Since this weekend marks the "official" start of the holiday shopping season, we've got the annual gift guide with musical suggestions for what to get your loved ones (or yourself). The list includes some excellent 2012 albums from acts that call the Triangle home (and even a book by yours truly), so check it out -- and buy local!

Bettye LaVette has had a pretty great stretch of years recently, but she has one regret about the timing: That her former manager, the late Jim Lewis, isn't still alive to witness her vindication.

"Yeah, I'd be telling him, 'I told you I could sing!,'" she quipped in a recent phone interview. "No, I'm sure that wherever he is now, he's pleased, especially with the way it happened. He never tried to get me hit records, but to make me a better singer and entertainer. He'd be happier about what the critics are saying than the record sales. The best advice he gave me was to learn the craft so I wouldn't have to depend on hit records. That worked out well. Even if I never have another album, I can always get another gig. And right now I've got more friends and relatives than I ever had giving all kinds of helpful advice, telling me to eat and rest and all that. I want to tell them, 'I almost died, where were you people then?!'"

For much more, including details on her Carrboro show this weekend, see the interview in Friday's paper.

Tonight brings a downright spectacular pairing to Raleigh's NC Museum of Art, two wonderful acts guaranteed to get your mojo workin'. I've done interviews with both in the not-too-distant past; so you can read up on Bettye LaVette and Marcia Ball.

New to the NC Museum of Art concert schedule, according to Pollstar listings: sassy soul goddess Bettye LaVette on July 10, in a killer pairing with bayou country pianist Marcia Ball. Should be a great one.

The rest of the NCMA's concert schedule so far consists of Pink Martini on June 6; Hubert Sumlin with Steady Rollin' Bob Margolin on Aug. 8; and Doc Watson on Sept. 26.