Athens, GA musicians Packway Handle Band talk to Neal Cohen about their latest album What Are We Gonna Do Now? and their newest recording space in Athens that not only provides a great place for the band to put music to tape, but also holds the enormous 18 foot Packway Handle Band canvas perfectly. The band plays three songs from their catalog including the opener, a cryptic answer to the origins of their band name, What is a Packway Handle?

Tim Eriksen’s latest album, Soul of the January Hills, is an unedited, 14 song album of unaccompanied vocals. Because these are all single takes, it’s obvious from listening that Eriksen can sing, and do it well. So when Eriksen stopped by the AM 1690 studios, we knew it would be something special. What we didn’t know is that he was bringing his old pal Riley Baugus to perform with him. Baugus has worked with Willie Nelson, Robert Plant & Allison Krauss and on the soundtrack to the motion picture Cold Mountain.

Telegram is a trio that hales from Decatur, GA. Although they may look like a standard rock trio from a distance, these three guys are no slouches when it comes to their music. Rob Henson’s mastery of the upright bass make his presence in the band much more pronounced than expected. His ability to switch between plucked and bowed lines at a moment’s notice bring the bass to the forefront while still making sure to carry the careful rhythm of Jaime Shepard. Lead singer and guitar player Troy Beiser leaves nothing left to guess with his soulful, smoky singing voice and carefully crafted guitar lines.

A ukulele, accordion, and hand drums contribute to the sound of A Fight to the Death, a band with influences ranging from jazz to Latin and Eastern European music to the Wild West. Sometimes seen as “gypsy troubadours,” the guys from A Fight to the Death explain the origin of their name, explore the essence of their sound, and play a few live tunes.

There are two things we know about James McMurtry. The first is that he is from Texas and the second is that he is a Songwriter. However, don’t dare classify him as a Texas songwriter. Never one to compromise, McMurtry is not afraid to speak his mind or speak politically without regard for consequence. This unrelenting quest for truth has made this 2-time AMA Award winner a truly original songwriter who continues to prove that, in his own words, “…music just needs to happen.”

Sierra Leone’s Refugee All-Stars formed in a West African Refugee camp during Sierra Leone’s civil war. Hoping to keep the spirits of themselves and other refugees high, the band cultivated a sound that is one of hope and happiness. On the heels of their second album, Rise and Shine, Sierra Leone’s Refugee All-Stars stopped by the AM 1690 studios on April 27, 2010 (which just happened to be Sierra Leone’s independence day) to spread their story and their music.