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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

11:31

Gillian Welch's album "Revivial" Came Out 30 Years...

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2026/04/20

The bluegrass revival of the early 2000s has it's roots in music that was bubbling just under the surface years before. In the 90s there were artists laying the groundwork for what would become this musical phenomenon. Gillian Welch, Uncle Tupelo, Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams and many other artists were forming the sounds of what was to come. Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings put out their album Revival in 1996 and it is not only a stalwart record, it also introduced the world to this new sound. A

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10:27

Johnny Blue Skies (aka Sturgill Simpson) Has A New...

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2026/04/15

Sturgill Simpson is one of my favorite artists of all time. He just does things the way he wants to do them. He's made Outlaw Country, Bluegrass, and Rock records. And now he's trying his hand at Disco/Funk. He's just a weird dude and I love love it. He put this album out under the moniker "Johnny Blue Skies" and released it on vinyl/tape/CD only. Let's take a look at the record!

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10:02

Charley Crockett's new album "Age of the Ram" is the...

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2026/04/09

I've been such a big fan of Charley Crockett for a long time now and I'm stoked to see him reach new levels in his career. He's super creative, and just a brilliant songwriter. He teamed up with Shooter Jennings for his newest release which really reminds me of Willie Nelson's Red Headed Stranger. Join me to take a look at this record. I hope you dig it!

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20:50

Folk/Blues Legend Charlie Parr Is On The Show!

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2026/03/30

Charlie Parr is a roots musician from Minnesota that has been making music for decades. Over the years he's really created his own style that is based in the American folk and blues tradition. He's playing a show in my hometown (Carson City NV) Friday April 3rd at the Brewery Arts Center and I was super excited to hear he was coming here! We had a great talk about his music, I hope you dig it!

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16:22

Folk Duo The Lowest Pair Talk Are On The Show!

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2026/03/28

My hometown is getting a treat. Charlie Parr and The Lowest Pair are coming through to play a show. I had a chance to talk with this dynamic folk duo about their music, and their most recent release Always As Young As We'll Ever Be. I hope you dig it!

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12:38

5 Songs I'm Digging For March! Featuring Jeff Tweedy,...

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2026/03/23

I have five more songs for you lined up this month. As always I like to bring you what's good in the world of new music and I have a great line-up for ya! This month we're listening to tunes from Jeff Tweedy, Jeremy Ivey (w/Margo Price), Courtney Barnett, Father John Misty, and the Milk Carton Kids. I hope you dig it!

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4:43

Colter Wall Is Taking A Break From Music For The Time...

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2026/03/19

Colter Wall announced on his Instagram recently he's taking a mental health break from music for the time being. There are few details surrounding this decision. But it's clear he needs a break. I wanted to take a minute and reflect on this decision, and what it means for the broader music industry.

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18:52

Folk The Man! John Henry

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2026/03/16

John Henry is an American folk hero. His mythology goes back to the 1800s and no one is quite sure what part of his story is real, or legend. Nevertheless his story lives on mainly in song form. And his story could not be more relevant today with the advent of LLMs and AI threatening to take people's jobs and change society forever. This week we take a look at some great renditions of his tale from; Johnny Cash, Lead Belly, Rhiannon Giddens/Justin Robinson, Woody Guthrie, Charley Crockett and

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19:32

Country Music Grifters: Kid Rock

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2026/03/09

For some reason Country Music has become a space for people who want to run a grift and make a quick buck, and Kid Rock is one of the worst. He doesn't really make "country" music, but the crowd he is going after is the country crowd. In 2015 Kid Rock's career was waning and he was looking for a new move, and that's when MAGA came around. It gave him the opportunity to pivot and build a new audience. And the world is worse because of it.

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15:51

Steve Earle's Guitar Town Turns 40 This Month. Let's...

