The North Carolina piedmont and delta blues-based singer/songwriter Jon Shain recently released his fourth solo CD, Home Before Long, on Flyin Records. Tonight, Shain returns to his native Massachusetts to celebrate the new release at the Passim in Cambridge, Massachusetts (with Scissorman to open), and tomorrow night at Caffe Lena in Saratoga Springs, New York (with Hayseed opening). Each of these are legendary folk venues that have hosted a veritable whos-who of acoustic music over the years.

Shain was the front man for Flyin Mice (North Carolina bluegrass-tinged early/mid nineties jamband) and Wake (short-lived alt-country band that followed) for much of the 90s, but has produced his best work as a solo artist. As on his previous release, No Tag, No Tail Light, Shains new record was produced by the skillful combination of Dave Mattacks (Fairport Convention, Richard Thompson) and Tom Dube (Juliana Hatfield, Morphine). This release is already enjoying airplay across the country, and it features some guitar wizardry from the eclectic Duke Levine (John Gorka, Kathy Mattea, Mary Chapin-Carpenter).
Report by Rob Turner