![Duluth-based acoustic blues and folk artist Charlie Parr preforms for the Star Tribune at Bayport BBQ on March 13, 2015 in Bayport, Minn. ] Mark Vancleave - mark.vancleave@startribune.com * After 15 years of criss-crossing the country by himself and making his own albums, Duluth-based acoustic blues/folk hero Charlie Parr is putting out a record with an established label, Red House Records. ORG XMIT: MIN1504211741564307](https://arc.stimg.co/startribunemedia/UWDWLJPGPNP7ENICDNWVHLWWCA.jpg?&w=1080)
After months of unexpectedly paying tribute to Prince, David Bowie, Merle Haggard and Leonard Cohen, the Twin Cities music scene is getting back to its regularly scheduled programming of dead legends.
The Cabooze's Cash Only XVII concert — a tradition started while its subject was still alive — takes place Friday with a lineup that's as carved in stone as its namesake Johnny Cash's wardrobe color, with Sherwin Linton, the White Iron Band, Trailer Trash, Ol' Yeller and full-time tribute band the Church of Cash (8:30 p.m., $10-$15). Linton marked his 60th year in the music business in 2016, so here's a good start to Year 61.
On Saturday, the 10th annual Happy Birthday, Janis tribute — which originated at the Cabooze — returns to First Avenue for the second year in a row under the wing of Jill Henderson (nee Mikelson), who starred in the Ordway's production of "Love, Janis" (8 p.m., $18-$20). Monica Heuser, Debra G, Katy Hays and Jacy Smith will also all shred their throats to honor Janis Joplin, who would have turned 74 next Thursday.
There's more, though not just for deceased legends: The proficient Pixies cover band Trompe le Monde hosts its fourth Evening of Tributes at the Turf Club on Friday with Katy Vernon's Swede new project Abbasolutely Fab and Chris "Little Man" Perricelli's T. Rex set (9 p.m., $10). Parkway Theater hosts a massive Earth, Wind & Fire marathon on Saturday with such vets as Tony Green, James "JayBee" Brown and Junior Trejo (7:30 p.m., $25-$35). Then the Cabooze's run continues with the return of the Tribute to the Last Waltz on Jan. 21 and the Bob Marley Remembered concerts Feb. 3-4.
Random mix
Last week's Semisonic shows — postponed when non-Minnesotan drummer Jacob Slichter broke his wrist after slipping on ice — are back on for June 14 at the Turf Club and June 16 at First Avenue. Tickets are still sold out. … A guy who worked sound when the members of Semisonic and countless others got their start at 7th Street Entry's New Band Nights in the '80s, Billy Batson is bringing all his own bands together to celebrate his 60th birthday Saturday at the Minneapolis Eagles Club, with the Hypstrz, Mighty Mofos and King Kustom & the Cruisers (8 p.m.). …
North Minneapolis rapper Mac Irv's long-in-the-works album "Misfit: 55411" drops online Friday and proves worth the wait. It opens with a powerful speech by his basketball coach/father Larry McKenzie about rising above, and hits many high notes thereafter, including the sexy single "Only for You" with Ashley DuBose and the fiery gem "Kitchen," featuring Drake cohort Tory Lanez. …
DuBose and Greg Grease are teaming up for an MLK Day party at Icehouse on Monday (7:30 p.m., $8-$10). … One of MLK's namesakes, Martin Dosh is moving his House of Dosh winter residency to Icehouse starting Thursday, with promised guests over the six-week run of mostly improv music including Aby Wolf, Jeremy Ylvisaker, Crescent Moon, Kristoff Krane, Claire de Lune and Andrew Broder (10 p.m., $7). …
Charlie Parr is in the midst of a January residency each Sunday at the Turf Club, continuing this week with a promising up-and-comer guest, Dave Simonett (8 p.m., $10-$12). … Romantica's first album in a decade — or at least its first that took more than a day to record — "Shadowlands" will arrive Feb. 10, preceded by a Feb. 4 release party at the Fitzgerald ($25, eTix.com). …
