American Songcatcher

Today, we proudly present something a little different on American Songcatcher. Instead of the usual documentary podcast-style piece, this is a compilation of field recordings I did in Buncombe and Madison Counties just outside of Asheville, NC. Considered the mecca of the long held traditions in ballad singing and old-time mountain music, this area is also home to the “Minstrel of the Appalachians”, one of the most important yet lesser-known figures in folk and old time music, Bascom Lamar Lunsford - who was born on this day 142 years ago. 

Over the last year, I was fortunate enough to visit North Carolina several times, to visit with Bascom’s old home and talk with head of the non-profit that now owns it, perform at the annual Lunsford Festival at Mars Hill University, and witness the return of filmmaker David Hoffman, who first filmed Bascom in the 1964, and was coming back to visit the area for the first time in the nearly 60 years since. This is a window into a living tradition.

Today on the program, we present the story of the father of North Mississippi Hill Country Blues, Mississippi Fred McDowell. From humble beginnings, Fred was inspired from the likes of Charley Patton, his neighbor Eli “Booster” Green and the sounds he gathered from guitarists in Memphis, Mississippi and the Delta, and defined the often overlooked nuances of the blues. Like many of the great Southern pre-war blues guitarists born around the turn of the century, Fred was “discovered” by Alan Lomax in 1959, and continues to inspire slide guitarists to this day, despite not being a household name in the blues realm.

Today on our program, we present the story of one of the most iconic American Folk songs, born from the lineage of 16th century ballads brought by immigrants from the British Isles, “Shady Grove”. Often used in both dance and courtship, the timeless melody was the backbone for countless ballads and folk songs that made their way into North America and took root in the Appalachian and Ozark Mountain ranges. To date, “Shady Grove” has been estimated to have amassed over 300 stanzas since it was first sung in the Cumberland Plateau region of Eastern Kentucky in the mid-nineteenth century. Story by Ryan Eastridge.

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Happy release day! Today on our program, we’re delighted to release the first episode of Season 3, diving into the life of renowned songwriter, riverboat pilot, folklorist, song collector, music historian, accomplished fiddler and banjoist, clog & shuffle dancer, storyteller and consummate entertainer, John Hartford. One of the most brilliant yet lesser-known musicians of the last century, John was the key figure in redefining Bluegrass and American roots music for future generations, the unofficial father of “newgrass”, who had a life that was anything but ordinary.

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Today, we proudly present the sixth installment of the LOCAL FOCAL series, where we’re collaborating with artists around the country to share unique and lesser-known musical history. Our narrator today is Joe Makoviecki (mackavecky) who brings to the surface a near century-old lineage, the story of New Jersey's own first family of folk music, The Ridgeways, who settled in a territory deep in South Jersey known as The Pine Barrens, and whose music faded into obscurity for several decades until recently.

Today, we proudly present the fifth installment of the LOCAL FOCAL series, where we’re collaborating with artists around the country to share unique and lesser-known musical history. Our narrator today is Dustin Dale Gaspard, a 9th generation cajun who comes from the deep, deep South, the Acadian region of Louisiana. Dustin shares the very unique history of the genre Swamp Pop, with detailed context of the cajun heritage it was born out of. Let’s head to the swamp.

Today, we proudly present the fourth installment of the LOCAL FOCAL series, where we’re collaborating with artists around the country to share unique and lesser-known musical history. Our storyteller is cowboy & poet Andy Hedges, who hails from Lubbock, TX and is doing his part to keep the old cowboy song traditions alive. Andy takes us back to the late 1800’s, in the vast Western plains to the first collector of cowboy songs, a roving Easterner by the name of Jack Thorp, who printed the first book of Folk Songs, titled Songs of the Cowboys in 1908, forever changing the scope and trajectory of western and cowboy music.

In March 1889, Jack Thorp, a born-to-privilege Easterner who had grown into a leather-tough, saddle-wise trail hand, decided to track down the words to songs about cowboy life from cowboys singing in cow camps, at chuck wagons and line camps, in saloons—anywhere he could find them, mostly in New Mexico and Texas. His course proved crucial to the evolution of cowboy culture and the publication of his Songs of the Cowboys, the first collection of folk songs in America in 1908. 

For our third installment of the LOCAL FOCAL series, we present the following audio-rich piece - described as "sound painting" - brought to you by Muddy Boots Radio, a podcast that I only recently came into contact with by way of its creator, Tenali Hrenak. This particular episode honored a legend of radio from Grass Valley, CA - Mikail Graham. A composer, performer, producer, music promoter, advocate, consultant and beta tester for numerous pro-audio and MIDI companies. He was with the community radio station KVMR since its inception in the 1970s. For decades, he produced a radio show called The Other Side, and for many years he put on a yearly event called Night of Giving, which helped raise money for the Hospitality House, a shelter for the un-housed. He also produced the album Loafer's Glory for folk legend Utah Phillips. To say that he was influential to that region of California is an understatement. 

