April 2, 2010
On June 12, 2009, Noam Chomsky gave a historic address at the Riverside Church in New York City. More than 2,000 people attended this historic lecture, which you can listen to on the April 20, 2010 release from Trade Root Music called "Crisis and Hope: Theirs and Ours" In the lecture, Chomsky offers a powerful analysis of the current economic crisis and its structural roots; the continuity in U.S. foreign policy under the Barack Obama administration; and the class interests driving U.S. domestic and foreign policy. He discusses at length the traditions of worker self-management as a concrete alternative to the business as usual approach of corporations and the government during the current crisis.

March 29, 2010
Shortstack, Washington D.C.'s favorite veteran post-Americana rock band, celebrates their 10-year anniversary with their most realized artistic expression yet, "Please Leave My Mind." Both the CD and LP will be released on April 20, 2010 by Takoma Park, MD based label Free Dirt Records. Their 3rd full-length offering is Shortstack's most accessible to date, as the band has clearly matured as songwriters and studio artists. Subtly checking a bit of their signature creepy twang at the studio door, Shortstack's focus this time around is on crafting a more sophisticated, yet precise collection of dynamic tracks, while bringing lead singer Adrian Carroll's vocals to the forefront, and tackling a more personal domain of lyrical topics. It's as if the band has traded in their Model-T for a Lamborghini in their journey through the dusty roots & blues/early rock n roll landscape that makes up old weird America. Gritty yet polished, uneasy yet relaxed, complex yet simply catchy as your favorite Beatles tune, "Please Leave My Mind" satisfies the soul, no matter what shape it's in.

January 18, 2010
On February 16, 2010, Free Dirt Records will release the new album from Pokey LaFarge & The South City Three, "Riverboat Soul." From the first listen, the significance of this title is clear. The Mississippi River runs as an undercurrent through this collection of songs, a tribute to the ragtime and jug band influences of St. Louis, Missouri, the city LaFarge has most recently called home. LaFarge is a neo-hobo, constantly traveling across the country and drawing inspiration from early American roots music. But it's more than his persona that's turning heads; it's the unique blend of raw talent and refined, idiosyncratic charm that's turned reviewers into poets as they attempt to label the one-of-a-kind sound of Pokey LaFarge & The South City Three. While their music may summon the likes of Blind Blake, Dan Hicks, or Leon Redbone, and may be a fitting soundtrack to R. Crumb's comics, don't call it old-timey. Pokey and the South City Three are here to grace our electric world with their uniquely retro sound, throwback and rough around the edges featuring parlor guitar, guitjo (a guitar-tuned six-string banjo) kazoo and harmonica, but all with a modern twist.

Click here to read more about the album

December 4, 2009
Don't You Want to Go, the debut solo album from Betse Ellis of The Wilders, has been nominated for "Best Americana Album" for the 9th Annual Independent Music Awards! For more information, visit the Independent Music Awards website. Good luck to you Betse!!!!

November 9, 2009
Free Dirt Records announces the availability of the latest release from The Wilders! It's a good old-fashioned 7-inch vinyl single from your favorite band from Kansas City, Missouri! Just like their live shows, they start things off with a blazing fiddle tune, "Bull Shoals." The B-side "God Made Me (a Little Crazy)" brings things home with a soon-to-be-classic honky-tonk shuffle penned by lead-singer and guitarist Ike Sheldon. Pure magic! This limited edition run was pressed with randomly mixed color vinyl. Only 300 copies were produced; don't miss out on this special collector's item! Each record comes wih a special code to download the MP3 version of the songs... free! To purchase the album, visit The Wilders section of the Trade Root Music Group catalog.

October 23, 2009
Free Dirt Records is proud to announce the addition of Pokey LaFarge & the South City Three to their roster! Pokey brings a unique energy to Free Dirt Records, featuring delta-meets-appalachia song-writing with a big, big beat. It may bring forth visions of Blind Blake, and maybe even Bessie Smith or Leon Redbone. "Riverboat Soul" is what he calls it, and that's the name of the new album coming in January 2009 from Pokey LaFarge, brought to you by Free Dirt Records. More details to come soon!

