Artist:Max McNown Hometown: Bend, Oregon Latest Album:Wandering Personal Nicknames (or rejected band names): Almost went by Max Winter (Winter is my middle name)!
What rituals do you have, either in the studio or before a show?
My pre-show rituals remain somewhat consistent from show to show. I stay hydrated throughout the day leading up to soundcheck and I typically take it easy on my voice while I rehearse the songs (because I haven’t warmed up at that point). Post-soundcheck, I rest in the green room and use a steam inhaler to clear my sinuses before letting my vocal cords cool down from the heat for at least 30 minutes. After that, I kill time until around 30 minutes before I hit the stage, occupying myself with iPhone games to distract me from the pre-show nerves. At 20 minutes before the show I do a 10 minute vocal routine. At the 10 minute mark I call a circle with my band and say a prayer of thankfulness, asking that whatever happens, we impact the crowd for good. Minutes before stepping on the stage I conduct a box breathing exercise to slow my heart rate, and I’m off to the races!
If you had to write a mission statement for your career, what would it be?
Growing up, I leaned on music to get me through some of my most difficult moments. If I could summarize my “mission” it would be to return that healing… To repay what music has done for me to those who hear my own songs.
How often do you hide behind a character in a song or use “you” when it’s actually “me”?
Considering nearly all my songs are directly influenced by my own life, I hide behind characters often. I purposefully keep it vague when discussing which lines in which songs are fully “true stories.” Some of the most impactful films of my life are “based on a true story” and I take that knowledge into every writing room. Occasionally I take liberties when storytelling, but a lot of my work is pretty accurate to my own life journey.
Does pineapple really belong on pizza?
Considering Hawaiian-style pizza is one of my favorite foods, I strongly believe if you enjoy the taste, you can put whatever you want on pizza!
If you were a color, what shade would you be – and why?
If I were a color I’d have to think I’d be my favorite one, forest green… Simply because of my upbringing in the lush Oregon trees, my green eyes, and my love for nature!
I’m honored to create a playlist for BGS. I’ll share a Mixtape inspired by the theme of time and celebrating the here and now. I grew up in Virginia by the water and my musical life has been influenced by the seasons and the tides. Life (so far) has been a counterpoint of going with my gut and enjoying the moment while also considering intention and the bigger picture. But I’ve learned that I am more in touch with myself as an artist when I can remain in the present. The songs I’ve selected tend to resonate with my intuitive sense of joy and unconditional love – that deeply rooted part of ourselves that is free and unburdened.
It’s celebratory for me to share two tracks from my new album, Boarding Windows in Paradise, out now via Compass Records. Produced by Bill Wolf – who’s known for his work with Tony Rice and Grateful Dead – the album features the talents of Béla Fleck, Sam Bush, Stuart Duncan, Barry Bales, Ron Block, and a constellation of other bluegrass stars. The writing and recording process for the album brought me to a place of learning to create my own paradise through daily intention and action, and I’m grateful for this experience. – Rebecca Frazier
“High Country Road Trip” – Rebecca Frazier
I grew up on the water, so I love going with the flow and being taken for a ride. But I’ve got that philosophical side, where I’m also asking, “Where is this leading?” This song is meant to capture that moment of joy somewhere in the middle; that elevated feeling of loving the lightness of not knowing what’s around the bend and not necessarily trying to create a specific outcome.
“It’s a Great Day to Be Alive” – Darrell Scott
This song brings back great memories of living in Colorado and seeing Darrell Scott singing this one at music festivals out west. His song quickly became an anthem for savoring the present: “It’s a great day to be alive, the sun’s still shining when I close my eyes.”
“Sailin’ Shoes” – Sam Bush
This one is another anthem on the bluegrass festival scene. It’s about cutting loose and feeling liberated. When Sam Bush goes into his signature chop to kick it off, fans start to cheer like wild and dance in recognition. The freeing and soaring feeling of sailing – we definitely feel that when John Cowan joins in with his soaring vocals. As the lyric expresses, “Everyone will clap and cheer when you put on your sailing shoes…” Sam sings and plays it with abandon and you can’t help it but smile (or dance!) when you listen to this classic Little Feat cover.
“All I Want” – Joni Mitchell
“Applause applause, life is our cause.” Joni’s lyric speaks volumes about her expression of letting go. She sings about that feeling of dancing and unleashing herself in a dive bar, falling in love, and letting the best in herself emerge by forgetting about herself for a moment. “I want to have fun, I want to shine like the sun… I want to make you feel free.”
“Time in a Bottle” – Jim Croce
“I’d save every day like a treasure and then, again I would spend them with you.” This classic is a poignant reminder about the essence of time and what seems to have mattered most at the end. Croce sings about savoring time with a loved one and realizing that the metaphorical box of wishes and dreams can only be answered by memories of time spent with a loved one.
“Nick Of Time” – Bonnie Raitt
This song brings back powerful memories from the ’90s, when Bonnie Raitt received well-deserved acclaim as an artist after years of hard work as a blues musician. The message of time passing and realizing that we have almost missed a great life experience-but found that fruition in the nick of time-resonated with a wider audience. Her relaxed and soulful vocals portray the hopeful message in a calming way.
“Days Like This” – Van Morrison
In his relaxed and soulful way, Morrison sings about those rare worry-free days when the pieces effortlessly come together in a satisfying way: “When all the parts of the puzzle start to look like they fit, there’ll be days like this.”
“Cat’s in the Cradle” – Harry Chapin
This classic may be a tear-jerker, but it’s also a celebration of time. We’re reminded by Chapin to spend meaningful time with our loved ones now and not to wait for a speculative future time when our “schedule” is free. The lasting image of an adult son who’s now too busy for his dad – after spending years as a small child asking his dad to spend time together – is a powerful reminder about life’s priorities.
“Thunderclouds Of Love” – Tony Rice
Classic, powerful Tony Rice at his finest. This description of a thunderbolt moment can light up any heart, and Tony’s guitar solo takes us there with flashy, bluesy fireworks. Jimmy Headrick’s lyrics set the scene for Tony’s soulful and punchy baritone vocals: “I have been praying four nights on end for someone who could make me live again, and all at once from the darkness of my heart they came to light.”
“Alabama Pines” – Jason Isbell
This one snuck onto this list, because it always brings me into the present moment. Isbell’s writing and singing is just that good. Whatever you were thinking about or worrying about, it all tends to go out the window. Suddenly you’re driving in Alabama and seeing all of the imagery he describes, feeling all of the emotions he expresses.
“Help Me Make It Through the Night” – Kris Kristofferson
Kristofferson’s is my favorite version of this classic and I’ll admit that he also happens to be my celebrity crush. While he’s portraying relishing this moment, this night, I think many women are wondering if he really needs to ask for help with that cause? In all seriousness, he does pull us into the present with his poignant lyric: “Yesterday is dead and gone, and tomorrow’s out of sight.”
“Duck’s Eye” – Charles Butler
Banjoist Charles Butler is one of my favorite composers and this tune pulls me into an effortless feeling of gliding over an oceanic vastness. The call and response melodies bring the listener into a trance-like state, and the simple melody pulls the listener to that perfectly placed “eye” of the composition, echoing the David Lynch reference of Butler’s inspiration.
