Basic Folk – Dietrich Strause

Dietrich Strause, raised in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, was classically trained on trumpet growing up, but the allure of songwriting and performing his own music pulled him into the Americana world. He found his way to the Boston area and into its super collaborative and supportive community.

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On his new album, You And I Must Be Out Of My Mind, Dietrich found himself more in control of the creative process thanks to spending years cultivating his skills at Great North Sound in Parsonsfield, Maine. Under the mentorship of producer Sam Kassirer, he became empowered in his craft by offering up his services as a session player, engineer and studio handyman. The record took several years to record, but due to his experiences with Sam, he was able to see the way that bands made decisions in the studio and how a record takes shape, which all culminated on his latest record.

Dietrich’s known in the Boston area for sitting in on sessions and live shows with people like Rose Cousins, Kris Delmhorst, and Session Americana. He’s built a home and a community there. Now, Dietrich is in the process of moving his base to London, which sounds challenging to do at any time, never mind during a global pandemic. He talks about how it’s been a strange move and how the pandemic has impacted his relationship with touring. Full disclosure: Dietrich is a close pal of mine and one of my favorite hangs. When I spend time with Dietrich, I feel like a little kid: anything is possible and the day is ours. His music gives me that feeling, too. Hope you enjoy getting to know Dietrich and his perfect songs.


Photo Credit: Sam Kassirer

LISTEN, Lula Wiles, ‘Don’t Ask Why’

Artist: Lula Wiles
Hometown: Boston, MA
Song: "Don't Ask Why"
Album: Lula Wiles
Release Date: May 27

In Their Words: "'Don't Ask Why' is an exploration of human strife, loss, and death and the helplessness one can feel in the face of it. The story comes from a time when my younger brother's life hung in the balance. I vividly remember the little field of wildflowers I was standing in when I got the call from my dad, telling me my brother had suffered a traumatic brain injury. I lost my breath and, in that moment, I felt powerless.

As my brother recovered over the next many months, I wrote this song in an attempt to voice the vulnerability I felt during that experience. I've always been fascinated by the old folk songs with lyrics about unspeakable sorrow such as burying a child or murdering a lover, all sung with a plainspoken sense of honesty. The juxtaposition of major chords and heartache feels really powerful to me. With this song, I tried to approach the lyrics in the same way … combining folk idioms and real emotion with an emphasis on simplicity and earnestness as a songwriter." — Ellie Buckland


Photo credit: Louise Bichan