Tift Merritt to play 'Bramble Rose' in Carrboro

Raleigh singer-songwriter will revisit her 2002 debut album Bramble Rose in early 2016 with a deluxe reissue of the album on February 19 and a special Triangle show where she and her band will play the album front to back.

The show will be at the Cat's Cradle in Carrboro on Friday, February 26. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. today, December 18, via Ticketfly for $25.

Check out the title track from the album Bramble Rose below.

Mary Chapin Carpenter coming to Durham with Tift Merritt

Singer-songwriter Mary Chapin Carpenter released her first orchestral album, earlier this year titled Songs from the Movie. She'll be on tour through the fall and will play the Durham in November with one of the Triangle's favorite expats.

Carpenter and will be backed by a pianist and guitarist/bouzouki player when she plays the Carolina Theatre in Durham on Tuesday, November 11, with Tift Merritt. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, July 18, via the venue box office and Ticketmaster for $37 to $88.50.

Check out the song "Only a Dream" from Songs from the Movie below.

All-star lineup to bring Big Star's 'Third' back to the Cradle

Photo by Kevin Norris

Back in 2010 Chris Stamey set out on an ambitious mission to bring Big Star's experimental and incredibly influential album Third to life at the Cat's Cradle with an all-star band and an orchestra. Those lucky enough to witness the shows at the Cradle or the few that happened elsewhere were treated to a truly special evening of music (see a review and photos of the debut night at the Cat's Cradle HERE).

Those who missed out will have another chance next month with an added bonus. This time, Stamey and friends will also perform Big Star's first album, #1 Record, in its entirety. The event is part of the Southern Folklife Festival, which celebrates 25 years of the Southern Folklife Collection at UNC.

UNC-TV to premiere Tift Merritt's 'Still Not Home' concert next week

Photo by Parker Fitzgerald

UNC-TV will premiere a broadcast of Tift Merritt's homecoming show, recorded at the North Carolina Museum of Art in August, next week.

Merritt will be live in studio to host the premiere of the concert film titled Tift Merritt: Still Not Home, airing on UNC-TV stations across the state at 8 p.m. on Tuesday, December 3. Check out a short preview of the film below.

Yep Roc Records released a deluxe edition of Merritt's latest album, Traveling Alone, in September. Check out more info on the release HERE.

Tift Merritt to release deluxe edition of 'Traveling Alone' in September

Songstress Tift Merritt is celebrating the one year anniversary of her latest album Traveling Alone with the release of a deluxe edition of the album this September.

The new box set, available in either CD or vinyl format, will be packaged with a hard bound, vintage styled lyric book. In addition to the original album the release includes an additional disc/record containing ten previously unreleased acoustic songs titled Traveling Companion. It includes some new originals as well as two covers of songs by Joni Mitchell and Tom Waits. Check out the song "Lingering On" as well as the full track list for the release below.

The dB's, Superchunk, Tift Merritt, Avett Brothers & more prep Record Store Day exclusive releases

Record Store Day is upon us once again this weekend, on Saturday, April 20. Local independent record stores will continue the great tradition of the day by stocking tons of great exclusive releases by bands big and small which always includes some treats from Triangle acts (and those with Triangle ties). Here are a few of those releases.

The dB's will release a special 12-inch vinyl which includes three new studio tracks, "Revolution of the Mind," Lakefront" and "Orange Squeezer," and a live song recorded in New York titled "pH Factor."

Superchunk are always good for an exclusive release and this year they'll release an 7-inch vinyl of two new songs, "Void" and "Faith."

Tift Merritt returning to North Carolina Museum of Art

Photo by Parker Fitzgerald

One of Raleigh's most beloved expatriates, Tift Merritt, will return to the Raleigh's North Carolina Museum of Art as a part of their summer concert series supporting her latest album, Traveling Alone.

Merritt will play the museum's outdoor stage on Saturday, August 17. Tickets are on sale now via Etix for $22 (general admission) or $30 (reserved seats). Students ages 7-18 are just $11 and kids 6 and under are free.

Merritt last played the museum in 2010 shortly after the release of her last album See You on the Moon. Check out a review and photos from that show HERE.