“Make Hay While the Moon Shines” – Rebecca Frazier
When I wrote this song with Bob Minner and Jon Weisberger, we wanted to express the feeling of unleashing ourselves and savoring the moment once the moon rises. We’ve all been told to “make hay while the sun shines,” but it’s just as important to put down our work and allow ourselves to be free and true to our inner selves.
There’s something for everyone in this week’s premiere round-up!
From the bluegrass realm, check out a new, suitably spooky track from southwest Virginia mainstay Amanda Cook, a vocal trio number from the fellas of Sideline, and Twisted Pine have a brand new music video for a song all about bluegrass festival fun, “After Midnight (Nothing Good Happens).”
From elsewhere on the genre map, check out tracks debuting from singer-songwriter Bailey Bigger, Swedish artist Sarah Klang has an Americana-flavored number featuring Eric D. Johnson of Fruit Bats, and Emily Frembgen declares she’s “Hard 2 Love.”
Don’t miss a lyric video for the title track from American Idol winner Lee DeWyze’s brand new album, Gone For Days, as well. It’s all right here on BGS and You Gotta Hear This!
In Their Words: “‘Nancy Jo’ was a more recently written song this year. I wrote it in memory of my grandmother, who represents to me all the women in my life who have sacrificed their own dreams for the inevitable love for those around them. It’s a bittersweet, give-and-take feeling to experience and watch take over the amazing women in our lives, and something I think we can all relate to universally. The duality of my grandmother was beautiful to me. She had so many regrets, dreams she never got to take a real shot at, and hopes, yet so much gratitude, love, and confidence in the path she did choose in this life. She loved her life and brought so much joy and presence to those around her. But we would dream together every time I sat with her in the kitchen. When I reach for my life and my future, it’s not just my hands, it’s all the women in my ancestry, standing behind me, pushing me further.
“This song was highly influenced, musically, by the dream pop movement of the ’90s. My dad gave me his CDs by The Sundays that he wore out in college, and I fell in love instantly with their dreamy guitar tones and Harriet’s voice just painting the canvas with her melodies. I wanted to create a similar production with clear inspiration behind this song, and dream pop is a genre I’ve been itching to explore in my own sound as I get creative with guitar pedals and melodies.” – Bailey Bigger
Amanda Cook, “Devil’s Looking Glass”
Artist:Amanda Cook Hometown: Fancy Gap, Virginia Song: “Devil’s Looking Glass” Album:Restless Soul Release Date: September 18, 2024 (single); October 18, 2024 (album) Label: Mountain Fever Records
In Their Words: “I love a spooky song and when Troy Boone (our mandolin player) let me hear his demo of ‘Devil’s Looking Glass,’ I knew I was going to be hooked. Troy’s vivid lyrics make the story feel so real that it’s almost like a true legend coming to life. As Troy shared, he wrote ‘Devil’s Looking Glass’ in high school, drawing inspiration from the rock formation above the Nolichucky River near his childhood home and crafting a haunting song based on a local curse story.” – Amanda Cook
Track Credits: Written by Troy Boone. Amanda Cook – Lead vocal Carolyne Van Lierop – Banjo Troy Boone – Mandolin Brady Wallen – Guitar Josh Faul – Bass George Mason – Fiddle
Lee DeWyze, “Gone For Days”
Artist:Lee DeWyze Hometown: Chicago, Illinois Song: “Gone For Days” Album:Gone For Days Release Date: September 13, 2024 Label: Mavelle Records
In Their Words: “‘Gone For Days’ for me reflects on how someone can feel lost, but through that – inspired and transformed by their environment. Ultimately, for me, it’s a story of growth and rebirth. To an extent, it captures my own personal experience of stepping into the unknown when choosing to make the decision to head to Bristol, Tennessee and make this album.
“My hope is that this song can serve as an anthem for those who navigate the dark, and seek their own path. I want ‘Gone For Days’ to offer reassurance that even in the darkest moments, there’s a way forward.
“It was one of the last songs I wrote for this album – and while working with the amazing musicians out in Bristol and taking in the energy of where I was, it dawned on me it wasn’t just a song, it was a documentary for my journey and a snapshot of the profound changes I was experiencing.” – Lee DeWyze
Track Credits: Written by Lee DeWyze. Lee DeWyze – Vocals, acoustic guitar Phil Faconti – Electric guitar Dave Eggar – Cello, string arrangement Noah Denton – Bass Jordan Katz – Horns Mike Stephenson – Drums, percussion Blake Collins – Mandolin
Video Credit: Lee DeWyze
Emily Frembgen, “Hard 2 Love”
Artist:Emily Frembgen Hometown: New York City Song: “Hard 2 Love” Album:No Hard Feelings Release Date: September 13, 2024 Label: Don Giovanni Records
In Their Words: “I made ‘Hard 2 Love’ at Excello Studios in Greenpoint, Brooklyn with my producer Hugh Pool. We recorded it and most of the other tracks on No Hard Feelings live with Keith Robinson on drums, Bruce Martin on piano, and Charles Dechants on bass. Melody Stolpp came in later to record back up vocals. The song owes a lot to Lucinda Williams’s ‘Blue,’ which is often playing in my head. I’m so fascinated with these super simple yet emotionally impactful songs. Lucinda’s ‘Blue’ and ‘Lonely Girls,’ Lou Reed’s ‘Pale Blue Eyes,’ Sondheim’s ‘Losing My Mind.’ My relationship with my father informs this and many of the songs on this album as it has greatly informed the way I exist in the world. This is a cathartic song for me to sing and I hope it’s cathartic for other people. It’s hard to love and to be loved, at least for some of us.” – Emily Frembgen
Track Credits: Emily Frembgen – Vocals Hugh Pool – Guitar Keith Robinson – Drums Bruce Martin – Piano Charles Dechants – Bass Melody Stolpp – Backup vocals
Sarah Klang, “Last Forever” featuring Fruit Bats
Artist:Sarah Klang Hometown: Gothenburg, Sweden Song: “Last Forever” featuring Fruit Bats Release Date: September 13, 2024 Label: Nettwerk Music Group
In Their Words: “It’s a song about the feeling of being ‘the bad one’ in the relationship. Or maybe even that you are ‘the bad one.’ And you love someone who insists on seeing the best in you, and constantly fights on, even though you behave badly. I didn’t really have any idea that it could be a duet until Eric suggested it. He asked me to write down some of my dream artists to duet with, and of course I wrote his name as #1 on the note. Luckily he said yes!
