BGS 5+5: Erin Rae

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Erin Rae
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Album: Lighten Up

Which artist has influenced you the most … and how?

Aside from my parents, I’d say it’s a toss up between the melodic storytelling of Kate Campbell, a Nashville songwriter that I grew up listening to, and Feist. Kate’s melodies and the way she captures the experiences of herself and others; the way she captures a feeling, I think I have spent enough time with a couple records of hers specifically that they are grooved into my brain, haha. Not to be dramatic. I listened to her record Moonpie Dreams a lot on my drives from Nashville to Cookeville, Tennessee, in college, and Nashville to Birmingham. There are so many references to Tennessee specifically. I was introduced to Feist by my friend April in high school, when “1234” came out, but then again I was reintroduced at about 19 when I started writing songs. A friend told me to listen to Let It Die in full, and that was in like 2010. I pretty much haven’t stopped listening. Her documentary called Look at What the Light Did Now inspired me and showed me the various avenues to explore and develop when making a record. I loved the input from her creative director, and I am continuously inspired by the soft strength of her voice, and her freaking guitar playing. Geez.

What’s your favorite memory from being on stage?

This will sound like a no-brainer, but last summer, I got to open for Trampled by Turtles + CAAMP at Red Rocks in Colorado. It was my first performance with a band since 2019, not to mention this legendary venue surrounded by all this natural beauty. I think what made it the most special though, was that my family flew out for the shows, and my management team is based just down the road in Denver, so they were there. I was feeling excited, prepared, and most of all extremely supported by everyone in my corner. The show had stayed on the books from the summer of 2020 when it got bumped, so it was that light at the end of the tunnel. I looked over at Sean Thompson, who was playing guitar and his hair was blowing back in the wind and his eyes were closed… epic, haha.

What has been the best advice you’ve received in your career so far?

I feel like I received this advice from two people I admire, but the gist from both folks was this: When you are playing a show, go ahead and consider it practice for the next one. Be in the moment of course, but do not worry so much about how perfect it is. You’re going to be playing shows for a long time. Each one is an opportunity to be present, and an opportunity to learn. Another piece along similar lines was from my dad. He likened playing shows to a meditation practice. Occasionally, you sit down to meditate, or you get up to play, and it’s just amazing; it’s just automatically flowing. And you think, “Oh, awesome, I have to remember this, surely I can make this happen again tomorrow,” and then inevitably the next show or set is just so-so. You can’t get out of your head. The goal is not to have a perfect show or perfect meditation every time; the goal is to be present and show up consistently as best you can. Over time, you’ll have played some great shows! And a lot of shows that were just okay, or even bad. But it’s not really personal.

What rituals do you have, either in the studio or before a show?

I think the main one is a little mini meditation. I’m not saying that to brag about how mindful I am, because I am most definitely NOT. But Questlove said it best in his book, Creative Quest. He said he takes a little second to settle into the present moment. Sometimes I will say a little prayer, but mostly it’s just about feeling my feet on the ground and breathing into the moment. That’s the only place we can connect to one another!

What was the first moment that you knew you wanted to be a musician?

I think I officially caught the bug at Cafe Coco, at the legendary open mic that used to happen there, back when it was hosted by Maurice Barrett. I had been teaching myself guitar a little bit, and was home for Christmas break from what ended up being my only semester in college, and my brother Wil took me to the open mic. I didn’t leave until 3 a.m., and after a couple more Thursdays of that, and some song ideas starting to percolate, I told my parents I was going to stay home for a semester to pursue music. A little optimistic of me, I will say, but that was ten years ago. I started taking guitar and vocal lessons that next month, and felt supported by everyone around me to keep going. That I’ve kept going is due mostly to the encouragement of any friends of mine that have nudged me to make records, or facilitated them. And now I’ve gotten to do so many bucket list things, and see so many places, and I can’t wait to keep going.

For my playlist, I chose five of my favorite songs from that record of Kate’s, Moonpie Dreams.

