Tag: Mixtape

FARHOF’s Roots That Built the Hall Playlist

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Located inside the historic Wang Theatre and founded by the Boch Center, the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame is Boston’s premier cultural and educational initiative dedicated to celebrating America’s rich musical heritage. Since its launch in 2019, FARHOF has honored the artists, songs, and movements that have shaped folk, Americana, and roots music while creating immersive exhibits, educational programming, and live experiences that connect audiences to the stories behind the sound. Guided by iconic artists and industry leaders, the Hall exists to honor the past, celebrate the present, and nurture the future of these genres.

On March 24, 2026, FARHOF will host its 2026 Induction Celebration at the Wang Theatre, an unforgettable evening recognizing the artists and industry leaders who helped build the foundation of folk, Americana, and roots music. This year’s honorees, whose collective achievements include 30 GRAMMY Awards and countless other accolades, represent the influence and ongoing evolution of the genres we preserve.

Our playlist theme, Roots That Built the Hall, celebrates the legacy and influence of this year’s inductees. Each song reflects the innovation and cultural impact of the artists who shaped Folk and Roots music, reminding us why this music endures and continues to inspire. – Denise Arellano, The Boch Center

“(I’m Your) Hoochie Coochie Man” – Muddy Waters

Muddy Waters electrified the Delta blues and carried it into the urban North, shaping the sound of modern roots music. This track demonstrates that blues roots continue to inspire folk and Americana, exemplifying the music and legacy the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame celebrates.

“Chain of Fools” – Aretha Franklin

Aretha’s voice bridges gospel, soul, and rhythm & blues, reminding us that roots music is inseparable from the Black musical traditions that shaped America. Her artistry embodies FARHOF’s mission to celebrate music as both cultural expression and social force.

“Suzanne” – Leonard Cohen

With poetic lyricism and folk instrumentation, Cohen represents the storytelling tradition central to folk music. His work highlights how intimate songwriting can shape national culture and influence generations to come.

“Make Me A Pallet On Your Floor” – Mississippi John Hurt

Hurt’s fingerpicking style and oral storytelling roots in this country blues standard echo the preserved histories and rare artifacts celebrated within FARHOF’s exhibits.

“My Journey To The Sky” – Sister Rosetta Tharpe

Blending gospel and the electric guitar, Sister Rosetta Tharpe helped lay the groundwork for rock ‘n’ roll. Her inclusion reflects FARHOF’s commitment to honoring artists whose innovations continue to ripple across genres.

“Running on Empty” – Jackson Browne

A pillar of folk and Americana, Browne captures the restless spirit of life on the road. His songs blend roots traditions with raw, lived experience, shaping the sound and soul of a generation.

“Both Sides Now” – Judy Collins

A defining voice of the 1960s folk revival, Collins helped bring reflective and socially aware songwriting to the mainstream. Her work showcases the genre’s power to spark dialogue and deepen cultural understanding.

“Harvest Moon” – Neil Young

Young’s blending of folk intimacy and country influence illustrates the fluid evolution of roots music. Songs like this show how tradition can feel timeless while still speaking to contemporary audiences.

“The Last Thing on My Mind” – Tom Paxton

Paxton’s songwriting embodies the heart of the folk process, simple melodies carrying profound emotional truth. His legacy reinforces FARHOF’s mission to preserve the craft of storytelling through song.

“Urge for Going” – Tom Rush

Rush played a pivotal role in championing emerging songwriters and expanding the Boston folk scene. His work connects directly to FARHOF’s educational spirit by nurturing future generations while honoring those who paved the way.

“Go Down Sunshine” – Odetta

Odetta’s commanding voice became a soundtrack to the Civil Rights Movement, proving music’s power to inspire social change. Her artistry ties directly to FARHOF’s belief that folk and roots music are not just entertainment, but vessels for justice, unity, and cultural preservation.

“All I Want” – Joni Mitchell

Joni Mitchell’s intricate songwriting and emotional clarity helped redefine the possibilities of folk music in the 1970s. “All I Want” is built upon the deeply personal storytelling that continues to influence generations of artists, embodying FARHOF’s commitment to honoring innovation within tradition.

“Tear the Fascists Down” – Woody Guthrie

Woody Guthrie stands as one of the foundational voices of American folk music, using song as a vehicle for social conscience and collective resilience. This track underscores how roots music has amplified the voices of working people and movements for justice, a legacy FARHOF preserves.

“Black Betty” – Lead Belly

Lead Belly’s recordings carried traditional work songs and prison chants into the American mainstream, ensuring these stories were not lost to time. “Black Betty” represents the oral traditions and lived histories that form the foundation of roots music and the cultural preservation FARHOF continues to strive for.

“It Ain’t Me Babe” – Joan Baez

Joan Baez helped bring folk music into the national spotlight during a pivotal era of cultural change. Her interpretation of this song reflects the genre’s spirit of independence and social awareness, qualities that continue to shape the folk and Americana traditions celebrated within the Hall.

Graphics courtesy of the Folk Americana Roots Hall of Fame.

Obejváci’s Bluegrass of Czechia Playlist

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Bluegrass in Czechia has unusual roots. It didn’t arrive as a passing trend, but as music people shared with one another – at festivals, in pubs, around campfires, and at home in the kitchen or living room. And that’s still how it’s played today, bringing lovers of this music together into an amazing community.

We even took our name from that living room spirit. Obejváci – something like “the ones from the living room” or “living room pickers.” A band that grew out of playing at home, we still hold onto that foundation. Rehearsals by the couch, more voices than cables, and songs that stand strong even without amplification.

We see our Mixtape of the bluegrass of Czechia as a small cross-section of a scene that is surprisingly vibrant and diverse. There are bands that keep the traditional sound alive and others that naturally bend it in their own direction. We’re sometimes surprised, ourselves – and very proud – of how many wonderful musicians in this genre our small country has.

A chapter of its own could be written about Czech bluegrass instrument makers: Krishot, Vláďa Ptáček, Průcha, Zdeněk Roh, Jaromír Jahoda, Čapek, Karel Začal, Stanislav Štol, Ondřej Holoubek… the list would probably be very long. Our guitarist and frontman Luboš Barchini took his love of bluegrass so far that just a short distance from that original living room he started building his own bluegrass guitars.

This year we released a new EP, Tisíc let. It’s our current chapter – a handful of new songs about time, relationships, and the landscape we know so well. We’re adding tracks from the EP to the playlist as a natural part of this theme. Because in our view, the best way to understand Czech bluegrass is by simply pressing play. – Obejváci

“Spring in the Old Country” – Slávek Hanzlík with Béla Fleck, Stuart Duncan, Mark Schatz

Slávek Hanzlík is one of the most prominent Czech acoustic guitarists and composers whose musical life has been closely connected with the bluegrass and instrumental scene both abroad and at home. Born in Prague, he spent many years in Canada and the United States, recorded several original albums with leading international players, and was shortlisted for the GRAMMYs twice in the Instrumental Album of the Year category. For us, though, Slávek is, above all, a good friend and a great inspiration. His approach to melody, his playing, and the way he connects tradition with his own experience have opened new horizons for us in how we think about acoustic music.

“Letní romance” (“Summer Romance”) – Robert Křesťan a Druhá Tráva

Deep lyrics, beautiful vocals, and masterful musicianship. Robert Křesťan and Druhá Tráva are among the most popular Czech bands and in recent years have been reaching far beyond the boundaries of bluegrass. They are definitely a Czech band worth knowing. This year, they are celebrating 35 years together with a special tour in the Czech Republic joined by Tim O’Brien.

“Ty víš” (“You Know”) – Obejváci

One of the songs from our new EP. We recorded it at SONO Records, one of the best recording studios in Europe. We recorded it live, almost the same way we play at home in our living room.