“This collaboration was an eye-opener to me, because it immediately opened two creative worlds: suddenly there were two perspectives and that is very new for me to have. To get to work with someone I admire so much was a dream come true, and I felt like it made me a stronger writer too.” – Sarah Klang
“When Sarah and her writing partner, Theo Stocks, brought this sketch in, I was already all in on it going on the album. The opening line: ‘I’ve got two issues with you, and one of them is that you love me…’ just devastated me out of the gate. The song starts off as a lilting waltz, then turns into a chugging, desperate rock anthem and fades off into the sunset. When they suggested I sing a verse, I was honored and intimidated. I love that each verse comes from a different perspective – and then ends on intertwined stories about lovers trying to figure out the balance of life.” – Eric D. Johnson, Fruit Bats
Sideline, “Is It True”
Artist:Sideline Hometown: Raleigh, North Carolina Song: “Is It True” Release Date: September 13, 2024 Label: Mountain Home Music Company
In Their Words: “It’s really awesome to watch a band take an older song and make it into their own without completely dissecting the original. When Steve brought this one to the table, it was obvious that it was a Sideline song. We applied our drive and energy to it and let the lyrics do the rest of the work. It is also one of the very few – if any – Sideline songs with a trio throughout the whole song, and Bailey nailed the lead part. High-powered and exciting!” – Skip Cherryholmes, guitar and vocals
“What caught my attention about this song was that it is one of the rare cases where the verses have harmony all the way through, and the choruses are sung solo. Typically, it’s vice versa.” – Steve Dilling, banjo and vocals
Track Credits: Skip Cherryholmes – Guitar, vocals Steve Dilling – Banjo, vocals Bailey Coe – Lead vocal Kyle Windbeck – Upright bass Nick Goad – Mandolin, vocals Matt Flake – Fiddle
Twisted Pine, “After Midnight (Nothing Good Happens)”
Artist:Twisted Pine Hometown: Boston, Massachusettes & Toronto, Ontario, Canada Song: “After Midnight (Nothing Good Happens)” Album:Love Your Mind Release Date: September 17, 2024 (single); October 18, 2024 Label: Signature Sounds
In Their Words: “Every summer, music fanatics assemble their camping gear and instruments and gather together in a field somewhere for that most peculiar of community events: the bluegrass festival. As a band, many of our formative and milestone experiences have taken place at festivals. We’ve learned a lot of lessons – good and bad. This song is our ode to the festival experience. It’s about a universal thought process that happens every night at festivals around the world, ‘Should I be trying to get some sleep right now? Or should I stay up, and pick, and see where the night takes me?’ It’s definitely a coin toss, and depending on how you feel you might regret the late night the next morning, but either way, it makes for a memorable night, and you look forward to what next year’s fest will bring
“The details of the song are based on true events and everyone’s festival vibe. Chris likes to wander around looking for hot dogs; Kathleen croons country ballads in the moonlight; Anh typically stays out until the sun comes up; Dan posts up at the center of the old-time jam on bass. And there’s always that dude at the jam trying to get laid so in our song we named him Dirty Pete.
“Shot on location at two of the very best festivals in our part of the country: the Ossipee Valley Music Festival and Green Mountain Bluegrass and Roots, ‘(Nothing Good Happens) After Midnight’ should be a familiar sentiment for BGS readers. See y’all next year!” – Twisted Pine
Track Credits: Written by Kathleen Parks, Dan Bui, and Anh Phung. Kathleen Parks – Lead vocals, fiddle Chris Sartori – Bass Dan Bui – Mandolin Anh Phung – Flute, background vocals Ethan Robbins – Guitar
Video Credit: Directed, filmed, and edited by Jay Strausser, Jay Strausser Visuals
Photo Credit: Twisted Pine by J. Chattman; Lee DeWyze by Kalin Gordon Photography.
Welcome to another edition of Folk Debate Club, our occasional debate series! To discuss ambition vs. acceptance, we welcome our panel: music journalist Kim Ruehl, Basic Folk boss Cindy Howes, and yours truly Lizzie No. We would like to extend a very warm welcome to our special guests singer-songwriter Michaela Anne and producer Aaron Shafer-Haiss, also hosts of The Other 22 Hours podcast. In our lively conversation we work through thoughts and feelings about the definition of ambition: a strong desire to do or to achieve something, typically requiring determination and hard work. We take the approach from a music industry, folk music and even dive into the audience perspective of how fans might feel about an artist’s ambition.
It is no surprise that capitalism gets rung right out as a reason that ambition goes wrong for artists. As Kim says, “Art is like the nervous system of humanity,” and mixing creation with ambition-gone-wrong is a dangerous game that a lot (most?) professional musicians play with at some point in their careers. This episode has everything: navigating our way out of toxic work environments, messy reactions to unpopular yet important political stances and how to not throw away the people who disagree with you. Listen along and enjoy the ride.
Photo Credit: Lizzie No by Cole Neilson; Cindy Howes by Liz Dutton; Michaela Anne and producer Aaron Shafer-Haiss; Kim Ruehl by Rich Amory
For many of us, we’re already well aware of how difficult it is to pinpoint the sonic tones and textures of Fruition. From Americana to blues, gospel to folk, the ensemble has this “kitchen sink” type of subconscious approach — one where anything goes musically, so long as it inspires and stokes the creative flame within.
On their latest album, How to Make Mistakes, the Portland, Oregon-based quintet retains that same intent, which has made the group a prized touring act in acoustic realms coast-to-coast since it first came onto the scene in 2008.
At the helm of the band is founding member Mimi Naja, a multi-instrumentalist whose swirling, carefree vocals of joy, purpose, and curiosity reside at the heart of the chemistry that gives Fruition this ebb and flow relationship with the muse itself. Always soaking in whatever you cross paths with; always radiating a deep sense of self from inhabiting of your own respective path in this universe.
Beyond the new record, Fruition also recently crossed over the 15-year mark together, after a cosmic happenstance where guitarist Jay Cobb Anderson just so happened to see Naja at a Portland open mic night those many years ago — the result being this continued journey of not only artistic discovery, but also genuine friendship.
Listening to the new album, what I like about it is in such a chaotic world we live in on a day-to-day basis, it’s relaxing. It made me, purposely or subconsciously, slow down a little bit.
Mimi Naja: Yes. That’s amazing. I love “relaxing” as an adjective. I really feel like we matured a little bit by this stage. But really, I think we just kind of relaxed. There’s a lot of half-time tempo. Just settle in and do the song. Not a lot of pumped, flashy, show-off energy, just very chill.
It didn’t seem like y’all were in a hurry. It seemed like the band was enjoying the process, being together and creating.
That’s exactly it. You’re nailing it. I’m glad that it’s coming across that way. The title, How to Make Mistakes, is pulled from a song lyric in one of the tracks. But, it’s really appropriate to the fact that it’s all [recorded] live with no overdubs. All in the same room and just in the moment. Making a record like records used to be — an actual record of people sitting in a room playing music.
What does it feel like to be with folks that you’ve played together for 15 years and to still enjoy that space?
It’s the best. And the fact that it has been so many years is why it’s easy to get there. I dabble in other side projects and I love the thrill of having to stay on your toes, when you’re getting to know someone musically and otherwise. But, it’s a real blessing to just settle in [with Fruition] — it feels like home.
Maybe even on an existential level, what does that album title mean to you?
We just believe in the beauty of flaws. And knowing when something is raw, it’s real. In a world of how we look on social media and filters and everything being polished and clean and quantized, we love the realness and the rawness. Sometimes that’s cracks in your voice or you’re slightly out of tune or whatever it is — we love that. There’s a thirst for that realness in this polished age. So, we hope it makes the ears happy in this world.
Whether it’s conscious or subconscious, your band is very elusive sonically. Is that by design or just how things evolved?
I think it’s a point of pride in the early days of, “We are here to deliver a good song in its finest form, no matter what it sounds [like].” In some ways, it’s been to our detriment, as far as a growth trajectory. From a longevity career standpoint, being elusive is charming, but it’s also hard to sell. So, in a way it was by design. But then, as the years went on, I think we hate boxes. People need boxes and we don’t have one for them. So, that’s why we’re kind of trying to cling to this Americana blanket because it works for us.
