Country That Contains Multitudes: Kelsey Waldon

Many times the way and artist finds their way onto this podcast is from their publicist or someone else on their team reaching out to me, or vice versa. Sometimes I might bump into an artist at a show or festival and hit them up for an impromptu interview then and there, but that is rare. Rarer still is the scenario where I came in contact with western Kentucky artist Kelsey Waldon, which was through writer and editor Garret Woodward, who acted as go-between to ask about an interview. Kelsey was on tour in our region and hoped to get some coverage for the WNCW audience, and I immediately jumped on the opportunity. After speaking her on a video call from her hotel room in Chattanooga TN, I took the first part of her interview and aired that on my show on radio; the bulk of that conversation comes to light here in this episode.

Kelsey Waldon (photo: ©Alysse Gafkjen 2025)

There is a deep well of emotion and a complex tapestry of experience that Kelsey Waldon draws from in her singular style of country music. Rooted firmly in her native western Kentucky, she calls the Nashville area home now, and in our conversation we talk about how her rural upbringing in an unusual setting shaped her, her longtime friendship with fellow Kentuckian S.G. Goodman, her often overlooked college degree in songwriting, and we go into detail about some of her latest songs, sampling many from her latest album Every Ghost.

Songs heard in this episode:

“Ghost Of Myself” by Kesley Waldon, from Every Ghost

“Ramblin’ Woman” by Kelsey Waldon, from Every Ghost, excerpt

“Nursery Rhyme” by Kelsey Waldon, from Every Ghost, excerpt

“A Robin Built A Nest On Daddy’s Grave” by Ralph Stanley, from While the Ages Roll On, excerpt

“Hello Stranger” by Kelsey Waldon featuring S.G. Goodman, from There’s Always A Song, excerpt

“Comanche” by Kelsey Waldon, from Every Ghost

Thank you for stopping by, and we hope you can spread the word about this series and help us reach more music fans just like yourself. Please take a moment and give us a top rating on your podcast platform of choice, and where you can, a review. Doing either, and especially both, boosts the ranking and therefore the visibility of this series to all the other music fans who also follow podcasts. This is Southern Songs and Stories, where our quest is to explore and celebrate the unfolding history and culture of music rooted in the American South, and going beyond to the styles and artists that it inspired and informed. - Joe Kendrick

Are You Experienced? Taking Stock of Music Festival Culture and History From Ancient Greece to Albino Skunk

Did you know that almost three thousand years ago, before there were athletic competitions at the first Olympics, there were music competitions at Delphi in Greece, with contestants singing hymns to Apollo? Or that, in the late 19th century in America, John Philip Sousa protégé Bohumir Kryl's Bohemian Band was frequently seen on the Chautauqua circuit, and featured four husky timpanists in leather aprons hammering on anvils shooting sparks across the darkened stage? These early festivals set the stage for music festivals today, which are doing quite well overall, having recovered from the COVID-19 pandemic, and surpassing the level of success before the worldwide shutdown on the whole.

In this episode, we trace the origins of music festivals like the Pythian Games to modern day festivals like the Monterey International Pop Music Festival, where Jimi Hendrix famously lit his guitar on fire, and small roots music festivals like the Albino Skunk Music Festival. We welcome music artists Shelby Means, Joel Timmons, Liam Purcell, Mac Leaphart and Ian George, as well as Albino Skunk staffers Peter Eisenbrown, Kristen Grissom and Thieme Hall, who give us their insights into festival culture, their best and worst moments on stage and at festivals, as well as the first music festivals they attended.

Site of the Pythian Games in Greece (photo: greeka.com)

Cover art for The Jimi Hendrix Experience Live at Monterey

Songs heard in this episode:

“Wild Thing” by The Jimi Hendrix Experience, from Live at Monterey

“Calamity Jane” by Shelby Means Trio, performed live at the Albino Skunk Music Festival 10/03/25

“Soldier’s Heart” by Liam Purcell & Cane Mill Road, performed live at The Albino Skunk Music Festival 10/03/25, excerpt

Peter Eisenbrown introduction of Fellow Pynins into Fellow Pynins performance at The Albino Skunk Music Festival, 10/03/25, excerpt

Thank you for listening, and we hope you can spread awareness of this endeavor and help us reach more music fans just like yourself. Please take a moment and give us a top rating on your podcast platform of choice, and where you can, a review. It makes a big impact on the ranking and therefore the visibility of this series to all the other music fans who also follow podcasts. This is Southern Songs and Stories, where our quest is to explore and celebrate the unfolding history and culture of music rooted in the American South, and going beyond to the styles and artists that it inspired and informed. - Joe Kendrick

Rock and Roots Collide To Make a Joyful Noise: SUSTO Stringband and Holler Choir

It is interesting to compare and contrast the genres of rock and roll with old time and string band music. In some ways, string bands can be more raw and intense than rock bands. No bridges. Odd tunings. Dancing to exhaustion. Music made for intimate social gatherings versus music made for the wide world. The stereotypes of old time musicians being country bumpkins have not been entirely erased, however our guests in this episode are making music that reveals how deep and refreshing that wellspring of what was the first original music export of America can be in a new context. Taking the intricacy and edge of old time, string band music and marrying that with the punch and strut of indie rock, we arrive at a hybrid, a musical animal that sings a song seldom heard in the roots music world.

As Justin Osborne pointed out, “It's just been so fun and really educational for me too, because I think coming from the indie rock world, I underestimated what it was going to require of me to be able to hang. And I just, it's one of those things you don't realize how much you don't know. But it's been really enjoyable lessons in humility for me and really fun to learn, and to continue to realize how much I don't know.” Justin, of the Austin-based indie rock band SUSTO may never sound the same again after teaming up with Appalachian acoustic troubadours Clint Robinson and Jackson Grimm of Holler Choir, and they are soon to return with Volume 2 from their project SUSTO Stringband. In this episode, we get to hear from Justin, Jackson and Clint about their rock and string band amalgamation, the importance of strong songwriting, the joys of live performance, the advantages of playing festival shows and more, with music from both SUSTO Stringband and Holler Choir along the way.