May 18, 2009
Music fans everywhere have spoken!! The Wilders' latest album Someone's Got to Pay wins "Best Alt.Country Album" and "Best Americana Song" for the song "Hey Little Darlin" in the Vox Populi poll of the 8th annual Independent Music Awards! This is in addition to winning "Best Alt.Country Album" in the industry edition of the 8th annual awards! To listen to samples or purchase the album, visit The Wilders section of the Trade Root Music Group catalog. For further information about the winners of the 8th annual Independent Music awards, visit the Independent Music Awards website.

April 21, 2009
Trade Root Music Group announces a new partnership with Cape Breton fiddler Scott Benson, and the release of his debut CD, Point Aconi! To listen to samples or purchase the album, visit The Scott Benson section of the Trade Root Music Group catalog.

March 17, 2009
Free Dirt Records announces the April 21, 2009 release of Don't You Want to Go, the solo debut from The Wilders's fiddle player Betse Ellis. The CD release party will be at The Brick in Kansas City, MO on Monday March 30, 2009 as part of the Rural Grit Happy Hour! For the official press release about the new recording, click here.

January 15, 2009
The Wilders' latest album "Someone's Got to Pay" wins "Best Alt.Country Album" in the 8th Annual Independent Music Awards! To listen to samples or purchase the album, visit The Wilders section of the Trade Root Music Group catalog. For further information about the winners of the 8th annual Independent Music awards, visit the Independent Music Awards website.

November 14, 2008
The Wilders are finalists in two categories for the 8th annual Independent Music Awards! Their latest album Someone's Got to Pay is a finalist for best Alt.Country album, and the track "Hey Little Darlin" from the same album is a finalist for best Americana song. For more information, visit the Independent Music Awards website.

November 12, 2008
Axton Kincaid's latest Free Dirt Records release Silver Dollars is generating noteworthy media attention, including spins on radio stations across the country and reviews in the San Francisco Bay Guardian, the East Bay Express, and 3rd Coast Music! For more information, click here!

October 2, 2008
The Wilders have been voted "Best Band" by Kansas City, MO weekly alternative paper The Pitch! Read the article here!

September 30, 2008
Free Dirt Records announces the October 21, 2008 release of the latest full-length offering from Axton Kincaid. For details, read the official press release here.

September 6, 2008
The Hollywood Music Awards (HMA) annouced today that the Michael White Quintet song "Mechanical Man" from the album Voices has been nominated for a 2008 HMA award in the Jazz Category. This is the third notable award announcement for the Voices album. "Mechanical Man" has also been awarded for 2006 Second Place Winner in The International Songwriting Competition and 2007 Winner in The 6th Annual Independent Music Awards. For more information, visit the complete story at www.allaboutjazz.com. You can also find out more information, listen to sound samples and purchase the recording by clicking here.

June 28, 2008
Click here to listen to the June 28, 2008 interview with Phil Wade and Ike Sheldon of The Wilders on NPR's "Saturday Weekend Morning Edition" with host Scott Simon!

June 26, 2008
Click here to listen to the June 26 2008 interview of The Wilders's multi-instrumentalist Phil Wade on KCUR (Kansas City, MO) with New and Arts Reporter Laura Spencer!

June 24, 2008
Be sure to tune in to National Public Radio's "Saturday Weekend Morning Edition" with host Scott Simon this Saturday June 28, 2008 to hear Free Dirt Records recording artist The Wilders discuss their latest album "Someone's Got to Pay." The show is two hours, and the feature will air near the end of either hour one or two. For times on when your local NPR affilate airs "Saturday Weekend Morning Edition", please visit the National Public Radio website.

June 17, 2008
Chumbawamba is back, armed with acoustic guitars, accordion and trumpet, five-part harmonies, a bucketful of attitude and a new 25-track album called The Boy Bands Have Won (It actually has a much longer title than that, but let's call it by its pseudonym). Trade Root Music and PM Press will proudly release the recording in North America on June 24, 2008. For details about the upcoming release, view the official press release here.

June 17, 2008
Trade Root Music Group and Izniz Recordings announce the June 24, 2008 release date of the all-new album from Nethers, What the Wind Will Never Tell. For details about the upcoming release, view the official press release here.

May 24, 2008
Folk musician, storyteller, and Trade Root Music Group's dear friend U. Utah Phillips passed away the evening of May 23, 2008. He greatly inspired our work here at TRMG, and we will miss him dearly. The offical obituary as provided by the family on May 24, 2008 can be found at the official Utah Phillips website.