There’s such a rich tapestry of sound. I hear Delta blues, gospel, country, indie rock, and folk. I hear everything in there. But, that’s also a testament to the band’s curiosity. Y’all seem like you’re sponges just constantly soaking in influences.
For sure. And it’s what we love about ourselves individually and as a band. It’s what fuels such a richness. But, it’s a double-edged sword. That can be confusing to new fans that are just pushing play. It’s such a crap shoot on whatever two or three songs they choose to push play on throughout our pretty large discography. They could get a very different outcome. But, you know, that’s the chance we take, we love it all. That’s what makes this unique, but also confusing.
Multiple harmonies are a big part of your sound. Why is that such an important component to the band?
We just love singing, first and foremost. As a band, that’s the roots of where we began. We were a sidewalk busking band before we ever really organized. That’s just what we were doing for fun and for chump change. Back in the good old days, just busking to pay our bills. And that’s when we realized how powerful this three-part harmony was together. And that comes back to [the new album], how it feels sitting in a room together when those three-part harmonies kick in. That’s what really feels like home. It’s always to serve the song – that’s our deep love right there.
What did busking teach you about who you are as artists?
You learn to use the kind of the raucous, fast, high, long note vocals. But faster, a little more like party songs. We knew when we needed to turn it up, to turn some heads and get a couple bucks dropped. But, I learned once you’ve drawn them in, that’s when you can do what you really want, which is sing the slower, sadder, prettier things. We love it all. We love raucous rock, but we’re really quite tender artists at heart. I learned how to get attention and I learned that we do have something special. Once we’ve gotten the attention, we have it, and so then we have freedom to relax. Today’s climate makes it pretty challenging, but we believe in it and we’re just hoping for more ears, so that we can continue doing what we love.
Fruition recently crossed over the 15-year mark. What’s been the biggest takeaway for you on this journey thus far?
I can tell you that the passing of time is blowing my mind. Fifteen years sounds wild. My body doesn’t feel youthful, but my spirit still feels youthful. The road and the performing, the giving your heart up onstage and getting that back from the crowd? That keeps us young. The flying and sitting in vans doesn’t. There’s a youthful spirit that stays alive through all of this somehow. A true band is as deep as a marriage or a sibling-hood. It’s beautiful. And it’s a real testament to the music, too, because it’s cool when you see people just grow and continue to offer new shades of their music or new chapters. And, with no shade to any sort of artist or bands with hired guns, it’s very apparent that this is so different from that. It’s so much deeper. It’s a family, you know?
There is no disputing that Tom Paxton is a living music legend. In the early 1960s, he was a major player in the vibrant Greenwich Village folk scene, along with the likes of Bob Dylan, Phil Ochs, and Peter, Paul & Mary. The writer of such classic tunes as “Last Thing On My Mind,” “Bottle Of Wine,” “I Can’t Help To Wonder (Where I’m Bound),” and “Ramblin’ Boy,” Paxton has earned Lifetime Achievement Awards from the GRAMMYs, ASCAP, and the BBC. The beloved songwriter has had his tunes covered by a wide spectrum of acts, ranging from Harry Belafonte and Neil Diamond to the Pogues and Norah Jones. While several fellow singer-songwriters (notably Carolyn Hester and Anne Hills) have devoted entire albums to Paxton music, it took a group of admiring bluegrass musicians to deliver the first multi-artist tribute album of his songs.
Bluegrass Sings Paxton, which came out August 30 on Mountain Home Music Company, offers an impressive lineup of contributors that cuts across several generations of bluegrass musicians. Performers include celebrated acts, such as Alice Gerrard, Claire Lynch, Laurie Lewis, and Tim O’Brien along with younger stars, like Sister Sadie, Della Mae, Steep Canyon Rangers’ singer/guitarist Aaron Burdett, Unspoken Tradition’s Sav Sankaran, and current IBMA Male Vocalist of the Year Greg Blake.
Paxton, speaking to BGS from his home in Virginia, said that he had a mostly hands-off role in the making of Bluegrass Sings Paxton. “I just sat on the sidelines in amazement”; however, he confided, “I was just blown away” after listening to the entire album for the first time. The 86-year-old singer-songwriter was also being a little modest about his own contributions. This collection contains two new Paxton tunes, and he sings on a pair of tracks as well.
The genesis for Bluegrass Sings Paxton started with a conversation that GRAMMY-winning musician/producer Cathy Fink had some years ago with Paxton, who she has worked with since the early 1980s and has known even longer. “I know Tom’s catalog really well and have often thought there was great material there for bluegrass,” she shared with BGS. “I could hear this album before we even began.” The idea further evolved a while later when Fink brought up the idea to award-winning songwriter, producer, and Mountain Home executive Jon Weisberger at IBMA a few years back, and he immediately came aboard.
Several of Paxton’s tunes have been very popular in bluegrass circles over the years. A half century ago, Kentucky Mountain Boys covered “Ramblin Boy” while the Dillards and the Kentucky Colonels were among those who have recorded “The Last Thing On My Mind.” More recently, “I Can’t Help But Wonder (Where I’m Bound)” was a hit for Ashby Frank and “Leavin’ London” is a live staple of Billy Strings’ concerts. However, both Fink and Weisberger thought the project was a terrific way to get Paxton’s deep songbook better known in the bluegrass world. As Weisberger explained, “I had no doubt that there were more [songs] – both already written and yet to be written – that would work well within bluegrass, and that bringing them to light would encourage artists looking for songs to look to his catalog.”
Several acts came into the project with specific songs that they wanted to do. Blake, who fatefully was sitting at the same table with Weisberger and Fink at IBMA, quickly put dibs on “Leaving London.” Danny Paisley, who remembered his dad, ’80s bluegrass star Bob Paisley, taking him to the Philadelphia Folk Festival as a child and seeing Paxton play there, requested “Ramblin’ Boy,” because it was a song his father had performed. “I Can’t Help But Wonder (Where I’m Bound)” was already part of Della Mae’s live repertoire, so doing that tune was a natural fit for them.
When it came to what songs other acts took on, Fink gave the performers a lot of free rein to delve into Paxton’s vast treasury of tunes, a decision that worked out wonderfully. “Each artist made the song their own and it really worked,” she confided. Claire Lynch chose “I Give You The Morning” and Alice Gerrard selected “The Things I Notice Now” from Paxton’s 1969 The Things I Notice Now album. Chris Jones picked “The Last Hobo” from 1986’s And Loving You. Paxton’s 2002 album, Lookin’ for The Moon, was the source for both Aaron Burdett’s selection of and Sav Sankaran’s rendition of the title track. Laurie Lewis, meanwhile, found “Central Square” from 2015’s Redemption Road. In case you haven’t done the math, these songs alone cover nearly 50 years of Paxton’s recordings.
Paxton, too, was thrilled with the selections, proclaiming “I liked every one of the songs that they chose.” While he expected tunes like “Can’t Help But Wonder,” “Ramblin’ Boy,” and “The Last Thing On My Mind” would be part of the set, Paxton said he “was just tickled to death” over the inclusion of such lesser known numbers as “Central Square,” “The Same River Twice,” and “The Last Hobo.”