As Tenali put it:

"With Mikail’s passing on July 12th, 2022, several of us regular contributors to The Other Side were tasked with producing a series of final shows, a send-off episode, to our dear friend. Mikail and I both loved the 1960s anthology series The Twilight Zone. So with that in mind, I whipped up an episode - aptly titled See U On The Other Side - that cut-up some dialogue from the episode Kick the Can, which I felt captured Mikail’s carpe diem and playful spirit. And, of course, I decorated the playlist with an assortment of Tweeners and songs that I’m sure he’d love and that hopefully honor the legacy he leaves behind." 

Enjoy this experience of sound, titled “See U On The Other Side (Side A)” from the Muddy Boots Radio podcast.

In honor of the 35th annual MerleFest coming up this week, American Songcatcher presents a very special LOCAL FOCAL - a relatively unknown live recording from May of 1989 of North Carolina’s own Doc Watson, telling stories and singing songs passed through his family - only this show he was asked to perform without his guitar, until the very end.

This concert was part of a historical series called Over Home, which aired on the well-known WNCW radio in Spindale, NC between 1988 and 1990. The show featured Western North Carolina traditional musicians and storytellers, and variety of musical styles, such as ballad singing, old-time fiddle tunes, Cherokee oral traditions and dances, and Irish jigs and reels, ghost stories, fox hunting tales, Civil War stories, and moonshine tales.

This is unlike any of the episodes we’ve put out on American Songcatcher. There are no overdubs, no editing, just the seamless experience of Doc Watson, live, without his guitar. 

Today, we proudly present the first installment of the LOCAL FOCAL series, where we’re collaborating with artists to share musical stories from different locations throughout America - in celebration of the parts that make up the whole fabric of American music history.

First up, we’re bringing you the works of Derek Piotr, a folklorist and musician who’s been deep in research about a particular family of tradition-bearers from Avery County, North Carolina that have a lineage to Frank Proffitt, a key figure in Appalachian old time preservation. I was taken with Derek's story not only because by comparison, he's rather young in the immersive world of musicology, but also because of his unique interest in what's called Auto-Ethnography, which goes beyond detailed field notes and recordings, by linking the fieldwork to your own emotional life.

A few years ago, Derek curated a compilation concerning this family, Last Wisps of the Old Ways, which intertwined field recordings he made with archival recordings of the family’s lineage from The Library of Congress. Before that, he was merely preserving the legacy of his grandmother with a flip phone. His winding path to field recordings and eventually creating the Fieldwork Archive is a humbling journey. 

This is our season finale, part two of a special audio-documentary series on Folkways Records founder Moses Asch, in collaboration with Smithsonian Folkways. Part one walked us through Moe’s childhood, teenage years, early career, the first two labels he created, bankruptcy, as well as the early years of Folkways Records. In part two, we traverse 40 years of iconic recordings with pioneering and lesser known artists, business hardships, milestones, the fledgling years of Folkways, and Moe’s death. We’ll also examine the acquisition of the massive Folkways catalog by Smithsonian, illustrate how Moe’s legacy has intertwined with the identity of American music, and highlight some of the incredible work that Smithsonian has done to preserve and expand on what Moe accomplished.

Today, American Songcatcher is proud to present a special two-part collaboration with Smithsonian Folkways, going behind the curtain of Folkways Records founder Moses Asch, who was born 117 years ago on this date. This is the story of a ceaselessly stubborn Jewish immigrant with unstoppable ambition. A pioneer who had a great respect for creative artists, whether they were commercially viable or not. A provider whose work was selfless, though he was often quite difficult to work with. A visionary that would turn the record industry on its head without producing any major hits, which was just the way he wanted it. Folkways Records, “The little label that could,” changed the course of American roots music by preserving folk songs from all over the world and having a major hand influencing the folk and blues revival of the 50’s and 60’s. Moe's mission was to create an encyclopedia of sound from around the world, quite literally. Folkways released records of frog noises, poetry, train whistles, cat noises and many others in addition to covering nearly every genre of world music, spanning over 2,100 records. Learn how his collection was acquired by the Smithsonian Institution and how his legacy lives on today.

“The boy with the hundred year old voice” Dr. Ralph Stanley grew up in the hills of Southwest Virginia during the Great Depression. He and his brother Carter were heavily inspired by The Carter Family, Jimmie Rodgers and Bill Monroe, who The Stanley Brothers would feud with decades later. Radio was king, and The Stanley Brothers became a household name throughout Appalachia by merciless appearances. Hear the story of how this farmhand persisted through waves of personal and career hardships, always staying true and believing in the old-time country music he played until becoming the international patriarch of traditional mountain music.

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Featured in this Episode:

Traditional - Whiskey in the Jar

Billie Holiday

Sonny Terry & Brownie McGhee

Charlie Parr

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Today I’m sharing a conversation I had with American roots singer and guitarist Seth Walker, who has spent the last 20 years putting out incredibly diverse records, inspired by early blues to jazz, folk, rhythm and blues, rock and roll, early country and anything else he’s been able to gobble up.

Featured in this Episode:

Johnny Cash

Teaser:

The finale of this three part series on "The Man in Black" starts in the 70’s, when Johnny’s turnaround gets traction through learning to be a father, his activism and overtly religious period, several relapses of his addiction, the fall from Columbia Records, and his rise with Rick Rubin before passing away, as well as his legacy.