SUSTO Stringband

Songs heard in this episode:

“Rooster” by SUSTO Stringband, from SUSTO Stringband Volume 1

“Friends, Lovers, Ex-lovers: Whatever” by SUSTO Stringband, performed live at The Albino Skunk Music Festival 10/02/25, excerpt

“Tell My Blues” by SUSTO Stringband, performed live at The Albino Skunk Music Festival 10/02/25, excerpt

“Hamlet Blues” by Holler Choir, performed live at The Albino Skunk Music Festival 10/02/25

Thank you for listening, and we hope you can spread awareness of this endeavor and help us reach more music fans just like yourself. Please take a moment and give us a top rating on your podcast platform of choice, and where you can, a review. It makes a big impact on the ranking and therefore the visibility of this series to all the other music fans who also follow podcasts. This is Southern Songs and Stories, where our quest is to explore and celebrate the unfolding history and culture of music rooted in the American South, and going beyond to the styles and artists that it inspired and informed. - Joe Kendrick

A Long Winter’s Night with The Ruen Brothers

Chalk this one up to making myself do something when I was not sure I had it in me. Have you accomplished something even though you were not feeling it that day? I bet you have. And I bet that you, too, benefited from having willed yourself into action. This episode is one of those examples for me. After a full day of interviewing artists and staff at the fall 2025 Albino Skunk Music Festival, I was ready for bed, but I gathered up just enough resolve to wait past midnight to interview The Ruen Brothers. It was the first interview I have conducted that late — the time stamp on the audio file of our conversation reads 1:37AM — but it was well worth it. I hope you agree upon hearing this episode.

The Ruen Brothers perform at The Albino Skunk Music Festival 11/03/25

Photo: Flash Thompson

Songs heard in this episode:

“Cabin on the Hill” by The Ruen Brothers, performed live at The Albino Skunk Music Festival 10/03/25

“Desert Showers” by The Ruen Brothers, from Awooo, excerpt

“Bonfire” by The Ruen Brothers, from Awooo, excerpt

“Unknown” by The Ruen Brothers, performed live at The Albino Skunk Music Festival 10/03/25, excerpt

“Secret Agent Man” by The Ruen Brothers, performed live at The Albino Skunk Music Festival 10/03/25

Thank you for listening, and we hope you can spread awareness of this endeavor and help us grow. Please take a moment and give us a top rating on your podcast platform of choice, and where you can, a review. It makes a big impact on the ranking and therefore the visibility of this series to all the other music fans who also follow podcasts. This is Southern Songs and Stories, where our quest is to explore and celebrate the unfolding history and culture of music rooted in the American South, and going beyond to the styles and artists that it inspired and informed. - Joe Kendrick

New Stages for Time Sawyer and Their Hometown Festival

Back in 2018, when this podcast was in its first year, I traveled to Burlington, NC, to interview the Charlotte by way of Elkin, NC band Time Sawyer. Since then, my path has intersected with Sam Tayloe and his band Time Sawyer many times, ranging from seeing them perform more shows and festivals, to emceeing for the Reevestock Festival in Sam’s hometown of Elkin.

Time never stands still, even for (especially?) the band Time Sawyer. Reevestock took a final bow in 2024; the band changed out guitarists and said goodbye to their banjo player and founding member; the city of Elkin went forward with Sam’s help to expand the concept and footprint of Reevestock with this year’s inaugural Milltown Get Down festival. There was a lot of ground to cover since I last spoke with him, so I took a sojourn to Charlotte to catch up with Sam Tayloe at his home. We had an in-depth conversation about producing festivals, his passion for community and building bridges, the evolution of Time Sawyer, and more, including music from the band’s new live album.

This episode stands out for all that and for the fact that it is hosted and produced by Molly Mattox, a student at Isothermal Community College in Spindale, NC. Molly took my class on media performance, which includes a podcast assignment. She chose this interview for her podcast, and did a great job. It is not easy to produce an episode of this podcast, even for me, but she grasped the concept, spirit, and tone of the series in — pardon the pun — no time.

Photos by Daniel Coston Photography

Songs heard in this episode:

"Julie” by Time Sawyer, from Plumb Live at the Cock and Bull

“The Boxer” by Time Sawyer, from Plumb Live at the Cock and Bull, excerpt

“210 (It’s Over)” by Time Sawyer, from Plumb Live at the Cock and Bull, excerpt

“Noah Got Nothing” by Time Sawyer, from Plumb Live at the Cock and Bull, excerpt

“Oak and Pine” by Time Sawyer, from Plumb Live at the Cock and Bull

We are glad you are here! Could you can help spread awareness of what we are doing? It is as easy as telling a friend and following this podcast on your platform of choice. You can find us on Apple here, Spotify here and YouTube here — hundreds more episodes await, filled with artists you may know by name, or musicians and bands that are ready to become your next favorites.

You can follow us on social media: @southstories on Instagram, at Southern Songs and Stories on Facebook, and now on Substack here, where you can read the scripts of these podcasts, and get updates on what we are doing and planning in our quest to explore and celebrate the unfolding history and culture of music rooted in the American South, and going beyond to the styles and artists that it inspired and informed.  - Joe Kendrick

Discovering a New Setting for the Third Place With Wolf Jett

Regular listeners of this series will know that there is a certain festival that is near and dear to my heart, the Albino Skunk Music Festival. It is an event that insiders love passionately, and outsiders often puzzle over. What an unusual name! What an unlikely and often under-the-radar roster of artists! As I have said many times before in introducing the festival to a newcomer, I had long been a skeptic before setting foot on the property, at which point it took only minutes to realize that not only would I return to that festival; I would always return to it.

As we enter the winter season, we are about as far away from festival season as one can get. But festivals are a year round endeavor -- practically all the spring and early summer festivals next year are already booked, and are rolling out their artist lineups in stages as they promote their events. Usually that means a headliner or a first volley of artists and bands announced in fall and winter, followed by one or two more updates which fill in the rest of the blanks. There is a ton of work going on right now for festivals happening next fall, and onwards to the following year. The teams that plan and staff these events never really have down periods. Even immediately after a festival ends, they go over what went right, what went wrong, what could be improved for next time, and then fill their calendar with meeting dates, dates when ticket prices go from early bird to full price, dates when they make marketing pushes, dates when they have to have new logos and merchandise, you name it. 

We will focus a lot on festivals here on Southern Songs and Stories over the coming months, beginning with this episode on the California band Wolf Jett. Soon, we will bring you a conversation from Time Sawyer front man and Milltown Get Down festival’s Sam Tayloe. Also in our cue is a band that I got to sit with at Milltown Get Down in Elkin, NC, which was one that I got to enjoy at both Albino Skunk Music Festival and the Earl Scruggs Music Festival beforehand -- western NC’s Holler Choir. 