Chris Jones revealed to BGS that he picked “The Last Hobo” because the tune “felt like a classic Tom Paxton third-person story song, sort of in the spirit of ‘Ramblin’ Boy,’ in a way. It has a kind of tenderness that is so often present in Tom’s songs.”
Jones was also a member of the de facto “house band” that played on the majority of Bluegrass Sings Paxton’s tracks. A secret weapon behind the album, this team of bluegrass all-stars includes IBMA award-winners banjo player Kristin Scott Benson (the Grascals), fiddler Deanie Richardson (Sister Sadie), and Jones on guitar, along with mandolinist Darren Nicholson (formerly of Balsam Range), bassist Nelson Williams (Chris Jones & the Night Drivers, New Dangerfield) and harmony singers Travis Book (The Infamous Stringdusters) and Wendy Hickman.
Jones felt that everyone “clicked well together” and gave the music “a natural sound, which helped give the impression that these were bluegrass songs to begin with, even if they weren’t.” He also credited producers Weisberger and Fink for “coming up with arrangements that really fostered that feeling, too.”
Bluegrass Sings Paxton opens with one of the tunes that Paxton sings on. He was able to join Della Mae on “I Can’t Help But Wonder (Where I’m Bound)” as the band was recording in Maryland, not too far away from Paxton’s home base in Virginia.
“We did it live in the studio. No overdubs or anything,” he revealed. “I had a ball doing that track with them.” Paxton also sang with long-time collaborators Cathy Fink & Marcy Marxer – the three did a double album, All New, together in 2022 – on the up-tempo love tune, “All I Want,” which is also one of the two of new Paxton tunes on the project. The other new number, “You Took Me In” is a co-write with Tim O’Brien and his wife Jan Fabricius. One of the first tunes he wrote with the couple, Paxton said that “it had to be chosen. It’s such a good song.” He described it as “gospel without being gospel,” adding, “I took the literal gospel out of it and kept everything else.”
Fink & Marxer and O’Brien & Fabricius are among the handful of musicians that the still highly-active octogenarian collaborates with via Zoom each week. Folk luminary John McCutcheon, Colorado troubadour Jackson Emmer, and the rising Pittsburgh band Buffalo Rose are also among his regular online songwriting coterie. Paxton says he sometimes writes three to five songs a week. “Lots of folks would retire to the golf course at this point in their lives,” Fink marveled, “but Tom is driven by writing the next song.”
Over the years, Paxton has penned hundreds and hundreds of songs, and more than 60 albums bear his name, beginning with 1962’s I’m the Man That Built the Bridges that was recorded live at New York City’s fabled Gaslight Club. Even from the start, Paxton filled his records predominately with originals, which wasn’t typical at that time. Dylan’s 1962 debut, for example, contained only two originals. Dave Van Ronk, in fact, famously proclaimed in his memoir that it was Paxton who kicked off the folk scene’s “New Song Movement,” not Dylan as often credited.
The best-known songs from his debut, somewhat curiously, are three tunes that might best be described as children’s music: “My Dog Is Bigger Than Your Dog,” “Marvelous Toys,” and “Going To The Zoo.” Writing and performing kids songs was not an isolated occurrence for Paxton, who went on to release several children’s albums, including the GRAMMY-nominated Your Shoes, My Shoes, and to write books for kids. Paxton very much sees himself as continuing the legacy of his heroes, Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger, and The Weavers – artists who performed all types of songs, from story songs and ballads to children’s tunes and political songs.
“Everything I do is really rooted in traditional music,” Paxton elaborated during his phone interview. “I’m always going back to that well of traditional folk music, Appalachian music, cowboy music. It’s a wonderful tradition – great, great songs, and I just keep trying to write songs that feel the way they felt.”
Paxton cites one specific musician – the late, great Doc Watson – to explains his “best route” to bluegrass music. He saw Watson when Ralph Rinzler first brought him to play in New York City and came away so impressed. “I was very fond of him and adored his music. I think he liked me, too. Doc recorded many of my songs over the years.” He also remembered sharing a bill with Watson once in Tampa and being brought out on stage to perform “Bottle Of Wine.” Paxton was rather intimidated over Watson’s and his guitarist Jack Lawrence’s virtuosity. “Why do I feel like I’m wearing painter’s gloves,” he recalled saying while admitting “it was a lot of fun.”
Weisberger describes Paxton’s place in American music as a unique one. “He was an integral part of the transition from wholly traditional folk music to the more modern conception of the field, with its inclusion of performing songwriters, but where a lot of his contemporaries moved on in one way or another, he went deep rather than broad… I think that’s what makes so many of his songs sound so natural and organic and almost effortless. That is an artistry that is really easy to overlook or under-appreciate, so I’m happy to have put together a collection that will, I hope, bring more attention and appreciation to that still ongoing legacy.”
When asked how his songwriting has changed over the years, Paxton replied that he hopes it’s deeper and more developed, adding rather humbly that “I’m still the same writer I was when I wrote ‘Last Thing On My Mind.’ It’s like a farmer who puts in the same crop every year. It’s the same farmer.”
Photo courtesy of Fleming Artists. Album cover courtesy of Crossroads Label Group.
Artist:Lyle de Vitry Hometown: Originally Lancaster, Pennsylvania, but I now live in Asheville, North Carolina. Latest Album:Door Within A Dream Personal Nicknames (or rejected band names): I have a lot of nicknames in my family. Pan, Chi, Fluffy Bundun, Lymees, Lyman are a few classics.
Which artist has influenced you the most – and how?
Nick Drake has been a long time favorite and he’s certainly one of my biggest influences. When I was about 14 or 15, I remember diving deep into his records and being so completely blown away by his guitar playing. I had never heard anyone play like that, and it opened up a whole world for me. At that point I wasn’t writing my own music, but I learned some of Nick’s songs and began exploring his tunings, which, to me, were so wonderfully strange and emotionally evocative.
When I started writing my own songs I would often use some of these tunings, as well as some other open tunings I picked up along the way from other artists. Eventually, I began inventing some of my own tunings, which is something I’m not sure I would have been as likely to do had I not delved so deeply into Nick’s work. Playing a guitar in an unfamiliar tuning helps me to get into that childlike, playful state where I’m making discoveries and delighting in them. Like trying ice cream for the first time or leaping into your first icy cold river. In those moments, there is no time or space to feel self-conscious – for your full attention is fixated on this new joyful experience.
I tend to be drawn to artists who sing more softly. In addition to Nick Drake, some of my greatest influences and inspirations include Jose Gonzalez, Sufjan Stevens and, in more recent years, Adrianne Lenker. It’s funny though, I actually have a really big voice when I want to use it – and at one point was considering pursuing a professional career in opera. We’ll see, I might decide to open up my voice a bit more as the years go by and I continue to develop my style. It won’t be opera, but I’m just excited about experimenting with the way I sing, volume level, vibrato, tone, range, etc.
What other art forms – literature, film, dance, painting, etc. – inform your music?
When writing a song, I try my best to write lyrics that could stand alone as a poem. If I’m feeling stuck, I try reading some of my favorite poetry. Mary Oliver, Wendell Berry, and translations of the German poet Rainer Maria Rilke all come to mind.
I’ve always especially loved the work of Mary Oliver. She wrote a lot while walking through the woods and observing the world around her – always practicing looking with as much reverence as she could muster. I try to slow down and notice things like she did. It’s really a practice of awe and amazement – and often with regard to things that appear simple at first glance or that I might take for granted. Or that I just wouldn’t have noticed if I hadn’t waited a little longer and been more patient.
