The prehistory of Shakey Graves exists in two overstuffed folders. Inside them, artifacts document an immense era of anonymous DIY creativity, from 2007 through 2010 - the three years before Roll The Bones came out and changed his life.

For the first weekend of February, Denver’s Mission Ballroom once again became a mecca for travelers seeking the psychedelic and for those who made the leap of faith, the reward was great. Grateful Dead bassist and living legend Phil Lesh gave the Rino district two nights of splendor, sound, and the opportunity once again to rejoice in community under a blanket of aural pleasantries that would defy expectation.

Jake Smith, also known as The White Buffalo, is a talented singer-songwriter known for his storytelling through music. He has gained recognition for his inclusion in popular TV shows and films, such as Sons of Anarchy, This Is Us, and Californication, among others. His unique style of dark blues and light Americana-roots-tinged folk has earned him critical acclaim, with NPR calling him an "amazing storyteller" and the Los Angeles Times praising his baritone voice.

Summer Camp Music Festival has announced the addition of 60+ artists to their annual event happening this upcoming Memorial Day Weekend, solidifying their place as one of the premier camping festivals in the midwest. Performers at this year’s festival represent a range of sounds ranging from Electronic, Jam, Rock, Alternative, Bluegrass & more with headlining acts Willie Nelson & Family, Excision, Vulfpeck, Goose, Ganja White Night, Les Claypool, The Disco Biscuits, and long-time host bands moe. & Umphrey’s McGee.

As they gear up to return to the road with a 2-night run at the State Theatre in Portland, ME this weekend, moe. has announced a special 3-night run at Brooklyn Bowl in Brooklyn, NY on May 18-20, to cap their 2023 US winter/spring tour. The news follows the return of guitarist Chuck Garvey to the road full-time following his stroke in 2021.

With the vision of evolving the music festival experience, live music producers Contemporary Presentations and The Just Listen Company are proud to announce the inaugural EVOLUTION FESTIVAL in St. Louis. Inspired by the love for their hometown and the belief that festivals are a catalyst for building a stronger local community, co-executive producers Steve Schankman and Joe Litvag have collaborated to develop a modern festival concept that will celebrate the soul of the city in a forward-thinking way.

AEG Presents is thrilled to announce BLUES TRAVELER + Railroad Earth + North Mississippi Allstars live at Red Rocks Amphitheatre on Tuesday, July 4, 2023. Doors 5:00pm || Show 6:00pm - Tickets are $46.75 - $75.00 plus applicable service charges. TICKETS ON SALE FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 17, 2023 AT 10AM MT

MerleFest, presented by Window World, is excited to announce the final round of artist additions to the 35th annual festival. Taking place April 27-30, 2023, on the campus of Wilkes Community College in Wilkesboro, North Carolina, MerleFest 2023 will welcome The Black Crowes’ Chris and Rich Robinson’s stripped-down side-project, Brothers of a Feather, the Grammy-winning trio of acoustic music torchbearers Nickel Creek, Tommy Emmanuel—one of only five musicians to ever earn the Chet Atkins-given title of C.G.P.

GRAMMY Award-winning singer, songwriter and musician Billy Strings will extend his 2023 headline tour through this summer including newly confirmed shows at Norfolk’s Chartway Arena, Boston’s Leader Bank Pavilion (two nights), Portland, ME’s Thompson’s Point (two nights), Knoxville’s Knoxville Civic Coliseum and Huntsville’s Orion Amphitheater (two nights) among others. Strings will also return to Europe in August for three dates in Germany. See below for complete tour itinerary.

Recently, we had the opportunity to chat with our good friend Mike Smith from The Mike Smith Group. This jam rock power trio from Northern New Jersey recently released an EP and is in the process of recording an LP. The band also has a few winter dates on the calendar in New Jersey and Connecticut.

Jamie: Thanks for making some time to chat with me. Let's start with how you got into being a musician?