“Už se blíží svítání” (“Dawn Is Coming”) – Petr Kůs a Fámy

Songwriter, musician, and singer Petr Kůs has long been one of the leading figures of the Czech (not only) bluegrass scene. He has always surrounded himself with outstanding musicians and his songs are a must at any bluegrass jam session.

“Twin Peaks/ Happygrass Medley” – Radim Zenkl & Ondra Kozák

A duo of musicians with a strong cross-genre reach. In their program, they present original instrumental pieces and songs written by both players and complemented by bluegrass, Celtic, and world music traditional tunes in distinctive, personal arrangements. They began their collaboration in 2020 and have since performed a number of successful concerts around the world.

“Ještě ne” (“Not Yet”) – Pavlína Braunová & Minesengři

Minnesengři were a progressive folk band from České Budějovice, founded as early as 1968. They quickly became one of the most distinctive folk groups of their time. Their early recordings of South Bohemian folk songs, as well as their later original material, are still regarded as legends of Czech folk music. For anyone who knows Minnesengři, listening to their music carries a special meaning – not only because of the songs themselves, but also because of the mysterious disappearance of their singer Pavlína Braunová. Although the band disbanded in 1989, their legacy and the inspiration they drew from South Bohemia continue to live on.

“Tisíc let” (“A Thousand Years”) – Obejváci 

The song “A Thousand Years” captures a moment when a person pauses and tries to take a breath even in the middle of chaos. It speaks about closeness that can keep you afloat, yet also hurt, and about the hope that even after darkness, light can be found again.

“Signal Jammer” – New Aliquot

In our view, New Aliquot are currently at the very top of the Czech acoustic scene. Instrumentally, they are among the finest bands you can hear in the country. They play bluegrass, new acoustic, and folk music, combining original songs, instrumental pieces, and distinctive arrangements of roots music. The band was formed in 2016 on the foundations of the group Křeni and has since toured across the Czech Republic and Europe — from Germany to Sweden to France.

“If You Break My Heart” – Fragment

Fragment were one of the jewels of the Czechoslovak and later Czech bluegrass scene – a band that recorded numerous albums in the 1990s and toured across Europe and the United States. Their sound blended bluegrass with new acoustic influences, highlighted by strong instrumental passages and distinctive vocals, especially thanks to Jana Mougin Doláková. Although Fragment are no longer active, their legacy lives on in their recordings, in the memories of fans, and in the generations of musicians they inspired. Jana later moved to the United States, where she and her husband Stephen Mougin run a studio and label and continue to devote themselves to music.

“Osud nikdo nezmění” (“No One Can Change Fate”) – Monogram 

Monogram are a Prague-based bluegrass band active on the Czech and European scene for more than 30 years. Acoustic music fans associate them with quality and instrumental precision. Their repertoire consists mainly of original songs and instrumentals, which they regularly perform at festivals at home and abroad – from Porto to IBMA in Nashville.

“Balada pro čistou duši” (“Ballad for a Pure Soul”) – Obejváci 

This song is dedicated to a friend who chose to leave this world. It is not about tragedy, but about a quiet passage and the peace the soul finds. Images of nature – darkness, flowers, cold, snow – underline the fragility of life while also reminding us of its beauty. It is more a gentle celebration of life than a mourning elegy.

“America” – Milkeaters

Until recently, Milkeaters were one of the distinctive names on the Czech bluegrass scene. Formed in 2014, their common denominator was bluegrass, energy, and humor. They played both covers and original songs, always bringing drive and joy to the stage. For us, Milkeaters have an even more personal meaning – it was at their musicians’ camp that Obejváci first came together. The band ended its activity in 2024, but its members, songs, and spirit continue in new projects and in the people they inspired.

“Stokrát” (“A Hundred Times”) – COP 

COP are one of the most essential names in Czech bluegrass – and there is probably no bluegrass fan in the country who doesn’t know them. The band was founded in 1978 and despite the emigration of most members in the early 1980s, they found new life thanks to frontman Míša Leicht and continued on. Over time, they became festival mainstays; in 2023 they celebrated 45 years, still playing with their characteristic energy. For our guitarist Luboš, this band is an especially personal chapter – as a teenager, it was COP who led him to bluegrass and indirectly to today’s Obejváci.

“Až Uslyším Hvízdání” (“When I Hear the Whistle”) – Poutníci

The more banjo, the more happiness! Poutníci were founded in 1970 and their sound and approach influenced an entire generation of musicians. Their most distinctive era came between 1979 and 1991, when Robert Křesťan was a member along with banjo player Luboš Malina, considered one of the best Czech banjo players.

“Deeper than the Holler” – G-runs ‘n Roses 

The name G-runs ‘n Roses might suggest tough guys with tattoos and long hair. The reality is a bit different – but the energy is definitely there. They are a distinctive Czech bluegrass band built on a solid rhythm section, tight vocal harmonies, and expressive instrumental solos. They perform both original songs and covers, all in thoughtful arrangements with respect for traditional bluegrass.

“Traveling Shoes” – Loes van Schaijk

Originally from the Netherlands, van Schaijk has put down roots in Prague. She is a singer, songwriter, and instrumentalist appreciated on the European bluegrass and folk scene for her sincere vocals, natural sound, and sensitive playing on bass, guitar, and bodhrán. She performs in many different musical projects.

“Every Breath You Take” – The Jumper Cables

The Jumper Cables came together simply to make music. With their acoustic instruments, they create convincing and powerful arrangements of both original compositions and cover songs.

Photo Credit: Gwendoleena – Vendula Koloušková

The Foreign Landers Celebrate the Banjo in Ireland & Northern Ireland

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

The five-string banjo is often associated with Appalachian music, but its reach has always extended beyond one place. In Ireland, the banjo is traditionally heard as the four-string tenor banjo, a cornerstone of Irish folk music. This playlist celebrates the banjo in Ireland and Northern Ireland, but focuses instead on five-string banjo players, highlighting Irish and Northern Irish artists who are bringing bluegrass banjo into folk, Americana, and contemporary acoustic settings. The tracks here feature musicians working across traditions and genres, using the banjo as a bridge rather than a boundary.

For us, The Foreign Landers, this playlist is closely tied to our own story. Our songs, woven throughout the playlist, reflect life lived between Northern Ireland and the U.S., and the relationships, faith, and sense of distance that shape that experience. In a small way, that mirrors the five-string banjo’s own journey across time and place. Our new album, Made to Wonder, is our expression of these ideas; including our music alongside these other innovative artists helps frame our transatlantic sound within a much larger conversation.

Alongside our music, you’ll hear boundary-pushing banjo work from artists like Flook, JigJam, Damien O’Kane, Ron Block, I Draw Slow, Brian Finnegan, and NÁVA, each offering a different answer to the same question: What does bluegrass banjo become when it’s rooted in Irish soil?

The result is a playlist that honors tradition while continuing to move forward. We hope you enjoy. – The Foreign Landers

“Made to Wonder” – The Foreign Landers

The title track from our new album, this banjo-centric song is about stepping away from noise and busy-ness to find true rest and belonging in Christ, whose yoke is easy and burden light. Featuring Tristan Clarridge (Crooked Still) on cello, adding depth and resonance.

“Road to Errogie” – Flook

There’s something infectious about Flook’s craftsmanship and energy – especially when five-string banjo enters the mix, played by the incredible Leon Hunt of the UK. A major influence on our sound.

“Gold Mine” – I Draw Slow

Irish-based and deeply rooted in both Appalachian and Irish traditions, this clawhammer-driven track blends heritage with heart.

“Johnny’s Peacock / The Red-Tailed Hawk” – The Foreign Landers

Two original tunes deeply informed by Tabitha’s heritage, joined by John Doyle, Brian Finnegan, and Cathal Murphy, bringing Irish tradition and bluegrass energy together.

