Tag: BGS Podcast Network

The Other 22 Hours: Lukas Nelson

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

It is easy to look at a lifetime spent traveling on a tour bus in a famous family and assume someone’s creative path was completely clear. We sit down with GRAMMY-winning singer-songwriter and guitar player Lukas Nelson (A Star Is Born, Promise of the Real, Neil Young) for an incredibly honest conversation about moving past the shadow of his father Willie Nelson’s towering legacy, and detangling his identity from the cliched drug-induced creative culture.

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On this episode of the Other 22 Hours, we explore the distinct clarity that arrives with sobriety, the physiological realities of keeping your body moving on the road, and how treating musical discipline like Olympic training allowed Lukas to fully claim his own voice. It’s a masterclass in boundary setting, honoring the natural muse, and discovering that a long-term commitment to your health and your relationships is the ultimate engine for creative longevity.

In This Episode:

– Lukas Nelson
– Promise of the Real
– Willie Nelson
– Merle Haggard
– Lady Gaga
– Neil Young
– Paramount Theater
– The Red Clay Strays
– Outlive by Dr. Peter Attia
– Willie’s Remedy
– All Things Must Pass

Go Deeper: 

Watch: View this entire conversation above or on YouTube.
Explore: Find similar conversations in these themed playlists.
Connect: Join the conversation on Instagram.

The Other 22 Hours is hosted by Aaron Shafer-Haiss (producer, mixer, musician) and Michaela Anne (songwriter, artist, creative coach). More about Aaron’s work. More about Michaela Anne’s work.

Produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Original music written, performed and produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss.

Photo Credit: Matthew Berinato

The Working Songwriter: Stephen Markley

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

This week on The Working Songwriter, we’re thrilled to step out of our normal comfort zone by welcoming one of the country’s most acclaimed young novelists. Originally from Mount Vernon, Ohio, author Stephen Markley now makes his home in Los Angeles. He attended Miami University (of Ohio) for his undergraduate degree before being accepted into the prestigious Iowa Writers’ Workshop.

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Simon & Schuster published his debut novel, Ohio, in 2018. The book was widely praised for its unflinching portrait of post-9/11 Rust Belt America. Then, in 2023, he returned with the massively popular novel, The Deluge, a work of ficiton about climate change that The New York Times named as one of its notable books. The NYT Book Review also said that, “The Deluge shows the range of its author’s gifts: polyphonic narration, silken sentences and elaborate world-building.”

Of the same book none other than Stephen King said, “[It is] simply put a modern classic. If you read it you’ll never forget it.” He also named it as the favorite book he had read the year that he read it.

Markley also works as a screenwriter in LA as a member of the writers room for the Hulu comedy series Only Murders in the Building, which stars Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Selena Gomez.

What a thrill it is to welcome onto the show such a profoundly talented artist who falls outside our normal realm of expertise… I think there’s a lot for songwriters to learn on this cross-discipline episode of the podcast.

Photo Credit: Michael Amico

Basic Folk: Alela Diane

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Back in the mid 2000s Alela Diane‘s The Pirate’s Gospel album was ringing my bell and, apparently, it was ringing a lot of other people’s bells, too – especially Europeans. Her debut album, it went gold in France and she’s been able to maintain a pretty decent audience and career across the Atlantic ever since. Meanwhile, at home in the States – she’s based in Portland, Oregon – after 2013, she remained relatively unknown and undiscovered. That was just fine with her. She worked on her music, occasionally flew over to Europe to tour, played local gigs, and raised her two daughters with her husband in their 1892 Victorian mansion. While they were renovating their crazy old house, they also got their daughters a landline and a CD player each, along with their gifting them their old CD collections. Everything was pretty chill and great. Then her friend and mentor Michael Hurley, “the godfather of freak folk,” died last year at the age of 83.

