World Class Rock with Cerphe
Cerphe – content
For example – anything you wish to write about MPR or a band or a musician or a song ( musician or song can can have an hot link to a youtube video)
Any links you wish to insert. Any excerpts from other sources ( if legal to re-post)
Start with a minimun of info just to get launched and add things ad hoc. No schedule. No pressure.
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Read this blog and read the book – Cerphe’s Up “A Musical Life”
Don’t just read….LISTEN TO Music Planet Radio (Click “Visit Site” now)
The enduring presence of Classic Rock
Progressive Radio from the 1970’s – WHFS “Feast Your Ears”
Sierra Hull
Sierra Hull is a virtuoso mandolinist and singer-songwriter who has redefined the boundaries of modern bluegrass. Originally from Byrdstown, Tennessee, Hull was a child prodigy who made her Grand Ole Opry debut at age 11 alongside her mentor, Alison Krauss. She later became the first bluegrass musician to receive the Presidential Scholarship to Berklee College of Music.
In 2025, she released her first independent album, A Tip Toe High Wire, which earned four nominations at the 2026 Grammy Awards, including Best Bluegrass Album. Beyond performing, she mentors the next generation as an instructor at ArtistWorks, cementing her status as a leading creative force in contemporary acoustic music.
Cayamo 2026
A week of music immersion on board a mid-sized cruise ship.
That is a description of Cayamo, or of other amazing music cruises that cover many genres.
Spending a week with Dawes, Jason Isbell, Kathleen Edwards, Paul Thorn, Rickie Lee Jones, Sierra Hull, Della Mae, and Rodney Crowell featured Roaming the Arts’ favorites. And also allowed us to discover new artists, which is our mission.
Among the artists we came to know, check out these: Watchhouse, Milk Carton Kids, Brandy Clark, Bronwyn Keith-Hynes, Crys Matthews, Judy Blank. Click below for others.
To check out the complete lineup with a link to each artist, click here.
Sixthman‘s tagline, “LIVE LOUD,” speaks to the audience and appears thoroughly appreciated.
Watch this video. It shows off the vibe and the wealth of talent.
Brian Freeman
Brian Freeman is a prominent American author renowned for his gripping psychological thrillers and suspense novels, which have achieved international success. With a career spanning over two decades, Freeman has established himself as a master of suspense, characterized by complex, deeply emotional character development and fast-paced, twist-filled narratives. His work, which frequently explores the dark, hidden motives behind human behavior, has earned him a place as a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author.
Born on March 28, 1963, in Chicago, Illinois, Freeman displayed a love for writing from a young age, influenced by an eighth-grade teacher who recognized his talent. He graduated with distinction from Carleton College in 1984. Before transitioning to a full-time writing career in 2005, Freeman worked as the director of marketing and public relations at the Minneapolis law firm Faegre & Benson. This background in corporate communication provided a foundation for his disciplined approach to writing and self-promotion.
The exciting thing about including Brian Freeman in Roaming the Arts is that the site’s founder began his reading passion with Robert Ludlum and his characters created in the 1970’s. The beginning of that came via Ludlum writing under the pen name Jonathan Ryder.
Freeman made his literary debut in 2005 with the thriller Immoral. The novel was an immediate success, garnering critical acclaim as an Edgar Award finalist for Best First Novel and winning the Macavity Award.
His writing style is often described as “psychological suspense” that delves into the “hidden intimate motives that draw people across some terrible lines”. He focuses on creating realistic characters, shunning the “all good or all bad” trope in favor of the moral “shades of gray”. His books are known for their “you are there” settings, often featuring the cold, atmospheric backdrop of Minnesota, particularly Duluth.
Freeman’s work has been honored multiple times by the thriller community. Spilled Blood won the Best Hardcover Novel award from the International Thriller Writers. His debut, Immoral, was a nominee for the Dagger, Edgar, Anthony, and Barry awards. He is also a multiple-time winner of the Minnesota Book Award.
Rodney Crowell
Born in 1950 in Houston, Texas, Rodney Crowell has built a career as one of the most significant figures in the evolution of Americana music. Raised in a musical household where his father led a honky-tonk band, Crowell began playing drums in that group at age 11. His journey took him to Nashville in 1972, where he befriended a circle of legendary songwriters, including Guy Clark and Townes Van Zandt. This early period was formative, as Crowell absorbed the craft of songwriting with a literary and poetic lens that would define his life’s work. His talent was quickly recognized by Emmylou Harris, who recorded his song “Bluebird Wine” and invited him to join her famous Hot Band as a guitarist and harmony singer in 1975.
