After more than a year and a half, Country and Midwestern is now in paperback! The new edition — lighter to carry! — is priced lower than the hardback edition, which now means you can now purchase in bulk for your entire circle of country/folk-leaning family and friends this holiday giving season. I’m not sure that it fits into a stocking, but why not try?
I’m also pleased to announce that Country and Midwestern received another award — a 2024 Certificate of Merit for Excellence in Historical Sound Research in Recorded Country, Folk, World or Roots Music by the Association for Recorded Sound Collections (ARSC), a non-profit organization that “promotes the preservation and study of sound recordings—in all formats and from all periods and genres.”
Prine Time Chicago — Now Online
The Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum in Nashville just posted the full video of the 90-minute program “Prine Time Chicago” it hosted in October 2023.
The discussion features CMHOF’s RJ Smith leading the discussion onstage with me, Chicago singer-songwriter Bonnie Koloc, Greg Cahill of Special Consensus, and Prine’s family about Chicago’s influence on John and Steve Goodman, and the wider cultural impact of Southerners in the city. A performance followed, as well as a book signing.
Now, through the magic of video, you can be in the room too. Click here to watch.
The award will be presented in Tulsa, Oklahoma at their annual conference this May. Thank you, ARSC!
Previously the book was named the 2024 Book of the Year by the International Country Music Conference in Nashville and 2024 Book of the Year by the State of Illinois, plus it received many media accolades since last year’s release — All good reasons to consider it for the music or history fan in your life.
Find the new paperback version (and classic hardcover) on Amazon or your neighborhood independent bookseller. Visit the book’s website to learn more.
Also Now Online: Bonnie Koloc at the Hideout
Speaking of archived programs, you can now be in the room at the Hideout from last June when I spoke onstage with songwriter and singer Bonnie Koloc about her long life in music. Lucky for us, she was in town for a gallery show of her artwork at the Dime Gallery in Wicker Park.
Bonnie revisited many of her records and performed selections from her early catalog accompanied by Chicago singer-songwriter Steve Dawson, who also opened the program. We had a lot of fun, showing photos, early newspaper clippings, and early video of Bonnie on the big screen.
She is a delight; watch here in case you want to learn more about this Chicago treasure.