“John D. McGurk’s (The Heartbeat of St. Louis)” – JigJam

JigJam seamlessly bridge U.S. and Irish folk scenes. Irish banjoist Daithí Melia delivers powerful five-string work on this fun, high-energy track.

“Mario Kart Rides Again” – Ron Block & Damien O’Kane

Two banjos – five-string and four-string – done right. Ron Block of Alison Krauss & Union Station and Damien O’Kane of the Kate Rusby band make for an unxpected delightful pairing. Here is a playful, virtuosic track from their album Banjovial that’s near to Mario Kart-loving hearts.

“Pictures” – The Foreign Landers

Led vocally by David with Tabitha on banjo, this original song draws on our own experience of long-distance dating. “Pictures” captures the quiet weight of distance – and how old photographs can briefly collapse time and place. The unconventional role of banjo on this track is one of our favorite sounds on the new album.

“Marga’s” – Brian Finnegan

A must-include from the County Armagh master himself, featuring Crooked Still with Greg Lizst on five-string banjo. Both four-string and five-string banjo shine in this expansive, genre-blurring piece.

“The Thrifty Wife” – Ron Block & Damien O’Kane

Another Ron and Damien double-banjo banger. Their three collaboration albums are essential listening when talking about banjo in Irish music. Bonus mando moments from Sierra Hull seal the deal.

“Traveler”– The Foreign Landers

Narrated from the perspective of Tabitha’s parents back in Northern Ireland, “Traveler” reflects on growing older, separation, and the tenderness of loving someone from afar. Another unconventional banjo track that we loved making.

“Magic Box” – Nava

Irish Americana and folk meet Persian influences, led by Ireland’s Paddy Kiernan on five-string banjo. A rich example of cross-cultural musical exploration.

“Hope” – Cup O’Joe

Featuring Tabitha’s two brothers (alongside David and Tabitha), this title track from Why Live Without blends Northern Irish roots with progressive Americana.

Photo Credit: Nicole Davis, Storied Artisan Photography

Jason Sinay’s Peace & Love Playlist

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

It’s 2026 and the world remains deeply shaped by persistent conflicts and social divisions, making songs of peace and love an essential “universal language” for fostering unity. As global tensions in regions like Ukraine and the Middle East continue to create an us-versus-them mentality, music serves as a critical bridge that transcends cultural and linguistic barriers to remind us of our shared humanity.

These songs do more than provide comfort; they act as a tool for disarming hearts and promoting reconciliation in an increasingly polarized landscape. By lowering anxiety and increasing empathy – the emotional foundation for peaceful coexistence – music provides a rare space where diverse groups can connect without prejudice. Now more than ever, these songs are needed to shift the global narrative from division and “moral degradation” toward a future built on compassion, harmony, and collective resilience. The lyrics of these amazing songs epitomize “peace & love” and speak for themselves. – Jason Sinay

“Imagine” – John Lennon

This song still remains a timeless global anthem that serves as a “hymn for peace.” It transcends cultural and political boundaries by challenging listeners to envision a utopian reality free from the divisions of nationality, religion, and material possessions.

“Blowin’ in the Wind” – Bob Dylan

Dylan uses evocative symbols like the “white dove” to represent the enduring human quest for a world without conflict. Its series of rhetorical questions challenges listeners to confront social injustices and the “cannonballs” of war, suggesting that while the answers for global harmony are as ever-present as the wind, they require collective courage to grasp and implement.

“Get Up, Stand Up” – Bob Marley & the Wailers

Marley emphasizes that true harmony can only be achieved through justice and the active defense of human rights. The song challenges listeners to seek fulfillment and equity “on earth,” rather than waiting for divine intervention, serving as a global rallying cry for unity against all forms of oppression.

“Give Me Love (Give Me Peace On Earth)” – George Harrison

This amazing song’s lyrics act as a personal mantra for divine guidance, asking for the “light” and “life” necessary to heal a world filled with conflict and social burdens.

“Ripple” – Grateful Dead

“Ripple” promotes a sense of shared humanity by acknowledging that while every individual must walk their own path, we are all “in the same boat” and should reach out to help one another.

“Heart Of Gold” – Neil Young

Written while Neil was physically vulnerable and recovering from a back injury, he describes himself as a “miner” traveling across oceans and forests. The song emphasizes that the pursuit of a loving and compassionate soul is a lifelong, global journey that connects us all.

“She’s a Rainbow” – The Rolling Stones

This incredible tune captures the vibrant spirit of the Summer of Love through its whimsical, baroque-pop arrangement. It functions as a “pure love song,” departing from the Stones’ typically gritty style to offer a colorful, psychedelic tribute to femininity and universal beauty.

“Ophelia” – The Band

While this song is often interpreted as a lively, Dixieland-style track, it functions as a song of peace and love in exploring the deep emotional bonds and protective concerns shared between friends or lovers.

“Feels Like Home” – Randy Newman

This song truly captures the profound sense of safety and belonging found in a deep connection. The lyrics contrast a harsh external world with the sanctuary of a relationship.

“The Best Part of the Day” – Elton John & Leon Russell

This incredible tune celebrates the simple sanctuary of a deep, lifelong friendship. It portrays a serene “peace of mind” found in the presence of someone who has shared one’s “crazy ways” and provides comfort through life’s trials.

Photo courtesy of the artist.

You, Me, Everybody Grow True Roots in Borrowed Soil

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Aotearoa (New Zealand) doesn’t have a strong history of bluegrass bands – except one. If you mention bluegrass to New Zealanders, some will have at least heard of the Hamilton County Bluegrass Band. New Zealand has produced some great players, notably fiddle player George Jackson, banjo player BB Bowness, guitarist/singer Cy Winstanley, and bassist/singer Vanessa McGowan. (Now that we write this, these four would make a great NZ bluegrass band!) But while these names are well known in American bluegrass circles, it is fair to say they aren’t known (outside of folk circles) in Aotearoa.

Many of the songs on our new album, Midnight (out January 30, 2026), are situated within a day, or feature characters who are sitting at the cusp of who they have been before delving into something new. That sense of “in-between” also reflects our place within Aotearoa’s musical landscape, where bluegrass arrives without a long local history, but can be shaped in ways that feel natural to how we live and create here.

“Our Kiwi fans know bluegrass from traditional songs and contemporary artists such as Alison Krauss & Union Station, and Billy Strings. But they are more familiar with the other genres that bluegrass sits alongside. We’re also collectively members of the New Zealand folk, country, and jazz communities,” says our bassist, Rob Henderson.

Midnight starts with bluegrass at its core, but gently widens scope, bringing in different genres with their rhythms, broader chord progressions, and influences drawn from our own environment and lives lived in Aotearoa.

