podcast Archives - Page 14 of 55 - The Bluegrass Situation

Iron & Wine: Navigating the High School Reunion of My Music Career

Posted on November 30, 2023 by Shelby Williamson

Long before the world fell in love with the music of Iron & Wine, and even before he knew that he wanted a career in music, Sam Beam knew that he loved making things. His parents, who didn’t necessarily understand their artsy kid but wanted to support him, kept Sam well-supplied in drawing paper and art supplies so that his imagination could run free. Sam knew that he was different from other kids but that didn’t bother him. In his early days of making music, Sam obsessively honed his skills as a producer so that he could present the most polished songs possible. It wasn’t until later that he realized that live performance was just as important a part of his craft. Following his own curiosity has enabled Sam to remain intellectually energized throughout two decades of touring and releasing music.

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One thing you might not know about Iron & Wine is that he has worked with the same manager for his entire career. When he met Howard Greynolds, Sam’s music career was just beginning to take off. Howard quickly proved that he cared more about the music than about getting money and credit. Their relationship has deepened and evolved over the years as Iron & Wine has become one of the most beloved singer-songwriters in folk music, and the music industry has reinvented itself in the age of streaming.

Iron & Wine is notoriously private and mysterious, but that might be about to change with the release of Who Can See Forever, a meditative documentary. The project started as a concert film but the director, Josh Sliffe, was able to convince Sam to sit for a series of interviews reflecting on his life, his work, parenthood, creativity, craft, and legacy. Those conversations find Sam looking back but mostly looking forward with curiosity and acceptance.

Photo Credit: Josh Wool

Folk Inspirations of Acoustic Syndicate’s Steve McMurry

Posted on November 20, 2023 by Shelby Williamson

Acoustic Syndicate is one of the best acoustic rock and Americana bands on Earth. Fronted by Steve McMurry, the band’s music leans toward themes of sustainability, social justice and quality of life and they’ve built a loyal following over the last 30 years. Steve takes us on a musical journey filled with inspiration and tradition in this episode, and he is as down-to-earth as they come; he still farms the land his ancestors first tended over 200 years ago near Shelby, North Carolina, and we get together every Thanksgiving for a hometown holiday jam in Brevard where I get absolutely blown away by the gravity of this musical titan. As a third-generation folk performer, Steve, in our interview, reveals the deep-rooted sources of his creativity, from legendary Americana influences to the tight-knit musical family that nurtured his sound. I was honored he agreed to join us for an episode of the Happy Hour and I know you’ll love his story and his insights and humility.

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This episode was recorded live at The Grey Eagle in Asheville, North Carolina, on May 19, 2021. Huge thanks to Steve McMurry, Mike Ashworth, and Mike Guggino.

Timestamps:

0:06 – Soundbyte
1:00 – Introduction
2:24 – Bill K. Introduction
4:00 – “I Will Lead You Home”
6:52 – “Beauty In The Ugliest Days”
10:44 – Interview 1
26:45 – “Sweetest Breeze”
33:51 – “Rainbow Rollercoaster”
40:00 – Interview 2
50:25 – “Sunny”
57:18 – “Song For Myself”
1:03:26 – 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 and Brevard, North Carolina.

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.

Travis Book is a Practical Romantic

Posted on November 16, 2023November 16, 2023 by Shelby Williamson

After two decades in The Infamous Stringdusters, the Grammy-award winning neo-bluegrass band, Travis Book releases his rock Americana debut: Love and Other Strange Emotions. That’s not to say that Book, who thrives on collaboration, got here on his own. The Colorado musician (now residing in Western North Carolina), was raised by parents who went out their way to ensure that young Travis respected music and had access to instruments. His mother bought him his first bass guitar and his dad allowed him to buy Red Hot Chilli Peppers’ Blood Sugar Sex Magik (even though it had a parental advisory sticker on the cover). As Travis went off to college in Durango, Colorado, he found a supportive and vibrant bluegrass scene where he encountered future members of Greensky Bluegrass (Anders Beck), Leftover Salmon (Andy Thorn) and the Jon Stickley Trio. Those musicians would form their first bluegrass band Broke Mountain Bluegrass Band, which has just reissued a remastered version of their album Cabin in the Hills.

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In our conversation, Travis talks about his brief time in Nashville, after he auditioned for The Stringdusters and got the gig as their upright bass player and vocalist. Spoiler alert: he felt very intimidated. We get into why he loves collaborations so much and has chosen to create his variety show turned podcast, The Travis Book Happy Hour, into an engine for unique performances with guests like Lindsay Lou, Jim Lauderdale, Sierra Hull and many more. The Happy Hour, which started in Spring 2020, was first set without an audience, which made Travis let go of his attachment to their reaction using wisdom borrowed from Eastern philosophy. He also explains how he is romantic, yet practical in everything he works to accomplish. Travis is a literal ray of positivity, so if you’re having a bad day, I promise that this conversation’s gonna lift you up in a seriously not-cornball way. TRAVIS!

