Tag: North Carolina

The Travis Book Happy Hour: Jeremy Garrett (The Infamous Stringdusters)

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

I know Jeremy Garrett about as well as anyone else, excepting his wife Connie, of course. We’ve traveled together for 17 years as founding members of The Infamous Stringdusters and spent about a decade sharing a room when we traveled. We affectionately referred to each other as our “road wives.” Beyond being a great songwriter, brilliant fiddle player, and vocalist of the highest order, he has a cutting wit and a steadfast dedication to his art and his craft. I’m grateful to call him a friend and look forward to many more years creating music and traveling with this bluegrass titan.

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This podcast is an edited distillation of the full-length happy hour which aired live on April 27, 2021. Huge thanks to Jeremy Garrett and Jon Stickley.

Timestamps:

0:05 – Soundbyte
0:43 – Introduction
1:52 – Live introduction by Bill
2:54 – “Rise Sun”
5:32 – “That’s Someone’s Mother”
8:10 – “Home From the Forest”
12:52 – Introducing Jeremy Garrett
13:50 – Interview 1
19:10 – “I’m Not the Enemy”
23:43 – “I Am Who I Am”
27:15 – Interview 2
45:42 – “Wishing Well”
53:10 – “Windy in Nashville”
56:24 – “A Hard Life Makes a Good Song”
1:00:52 – Outro

Editor’s note: The Travis Book Happy Hour is hosted by Travis Book of the GRAMMY Award-winning band, The Infamous Stringdusters. The show’s focus is musical collaboration and conversation around matters of being. The podcast is the best of the interview and music from the live show recorded in Asheville, NC.

The Travis Book Happy Hour Podcast is brought to you by Thompson Guitars and is presented by Americana Vibes and The Bluegrass Situation as part of the BGS Podcast Network. You can find the Travis Book Happy Hour on Instagram and Facebook and online at thetravisbookhappyhour.com.

Photo Credit: George Trent Grogan, Mountain Trout Photography

WATCH: Joseph Terrell, “Tallest House of Cards” (feat. Charly Lowry)

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Joseph Terrell
Hometown: Durham, NC
Song: “Tallest House of Cards” (featuring Charly Lowry)
Album: Good For Nothing Howl
Release Date: May 5, 2023
Label: Sleepy Cat Records

In Their Words: “Charly Lowry is one of my favorite singers in North Carolina. I love her voice and her presence and I really admire how rooted she is in her community in Eastern North Carolina (AKA “down east” AKA the most interesting part of the state with the most swamps and collard greens per capita). We met up in Pembroke, NC at Charly’s bar, Credentials Social Club, and she helped me record a beautiful version of this song from my album … thanks to Charly for bringing it to life. Directed by my great buddies Sandra Davidson and Cameron Laws, we made a day trip out of it, got Mexican at Charly’s favorite spot beforehand, and then Cook Out milkshakes afterward (banana pudding). It was a pleasure all around.

“‘Tallest House of Cards’ is about some great duos who burned hot and bright for a little while. You know Bonnie & Clyde, Fred Astaire & Ginger Rogers. Y’all maybe don’t know the story of Charles Mason & Jeremiah Dixon, the surveyors who drew the famous line, but they were a wild pairing, too. I’ve got some other verses (Bert & Ernie, Siegfried & Roy) that I might bust out live.” – Joseph Terrell

Video directed by Sandra Katharine Davidson and Cameron Elizabeth Laws

Photo Credit: Joseph Blankinship

The Travis Book Happy Hour: Graham Sharp (Steep Canyon Rangers)

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

Graham Sharp has had the kind of career any banjo player dreams of. He started the Steep Canyon Rangers in college with a group of friends, immediately discovered he had a knack for songwriting, and the rest is history in the making. Twenty-three years, nine albums and a Grammy Award later, the Steep Canyon Rangers (behind the strength of Graham’s songwriting), have established themselves as one of the best bluegrass and Americana bands of their era. I was grateful for the chance to talk with this insightful artist, play some really beautiful music, and reminisce about our shared history. I hope you enjoy this episode of The Happy Hour.

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This podcast is an edited distillation of the full-length happy hour which aired live on June 8th of 2022. Huge thanks to Graham Sharp and Julian Pinelli.