Here are the songs and tunes that anchor us in tradition and inspire us to find our own path as the clock strikes twelve. – You, Me, Everybody

“Ain’t No Grave” – Crooked Still

I love groove and the forward motion in all music, so when I heard this tune for the first time I was naturally inspired by the push of the cello part. This feel was a factor in my own bass playing across the album, especially for up-tempo tunes such as “Misdirection.” – Rob Henderson

“Dorrigo” – George Jackson

George Jackson’s tune “Dorrigo” feels friendly and familiar. It’s one of those tunes that will just keep going around and around the jam circle. When the Dorrigo Challenge did the rounds on the internet a couple years ago, it was a reminder of how a tune can bring people together. I had this in mind while writing “Sam’s Tune” on our album. – Sam Frangos-Rhodes

“Wildfire” – Watchhouse

I find when I sit down to write a song, I usually follow the same template or theme. Of course, there is variation in a lot of my songwriting, but I find rhythmically it’s always much of the same thing. A while back I wanted to break that cycle and try to write a more chilled out, slower tempo song, so I wrote “Heart of Stone,” which leads to “Wildfire” by Watchhouse. I enjoy this song because I think it has a very similar vibe to “Heart of Stone.” For me, it captures the same emotion and feeling I was looking for. I find it’s always nice to find what I was looking for in other people’s writing and relate that back to my own music. – Laurence Frangos-Rhodes

“Heart of Stone” – You, Me, Everybody

Laurence originally wrote this while we were producing our previous album, Southern Sky. I love the backbeat to it, but he also writes great chord progressions; they feel natural and authentic to the song and surprising at the same time. I’ve known Sam and Laurence since they were in their early teens and while our audience love our instrumentation, singing harmonies with them feels like home to me. “Heart of Stone” gives us an opportunity to showcase our vocal blend and milk those beautiful chords Laurence gifts to his songs. – Kim Bonnington

“Railroad” – Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn

When I try to serve the song with three-finger banjo, I frequently look to Béla Fleck’s work with Abigail Washburn. He plays parts and the two of them fill out the texture of a song so well! Ironically, when we arranged “Silver Spoon,” I was hearing Abigail-like clawhammer behind it, so I did my best to provide that kind of sound with three fingers. – Nat Torkington

“A Hundred and Sixty Acres” – Marty Robbins

Our track, “The Ballad of Bubs and Beautiful,” started when I overheard a conversation between two women shearers in a camp ground in Waipukarau. I knew that I wanted to capture their relationship to each other and their working life, all framed within a day. My Dad’s vinyl collection is 50% Marty Robbins and I remembered the picture that “A Hundred and Sixty Acres” colored of a life well lived. That’s why the first line in “Bubs and Beautiful” is, “Up ‘fore dawn to greet the sun.” There’s a tendency for NZ songwriters to still write about American experiences and places due to an inability to describe ourselves that has been labelled “cultural cringe.” But I knew the description of the women was genuine when I heard someone go, “Oh” as we played the last line live for the first time. – KB

“Orphan Annie” – Tony Rice

As a guitarist, I’ve been heavily influenced by Tony Rice – who hasn’t!? Whenever I listen to the Church Street Blues album it leaves me feeling creative and inspired. I love the minimalism; stripped back to one guitar and vocals telling a story. A lot of the songs on Midnight started in this exact same way, guitar and vocals alone. So it only feels appropriate to give credit to Church Street Blues where credit is due. I cannot pick one track from the album as a favorite because they are all great, but here is “Orphan Annie.” – LFR

“Was It You” – Joy Kills Sorrow

“Was It You” is a song I love for how it drives. That rapid mando chop over a fast rolling banjo held down by a thumping bass is a sure way to make a foot stomper. I took a lot of inspiration from Jacob Jolliff’s mandolin playing in “Was It You” when I put together my part for our song, “Busy Without Me.” – SFR

“Busy Without Me” – You, Me, Everybody

Kim writes wonderful slice-of-life songs. The Midnight album has everything from the plight of an unwed mother to mother/daughter sheep-shearers. “Busy Without Me” is perhaps more #relatable, though: we have a short life with ample temptation for busyness, it says, but it’s important to take moments to “sit and breathe and let the breeze wash over me with nothing in my way.” I love the way the busy-ness of the music reflects the lyrics. – NT

“Caleb Meyer” – Gillian Welch

Country/folk/bluegrass songwriters have always done a great job of writing songs about things we won’t talk about, but make us happy to sing about them. Our song “Silver Spoon” was initially written to an Irish jig. But the joyfulness didn’t eclipse the bleakness of the lyrics. At different times when we were arranging it, different band members would say, “What would Caleb Meyer do?” and our producer Rachel Baiman asked exactly the same question when she arrived for our sessions before we recorded. It’s become the quintessential modern murder ballad. – KB

“Distant Sun” – Crowded House

I grew up in ’90s New Zealand with parents who would play in a country band at the local barn dance while my brother was DJing at the rugby club rooms. So while Marty and Merle would be in one ear, Crowded House was in the other. If you think of great bridges in songwriting, “Distant Sun” has one of them. It also has my favorite line ever in a song: “I don’t pretend to know what you want, but I offer love.” The melody lines in our own track, “The Rest of Us,” hark back to years of admiring Neil Finn as a songwriter. – KB

“The Rest of Us” – You, Me, Everybody

When Kim first brought the concept of “The Rest of Us” to the band I was immediately a fan, and thought it would a great fit on the album. Before we went into the studio we all spent some time together to arrange the new material. As a band I feel like we work uniquely well when it comes to putting a song together and it’s one of our biggest strengths. I think “The Rest of Us” is a great example of Kim’s songwriting and a great example of how we function as a band. – LFR

“Natchez Trace” – Béla Fleck

In my mind, this is the classic G minor banjo instrumental, from Béla Fleck’s landmark album, Drive. Recorded with his B string tuned down to B flat, Fleck often plays it live out without the re-tuning. That was the inspiration for me to write my own Gm instrumental for a banjo tuned to open G major. – NT

“What a Fool Believes” – The Doobie Brothers

I wrote “She’s Alright With Me” a few years ago before I joined You, Me, Everybody. At the time, I had been deep diving into a lot of Doobie Brothers music and the moving parts within their songs. When “She’s Alright With Me” was born, it was originally a heavy keyboard driving tune – having written it on an old 1960s Wurlitizer Piano and styled it on some of the Doobies’ keyboard parts. It’s safe to say it’s transitioned a lot as we don’t have a keyboard part, but you can hear the rhythm now being driven in the same way by Laurence’s guitar. – RH

“Old Train” – Tony Rice Unit

Laurence’s epic album-opening “Misdirection” is a straight-ahead driving bluegrass song, which nonetheless has a few surprise chords in it. For some reason that reminds me of this epic Tony Rice track. – NT

“Misdirection” – You, Me, Everybody

“Misdirection” fits nicely as the opener on our album. It’s a fun example of progressive bluegrass while still staying true to its roots. “Misdirection” is my favorite track on the album and I would like to think the amount of fun we had recording this song is reflected in the final result. – SFR

Photo Credit: Ebony Lamb

Paul Burch’s Songs for Absence and Guarding Space

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

The songs for my album Cry Love came like automatic writing, as if exhaled after too long at a high altitude. And they were recorded as if my band, the WPA Ballclub, had known them for a long time.

A common theme thematically and lyrically is absence. Absence can be volatile. The songs that inspired Cry Love have much in common, particularly a sense of space. Bedrock instruments such as bass or drums are absent or played as loops. Sometimes there’s hardly instruments at all.

Our decade since 2020 has been a slow developing picture of things absent or out of focus. First place. Then time. Then people. Then, this year, the absence for me and my family became the loss of a person. Earth, air, sky, salty sea, and sand were thrown amuck. Cry Love and these songs guard that space – that absence – with music. – Paul Burch

 

A while back, if I remember right, my life was one long party where all hearts were open wide, where all wines kept flowing.

I ran away. O witches, O misery, O hatred, my treasure’s been turned over to you!

I managed to make every trace of human hope vanish from my mind. I pounced on every joy like a ferocious animal eager to strangle it.

So…it dawned on me to look again for the key to that ancient party where I might find my appetite once more.

– A. Rimbaud, A Season in Hell

 

“Paris” – Moondog

The Viking of 6th Avenue, who lost his sight as a boy, spent most of his life performing on the corners between 52nd and 55th street. His compositions and collages made him friends like Charlie Parker, Benny Goodman, and Arturo Toscanini, who testified in court on Moondog’s behalf in his suit against DJ Alan Freed for co-opting “Moondog” for his radio show in Cleveland. Freed lost and apologized on air. This is Moondog’s late in life collaboration with the London Saxophonic. Beautiful.

