"And It's Still Alright" OUT NOW
https://found.ee/NRAndItsStillAlright-Album

American Band - Out 9.30.16

A powerful and legitimately provocative work, hard edged and finely honed, the album is the sound of a truly American Band – a Southern American band – speaking on matters that matter. DBT made the choice to direct the Way We Live Now head on, employing realism rather than subtext or symbolism to purge its makers’ own anger, discontent, and frustration with societal disintegration and the urban/rural divide that has partitioned the country for close to a half-century. Fueled by a just spirit of moral indignation and righteous rage, AMERICAN BAND is protest music fit for the stadiums, designed to raise issues and ire as the nation careens towards its most momentous election in a generation.
AMERICAN BAND’s considerable force can in part be credited to the sheer musical strength of the current Drive-By Truckers line-up, with Hood and Cooley joined by bassist Matt Patton, keyboardist/multi-instrumentalist Jay Gonzalez, and drummer Brad Morgan – together, the longest-lasting iteration in the band’s two-decade history.

AMERICAN BAND follows ENGLISH OCEANS and 2015’s IT’S GREAT TO BE ALIVE!, marking the first time DBT have made three consecutive LPs with the same hard-traveling crew.

This album will release on September 30, 2016. 

Portuguese Canadian, Awna Teixeira has been touring steady in different bands since 2001. While handling the many instruments with ease, Awna’s songs convey that classic old time feel of back porch spirituals. Crossing borders with her Portuguese upbringing, you can also hear her tales of heartache and travel through accordion driven European folk.
Performing primarily on banjo, accordion, guitar Awna has added playing percussion with her feet both on Tambourine and an old suitcase. She is releasing her second full length album ‘Wild One’ March 2015.

“Dark vivid lyrical imagery, beautifully layered
instrumentation, delicate yet fierce vocals” 
 Santa Fe New Mexican

Awna Teixeira might have been critically acclaimed for her debut album ‘Where The Darkness Goes’ (2012) and the follow-up EP ‘Thunderbird’ (2013), after fourteen years of touring and recording with multiple bands including Po’ Girl, but it’s her upcoming new album ‘Wild One’ that she’ll hopefully be remembered for. 

Michael Franti is a globally renowned musician, humanitarian, and activist, celebrated for his high-energy live performances, socially conscious music, and unshakable optimism. With three Billboard No. 1 hits—“Sound of Sunshine,” “Say Hey (I Love You),” and “I Got You”—and a track record of six Top 30 Hot AC singles, 10 Top 25 AAA singles, and three Billboard Top 5 albums, Franti has built a career on music that uplifts and unites. His concerts break down barriers between artist and audience, transforming venues into spaces of joy, connection, and shared humanity.

On March 28, 2025, Franti released his 14th studio album, Welcome to the Family, a collection of 13 new songs that embrace themes of inclusivity, self-discovery, and resilience. The lead single, “Break Up With Everything,” is currently climbing the US AAA charts, setting the tone for an album that channels personal and global challenges into anthems of hope and change. “Every one of us has a family—whether by birth, circumstance, or choice. When you put all those together, they form the world family. Right now, the world is filled with uncertainty, anxiety, and division. This album is about taking those emotions—what I experience every day—and turning them into music that reminds us we are never alone.”

To bring this message of connection to life, Franti will embark on the Welcome to the Family Tour, a nationwide summer trek with stops at Red Rocks Amphitheatre, Pier 17, and more. Known for his immersive concert experience—where he often performs from the crowd, invites fans on stage, and fosters a true sense of togetherness—each show is more than just a performance; it’s a celebration of unity and positivity.

Beyond music, Franti is the founder of Soulshine Bali, a forty-room, five-star boutique retreat in Ubud, Indonesia, dedicated to wellness, creativity, and human connection. He and his wife also founded Do It For The Love, a nonprofit that grants live music experiences to individuals facing life-threatening illnesses, veterans, and children with severe challenges. Since its inception, the foundation has granted over 3,500 wishes, touching more than 15,000 lives worldwide.

Franti’s career is defined by his ability to turn hardship into hope, fostering unity through music, activism, and philanthropy. Whether on stage, at his Bali retreat, or through his foundation, his purpose remains the same: to bring people together, lift spirits, and remind us all that we are part of something bigger. With Welcome to the Family, he continues to create not just music but a movement of love, inclusivity, and transformation.

Chris Halbert is following