“This book wrote itself,” says Cary Baker about ‘Down On The Corner: Adventures in Busking and Street Music.’ Reflecting on life’s transitions — from closing his PR firm to moving to the desert — he delves into the colorful, often untold stories of buskers, from icons like Elvis Costello to street performers like Grandpa Elliott.

He discusses his deep love for the written word, recounts a remarkable tale of Mick Jagger thanking Ramblin’ Jack Elliott for playing in a subway station during a school field trip, and more. It’s these serendipitous moments that make both Baker’s book and his career truly unique.

If Woody Guthrie captured the heart of the working man’s lot in life and foreshadowed “the folk scare” of the early ’60s, then Arlo Guthrie gave warmth, humor and an Everyman perspective that reached a much larger demographic with his style and youthful exuberance.

Discover the Best Five UK Blues Singles of 2024: From Joanne Shaw Taylor’s deeply personal heartbreak to Mick Clarke’s funky Latin blues grooves, this list celebrates the year’s most captivating blues tracks, featuring soulful vocals, powerful storytelling, and exceptional musicianship.

John Primer teams up with harp master Giles Robson on ‘Ten Chicago Blues Classics,’ out December 6, delivering a high-energy tribute to the timeless spirit of ’50s Chicago blues. With soulful renditions of Muddy Waters, Little Walter, and Sonny Boy Williamson tracks, the duo’s seamless interplay and technical prowess breathe new life into these iconic songs.

The Old Ceremony’s new album ‘Earthbound,’ forged through two decades of collaboration and a vast collection of songs born from the pandemic, is out now!

Frontman Django Haskins reflects on the band’s growth, the ongoing joy of making music together, and his Big Star tribute work. “Getting to know and play with so many people who had previously existed only on my turntables has been a thrill. Mike Mills played and sang on our last record… None of this would’ve happened without the Big Star thing, and — to give credit where it belongs — without the quixotic genius of Chris Stamey, who put the whole thing together, along with Big Star’s Jody Stephens.”