Timestamps:

0:05 – Soundbyte
0:34 – Introduction
2:56 – On the Carolina Guitar Celebration & Tony Rice
4:26 – “Home From the Forest”
8:46 – Introducing Graham Sharp
10:00 – Interview 1
25:54 – “Can’t Get Home”
30:06 – Interview 2
43:50 – “Coming Back to Life”
49:28 – Fiddle music!
54:35 – “Generation Blues”
58:17 – Outro

Editor’s note: The Travis Book Happy Hour is hosted by Travis Book of the GRAMMY Award-winning band, The Infamous Stringdusters. The show’s focus is musical collaboration and conversation around matters of being. The podcast is the best of the interview and music from the live show recorded in Asheville, NC.

The Travis Book Happy Hour Podcast is brought to you by Thompson Guitars and is presented by Americana Vibes and The Bluegrass Situation as part of the BGS Podcast Network. You can find the Travis Book Happy Hour on Instagram and Facebook and online at thetravisbookhappyhour.com.

Photo Credit: Sandlin Gaither Music Photography

WATCH: Keturah Allgood, “Rosary Beads”

Posted on by Justin Hiltner

Artist: Keturah Allgood
Hometown: Brevard, NC
Song: “Rosary Beads”
Album: Shine 
Release Date: May 29, 2023 (single); August 25, 2023 (album)
Label: Charlotte Avenue Entertainment

In Their Words: “This song was written in my cabin on my farm where I was living at the time. It was a snowy day and everything outside was beautiful and peaceful. I closed my eyes and this song unfolded like a movie. I could see a young man driving down a Southwestern highway with rosary beads hanging on his rearview mirror. He was grappling with his childhood memories which were beautiful and his current reality which was formed from trauma, from war, from pain. The movie in my head was beautiful and tragic all at the same time. My partner is a combat vet and as the person who loves him and is close to him I watch him struggle with his past and how to live a happy and fulfilled life while still being faced with the trauma of war. No matter where we come from all of us have darkness that we have to confront and deal with in order to heal and move forward. I don’t want anyone to ever feel alone with that struggle and that is why it was so important to add a message at the end of the video for this song to remind everyone that they are not alone and that there are resources out there if you find yourself struggling. You don’t have to be afraid to ask for help.” — Keturah Allgood

“As a Director, working on a song as beautiful as ‘Rosary Beads’ and an artist as gifted as Keturah, leaves you a wide open pallet to work with. Keturah and I discussed some issues that were near and dear to her when coming up with this powerful story and I couldn’t be more proud of this video and Keturah. The cast was amazing and our production crew and DP were all stellar.” – Michelle Robertson (producer, Charlotte Avenue Pictures)

Photo Credit: Jeremy Ryan

LISTEN: Unspoken Tradition, “Moments”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Unspoken Tradition
Hometown: Cherryville, North Carolina
Song: “Moments”
Release Date: May 19, 2023
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “I’m so happy to be giving ‘Moments’ a second life. I originally recorded this song, written by our producer Jon Weisberger and Andy Hall of the Infamous Stringdusters, on my solo album, and in the intervening years it has grown to be one of my favorites. I think my own journey reflects the subject material — with more than a decade of hindsight, it takes on a different meaning in thinking about how fleeting time can seem, how the moments of our lives can ‘turn us all around, lift us up or knock us down.’ I’m excited for Unspoken Tradition to put our own spin on this poignant song!” — Sav Sankaran, Unspoken Tradition

Crossroads Label Group · Moments – Unspoken Tradition

Photo Credit: Sandlin Gaither

BGS 5+5: Kevin Daniel

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Kevin Daniel
Hometown: Born in Tarboro, North Carolina; currently in Nashville, Tennessee
Latest Album: The Life & Adventures of Kevin Daniel
Personal nicknames (or rejected band names): Lol, Kevin Daniel & The Danielettes is one I force on my band sometimes (we go by Kevin Daniel & The Bottom Line when I play full band)

Which artist has influenced you the most … and how?

Historically I would have to say Elvis Presley due to his general stage presence and vocal abilities, but lately I’ve been way more interested in songwriting, which Elvis notoriously did not do a lot of. Currently Jason Isbell and Tyler Childers are my biggest lyrical influences, as well as Langhorne Slim who is honestly as much a poet as he is a singer. They all put truth to words in a way that seems genuine and can touch a wide variety of people and personalities.

What rituals do you have, either in the studio or before a show?

This might seem silly, but at the end of every show I play with a full band (The Bottom Line) I make sure to go up to each of them before we leave the stage to thank them. I don’t have a set band, it’s always a different setup, and I know these guys could be playing with someone else, so I just make sure to let them know I enjoyed and appreciated them before we start breaking down for the night.

What has been the best advice you’ve received in your career so far?