Photo Credit: Bree Fish

Artist of the Month: Keb’ Mo’

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Keb’ Mo’ is going back to his roots on a new album, Good to Be, where he illustrates the bond that connects his hometown of Compton, California, to where he’s settled now. In fact, he wrote some of the songs in Nashville and others in Compton, where he bought and renovated his childhood home.

“I’ve lived in Nashville for the last eleven years, but Compton has always been my home. Finding a way to connect those two places on this album was a powerful thing for me. It felt like something I needed to do,” he says. “You can’t bring an attitude to Compton. You can’t pose. You can’t be anything but real when you’re walking down the same streets you used to ride your bike on as a kid. In a lot of ways, coming back there felt like it completed me.”

Our BGS Artist of the Month for February, Keb’ Mo’ (otherwise known as Kevin Moore) enlisted Vince Gill and Tom Hambridge as his co-producers, and by melding everyone’s sonic influences, Good to Be feels bigger than just the blues.

“This album is where I’m at right now,” he says. “It might not fit neatly into a certain category (even though the music biz and algorithms like to keep me tightly in the blues genre). Don’t get me wrong: the blues is a very important part of my experience, but it’s not all of who I am musically. Years ago, I drove around in LA delivering flowers and listening to some of the greatest Nashville artists on the radio, and now that I’ve lived here a while, it’s probably shaped me even more. So the album might be ‘all over the place,’ but the common denominator is always going to be me.”

After a string of snowy New England shows on the calendar, Keb’ Mo’ will head south to Florida in February, followed by Hawaii and the Pacific Northwest in March, then the West Coast in April. After that he’s bound for Europe. Yet, he carries one mission with him wherever he travels.

“I believe that music has the power to heal,” he says, “and I wanted this album to make people feel good. I wanted it to bring joy and make them maybe think about where they come from and the journeys that brought them to where they are.” Meanwhile, hear more from Keb’ Mo’ with our BGS Essentials playlist.

Photo Credit: Jeremy Cowart

LISTEN: Pretty Little Goat, “30 Mile Run”

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Artist: Pretty Little Goat
Hometown: Western North Carolina
Song: “30 Mile Run”
Album: Big Storm
Release Date: Single: February 4, 2022; Album: March 25, 2022

In Their Words: “The lyrics to ‘30 Mile Run’ are inspired by various stories I heard growing up about a real legendary mountaineer and moonshiner named Palmo McCall. My dad and I occasionally traveled up the mountain behind our house where Palmo lived. I remember trying his whiskey once; some people even said he would burn the stuff in his truck. He had a kind soul and a good heart, but had a habit of getting in trouble with the law. Palmo is gone, but his legend lives on. I just wanted to do my part in keeping his ‘mountain man’ character alive in a fun way by writing this song and recording it with the band.” — Josh Carter, Pretty Little Goat

Pretty Little Goat · 30 Mile Run

Photo Credit: Leahy Brevard

LISTEN: Kate MacLeod, “Every Year Among the Pines”

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Artist: Kate MacLeod
Hometown: Salt Lake City, Utah
Song: “Every Year Among the Pines”
Album: Uranium Maiden
Release Date: February 4, 2022

In Their Words: The subject matter in this song is taken directly from my reading accounts of community members who lived in the small town of Widtsoe, Utah, which is now a ghost town. There’s been a long standing practice of families and descendants of those who lived in that town, in meeting for an annual reunion. I particularly enjoy portraying stories of the American West through research on pioneers, miners, families, outlaws, Native Americans, and historic events from the region that I live in. Knowing first hand of the geography, culture, and some of the people represented in these songs, I find the details of life in the region to be ripe with lyrical content waiting to be sung. Musicians on this track are Kate MacLeod on vocals and acoustic guitars, Dan Salini on pedal steel, Mark Hazel on vocal harmonies, and Robert Dow on acoustic bass. The writing of this song was commissioned from Utah Heritage Arts.” — Kate MacLeod

Kate MacLeod · Every Year Among The Pines

Photo Credit: Jeanette Bonnell

Carolina Calling, Asheville: A Retreat for the Creative Spirit

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

LISTEN: APPLE • SPOTIFY • STITCHER • AMAZON • YOUTUBE • MP3

 

