word, and join us on the porch of the Harborview in Edgartown, Saturday July 6th at 5pm for a free show with The Wild Feathers.

Brought to you by the Harbor View Hotel in the heart of historic Edgartown.


Hear the song on Youtube.

New on mvyradio: Neko Case

While the mustache she wears in some new promo photos might suggest a more literal interpretation, we think Neko Case is speaking metaphorically when she says she's a "Man."  But you can decide for yourself by listening to this new track.

And to see what else is brand new on the station, visit the playlist page. Look to the right for what's been added this week, and scroll to the bottom for songs in current rotation.

Buy it on Amazon and support Friends of mvyradio



Hear the song on Youtube.

New on mvyradio: The Civil Wars

It's the album of the year that we didn't expect.

Though The Civil Wars seemed to have broken up, they had apparently already recorded an album.  We're looking forward to the full length, and we've already got "The One That Got Away" in rotation.

You can hear a performance and an interview from our Newport Folk 2011 archives.

And to see what else is brand new on the station, visit the playlist page. Look to the right for what's been added this week, and scroll to the bottom for songs in current rotation.

Buy it on Amazon and support Friends of mvyradio


Hear the song on Youtube.

AOW: Kim Richey

Kim Richey knows her way around Nashville.

In fact, she proved it to us, by giving us a tour of Music City a few years ago (which you can hear in our archives).

And she knows her way around a song.

Don't miss this Class A songwriter's new album, "Thorn In My Heart" as we feature it Wednesday night at 9pm ET.

And check out an Interview with Performance from 2006, and a full concert from The Narrows in 2011, plus a cover of a song by Cake.


See the video on Youtube.

New on mvyradio: KT Tunstall

KT Tunstall seems to have taken a bit of a turn in direction.  After several great sounding albums, each with increasingly mainstream-chart-pleasing sound, she finds herself on a new label (the famed Blue Note records), and the slickness toned down, in favor of a more mature sound.  Check out "Feel It All."

And to see what else is brand new on the station, visit the playlist page. Look to the right for what's been added this week, and scroll to the bottom for songs in current rotation.

Buy it on Amazon and support Friends of mvyradio


Hear the song on Youtube.

Monday Free CD: Ron Sexsmith

Sometimes, fortune works in mysterious ways.  Hear Ron Sexsmith talking about how, by a simple twist of fate, a record that was supposed to be produced by the famed Bob Rock, instead became a collaboration with Mitchell Froom.  Learn about where stripped down strings, Susannah Hoffs and "Forever Endeavor" meet, in the video below.

Listen all day Monday to win, this, our Monday Free CD.


See the video on Youtube.

Just Four Guys: Let Him Be

After last week's "Film+Music" series at the MV Film Center, Ray Whitaker was inspired to bring out his episode from a couple of years back that focused on the independent film "Let Him Be."  It works on the premise that John Lennon is still alive, and living in secret. 

You can hear more about it on "Just Four Guys" Sunday at 6pm ET, or in the archives.


See the trailer on Youtube.

My Back Pages: Live Dylan & The Band

When you think of live Bob Dylan and The Band, you probably think of "The Last Waltz."  But there are other live documents of that collaboration, and Barnes Newberry shares them with you on this week's "My Back Pages."


Hear the song on Youtube.

Uncharted Waters: Boy

Don't let the mustaches in the picture below fool you, Velaska Steiner and Sonja Glass are decidedly female, even if they are collective know as Boy.  The Swiss/German duo are also decidedly tuneful, clever and very much in musical sync with each other.  Tonight on Uncharted Waters, they are the featured artist, so you'll hear several songs from their album "Mutual Friends."

Also on the program, new tracks from John Mayer, Toad The Wet Sprocket, Mavis Staples and Gogol Bordello.  PJ Finn fills in for the vacationing Barbara Dacey, Friday at 9pm ET.  Then find the show in the Uncharted Waters archives.

New on mvyradio: Jason Isbell

"Put him on paper, or behind a guitar, and he can fly.”

That quote is from Justin Townes Earle, in a really excellent New York Times article on Jason Isbell.

And to see what else is brand new on the station, visit the playlist page. Look to the right for what's been added this week, and scroll to the bottom for songs in current rotation.

Buy it on Amazon and support Friends of mvyradio

mvy Live: Justin Townes Earle

So perhaps you are surfing the web, looking to hear some Justin Townes Earle.  Yes, you could settle for a bunch of questionable sounding amateur videos. 

Or you could listen to mvy Live.

Thursday night at 9pm, we go back to Newport Folk 2011 to hear Justin Townes Earle's side stage performance.  You can see a little bit of it in the video below.

But c'mon, don't you want to have the sound quality that come straight from the board mix?  Hear it on mvy Live and in the Archives.


See the video on Youtube.