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After playing a tribute show to Michael, she started connecting more with her Portland music community. She would go to shows, invite people like Anna Tivel over, and started collaborating with others in town. This all led to her new album, Who’s Keeping Time? This time around, she is going full bore on a huge tour, traveling roughly 40% of the time from May through December of this year. It feels like a huge return for the singer-songwriter who is feeling so inspired by creating, collaborating, and being in community again.

Photo Credit: Lead image by Caleb Gaskins. Alternate images by Camille Bruya, and Kelsey Gallagher.

The Other 22 Hours: Judy Collins

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

“We write to find out who we are.” For over six decades, Judy Collins has been a pillar of American music: from a GRAMMY award for “Both Sides Now,” two platinum records, and an Oscar nomination to writing more than eight books and landing her first No. 1 album at 80 years old.

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But behind the staggering accolades is an artist who still treats her craft as a sacred, daily blue-collar job. In this episode of The Other 22 Hours, we explore the quiet discipline of her daily routines, the sanctuary of her 48 years of sobriety, and what she calls the “secret channels of songs.” Judy shares her philosophy on processing grief through poetry, the necessity of maintaining community in a solitary profession, and turning off the noise to protect the soul.

In This Episode:

Judy Collins
Catcher in the Rye – J.D. Salinger
Antonia Brico
Mark Ruffalo
Spotlight
Hemangioma
“The Lonesome Death of Hattie Carroll” – Bob Dylan
Ep 100 – Rosanne Cash
Ep 16 – Rodney Crowell
Telluride Bluegrass Festival
Jo Stafford
Barbara Allen
Al Kooper
Al Grossman

Go Deeper: 

Watch: View this entire conversation above or on YouTube.
Explore: Find similar conversations in these themed playlists.
Connect: Join the conversation on Instagram.

The Other 22 Hours is hosted by Aaron Shafer-Haiss (producer, mixer, musician) and Michaela Anne (songwriter, artist, creative coach). More about Aaron’s work. More about Michaela Anne’s work.

Produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Original music written, performed and produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss.

Photo Credit: Patrick Donovan

Folk Files: There Was Two Brothers

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Whereas “The Two Sisters” murder ballad is a complete, coherent story, “Two Brothers” is messy. What’s the motive? Who are these brothers? Who kills whom?

In this episode of Folk Files, we search for the answers to these questions… and discover a dark hypothesis for why the story is so vague.

(Content warning: this episode discusses themes that may not be appropriate for children.)

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For a list of all musical excerpts used in this episode, click here.
Explore the Derek Piotr Fieldwork Archive.
Support Folk Files by joining our Patreon.

Host: Olivia Harding
Assistant Producer: Aaron J. Morton

The Other 22 Hours: Annie & Cranston Clements

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

What does it mean to treat music not as a commodity, but as a multi-generational way of life? We sit down with father-daughter side musicians Cranston and Annie Clements. Cranston, a cornerstone of New Orleans music history, has played guitar with royalty like Dr. John, Allen Toussaint, and Irma Thomas. His daughter Annie is a bass player for massive acts including Sugarland, Maren Morris, and Hootie & the Blowfish.

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The duo brings a unique perspective on lineage, structural hurdles, and the profound beauty of side musicians’ journeys. Annie shares her vital advocacy work supporting motherhood in the music industry, including working to correct the stark lack of childcare infrastructure in touring. Meanwhile, Cranston details his wild roots in the 1960s counterculture and how a single performance could dismantle a lifetime of prejudice. It is a study on what it truly means to be a “joy facilitator.”

In This Episode:

Annie Clements
Cranston Clements
Ep 151 – Rob Moose
Dejan’s Olympia Brass Band
Tuesday Night Rodeo Club
Maren Morris
Doja Cat
Joy Oladokun
Bad Bunny
Motorhead
Dr John
Boz Scaggs
Maria Muldaur
A Uterus is a Feature Not a Bug – Sarah Lacy
Lucinda Williams
Angine de Poitrine

Go Deeper: 

Watch: View this entire conversation above or on YouTube.
Explore: Find similar conversations in these themed playlists.
Connect: Join the conversation on Instagram.