Along with poetry, visual art is another art form that plays a big part in my creative life as a songwriter. Sometimes when I’m experiencing a creative block, I’ll go into a period of just focusing on making really colorful and vibrant abstract visual art. It helps me get out of the self-judgment loop, and I find myself getting back to that kid that’s inside, playing with shapes and color just because it’s fun and not because I hope anyone will think it’s any good. And then I can take that mindset back with me when I return to my songs.
What was the first moment that you knew you wanted to be a musician?
I remember singing my song, “To Be Adored,” for a close friend shortly after I had written it. When I looked up after finishing, he was smiling at me ear to ear and had tears streaming down his face. This same thing happened a few other times with other people – and I began to realize that I could really touch others with my music on a deep emotional level. I’ve always loved music with nostalgic and maybe even sad undertones, and so a lot of the music I make has this kind of feeling. The thing is, “sad” music always made me feel kind of… good? From the beginning, I think I knew I wanted to make sounds that could help people heal in some way, or at least serve as a form of comfort. When I started seeing the impact my music was having on people in real time, I knew I wanted to continue writing and sharing – with the hope that I too could be a healer and could help make the world a little more beautiful.
If you didn’t work in music, what would you do instead?
I would probably be a visual artist/art teacher. Making art has always been one of my favorite things to do – and, as I mentioned, it still sometimes plays a role in my creative practice at times. I’m often thinking about bigger paintings, murals, or other visual projects I want to be making, but usually I’m spending my free time playing music these days. I keep thinking about getting into wood block printmaking though and I just ordered some carving tools – albeit with the intention of creating some merch!
I do have a part-time day job assembling and setting up banjos for Pisgah Banjo here in Asheville – but it’s the most music-related day job I’ve ever had. When I’m done setting up a banjo part of my job is playing it to make sure the set up feels good, which I always enjoy. I also do a bit of private music teaching.
What would a perfect day as an artist and creator look like to you?
I usually need a lot of uninterrupted solo time to really get into a creative flow. It’s also super helpful when I can put my computer and phone away for the day and replace them with poetry books and/or nature walks. And as much as I love being out in nature, I must admit I would still want to retain my creature comforts. I’m envisioning waking up in a cozy cabin close to a lake, stream, or river. I’d come to consciousness feeling well-rested, listening to the sounds of insects and birds and the laughter of the water. Maybe it’s raining softly on the roof? But then the sun comes out, and it’s a perfect 75 degree day, breezy. I’d give myself ample time to rest and take breaks throughout the day, swim, exercise, cook, and eat delicious food… sign me up!
The team behind BGS and Good Country are thrilled to announce a brand new variety show, The Good Country Goodtime. Showcasing an expertly-curated monthly lineup of country and roots music, songwriting, comedy, and a rotating cast of star hosts grounded by an all-star house band, the premiere event will be held at Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles on September 29 at 7:30pm. Tickets are on sale now.
The inaugural edition of the new west coast home for the modern country scene will be lead by our very first guest host, the legendary Robbie Fulks, and will feature performances by “garage country” rocker Aubrie Sellers and honky-tonkin’ LA singer-songwriter Victoria Bailey. Performances and special collaborations by all of our Goodtime artists will be punctuated by dancing and fun, comedy and hijinx – including top secret surprise appearances from Hollywood’s hottest comedians and actors. Meanwhile, The Coral Reefers’ Mick Utley will helm the show’s all-star backing band.
“Everyone’s welcome at the Good Country Goodtime,” says Greg Hess, comedy writer and BGS contributor who authors the hit satirical column, The Resonator. Hess is one of the creatives behind the show’s concept, alongside BGS/GC executive director and co-founder, Amy Reitnouer Jacobs. “Celebrating the long-established intersection of comedy and country music,” Hess continued, “The Goodtime nods to the Grand Ole Opry and Hee Haw – plus a dash of Muppet Show mischief. This one-of-a-kind showcase brings together top-notch performers for a night of pure entertainment and Good Country.”
Dynasty Typewriter, which opened in 2018, is a perfect home for the variety show. Billed as “LA’s comedy clubhouse,” the venue is one of LA’s premier destinations for highly-curated entertainment, including comedy, music, live podcasts, screenings, and immersive experiences.
The Good Country Goodtime will continue with one additional 2024 show (date TBA), before kicking off regular monthly shows in 2025. Attendees will enjoy songs, stories, sketches, and so many surprises in store. Buy your tickets now for the debut of the Good Country Goodtime. 7:30pm, September 29, 2024 at Dynasty Typewriter in Los Angeles, California.
We’ve got an excellent collection of song and video premieres for you to kick off September!
Below, you’ll find a few country-tinged roots rock selections, from Blake Brown & the American Dust Choir, Kylie Fox, and Madeline Hawthorne. Stepping further into the country realm, check out tracks from Black Opry alumnus Crys Matthews – “The Difference Between” also features Chris Housman and Melody Walker – and from Steve Forbert, who sings “The Blues.”
New Jersey-based bluegrass group Magnolia Street String Band brought us a lovely video for their original, “By the Light of the Moon,” as well, and folk duo Rakish, who are experts in Irish, Scottish, and American folk, debut their Jamie Oshima-produced tune, “765.”
To cap it all off, don’t miss the latest edition of our Yamaha Sessions, featuring Vince Gill guitarist, singer-songwriter and producer Jack Schneider.
It’s all right here on BGS, and You Gotta Hear This!
Blake Brown & The American Dust Choir, “North Star”
Artist:Blake Brown & The American Dust Choir Hometown: Austin, Texas Song: “North Star” Album:Show Me The Light Release Date: October 4, 2024 Label: We Believers Music
In Their Words: “Simply put, this song is a dedication to my wife and daughter. When I sit down with a guitar and don’t try to write, usually a lyric rolls out, which is when I know I’m on to something; a crumb, a nugget, a clue, a hint to a song… something there that leads me to chase and complete a thought.
“In this case it was the line, ‘Your eyes will always be my guiding light, North Star in the darkest night,’ and I just built the song around that notion. I think it’s the most literal, direct song I’ve ever written. We’ve been through a lot together and when I drill down, or even think of my day-to-day life… it’s them. It’s all them. They guide me. We’ve been out here building this life together and they keep me grounded. When I stray and when I’m out in that deep, deep ocean (figuratively), I look for the stars; their eyes. They reel me back in. They are my ‘North Star.'” – Blake Brown
Track Credits: Written by Blake Brown. Blake Brown – Vocals, guitar Tiffany Brown – Vocals Jordan Espinoza – Drums Jason Legler – Bass Chris “Frenchie” Smith – Guitars
Steve Forbert, “The Blues”
Artist:Steve Forbert Hometown: Meridian, Mississippi Song: “The Blues” Album:Daylight Savings Time Release Date: September 20, 2024 Label: Blue Rose Music
In Their Words: “Will blues music fans give this song a listen because of the title – or will country music fans hesitate because of the title? As you can hear right away, it’s not a blues song. In fact, it’s a happy sounding country kind of song. But it’s literally about that old feeling called ‘the blues.’