Chris Jones of Wolf Jett performs at the Albino Skunk Music Festival 10/03/25

Songs heard in this episode:

“Straight Back To You” by Wolf Jett, from Letting Go

“Nothin’ But Trouble” by Wolf Jett, live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 10/03/25, excerpt

“Feel the Way I Feel” by Wolf Jett, live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 10/03/25, excerpt

“Letting Go” by Wolf Jett, live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 10/03/25

Please take a moment and give us a top rating on your podcast platform of choice, and where you can, a review. It makes a big impact on the ranking and therefore the visibility of this series to all the other music fans who also follow podcasts. This is Southern Songs and Stories, where our quest is to explore and celebrate the unfolding history and culture of music rooted in the American South, and going beyond to the styles and artists that it inspired and informed. - Joe Kendrick

When the Party Meets Poetry: Ryan Bingham

Ryan Bingham never knew until he was an adult that his path would take him into music full time, much less that he would become an international star, nor did he dream of eventually reaching millions more people in film and television. He did not play guitar with much skill until his early twenties. However, he wrote one of his most enduring hits while woodshedding on guitar and harmonica, “Southside of Heaven”. His musical foundation goes back to early exposure to a great record collection and the influence of his father and uncle, especially: as a boy, he was gifted a trove of LPs from the likes of Townes Van Zandt, Guy Clark, Joey Lee, Terry Allen, and The Flatlanders, and you can hear bits and pieces of all those artists’ sensibilities and approaches in his music from the jump. As Bingham said in our interview,

“I still got vinyl. My family had a bar back in the 60s and 70s in New Mexico called the Halfway Bar. And my uncle saved all the vinyl records out of there from those days. And he ended up giving them to me. And that was really the music I grew up on. 

I remember living with him at a time and, you know, him showing me how to clean the records with the brush and on the turntable. And I was really, you know, 10, 11 years old and just fascinated with the artwork on that. I remember he had like, Commander Cody and the Lost Planet Airmen was live at the Armadillo World Headquarters — and all that Jim Franklin art, you know, and all those albums. It was just, I loved all that stuff. So I still got those records and play them all the time.”

Ryan Bingham

Currently working on a new album scheduled for release in 2026, Ryan Bingham is testing out a number of his new songs on the road, which is where he spoke with my friend Jeff Williams and myself when he played Charlotte recently, in October. In our conversation, we talked about everything from those early days where he was striving to simply have a better job than manual labor, key figures in his career like Marc Ford and Charlie Sexton, pivotal moments like joining My Morning Jacket, Wilco and Bob Dylan on stage, to playing with his current band The Texas Gentlemen, and a whole lot more, including his new song “The Lucky Ones” and excerpts from his latest live album, Ryan Bingham and The Texas Gentlemen Live at Red Rocks as well.

Songs heard in this episode:

“Southside Of Heaven” by Ryan Bingham and The Texas Gentlemen, from Live at Red Rocks

“Jingle and Go” by Ryan Bingham and The Texas Gentlemen, from Live at Red Rocks

“The Lucky Ones” by Ryan Bingham and The Texas Gentlemen, excerpt

“Bread & Water” by Ryan Bingham and The Texas Gentlemen, from Live at Red Rocks

Thanks to my friend Jeff Williams for inspiring me to pursue interviewing Ryan Bingham, and for joining us in our conversation. Thanks also to the team at Sacks & Co. in Nashville for helping to coordinate with Ryan Bingham’s team and pave the way for this episode. 

Thanks to Jaclyn Anthony for producing the radio adaptations of this series on public radio WNCW, where we worked with Joshua Meng who wrote and performed our theme songs. Please take a moment and give us a top rating and where you can, a review. It makes a big impact on the ranking and therefore the visibility of this series to all the other music fans who also follow podcasts. This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it. - Joe Kendrick

Six Decades of Legacy and Love for an Ever Evolving Sound With Sam Bush

The fountain of youth could very well be located in a mandolin, or a fiddle. At least for Sam Bush, playing the mandolin, along with the occasional fiddle, seems to give him an energy level that many people several decades his junior would envy. There is a lot to be said for playing music, whatever the instrument, and its benefits for well being. Cognitively and psychologically, there is a lot of data that affirms we can benefit greatly from playing music, even from simply actively listening to music. A lot of this boils down to a fundamental truth that learning is the catalyst for positive change and growth, and we can all continue learning and picking up new skills throughout our lives. Sam Bush, like so many career music artists, embodies that spirit, and serves as a great example of the heights we can achieve when we devote our lives to reaching towards our full capabilities.

Musically, Sam Bush draws from a wide spectrum of styles, ranging from bluegrass to newgrass (which he helped establish and define as a sub-genre with his former group New Grass Revival), to rock and blues with his former project Duck Butter, to having been in both Leon Russell and Emmylou Harris’ bands, among many other projects. His stories are just as lively. From recounting his times with Earl Scruggs and Bill Monroe to his observations about young stars like Sierra Hull and Billy Strings, to his many performances at Green Acres Music Hall, Sam Bush has many a tale to tell. We get to all of that, and get a glimpse at what he has in store in the near future as well, in a spirited conversation from backstage at the 2025 Earl Scruggs Music Festival. Of course, there is much music to highlight in this episode too, including excerpts from Sam’s solo catalog, as well as the festival’s namesake.

Sam Bush performs at the Earl Scruggs Music Festival, August 29, 2025 (photo: Eli Johnson)

Songs heard in this episode:

“Stingray” by Sam Bush, from Glamour & Grits

“Brown’s Ferry Blues” by Tony Trischka, from Earl Jam, excerpt

“Big Mon” by Sam Bush, from Late As Usual, excerpt

“Foggy Mountain Special” by Flatt & Scruggs, excerpt

“Circles Around Me” by Sam Bush, from Circles Around Me

We are glad you are here! Could you can help spread awareness of what we are doing? It is as easy as telling a friend and following this podcast on your platform of choice. You can find us on Apple here, Spotify here and YouTube here — hundreds more episodes await, filled with artists you may know by name, or musicians and bands that are ready to become your next favorites.

You can follow us on social media: @southstories on Instagram, at Southern Songs and Stories on Facebook, and now on Substack here, where you can read the scripts of these podcasts, and get updates on what we are doing and planning in our quest to explore and celebrate the unfolding history and culture of music rooted in the American South, and going beyond to the styles and artists that it inspired and informed. 

- Joe Kendrick

Pay Attention, Stop Listening To Yourself: The Wood Brothers

Easing up, letting things come to you, and practicing being present is a recurring theme in recent episodes of this series, and that mindset is on full display once again in this episode on The Wood Brothers.

