CHRIS GAFFNEY
October 3, 1950 –April 17, 2008


It is with love, gratitude and sadness that we share the news of the passing of our friend Chris Gaffney, who lost his battle with liver cancer earlier this week.  The Sin City crew sends our love and prayers to the friends and family of this amazing man.  As information becomes available on upcoming memorial shows and benefits we will share it with you here.   In the meantime, please raise a glass to Gaff.  Thank you for your gift of song...

This beautiful piece ran in the LA Times yesterday...

http://www.latimes.com/news/obituaries/la-me-gaffney18apr18,1,4527969.story
 
Diane from The Continental wrote a beautiful piece too and it's below...

Jim Lauderdale and some guys we don't know played Leno last week. Click the image and go to "Wed Mar. 19th" and check out the last chapter of the show... It's Jim Lauderdale, James Burton and Al Perkins playing with Sin City All-Stars, Dusty Wakeman, Dave Raven and Doug Pettibone. Amazing.

Click the image for more info on the show.

Dude.. you missed it. The entire Maria's SXSW show was webcast live from Austin. It was cool and reminded those of us out here in LA LA land how much we miss Texas. ;)  Catch it next year, or just go see it live! Start planning now..

Allison Moorer and Steve Earle start their tour later this week... if you're lucky enough to be in one of these fine cities then remember to go buy your tickets now!

DATE        CITY                           VENUE
       
28-Feb    North Hampton MA   Calvin Theatre
29-Feb    Boston                         Sommerville Theatre
1-Mar    Montreal                        Outremont Theatre
3-Mar    Ottowa                            Bronson Centre
4-Mar    Toronto                          Massey Hall
5-Mar    Ann Arbor                      Michigan Theatre
7-Mar    Chicago                         Vic Theatre
8-Mar    Madison                         Barrymore Theatre
9-Mar    Minneapolis                  Pantages Theatre
10-Mar    Winnepeg                   Burton Cummings Theatre
12-Mar    Edmonton                   Northern Alberta Jubilee Audiotorium
13-Mar    Banff in Canada        Eric Harvey Theatre
15-Mar    Vancouver                 Center for the performing Arts
16-Mar    Victoria                        Royal Theatre
18-Mar    Seattle                         Moore Theatre
19-Mar    Portland                      Aladdin Theatre
21-Mar    SF                                Palace of Fine Arts
23-Mar  San Diego                    Belly Up
25-Mar    Los Angeles               Royce Hall

SEATTLE, WA - No Depression, the bimonthly magazine covering a broad range of American roots music since 1995, will bring to an end its print publication with its 75th issue in May-June 2008.

Plans to expand the publication’s website (www.nodepression.net) with additional content will move forward, though it will in no way replace the print edition.

The magazine’s March-April issue, currently en route to subscribers and stores, includes the following note from publishers Grant Alden, Peter Blackstock and Kyla Fairchild as its Page 2 “Hello Stranger” column:

Here's a letter we got from Brian Hennemen regarding the Bottle Rockets touring plans for their 15th Anniversary ... Let's hope they get to LA, Austin and Nashville!

Dear friends,

This is the first installment in what will be a year's worth of news. Some of which you'll love, some of which you won't love as much. But, the news you'll love will overshadow the news you won't love as much. I promise.

The first big news is...
2008 is the 15th ANNIVERSARY of the Bottle Rockets!!! Happy anniversary and THANK YOU to everyone who has supported us for all these years! Where would we be without you? Certainly not still here FIFTEEN years later! You people are the best.

We have many cool things planned throughout '08.

Our first official announcement...
There will be FIFTEEN special "15th Anniversary Shows" this year. That's IT folks. Unless we get some festival, or, opening slot offers we can't refuse, that's all ya get.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Los Angeles, CA, February 11, 2008 – The Americana Music Association and Sin City saluted The 50th Anniversary of the Grammys at an after show party at The Mint. The Sin City Allstars (Bryson Jones, Dusty Wakeman, Dave Raven, Carl Byron, Chris Lawrence, EZ Pickens & Jonny Kaplan) hosted the evening's festivities. Special musical guests included 2008 Grammy winners Jim Lauderdale and Randy Kohrs, along with Grammy nominees Lucinda Williams, and Charlie Louvin. Other attendees included C.C. Adcock, Greta Gaines and award winning songwriter Travis Howard.

Lauderdale and his producer Kohrs were celebrating their win for Bluegrass Album of the Year for Lauderdale's 'Bluegrass Diaries'. Other Americana artists winning Grammys this year included Steve Earle's 'Washington Square Serenade' for Best Contemporary Folk/Americana album and Levon Helm's 'Dirt Farmer' for Best Traditional Folk Album.

The Americana Music Association moves to Austin during the upcoming South By Southwest Music Conference on Thurs., March 13 at the historic Antone's. The special evening's line up includes performances by Amy LaVere, Mike Farris, Joe Ely with Joel Guzman, Buddy Miller, James McMurtry and Marcia Ball.