What are you listening to these days? Aside from a very large amount of fiddle music, I’m listening to The Barrence Whitfield Soul Savage Arkestra: Songs from the Sun Ra Cosmos. There is more from this collection available on the YouTube machine, but if can do it, please support Mr. Whitfield by buying the music!

Barrence Whitfield is not his birth name. His birth name was Barry White, but that name was, you know, already taken. Not that there can’t be multiple Barry Whites. I’m sure there are. But – if you want to be a musician, it’s difficult to have the same name as a monstrously popular musician with a track record.

My first exposure to Mr. Whitfield was on a quirky but quite good album he did with Tom Russell called Cowboy Mambo. It’s one of two collaborations with Tom Russell, the other being Hillbilly Voodoo. Also check out his work with his band, The Savages. You can find some samples on YouTube, all fab.