I sat with Oliver Wood, Chris Wood and Jano Rix backstage at the 2025 Earl Scruggs Music Festival, ahead of their Friday night headlining set at the award-winning event. It was one of the most jovial and insightful conversations I have had in quite a while, and we covered a lot of ground, ranging from the band’s sonic evolution and their penchant for improvisation and letting their subconscious steer the way in the studio and on stage, to their perspective on bluegrass and banjo icon Earl Scruggs, to Chris Wood’s British Columbia farmstead and Jano Rix’ salsa dancing.

All that and more, including excerpts of songs from their ninth album, Puff Of Smoke, awaits you here.

The Wood Brothers performing at the Earl Scruggs Music Festival in Tryon, NC 08-29-25 (photo: Scotty Robertson)

Songs heard in this episode:

“Puff Of Smoke” by The Wood Brothers, from Puff Of Smoke

“Slow Rise (to the middle)” by The Wood Brothers, from Puff Of Smoke, excerpt

“The Trick” by The Wood Brothers, from Puff Of Smoke, excerpt

“Witness” by The Wood Brothers, from Puff Of Smoke

Thanks for visiting! We hope you can help spread awareness of what we are doing. It is as easy as telling a friend and following this podcast on your platform of choice. You can find us on Apple here, Spotify here and YouTube here — hundreds more episodes await, filled with artists you may know by name, or musicians and bands that are ready to become your next favorites.

You can follow us on social media: @southstories on Instagram, at Southern Songs and Stories on Facebook, and now on Substack here, where you can read the scripts of these podcasts, and get updates on what we are doing and planning in our quest to explore and celebrate the unfolding history and culture of music rooted in the American South, and going beyond to the styles and artists that it inspired and informed. 

- Joe Kendrick

The Greatest Thing Is To Wake Up and Have a New Song To Sing: Jeff Tweedy

Welcome to the latest episode of the series Southern Songs and Stories, which recently made it into the top 10 best Americana podcasts on this list. Yay! It reminds me to ask you to give the podcast a top rating and where you can submit one, a review. That’s a huge part of making this series visible on platforms like Apple Podcasts, Spotify and everywhere you follow podcasts. Really, it makes a huge difference, and only takes a minute or two. Thanks!

Another update: this week I will attend the fall Albino Skunk Music Festival, where I will record my first ever live podcast, in front of an audience. On stage Wednesday afternoon October 1, we will be recounting the history of the event, now in its fourth decade, with founder Glynn “Zig” Zeigler, along with other special guests. I would love to see you there!

Our time with Jeff Tweedy continues here, with an in depth conversation about his new triple solo album, Twilight Override. Not an overtly political songwriter, Tweedy nonetheless points to broad social issues in the overall themes of the album, and in one song in particular that he details in the interview, “Enough”. Jeff also talks about the makeup of The Tweedy Band, which features his sons and other, younger artists from his home town of Chicago, and how the group is especially well suited for multi part harmonies. We do not leave Wilco out of the conversation, either, and feature several new songs from his solo record along the way.

The Tweedy Band (photo: Rachel Bartz)

Songs heard in this episode:

“Betrayed” by Jeff Tweedy, from Twilight Override

“Stray Cats in Spain” by Jeff Tweedy, from Twilight Override, excerpt

“Twilight Override” by Jeff Tweedy, from Twilight Override, excerpt

“Jesus, Etc.” by Wilco, from Yankee Hotel Foxtrot

Thank you for stopping by! We hope you can help spread awareness of what we are doing. It is as easy as telling a friend and following this podcast on your platform of choice. You can find us on Apple here, Spotify here and YouTube here — hundreds more episodes await, filled with artists you may know by name, or musicians and bands that are ready to become your next favorites.

You can follow us on social media: @southstories on Instagram, at Southern Songs and Stories on Facebook, and now on Substack here, where you can read the scripts of these podcasts, and get updates on what we are doing and planning in our quest to explore and celebrate the unfolding history and culture of music rooted in the American South, and going beyond to the styles and artists that it inspired and informed. 

- Joe Kendrick

Feeling Like the Same Person on Stage and Off: The Jeff Tweedy Bonus Episode

In mid May, 2025, I spoke with Jeff Tweedy ahead of his show with Wilco in Charlotte, NC, and have been waiting for his forthcoming solo album to publish his interview here on Southern Songs and Stories. I was fortunate to get to listen to several songs from Twilight Override ahead of my conversation with Jeff Tweedy, and was one of, if not the first person to talk with him about the album, and especially about the song “Enough”. That conversation is coming in our next episode, once the full album is available in late September 2025, but here we bring you a bonus episode, with the part of our conversation that was broadcast on public radio WNCW the same afternoon, ahead of Wilco’s show at the Amp Ballantyne in Charlotte.

The Jeff Tweedy Band (photo: Rachel Bartz)

Songs heard in this episode:

“Out In The Dark” by Jeff Tweedy, from Twilight Override

“How Hard Is It For Desert To Die” by Jeff Tweedy, featuring Karly Hatzman, from Cardinals at the Window: A Benefit For Flood Relief In Western North Carolina, excerpt

“Enough” by Jeff Tweedy, from Twilight Override

Thank you for visiting! We hope you can help spread awareness of what we are doing. It is as easy as telling a friend and following this podcast on your platform of choice. You can find us on Apple here, Spotify here and YouTube here — hundreds more episodes await, filled with artists you may know by name, or musicians and bands that are ready to become your next favorites.

This series is a part of the lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. You can follow us on social media: @southstories on Instagram, at Southern Songs and Stories on Facebook, and now on Substack here, where you can read the scripts of these podcasts, and get updates on what we are doing and planning in our quest to explore and celebrate the unfolding history and culture of music rooted in the American South, and going beyond to the styles and artists that it inspired and informed. 

- Joe Kendrick

Not Jazz, nor Funk, nor Brass Band: Exploring the Living Edges of New Orleans Music With Andrew Duhon

Is there such a thing as coincidence? Recently I read an essay by Henrik Karllson, in his Substack page Escaping Flatland, titled “Almost Anything You Give Sustained Attention to Will Begin To Loop on Itself and Bloom”, and I was especially struck by his comment that "Art is guided meditation". This was, to me, a new way of thinking about paying attention and slowing down, of being in the moment. It rang true.

This coincided with working on this episode, and listening to Andrew Duhon’s song “Slow Down”, which features the lyrics “We’ve got to slow down/ All we’ll ever have is right here right now/ Right here right now/ I think we need to slow down/ Our eyes on the horizon line/ All these years/ It’s the things we keep our eyes on/ Seem to be the things that disappear when we get there”. Coincidence? I say that has to be a long shot.