Justin Townes Earle and Tift Merritt heat up Cat's Cradle

Photos by Justin Weber

A chilly and damp Thursday night welcomed one of the best double bills an Americana fan could ask for in Tift Merritt and Justin Townes Earle.

Merritt opened the show with a thunderous set. Those who though Merritt would be the calm counter part to Earle’s mischief were wrong. In her hour on stage, Merritt rarely let up and played big numbers that she could sink her teeth into. Between songs she expressed her genuine happiness to be home in North Carolina.

While most of her set consisted of tune from her most recent album, Traveling Alone, one of the highlights of her performance was an intense redition of 2004’s soulful “Good Hearted Man.”

Win tickets to Justin Townes Earle and Tift Merritt at Cat's Cradle

Singer-songwriters Justin Townes Earle and Tift Merritt will co-headline a show at Cat's Cradle next Thursday, October 15, and we're giving a pair of tickets away to one lucky fan.

For a chance to win, email trianglemusiccontests at gmail dot com with "JTE & Tift tickets" in the subject line no later than noon on Monday, November 12. We will select and notify a winner that afternoon.

Tickets to the show are $20 and available via Etix.

Video: Tift Merritt performs with Andrew Bird on Letterman

With Sandy's devastation causing chaos throughout the northeast, the late night shows based in New York have had to make some adjustments to their typical production schedules and find substitute guests for those unable to make it to New York.

With that in mind, Andrew Bird was called upon to play the show on Tuesday night and he performed a fantastic version of "If I Needed You" with Tift Merritt on acoustic guitar and vocals and Alan Hampton on bass and vocals. Check out the performance below.

Merritt will play the Cat's Cradle on Thursday, November 15 with Justin Townes Earle. Check out more info on the show HERE.

Album Review: Tift Merritt - Traveling Alone

Tift Merritt’s transition to Yep Roc is off to a solid start with Traveling Alone, a record about solitude and independence that allows Merritt to shine.

On the opening title track, Merritt sings over sparse guitar in a tone that’s weary from hard lessons learned. She cuts to the chase. “I would teach him something. Say, ‘Son, you gotta hold your own and it’s good to have a taste for traveling alone,’” she sings.

Traveling Alone feels like the result of a southern woman hardened by the world — “Sweetness ain’t gonna get you home,” Merritt sings — but the record never feels overly cynical. Merritt’s not blaming, just explaining how things are.

Justin Townes Earle & Tift Merritt to play Carrboro

After playing a big free show in Carrboro this past weekend, singer-songwriter Tift Merritt will return to Carrboro later this fall for a big co-headline show with fellow acclaimed singer-songwriter Justin Townes Earle.

The pair will play the Cat's Cradle on Thursday, November 15. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Wednesday, September 26 via Etix for $20.

Check out the title track from Earle's latest album, Nothing's Gonna to Change the Way You Feel About Me Now, below. Merritt's new album Traveling Alone will be released on October 2. Check out the song "Sweet Spot" from the album below as well.

Video: Tift Merritt performs "To Myself" & "Feeling of Beauty"

Photo by Parker Fitzgerald

As we've mentioned previously, Raleigh expatriate Tift Merritt has a new album on October 2 titled Traveling Alone. She's released two videos of her performing stripped down versions of a few new songs.

Check out Merritt sitting in a window performing a solo version of "To Myself" and then sitting on a porch with Jay Brown performing "Feeling of Beauty" below. The latter is particularly stunning.

Merritt will perform a sold out free show at Carrboro Town Commons tonight, September 21, with Megafaun and Mandolin Orange. Megafaun tweeted on Thursday that this show and their opening set later that night opening for The Old Ceremony at the Cat's Cradle will be "our last proper shows for a LONG ASS TIME."

New music from Tift Merritt - "To Myself"

Tift Merritt's new album Traveling Alone won't be out until October 2 (check out more details HERE), but she has just released the first single, "To Myself." The song is now available via download services including iTunes and you can also stream the song below.