Asheville, North Carolina’s history as a music center goes back to the 1920s and string-band troubadours like Lesley Riddle and Bascom Lamar Lunsford, and country-music pioneer Jimmie Rodgers. But there’s always been a lot more to this town than acoustic music and scenic mountain views. From the experimental Black Mountain College that drew a range of minds as diverse as German artist Josef Albers, composer John Cage, and Albert Einstein, Asheville was also the spiritual home for electronic-music pioneer Bob Moog, who invented the Moog synthesizer first popularized by experimental bands like Kraftwerk to giant disco hits like Donna Summer’s “I Feel Love.”

It’s also a town where busking culture ensures that music flows from every street corner, and it’s the adopted hometown of many modern musicians in a multitude of genres, including Pokey LaFarge, who spent his early career busking in Asheville, and Moses Sumney, a musician who’s sonic palette is so broad, it’s all but unclassifiable.

In this premiere episode of Carolina Calling, we wonder and explore what elements of this place of creative retreat have drawn individualist artists for over a century? Perhaps it’s the fact that whatever your style, Asheville is a place that allows creativity to grow and thrive.

Subscribe to Carolina Calling on any and all podcast platforms to follow along as we journey across the Old North State, visiting towns like Shelby, Greensboro, Durham, Wilmington, and more.

Music featured in this episode:

Bascom Lamar Lunsford – “Dry Bones”

Jimmie Rodgers – “My Carolina Sunshine Girl”

Kraftwerk – “Autobahn”

Donna Summer – “I Feel Love”

Pokey LaFarge – “End Of My Rope”

Moses Sumney – “Virile”

Andrew Marlin – “Erie Fiddler (Carolina Calling Theme)”

Moses Sumney – “Me In 20 Years”

Steep Canyon Rangers – “Honey on My Tongue”

Béla Bartók – “Romanian Folk Dances”

New Order – “Blue Monday”

Quindar – “Twin-Pole Sunshade for Rusty Schweickart”

Pokey LaFarge – “Fine To Me”

Bobby Hicks Feat. Del McCoury – “We’re Steppin’ Out”

Squirrel Nut Zippers – “Put A Lid On It”

Jimmie Rodgers – “Daddy and Home”

Lesley Riddle – “John Henry”

Steep Canyon Rangers – “Graveyard Fields”

BGS is proud to produce Carolina Calling in partnership with Come Hear NC, a campaign from the North Carolina Department of Natural & Cultural Resources designed to celebrate North Carolinians’ contribution to the canon of American music.

LISTEN: Chris Castino & Chicken Wire Empire, “Kangaroo”

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Artist: Chris Castino & Chicken Wire Empire
Hometown: St. Paul, Minnesota
Song: “Kangaroo”
Album: Fresh Pickles
Release Date: February 4, 2022

In Their Words: “My love for bluegrass began (in earnest) in 1993. As a guitarist in a jam band then, the mid ’90s were full of wonderful crossovers: Leftover Salmon was emerging, The Pizza Tapes were floating around, my favorite Tony Rice record …Sings Gordon Lightfoot came out, heck, even Phish was playing bluegrass. A lot of that music was lively, fun, and irreverent. And that’s what ‘Kangaroo’ (written in 1995) is as well. The tune is bouncy — fitting, I suppose. And little kids love it, which makes me happy!” — Chris Castino

chris castino · Kangaroo

Photo Credit: David Jackson

WATCH: Jessica Willis Fisher, “Fire Song”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Jessica Willis Fisher
Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee
Song: “Fire Song”
Album: Brand New Day
Release Date: April 13, 2022
Label: Bard Craft Records

In Their Words: “‘Fire Song’ is the most bold lyric on my whole upcoming record. It had to be; it picks up where I left off when I left my family band six years ago this spring. Inspired by the hardest season of my life, this song says that sometimes we have to let it all burn to the ground in order to survive and start over.

“All but one other song on the record I wrote myself, but ‘Fire Song’ was co-written with Jon Randall. I was so honored to get to work with him and had first fallen in love with his work when I heard the beautifully dark ‘Whiskey Lullaby.’ I knew this was the right idea to take to him and I’m so happy with what we made together.