Slowing down can be helpful in a lot of situations, creative endeavors especially. Do you ever find yourself in a spot where you wish you could simply jump to the finish line, like in a project, or even with cooking dinner? I feel that way a lot when starting work on the scripts for Southern Songs and Stories episodes. The blank page is always the hardest part — just those first paragraphs can take up the better part of a day sometimes. You have heard the phrase “like pulling teeth”, I bet. The creative process can feel that way, at times: a painful slog, with no guarantees of any gain, that makes you question why you put yourself through it.

Slowing down is key to making something worthwhile, whether that brings material gain or simply self satisfaction with a job well done. With patience, with letting things come to you, with sitting still and actively listening for the muse, good things can happen. There is no way to reap the rewards without paying the cost, and part of the bargain is giving something of yourself, something that might be as hard as pulling teeth.

I hope you can slow down with us, and enjoy this episode on Andrew Duhon. Here, he expounds on his music and his band, while he also touches on religion, politics, and a lot more, including the hardest song that he has ever written, why he does not have a place to call home in New Orleans currently, and his own eye-catching chapeau, a vintage baseball cap that says “Cuban Boatlift 1980”. All that and more, including more of Andrew’s music, especially from his recent appearance at The Albino Skunk Music Festival in Greer, SC, awaits you in this episode.

Andrew Duhon gives the thumbs up to this podcast, and to you, too

Songs heard in this episode:

“Bayou La Batre” by Andrew Duhon, from The Parish Record

“Girl From Plaquemine” by Andrew Duhon, performed live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/08/25, excerpt

“Waco Kool-Aid” by Andrew Duhon, performed live at the Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/08-25, excerpt

“Just Another Beautiful Girl” by Andrew Duhon, performed live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/08/25, excerpt

“Just In Case” by Andrew Duhon, performed live at the Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/08/25

Thank you for visiting! We hope you can help spread awareness of what we are doing. It is as easy as telling a friend and following this podcast on your platform of choice. You can find us on Apple here, Spotify here and YouTube here — hundreds more episodes await, filled with artists you may know by name, or musicians and bands that are ready to become your next favorites.

This series is a part of the lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. You can follow us on social media: @southstories on Instagram, at Southern Songs and Stories on Facebook, and now on Substack here, where you can read the scripts of these podcasts, and get updates on what we are doing and planning in our quest to explore and celebrate the unfolding history and culture of music rooted in the American South, and going beyond to the styles and artists that it inspired and informed. 

- Joe Kendrick

Where Are We at With the Blues? Dirt and Funk at Albino Skunk With Eddie 9V

What do the following styles of music have in common: Ragtime, New Wave, Dubstep, and Doo-wop? This group may seem quite divergent, but they all share a common characteristic: they are mostly types of music that no one plays much anymore. Then again, you could easily argue that these are simply sub-genres of larger categories like Jazz, Rock, Reggae and R&B, and live on in some form or another in the echoes of their sound within the broader contexts, such as they are, and here and there in all manner of newer sub-genres.

And those broader contexts, those foundational genres, how are they holding up these days? Jazz has gone from ruling the airwaves, dance floors and record stores to being a mostly boutique, albeit diverse, corner of the American music map. Rock has long been declared dead, but soldiers on in bands both old and new. Reggae rose to international acclaim with Bob Marley but has not approached those heights following his untimely death. R&B may be the most robust of this small sample, with artists like The Weeknd and SZA amongst its current stars.

Blues music has gone through sea changes of its own over the decades, and today, it is facing headwinds with younger audiences. As our guest Brooks Mason (known by his stage name Eddie 9V) puts it, younger music fans especially often think they will not like the blues because of its perceived predictability and reliance on old formulas. And while he is not wrong, he is also a prime example of how Blues music can garner new audiences with a new approach to the genre. Part of Eddie 9V’s approach is to, as he put it, lead a band that is not really a Blues band anymore.

Brooks Mason, better known as Eddie 9V

Songs heard in this episode:

“Saratoga“ by Eddie 9V, performed live at The Albino Skunk Music Festival, 05/10/25

“Check It Out” by Sean Costello, from At His Best - Live, excerpt

“Love Moves Slow” by Eddie 9V, performed live at The Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/10/25, excerpt

“Yella Alligator” by Eddie 9V, performed live at The Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/10/25, excerpt

“Driving Wheel” by Eddie 9V, performed live at The Albino Skunk Music Festival, 05/10/25

Thank you for visiting! We hope you can help spread awareness of what we are doing. It is as easy as telling a friend and following this podcast on your platform of choice. You can find us on Apple here, Spotify here and YouTube here — hundreds more episodes await, filled with artists you may know by name, or musicians and bands that are ready to become your next favorites.

This series is a part of the lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. You can follow us on social media: @southstories on Instagram, at Southern Songs and Stories on Facebook, and now on Substack here, where you can read the scripts of these podcasts, and get updates on what we are doing and planning in our quest to explore and celebrate the unfolding history and culture of music rooted in the American South, and going beyond to the styles and artists that it inspired and informed. 

Way Over Yonder in the Minor Key: The Return of Alison Krauss & Union Station With Jerry Douglas

Jerry Douglas is never not entertaining. On stage, on record, or in conversation, Flux, as Bela Fleck famously dubbed him, is full of wit, joy and inventiveness. His talents have garnered him 16 Grammy Awards, 28 IBMA Awards, 3 Country Music Association Awards, 3 Americana Music Association Awards, an NEA National Heritage Fellowship, and an artist residency at the Country Music Hall Of Fame and Museum. I heard once that his style playing Dobro was so popular that practically every other player emulated it, to the point that he had to reinvent his own style to distinguish himself from the rest of the pack. This story could very well be apocryphal, but it points to the fact that his influence is everywhere in bluegrass and bluegrass-adjacent acoustic music. And Jerry Douglas has stories. Ask him about anyone in bluegrass, or even a ton of artists outside the genre, and chances are that he knows them and can spin a yarn or two about playing with them or being in their orbit. Get him going, and he may even tell you about his ancestor David Douglas, of Douglas fir fame, and the spectacular and mysterious way he met his end in Hawaii.

Here, we bring Jerry Douglas back to Southern Songs and Stories for a second time, following his 2021 episode “It’s Always Roots Music 12 O’Clock With Jerry Douglas”. Since then, Jerry has been inducted into the International Bluegrass Music Association’s Hall of Fame; he has served as festival host and solo performer as well as in his tribute band The Earls Of Leicester for the Earl Scruggs Music Festival, with frequent guest appearances for a number of other artists and bands there; he also fell right back in with Alison Krauss & Union Station for their first album since 2011, Arcadia.