Photo Credit: Seyl Park

Caroline Cotter: Home is Where the Ocean Is

Posted on November 9, 2023 by Shelby Williamson

Former trumpet player and anxious adventurer Caroline Cotter had been constantly on the move performing hundreds of live shows since 2015. At the dawn of the pandemic she had a full album in the can and ready to go. When the world shut down, so did she. She set her songs to the side and didn’t pick up her guitar for a long while. She left her city of Portland, Maine and headed even farther north to the Acadia region and reconnected with nature: i.e. hugging as many trees and rocks and one woman can. Also during that time, she had the opportunity to sit with her shelved album. She discovered something amazing in that stillness: She, along with co-producer Alec Spiegelman, had made a fucking bomb record. She went forward with release plans, blew up her Kickstarter goal and finally gave us her third album, Gently as I Go, this past August.

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In our conversation, Caroline talks about what she’s like to work with in the studio (hint: she is not a relaxed and calm dreamboat) as well as her relationship to rest. As someone who has struggled with anxiety, she did not take to rest naturally, however, she’s cultivated a yoga and meditation practice in order to maintain calm. We also dig into her history: talking about how the ocean has remained a constant in her relationship to home. Growing up in Rhode Island, she and her siblings all took piano lessons. Heading to college, she majored in art with a minor in Spanish. She has a reputation for being a globe-trotter, which began in her travels to Thailand, Spain and Portugal as an international educator. She quit her day-job in 2015 to pursue music with a basically nonexistent fanbase. These days, Caroline’s fans are many and they are dedicated. You don’t find many independent musicians with such a devoted crowd as Caroline: they buy her music, they attend her shows, they put her up when she’s in town. So hello all you Cotter-Kickers, hope this conversation does your favorite songwriter justice.

Photo Credit: Katherine Emery

Musical Alchemy with Rachel Baiman on The Travis Book Happy Hour

Posted on November 6, 2023 by Shelby Williamson

(Editor’s Note: Singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Rachel Baiman is also a BGS contributor. View her author archive here.)

Rachel Baiman’s indie-folk and Americana vibe – rooted in Chicago and rich with fiddle tunes – unfolds as she shares her transition to singer-songwriter. Influences ranging from Courtney Barnett to John Hartford and other roots music make their way into her live performances. Rachel is part of a generational scene in Nashville that I’ve been watching with awe for the last five to 10 years. A unique voice, multi-talented and articulate, she’s not afraid to sing and speak what’s on her mind. She writes semi-regularly for BGS, shining some light into the darker corners of the music industry, addressing inequality, and challenging all of us – creators and fans – to do better, dig deeper, and expect more. In this episode we discussed everything from climate change concerns to hopes for a more equitable future. We had a great time on the happy hour and I’m sure you’ll dig it.

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This episode was recorded live at 185 King St. in Brevard, North Carolina, on August 8, 2023. Huge thanks to Rachel Baiman and Riley Calcagno.

Timestamps:

0:06 – Soundbyte
0:57 – Introduction
2:09 – Bill K. introduction
2:57 – Travis introduction
3:33 – On “Bad Debt”
4:52 – “Bad Debt”
9:52 – “Shame”
12:35 – On Mullets
14:24 – “She Don’t Know What to Sing About Anymore”
18:18 – “When You Bloom (Colorado)”
22:25 – “Won’t You Come and Sing for Me”
26:10 – Interview
43:45 – “Twin Fiddles”
47:30 – “Bitter”
51:15 – “In Tall Buildings”
54:53 – Outro

Photo Credit: Natia Cinco

Basic Folk: Jobi Riccio Is an Outdoor Kid

Posted on November 2, 2023 by Shelby Williamson

Jobi Riccio has only begun to scratch the surface of what they have to offer on their debut album, Whiplash. The songwriting is centered around self-discovery and mourning past lives, laid alongside super smart country and pop melodies. Our hero grew up an outdoor kid amongst the woods of Red Rocks Parks and Amphitheatre in Colorado. A strong bluegrass community encircled her playing from a very young age, in a way that encouraged her to pursue music as a career. She spent time in Boston attending Berklee College of Music nestled in the folk community centered around the historic venue, Club Passim. Then March 2020 hit.

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Jobi left her new community and found herself back in her childhood bedroom. She was “wrestling with all the complications of finding herself and her place in the world while letting go of her childhood and the sense of grounding that came with it.” Eventually, they made their way to Asheville, North Carolina to work on Whiplash. In the studio, she took her time making the album and discovered that, indeed, she had a strong sense of vision for the music. The trust of her collaborators allowed her to trust in herself and create an album that is turning heads and making Jobi Riccio one of the most exciting young songwriters of 2023. I loved talking to them about their origin, time in Boston and their continuing musical journey. Can’t wait for you to hear her new album!