As we mentioned a few weeks ago, Merritt will play a big free show at the Carborro Town Commons on Friday, September 21, with Megafaun and Mandolin Orange. Check out more info about that show HERE.

Merritt will spend much of the remainder of 2012 on the road. Check out her current tour schedule below.

Tift Merritt, Megafaun & Mandolin Orange to play free show in Carrboro

Three of the Triangle's favorite artists, Tift Merritt, Megafaun, and Mandolin Orange are teaming up for a free show this fall that will certainly be the talk of the town.

The three acts will play Carrboro Town Commons from 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. on Friday, September 21. Tickets are free with a voucher which you'll be able to get at the Cat's Cradle as well as other local businesses starting on Monday, August 6.

[UPDATE: Tickets are available for free starting on Monday, August 6 at CD Alley, Schoolkids Records, Jesse's Coffee & Bar and the Cat's Cradle. They will also be available via Etix.] 

The show is presented by Cat's Cradle and the Town of Carrboro.

Duke Performances announces 2012-13 season, the Mountain Goats, Lost in the Trees, Megafaun & more

Duke Performances has continually presented some of the most exciting performances in the Triangle in recent years and the 2012-13 season, which was just announced, continues that tradition. Here's a roundup of some of the shows that really perked up our ears.

First, jazz trio The Bad Plus will return to for a two-night stand at Motorco Music Hall on September 21 and 22.

The Mountain Goats and female acapella quartet Anonymous 4 will perform the Mountain Goats forthcoming album Transcendental Youth at the Reynolds Industries Theater on October 6. Anonymous 4 will also play their own show performing "love fail" by composer David Lang at the First Presbyterian Church of Durham on October 5.

Tift Merritt signs with Yep Roc, new album out in October

Triangle expatriate Tift Merritt has signed with Haw River based label Yep Roc Records who release her new album this fall.

The album, her fifth full-length, is titled Traveling Alone and will be released on October 2. The album features eleven new songs and features guest appearances by a number of fantastic musicians including indie star Andrew Bird. Check out the complete track list below.

Merritt also recently celebrated the tenth anniversary of her 2002 debut album Bramble Rose. To celebrate, she's giving away an early, unreleased recording of "Jukejoint Girl." Download it via the widget below.

Racing the Cure benefit brings local music community together

Friday night was quintessentially North Carolinian. Super stars came back to their roots, The Tar Heels and the Wolfpack battled in the Sweet 16, and a music community used its powers to support Oliver Gant, a young boy battling cancer. The event raised over $45,000 from ticket sales and a silent auction.

Fans of The Avett Brothers began lining up outside Kings Barcade before noon to catch the trio in a rare rock club performance. This meant that Kings was out of the question for most of the benefit’s attendees, but many devoted fans continued to stand in line in hopes of nabbing a spot for the midnight performance.

Tift Merritt, Bombadil and more join Racing the Cure lineup

Racing the Cure: A Benefit for Oliver Gant has added Lincoln Theatre to its roster of venues and some pretty big names in local music along with it.

Tift Merritt, Bombadil, Holy Ghost Tent Revival, Small Ponds and Brice Randall Bickford will perform at Lincoln Theatre as part of the event on Friday, March 23. Kings, The Pour House and Tir Na Nog will also be hosting shows as part of the benefit, featuring The Avett Brothers, The Love Language, Annuals and more.

Tickets are available now for $25 via etix and will get you into any of the four venues, capacity permitting. A complete schedule is below. More details on the show and Oliver are available here.

Nick Lowe announces spring tour, coming to Raleigh

Acclaimed British singer-songwriter Nick Lowe and his band are hitting the road this spring on a headline tour in support of his latest album The Old Magic, released last fall via Yep Roc Records.

Lowe will play the Fletcher Opera Theater at the Progress Energy Center in Raleigh on Wednesday, May 2. Ticket info is not available yet, but we'll let you know once it is. Tickets will go on sale at 10 a.m. on Friday, March 2 via the Progress Energy Center box office and Ticketmaster for $35.

[UPDATE: Singer-songwriter Tift Merritt will open the show.]

Stream The Old Magic in its entirety below.