Jerry Douglas will be the host once again at the Earl Scruggs Music Festival in late August 2025, where he will perform with the Earls of Leicester as well as Alison Krauss & Union Station, The Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and who knows how many artists as their on stage guest. Recently, he spoke with me on a video call while on tour with AKUS, where he gives us a preview of Scruggs Fest, plus he details a lot of what went into Arcadia. We also find out what he believes is the best key for playing bluegrass music, and learn how he approaches his instrument in Union Station differently than on his own.

Jerry Douglas plays at the Earl Scruggs Music Festival 09-01-24 (photo: Jess Maples)

Songs heard in this episode:

“When You Say Nothing At All” by Alison Krauss & Union Station, from Alison Krauss & Union Station Live

“Nashville Blues” by Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, from Will the Circle Be Unbroken, excerpt

“The Hangman” by Alison Krauss & Union Station, from Arcadia, excerpt

“One Ray Of Shine” by Alison Krauss & Union Station, from Arcadia

Thank you for visiting! We hope you can help spread awareness of what we are doing. It is as easy as telling a friend and following this podcast on your platform of choice. You can find us on Apple here, Spotify here and YouTube here — hundreds more episodes await, filled with artists you may know by name, or musicians and bands that are ready to become your next favorites.

This series is a part of the lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. You can follow us on social media: @southstories on Instagram, at Southern Songs and Stories on Facebook, and now on Substack here, where you can read the scripts of these podcasts, and get updates on what we are doing and planning in our quest to explore and celebrate the unfolding history and culture of music rooted in the American South, and going beyond to the styles and artists that it inspired and informed. 

Thanks to Jaclyn Anthony for producing the radio adaptations of this series on WNCW, where we worked with Joshua Meng, who wrote and performed our theme songs. - Joe Kendrick

Wrango Bites, Ken Writes: Ken Pomeroy on Vulnerability, Faith, and Folk

What do Paul McCartney, up-and-coming singer songwriter Ken Pomeroy, and a guy I passed on the street tugging along a French bulldog have in common? They all support my theory that pets inevitably resemble their owners–sometimes in looks, sometimes in spirit, but always in energy. When Ken Pomeroy introduced her song “Wrango” opening for I’m with Her and Iron & Wine at Asheville Yards on July 12, 2025, she described how the song was inspired by the liability her new dog had become from its quick temper. After WNCW’s Joe Kendrick and I spent some time with her, we slowly got to see where the pup’s feistiness came from. We talked about what it means to carry songs from childhood into adulthood, the tension between writing for yourself and performing for others, and the unexpected ways public commentary can rattle even the most grounded artists. As Ken says, “I never thought I’d care about online comments. But wow. I didn’t know how sensitive I’d be.”

And then there’s “Flannel Cowboy”, Ken Pomeroy’s closing track at her show, that isn’t a love song, despite what you might assume. It's a quietly devastating reflection on friendship, ego, and the confusing wreckage of emotional fallout. It’s a song about looking in the mirror and realizing that, sometimes, the thing biting at you isn’t your dog, or your critics—it’s you.

Her vulnerability isn’t just evident in the lyrics of her 2025 album, Cruel Joke, but in the way she speaks about songwriting as a spiritual act—one that gives form to feelings too big to hold alone. As a writer, I can relate to the need to shed some weight onto the page. Sometimes things get a little too loud and the only way to bring back the quiet is to release. 

Ken also told us about her connection to Cherokee heritage, her experience contributing to the language revitalization album ᎠᏅᏛᏁᎵᏍᎩ (Anvdvnelisgi), and what it meant to contribute to a project to empower young people to connect with their heritage. 

Whether she's reflecting on faith, feeling everything too deeply, or setting boundaries on what parts of her soul she's willing to hand over to strangers, Ken Pomeroy is an artist in full bloom. She's a songwriter first, a performer reluctantly, and a truth-teller always. — Elena Dickson

Ken Pomeroy (photo: Kali Spitzer)

Songs heard in this episode:

John Denver “Leaving On A Jet Plane”

“Wrango” by Ken Pomeroy, from Cruel Joke, excerpt

“Grey Skies” by Ken Pomeroy, from Cruel Joke, excerpt

“Flannel Cowboy” by Ken Pomeroy, from Cruel Joke, excerpt

“Galvladi” by Ken Pomeroy, from Anvdvnelisgi

Thank you for being here! We hope you enjoy this episode, and can help spread awareness of what we are doing. It is as easy as telling a friend and following this podcast on your platform of choice. You can find us on Apple here, Spotify here and YouTube here — hundreds more episodes await, filled with artists you may know by name, or musicians and bands that are ready to become your next favorites.

This series is a part of the lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. You can follow us on social media: @southstories on Instagram, at Southern Songs and Stories on Facebook, and now on Substack here, where you can read the scripts of these podcasts, and get updates on what we are doing and planning in our quest to explore and celebrate the unfolding history and culture of music rooted in the American South, and going beyond to the styles and artists that it inspired and informed. 

The radio adaptation of this episode is part of the programming lineup during Morning Edition on public radio WNCW, where we worked with Joshua Meng, who wrote and performed our theme songs. This episode was written and hosted by WNCW intern Elena Dickson, with myself as editor and Ken Pomeroy’s co-interviewer.  

- Joe Kendrick

The Muse Never Worries: Making It Mellow With Seth Walker

If you can make it as a professional musician in Austin, that is saying something. And if you can make it in Nashville, New Orleans, and also New York, that is saying something in all caps. Seth Walker has made it in all of the above locales. Making it as a professional musician in all of those iconic music scenes is not only impressive, but it also requires playing a variety of styles that sync with each city’s musical tastes. With his 12th album, Why the Worry, Seth Walker shows off what he has learned (and unlearned) from all of those years gigging and recording with a who’s who of roots music luminaries.

In recent years, he has called western North Carolina home, which is not terribly far from his childhood home in a Quaker commune, a couple hundred miles to the east in Burlington. That is where his music journey began, and is the place which serves as the backdrop to his forthcoming novella, about a young girl on a tobacco farm. I imagine Seth Walker may even make some paintings to go along with that story, as he is also an accomplished visual artist.

