Pick Six is a half-dozen cool things in music, from two points of view.
Chris Uggen of Shoreview:
1 "Gritty Gals of Rock 'n' Blues." It's WDGY's feel-good Sunday morning radio show, which recently celebrated Fanny, the criminally underrated 1970s rockers, with well-chosen songs and well-researched commentary.
2 Cory Wong, "Live at First Ave." This captures the wonderful sound and sweet vibe of his joyous live set from 2019. He's also sharing videos of backstage scenes and new music like his cover of the Beatles' "Blackbird."
3 Livestream from Willie's American Guitars in St. Paul. You don't have to be a guitar geek to enjoy the live sets and mini-lessons from masters like Pat Donohue, or Nate Westgor's fun and informative discourses on vintage gear on Facebook.
Jon Bream of the Star Tribune:
1 Amber Woodhouse, "A Message From One of Your Black Friends" video. The Nashville saxophonist/singer was visiting her parents in her hometown of Minneapolis when George Floyd died. She wrote a poem, "Exhausted," at her parents' house and adapted it into this chilling performance-art piece. "Exhausted from a president that doesn't care about us," she declaims, throwing white powder over her body.
2 Booker T. Jones publishes an online directory of Black-owned businesses. At 75, the Rock Hall of Famer isn't leaving his house to protest during the pandemic, but he's contributing by compiling a directory of Black-owned businesses that do e-commerce. potatohole.com
3 Lady A vs. the Group Formerly Known as Lady Antebellum. Seattle blues singer Anita White has been performing as Lady A for two decades, and the suddenly woke country trio changed its name this summer to Lady A, a trademark they obtained in 2011. The two acts tried to work out an agreement; the Black indie singer asked for $10 million (half for charity) from the big stars, who in turn sued her. She has been rightfully speaking up. So has social media, with one Twitter pundit calling the band Lady AntiBLM.
