Jess Rotter is a woman of many talents. In addition to handling publicity for Kemado Records and Mexican Summer, she’s also the artist and designer behind the t-shirt label, Rotter and Friends. All of the tees sport images of musicians from the 60s and 70s (current designs feature Badfinger and Betty Davis among others) and back in 2008, she released an ode to the lovely Linda Ronstadt that’s very close to my heart. Though the Linda shirts aren’t available anymore, she has generously offered to give away two shirts to two very lucky When You Awake readers. To win a shirt, email whenyouawakela @ gmail.com (subject: Linda) and tell us what your favorite Linda Ronstadt song is. Include your name, mailing address and if you’d like a women’s or men’s shirt in the email. Two winners will be picked and contacted.

Note about the origins of “the original sinette”: Rotter explains “There’s a little fantastic legacy which started when Gram Parsons wrote the song “Sin City” for the Gilded Palace of Sin album. Along with as many as 20 other friends, they called themselves the “Sin City Boys” wearing Sin City jackets in 1973. The only girls allowed to wear the jackets were Emmylou Harris and Linda Ronstadt – who dubbed themselves “The Sinettes.”  Kind of like country t-bird/pink ladies.” Check out more of Jess’ music inspired design’s here.

Justin Townes Earle- A Wandering

Justin Townes Earle performing his unreleased tune “A Wandering” live at Eddie’s Attic in Decatur, Georgia on March 10, 2009. One of my favorite Earle tunes.

Megafaun

Hi Ho Silver Oh

Breathe Owl Breathe

Thanks to everyone who came out to our Megafaun, Breathe Owl Breathe and Hi Ho Silver Oh show at the Echo on Wednesday night. Audience participation was the theme of the evening with sing-a-longs and clap-a-longs aplenty. Seriously, this was the most fun I’ve had at a show since…well…When You Awake’s Two Year Anniversary Party! The bands created such an open atmosphere and sense of community among the concert goers that folks happily joined in when Megafaun, who were decked out in Lakers jerseys, formed two lines out of the audience members and moved them past each other so everyone got to give each other high fives and say “good job” or “go team.” Go team indeed. I’m proud of you LA. You really got into the spirit of the night and brought your A-game.  More pictures, taken by Hagop Kalaidjian, are after the jump.

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In an interview with the LA Times last week, Joni Mitchell stated “Bob [Dylan] is not authentic at all. He’s a plagiarist, and his name and voice are fake. Everything about Bob is a deception. We are like night and day, he and I.” I find it interesting that she would say that considering she’s COVERED Dylan before. If you hate him so much Joni, why did you pay homage to him by singing one of his songs? Very interesting…

MP3: Joni Mitchell- It’s All Over Now, Baby Blue (Bob Dylan cover)

Scott Avett- Marriage

Scott Avett of the Avett Brothers performing a cover of Bombadil‘s “Marriage.” Check out Bombadil’s original version below.

MP3: Bombadil- Marriage (buy)

Vinyl Picks: a weekly column were we recommend three vinyl records that any When You Awake reader should own. First up, we have the 45 rpm vinyl for Aretha Franklin’s covers of The Band’s “The Weight” (feat. Duane Allman) and Smokey Robinson’s “Tracks of My Tears.”  They have the Buy It Now option set up (no bidding required) for $6.50. Click here to check it out.

MP3: Aretha Franklin- The Weight (The Band cover)

Next up, we have Gram Parsons’ The International Submarine Band with their 1968 record Safe at Home. The auction is set to end on April 25 and currently has zero bids at $5.99. Click here to check it out.

MP3: International Submarine Band- I Must Be Somebody Else You’ve Known (Merle Haggard cover)

Lastly, we have Willie Nelson with the soundtrack to his 1980 film Honeysuckle Rose. They have the Buy It Now option set up (no bidding required) for $2.50. Click here to check it out.

MP3: Willie Nelson & Dyan Cannon- Loving You Was Easier (Than Anything I’ll Ever Do Again) (Kris Kristofferson cover)

Photo from Dylan Fest 2009 (courtesy of Brooklyn Vegan)

The lineup for Dylan Fest 2010: A Night to Get Drunk and Celebrate the songs of Bob Dylan! has been announced. The all star gathering, which is set to take place on May 27 in honor of Dylan’s 69th birthday, will feature Fab Moretti and Nikolai Fraiture of the Strokes, Patrick Carney of the Black Keys, Sean Lennon, Adam Green, Norah Jones, the Pierces, Binki Shapiro from Little Joy, Nicole Atkins, Tracy Bonham, Antony Ellis of Five O’Clock Heroes, Sammy James Jr. of the Mooney Suzuki and Grant Maxwell of the Morning Pages among many others. This annual Bowery Ballroom festival always sells out, so I highly recommend buying your tix now. This is one of those very rare moments that I actually wished I lived in NYC.

Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, Kris Kristofferson & Larry Gatlin performing Cash’s “I Walk The Line” and “Ring of Fire” live.

On December 3, 1965, Bob Dylan met with the press to promote his 5 upcoming Bay Area shows. The press conference was filmed and aired later that evening on KQED. It’s Dylan’s only full length press conference ever televised in it’s entirety. For more information about the conference, including who was there (The Band’s Robbie Robertson and concert promoter Bill Graham among others), click here. The Youtube player is set up like a playlist, so when the first clip stops, the next clip will automatically start.

http://www.youtube.com/view_play_list?p=8C1093CE7CD96224

The Avett Brothers – January Wedding

The Avett Brothers performing their tune “January Wedding” in November 2009 for Spinner.com.