“Robert Johnson sang, ‘The blues is a lowdown, shaky deal. If you ain’t never had ‘em, I hope you never will.’ My sentiments exactly.” – Steve Forbert
Track Credits: Steve Forbert – Vocals, acoustic guitar, harmonica Rob Clores – Keyboards Gurf Morlix – Electric guitar Aaron Comess – Drums Byron House – Bass Layonne Holmes – Backing vocals
Video Credit: Tom Parr
Kylie Fox, “Sequoia”
Artist:Kylie Fox Hometown: Saint John, New Brunswick, Canada Song: Sequoia Album:Sequoia Release Date: September 13, 2024
In Their Words:“I was listening to CBC Radio in the car one day. There was a story about how firefighters stayed up throughout the night to save a sequoia tree that was in a forest fire in California. I was struck by how we so often take beautiful, old things for granted – like our environment, like our grandmothers – until we are faced with an experience where they are compromised. Verse one speaks of the tree, verse two speaks of my grass-is-always-greener relationship to the small town of Fredericton, where I live. I brood over wishing I lived in a more exciting city, forgetting that all my favorite people are here. The last verse I speak of my love, Ryan, who I can take for granted sometimes when I get caught up in things revolving around myself.” – Kylie Fox
Track Credits: Written by Kylie Fox. Kylie Fox – Vocals, acoustic guitar Kelly Waterhouse – Piano, flute, saxophone Sean Hutchins – Electric guitar Camilo Villamizar – Bass guitar Ryan Barrie – Drums
Video Credit: Directed and edited by Jillian Acreman.
Madeline Hawthorne, “Howl at the Moon”
Artist:Madeline Hawthorne Hometown: Bozeman, Montana Song: “Howl at the Moon” Release Date: September 13, 2024 Label: Madeline Hawthorne Music
In Their Words: “This is a song about what we want for our loved ones when we pass on. I don’t want them to just keep living, I want them to thrive. I want them to find love and happiness. I think my band and I captured the spirit and the essence of this tune so well at The Blasting Room. It has such a positive and fun energy to it. We are excited to play this one live on our upcoming tour with Goodnight Texas. I hope you all enjoy! Thanks for listening, XOXO.” – Madeline Hawthorne
Track Credits: Written by Madeline Hawthorne. Madeline Hawthorne – Vocals Ace Engfer – Bass Bill McKay – Piano, organ Taylor Sims – Guitar Taylor Tesler – Guitar Sean Macaulay – Drums, percussion
Magnolia Street String Band, “By the Light of the Moon”
Artist:Magnolia Street String Band Hometown: Highland Park, New Jersey Song: “By the Light of the Moon” Album:By the Light of the Moon Release Date: October 4, 2024
In Their Words: “I wrote this song years ago walking my dog in the pines along the Delaware River. The moon was so brilliant that night. The light painted such a spectacular scene with shadows of the magnificent pine trees against the deep blue sky. This unforgettable visual inspired this song.
“My sister, Rita, and I used to play and sing together with friends at a full moon jam almost 15 years ago. Rita and I found a band through these gatherings and ‘By the Light of the Moon’ found its way into our repertoire. The original lyrics to the last verse were ‘We’ll make love by the light of the moon.’ Since I wanted to make a family friendly album, I changed the lyrics to, ‘We’ll dance ‘neath the light of the moon.’
“I’ve always hoped to record this song and had envisioned Alison Krauss on vocals. Nevertheless, I rallied my beloved band earlier this year to record this song as well as the other songs on our new album.” – Sheila Shukla, vocalist and songwriter
Track Credits: Sheila Shukla – Lead vocals Bobby Baxmeyer – Mandolin, banjo, Dobro, vocals Bob Harris – Guitar Gary Oleyar – Fiddle Ron Greenstein – Bass Nick Conte – Vocals
Video Credit: Rob Shotwell
Crys Matthews, “The Difference Between”
Artist:Crys Matthews Hometown: Nashville, Tennessee Song: “The Difference Between” (featuring Melody Walker & Chris Housman) Album:Reclamation Release Date: September 6, 2024 (single)
In Their Words: “When I heard Jason Aldean’s ‘Try That in a Small Town,’ I was so offended – not just as a Black woman, but as a proud Southerner. The audacity to think that there would be a South at all without my people is the kind of willful ignorance that keeps folks like me from feeling safe in country and Americana spaces. There are consequences to that kind of hateful rhetoric. That’s what the first verse line of this song is about, ‘So you can figure out it ain’t just your town that’s small,’ because being from a small town is no excuse for small-mindedness.
“I knew that’s what I wanted to say with this song and I knew exactly who I wanted to help me say it: my friends Melody Walker (co-writer of Molly Tuttle’s title track for her Grammy-winning record Crooked Tree) and Chris Housman. I’ve been such a fan of both of their voices and their writing for so long! Once I had the idea for this song, I asked them both to come over and the rest is history. Melody and I had just finished recording her song ‘Room‘ and so I knew our voices would sound so good together. And every time Chris sings he takes me to church. I knew that just getting the three of us together would lead to something good. It also meant a lot to have them featured on the actual track as well. Three LGBTQ+ artists, all of whom call Nashville home, showing that this is country too. It looks like you and it looks like me.” – Crys Matthews
Rakish, “765”
Artist:Rakish Hometown: Boston, Massachusetts Song: “765” Album:Now, O Now Release Date: September 12, 2024 (single); October 11, 2024 Label: Top Floor Records
In Their Words:“This track features two original reels, arranged by Conor and myself. We recorded these tunes at Spillway Sounds with Eli Crews engineering back in October 2023. Once we got back from the studio, we thought it might be fun to add some electronic production to this track, and asked our buddy Jamie Oshima to work some magic on these tunes. It was great to let him take the reins completely, and hear the track once he sent it back to us. His additions totally surpassed what we could have asked for. As acoustic musicians, Conor and I don’t often get to dip our toes into the world of electronic music, but this track enables us to experience a little bit of that sound world, which is really fun for us. We hope these tunes make you want to dance!” – Maura Shawn Scanlin, violin
Yamaha Sessions: Jack Schneider, “Gulf of Mexico”
Today, our Yamaha Sessions continue with a gorgeous and tender performance from guitarist, producer, and singer-songwriter Jack Schneider. Best known for his road gig with Country Music Hall of Famer Vince Gill, Schneider released his debut album, Best Be On My Way, to critical acclaim in 2022. The project features Gill, David Rawlings, Stuart Duncan, and more collaborating on Schneider’s vintage-tinged original songs, each dripping with the styles and sonics of ’60s and ’70s troubadours and Americana poets. His latest single, “When the Saints,” is a delicious, shuffling folk-rock ballad with deeply stacked vocal tracks and retro trappings that was released in late July.
For his Yamaha Sessions performance, Schneider chose “Gulf of Mexico,” another original – that is as yet unrecorded and unreleased – which showcases the warm, full, and deep sound of Schneider’s Yamaha FG9 R acoustic guitar. Resonant and rich, the drop D tuning accentuates the melancholy evident in the timelessly constructed song. A bright spruce top and sultry rosewood back and sides add up to a guitar that’s equally at home in folk and Americana as bluegrass and flatpicking. Schneider pulls excellent tone from the instrument, with impeccable intonation and confident touch whether picking or strumming.