During the late 1970s and early 1980s, Crowell established himself as a premier songwriter for other artists. His compositions reached the top of the charts via icons like Johnny Cash, Waylon Jennings, and Bob Seger, whose recording of Crowell’s “Shame on the Moon” became a massive pop and country success. Crowell also served as a producer, notably for his then-wife Rosanne Cash, helping to shape the sound of neo-traditionalist country music. However, it was his 1988 solo album, Diamonds & Dirt, that made him a superstar in his own right. The album achieved the unprecedented feat of producing five consecutive #1 country singles, including “After All This Time,” which won him his first Grammy for Best Country Song.
As the 1990s progressed, Crowell consciously moved away from the mainstream country machine to pursue more personal and autobiographical projects. This shift began in earnest with the 2001 release of The Houston Kid, a semi-autobiographical collection that explored his childhood and roots with stark honesty. This record, along with follow-ups like Fate’s Right Hand and The Outsider, is regarded by critics and Crowell himself as some of his most vital work. His literary prowess eventually extended to the page with his acclaimed memoir, Chinaberry Sidewalks, published in 2011.
Crowell’s later career has been marked by high-profile collaborations and continued innovation. He reunited with Emmylou Harris for the 2013 album Old Yellow Moon, which earned another Grammy for Best Americana Album. He has remained remarkably prolific well into his 70s, releasing projects like the Jeff Tweedy-produced The Chicago Sessions (2023) and his 20th studio album, Airline Highway (2025), which features contributions from younger artists like Ashley McBryde and Lukas Nelson. Inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame and recipient of the Americana Music Association’s Lifetime Achievement Award, Crowell is celebrated as a “songwriter’s songwriter” whose influence spans over five decades of American roots music.
Site Visitor User Guide
Roaming the Arts: Visitor User Guide
Welcome to Roaming the Arts, an arts discovery site built for readers, listeners, collectors, browsers, and fans who enjoy finding writers, musicians, bands, and visual artists worth exploring. The site is designed as an arts browser: a place to roam through books, music, art, videos, artist websites, author pages, and creative recommendations at your own pace.
1. Start on the Homepage
The homepage is the best place to begin if you want to see what is new, featured, or recently updated. Scroll through current posts, browse featured artists and authors, and use the visible category buttons or top menu options to move into the areas that interest you most.
2. Choose a Category
Roaming the Arts is organized around creative discovery. Visitors can explore music, books, authors, book club ideas, books by location, word-and-film connections, visual artists, recent reads, all-time favorites, and other arts-focused features. If you arrive with a specific interest, use the category menu. If you arrive open to discovery, simply browse and follow what catches your attention.
3. Use Artist, Author, and Music Posts as Gateways
Most posts are designed to help you go deeper. A music post may include an embedded video, background on the artist, and a path to hear more. A book or author post may point you toward a new series, a recent release, or a writer you may not have discovered yet. A visual art post may help you visit an artist’s online presence and see more of the work directly.
4. Follow Links and Explore Beyond the Site
Roaming the Arts is meant to send visitors outward as well as inward. When you find someone interesting, visit their website, look for tour dates, search for a new recording, check for upcoming books, or explore related work. The goal is not just to read about creative people, but to become a fan, listener, reader, collector, or supporter.
5. Browse by Mood or Mission
- If you want something to hear, begin with Music or Indie Music Artists.
- If you want something to read, try Books/Authors, Book Club, Recent Reads, or Books by Location.
- If you want something visual, visit Art/Artists.
- If you want a trusted starting point, look for favorites and featured posts.
- If you want to wander, start anywhere and let the posts guide you from one discovery to the next.
6. Interact and Suggest
Visitors are encouraged to participate. If you discover an author, musician, band, or visual artist who belongs in the Roaming the Arts universe, share the suggestion. Comments, emails, and social media interactions help shape what gets discovered next.
7. Come Back Often
Roaming the Arts is always growing. New posts, recent reads, featured musicians, and visual discoveries continue to expand the site. A quick visit can lead to a new favorite song, a book for your next vacation, a writer for your book club, or an artist whose work stays with you.