New on mvyradio: Wild Feathers

We love those bands with multiple singers.  Here's a spirited new one on MVY, from The Wild Feathers.

And to see what else is brand new on the station, visit the playlist page. Look to the right for what's been added this week, and scroll to the bottom for songs in current rotation.

Buy it on Amazon and support Friends of mvyradio


Hear the song on Youtube.

Life Is Good: Line-up Announcement

We've enjoyed being on the scene at the last few Life Is Good concerts, and loved having "Director Of Good Vibes" (and Festival booker) James MacDonald into the studio last year for a LIG Hot Seat.

Life Is Good announced their very MVY-friendly line-up today.  Check it out!


See the line-up on Youtube.

Movie: In A World

After the MV Film Society's "Film+Music" series, we're in a movie frame of mind.

As a group of folks who do voice-work for a living, we here at MVY think this film looks right up our alley.


See the trailer on Youtube.

Music + Film: This Is Gary McFarland

mvyradio is proud to be a sponsor of this weekend's event at the Martha's Vineyard Film Center.

"Film + Music" is a 3 day festival of music films, with interludes of live performances.  For a full schedule, plus tickets, visit the Film Center's site.

Jazz lovers won't want to miss this one.  Our own Dave Kish will be introducing the film.  Sunday at 4pm.

Featuring candid interviews with some of the world’s hippest musicians, This is Gary McFarland explores the life and times of self-taught musician, composer, and producer Gary McFarland, who despite contributions and affilations with such notables as Gerry Mulligan, Antonio Carlos Jobim, Stan Getz, Bill Evans, Clark Terry, Gabor Szabo, and Cal Tjader, is largely forgotten today.


This Is Gary McFarland Trailer from Kristian St. Clair on Vimeo.

Music + Film: Greenwich Village

mvyradio is proud to be a sponsor of this weekend's event at the Martha's Vineyard Film Center.

"Film + Music" is a 3 day festival of music films, with interludes of live performances.  For a full schedule, plus tickets, visit the Film Center's site.

Fans of "My Back Pages" should dig this showing, on Saturday at 7:30pm.

GREENWICH VILLAGE: MUSIC THAT DEFINED A GENERATION is a feature-length documentary about the Greenwich Village music scene and how it sparked everlasting political, social and cultural changes. For the first time, the greatest singer-songwriters, authors and performers from Greenwich Village reflect on how they collectively became the voice of a generation. Through poignant interviews, rare archival footage and new live performances, GREENWICH VILLAGE: MUSIC THAT DEFINED A GENERATION tells a story about community, courage and most importantly – music.


See the trailer on Youtube.

Music + Film: The Mighty Uke

mvyradio is proud to be a sponsor of this weekend's event at the Martha's Vineyard Film Center.

"Film + Music" is a 3 day festival of music films, with interludes of live performances.  For a full schedule, plus tickets, visit the Film Center's site.

The showing of "The Mighty Uke" will be preceded by a performance from The Featherstone Uke Jam.  The film starts at 4pm Friday.

The ukulele is often regarded as a punch line more than a musical instrument; the diminutive four-stringed relative of the guitar rose to popularity when Hawaiian music became a fad in the early 20th Century, but it fell out of popularity with the rise of rock & roll and became regarded as an outdated novelty item. But in the 1990s, the ukulele began making a comeback, as a new breed of musicians fell in love with the warm sound and easy playability of the instrument. Filmmaker Tony Coleman is aukulele fan who offers a look into the lively world of this small but pervasive instrument in the documentary Mighty Uke. Coleman talks with ukulele aficionados from around the world, traveling through the United States as well as in Europe and Japan to show why the little uke has such a big appeal, and takes us to conventions for ukulele players in London, New York and Tokyo.


Hear the song on Youtube.

Story: David Letterman loves drums!

Many locals know David Letterman as one of The Vineyard's famous frequenters.

But did you know that apparently David Letterman really loves drums?!?!?

Check out this Supercut.


Hear the song on Youtube.

We found this link, here, where you can also see Dave play!

Music + Film: DOWNLOADED

mvyradio is proud to be a sponsor of this weekend's event at the Martha's Vineyard Film Center.

"Film + Music" is a 3 day festival of music films, with interludes of live performances.  For a full schedule, plus tickets, visit the Film Center's site.

We take for granted now, our ability to listen and use music digitally, but it's all pretty recent history.  Hear the story, Saturday at 4pm.

DOWNLOADED focuses on the advent of digital media sharing, including the rise of game-changing company Napster and controversial pioneers Shawn Fanning and Sean Parker. The digital revolution ultimately created a technology paradigm shift and upended the music industry. Audiences will hear insight from well known music artists and figures within the music industry including: The Beastie Boys’ Mike D, Noel Gallagher, Henry Rollins, former Sony Music Chairman, Don Ienner, former record producer and Island Records founder Chris Blackwell and Hilary Rosen, former CEO of the Recording Industry Association of America.


