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PODCAST

Basic Folk

The Bluegrass Situation

Basic Folk features honest conversations with folk musicians hosted by Cindy Howes and Lizzie No. We approach interviews with warmth, humor and insightful questions. Since 2018, this podcast has dignified under the radar roots musicians by providing a platform that they might not otherwise have. You’ll hear interviews from Three-time Grammy-winning guitar gods like Molly Tuttle, Haitian American folk legends like Leyla McCalla and deep feelers like songwriter John Hiatt.Basic Folk is dedicated to

music music interviews

All Episodes

52:48

Tami Neilson, ep. 79

Basic Folk ·

2020/07/30

Big hair, big sound, big personality, big feelings is New Zealand's-by-way-of-Canada's Tami Neilson. A part of her family's Neilson Family band, Tami's been performing and touring since she was a young kid. She and her two brothers spent their childhood's on the road with their parents: playing fairs, churches, dance halls, morning television shows all while tucked tightly into the family caravan. Not only does she gives a run-down of what the sleeping arrangements in the trailer

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76:58

Ruth Merenda of The Mammals, ep. 78

Basic Folk ·

2020/07/23

Ever since I saw her playing with The Mammals in the early 2000'sies, I have had a healthy obsession with Ruth Merenda. She is very easy to obsess over: her soaring musicianship onstage and tape as well as the amazing community she's cultivated along with her husband (and bandmate) Mike Merenda through touring and through their bi-annual music festival, The Hoot. Raised basically with a fiddle in her hand, Ruth spent her childhood surrounded by professional musicians, which included her

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49:12

Caitlyn Smith, ep. 77

Basic Folk ·

2020/07/16

American Songwriter Podcast Network Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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88:07

Grace Pettis, ep. 76

Basic Folk ·

2020/07/09

The founder of Nobody's Girl (with Rebecca Loebe and Betty Soo) and daughter of beloved songwriter Pierce Pettis, Grace Pettis was raised in a "homogeneous community steeped in a traditional Christian faith." This led to some questionable decisions as a a young person, including not reacting in a loving way when her best friend, Landon, came out to her as a gay man. Fortunately, that frame of mind and that action do not define her. Through contemplation, information gathering and

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54:23

Jake Blount, ep. 75

Basic Folk ·

2020/07/02

Old time player Jake Blount and his sister were the first of his family (on his dad's side) to be born off the Virginia plantation where his ancestors were kept as slaves for as long as anyone can remember. That history was all around him as a kid and really hit him hard after the murder of Trayvon Martin in 2013. He had been under the impression that racism of that kind, a person could kill a 17 year old black child and get away with it, still existed. He dove into researching music of slaves:

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58:37

Pete Bernhard of The Devil Makes Three, ep. 74

Basic Folk ·

2020/06/25

Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at basicfolk.com/donateVermont-born Pete Bernhard (Devil Makes Three) was raised surrounded by art as all the adults in his life were either visual or musical artists. While his friends were obsessing over Metallica and Megadeath, Pete was captivated by old blues musicians. He found common ground with Cooper McBean growing up, who loved the same music he did and ended up becoming lifelong friends and musical partners in Devil Makes Three. Influenced by old

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51:28

Isa Burke of Lula Wiles, ep. 73

Basic Folk ·

2020/06/18

Isa Burke, of Americana/folk trio Lula Wiles, is an opinionated white lady in America and I literally cannot get enough of her. The Maine native rebelled at a young age (under 10!) against her parents' folky disposition and devoured as much rock and roll as she could find. Eventually, her parents convinced her to attend Maine Fiddle Camp, where they attended as performers and teachers to campers of all ages (babies to grandparents). And what do you know? Isa love the hell out of fiddle camp and

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59:51

Alice Howe, ep. 72

Basic Folk ·

2020/06/11

Alice Howe's vibe is Jackson Browne & Bonnie Raitt, but also Joan Baez and old English ballads. Her musical life was changed in 2016 when she met Freebo, legendary musician who's played with Bonnie Raitt, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Maria Muldaur, Kate & Anna McGarrigle and many others. Freebo and Alice instantly connected through music and their collaboration has led to many shows together and the production of her debut album visions. We talk about their musical partnership as well

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43:55

Danielle Knibbe, ep. 71

Basic Folk ·

2020/05/28

Once singer/songwriter Danielle Knibbe earned the nickname "The Lyric Doctor" due to her intrinsic ability to channel human feelings through songs like an actual medical doctor. This woman was born to make you cry, feel and emote. Now Danielle calls Toronto home, but the musician was born and raised on in the prairies in Alberta, Canada. She knew that performing was what she wanted to pursue even as a young child. She discovered songwriting after attending the Edmonton Folk Festival at age

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36:08

Sunny War, ep. 70

Basic Folk ·

2020/05/21

Sunny War has a cool finger picking style and a singing voice that matches her persona: whimsical, yet strong. Sunny's probably the bravest person I have ever talked to in my life. She's been through the ringer of life: living a nomadic life with her mom, surviving abuse, suffering from addiction, getting arrested, leaving home, living on the streets, hopping trains and getting clean all before she was 25. Music has been ever-present in her life. She learned to finger pick guitar by

