Robert Dean Lurie makes some observations about aging gracefully in his blog post for The American Culture. Lurie’s article, entitled “Robert Plant: Acting His Age” contrasts Robert’s “inventive solo career” with some of his contemporaries who haven’t aged so gracefully. Lurie writes in part: “But it’s clear that Plant’s heart and mind are fully engaged in the present. Why revisit material written in the ecstatic throes of youth when there is so much to say now, from the vantage point of age and experience? And what does it say about our culture that the former is deemed more worthy of attention (and critical ink) than the latter?”

Read the whole article.

The Concord Music Group has acquired Rounder Records. Rounder will continue to be based in Boston, MA and the label’s founders will remain in a creative capacity. Rounder’s management staff will also remain.

The Concord Music Group owns a variety of labels including Stax and Prestige. Their holdings also include titles from Ray Charles, Isaac Hayes, and Creedence Clearwater revival. Their current roster includes Macy Gray, Chick Corea, Ladysmith Black Mambazo and others. They partnered with Starbucks in 2007 to create Hear Music.

Rounder’s current catalog and roster includes Willie Nelson, Bela Fleck, Alison Krauss and Robert Plant.

Producer and multi instrumentalist Gurf Morlix has some photos of Robert Plant at work on his MySpace page. In the photos, Robert and Gurf are joined by Buddy Miller, Stuart Duncan, Dennis Crouch, and Jay Bellerose.

Gurf Morlix also worked on the recording of “What You Gonna Do Leroy” for Buddy and Julie Miller’s album “Written in Chalk”.