Carolina Chocolate Drops, who gave a pair of rapturously received sold-out shows in Glasgow and London at the start of the year, are bringing their exhilarating live show back to the UK and to Ireland, France, Belgium, the Netherlands, and Germany as part of a European tour that kicks off with shows in Galway, Dublin, and London and closes out at the end of the month with three special shows in Germany with label mates Punch Brothers.

Congratulations to Randy Newman, a 2013 Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Nominee! For the first time, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame is offering fans the opportunity to officially participate in the induction selection process, tallying a collective “fans’ ballot” with the other ballots to choose the 2013 inductees. Vote for your favorite today! The 28th Annual Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Induction Ceremony will be held in LA on April 18, 2013, broadcast on HBO at a later date.

Congratulations to Chris Thile, who has been named a 2012 MacArthur Fellow. Thile was among the 23 new MacArthur Fellows, selected by the John D. and Catherine T. MacArthur Foundation. The annual fellowship, often referred to as the "Genius" grant, offers an unrestricted award of $500,000 to individuals who, in the Foundation's words, "have shown extraordinary originality and dedication in their creative pursuits and a marked capacity for self-direction." Watch Thile discuss his work and the fellowship in a MacArthur Foundation video here.

The Black Keys launch an arena tour of the western US in Fresno, California, tonight, including stops at the famed Santa Barbara Bowl, the Staples Center in LA, and in Arizona and New Mexico. Tegan and Sara open. Just announced: The Black Keys will headline Lollapalooza Brazil and Lollapalooza Chile next year. At the Global Festival this past Saturday, the band "tore through a set of searing, hard-riffing rock," raves MTV, "one that had the 60,000 who packed Central Park's Great Lawn losing their collective minds."

Emmylou Harris, who was presented with an ACM Honors Pioneer Award this week, joins English folk rock quartet Mumford & Sons for CMT Crossroads, premiering tonight on CMT. The show explores the roots of country music by pairing country artists with musicians from other genres. Marcus Mumford tells the AP: "Pretty much every song that Emmylou has sung on is my favorite song of whichever artist she sang with." Watch a preview of the episode here.

Punch Brothers, who launch their North American tour in Montreal tonight, are celebrating the occasion by offering a free download of three songs recorded live at The Fillmore in San Francisco, including their songs "New York City" and "Don't Get Married Without Me" and Chris Thile's "Song for a Young Queen." The New Yorker's Alec Wilkinson, who will be chatting with the band at The New Yorker Festival on October 5, says that each band member "plays with grace, thoughtfulness, and force to a degree that is not duplicated by any band I am aware of."

Nonesuch released composer Jonny Greenwood’s soundtrack to Paul Thomas Anderson’s new film The Master in the US on September 11 to critical acclaim, with The New Yorker calling the score "rich and inventive" and Rolling Stone saying the film's "visual poetry is matched by Jonny Greenwood's haunting, hypnotic score." Nonesuch will release the album on vinyl on October 22. The LP includes 12 tracks pressed on 140-gram vinyl plus the full album on CD. It is now available to pre-order in the Nonesuch Store.

The Art of Instrumentation: Homage to Glenn Gould, by violinist Gidon Kremer and his Kremerata Baltica chamber orchestra, is out today, September 25, 2012, which would have been Gould’s 80th birthday. The album comprises 11 pieces and arrangements by contemporary composers that quote from or are inspired by works, mostly by Bach, that Gould famously recorded during his career; two Arnold Schoenberg pieces also are drawn upon in one piece. Says the CBC: "The result is a haunting, highly personal homage from one great musician to another and a deeply affecting tribute to Gould's enduring genius."

Lianne La Havas is the guest on today's episode of WNYC's Soundcheck. She recently stopped by the WNYC studios to perform live solo takes on three songs off her debut album, Is Your Love Big Enough?—"Age," "Forget," and "No Room for Doubt"—and talk with Soundcheck host John Schaefer about the album, her musical influences, and the inspiration behind the songs. Tune in to 93.9 FM WNYC tonight or listen to the complete episode here.

Jessica Lea Mayfield will tour in the US this November and December in support of her highly acclaimed Nonesuch Records debut album, Tell Me, playing with her brother David Mayfield on their Sibling Rivalry Tour. Growing up in Kent, Ohio, the Mayfields were surrounded by bluegrass and folk music; both David and Jessica first performed with their family band One Way Rider, traveling across the country in a 1956 tour bus once belonging to Bill Monroe, Kitty Wells, and Ernest Tubb.

Dr. John, who spent the spring and summer on tour following the release of his acclaimed new album, Locked Down, is set to hit the road again this fall, this time with a four-piece band and The Blind Boys of Alabama for the Spirituals to Funk tour. Based on the legendary Carnegie Hall Spirituals to Swing concerts of the 1930s, Spirituals to Funk features an integrated show that explores the connections between jazz, blues, and gospel, all under Dr. John's musical direction. The tour will visit 30 cities and towns in 14 states across the US, from October 10 to November 18.

Fatoumata Diawara kicks off her US tour, featuring music from her debut album, Fatou, at the Cityfolk Festival in Dayton, Ohio, tonight, followed by stops in Bloomington, Chicago, New York City, Boston, Washington, DC, New Hampshire, and North Carolina. Her new album is "a joyous mix of vibrant songs about love, politics and empowerment," says the Chicago Sun-Times. "Fatou is a rare gift of a record for fans of African pop, female vocalists and generally outstanding music," raves PopMatters. "Prepare to be smitten." Diawara has just been nominated for a MOBO Award for Best African Act.