FEATURES

Levon Helm
Hailed as one of rock’s best drummers and one of its greatest voices, Levon Helm’s history proves as exciting as his music. A look at his lively life

Cindy Cashdollar
She’s charming and good lookin’, but all the guys want her for her chops. Star of a Boy’s Club, steel player Cindy Cashdollar sparkles

DEPARTMENTS

Letter: Producer Kirk Yano rounds up high-powered pals to advise would-be recording artists. Listen up

Opening Act: Snippets, fun, interviews, reviews, upcoming festivals

Kickin’ in Your Stall: Queen of the blues: Carl Gustafson wonders if her coif can support the crown

Influences: Eric Burdon sings lead and keeps his hands free while Andrew Dost (of Grammy-winning fun.) keeps his hands busy with bass, piano, trumpet and flugelhorn—yes, that’s a real instrument

On The Record: Jim James goes solo. The stars align on album titles: Carolina Moonrise, Tobacco Town, Odessa Tapes (by the Flatlanders, no less), Bringing It Back Home, and also Bring It On Home, West of Memphis and The Fool on Every Corner. Then we have When My Mama Was Living, Big Bands Live, Was Dead, Legends Live and Feeling Mortal. Coincidence? We think not

Re:Issues: Columbia boxes up Taj Mahal, Taj and more Taj, 13 titles in all, but Paul Aaronson tells us that’s not too much. TVZ and SRV reappear; Billy Gibbons is touring again with the Moving Sidewalks, so you folks might want to snap up that CD ASAP

What’d I Say: Where jazz meets blues, that’s where we’ll find Jim Hynes

Saturday Night and Sunday Morning: From the desert to the Gulf, John Kuroski explores Texas soul

Also Appearing: The normally far-ranging Warren Haynes threw his 24th hometown Christmas party, gifting the proceeds to charity. Hot Tuna (with covergirl Cindy Cashdollar and Levon Helm’s Larry Campbell) rock the Beacon Theatre; Brits Queen, Yardbirds and the Who, plus Yanks Lady Antebellum all on DVD; Martha Reeves and Umphrey’s McGee tour, probably heading for your nabe

Collecting: Having lost his record collection in Superstorm Sandy, Arnie Goodman dreams about combing through his favorite shops, unearthing treasures

Get to Know: 20-Song Spring Break Mixtape

This month’s Trivia