See the trailer on Youtube.

mvy Live: Moe

How do you pronounce "Conch"?  The boys from Moe help PJ Finn out in this video interview/performance from Louisville 2007.

You can find a number of full Moe concerts in the archives too.  Thursday at 9pm ET for mvy Live, we go back to the summer of 2011 for a show from Lowell, Mass.


Hear the song on Youtube.

Music + Film: Crossfire Hurricane

mvyradio is proud to be a sponsor of this weekend's event at the Martha's Vineyard Film Center.

"Film + Music" is a 3 day festival of music films, with interludes of live performances.  For a full schedule, plus tickets, visit the Film Center's site.

Stones fans won't want to miss "Crossfire Hurricane."  The screening will feature a Q&A with the film's producer, Victoria Pearman. 

See it Saturday night at 9:30pm.

Directed by Brett Morgen, the film features historical footage, much of it widely unseen, and commentary from Mick Jagger, Keith Richards, Charlie Watts, Ronnie Wood and former Stones Bill Wyman and Mick Taylor, as well as rare interviews with Brian Jones. Period interviews, extensive live performance material and news archive footage will complete the documentary, which takes its title from the opening lines of ‘Jumpin’ Jack Flash’.


See the trailer on Youtube.

AOW: Christian McNeill

Christian McNeill has been working around the Boston music scene for years now, but recently has slipped the city in favor of Martha's Vineyard, where you can catch him performing songs from "Everything's Up For Grabs."

Listen Wednesday at 9pm ET, or hear some tracks on our Album Of The Week page.  And check out the video below.  Is there anything more "Boston" than being interviewed right outside of Johnny D's?


Hear the song on Youtube.

Music + Film: Sound City

mvyradio is proud to be a sponsor of this weekend's event at the Martha's Vineyard Film Center.

"Film + Music" is a 3 day festival of music films, with interludes of live performances.  For a full schedule, plus tickets, visit the Film Center's site.

"Sound City" follows Dave Grohl (of Nirvana and Foo Fighters fame), as he recounts the story of the legendary "Sound City Studios" where great albums from Fleetwood Mac, Tom Petty, Neil Young and Nirvana were made.  Grohl purchases the SCS sound board and transplants it to his own home studio, where he recorded a full album with a host of superstars.

See it Friday night at 9:30pm.

Deep in the San Fernando Valley, amidst rows of dilapidated warehouses, was rock n’ roll’s best kept secret: Sound City. America’s greatest unsung recording studio housed a one-of-a-kind console, and as its legend grew, seminal bands and artists such as Fleetwood Mac, Neil Young, Rick Springfield, Tom Petty, Metallica and Nirvana all came out to put magic to tape. Directed by Dave Grohl (Nirvana, Foo Fighters) and featuring interviews and performances from the iconic musicians who recorded some of rock’s greatest albums at the studio, Sound City doesn’t just tell the story of this real-life rock ‘n’ roll shrine, it celebrates the human element of music as Grohl gathers some of rock’s biggest artists to collaborate on a new album. Using Sound City’s legendary analog console, together these artists continue to create musical miracles in a digital world.


See the trailer on Youtube.

Story: The Civil Wars

Tuesday June 11th, The Civil Wars release the long-awaited follow-up we thought might not happen.  For the past many months, the artists have been mum about their future, but "The Civil Wars" (the new, self-titled album) will go a long way to satiate the fans who have longed for their return.

You can see Joy and John Paul in happier times, flanking Barbara Dacey in the picture below from our galleries.  And you can hear a performance and an interview from our Newport Folk 2011 archives.

Music + Film: Good Ol' Freda

mvyradio is proud to be a sponsor of this weekend's event at the Martha's Vineyard Film Center.

"Film + Music" is a 3 day festival of music films, with interludes of live performances.  For a full schedule, plus tickets, visit the Film Center's site.

On Friday at 7:30, mvyradio's Ray Whitaker, host of our Beatles program "Just Four Guys," will introduce "Good Ol' Freda."

‘Good Ol’ Freda’ tells the story of Freda Kelly, a shy Liverpudlian teenager asked to work for a young local band hoping to make it big: the Beatles. As the Beatles’ fame multiplies, Freda bears witness to music and cultural history but never exploits her insider access. Their loyal secretary from beginning to end, Freda finally tells her tales for the first time in 50 years.


See an excerpt on Vimeo.

New on mvyradio: Preservation Hall Jazz Band

Preservation Hall Jazz Band has a long, wonderful history, and we've been very lucky to see them a number of times at Newport Folk (including this archived performance from 2010).

Their new release "That's It" contains all the joy, tradition and craft that you'd expect from this New Orleans institution and we're pleased to be playing the first single in regular rotation.