“If I Lived in a Picture” – The Green Pajamas

The Green Pajamas are from Seattle and, like me, have never been on a major label. But that’s never stopped them from making gorgeous tunes like this one that upon first listen instantly vaulted them to one of my favorites ever.

“Telephone Blues” – Snoozer Quinn

My dear friend, supersonic guitarist and producer Richard Bennett, turned me on to Snoozer Quinn, the lost jazz pioneer who in the ’20s and ’30s scared the wits out of contemporaries Lonnie Johnson and Eddie Lang with his out of this world sound. There are stories of musicians filling hotel rooms and hallways to gander at a Snoozer jam session. Louis Armstrong was a great fan, as well.

Snoozer left the cutthroat NYC scene and went home to Louisiana where he died young from tuberculosis – but not before a musician pal captured him literally in his deathbed. The best part of this story is I turned Tim O’Brien onto Snoozer and Tim turned on his ole pal Bill Frisell. My good deed.

“How Much I Owe” – The Radio Four

All of the Nashboro gospel recordings are beautiful, but I’m especially drawn to the urgency of the Radio Four. Thanks to Jonathan Marx of Lambchop for the introduction. Featuring the great country bassist Lightning Chance, whose credits include Hank Williams and the Everly Brothers – and suggesting the Jordanaires’ “number system” for vocal parts be applied to Nashville sessions.

“Poinciana” – Ahmad Jamal Trio

Recorded live at the Pershing Hotel in Chicago. I especially love “Poinciana” for drummer Vernel Fournier, who reminds me of Nashville great and WPA batteur Justin Amaral. Bassist Israel played on Charlie Christian’s “Profoundly Blue.” Recorded by Chess Records engineer Malcolm Chisholm, who probably cut a session for Muddy Waters the next day.

“Sun Rays,” “Last of My Kind” – Pony Hunt

Jessie Antonick, who performs as Pony Hunt, is a musical gem. I love this live performance of “Sun Rays.” The finger snaps just send me.

I also dig their lovely version of my tune, “Last of My Kind,” which sounds like an alternative version of the WPA Ballclub.

“So Sweet You Are” – Dog On Fleas

I’m sure these lyrics got into my head for songs like “I Won’t Miss My Baby Anymore” and “Braggin'” which share the Willie Dixon “left is right, I may I might” school of playful revelation.

“Ready to Leave” – Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru

For me, all of Ethiopian composer and pianist Emahoy Tsege Mariam Gebru’s works are enchanting. But I especially love the album Souvenirs, her first vocal collection. Mississippi Records describes it as “songs of wisdom, loss, mourning, and exile sung directly into a boombox,” which aptly describes my feelings writing Cry Love.

“The Whale Has Swallowed Me” – J.B. Lenoir

Both John Lee Hooker and Mr. Lenoir excelled at sparse blues storying around a hypnotic, looping beat. And a whale of a story it is. The great Fred Below, on drums, powered hundreds of classics at Chess.

(Watch a great live video of J.B. Lenoir performing the song on YouTube.)

“Misery” – Barrett Strong

A hypnotic, menacing tune in which melancholy carries a blade and a broken bottle. Sung from the heart of misery itself by Motown’s first hit artist (“Money”). I love the looping carousel bass line. Los Lobos did a beautiful version, too.

“I Need Somebody to Lean On” – Elvis Presley

Elvis was having a hard time musically and spiritually in the early ’60s but still made some beautiful records. By Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman (“Save the Last Dance for Me”). Elvis sounds inspired and committed with phrasing that evokes a bit of Chet Baker.

”

“Complex” – Tristen

I’ve been crazy for Tristen’s music since I first heard her perform with a trio in front of Whole Foods (of all places) over a dozen years ago. That was the old Nashville. We both play Epiphone Casinos, which makes us siblings of sorts – members of an exclusive club. I’d like to think so, anyway. “You can have your way until you get in my way.”

“Blow Wind Blow” – Muddy Waters

A great era for Muddy on stage with fiercely driving rhythm courtesy three guitarists and Pinetop Perkins.

Photo Credit: Jim Herrington. Pictured: Paul Burch (L) and Fats Kaplin (R). 

Modern Old-Time Sounds From Canada

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

A few years back, we put out an album called Modern Old-Time Sounds for the Bluegrass and Folksong Jamboree. The title was a nod to that 1960s trend of naming records in a way that tried to cover every possible base. It was tongue-in-cheek, but it still sums up what we do – and what you’ll hear on our latest Lonesome Ace Stringband album, Big Wing. We don’t really play old-time music so much as make a modern old-time sound, and that’s exactly what this playlist is all about

Up here in Canada, we have a wealth of traditional music – distinct regional fiddle styles from coast to coast, songs and ballads that reflect the multicultural makeup of our country, and Indigenous music that predates all of it. Even with this abundance of homegrown music to draw from, many of us have found ourselves charmed by the traditional “old-time” sounds of the American South.

Being far away – geographically and culturally – from the source of the music you love presents some challenges, but it also affords a certain freedom. The first step is always to understand where the music comes from and its history; eventually, though, we all need to find our own voice within it. That’s sometimes easier to do when you’re removed from entrenched scenes and long-established communities.

One way I see this playing out in the old-time music coming from Canada is that writing original tunes and songs seems to come naturally and early in the journey. Whether it’s composing new tunes in the tradition or letting the sounds and themes of traditional music color our lyric writing, we’ve developed a wealth of modern old-time sounds up here – and I’m excited to share a few examples in this playlist. – Chris Coole, Lonesome Ace Stringband

“Maggie At The Door” – Arnie Naiman

Arnie Naiman has been playing old-time music longer than anyone else on this list. When I first met him in the early ’90s, he’d already been playing for around 20 years. Back then, he was mostly on fiddle, but sometimes he’d pull out the banjo at the end of the night and share some of the original tunes he always seemed to be writing. This led to us making a couple of albums together – and to me becoming a lifelong fan. “Maggie at the Door” is a great example of how he can write a banjo tune that also works on the fiddle – not as easy as it sounds. It was written for his dog and it’s probably the most badass-sounding tune ever written for a golden retriever.

“Lonesome Song” – Rube & Rake

Rube & Rake are Josh Sandu and Andrew Laite. Both live in St. John’s, Newfoundland, and are writing beautiful songs while touring hard. We ran into them in the UK last year and were instantly taken by their deft playing and the “low lonesome” sound of their harmony singing. “Lonesome Song” is a moody example of all that.

“Platform Four” – The Slocan Ramblers

The Slocan Ramblers are Canada’s bluegrass band – at least as far as I’m concerned. Although Frank Evans no longer plays full-time with the group, I chose this tune to remind everyone that while he’s mostly known for his three-finger bluegrass playing these days, he’s also on another level as a clawhammer player. There are a few licks on “Platform Four” that he’ll probably take to the grave.

“Narrow Line” – Mama’s Broke

Mama’s Broke are another duo from Eastern Canada (Nova Scotia). We crossed paths with Lisa Maria and Amy Lou Keeler at the Baltimore Old-Time Gathering a few years ago. They put on a riveting show and blew us away with their singing and playing. The arrangements on their records are so imaginative – they capture the spaciousness of their live sound while layering on subtle textures. “Narrow Line” is an excellent example of this and one hell of a song.

“White Horse Plains” – The Red River Ramblers

The Red River Ramblers feature the music of Douglas Richard Sinclair, a Red River Métis musician whose last album, Reverie, showcased original tunes inspired by the Métis fiddle tradition. “White Horse Plains” highlights Douglas’ tuneful guitar playing and answers the question: What would Norman Blake have sounded like if he’d been Métis?

“Saint Elizabeth” – Kaia Kater

Kaia Kater’s 2016 album Nine Pin made a lot of folks take notice of this exceptionally talented songwriter. Kaia is a perfect example of someone who’s really tried to get to the roots of the music; she studied Appalachian traditions at Davis & Elkins College in West Virginia. She’s taken what she learned there and carried it to a creative place that defies genre or categorization. “Saint Elizabeth” is a perfect example.