“The ‘Fire Song’ lyrics are so vivid, almost cinematic, so we knew we had to make a video for it if we got the chance. Quinton Cook, the director, did a fantastic job with the Glitch video crew. We burned a lot of stuff! At one point the flames were four times as tall as me. In the video, you can see at different points I’m both the person being sung to and the person singing, playing fiddle and stoking the fire.” — Jessica Willis Fisher

Photo Credit: Sean Fisher

BGS Top 50 Moments: Del McCoury Plays Banjo With Sam Bush

Posted on by Amy Reitnouer

One of the first-ever viral moments on BGS was a special behind-the-scenes Soundcheck video featuring Sam Bush and Del McCoury from their 2012 duo tour, “Sam and Del.” In it, the two legends prepare for the first night on the road at the Birchmere in Alexandria, Virginia, warming up both their instruments and their familial-like banter on stage:

“Friends, he got up out of the bunk this morning and his hair was perfect,” says Sam. “I don’t know how he does it.”

“Well I’ll tell you what, I laid it on the shelf overnight and just put it back on the next morning!” retorts Del, quick as a whip.

But somewhere around the 2:45 mark, magic happens. For the first time in nearly fifty years, Del prepared to play five-string banjo on stage. It was a moment that few had witnessed prior (even Sam), much less known he was capable of. Turns out, the Bluegrass Music Hall of Famer actually started his career in Bill Monroe’s band as the banjo player before being shuffled to guitar and backing vocals, his unmistakable high lonesome tone becoming his calling card.

“It’s just a love fest?” says Sam Bush of their time together on stage.

Same for us, Sam. Same for us.

Video credit: Natalie Fava of Wonderscope.

WATCH: Amanda Rheaume, “The Spaces in Between”

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Artist: Amanda Rheaume
Hometown: lives in Ottawa, unceded Algonquin Anishinaabeg territory
Song: The Spaces in Between
Release Date: January 20, 2022
Label: Ishkōdé Records

In Their Words: “The spaces in between is where almost everything happens. The growth of all things takes place in the ‘in-between’ and through the journey we take from our centre, to the edge and back again. I hope this song encourages people to question the rigid thinking, or the binaries they may be subscribed to — gender, sexuality, identity. To reference one of the lines in the song, ‘My garden is more than a single flower, learning how to grow alone in the ground.’ We need all types of people, with all types of gifts, to have the fullest and strongest garden, without all of our voices the circle actually suffers. As a queer Métis woman I personally make my home in the spaces in between, the beautiful spaces in between.

“The music video for this song was shot in and around Tkaronto and the shores of Lake Ontario. Director Rich Misener and I wanted to give a sense of searching and looking for something for someone. That feeling of your surroundings caving in on you and the journey of self into a more open, expansive and self accepting place.” — Amanda Rheaume

Photo Credit: Jen Squires

WATCH: Ethan Sherman, “Cup & Porch” (Live)

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Ethan Sherman
Hometown: Los Angeles, California
Song: “Cup & Porch”
Album: Indoor Vistas
Release Date: March 4, 2022

In Their Words: “This is one of the first tunes I wrote for this record. Broadly, it’s inspired by some musical ideas I’ve picked up listening to folks like Bryan Sutton and Béla Fleck over the years. One of the many things I love about their composing is the way they take timeless fiddle-tune-y themes through rhythmic mazes that seem totally arbitrary at first, but reveal themselves to be deceptively melody-driven the more you listen. That’s something I tried to do with this tune, as well as give everyone lots of room to improvise and play off each other within the arrangement.

“This new record (Indoor Vistas) was tracked remotely over lockdown, so this video session was one of the first times I’ve played these tunes with other musicians, in the same room, in real time! Joining me in this video are Gabe Witcher on fiddle, Greg Fleischut on mandolin, and Tim McNalley on bass. The album version features McNalley, Thomas Cassell, Matthew Davis, and Avery Merritt.” — Ethan Sherman

Photo Credit: Evan Zee