I don’t know if I can say this, but I once saw Margo Price on a panel and her big piece of advice was “don’t be an asshole.” I’ve taken that to heart and I try not to take anything too personally when it comes to my career. It’s easy to get bitter and jaded in the music industry, so not being a jerk can really go a long way with people.

Which elements of nature do you spend the most time with and how do those impact your work?

Anyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with surfing. Real surfers know how passionate you can get about the sport and how it can really consume you. I spend about six weeks every year taking a break from touring to surf in Costa Rica, write music, and generally not drive more than a mile in any direction. Surfing helps me recollect my thoughts and really just be in the moment, whereas the rest of the year I’m always thinking at least three months ahead.

How often do you hide behind a character in a song or use “you” when it’s actually “me”?

I try to be as authentic as possible when I’m performing and writing music. At some point though, you are not as interesting as you think you are, and you need to write about stuff that has nothing to do with you. I think there’s a way to do that authentically but you are in essence writing a piece of fiction. The Kevin Daniel you see on stage is basically me, but generally more nice. In real life, I can be a bit of a grump. I’m working on it.

Photo Credit: China Carracedo

The Travis Book Happy Hour: Cris Jacobs

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

Cris Jacobs is an enigma. The question is always “why is this guy not more famous?” Searing guitar, incredible heartfelt songwriting, genre-defying vocals, and an incredibly positive vibe and outlook; there’s really none better than Cris Jacobs. I asked him to come to Western North Carolina to do a couple shows and it just-so-happened we shared the stage the weekend prior at the Telluride Bluegrass Festival, so I was lucky to get to spend a lot of time with Cris over the course of a week. I really enjoyed the music and the interview and I’m looking forward to more music with him in the future.

LISTEN: APPLE • SPOTIFY • STITCHER • AMAZON • MP3

This podcast is an edited distillation of the full-length happy hour which aired live on June 22nd of 2022. Huge thanks to Cris Jacobs and Devin Neel.

Timestamps:

0:08 – Soundbyte
1:01 – Introduction
2:46 – Welcome from Travis
3:44 – Monologue: gun predicament
5:19 – “Rise Sun”
8:11 – On Devin Neel
8:41 – On Telluride Bluegrass Festival
11:40 – “I’m Not Alone”
17:07 – Interview w/ Cris Jacobs
28:00 – “Delivery Man”
34:44 – “Talkin’ NRA Blues”
43:20 – “Under the Big Top”
47:47 – Interview w/ Cris Jacobs
59:24 – “Mama Was a Redbone”
1:05:10 – “The Devil or Jesse James”
1:13:17 – Reprise
1:14:27 – Outro

Editor’s note: The Travis Book Happy Hour is hosted by Travis Book of the GRAMMY Award-winning band, The Infamous Stringdusters. The show’s focus is musical collaboration and conversation around matters of being. The podcast is the best of the interview and music from the live show recorded in Asheville, NC.

The Travis Book Happy Hour Podcast is brought to you by Thompson Guitars and is presented by Americana Vibes and The Bluegrass Situation as part of the BGS Podcast Network. You can find the Travis Book Happy Hour on Instagram and Facebook and online at thetravisbookhappyhour.com.

LISTEN: Carley Arrowood, “Tsali’s Run”

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Carley Arrowood
Hometown: Newton, North Carolina
Song: “Tsali’s Run”
Release Date: May 12, 2023
Label: Mountain Home Music Company

In Their Words: “I wrote this tune last summer as a fun attempt at something with a Celtic/bluegrass feel. Little did we know it would come to have a Cherokee title! Last June Daniel and I went on our first anniversary trip to Cherokee, North Carolina, and saw Unto These Hills as a part of it. I have a little Cherokee in my veins, and it was so moving to learn more about Tsali, a Cherokee hero who gave up his life to save the rest of his people before the Trail of Tears took place. He and his two oldest sons willingly surrendered to a firing squad after running ‘unto the hills’ to hide. Go see the play if you haven’t! This tune found its name when we got home from our trip, as we both could just picture Tsali and his boys running through the woods. The studio band was incredible, and Tony Creasman made the song feel extra chilling with his hand drum. If you listen closely, you’ll hear three subtle crash cymbals as the song closes, and they mimic the sound of the gunshots that marked the bitter but courageous end of Tsali and his boys. ‘Tsali’s Run’ is so energetic and thrilling to play, and I hope that listeners will love and be moved by it as we are.” — Carley Arrowood

Crossroads Label Group · Tsali’s Run – Carley Arrowood

Photo Credit: Katie Duncan Photography

BGS 5+5: Jon Stickley

Posted on by Editor

Artist: Jon Stickley
Hometown: Durham, North Carolina
Latest album: Jon Stickley Trio, Meantime’s Up
Personal Nicknames: Stick, Sticky, Stickers, Sticky-Poo, J. P. Poo, Stickles, Stickles McGee, JP Stickles, Stickman

Which artist has influenced you the most … and how?