The Other 22 Hours is hosted by Aaron Shafer-Haiss (producer, mixer, musician) and Michaela Anne (songwriter, artist, creative coach). More about Aaron’s work. More about Michaela Anne’s work.

Produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Original music written, performed and produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss.

Photo Credit: Michael Weintrob

The Working Songwriter: Dale Watson

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Our guest this week was born in Birmingham, Alabama, but, just like Davy Crockett, got to Texas as soon as he could. Dale Watson began his musical career playing the clubs of Houston before decamping to Austin and becoming a fixture in the live music capital of the world. The music machine in Nashville never fully embraced Watson’s traditionalist combination of Western swing, rockabilly, and country, but he’s built a devoted cult following the world over on his own. It’s a style of music that he calls “Ameripolitan.”

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Watson has toured with all the greats: Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson. He’s appeared on The Late Show with David Lettermen, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and of course Austin City Limits. He’s performed at Stagecoach, Bristol Rhythm & Roots, and a host of other festivals.

He was a 2005 Austin Music Hall of Fame inductee and he was awarded the title of Texas State Musician in 2007. He founded the Ameripolitan Music Awards in 2014. The Austin Chronicle calls him their “local honky-tonk hero” and Saving Country Music says that “Dale Watson is all about keeping the honky-tonk traditions alive.”

I got a chance to catch up with Watson a few months ago to hear about his musical journey so far.

Photo courtesy of the artist.

Basic Folk: The Milk Carton Kids

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Kenneth Pattengale and Joey Ryan, the Milk Carton Kids, are calling their latest album, Lost Cause Lover Fool, “the one.” They have finally figured out how to feel and sound like themselves with a broader sonic palette. They attribute that to sharing one mic when they sing with each other. The songs on the album enlarge small feelings and moments, working to turn them all into eternity. Moments that “usually pass too quickly to notice.” The guys have spent their careers making a case for staying small, staying present, and listening closely.

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We loved our conversation with Kenneth and Joey so much – in fact, immediately following Lizzie sent me a voice recording expressing just that. She said it was so real: “What great guests and what great hosts!” We learn that Joey is a nepo folk baby as his mother, Debbie, was in a folk duo in college. We dig into what death–and the banjo–are up to on their new album. We explore what it means to be labeled “weenies” versus “gentle” or “the titans of yearning.” We also hear from the guys about how they do not actually feel pressured to be funny, they just are.

Photo Credit: Max Wagner

The Other 22 Hours: Heather Mae

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

We often look at an artist’s career through the lens of industry accolades: the tours, the streaming numbers, the awards. But what happens when you intentionally dismantle your creative ego to build something focused entirely on collective liberation? Heather Mae is an award-winning independent artist, the founder of Singing Resistance Nashville, and a prominent voice in organized musical activism. Following a viral arrest at the Tennessee State Capitol while protesting anti-trans legislation, Heather sits down with The Other 22 Hours to discuss the profound impacts of communal singing, navigating trauma as a neurodivergent and queer creator, and how to balance radical empathy without completely burning out. It’s an expansive, deeply human conversation about moving past the modern traps of artistic productivity to discover what it truly means to be of service.

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In This Episode:

– Heather Mae
– Ysaye Barnwell
– Sweet Honey in the Rock
– The Song School (Planet Bluegrass)
– National Organization for Women
– Singing Resistance Nashville
– Tennessee Equality Project
– Melody Walker
– Justin Jones
– Gloria Johnson
– WMOT
– “Just More Love”
– Alex Pretti
– Folk Alliance
– Crys Matthews
– Etta James
– MusiCares
– Music Health Alliance
– Carl Jung
– Ep 97 – Fancy Hagood

Go Deeper: 

Watch: View this entire conversation above or on YouTube.
Explore: Find similar conversations in these themed playlists.
Connect: Join the conversation on Instagram.