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44:04

Nerissa Nields, ep. 69

Basic Folk ·

2020/05/14

Nerissa Nields is a guitarist, songwriter and singer best known for performing with her sister Katryna in The Nields and as a duo. She grew up outside of Washington, DC surrounded by music and politics, which had a profound impact on her formative years. She especially found herself greatly influenced by the music of Pete Seeger. These days, Nerissa finds it more difficult to find common ground with those she disagrees with politically, but is refreshingly honest about how she feels. In fact, this

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48:59

Letitia VanSant, ep. 68

Basic Folk ·

2020/05/07

There is something I find very telling about the way Letitia VanSant approaches her name with people. The Baltimore musician offers the pronunciation upfront ("Leh-TISH-ah" - "tish" rhymes with "wish."), not assuming that someone would know how to say it. There is kindness and patience in the offering, but also she takes control of the narrative of her unique and beautiful name. On her website it says: "Letitia is an old family name that she shares with a number of women

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50:49

Susan Werner, ep. 67

Basic Folk ·

2020/04/30

What a dang treat to talk to the legend herself Susan Werner on Basic Folk! Susan was born and raised on her family's 140 acre farm near Manchester, Iowa. Her and her siblings helped out on the farm growing up. At a young age she noticed the divide between kids who lived in town and the farm kids: namely that the town kids wore the same clothes all day instead of changing into work clothes after school to get to work. We talk about this realization as well as music growing up in the house and

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64:46

Maya De Vitry's "How to Break a Fall" Track by Track,...

Basic Folk ·

2020/04/23

Maya De Vitry, formerly of The Stray Birds, quietly released one of the best records of the year on March 13, How To Break a Fall. She goes through the album track by track with us on Basic Folk. The record ranges in sound from gauzy beauties, to sick grooves to jagged rock bangers. There are a lot of themes on this record like celebrating women and reclaiming your own self and your body. It fully acknowledges past traumas in unique metaphors. The song "Baking Bread for the Circus" is a song

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72:38

Tall Tall Trees, ep. 65

Basic Folk ·

2020/04/10

Mike Savino is the brains behind the experimental-banjo act, Tall Tall Trees. Raised in Long Island, Mike was first encouraged to explore his musical talents thanks to his sixth grade band leader, Mr. Hangley. From there, he became engulfed in the world of jazz: first on sax and then on bass. He thought he would be a professional bass player in New York's experimental jazz scene, but then he heard the siren call of the banjo. He talks about the first time he got a banjo, which led to him

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62:57

Mark Erelli's "Blindsided" Track by Track, ep. 64

Basic Folk ·

2020/04/02

We get a track by track from New England singer/songwriter Mark Erelli on his new album Blindsided on Basic Folk! The record came out last week and is very Tom Petty inspired. Mark talks about how the late legend inspired the sound and even at least one song. We talk about the contributions from the players on the record, like when drummer Jamie Dick suggested a "Bo Diddley Beat" for the song "Can't Stand Myself," which Erelli had never tried before. There's lot of sweet, yet

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70:13

Anais Mitchell Tribute at Club Passim, ep. 63

Basic Folk ·

2020/03/26

Songwriters pay tribute to Anais Mitchell in a concert recorded October 29, 2019. Peter Mulvey, Rose Polenzani, Mark Erelli, Molly Venter (Red Molly), Ali McGuirk, Liv Greene and Barry Rothman performed Anais songs at Club Passim. In between songs, I was there playing clips from Anais' interview on Basic Folk and clips from musicians and music fans talking about Anais. You'll hear thoughts about this amazing songwriter from Josh Ritter, Ani Difranco, Anthony Mason (CBS News), Josh Kaufman

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46:36

Jesse Dee, ep. 62

Basic Folk ·

2020/03/19

Jesse Dee is a painter and a singer who takes influence from classic soul and R&B. The eldest fo 5 children raised in Arlington, MA, just outside Boston, Jesse was obsessed with oldies on the radio from a young age. He turned to theatre as a teen and started writing songs and learning guitar in high school. He attended Mass Art (Massachusetts College of Art and Design) while the intention of become a professional artist, but a stint in a touring act in college pointed him towards music and

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44:58

Nora Jane Struthers' "Bright Light, Long Drives,...

Basic Folk ·

2020/03/12

Nora Jane Struthers is back! We go track by track on her new album Bright Lights, Long Drives, First Words! The record was recorded while she was 8 months pregnant after a long struggle with infertility (see Basic Folk episode 4 for the whole incredible story). This album addresses the dichotomy between realizing her hard-earned dream and the tough realities of keeping her musical career alive (touring and all) in the wake of new motherhood. There are songs about finding home in your family, being

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51:55

Taylor Ashton, ep. 60

Basic Folk ·

2020/03/06

Taylor Ashton! Clawhammer banjo! Illustrations! Canada! He started his career in the alt-folk band Fish & Bird and has collaborated with musical friends like Courtney Hartmann (formerly of Della Mae). Taylor's debut solo album, The Romantic, is out now and filled with sweet banjo grooves and emotional feelings. We talk about his growing up in Canada: flying solo on an airplane at a very young age. He would draw on the barf bags to impress the flight attendants, which led him to a life-long

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361 results

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