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Featured in this Episode:

Johnny Cash

Teaser:

The story of the enigmatic “Man in Black” is a vast ocean that is impossible to cover every detail. But this three part series will attempt to further explain what listeners know about Johnny Cash, debunk a few myths, and uncover fascinating moments in his life that are lesser known. In essence, we’ll be looking further behind the curtain of the legend known as JR Cash, more than exceptional movies such as “Walk the Line” have portrayed.  

Part 2 presents Johnny’s rise with Sun Records, the tumultuous years of his personal life and addiction, his turnaround, and when he first cleans up his act as a star.

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Featured in this Episode:

Johnny Cash

Teaser:

The story of the enigmatic “Man in Black” is a vast ocean that is impossible to cover and give every detail. But this three part series will attempt to further explain what listeners may think they know about Johnny Cash, broaden the understanding of his personal life, and uncover fascinating moments in his career that are lesser known, misunderstood, or flat out wild. In essence, we’ll be looking WAY behind the curtain of the legend known as JR Cash, far more than even exceptional movies such as “Walk the Line” have portrayed.  

In Part 1, we'll navigate Johnny’s childhood, teenage years, and his initial rise with Sun Records.

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Celebrating Black History Month! 

Featured in this Episode:

Traditional - “Stagger Lee” (:42)

Memphis Minnie (15:45)

Lightnin’ Hopkins (29:21)

Taj Mahal (48:55)

Teaser:

This notorious murder story has been covered in more genres, by more artists and across more multi-media platforms than any other in history, while somehow remaining relatively obscure. She’s known as the queen of the country blues, and queen of the Chicago blues, though she got her start while homeless and playing on the streets full time in Memphis. One of the last links that remained of the original country blues past the folk and blues revival, this Texas bluesman’s personal life was shrouded in mystery during both pinnacles in his near 60-year career. Born of Caribbean descent, he would go on to be a liaison between cultures and sounds from all over the world, wrapping it all into a tight package that makes the blues feel like an altogether human experience.

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Today on the program, I’m pleased to bring you a very special episode through American Songcatcher, sharing a wonderful podcast called Basic Folk in our feed. Now some of you may already be aware of these in-depth, honest interviews with host Cindy Howes, but I feel like the rest of you should get on board!

Sure, there are many conversational podcasts out there, but Basic Folk sets itself apart with honest and complex conversations about the human experience witnessed from an artistic angle. Cindy's questions are not only well-researched and carefully crafted, but the artists featured are among the most revered in the American roots music scene today, some of which have been covered or will be covered by this podcast, including Amethyst Kiah, Oliver Wood, Tom Rush, Alison Russell and several others.

One of Cindy and I’s favorite musicians, Chris Thile, stopped by Basic Folk several months back, and it seemed apropos to share their conversation since he was covered in Episode 1 of Season 2. Be sure to subscribe to Basic Folk wherever you get your podcasts!

We'll be back with Episode 5 in two weeks!

BF Links:

Featured in this Episode:

Jean Ritchie (:28)

Ola Belle Reed (17:48)

Hazel Dickens & Alice Gerrard (35:41)

Alison Krauss (55:54)

Teaser:

Her family is considered one of the wealthiest in the ballad tradition, preserving hundreds of songs from their lineage to Scotland in their home of Kentucky, and is single-handedly responsible for bringing the Appalachian dulcimer to prominence in America. Born in the mountains of North Carolina, she paved the way for both bluegrass music and old-time with her brother through their pioneering work at music parks, on the radio, and during the folk revival. They’re considered the first women to front a bluegrass band, and in their wake are generations of women thanks to their contributions. A child prodigy, she was signed to Rounder Records at 14 and now is one of the most decorated bluegrass and female musicians of all time, still turning heads today with her many collaborations.

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Season 2, Episode 3 // God's Golden Shore

Featured in this Episode:

Traditional - “Man of Constant Sorrow” (:28)

Ma Rainey (13:08)

Bill Monroe (31:40)

Patsy Cline (51:29)

Bruce Molsky (1:08:17)

Teaser:

Thought to be rooted in the early hymns brought to America, this old-time folk song has reveled in the spotlight more than once in the roots music community, especially after being featured in the 2000 film “O’ Brother Where Art Thou.” A defining voice of the 1920’s and 1930’s, this female artist wrote the book on fashion, songwriting, and entrepreneurship while harnessing the soul of the blues in some of the earliest recordings of the genre. Dubbed the Father and creator of Bluegrass music, this mandolin aficionado learned how to weave the blues with old-time with piercing tenor mountain harmonies and blistering fast tempos. A life taken too soon, this woman’s voice epitomized country music for nearly a decade, and inspired generations of singers in her wake, even until today. A scholar, teacher and virtuosic fiddle and banjo player, he’s a quintessential “musician’s musician” and is widely considered among the premier ambassadors of America’s old-time mountain music.

