Brian T. Atkinson is currently working on Always Chasing the Sun: The Songwriting Legacy of Judee Sill. The Austin-based author's eighth book for Texas A&M University Press will be released following the forthcoming Love at the Five and Dime: The Songwriting Legacy of Nanci Griffith (Texas A&M University Press, fall 2024) and East Nashville Skyline: The Songwriting Legacy of Todd Snider (due fall 2025). Atkinson's previous books include True Love Cast Out All Evil: The Songwriting Legacy of Roky Erickson, Looks Like Rain: The Songwriting Legacy of Mickey Newbury, The Messenger: The Songwriting Legacy of Ray Wylie Hubbard and I'll Be Here in the Morning: The Songwriting Legacy of Townes Van Zandt. He is co-author of Kent Finlay: Dreamer: The Musical Legacy of Cheatham Street Warehouse with acclaimed writer, producer and industry veteran Jenni Finlay.
Additionally, Atkinson contributed chapters on Hayes Carll and Terri Hendrix to the essay collection Pickers and Poets: The Ruthlessly Poetic Singer-Songwriters of Texas (TAMU Press, 2016) as well as chapters on Rodney Crowell, Ben Folds, Ben Nichols (Lucero) and Josh Ritter to Song: The World's Best Songwriters on Creating the Music That Moves Us (Writer's Digest Books, 2007). Atkinson and Finlay's Squeaky String Productions includes their Eight 30 Records, Burgundy Red Films, Barefoot Recording, and the Austin-based bi-monthly concert series Catfish Concerts.
The pair has produced The Messenger: A Tribute to Ray Wylie Hubbard (featuring Rodney Crowell, Bobby Bare, Tom Russell, Ray Benson, Charlie Musselwhite and more), Cold and Bitter Tears: The Songs of Ted Hawkins, Dreamer: A Tribute to Kent Finlay, Highway Prayer: A Tribute to Adam Carroll, The Polished Steel Sessions, Danny Barnes' Got Myself Together (Ten Years Later), and Floater: A Tribute to the Tributes to Gary Floater for their label. Eight 30 Records also has released Chris Fullerton's Epilepsy Blues and Matt Harlan's Best Beasts. Atkinson contributed liner notes to most as well as the Grammy-nominated This One's for Him: A Tribute to Guy Clark (Music Road, 2011).
Atkinson has written frequently for CMT.com, Austin American-Statesman, American Songwriter, Texas Music, Lone Star Music, No Depression, Relix, Paste, Maverick Country and several other music magazines as well as the London Daily Telegraph newspaper over the past twenty-five years. His “For the Sake of the Song: The Outlaws of Americana,” an exhibit of live concert photography, has shown in Austin, Denver and Seattle. Atkinson's work is archived at the Wittliff Collections at Texas State University in San Marcos.
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