“New Caledonia” – Pharis & Jason Romero

Pharis & Jason Romero probably need no introduction to anyone here. They’re old friends of ours and we’re big fans of their music. It almost seems remiss to share a song that doesn’t feature their beautiful singing and lyrics, but we’re always enchanted by Jason’s tune writing, backed by Pharis’ always-right-on-the-money guitar playing. “New Caledonia” is one of those tunes that instantly takes you somewhere. It manages to say a lot without a single word.

“The Wheels Won’t Go” – Hannah Shira Naiman

Hannah Shira Naiman comes to the music honestly. She grew up learning fiddle and banjo from her dad, Arnie Naiman, while listening to her mom, Kathy Reid-Naiman, sing the songs of Jean Ritchie, the Georgia Sea Island Singers, and the Delmore Brothers. Hannah has taken it all in and made something uniquely her own. “The Wheels Won’t Go” is the title track of her 2022 album.

“Wellington” – Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves

Allison de Groot is one of our most treasured banjo exports – clean, hard-driving, and full of tone. Best known these days for her work with Tatiana Hargreaves, she’s also a fine composer. “Wellington” is one of her own tunes, a reminder that she’s as creative as she is technical.

“Mama’s Boy” – Lotus Wight

Lotus Wight (AKA Sam Allison) is best known for his work with Sheesham and Lotus & Son. He’s a beautiful banjo player, a lovely jaw-harpist, a rock-solid bassist, and even plays the contrabass harmoniphoneum. I didn’t know until his last album that he’s also a moving songwriter, somewhere between John Hartford and Leon Redbone. “Mama’s Boy” tells the story of the three men who were fathers to Sam over the course of his life. I can’t remember the last time I heard such an honest and tender song.

“From Silence” – Daniel Koulack

Daniel Koulack hails from Winnipeg, Manitoba, where he’s been making music and teaching banjo for many years. (Allison de Groot is one of his students.) Daniel has always been game to take the clawhammer banjo to new and unexpected places – which might explain “From Silence,” possibly the only clawhammer banjo and saxophone duet in the known universe.

“At the Airport” – Old Man Luedecke

Old Man Luedecke is one of the crown jewels of Canadian singer-songwriters and he also happens to be one hell of a clawhammer banjo player. He’s written most of his songs on the banjo (at least the early ones), which gives them those unmistakable twists and turns – in both phrase and melody. And he has that rare gift for putting a bit of hope into everything he writes, whether the song is sad, funny, or introspective. “At the Airport” is a perfect example.

“May Day” – The Andrew Collins Trio with The Lonesome Ace Stringband

The Andrew Collins Trio (Andrew Collins, James McEleney, Adam Shire) collaborated with us on “May Day,” a tune Andrew and I wrote together many years ago. These three are next-level players who are always pushing the boundaries of what’s possible on their instruments. Known for mixing new acoustic bluegrass with classical and jazz influences, we had fun diving into some weird old-time with them on this track from our new album.

Photo Credit: Jen Squires

Laurel Premo’s Songs of Grief and Opening

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

On Halloween, I released an album of griefwork music. Laments features four compositions for solo fiddle and voice born out of an instinctive and spontaneous draw into lamentation when my body demanded it as part of its healing processes.

In both my vocal and instrumental soundings, the role of a traditional lamenter has long been rooted in my identity and how I seek to be of service as a community member who helps others enter into emotion or move through to the other side of an emotion. That work is not limited to sorrow, but can move joy as well. Music can help to bring more aliveness and connectedness to one previously detached, as I’ve been lucky to experience in my work of being a dance musician or a wedding fiddler.

Since my initial education on the topic of “lament” around age 20 while studying in Helsinki, I have held the possibility of a similar role as a guide into or through feeling at the core of my work. It wasn’t until the middle of the last few years, when I had been writing this music on fiddle and voice, wailing music with few words, that I realized I was working with actual lament and that I had found myself knee deep in a river of tradition. So I am here, coming full circle.

Seventeen years later, I returned to research and to listen to archive sources after I had birthed this work, to begin to understand the context of my path, to grab on to some railings, and to move into whatever comes next. I have since come to understand that performative ritualized mourning is a global phenomenon of traditional cultures. While my record is a performance of prepared arrangements and echos of what I experienced in liminal spaces, as opposed to my live lamentation or ritual, it’s my hope that the music can represent the shallows of what is available inside of the great depths of the tradition. (For more reflections on this work, read on via the extended notes booklet for Laments.)

For this Mixtape, I thought back through time to craft a collection of tracks that have been medicinal to me in seasons of heaviness, in times when I needed assistance to reopen a closed self. The tunes span many genres – please take them with open ears and meet them with what they offer. Through different modes, they all have the power to help bring in a glimpse or a full serving of transformation, whether that’s delivered from the quietest breath of the mechanics inside of a piano or from the wall of supportive pressure that is the embrace of the Scottish smallpipes. Three traditional lament forms are featured (Ireland, Scotland, and Peru) nestled here alongside music that I think works in related ways. It is music that helps us enter ourselves. – Laurel Premo

“Riverside” – Tim Lowly

(Listen on Bandcamp.)

This is the first song that came to my heart for this Mixtape, possibly because it was an early memory of the expansive potential of music as a tool in grief. I heard Tim Lowly sing this song at an intimate house concert in Kalamazoo sometime in the 2010-2015 range and his album traveled with me over many touring miles in America that decade. Tim is a painter and writer, and the central protagonist of much of his work has been his daughter, Temma, who has cerebral palsy with spastic quadriplegia. The melody and lyrics in this piece surrender to “slipping down” until they land on some solid new core.

“Pililiù” – Bridghde Chaimbeul

I’ve been very moved by the sounds from Scottish pipes player Bridghde Chaimbeul, who’s just recently completed her first US tour. I listened to her rendition of “Pililiù” during a high intensity breath practice once and it produced an immediate outpouring of tears. Some deep thread of connection existed there. A few months later, while researching vocal roots and lamentation, I recognized that this melody that she had recorded instrumentally is indeed an example of a traditional keening melody. The melody of this lament is a recreation of birdsong of the Redshank. In Scottish tradition, this coastal bird inhabits the liminal space between solid earth and the vastness of the fluid ocean, between known and unknown eternity.

“Body” – Emma Ruth Rundle

A few winters ago Engine of Hell hit me in a heavy way and seemed to be the exact medicine of resonating my own experience that was needed. When music reflects some color of what we’re feeling, it can vibrate our emotional body into become something bigger than we can see and relate to, converse with, question, and be held by.

“Visit Croatia” – Alabaster DePlume

This nostalgic journey is created from patience, deep listening, and real breath. Alabaster DePlume is an English musician and poet.

“Batonebo – Rachan” – Ensemble Ialoni

This is a pre-Christian healing song from an incredible Georgian women’s ensemble. In traditional Georgian belief, “Batonebi” is the name of spirit beings that are the cause of childhood infectious diseases. Songs like this are sung to these spirits, alongside other ritual, to appease them and ask them to leave the sick child so that they may heal. This whole record contains traditional folk song in complex harmony that work as chants for the singer and listener (including the Batonebi spirit audience!).

“My Friend The Forest” – Nils Frahm

Nils Frahm presents deep texture and intimacy here. The flex and breathing of the piano, akin to the live breath of the forest, takes you on a whispering trail of release. Other tracks that have a similar vibe from this record are “A Place” and “Forever Changeless.”

“Gorm” – Susan McKeown

I was introduced to this recording through the master’s thesis of Michelle Collins who investigated the de-ritualization and re-ritualization of keening in contemporary Ireland. This original song from 1996 is written in the traditional form of Irish lament and sings grief related to emigration and grief caused by AIDS. Listen for the traditional cry of “ochón.”