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2026/03/03

Steve Earle is one of America's greatest living songwriters. His career spans decades, and he is widely respected as an incredible artist by so many musicians. His first album Guitar Town got his career started 40 years ago. It reflects the influence of other great artists like Guy Clark, and Townes Van Zandt who were huge inspirations for him.

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15:35

Celebrating Black History Month With The Carolina...

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2026/03/01

The Carolina Chocolate Drops (Rhiannon Giddens, Dom Flemons, and Justin Robinson) put out their album Genuine Negro Jig over 10 years ago. And it is still amazing. I wanted to take a look at this album because it is such an important piece of work in the folk community. It gave all the artists national attention, and launched the careers of Rhiannon and Dom. I hope you dig it!

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11:50

Remembering Bob Weir. The legendary guitar player of...

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2026/02/17

Bob Weir passed away just over a month ago. He was a giant in the world of American roots music. A founding member of the Grateful Dead, after Jerry Garcia's death he went on the play with RatDog, Dead & Company, and of course Bob Weird and Wolf Bros. His musical legacy is unparalleled and his tunes will live on! In this episode we take a look at three songs he wrote; Truckin', Sugar Magnolia, and Touch of Grey. RIP Bob Weir!

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16:35

5 Songs I'm Diggin' For February featuring: Lucinda...

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2026/02/10

I've got 5 more songs for you that I'm diggin' this month! Lucinda Williams, Mitski, Ecca Vandal, Flea (Red Hot Chili Peppers), and Kim Gordon (Sonic Youth) all have new music out and I wanted to bring these songs to you. They cover a range of styles from alt-country to indie rock and they are all great. I hope you dig it!

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24:07

Folk The Man! The Ghost of Tom Joad

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2026/02/03

This is the first episode in a series I plan on doing on protest music. Decades ago Woody Guthrie wrote a song that told the story of Tom Joad from Grapes of Wrath. After that Bruce Springsteen wrote an interpolation of Guthrie's song, and not long after that Rage Against The Machine covered Bruce's song in their own style. The story of Tom Joad still resonates today, and I wanted to share the history of this American classic. I hope you dig it!

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10:56

5 Songs I'm Diggin' for January featuring Wednesday,...

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2026/01/29

Lots of good music to go over with you this month. As always I try and keep you up to date on what's happening in the world of Indie/Alternative music. And I have some fun ones for you today. From jangly indie, to honky-tonking country this is what is tickling my fancy currently. As always, I hope you dig it!

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24:32

Sammy Brue on his touching album dedicated to the...

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2026/01/26

Justin Townes Earle passed away nearly six years ago. His death came as a shock to the roots music community. The son of Steve Earle was a bright shining star in the world of songwriters. Sammy Brue was a huge fan, and he's written a touching and heartfelt album dedicated to Justin's memory. He joins me on the show today to discuss this album.

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2:57

TikTok Is Actively Suppressing Freedom of Speech.

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2026/01/25

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11:47

Hayley Heynderickx and Max Garcia Conover Are Making...

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2026/01/23

These two folk artists have made an incredible piece of art. It came out at the end of last year, and it's been on repeat in my headphones for awhile now. I've always loved to socially conscious lyrics of Woody Guthrie and this album feels like the best parts of what he was doing decades ago. I hope you dig it!

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11:04

MJ Lenderman and Waxahatchie are artists to be...

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2026/01/05

MJ Lenderman and Waxahatchie (Katie Crutchfiled) have both had an amazing last few years. They've worked with each other, and played in either Wednesday or Snocaps, both bands that have been garnering a ton of attention lately. I wanted to share some of their tunes with you, I hope you dig it!

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25:50

Breaking down the best music of 2025!

Roots Rednecks and Radicals ·

2026/01/01

I feel like this year gave us some incredible music from a variety of artists. I wanted to share with you some of the bands and songwriters that were on repeat for me this year. We'll be talking about Tyler Childers, Margo Price, Nathan Evans Fox, Wednesday, Turnstile, Scowl, Lucy Dacus and Jay Som. I hope you dig it!

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