And to see what else is brand new on the station, visit the playlist page. Look to the right for what's been added this week, and scroll to the bottom for songs in current rotation.

Buy it on Amazon and support Friends of mvyradio


Hear the song on Youtube.

mvyradio Archives: Derek Trucks, Sara Watkins

There are a number of birthdays of note on Saturday.  Celebrate by hearing them in our archives.

Derek Trucks (who visited the station back in 2004, and played a show in Lowell in 2009) is 34.

Sara Watkins (who played the Narrows in 2010 and was at Newport Folk 2012) is 32.

And William Royce Scaggs turns 68.  His school friends nicknamed his Bosley, and the moniker "Boz" has stuck throughout his life.

Barnes Newberry pays tribute to Boz Scaggs on Saturday's "My Back Pages."  You can find that show in the MBP archives of mvyradio.

Uncharted Waters: Cayucas

Cayucas is a band and a song by the band.  But it's also a place in Southern California.  Hear more about it in the video below.  And you'll hear that vintage SoCal sound in their album "Bigfoot."  It's a record that the mvy staff is really excited about.

Listen to Uncharted Waters on Friday at 9pm, as Barbara Dacey features tracks from the Cayucas record, as well as other releases from this week.


Hear the interview on Youtube.

mvy Live: Langhorne Slim

That's Langhorne Slim (left) and his band, standing against the stone walls of Fort Adams for Newport Folk 2009.  They'll make a return to the fort this summer for this year's Festival.  So we thought now would be a great time to return to the mvyradio Archives and play that show.

Hear Langhorne Slim in concert, Thursday at 9pm ET on mvy Live.  You can find it in the archives too.  And you can see more pictures from Newport Folk 2009.

New on mvyradio: Joseph Arthur

Joseph Arthur has been making great music, just under the radar, for 10 albums now.  His new track "Saint Of Impossible Causes" sounds great, different and refreshing as a new song on mvyradio.

And to see what else is brand new on the station, visit the playlist page. Look to the right for what's been added this week, and scroll to the bottom for songs in current rotation.

Buy it on Amazon and support Friends of mvyradio


Hear the song on Youtube.

AOW: Steve Martin & Edie Brickell

Check out the video below for a little background on how Steve Martin and Edie Brickell started working together.  And in this David Letterman interview, you'll hear the story behind the album cover.  You won't believe who created it!

On the album and on tour, they are backed by the bluegrass band, The Steep Canyon Rangers, who you can find in our Merlefest archives.

Listen Wednesday at 9pm ET, or hear some tracks on our Album Of The Week page.


Hear the song on Youtube.

mvyradio Archives: I'm On Fire

Today is the Anniversary of the release of Bruce Springsteen's "Born In The USA" album.  He was already a major success, but with this record reached such stratospheric heights, it's actually easy to forget was a good and influential record it is.

There are a couple of great "Born In The USA" covers in our archives that are worth digging out, including one from Luke Doucet and another from Swati, both recorded by our On The Road crew.

New on mvyradio: Lori McKenna

She's simply one of our best.

Lori McKenna writes songs that make you feel.  Any day we get a new Lori album in, is a good day.

We'll certainly be digging deeper into "Massachusetts," but for now, we're just enjoying the first single, and enjoying the MVY listener response to it.

And to see what else is brand new on the station, visit the playlist page. Look to the right for what's been added this week, and scroll to the bottom for songs in current rotation.

Buy it on Amazon and support Friends of mvyradio


Hear the song on Youtube.

Monday Free CD: Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell

You don't get to say this sort of thing very often:  Our Monday Free CD was nearly 40 years in the making.

Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell have connections going back to the 70s, but they've never made a full record together.  "Old Yellow Moon" is the record they've been talking about making for years.  You can hear more about it in the video below.

And to hear more from Emmylou and Rodney, check out our archives.  We captured Emmylou and Rodney together for a single song back in 2007.  Rodney came to the station a few summers back, and played some unreleased songs in our studio.  PJ talked to Emmylou on the release of her "Songbird" boxed set, and we captured an Emmylou set at Newport Folk in 2011.  And there's even a rare recording---Emmylou and Patty Griffin singing "Trapeze" at the Americana Music Conference.


Hear the song on Youtube.

New on mvyradio: Vampire Weekend

Here's a post for the weekend, it's the new one from the album "Modern Vampires of the City."

This happens to be the Number One Album in the country according to Billboard, a great achievement for Vampire Weekend.

Many of the songs for this record were apparently written, right here on Martha's Vineyard.  We're digging this track "Unbelievers" and hope you are too.

Read some more thoughts on it, on PJ's Blog.  And to see what else is brand new on the station, visit the playlist page.  Look to the right for what's been added this week, and scroll to the bottom for songs in current rotation.

Buy it on Amazon and support Friends of mvyradio


Hear the song on Youtube.