Tuk Smith And The Restless Hearts

4-Time WC Handy Award Winner, premier shuffle drummer of the Muddy Waters, Legendary Blues Band and Muddy Waters Reunion Band fame, Willie "Big Eyes" Smith is back with his second release on Juke Joint Records. On this studio outing, Willie isbacked by a stellar, all-star group of veteran musicians. With blues straight from his heart, Willie Smith and the band take you to the good times and sounds of a south-side Juke Joint on a Saturday night.

Carrie Rodriguez is a Texan singer-songwriter and violinist whose repertoire includes country, folk and rock, but is at her best when she explores her Mexican roots. Her great aunt Eva Garza, a Spanish-language singing star in the 1940s, inspired Rodriguez to “create my own blend of Tex-Mex music”. It’s a mix of classic Mexican songs, many slow and unashamedly emotional, and her own compositions, which are often in the ranchera tradition. The opener, Perfidia, shows how well Rodriguez has succeeded. She revives this tuneful, well-worn song of betrayal with pained, attacking vocals, helped by strong harmony work by Raul Malo and glorious twanging guitar by the great Bill Frisell. Elsewhere, there’s a powerful treatment of the 30s love song Noche de Ronda. Rodriguez’s compositions have a dash of country-blues and include a tribute to the ranchera star Lola Beltrán. This is a fresh, confident set.

Barney Bentall and the Legendary Hearts are a Canadian rock band, based out of Vancouver, British Columbia that formed in 1980. The band's name was taken from the title of Lou Reed's 1983 album. Bentall's first group was Brandon Wolf. With songs written by Bentall and long-time childhood friend and songwriting partner Gary Fraser, as well as McFetridge and Swain, they self-released "Excerpt from the Montmartre Letters", a 4-track 45 rpm EP in 1979. This record was followed by "Not Guilty", a 5-track EP released in 1980 on A&M Records. In 1982, Brandon Wolf recorded and released Losing Control, a 13-song LP, on their own label, Possible Worlds Records. In 1988, Bentall, Guppy, Nairne, Muir and Bowman, by then known as Barney Bentall & The Legendary Hearts, had a breakthrough when they landed a recording contract with Epic/CBS Records…

A 2010 inductee into the Rock And Roll Hall Of Fame as a member of THE STOOGES, James Williamson is now set to make his most stylistically diverse musical statement to date with his new group, JAMES WILLIAMSON & THE PINK HEARTS. Fronted by Los Angeles-based vocalists Frank Meyer (THE STREETWALKIN' CHEETAHS) and Petra Haden (THAT DOG, THE HADEN TRIPLETS), THE PINK HEARTS' repertoire encompasses everything from feral rockers to soul-searching balladry. "Behind The Shade By James Williamson & The Pink Hearts" will be released on LP+CD, standalone CD, and digitally by Leopard Lady Records on Friday, June 22.

Barney Bentall and the Legendary Hearts are a Canadian rock band, based out of Vancouver that formed in 1980. The band's name was taken from the title of Lou Reed's 1983 album.