Photo Credit: Monica Murray

Basic Folk: Billy Keane on Curiosity, Luck, & Drive

Posted on October 26, 2023 by Shelby Williamson

Curiosity, luck, and drive are three words that revolve around singer-songwriter Billy Keane. He was born with all three traits and they are the hallmark of his music, especially his new album Oh, These Days. The seven song cycle was written during the pandemic and right after some very big life changes: He got divorced, quit alcohol and split with his band, The Whiskey Treaty Roadshow. Billy approached his healing process with an extreme curiosity and a need for simple living. For the last several years, he’s been cultivating a simple space to ignite creativity in the Western Massachusetts town of Lenox, where he owns land and a small cottage.

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In our conversation, Billy talks about his roots in spirituality and his early devotion to music. Keane was born in Australia while his father was working as a minister there. The family moved to Connecticut when he was two years old. He left his hometown at 18 for college, but then left for Seattle to work in commercial deep-sea diving. From there, he made his way to Western Mass, where he found himself working at James Taylor’s studio. James and his wife Kim quickly realized that Billy was a talented musician and turned into key figures and big-time supporters. Oh, These Days, Billy’s second album, is truly a meditation on the human experience met with an insatiable love for life and rebirth.

Photo Credit: Dylan Law Photography

The Travis Book Happy Hour: Andy Falco (Infamous Stringdusters)

Posted on October 23, 2023 by Shelby Williamson

Full disclosure; I’ve played music and stood closer to Andy Falco onstage more than anyone over the last 15 years, maybe ever. As the guitarist for our band The Infamous Stringdusters, he continues to redefine acoustic guitar, blending bluegrass, blues, funk, and rock & roll in a style that defines the sound of the Dusters. His guitar is the most important part of the band. In 2021 he released a solo record, Will of the Way, and in 2023 we released the first volume of our tribute to Jerry Garcia on Americana Vibes. Kind, humorous, focused, and grateful, Andy Falco is a living legend and an absolute treasure.

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This episode was recorded live at The Grey Eagle in Asheville, North Carolina, on August 25, 2021. Huge thanks to Andy Falco.

Timestamps:

0:06 – Soundbyte
0:40 – Introduction
1:56 – “The Thrill Is Gone” / Bill Introduction
3:14 – “Rise Sun”
6:41 – “All the Same”
13:16 – Interview
35:36 – “Holy Rover”
40:24 – “Wings Upon Your Feet”
44:18 – Interview
53:10 – “Birdsong”
1:03:32 – “Stones Unturned”
1:08:19 – Outro

Photo Credit: George Trent Grogan

Basic Folk: Folklore Forensics With Alice Gerrard

Posted on October 19, 2023 by Shelby Williamson

Bluegrass hero and former weird kid Alice Gerrard strongly believes that traditional music is connected to everyday life. She has said: “When you listen to traditional music you have such a sense of this connectedness of this person’s life. It comes out of the earth.” She was first exposed to folk music while attending Antioch College. Jeremy Foster (her boyfriend at the time, who would become her first husband) introduced her to The Harry Smith Anthology of American Folk Music. Upon listening, she became hooked and more drawn to lonesome and rough folk songs versus pristine vocalists. That mentality of keeping her performance untarnished and imperfect has followed her ever since.

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After she and Jeremy moved to Washington D.C., she became acquainted with Hazel Dickens. She considered Hazel a mentor figure and studied her musicality. The two would record four albums together as the seminal duo Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard. The two did not speak for many years after they split in the late ’70s. The breakup was messy and hard for both, particularly Hazel. Years later, they reconciled and would perform and were close until Hazel’s death in 2011. Nowadays, Alice, who lives in Durham, North Carolina, has begun digitizing her huge photo archive for a book as well as performing with younger generations of traditional musicians. People like Tatiana Hargreaves, Reed Stutz and Phil Cook are regulars on her stage. They also contribute to her new album, Sun to Sun. Alice digs in talking about her unorthodox parenting style (which is no secret), imperfectionism, appreciating memory and the fantastic new record.

Photo Credit: Libby Rodenbough

Basic Folk: Tré Burt

Posted on October 12, 2023 by Shelby Williamson

This week we have a Basic Folk hero returning to the pod! Tré Burt is back today, going track by track through his new album, Traffic Fiction. I am a longtime fan of Tré’s music, and this new release on Oh Boy Records is my favorite of his records so far. It combines what fans have come to love about Tré’s writing and unmistakable vocal performances with a new infusion of soul and Motown-inspired styles. The soulful grooves of Traffic Fiction are souvenirs of Tré’s close relationship with his grandfather, who recently passed away. Tré recalls listening to his pops’ favorite records and invites us into his family’s musical lineage.

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The heart of the album are field recordings that Tré made of his grandfather while he was still alive. Just two people, talking about music, talking about life, encouraging one another. The simple moments that mean the most when somebody is gone. And they give us insight into one of the greatest triumphs of Traffic Fiction, which is the transformation of melancholy into dancing. You can’t help but move your body when you hear this music, even as Tré deals with profound loss. He reminds us that being an Important Artist is not incompatible with having fun. And isn’t that what great Black artists do? Tell you the story of a tragedy in a way that somehow makes you feel joyful?

Photo Credit: Justin Hughes