It’s a pleasure to bring you the second half of this special short series Side A // Side B, bringing some depth to the songs from my recently released traditional record “Folk Songs For Old Times’ Sake”. Today, we’re flipping the record over, and diving in to the history behind Side B.

Side B Tracklist:

Goin’ Down This Road Feelin’ Bad (Traditional)

Saint James Infirmary (Traditional)

Midnight Special (Traditional)

Barbry Allen (Traditional)

Mississippi River Blues (Jimmie Rodgers)

Peggy-O (Traditional)

Pay Day (Mississippi John Hurt)

Vinyl Orders:

Since releasing the podcast, I’ve had a lot of people ask if the renditions at the end of each segment will be released, or streamable. Well I’m happy to say that over the last six months, I’ve been hard at work on a traditional record called Folk Songs For Old Times’ Sake, that is now available on all platforms, as well as limited edition vinyl. Several of these rearranged songs are traditionals, and some are from artists covered in the first season of this program. This is the first of a special two-part  short series called Side A / Side B, where you can get a little scope into the history behind each of the tracks, followed by the recordings themselves, some of which are stripped, and several of which feature accompaniment in clarinet, fiddle, banjo, upright bass, harmonies, lap steel, jug sounds, harmonica and stomp box.

Side A Tracklist:

Shake Sugaree (Elizabeth Cotten)

East Virginia Blues (Traditional)

Wish I Was A Mole (Traditional)

Green Rocky Road (Dave Van Ronk/Bob Kaufman)

Thinking Tonight of My Blue Eyes (The Carter Family)

Railroad Bill (Traditional)

Cotton Mill Girls (Traditional)

Vinyl Orders:

Season 2, Episode 2 // Oh Little Liza

Featured in this Episode:

Traditional - “Lil' Liza Jane” (:28)

Dock Boggs (11:22)

Snooks Eaglin (25:54)

Nina Simone (43:36)

Billy Strings (1:04:18)

Teaser:

Today, this song is a standard in New Orleans brass bands as well as old-time music, but its earliest iterations started as a sea shanty. His three finger-style banjo picking was directly inspired by early African American string bands, and his early recordings helped standardize nearly a dozen old-time songs from the Cumberland mountain range. Blind at age one, he’s one of the most versatile and inspirational guitarists in blues music, and one of the least known, unless you’re from New Orleans. A renowned civil rights activist, arranger, singer, songwriter and pianist who covered a broad range of genres including classical, jazz, blues, folk, R&B, gospel and pop. At just 29 years old, this multi-instrumentalist has taken the traditional and progressive bluegrass world in the palm of his hand, and he’s only getting started.

Season 2, Episode 1 // Ain't Gonna Study War No More

Featured in this Episode:

Traditional - “Down by The Riverside” (00:27)

Mance Lipscomb (10:28)

Ramblin’ Jack Elliot (23:31)

Emmylou Harris (45:17)

Chris Thile (57:27)

Teaser:

After the civil war, songs such as these were created and sung from Alabama to Ohio for a perilous journey through the Underground Railroad, where the enslaved were in pursuit of their freedom. He wasn’t a bluesman as much as a songster, known for his incredibly broad catalogue of songs and his front porch philosophizing. The student of Woody Guthrie, the father of Bob Dylan, the son who ran away to become a cowboy, and America’s purveyor of folk music at 90 years old today. She’s one of the most influential female singers of the 20th century, not just in country music but folk, pop and bluegrass, and is considered an American icon Widely considered the greatest mandolin player alive today, and perhaps to ever live, his acclaim reaches far and wide through several Grammy-winning projects and over 30 albums, despite only being 40 years old.

Performances by the Host:

“Down By The Riverside” - Traditional (8:16)

“Take Me Back Babe” - Traditional (21:29)

“Roving Gambler” - Traditional (42:37)

“Angels Rejoiced Last Night” - The Louvin Brothers (55:08)

“Bury Me Beneath the Willow” - Traditional (1:13:03)

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For the final collaboration of the “Sitting In” miniseries, I’m excited to share a fantastic multi-instrumentalist, fluent in clawhammer banjo and slide blues guitar, named Cristina Vane. Born in Italy, and living many places overseas before arriving in America at 18 years old, Cristina accumulated a wealth of culture and a diverse range of songs before discovering her love for pre-war blues and the likes of the pioneers Skip James, Robert Johnson, Blind Willie Johnson and Rory Block who have all shaped her guitar technique and song catalogue. She worked at the famous McCabe’s Guitar Shop in LA, and studied finger-style guitar under her mentor Pete Steinberg before exploring country blues picking and old folk guitar styles on her own in the years that followed. She has said, “I’m essentially a rock kid who is obsessed with old music.”⁠

⁠Cristina just released her debut full length record on April 2nd, titled "Nowhere Sounds Lovely", and American Songwriter premiered one track titled “Badlands” adding: “Like a young Bonnie Raitt, Vane sings from both her voice and her supple, bluesy guitar playing almost simultaneously–her sound as earthen as the South Dakota landscape…”⁠

Cristina shares a story of how she got into American Folk and Blues music outside America, and her quest to music preservation. Enjoy!

