Devon Leger
nodepression
Seattle, WA, United States
Contact Devon
Discover and connect with journalists and influencers around the world, save time on email research, monitor the news, and more.
| Recent: |
|
| Past: |
|
Past articles by Devon:
Remembering Gay Country Pioneer Patrick Haggerty
Pioneering country artist Patrick Haggerty, known for releasing "Lavender Country," the first gay country album in 1973, passed away Monday at home in Bremerton, Washington, from complications following a stroke. He was 78 years old. → Read More
Roots Music Becomes a Major Player in Video Games
Red Dead Redemption 2, the hit Western-inspired video game from Rockstar Games, is easily the most beautiful video game I’ve ever played. I stop to look at vast mountain vistas, then ride off to explore them on horseback. I ford … → Read More
Where ‘Old Town Road’ Is Leading Country Music
Last weekend at the Pop Music Conference in Seattle, music journalists, writers, and academics gathered to share papers and trade conversation about the frontlines of music today. Perhaps not surprisingly, Lil Nas X and the recent controversy over his meme-ified … → Read More
Bryan John Appleby Moves Beyond the Seattle Sound
There used to be a function in iTunes where you could sort your songs by how many times you’d listened to them. It may still be there, but I’ve learned it can be a bit unsettling to peer that deep into yourself. The last time I tried it, I was a bit embarassed to see just how many times I’d listened to the last album from Seattle songwriter Bryan John Appleby. It was way back in 2011, and I was… → Read More
Kristin Andreassen Makes It On Her Own
I first came to roots songwriter Kristin Andreassen’s music through Uncle Earl, a seminal alt-country stringband that reinvigorated my interest in the tradition. Their albums on Rounder in the early aughts were must-haves in the community, and they brought a bit of rockin’ irreverence to the traditions they knew so well (check out their insane kung fu clogging video for proof). By the time Uncle… → Read More
Give the Gift of Vinyl: Barnes & Noble, Crosley Turntables, and Third Man Records
The holidays are nearly upon us, so why not give the gift of vinyl this year? Lots of younger folks (sometimes referred to as hipsters) are looking to get into vinyl, and those dusty old covers of '70s country stars in the Goodwill are looking more and more tempting to your millennial friends and family. The baby boomers in your family have probably long ago gotten rid of their half-busted… → Read More
Joan Shelley's "Over and Even"
It was a cold November afternoon when I called Kentucky songwriter Joan Shelley, and she was out walking her dog. I could practically hear the crisp winter air around her, and she was slightly breathless from the cold. → Read More
Dom Flemons Talks About What Got Over
Last Record Store Day I trundled out of the house to nearby Silver Platters Records, one of my go-to record stores in a city (Seattle) rife with great choices. Record Store Day has become something of an excuse for corporate record labels to offload crappy reissues of too-famous bands, but I had fun last Record Store Day picking up small-press vinyl releases from cool roots folks. → Read More
Dom Flemons Talks About What Got Over
Last Record Store Day I trundled out of the house to nearby Silver Platters Records, one of my go-to record stores in a city (Seattle) rife with great choices. Record Store Day has become something of an excuse for corporate record labels to offload crappy reissues of too-famous bands, but I had fun last Record Store Day picking up small-press vinyl releases from cool roots folks. And one of my… → Read More
The Lovely Songcraft of Annalisa Tornfelt
I'd probably embarass myself if I put down here how many times I've listened to the new solo album, The Number 8, from Portland roots songwriter Annalisa Tornfelt. It's become my go-to album for times of stress at work. I flip it on and let Annalisa's glorious voice, beautifully crafted, humble songs, and soft guitar accompaniment take me away. It's the kind of album that most songwriters try to… → Read More
Ironing Board Sam Renaissance: Interview with Tim Duffy of Music Maker Relief Foundation
The blues are no joke. That’s what eclectic-soul singer Ironing Board Sam found at the end of his rope, nearly broke and burned out after a lifetime spent running around the edges of the music industry track. He’d lived in Nashville and Memphis, cut singles for major labels like Atlantic Records, appeared on Night Train in the 1960s, even played and performed with a young Jimi Hendrix. But… → Read More
Looking Back at the First All-Female Bluegrass Band
I’ll admit that I bought this record for the cover. It was spendy at the record store ($9.95 at House of Records in Eugene, Oregon), but that cover just popped -- bright yellow, with great, cartoon-y art. I did a quick Google search on my phone and found out that this group, Buffalo Gals, was one of the first all-female bluegrass bands, and I knew I had to have it. I also immediately knew that I… → Read More
Why Vinyl? Because the Physical Object Still Matters
Article - Why vinyl? I’ve been reading a lot of think pieces from various indie music news outlets recently and everyone’s bemoaning the difficulties of vinyl. → Read More