Colbert, Cartoons, Crockett, and (Maybe) Ceasefire

Plus: Nathaniel Rateliff and I'm With Her.

Greg Mitchell is the author of more than a dozen books and now writer/director of three award-winning films aired via PBS, including “Atomic Cover-up” and “Memorial Day Massacre.” Now watch trailer for acclaimed 2025 film “The Atomic Bowl” coming to PBS in July. Before all that, he was a longtime editor of the legendary Crawdaddy. You can still subscribe to this newsletter for FREE. Sustain this newsletter by ordering one of his books.

Too hot to think and search and grab and post too much today (hitting 101 just north of NYC, highest in many years after 99 yesterday). So start as we often do with Stephen last night, as he tries to makes sense of the Iran/Israel/USA war and Trump’s inanity.

Ann Telnaes on Trump announcing bombing or ceasefire or something (note the knee pads on J.D.)

If you missed Trump this morning hitting Israel for breaking ceasefire, then adding: "We basically have two countries that have been fighting so long and so hard that they don't know what the fuck they're doing. Do you understand that?"

The Americana Music folks have announced the nominees for their annual awards and as usual they include some of my favorites (e.g. Isbell, Welch & Rawlings etc.), some I’ve never heard of and a few in-between. I did listen to all five of the Best Song nods and I must say three of them seem entirely mediocre—never gotten MJ Lederman—but here, live, are clearly the two best: “Heartless” by Nathaniel Rateliff and “Ancient Light” from I’m With Her.

Finally, artist of the year nominee Charley Crockett, who seems to be on fire, as (among other things) he was co-star of the recent New York Times Sunday Magazine feature on new “Roots” music heroes. A swell song here from Tonight Show, “Easy Money.” Wait for the trumpet.

From Tunes to Toons