Links:

Today on the program will be my sixth guest for the “Sitting In” mini-series, Jody Carroll. Jody is a performer and songwriter who effortlessly creates bold interpretations of old Blues and American Folk music, and makes them his own improvisational musical journeys. He’s a finger-style and slide guitar master, and a soulful singer blending flavors of Blues, Folk, Mountain music, Jazz and Rock all together into a true power- packed gumbo.

Raised on Willie Nelson and AM Country Radio in the late 60’s, he’s toured with or shared the stage with legends such as Buddy Guy, Honey Boy Edwards, R.L Burnside, Johnny Winter, John Mayhall, George Thorogood, Derek Trucks & Susan Tedeski, Robert Cray, Canned Heat, Robert Earl Keen, and Sonny Landreth just to name a few. No Depression magazine says “If there is one artist who embodies roots music to it's fullest, it has to be Jody Carroll"

Jody was forever changed when he heard a collection of recordings from the Newport Folk Festival, between 1963-1965. This is a short story of his journey to and from there, enjoy.

Links:

The fifth edition of the “Sitting In” miniseries features a new project by international touring Irish musician Dylan Walshe. Steeped in the traditions of folk, Irish, Blues, Singer-songwriter and roots music, Dylan has received wide acclaim from all over, including Dave King of Flogging Molly who has said that “The future of songwriting is safe in the hands of this man.”

This episode features Dylan’s new music podcast, The Stirring Foot, and the first 20 minutes of a conversation he had with none other than Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, who Dylan first met at Tennessee’s Muddy Roots Music Festival back in 2015. If you’re not familiar with the legendary Ramblin’ Jack, you should be. Now 90 years old, he’s been described as the "son of Woody Guthrie & the father of Bob Dylan". They talked about trips to Ireland, Europe & the UK, The Clancy Brothers, Frank Zappa, Bob Dylan, Odetta, The Grateful Dead, Margaret Barry, Ewan MacColl, and Woody Guthrie. You can hear the entire show through the tags below, or by searching for “The Stirring Foot” wherever you get your podcasts. Enjoy!

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Good people! I'm so pleased to share my fourth guest to embark on this “Sitting In” mini-series, a local legend in my neck of the woods, Chattanooga’s own Lon Eldridge. Harboring a unique blend of traditional pre-war blues, ragtime, jazz and swing, Lon has spent the last two decades evoking the styles of those who laid the framework of these genres, from the likes of Mississippi John Hurt to Robert Johnson to Blind Blake and countless other musical masters. He’s an avid collector of 78rpm records and restores old Victrola record players, and showcases his deep collection under the guise of DJ Passe. Lon’s also a member of a gypsy jazz and swing group called The 9th Street Stompers, who cull up the musical scenery of an era when the lines between swing, gypsy jazz, blues, rockabilly, and if all that wasn’t enough, he also has his own bolo tie business, Lookout Bolo Ties.⁠

For this collaboration, Lon expanded his skills once again to celebrate the work of Hawaiian steel guitarist Pale K. Lua, who was instrumental in bringing the unique sound to America at the turn of the century, before it was adopted by blues, western, bluegrass and country music starting in the 1920’s. Lon is the only person to assemble all of Pale’s recordings and release them as a complete set. Here’s his story, enjoy.⁠

Hey Folks! I’m so pleased to share the 3rd act of this “Sitting In” miniseries with you, none other than the inimitable Willi Carlisle. A multi-faceted writer, performer, and instrumentalist, Willi has spent the last several years collecting folklore, playing or calling square dances, and working in the avant-garde. He’s a folksinger with a style forged in the fire of Ozark old-time, and has a masters degree in Poetry. He’s spent years in the woods with poets and old folk singers and he’s a queer-identifying storyteller whose musical stories hoot, stomp, and saunter through joys and troubles uniquely southern and timelessly true. He’s equally comfortable on banjo, accordion, fiddle, and guitar, and has earned accolades for his versatility with performances in the UK, Canada, and across the USA, appearing with acts like Dom Flemons, Mary Gauthier, Los Texmaniacs and more. 

The Washington Post said that:

"Carlisle has a poetry in describing songs passed down through generations as a most precious cultural commodity, and a passion and immediacy in performing them. Both down home and brainy, [Willi] is worth seeking out."

The following is classic Willi. Short stories of the Ozarks told over a collection of sounds and from Willi’s pocket, followed by a talking’ blues piece called “Peculiar, Missouri”. Enjoy!

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Hey Folks! I’m thrilled to share the second part of the “Sitting In” mini-series, where I hand over the podcast reins to some of my folky friends, so that they can share a story that ties into music preservation and play a few songs in line with their story.

My guest today is Sparrow, who along with her partner Keith, leads the Asheville, NC group The Resonant Rogues, who seamlessly weave the threads of old time, country, swing, folk and more into a beautiful tapestry that simultaneously showcases tradition and innovation. In late 2020, she was immersed in a month-long mentorship program at the John C. Campbell Folk School in Brasstown, NC, which has a fascinating history, curriculum and mission. This is a journal of her experience.

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Today, I’m delighted to share the first “Sitting In” mini-series episode with you, where I’ve handed the podcast reins over to a music preservationist and performer. First up, is a story of the African American spiritual turned protest song called “We Shall Not Be Moved”, written and spoken by Matthew Sabatella.

Matthew’s mission is to “connect people with music that is woven into the fabric of the United States”. He’s a singer, writer, multi-instrumentalist and award-winning old-time banjo player, music historian, leader of the Rambling String Band, and serves on the board of directors for Southeast regional chapter of Folk Alliance International. He’s also the founder of Ballad of America, an educational non-profit that not only provides and develops vital resources for preserving all of the songs and genres that have shaped America, but also travels to colleges and universities to give educational lectures and presentations to spread awareness of this important history directly down the generational ladder.

I can’t wait to share all the “Sitting In” episodes with you over the next several weeks, they’re all very different, entertaining and educational. Matt’s also got a great radio voice, so enjoy!

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Today I have the pleasure of sharing a conversation I had with multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter Jay Cobb Anderson, co-founder of the group Fruition, who has been making big waves in the major festival circuit during the last decade with blends of traditional sounds, contemporary folk and bluegrass, and most recently the roots of rock and roll.

We talked about Jay’s busking journey, how he reached the other members of Fruition, how they developed their sound, about Bob Dylan and the wake he left for so many to dive into old music, how traditional music fits into his life today and the music he creates, some interesting stories and a few artists that I hadn’t heard of.

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Today, I’m delighted to share a talk I had with mandolin prodigy and Grammy nominated multi-instrumentalist, singer and songwriter Sierra Hull. Accomplishing more in her first 28 years of life than most could over a few lifetimes, Sierra made her Grand Ole Opry debut at the age of 10, played Carnegie Hall at age 12, then landed a deal with Rounder Records at 13. Sierra was mentored by Alison Krauss and Chris Thile, she’s collaborated with all the big hitters in bluegrass from Ricky Skaggs, to Bela Fleck, Sam Bush, Jerry Douglass and Sturgill Simpson. Despite all those big names I threw out there, as you’ll hear Sierra could not be more humble.

In early 2020, she released her fourth critically acclaimed record “25 Trips”, an inventive piece of work revealing her profound warmth as a storyteller, building off Sierra’s bluegrass roots and venturing into entirely new terrain.

We talked about her childhood, small town living, the broad palette of music and bottomless well of traditional music, we geeked out on Tony Rice and Doc Watson, and Sierra shared r a few in depth wild stories that led her down the path she’s on.

More on Sierra Hull: 

Today, I have the pleasure of sharing a conversation I had with Oliver Wood. Since 2004, Oliver has been the frontman of The Wood Brothers, blurring the boundaries between folk, gospel, country-soul, and blues, earning an international audience and a Grammy Award-nomination along the way. Alongside his brother Chris Wood, of Medeski Martin and Wood, as well as percussionist Jano Rix, The Wood Brothers have embodied the future of roots music, while at the same time turning it on its head.

Released yesterday, Oliver’s debut solo album, Always Smilin' reimagines his sharp songwriting, savvy guitar chops, and one-of-a-kind voice in a new light. He didn’t do it alone, as Jano Rix, Susan Tedeschi, Hiss Golden Messenger's Phil Cook, John Medeski, and several others also make appearances. Embracing the full range of his musical heritage, Always Smilin’ builds upon the blues and gospel sounds Oliver explored long before The Wood Brothers' formed, and galvanizes the roots music he's been making during the past two decades.

We talked about his long history before starting The Wood Brothers with Chris, their shared wealth of music education from their musical father, how traditional music has informed The Wood Brothers and his solo project, geek out on some unknown roots musicians and much more. Enjoy!

When I first set out with this podcast there were a few people in particular that I wanted to talk to, and today's guest is at the top of that list.

Season 1, Episode 10 // She Warbles When She Flies (SEASON FINALE)

Featured in this Episode:

Traditional - “The Cuckoo” (:27)

Willie Nelson - “Lucky Old Sun’” (13:30)

Jerry Garcia - “Walkin’ Boss” (31:40)

Blaze Foley - “Oval Room” (52:50)

Jontavious Willis - “Pistol Slappin’ Blues” (1:12:38)

Teaser:

This traditional tune is based off of England’s oldest known documented song, dating back to the 13th century, centered around a bird who calls in spring. He’s one of America’s most well known musicians, responsible for completely changing the face of country music, though originally, he didn’t fit in because of his odd vocal phrasing. Most know him as the laid back lead guitarist of one of the most prolific jam bands, gone too soon, but he brought more traditional songs to the fold than most folk singers. The duct tape messiah, a living obscurity from the Austin singer-songwriter scene of the 70’s and 80’s, and one of the greatest poets to be hardly known. There aren’t many young African Americans taking up pre-war blues and the original stylings of the acoustic guitar, but this infectious young man takes people back in time.

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Today on the program, I have the distinct pleasure of sharing a wonderful conversation I had with Leah Song, one half of the world folk fusion group Rising Appalachia. Over the last decade, Rising Appalachia has reimagined a huge body of traditional songs to a massive audience over the seven records they’ve released since forging their musical path. We talked about how she and her sister Chloe grew up, how they will continue unpacking the musicology lessons they’ve received from their fiddle folklorist mother, how traditional music fits into their landscape of sounds, the importance of preservation, and the wild stories of how they came to be.

Season 1, Episode 9 // Twas in the Merry Month of May

Featured in this Episode:

Traditional - “Barbara Allen” (:27)

Lead Belly - “Goodnight, Irene’” (11:39)

Joan Baez - “Silver Dagger” (37:50)

Tony Rice - “New River Train” (59:35)

Colter Wall- “Diamond Joe” (1:13:14)

Teaser:

For the last 400 years, the most widely collected ballad from the British Isles is still being recorded today, born out of a unique and puzzling story. A larger than life figure, rumored to have been released from prison due to the diverse musical prowess he carried, and not only became friends with legends like Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, he was one of their main influences. her supple soprano voice is one of the most distinct in any genre, she’s graced nearly every traditional ballad with it, and used it during every major civil rights movement moment of the 60’s and 70’s, and continues to do the same today. Responsible for completely altering the confines of bluegrass music, expanding the genre to breathe in folk, jazz, blues and popular music, and is one of the most highly regarded guitarists of the century.  When you hear the deep, husky and timeless voice of this 25 year-old legend-in-the-making, singing folk ballads, westerns and cowboy tunes and dragging them over the plains of his home near the Canada-Montana border, it likely will never leave your memory.

Today on the program, I’m delighted to share a conversation I had with the Grammy-winning multi-instrumentalist and preservationist Dom Flemons. Branded The American Songster from his diverse catalogue of tunes, Dom’s not just a songwriter, he’s a multi-instrumentalist, producer, actor, music scholar, historian, and record collector who is proficient on banjo, guitar, harmonica, jug, percussion, quills, fife and rhythm bones.⁠

We talked about his early life, The Carolina Chocolate Drops, music preservation and the journey to becoming a historian and musicologist. He also played a few tunes and shared some stories about a few essential folk and blues artists, and the current folk and blues revival.⁠

Dom's Links:

Season 1, Episode 8 // Shine That Ever Loving Light On Me

Featured in this Episode:

Traditional - “Midnight Special” (:39)

Memphis Jug Band - “Stealin’, Stealin’” (13:30)

Etta Baker - “Railroad Bill” (26:13)

Big Bill Broonzy - “Glory of Love” (40:55)

Charley Pride - “Roll on Mississippi” (1:01:32)

Teaser:

When the light of the train hits the cell windows of inmates at Mississippi’s infamous Parchman Farm prison, they feel a release and comfort from their captors. Find out what made jug bands so popular in the 1930’s, and the Tennessee natives at the helm of that movement. Yet another fingerpicking legend, left in obscurity until later in life, though she still managed to inspire generations of guitar players. The Ambassador of the Blues left behind a life cloaked in mystery, but this Chicago legend by way of the South left a massive mark as he carried old styles of blues through the 1950’s. For far too long country music has cast aside its African American roots, but one musician blended the color lines and became one of the most decorated country musicians of the century.⁠

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Season 1, Episode 7 // She's Gone With The Gypsy Davy

Featured in this Episode:

Traditional - “Gypsy Davy” (:20)

Son House - “Grinnin’ in your Face” (9:02)

Merle Travis - “Nine Pound Hammer” (24:07)

Dolly Parton - “Jolene” (40:30)

Sierra Ferrell - “Elk River Blues” (59:60)

Teaser:

Who were the original gypsies, and why are so many songs sung about them? Hear the man who inspired Robert Johnson and set the standard for the Delta blues slide guitar. A boy born out of the Kentucky coal mines and creating the epitome of guitar fingerpicking styles known today as “Travis Picking”. Perhaps the most decorated country singer, philanthropist and unifying voice, a woman who has led countless other country artists and musicians for 50 years, still going strong. A young troubadour who is changing the timbre of country music, mixing it with eclectic roots while transporting listeners to another time.

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Season 1, Episode 6 // I'll Die With That Hammer In My Hand

Featured in this Episode:

Traditional - “The Ballad of John Henry” (:25)

The Mississippi Sheiks - “Sittin On Top of the World” (11:09)

Pete Seeger - “If I Had a Hammer” (22:05)

Hank Williams - “I’m So Lonesome I Could Cry” (44:32)

Tyler Childers - “Rocks, Salt and Nails” (1:05:35)

Teaser:

Was the greatest African American folklore hero based on a true story? The most popular old time and blues string band in the 30's that all started with one insanely talented family. One of the hardest working advocates and activists who spent many years carrying old songs forward and getting audiences to sing together, banned from performing by the US government. The King of Country music, who lived perhaps one of the most paradoxically tragic and successful lives ever documented in American music. A Kentucky native born in the home of bluegrass revives and redefines country music today and reclaims its soul.

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Season 1, Episode 5 // I'm Just Going Over Home

Featured in this Episode:

Traditional - “Wayfaring Stranger” (:30)

Burl Ives - “Streets of Laredo” (11:45)

Sister Rosetta Tharpe - “Up Above My Head” (28:50)

John Prine - “In Spite of Ourselves” (44:27)

Charley Crockett- “That’s How I Got To Memphis” (1:06:40)

Teaser:

Did it come from a hymn? An old ballad? Was it born in Scotland, or America? Navigate these questions with me for one of the most enduring and well known traditional songs in Bluegrass, Folk, and Old Country music. Entrenched in the old ballads passed on to him before the age seven, a man becomes one of the most beloved preservationist folk singers. A queer evangelist and powerhouse vocalist and guitarist is named the “Godmother of Rock and Roll” influencing Chuck Berry, Elvis, and Eric Clapton. A Chicago mailman finds himself at the right place at the right time to share his timeless and instantly relatable songs, staying out of the mainstream, yet dubbed an American icon. From Texas, by way of New Orleans, a young man defines hard, transient living and grows into one of the finest true country musicians performing today.⁠

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Season 1, Episode 4 // Hang Your Head and Cry

Featured in this Episode:

Traditional - “Tom Dooley” (:27)

Blind Blake - “Diddie Wa Diddie” (12:23)

Woody Guthrie - “Ramblin Around” (23:46)

Doc Watson - “Blue Railroad Train” (49:00)

Justin Townes Earle - “Lone Pine Hill”(1:08:23)

Teaser:

A North Carolina murder ballad turned folk tale withstands the tests of time, the true story is still up for debate today. The most distinct blind guitar player to take sounds from ragtime piano and transfer it to guitar, though his life was a short mystery.   A folk singer from Oklahoma becomes the voice of social justice, poverty and failed politics for generations after him. A flat picking blind Appalachian turns the guitar from a background rhythm instrument into a lead in bluegrass, country and folk music during the 60’s, and becomes a pioneer of country blues. Born in the shadow of his father, a young man rises into Americana stardom on his own from a lyrical conviction that many songwriters never acquire, another gone too soon.

I’m so pleased to have my first guest on the podcast, the incredibly gifted multi-instrumentalist, teacher, musicologist and songster Mr. Andy Cohen. You may remember Andy from a mention in Episode 2 of American Songcatcher, as he was the mentor of my mentor, Joan Crane. Once a lead boy soaking in the shadow of Reverend Gary Davis, Andy’s been playing music for 72 years. He’s a virtuoso finger-style guitarist and pianist who has been described as “a walking, talking folk-blues-roots music encyclopedia.” He has devoted his entire life to studying, performing, and promoting traditional blues and folk music, specializing in the pre-World War II era. Country Blues Magazine says, “One thing is for sure, the boy can play. There are few people around today who had a chance to pick it all up from the old generations, get this good at it, and continue to cherish and preserve the old traditions.”⁠ 

Before we started, I had a load of questions for Andy, but as you’ll hear, he holds the conversation without them. I took a backseat for this history lesson, so there’s not many words from me. Andy plays a few tunes, tells how his librarian set him on a course, about his vast knowledge of many lesser known blues artists, and shares stories about the Reverend Gary Davis that I was unaware of. Fair warning, the audio from our Zoom chat isn’t the best quality, I’m new at this.

Season 1, Episode 3 // They Call The Rising Sun

Featured in this Episode:

Traditional - "Rising Sun Blues" or "House of the Rising Sun" (1:37)

Bessie Smith - "Tain't Nobody's Business" (16:46)

The Carter Family - "Wildwood Flower" (40:30)

Townes Van Zandt - "Pancho and Lefty" (1:04:17)

Blind Boy Paxton - "Nobody Cares For Me" (01:22:42)

Teaser:

Was there ever a “house of the rising sun” in New Orleans or elsewhere, or was it a myth brought from the UK? Raised by her sisters in deep poverty, a Chattanooga girl rises to be known as “Empress of the Blues” right before The Great Depression, gone too soon.  How did one family become responsible for making mountain and country music mainstream in America? A Texas songwriter whose life paralleled the tragically poetic songs he wrote. Today, a young man who grew up in LA transports audiences to soundscapes of the 20’s and 30’s.

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Season 1, Episode 2 // I Could Root That Mountain Down

Featured in this Episode:

Traditional | Bascom Lamar Lunsford - “I wish I was a Mole in the ground" (:27)

Mississippi John Hurt - “Spike Driver Blues” (13:50)

Reverend Gary Davis - "Slow Drag” (28:23)

Norman Blake - "Church Street Blues” (42:26)

Willie Watson - "James Alley Blues” (56:08)

Teaser:

A North Carolina mountain banjo player dubbed the "Minstrel of the Appalachians" helps create America’s first folk festivals and preserves history as one of the country's earliest song collectors. A sharecropper is discovered as one of the founding fathers of folk blues, nearly 40 years after his first recordings. A blind virtuoso has a hard upbringing, turns into a reverend, and goes on to teach generations of some of the finest guitar players. A 16 year old boy quits school to pursue music and becomes one of the most decorated guitar players in history, with wife equally as talented. After landing success with Old Crow Medicine Show, a man goes alone and discovers his path of preserving old songs.

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