“Nude” – Radiohead

Bringing in some movement now after our ‘set one’ of still listening. Feel the tilt of this waltz gently push you around while the vocals reach and spin.

“Without The Light” – Kelly Joe Phelps

Kelly brings in some sonic reverence here, reaching upward and swimming through memory. “I can see better without the light.” This relaxing into surrender here, perhaps even some praise for the grief in how this song is presented, is an important point in the process. We throw up our hands at the mystery of it all. We sit in awe of the many threads that connect to our heart from all we’ve lived through, from all those we have shared love with. This expression of love – our grief – is actually nourishment towards those living strands that connect us through worlds.

“Vuela Golondrina” – Coral Rojo

Morning light beams through this tune from Chilean vocal ensemble Coral Rojo. The lyrics here speak (again) of birds, both the swallow and the condor, of water, of revolving and renewing time, and the patterns and daily rituals of the natural world healing and waking us to new days. “Cry your sorrows while the mountain range shines as the day arrives.”

“Acid Rain” – Lorn

I’m including this dark ambient, industrial track from Milwaukee artist Lorn to honestly reflect the variety of tunes that do this work for me, personally. Here, bringing in the big guns of bass and synth grit to massage out angst and sorrow stored deep in the muscle. Sometimes you need to order size large.

“Surrender” – Rotana, Superposition

The tunes on this project from Palestinian/Saudi vocalist Rotana and duo Superposition are truly animated prayers and meditations. By that I mean, breathing life, bringing into life, and making alive old and new words. It takes a lot of experience and intention to keep that devotion in your music. Rotana sings codes of freedom.

“Song of Marriage” – Young girl in Huancavalica, Mountain Music of Peru, Vol. 1 

I found this song very recently while listening through a track that shared five-second samples of all of the music on Voyager’s Golden Record (a project that served as a “message in a bottle” for extraterrestrial life led by Carl Sagan in the 1970s). It stuck out to me, even though it was a sweet young voice, I could tell it was some form of blues. Looking up more information about the track, I learned that it was actually lament. Across cultures, in addition to lamentation being used to accompany death, laments are sung quite often to accompany the journey crossing the threshold of entering marriage, as ritual protection in that liminal space, particularly for the bride leaving her family and entering a different life.

“Oh Aadam, sino essitus” – Anonymous, Heinvaker

This project from an Estonian vocal ensemble featuring folk hymns and runic songs was one I listened to a lot in the first summer of the pandemic. The sound is such a balm. A close friend once remarked that this music gave him such pride and hope in what humans are capable of. The actual singing of it, that we are capable of creating this resonance with each other, shows us that we hold such power to shape our world, that we can be positive citizens in the large environment. On our theme today, let this tune speak to the transformation that we lead ourselves on through the journey of grief. We are capable, and we are deeply belonging to this big web of creation.

Photo Credit: Harpe Star

Lydia Luce’s Feet in the Grass, Head in the Clouds Playlist

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

This is a Mixtape of songs I enjoy listening to in nature. I hope you listen to it while hiking or laying in the grass. Hiking and walking are my ways of meditating and connecting with myself. Especially now that we have our baby coming next month. Really trying to center myself in preparation for this beautiful life change.

I never go on a hiking or camping trip and regret it. It always helps to put things into perspective for me. My worries and stresses feel insignificant when I’m staring out at a mountain range after climbing to a peak. The title track of my new album, Mammoth, is about hiking and all of the artwork and music videos were taken while either hiking in the Swiss Alps or the Colorado Rockies. My love for nature seeps out of this new project. I hope it finds its listeners craving the outdoors. – Lydia Luce

“Head in the Clouds” – Mocky

This song is one I keep coming back to. I have spent many moments in nature with my husband camping or in our Skoolie listening to this song. It’s one of our faves.

“Free Treasure” – Adrianne Lenker

Adrianne has a beautiful way of reminding us there is treasure all around us in nature and with loved ones – and we don’t have to pay for it. There have been so many times that I have found what I’ve been looking for just by sitting outside.

“The Wind” – Feist

This song is a perfect poem about the wind. Leslie sings about the power of nature, connecting us to ourselves and to each other. She sings, “You find you, keep on the horizon.”

“Quiet as a Star” – Jon Middleton

This song reminds me of camping by the ocean. The waves, the glow of a fire, and the stars above. It’s such a simple, stunning song.

“Hello Sunshine” – Damien Jurado, Richard Swift

In Nashville we have a big lake called Percy Priest with tons of tiny islands. I love kayaking out to the islands to camp. I’ve done a lot of solo camping trips out there and this song reminds me of those times. Paddling out to watch the sunset glow.

“Pretty Stars” – Bill Frisell

This song is so beautiful. The guitar melody reminds me of night swimming. Growing up in south Florida my brother and I used to go snorkel at night to see the bioluminescence. It feels like swimming in the stars; when you pop up out of the water you see the stars glowing up above. Some real magic.

“The Moonlight Song” – Blaze Foley

There is nothing like camping in the autumn. When the season changes and making a fire to stay warm is a necessity. This song reminds me of camping in the fall with buddies. It sounds like he’s singing to us around the fire, pulling us into the moment.

“The Ocean” – Richard Hawley

I have this distinct memory of driving out of the tunnel in Santa Monica where it turns into the PCH listening to this song. I have lived half of my life close to the ocean and I miss it so much. I moved to Nashville eight years ago from Los Angeles and this song brings me right back to staring out at the Pacific Ocean.

“Pink Moon” – Nick Drake

Who doesn’t love this song? It’s just a perfect song. I love Nick Drake’s open tunings and melodies. This song reminds me of hiking and though I have heard it a million times I never get tired of it.

“Brassy Sun” – S. Carey

This is another song that takes me back to solo camping on the lake. Microdosing mushrooms and watching the sunset. Appreciating the solitude in nature.

Photo Credit: Ryan Usher

Heather Aubrey Lloyd’s Guide to Murder Ballad Survival

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

As you might guess, there’s tens of dollars to be made working in folk music. One of the more macabre ways I’ve made a living is… um… off the dead, performing educational programs on gender inequality in murder ballads for more than a decade with my band, ilyAIMY (i love you And I Miss You).

Maybe I was just born spooky (Halloween birthday!), but I’ve made the most of my curiosity for folk music’s unnerving and often misogynistic underbelly. All while collecting a few outliers that turn the old tales on their heads.

First found in Europe in the 1600s, murder ballad poems and songs have since become heavily associated with traditional American music. A mainstay in country and folk – whether it’s Polly or Omie falling prey to poor choices, or “Stagger Lee” (a staple since 1897), or Brokeneck Girls: The Murder Ballad Musical selling out its 2023 run – we’re still pressing play on cautionary tales of love inextricably woven with violence and remorseless outlaws. But we’re also starting to look back at the facts, wondering more at why the women of murder ballads are voiceless victims and rarely vigilantes.

I’ve kept the body count relatively low on my new album, Panic Room with a View, but there are a few graves. It is October after all. So, witches, black widows, and wanton women – who makes it out from this Mixtape alive? – Heather Aubrey Lloyd

“Bang, Bang” – Nancy Sinatra

This one might be a metaphor, but the messaging sure isn’t. Love is interlaced with violence right from childhood: “He would always win the fight,” and she should have known better. P.S. Sinatra may be singing it, but this lament from the “female perspective” was written by Sonny Bono.

“Come All Ye Fair And Tender Ladies” – Odetta

In rare cases, it’s not a man’s voice behind the mask, but women warning one another to “lock their hearts” against lying lovers. Cause of death here will eventually be sorrow, but don’t worry – we’re getting to the grisly bits and what happens when you don’t heed the warnings.