David Grisman, who at the time was already a monster Bill Monroe-style bluegrass mandolin player, took a huge step forward and created Dawg music, an amalgamation of many different styles with a reverence for the bluegrass music that was at the root of his sound. I take the same approach with the Trio. Every composition is an exploration of some new idea that we are experimenting with, but we do it all through the lens of, and according to the standards of, the traditional bluegrass music of Bill Monroe.

What was the first moment that you knew you wanted to be a musician?

I guess I knew I was going to be a musician as long as I can remember! An early memory is being in children’s choir in church. I distinctly remember my friends not wanting to be there, and thinking it was odd because I was just having a blast following the notes along the page. Later in life, I was in an entomology class in college thinking about what to do with my upcoming summer. I had two opportunities: a summer missionary program, or joining the band Broke Mountain in Durango, Colorado. I joined the band, and now here I am!

What’s the toughest time you ever had writing a song?

I’ve always had to sit down and work on songs. They don’t often come to me out of thin air. Over the course of writing and recording our new album, my two sons were born, so time to sit and work on music suddenly became virtually nonexistent! We had a session around the corner and I needed one more tune. I decided to get my old Martin D-18 out and see if it brought me some inspiration. I started noodling around on a little metal lick just getting some frustration out when it started turning into something. I called the song “Triumph in Between” because I actually couldn’t believe I was able to put something together in time with so much LIFE going on.

What has been the best advice you’ve received in your career so far?

I got a lot of good advice and just overall inspiration from working with Dave King, the drummer for The Bad Plus who produced a couple of albums for us. He said, “Be the most YOU that you can be. No one else can do that. It will make you stand out, and ultimately get the gig! It is a superpower.” Every time I remember to follow that advice, I stop stressing about comparing myself to others.

Since food and music go so well together, what is your dream pairing of a meal and a musician?

Haha, the first thing that came to mind was cheeseburgers with Jerry Garcia. He was such a deep guitarist and I always love listening to interviews where he talks about his approach and practice routine and whatnot. He was just such a dedicated student of the guitar. Pretty sure we both share a fondness for cheeseburgers!

Photo Credit: Tom Farr

The Travis Book Happy Hour: Cristina Vane

Posted on by Shelby Williamson

I’d been searching for the right guests for the Happy Hour when a couple Instagram posts caught my eye. Two former guests had posted video of Cristina Vane playing the Station Inn in Nashville. I was struck by her distinct presence, slide blues style, and unique voice. Once I dug in I was also intrigued by her history and the path that had brought her to Americana music. I was relieved when she accepted my invite and it took us no time at all to fall into an easy rapport. I hope you enjoy this interview as much as I did.

LISTEN: APPLE • SPOTIFY • STITCHER • AMAZON • MP3

This podcast is an edited distillation of the full-length happy hour which aired live on July 28th of 2021. Huge thanks to Cristina Vane and Mike Ashworth.

Timestamps:

0:05 – Soundbyte
1:15 – Introduction
2:32 – Bill’s introduction
3:50 – “Gentle on My Mind”
7:10 – Mike & Travis rap about John Hartford
8:00 – Monologue
10:03 – “I Will Lead You Home”
13:05 – Interview w/ Cristina Vane
29:34 – “Prayer for the Blind”
32:00 – “Heaven Bound Station”
34:06 – Interview w/ Cristina Vane
49:51 – “Rise Sun”
52:50 – “Talk About Suffering”
55:00 – “Make Myself Me Again”
58:20 – Outro

Editor’s note: The Travis Book Happy Hour is hosted by Travis Book of the GRAMMY Award-winning band, The Infamous Stringdusters. The show’s focus is musical collaboration and conversation around matters of being. The podcast is the best of the interview and music from the live show recorded in Asheville, NC.

The Travis Book Happy Hour Podcast is brought to you by Thompson Guitars and is presented by Americana Vibes and The Bluegrass Situation as part of the BGS Podcast Network. You can find the Travis Book Happy Hour on Instagram and Facebook and online at thetravisbookhappyhour.com.