The Other 22 Hours is hosted by Aaron Shafer-Haiss (producer, mixer, musician) and Michaela Anne (songwriter, artist, creative coach). More about Aaron’s work. More about Michaela Anne’s work.

Produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss. Original music written, performed and produced by Aaron Shafer-Haiss.

Photo Credit: Laura Schneider

Folk Files by Olivia Harding to Join BGS Podcast Network

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

The BGS team is excited to announce yet another addition to the BGS Podcast Network lineup for 2026, after both The Other 22 Hours and the Working Songwriter came on board earlier this year. On June 19, 2026 beloved folk music podcast Folk Files, hosted and created by Olivia Harding, will begin a new season as part of the BGS family. This makes the third new podcast to join BGS in 2026 and the 15th show to partner with or be produced or distributed by the BGS Podcast Network.

Founded in 2023, Harding began Folk Files as a podcast seeking to uncover “the mysteries of folk music through the ages.” Each episode dives deep into the tangled history of murder ballads, sea shanties, rebel songs, and other music that has withstood the test of time. Folk Files provides context, history, and insight into songs we all know and love – and fresh discoveries and deep cuts, too. Episodes will be released once a month on every third Friday beginning on June 19, 2026, with an episode examining a child ballad, “Two Brothers,” and stories of fratricide from around the world. The episode will also discuss the importance of nomadic communities when it comes to the folk process and song collecting. (Find where to listen and subscribe here.)

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“When I first started Folk Files, the Bluegrass Situation was an amazing resource full of interviews, articles, and audio that proved invaluable while I was researching my earliest episodes,” Harding says about the announcement. “I never would have guessed that within a couple years, BGS would become my podcast’s new home. I am so excited and grateful to have joined a network of such passionate, supportive people.”

Cindy Howes, director of the BGS Podcast Network and host of Basic Folk, also gushed about the new partnership: “We have been quietly freaking out over Folk Files for some time now. The way Olivia presents and untangles the mysteries and backstories of folk music had us hooked from the jump. We are overjoyed to welcome this wonderful show to our network.”

With BGS’s longtime focus on roots music, culture, and traditions, Folk Files will certainly feel right at home on the BGS Podcast Network. Before the show resumes with BGS on June 19, Harding shared with us five recommended episodes from the Folk Files archives so readers and subscribers can catch up on the show in preparation. Subscribe now so you don’t miss a thing and dive into the full show archive (above) or Harding’s five recommended episodes (below) to celebrate the addition of Folk Files to the BGS Podcast Network.

The Music of Temple Bar (Episode #3.3)

In 2026’s St. Patrick’s Day episode, Folk Files asks the question: Is it actually Irish? Explore over thirty songs that are performed in Irish contexts and see if they actually come from Irish sources. Along the way, we’ll discuss the Rising of 1798, the history of Dublin, the Great Famine, and the Irish diaspora.

Stand and Deliver (Episode #2.8)

Robbers, bandits, highwaymen – there are a lot of English folk songs about outlaws. In this episode of Folk Files, we look at why there are so many songs about criminals and what patterns exist in these ballads. Then, we look at “Robbers’ Retreat” in an attempt to figure out why the song (also known as “Cadgwith Anthem”) doesn’t seem to follow any of those patterns.

Peaches in the Summertime (Episode #8)

“Shady Grove” is an Appalachian folk song that is often linked to the English ballad “Matty Groves.” But what is the actual relationship between them? This episode of Folk Files discusses the meaning and history of “Shady Grove” and untangles the origins of the two iconic songs.

Haul Away (Episode #4)

This episode of Folk Files traces the roots of popular sea shanties to Black work songs and African folk traditions.

Learn more about Folk Files and subscribe here.

Lead image photo courtesy of Olivia Harding.