May 1, 2008
Trade Root Music Group and PM Press announce the May 20, 2008 new release of the latest 2 CD spoken word set from Derrick Jensen, Now This War Has Two Sides. To order, visit Trade Root Music Group's catalog page here!

April 29, 2008
The Wilders debut on the national Freeform American Roots chart (FAR) at #4 for the month of April AND the national Roots Music Report Roots Country Chart at #20 for the week of April 25!

April 26, 2008
The Wilders will be on WXRT Chicago's Eclectic Company with host Jon Langford Tuesday April 29th at 10:00pm central time. Listen live or check out the archived tape of the show after air time at the WXRT website.

April 18, 2008
The Wilders receive a five star review from About.com! Read the review here!

April 17, 2008
Northwest Folklife announces the release of their new recording Live from the 2007 Northwest Folklife Festival. For more information, read the official press release by clicking here.

April 10, 2008
The Wilders monopolize the Kansas City metro area press! Major coverage is beginning to happen for the the band's latest release Someone's Got to Pay, as the Kansas City Star, The Pitch, and The Present all recently ran extensive features on the band. Read them here:

Kansas City Star (Kansas City Metro area's main daily newspaper)

The Pitch (Kansas City Metro area's main alternative weekly)

Present Magazine (Kansas City Metro area's main online magazine)

Be sure to be on the lookout for more features and reviews about The Wilders, arriving in many regional and national media outlets soon! In addition, you'll most likely be seeing features and reviews about The Wilders in regional and national print & online media. And, chances are good that you'll be hearing The Wilders on your local non-commercial/community radio station. But no need to wait, call/e-mail the station and request their album be played!

February 9, 2008
Free Dirt Records announces the April 15, 2008 release date of the all-new album from The Wilders, Someone's Got to Pay. For details about the upcoming release, view the official press release here.

February 1, 2008
Trade Root Music Group announces their new partnership with PM Press out of Oakland, CA. The series of co-releases beteween them begins with two recordings from Chumbawamba: The classic re-release of English Rebel Songs (click here to purchase), and the new live recording Get On With It (click here to purchase), featuring 2 tracks available only on this special North American release.

October 29, 2007
Trade Root Music Group has signed an exclusive worldwide distribution deal with the Smithsonian Institution's National Museum of the American Indian. The first offering will be Pulling Down The Clouds: Contemporary Native Writers Read from Their Work and is available now for purchase HERE.

Free Dirt Records has released a VERY special, VERY limited edition 10" red vinyl EP record by The Wilders! Sittin' on a Jury marks an extraordinary transition for The Wilders from the country and old-time music you've grown to love, to a new set of original tunes that have been brewing in their subconscious for quite some time. Only 2,000 units were printed... hurry and purchase yours today by clicking HERE. And, for a limited time only, included in the record sleeve is a code for a free digital download for the songs on the EP!

October 1, 2007
Trade Root Music Group is proud to announce the addition of noted Irish-American musician and poet Terence Winch to the Trade Root label collective. For more information about his work, please visit his official website at www.terencewinch.com!

June 23, 2007
Izniz Recordings artist Michael White's song "Fiesta Dominical" from the album Voices has been placed on the PBS Primetime Documentary Series Roadtrip Nation 2007. For more information, please visit www.leisei-michael.com!

May 1, 2007
Free Dirt Records releases the debut full-length recording from San Francisco's Axton Kincaid! For more information about this release, download the official press release here. Be sure to visit their official website at www.axtonkincaid.com!

April 30, 2007
Trade Root Music Group kicks off their partnership with Cape Breton Canada's fiddler Wendy MacIsaac with the re-release of That's What You Get, The "Reel" Thing, and Timeline. Be sure to check out her website for updates on her work at www.wendymacisaac.com.

March 30, 2007
Mechanical Man from the Michael White album Voices has won second place in Jazz category for the 2006 International Songwriting Competition! For more information, visit the ISC website.

March 5, 2007
Trade Root Music Group kicks off their partnership with Northwest Folklife in March with the re-release of Joe Heaney's Say a Song and Han Madang: Musical Traditions of Korea. Be sure to check out all the great things they do in the great Pacific Northwest at www.nwfolklife.org.

February 13, 2007
Trade Root Music Group partner label Free Dirt Records proudly releases three recordings from Kansas City's own The Wilders! Read what critics are saying about them: