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PODCAST

Roots Rednecks and Radicals

Will Houk- Alt Country, Indie, Folk

Explore the rebellious counterculture, hidden histories, and unexpected connections bridging the worlds of alt-country, indie rock, and punk music. Hosted by Will Houk, Roots, Rednecks, and Radicals is a music history podcast dedicated to the artists who subvert traditional genres and challenge the status quo. From deep dives into the working-class protest music of Woody Guthrie and Johnny Cash to the modern, trailblazing sounds of Orville Peck, Brandi Carlile, Charley Crockett, and Billy Strings,

music music interviews

All Episodes

19:43

Pony Bradshaw explores fascinating Appalachian...

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2023/02/01

Songwriter Pony Bradshaw, is an avid reader who incorporates his love of the written word into his songwriting. He develops characters and settings giving the listener a glimpse into the life and psychology of his characters. His most recent album “North Georgia Rounder” is a collection of songs based on the people he has interactions with. It’s a follow up to his last album Calico Jim that takes the listener into a fascinating world filled with intriguing settings. I had a chance to chat with him

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34:50

A White Guy Listens to Mexican Music Part 4: Banda

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2023/01/25

Hey everyone this is the fourth installment of my series on Mexican music. This episode takes a deep dive into the style called "Banda." Hailing from Sinaloa Mexico this style incorporates elements of marching band music into Mexican culture. The band is led by a lead singer and became incredibly popular in the 1990s. It continues to be an important part of both Mexican music as well as Chicano culture. I hope you enjoy this look into this fascinating style of music.

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35:04

A White Guy Listens to Mexican Music Part 3: Mariachi

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2023/01/18

Hey all. This is part three of my series on Mexican music. It's the genre that some consider to be the grand daddy of all, Mariachi. This style certainly is iconic when it comes to Mexican culture and music, it tends to be the style most people think of when it comes to Mexico. It has a storied history and many incredibly talented artists. I had a great time digging into this style, I hope you enjoy this episode. Here's a few links if you're interested in learning more about Mariachi.Smithsonian

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38:47

A White Guy Listens to Mexican Music Part 2: Conjunto

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2023/01/11

Hey everybody. This is part two of my series on Mexican music. I hope you enjoy this episode on the genre of Conjunto. It's a fascinating area of music with a ton of incredible musicians and a rich history. If you'd like to know more about the genre check out the links below. Thanks for listening and I hope you dig it! Smithsonian

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41:15

A White Guy Listens to Mexican Music Part 1: An...

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2023/01/05

Hey all. I published this episode awhile back and never got around to finishing the series. I finally got back to it and finished that series so I am re-releasing this episode. In subsequent weeks I'll be releasing three more episodes in the series. So be on the lookout for that! But here's the first episode again in case you missed it, or you'd like to check it out again. Hope you dig it! This is the first installment in a new series I'll be doing on the show. I've been intrigued with the

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28:19

Dropkick Murphys bring new life to Woody Guthrie...

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2022/11/04

Dropkick Murphys have been fusing Celtic folk sounds with punk rock for over 20 years. Their musical style has always been inspired by working class issues, with songs like I’m Shipping Up to Boston The State of Massachusetts, and Worker’s Song. Recently the band took on a new project of re-working unpublished Woody Guthrie lyrics and giving them new life. The band met in his home state of Oklahoma to record. The result is their first all acoustic album that blends their musical styles with the

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26:58

Trampled By Turtles ponder meaning and hope on Jeff...

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2022/10/28

Trampled By Turtles have been making music together for nearly 20 years. In that time they’ve released albums and toured the world. The group formed in Minnesota and over the years have blended captivating lyricism with string band instrumentation. The combination leaves the listener pondering life’s big questions with a sense of hope and longing. Their new album, recorded with Jeff Tweedy of Wilco, afforded the group the opportunity to collaborate and explore new territory. I had a chance to chat

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34:45

John McEuen of Nitty Gritty Dirt Band reflects on his...

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2022/10/19

John Mceuen is a founding member of the seminal group Nitty Gritty Dirt Band. The group recorded an album 50 years ago called “Will The Circle Be Unbroken” that brought together some of the most iconic roots musicians of its day. Maybelle Carter, Doc Watson, Merle Tracis, Roy Acuff, just to name a few. John recently released a book memorializing this record with many pictures and stories of the recording process. I had a change to chat with him about this amazing book, as well as what it was like to

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17:21

John Doe of X and The Knitters discusses complex...

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2022/10/13

John Doe is a founding member of the seminal LA punk band “X.” The band defined the West Coast sound of punk in the early days and broke ground in the new style of music. Since his days in that band John has done a plethora of projects including movies, TV, and his own folk band as well. He’s one of those artists that, to me at least, is a prototype of what it means to be a creative person. His music, and art is hard to define. He takes risks and asks difficult questions. All the while making

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36:22

Sunny Sweeney

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2022/10/12

Sunny Sweeney is a singer songwriter who has a knack for tackling life’s difficult situations. Her most recent album was produced by Paul Cauthen and she collaborated with some heavy hitters like Vince Gill and Lori McKenna. Sunny takes a look at her own personal life in this album and explores difficult emotional territory. It’s raw, and it’s real. I had a chance to chat with her about the album. I hope you dig it!

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19:07

Andrew Combs

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2022/09/30

Andrew Combs is a Nashville based singer songwriter. His music is emotive and contemplative. It sets a mood and a tone reminiscent of Radiohead, minimalistic and introspective. His new album “Sundays” was written and recorded in the midst of the pandemic with some close friends. The music draws inspiration for various sources from film to meditation and allows the listener to ponder the themes masterfully laid out in the sparse arrangements. We talked about his songwriting, and the recording process

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24:34

Michelle Malone

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2022/08/31

Michelle Malone has been a stalwart singer songwriter for over 30 years now. Recording, touring, writing.. She’s done it all. Her music pulls on influences from blues, gospel, country, and folk. Her new album “1977” is a great collections of songs that are reminiscent of the “Laurel Canyon” folk scene of the 70s. We talked about he songs, the making of this latest album. I hope ya dig it!

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28:21

Michael Cleveland

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2022/08/24

Michael Cleveland is a fiddle player who’s been making a name for himself in the bluegrass community. Along with his band “Flamekeeper” he made an album called “Tall Fiddler” in 2019 that won a Grammy for bluegrass album of the year. The album featured greats like Bela Fleck, Del McCoury, Jerry Douglas, and Tommy Emmanuel. He was also featured in a documentary called “Flamekeeper” the explored his life and music. I had a chance to catch up with Michael recently on tour. We talked about his music,

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17:51

Della Mae

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2022/08/11

I had a chance to catch up with the bluegrass band Della Mae. Their brand of socially conscious bluegrass is inspiring and amazing. They've been making a space for women in this community for some time with their songs and their message and I'm just a big fan. Their lead singer Celia Woodsmith took time out of her busy schedule to chat with me about their most recent release. I hope you dig it!

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25:24

Aaron Skiles

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2022/08/06

Aaron Skiles is a singer/songwriter from the Bay Area. He is in the band Bourbon Therapy and he recently released a solo album called Wreckage From The Fire. It was recorded at Dial Back Sound in Water Valley Mississippi. That studio and label are owned by Drive By Truckers bassist Matt Patton. The album was engineered by Matt’s partner in crime Bronson Tew. And it sounds incredible. I had a chance to chat with Aaron about this album and what it was like to record in that space. I hope ya dig

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49:46

The American Songster Dom Flemons

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2022/08/03

Dom Flemons, also known as the American Songster, is a truly unique musician. A founding member of the Carolina Chocolate Drops, he makes American string music. His most recent release is Prospect Hill: The American Songster Omnibus. It’s an exploration of historic sounds, instruments, and musical styles. Dom is a true student of the history of American music and he’s a walking encyclopedia of not just songs but the stories behind the songs as well. I had a chance to chat with him about his music at

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15:25

Elizabeth Cook

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2022/07/07

Elizabeth cook is a stalwart Nashville country artist. She released a pivotal album 15 years ago called “Balls.” She is re-releasing the album on vinyl with new artwork and putting it back into print. In the time since she’s released the album she has become a regular at the Ryman, hosts her own show on Sirius/XM radio, and has been releasing albums and touring the world. She’s also become a voice representing women in the country music and Americana scene. I had a chance to chat with her about her

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22:10

Kanekoa

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2022/06/30

I recently had the Hawaiian band Kanekoa on my show. They were in the area playing a show in Lake Tahoe. The band called in live to my radio show and we talked about their most recent album. It was produced by Steve Berlin of the seminal band Los Lobos. The album features artists like G. Love and has an incredible laid back feel. Lots of great chill summer vibes. It was a fun time talking to the guys about their music, and their tour on the mainland. I hope you dig it!

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38:17

Thoughts and Prayers/Generation Lockdown: Drive-By...

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2022/06/01

The most recent mass shooting at a school in Uvalde Texas has the nation reeling once again in the wake of gun violence. Both Drive-By Truckers and Will Hoge penned their thoughts on this issue in songs both titled "Thoughts and Prayers." In this episode I take a look at those song's lyrics, recent polling on gun policy, and an in-depth look at the statistics of gun violence. Our political structure may be broken, but we're not as divided as we might think. I hope you're

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06:13

Twisted Pine

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2022/05/25

Twisted Pine is a bluegrass band based out of Boston Massachusetts. They have been playing together for some time now and got their start with musicians from the Berkeley Academy of Music. Their instrumentation combines traditional bluegrass instruments with the flute which adds a really interesting layer to the music. Their most recent record is called “Right Now” and was released in 2020I had a chance to catch a set of their tunes and chat with them about the band on tour recently. I hope ya dig

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209 results

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