“Pretty Polly” – Coon Creek Girls

Appalachian, music academic, or horror movie fan, we all know the rules: the girl getting “busy” is the first body to drop. This song has roots in 1750s English ballads, where the pregnant and unwed victim at least sometimes gets revenge as a ghost. Not so with most American versions of Polly, or North Carolina’s Omie Wise, where the vague-but-violent tale is told with little remorse or consequence.

This is the blueprint of the classic American murder ballad. He’s dug the grave in advance or brought her to the river (no obvious sin-cleansing symbolism here) and “her blood, it did flow.” In some versions of “The Knoxville Girl,” his friends still try to bail him out of jail. Though countless renditions exist (The Byrds, Béla Fleck & Abigail Washburn, etc.), this stark presentation by the Coon Creek Girls has always been my favorite.

“Barbara Allen” – Joan Baez

Controversial opinion alert! I’ve always had a huge problem with the claim of “the world’s most-collected English-language folk ballad.”

Barbara Allen doesn’t die because she loves a man, but because she simply doesn’t. When women refuse there are still consequences, and “hard-hearted” Barb’ry follows “sweet” William to his grave, where he entwines with her in death. Ew. Still, it’s hard to argue with Baez’s perfectly mournful vocal take on this tune.

“The Dreadful End of Marianna for Sorcery” – Malinky

Or, if she says no and doesn’t die of sorrow, you can always cry “witch” and get her burned at the stake. Happy Halloween! You might think it’s a traditional, but this modern murder ballad from the year 2000 has a feminist twist; Marianna gets to tell on the men who wronged her, their hypocrisy revealed, her virtue extolled. This is a significant evolution from the third-person narrator (or male murderer’s perspective) pervasive in classic murder ballads.

“Frankie and Johnny” – Pete Seeger

Let’s get to a murderess. What if I told you Pete Seeger was singing you a lie? Did Frankie shoot her cheatin’ man? Yup, on October 14, 1899, Frankie Baker did. Was she sentenced to the electric chair for it? No. Songwriters didn’t bother waiting on the verdict. Besides, what ideas might women get if they thought they might get away with it?

Just days after the shooting, the streets of St. Louis were already singing. Frankie’s philandering beau, Allen, became “Albert” then “Johnny.” And Frankie, who unsuccessfully sued once a movie was made, was hounded by hundreds of renditions before she died in 1952.

“The Valley Is Ours” – Heather Aubrey Lloyd

Does a folk singer owe listeners absolute truth, or do we use bits and pieces of honesty to shed light on greater truths? As a songwriter and a former journalist, I’ve spent a while reconciling that question. This song from my freshly released album is a perfect example. I weave true stories from various eras of flood-ravaged Ellicott City, Maryland – a news article about a drowning victim, my time sanitizing debris from my friend’s submerged apartment – into a fictional family, unifying the experiences for the greater story representing all those who brave disaster and rebuild.

“Independence Day” – Martina McBride

If you’re an ’80s baby like me, this 1995 CMA Song of the Year (and one of Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Country Songs of All Time) was probably the first murder ballad you heard on the radio. Domestic violence, the standard trope, drives the battered wife to finally burn down the house with them both in it, leaving their surviving daughter to wonder, “I ain’t sayin’ it’s right or it’s wrong/ But maybe it’s the only way.”

I’ve spent years thinking about just how many other ways there should be for that woman. And maybe that’s the point of a great line like that. (I was too nervous to ask Gretchen Peters, the song’s writer, when I opened for her in 2022.)

“Silent Little Bells” – ilyAIMY

We all start by mimicking the art we loved growing up. So, it’s no wonder that in 2010 when it came time to write a murder ballad for my own band, ilyAIMY, I couldn’t seem to let the murderess get away with it, either. But my questions were starting. How do I reconcile my love of murder ballads with their problematic or outdated ideas? Can the women get more say in their stories?

“Can it be a sin/ For a woman done wrong to do the man done it/ Do that man right in?”

“Country Death Song” – The Violent Femmes

And I probably threw my fictional characters down a well, because I subconsciously remembered it from this song. We are all the culmination of everything we’ve ever heard and only think we’ve forgotten. This song’s presentation is so deadpan it’s almost parody, like a scary Halloween costume. An innocent daughter falls victim to a father’s starvation and madness. And when the victim is a woman child, at least, the murderer can’t live with the guilt and punishes himself.

“Delia’s Gone” – Johnny Cash

You can’t have a murder ballad Mixtape without Johnny Cash. The man in black – also a kind of persona/costume – put plenty of women in the ground through song, with a vocal delivery that’s dead serious. We know little about Delia’s actual “trifling” offenses, and as with early American murder ballads, much is left to the imagination.

“So if your woman’s devilish/ You can let her run/ Or you can bring her down and do her/ Like Delia got done…” references the old trope that men are somewhat justified killing sinful women, be it 1762 or 1962.

“Church Bells” – Carrie Underwood

Between 2000 and 2016 women got a lot of mixed messages about spousal abuse and murder ballads. The Chicks’ infamous “Goodbye Earl” was met with 14% of Radio & Records reporting stations refusing to play it with accusations the song “advocated premeditated murder.” Um … “Folsom Prison” much?!? Why not the same uproar for 2007’s “Gunpowder & Lead” wherein Miranda Lambert shows she’s willing, but we never get the actual trigger pull, or Underwood’s similar poisoning of an abusive husband in 2016?

Answer: It’s all about the aftermath and the attitude. The Chicks were too undeniably happy. “Church Bells,” meanwhile, walks the line that the bells toll for her in remorse and damnation, or that she finds absolution in the church.

“Pocket of God” – Cory Branan

When asked how the genre is evolving, I can’t hit play fast enough on this tune, featured on BGS in 2022. It has all the vicious, remorseless teeth I want in my bloody ballads – along with a surprising respect for its female victim. “Pocket” is reminiscent of a narcocorrido (Mexican drug ballad), narrated by a dealer who falls for a woman that becomes “a punch” he “couldn’t counter” and someone he “admired” for her intelligence. It’s only when she double-crosses him in business that he’s forced to kill her, like any other rogue henchman, as an example. But she haunts him.

“Oh (Field Recording)” – Laurel Hells Ramblers

Young artists keeping old Appalachian song traditions alive might be killing off a new kind of character – their former selves. Trans songstress Clover-Lynn follows up this boy’s murder by asking her father, “Oh, tell me daddy/ Can you ever forgive/ The death of your son/ So your daughter can live?”

“The Ballad of Yvonne Johnson” – Eliza Gilkyson

Trigger warning: this one’s a hard listen, but the truth always is. Instead of exploiting “Stagger Lee” as a Black anti-hero powerful enough to usurp the devil, or fetishizing Frankie in her kimono, we get the thorough, unflinching story of a Canadian Cree woman’s childhood abuse and the murder it drove her to, told in her words (Johnson shares a writing credit) through Gilkyson. All so that listeners can “awaken to themselves and to all people of this world.” When it comes to the fate of women in murder ballads, we’re starting to make room for greater complexity.

“Sisterly” – Jean Rohe

I’m skeptical that a song can change the world, but this song definitely changed me. When Rohe witnesses an assault on a woman from her window, she hesitates to get involved “in the name of it wasn’t me.”

“I’m not known for being sisterly/ Let the strong girls win and cut the weak ones free/ The boys lie, they say the boys are mean / Said I better get myself a spot on the boys’ team.”

We’re left uncertain of the girl’s fate, but mine was revealed. I was Rohe at the window, who didn’t like women I viewed as weak. I’d learned the rules to survive and they hadn’t. After I couldn’t look away from that part of myself, I started performing with more women, looking harder at where I stand in life and in the songs I love.

Photo Credit: Rob Hinkal