T-BONE BURNETT - "THE PRODUCER"

Musician Joseph Henry Burnett is more well known as T-Bone Burnett, but I've been calling him "Him Again." He has produced so many of my favorite albums of recent years, including Gregg Allman's Low Country Blues, Steve Earle's I'll Never Get Out Of This World Alive, Willie Nelson's Country Music, and the Robert Plant/Alison Krauss collaboration, Raising Sand, as well as the soundtracks to O Brother, Where Art Thou, The Big Lebowski and Crazy Heart.

A neat new compilation that I bought at Starbucks (but I don't believe it's exclusive to the chain) collects lots of the cool music he has produced over the years.  T-Bone himself writes about all the songs, which is really cool.  The collection does a good job of hitting many of his recent high points, although it omits the Willie album.  Still, definitely worth getting, particularly if you don't have a lot of these records.

THE BIG LEBOWSKI SOUNDTRACK

The other night I watched The Big Lebowski for maybe the 50th time.  I lent out my DVD, so I bought it on iTunes so I always have it on my computer. It's a perfect film on every level: it's fun, funny, holds up to repeated viewings, has a great story, it's quotable, the acting is great. Even Tara Reid shines.

But it struck me how great the music is. The Coen Brothers definitely know their music (further proof of that is O Brother Where Art Thou). The often use T-Bone Burnett to be music supervisor, and he did an incredible job here.

Bob Dylan's "The Man In Me" which opens the film sets the tone perfectly.  Kenny Rogers & The First Edition "Just Dropped In" during the freakout sequence: genius. The Gipsy Kings cover of "Hotel California" during Jesus' bowling scene: awesome. Especially given that The Dude hates The (fuckin') Eagles. Also the choice of fairly obscure artists: Captain Beefheart, Moondog and Meredith Monk is cool.

The Dude's music choices make sense: he loves Creedence Clearwater Revival. He's listening to Elvis Costello at the doctor.  But sometimes he just listens to tapes of bowling.

The movie rocks even more with its choice of cameo actors. Aimee Mann as the nihilist who cuts off her toe. Flea, another nihilist with a ridiculous accent.  Jimmie Dale Gilmore as Smokey, did he really step over the line? Jeff Bridges as The Dude is just perfect, and he's a rocker in his own right (he actually releases his second album tomorrow. It's produced by... wait for it... T-Bone Burnett).

I've often talked of my respect for music supervisors who do their job really well.  So, I have to tip my hat to the Coens and T-Bone for this one.

CRAZY HEART, RYAN BINGHAM AND A THANK YOU TO OUTLAW COUNTRY

Crazy Heart was a really good movie that I recommend. It stars Jeff Bridges (aka "The Dude" from The Big Lebowski, one of my favorite films ever) as a Kristofferson/Jennings type country singer who is down on his luck, and the world has kind of passed him by, while his former protegee (a Paisley/Urban type played by Colin Farrell) has become a huge star. Well, that's not all it is about, but it is a great movie, so go see it.

But the music in the film is also notable. T-Bone Burnett was music supervisor (as he was for Lebowski and O Brother Where Are Thou, of course he has also produced recent great albums for Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, B.B. King, Elvis Costello and others).

One song that takes a kind of central role in the film is "The Weary Kind" by Ryan Bingham. Here is an interview where he explains how he got invovled with T-Bone Burnette and the film (he and his band have a small role backing Bridges' character at -- of all things -- a bowling alley).

I was kind of familiar with Bingham - thanks to the fact that I listen to SIRIUS XM's Outlaw Country. I have some songs frmo his 2007 album Mescolito, which I recommend. It was cool of T-Bone and the film's director, Scott Cooper, to involve him and expose him to a larger audience.  The song is up for a Golden Globe, and if I were a voter, I would probably vote for it over songs by U2 and Paul McCartney. But if you like "Americana" or "hardcore troubadour"-type country music, check out Ryan Bingham.