Ally Westover is a Nashville-based artist known for a blend of lullaby-like sounds and groovy indie-folk tunes, stitched together with warmth, imagery, and honesty. Her new single, “Rotten Milk” (available September 6), is an exploration of queer identity. The lyrics circle relatable themes like love gone sour and compulsory heterosexuality – a term coined by Adrienne Rich to describe societal expectations queer women face around conforming to heterosexual norms. The concept resonates with many queer women who struggle to navigate their identities.
It’s exciting to feature an artist who is opening a discussion around these ideas. Ally’s EP, Changing Room, dives further into these themes and is to be released in January 2025. In our Out Now interview, she shares her current state of mind, what it means to her to be an LGBTQ+ artist, and how she balances the business and creative aspects of being an artist.
You are releasing an EP in 2025 titled Changing Room. What was the process of creating this project? And, what do you hope listeners will take away from this collection of songs?
I created this project with my friend and musical mentor, Oliver Hopkins. He is one of the people that inspires me most in this world and to make a record with him is an absolute dream come true. I came to him with a few songs that I loved and believed in, but wanted him to help me make them sound more focussed and sonically interesting.
We wrote “Rotten Milk” in his backyard in the height of the summer heat after I had just gotten out of a relationship with a man that felt like a stranger. The track that follows is “Waterbug,” which is my absolute favorite. It encompasses queer desire and yearning. The last song is called “Digital Body” and it’s all about decompressing and slowing things down. I hope that listeners enjoy the songs and feel maybe a little more understood in their own lives. More than anything I am just happy to have the songs in the world!
Why do you create music? What’s more satisfying to you, the process or the outcome?
Songwriting itself is pure magic. The energy present during the process is what propels me to dig for more songs. I create music because I have to! It is the way that I work through my emotions and thoughts and fears. It is the time capsule for my life. It is the way that I cope with being human.
Do you create music primarily for yourself or for others?
Initially, I create music for myself. And when it is done, I look forward to sharing the songs with other people so that they may feel less alone as I believe we all have similar struggles. It’s my hope that through sharing music, we all feel more connected to each other at a soul level.
Who are your favorite LGBTQ+ artists and bands?
Courtney Barnett, MUNA, Big Thief, Chappell Roan, Katy Kirby, Arlo Parks, Tash Sultana, Cassidy Maude, Ab Lag, Molly Martin, Erin Rae, Liv Greene, Purser, Jobi Riccio, and Saltwater Baby are some of my favorites. Wow! There are so many! I am so grateful for queer visibility!
For anyone reading this who might not be out of the closet, were there any specific people, musicians, or resources that helped you find yourself as a queer individual?
The band MUNA saved me! Chanting songs about being gay and worthy of love really helped me feel empowered. I have an incredible sister, friends, and therapist who have stood by me through the hardest moments. The queer community in Nashville is amazing. Shout out to Jonda, the owner of Lipstick Lounge, for creating a safe haven for queer people. It was only when I realized that it is not my job to make other people comfortable, was I set free.
What does it mean to you to be an LGBTQ+ musician?
I would not be openly making music as a queer person had it not been for the Black lesbians and trans people of color that fought back during Stonewall riots. Thank you to Marsha P. Johnson, Sylvia Rivera, and Stormé DeLarverie for fighting for my right to exist and to love who I love. Being an LGBTQ+ musician means that “no one is free until everyone is free.” It means liberation, justice and resistance.
We’ve had a conversation before about how you left the music industry for a few years and decided you needed to return. What was that like for you? Could you share what drew you back and the importance of creating and sharing your music?
In the time that I was away from music, it was still plaguing my every thought. I tried to study fashion to explore a different creative outlet and that brought me to sustainability, as I learned about the horrors of the fast fashion industry. Because of this, I make all of my merch on thrifted clothes in hopes to be as eco-conscious as possible. Sustainability led me to an existential crisis so I switched majors to philosophy, which only dug me a deeper hole. It was during my philosophy class that I realized I must pursue my bliss – music! Coming back to music as my career focus felt like coming home.
What’s your ideal vision for your future?
When I think of “future me” I imagine myself traveling and playing shows with a small band, throwing killer dinner parties, and tending to a sprawling garden. The ideal vision of my future has much to do with “present me” leaning deeper into the things that I already do.
What is your greatest fear?
I have realized that I am the person who will ultimately affect the outcome of my life – so I would say that I am most afraid of the part of myself that harbors doubt.
What is your current state of mind?
My current state of mind is a collage of gratitude and helplessness; of joy and sorrow; of yearning and grieving. I grieve the genocide in Palestine amongst the many other humanitarian crises in the Congo, Sudan, and in the United States. I find it really challenging some days to be hopeful, but I try to find joy in the small moments and do everything I can to uplift marginalized voices.
I am hopeful about creating and sharing the project that I have been working on for over a year now. Entering into the fall season, I am looking forward to slowing down, going inward, and continuing to lean into my cozy home and my community.
How do you balance being on social media, promoting your music, playing shows, and looking after your mental health?
I tell myself that I want to do this for the rest of my life, so if it takes the rest of my life to do it then so be it. I remind myself that the long game is what matters and that slowly chipping away making good art is what counts. I lean on my community and try my best. I’ve also been trying to intentionally rest without guilt and to say yes to fun experiences that do not center around music. I have found that I create the best and most interesting art when I am living my life for myself. My partner is very organized and business focussed and they gave me some killer advice. They said, “Why don’t you focus strictly on music business for 2 hours a day, in the morning, so that you don’t have to spiral about it for the next 22 hours?” They created the term “Ally’s Office Hours” and it has helped tremendously.
What would a “perfect day” look like for you?
Soft sunlight and fresh air seep through my window. I indulge in light roast pour over coffee and fresh fruit for breakfast. I sit at the kitchen table with my journal and my mini Yamaha as ideas for songs flood my mind like a heavy summer rain. Once the rain has cleared, I walk to the grocery store and grab some fresh seafood, sharp cheeses, and Castelvetrano olives. The rest of the dinner setup will be a harvest from my garden. I pop by the local wine shop for a floral Spanish white wine and perhaps a juicy beaujolais. Friends will arrive at golden hour to a home full of fresh flowers and candle light. We eat and drink and enjoy rich conversation over a delicious meal. I fall asleep beside my lover as we count our blessings.
What’s the best advice you’ve ever gotten?
“If it is urgent, then it is not God.” I can be so impulsive about my decision making, and when a friend told me this, it blew my mind. A sense of urgency is likely never a good sign that something is right.
What are your release and touring plans for the next year?
I am releasing my second EP, Changing Room, in January and could not be more excited. The first single, “Rotten Milk,” comes out today, September 6!
Changing Room encapsulates self exploration, and more specifically queer exploration. The project begins with “Rotten Milk.” It’s about the last man that I ever dated. We were together for a few short months in the summer and much like the milk at the restaurant, the love, too, had gone sour. It was as if I was playing dress up. I couldn’t get access to my true self until I freed myself of compulsory heterosexuality.
I am opening for Louisa Stancioff, Molly Parden, and Eliza Edens in Portland, Maine on October 4 and again in Washtington, D.C. on October 15. The plan is to go on a sweet little tour in early spring to share the songs on Changing Room and then get back to creating more tunes.
Photo courtesy of the artist.
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This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. These cookies do not store any personal information.
Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website.