Seth is as laid back as he is intriguing, and we enjoyed a relaxed conversation at his home in Fairview, NC, nestled in the Appalachian mountains. Joining us was WNCW intern Elena Dickson, who hosted our recent episode on fellow western NC artist Sally Anne Morgan. We spoke about Seth’s musical past and present, ranging from his love of jump blues to how an inspired take of Al Green’s “Take Me to the River” set the wheels in motion for his latest album, to how Hurricane Helene very nearly left it in a ditch. All that and more, including music  from Why the Worry, awaits you in this podcast.

Seth Walker with his Waterloo acoustic guitar

Songs heard in this episode:

“Why the Worry” by Seth Walker, from Why the Worry

“Magnolia” by Seth Walker, from Why the Worry, excerpt

“Take Me to the River” by Seth Walker, from Why the Worry, excerpt

“Strollin’ With Bones” by T-Bone Walker, excerpt

“Up on the Mountain” by Seth Walker, from Why the Worry

Thank you for dropping by! We hope you can help spread awareness of what we are doing. It is as easy as telling a friend and following this podcast on your platform of choice. You can find us on Apple here, Spotify here and YouTube here — hundreds more episodes await, filled with artists you may know by name, or musicians and bands that are ready to become your next favorites.

This series is a part of the lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. You can follow us on social media: @southstories on Instagram, at Southern Songs and Stories on Facebook, and now on Substack here, where you can read the scripts of these podcasts, and get updates on what we are doing and planning in our quest to explore and celebrate the unfolding history and culture of music rooted in the American South, and going beyond to the styles and artists that it inspired and informed. 

Thanks to Jaclyn Anthony for producing the radio adaptations of this series on WNCW, where we worked with Joshua Meng, who wrote and performed our theme songs. This episode features WNCW intern Elena Dickson, who co-produced the episode, and took part in Seth’s interview.  

- Joe Kendrick

Old but Not Dead: Sally Anne Morgan and the Living Tradition of Old Time Music

In this episode, we welcome WNCW intern Elena Dickson to the podcast. Elena is a student at the University of Michigan, and here, she takes a turn at the helm for our episode on western North Carolina artist Sally Anne Morgan:

My favorite Ralph Waldo Emerson quote reads, “Cause and effect, means and ends, seed and fruit, cannot be severed; for the effect already blooms in the cause, the end preexists in the means, the fruit in the seed.” It makes me think of the interconnectedness that lies beneath all our actions and that everything we do–from deciding what to eat for breakfast to moving across the country–has a deep impact on our lives in areas we don’t even realize. 

Sally Anne Morgan embodies Emerson’s coda. Even as a visual artist, musician, mother, and brewery owner, she emphasized how circular life feels: we are nothing without where we came from and where we came from wouldn’t have been possible without what we have become. She embodies this through her music through her traditional techniques to create innovative elements. Rooting herself in tradition while employing new age elements, she resists the conformity and neatness that recording software, and certain genres, often demands. While she views old time and other music traditions as a living artform rather than something that belongs in the archives. Her stories have a background and history but they have nothing close to an end. 

When I decided to apply to WNCW to enhance my senior thesis on Appalachian storytelling, I had to explain why I was doing what I was doing to a few more people than I would have liked. Next time someone asks, I will send them this podcast so they can see the fluidity of storytelling and how deeply enmeshed it is with all other aspects of our lives. Telling a story does not require a defined beginning, middle, and end. Instead, it requires a conversation and a dedication to honoring what the story was and what it is going to become. Sally Anne Morgan creates in a way that makes you want to participate in the conversation and keep the story alive.

Sally Anne Morgan (Photo: Charlie Boss, published by KLOF mag)

Songs heard in this episode:

“Eye Is The First” by Sally Anne Morgan, from Second Circle the Horizon, excerpt

“Flowers Of Shandihar” by Sally Anne Morgan, from Second Circle the Horizon, excerpt

“I Saw A Heron” by Sally Anne Morgan, from Second Circle the Eye, excerpt

“Blind Man’s Lament” by Black Twig Pickers, from Rough Carpenters, excerpt

“Dog’s Dream” by Sally Anne Morgan, from Second Circle the Eye, excerpt

“Callahan” by Sally Anne Morgan, from Second Circle the Eye, excerpt

“Night Mint” by Sally Anne Morgan, from Second Circle the Eye

So glad you visited! We hope you can help spread awareness of what we are doing. It is as easy as telling a friend and following this podcast on your platform of choice. You can find us on Apple here, Spotify here and YouTube here — hundreds more episodes await, filled with artists you may know by name, or musicians and bands that are ready to become your next favorites.

This series is a part of the lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. Thanks to Jaclyn Anthony for producing the radio adaptations of this series on WNCW, where we worked with Joshua Meng, who wrote and performed our theme songs. This episode was written and produced by WNCW intern Elena Dickson, with editorial assistance from myself. This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it. - Joe Kendrick

Notes From Country, Cajun and Bluegrass’ Far Western Bureau With Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms

Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms make their home in the San Juan Islands, in Washington State, and their latest spring tour saw them make a stop at the Albino Skunk Music Festival in May 2025. This was two weeks ahead of their own festival, the inaugural East Sound Music Ramble, and part of an eastern swing that preceded other engagements including Telluride Bluegrass Festival. The duo has been very much on the go lately, which is in keeping with their recent past: sojourns to Louisiana, to celebrate the music of Cajun and country legend Jimmy C Newman; to The Last Frontier state for the Alaska Folk Festival; and to Vermont, where Caleb connected with Noam Pikelny, which led to becoming a guest member of bluegrass supergroup Mighty Poplar, to name a few. 

I spoke with Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms on a picture perfect spring afternoon in Greer, SC, in between their two sets at Skunk Fest, where we touched on all of these travels, both physical and musical; their own region’s musical “rogue-ness”; the raw simplicity and danceability of their take on country music; and the importance of slowing down and being present. That and more awaits you, including their music, both live and on record, in this episode.

(L to R) Caleb Klauder, Mike Bub and Reeb Willms perform at the Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/10/25

Photo: John Gillespie Photography & Design

This is the second time Caleb Klauder has been on the series: the first was from 2019, when he spoke about producing feature guest Town Mountain’s album New Freedom Blues in the episode Town Mountain: There’s Never a Last Ride in the Van.

