Artist:Andrea von Kampen Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska Song: “Water Flowing Downward” Album:That Spell Release Date:August 6, 2021 Label: Fantasy Records
In Their Words: “The way I approached the writing of this song was different than usual. I wrote the lyrics one afternoon to an old hymn tune called ‘Beach Spring.’ I had just watched the film Parasite and was feeling restless to create and get my thoughts out and these tumbled out but I knew the hymn tune never really worked. I filed it all away and four months later my brother David and I thought about co-writing the last song on the record and I remembered these lyrics. I sent them over and by early July we had our song. I love the moodiness of the piano and strings and the sound of a perpetual movement.” — Andrea von Kampen
Christmas is upon us, and we’ve been loving the roots-centric holiday music we’ve been able to share with our December BGS Wraps series thus far! This week we bring you some holly (yet not always jolly) holiday tunes to keep you warm through this weird season – on brand for 2020! – along with some new bluegrass and roots music to be enjoyed year-round. Remember to check back in every Monday for a new episode of the BGS Radio Hour!
This week on BGS we’ve got plenty of wraps. Christone “Kingfish” Ingram, one of the youngest blues players on the scene today, is here to start us off with a new Christmas-inspired blues number.
Australia-born and Colorado-based guitarist Mark Harris is one of few who have been able to redefine the six-string, flat-top guitar in roots music. His new album, Old Time Guitar, is a reconfiguration of old-time classics for solo guitar. This week, Harris brings us “Lost Girl.”
From her new Christmas Anyway EP, Heather Maloney brings us the message that what makes the holidays meaningful isn’t dependent on circumstance. Rather, our holidays are made much more special by our own choices, our gestures of kindness, and how we deal with said uncontrollable life circumstances.
December 2020 Artist of the Month Sister Sadie brings us another song this week from their 2018 release, Sister Sadie II. The all female, hard-driving bluegrass band racked up an impressive sampling of IBMA awards this year. We’re covering them all month long, so stay tuned! (You can read our #AOTM interview here!)
From their new album Principium, “Fall: War” is the most intense of The Arcadian Wild’s 4-song movement. Like it did for so many artists, 2020 provided the Nashville band with an opportunity to dust off some old songs. This week, they bring us the result.
There’s no doubt Christmas this year is going to be a difficult one for so many. Anthony D’Amato provides “a good cry” for us all this year, recognizing that we may not be able to see our loved ones this December – or any, for that matter.
Joey Burns of Calexico brings us an Arizona-inspired holiday theme this year, meditating on Dia de Los Muertos, the All Souls Procession, or perhaps even lovers or family members.
We all know some folks with an undying love for Christmas music – Noah Wall, of the Barefoot Movement, is one of them. Citing a 700-song playlist which she narrowed down to a mere 14, Wall and the rest of the band bring us their original contribution to the holiday repertoire.
In 2006, Bruce Molsky redefined a collection of old-time classics on his magnum opus, Soon Be Time. Still as important today as it was at the time of release, the autumnal track “Cider” is a favorite of BGS, and a recent feature on Tunesday Tuesday.
Christmas, and the rest of the holiday season, is a time when many of us, whether purposefully or not, get in touch with our inner child. Through the season’s peace, comfort, and familiarity, the Hello Darlins bring their new Heart in the Snow EP to BGS.
New York’s Coco Reilly is one of our most recent 5+5 guests – that is, 5 songs, 5 questions. She chatted with BGS about the inspirations, songwriting, and the influences behind her new self-titled album.
The shopping sprees, mega light-displays, and commercialism haven’t been as important to many of us this holiday season. Instead, we’re clinging to those things we miss a little extra: family, peace, and the kindness of humanity. In this spirit, von Kampen brings us “A Midwest Christmas.”
Another recent 5+5 guest, Colorado-based Canyon City recently spoke with BGS about cherished memories from the stage, rituals, and a dream meal with a dream musician. This week, he brings us “Purple Horizon.”
To close out this holiday packed Radio Hour, Chandler Holt and Lauren Stovall bring us this instant holiday country classic. The fact that it was left off of the Chatham County Line album it was originally recorded for gave Holt and Stovall the opportunity to sing a wonderful duet, and gift it to us this holiday season.
Photo credit: (L to R) Andrea von Kampen by Letura Idigma; Christone “Kingfish” Ingram by Rory Doyle; The Arcadian Wild by Shelby M’lynn Mick.
Artist:Andrea von Kampen Single: “A Midwest Christmas” Release Date: November 6, 2020
In Their Words: “When I sat down to write my first-ever original Christmas tune, I felt at a loss for what to even write about. This year has been tough and disappointing in so many ways for everyone. I wanted to lift spirits of people, but I didn’t feel like sleigh bells, ice skating, or any of the other quintessential Christmas topics were relatable right now. I started to think about what really makes me happy and feel at peace during the holidays. It hasn’t ever been the shopping or the big light displays, but the simple moments that show human kindness. That’s what ‘A Midwest Christmas’ is really all about.” — Andrea von Kampen
Artist:Andrea von Kampen Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska Song: “Hard Times Come Again No More” Album: From the original motion picture Molto Bella Release Date: July 17, 2020 (Single)
In Their Words: “‘Hard Times Come Again No More’ is an American parlor song written by Stephen Foster that dates back to 1854. I had never heard of this song when I was asked to write the soundtrack for the film, Molto Bella. I knew that I wanted the soundtrack to be a combination of original songs and old folk tunes and when I came across the lyrics of this song, I knew they would fit well with what the characters in the film were going through. Little did I know that the lyrics would also be quite meaningful in the time we are currently living in. Much has changed since we shot this film in Italy and yet, the song is almost more meaningful now. The lyrics look forward to a time when hard times will end and the song also speaks to the hope while we go through hard times, we are in this together.” — Andrea von Kampen
Artist:Andrea von Kampen Hometown: Lincoln, Nebraska Song: “Portland” Album:Old Country Release Date: February 8, 2019
In Their Words: “When my filmmaker friend Alexander Jeffery first heard my new song ‘Portland’ he insisted that we fly to Portland, go to the coast, and then drive all the way back home to Nebraska for this new music video. I thought he was crazy considering our low budget and time constraints, but Alexander was certain this was what the music video needed to be.
“So we met up in Portland with our friend Paul Petersen and shot the whole video in three days. We wanted the capture the beauty and realness in both places and show the contrast as well. ‘Portland’ is about yearning for something else and something different while still trying to find contentment and peace with what you already have.” — Andrea Von Kampen
Photo credit: Teagan Nicholle
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