Songs heard in this episode:

“Gold In Your Pocket” by Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms, performed live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/10/25

“You Gotta Roll the Dice To Win” by Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms, performed live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/10/25, excerpt

“Sing Me A Sad Song To Make Me Happy” by Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms, performed live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/10/25, excerpt

“Alligator Man“ by Joel Savoy, Kelli Jones, Reeb Willms and Caleb Klauder, from Farewell Alligator Man, excerpt

“Key To Life” by Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms, performed live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/10/25, excerpt

“Church With No Walls” by Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms, performed live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/10/25, excerpt

“He’s Gone” by Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms, performed live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/10/25

Thanks for dropping by! We hope you can help spread awareness of what we are doing. It is as easy as telling a friend and following this podcast on your platform of choice. You can find us on Apple here, Spotify here and YouTube here — hundreds more episodes await, filled with artists you may know by name, or musicians and bands that are ready to become your next favorites.

This series is a part of the lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. Thanks to Jaclyn Anthony for producing the radio adaptations of this series on WNCW, where we worked with Joshua Meng, who wrote and performed our theme songs. This June, we welcomed WNCW intern Elena Dickson to this series as a producer as well, and she will be with us through July. This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it. - Joe Kendrick

When Country Is One Color in a Grand Kaleidoscope: Wrangling Multiple Genres With Neon Cowgirl Tami Neilson

In 2024, I had the idea to produce podcasts based on interviews from MerleFest, with the theme being a focus on both first-time performers and veterans. Combining two artists who made their debuts resulted in the episode “Rural Roots That Run Deep With Nick Shoulders and Adeem The Artist”, we followed that with two of the festival’s mainstays in the episode “Jim Lauderdale, Donna the Buffalo and the Many Collaborations Of MerleFest”. It was great fun to compare and contrast artist experiences at the venerated event between newcomers and returning veterans, as well as dive into their stories and music along the way.

This year, I picked up on the approach once again, interviewing bluegrass heroes Woody Platt and Buddy Melton in the episode that immediately precedes this one, titled “A New Team For Two Heavy Hitters Of Bluegrass: Woody Platt and Buddy Melton”. Now, we celebrate another MerleFest newcomer, Tami Neilson. Although she just made her first stop at the festival, she is no novice in the roots music scene, having grown up in a family band and having made records since 2008; I was all smiles when I saw her on the MerleFest lineup for 2025. Fun fact: when I sent in the request to feature Tami on this podcast, her publicist replied, “So just to be clear here — Tami is for Southern Songs & Stories? She is originally Canadian and lives in New Zealand so just checking!” I chuckled and replied, “Yes, that’s correct. I break my own rules every so often. I’ve featured Ruen Brothers, Colin Hay and others over the years. New Zealand is south too right? ;-)”

I spoke with Tami Neilson late at night, after her rousing Dance Tent performance, where she talked about her love of wide ranging musical journeys, her own journey to her adopted country of New Zealand, growing up in a family band and now bringing her sons on stage from time to time, playing the Grand Ole Opry and making music with greats like Willie Nelson, and a whole lot more.

Tami Neilson playing her first of two sets at MerleFest on April 25, 2025. Photo: Willa Stein

Songs heard in this episode:

“Baby, You’re A Gun” by Tami Neilson, from Kingmaker

“Learn To Try Again” by The Chills, from Spring Board: The Early Unrecorded Songs, excerpt

“Borrow My Boots” by Tami Neilson, from Neon Cowgirl, excerpt

“Beyond The Stars” by Tami Neilson, featuring Willie Nelson, from Kingmaker, excerpt

“You’re Gonna Fall” by Tami Neilson, featuring JD McPherson, from Neon Cowgirl

Thanks for reading and listening! We hope you can help spread awareness of what we are doing. It is as easy as telling a friend and following this podcast on your platform of choice. You can find us on Apple here, Spotify here and YouTube here — hundreds more episodes await, filled with artists you may know by name, or musicians and bands that are ready to become your next favorites.

This series is a part of the lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. WNCW intern Elena Dickson deserves a big thanks for jumping in on production work for this episode in her very first week! Thanks as well to Jaclyn Anthony for producing the radio adaptations of this series on WNCW, where we worked with Joshua Meng, who wrote and performed our theme songs. This is Southern Songs and Stories: the unfolding history and culture of music rooted in the American South, and going beyond to the styles and artists that it inspired and informed. - Joe Kendrick

A New Team for Two Heavy Hitters of Bluegrass: Woody Platt and Buddy Melton

It was Friday at MerleFest and I had already taken in an afternoon and evening of music the day before, which threatened more rain than it delivered. The one downpour that hit the festival grounds coincided with my campsite assembly, though, which made for an especially challenging time with raising my tent. Pouring rain makes tents heavy and unwieldy, but luckily for me, not impossible to put together — just fairly comical to passersby. The inside of it was a mess after that, but it was the only weather incident I experienced all weekend. It would not be MerleFest without at least a little rain, after all.

As it would be an outlier for MerleFest to be without rain, it would be similarly unlikely for MerleFest to go without at least one of two contemporary bluegrass stars from western NC: Woody Platt and Buddy Melton. Fans have enjoyed Woody Platt’s former band Steep Canyon Rangers thirteen times at the festival since 2006, while Buddy Melton’s former group Balsam Range has made five appearances there since 2010. This year, they appeared in a new lineup: Woody Platt and the Bluegrass Gentlemen.

I had the pleasure of catching up with Woody Platt and Buddy Melton in one of the few quiet spots available on the festival grounds, in the band’s motor coach, where we talked about how this project began; how their region is recovering from Hurricane Helene and more recently, widespread wildfires; a certain Crosby, Stills, Nash & Young cover they played live at the festival, as well as how they love to hear other players cover their songs. That and a lot more, including excerpts of music from Woody Platt’s 2024 album Far Away With You awaits you in this episode.

Woody Platt and the Bluegrass Gentlemen perform on Creekside Stage at MerleFest in Wilkesboro NC 04-25-25

Songs heard in this episode:

“Long Time Coming” by Woody Platt, from Far Away With You

“Like The Rain Does” by Woody Platt, from Far Away With You, excerpt

“Find the Cost of Freedom” by Crosby, Stills Nash & Young, from Live At Fillmore East, 1969, excerpt

“Walk Along With Me” by Woody Platt, from Far Away With You, excerpt

“One Last Goodbye” by Woody Platt, from Far Away With You

Thanks for reading and listening! We hope you can help spread awareness of what we are doing. It is as easy as telling a friend and following this podcast on your platform of choice. You can find us on Apple here, Spotify here and YouTube here — hundreds more episodes await, filled with artists you may know by name, or musicians and bands that are ready to become your next favorites.

This series is a part of the lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. Thanks to Jaclyn Anthony for producing the radio adaptations of this series on WNCW, where we worked with Joshua Meng, who wrote and performed our theme songs. This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it. - Joe Kendrick