Circling Back to the Start With Jon Stickley

October 2, 2026

Back in 2017, I envisioned Southern Songs and Stories as a video documentary series, and pitched our pilot episode on Aaron Burdett to public television. Following Aaron’s episode, I profiled Amanda Anne Platt & the Honeycutters, and made another go with video when I attended my first Albino Skunk Music Festival that spring, and sat with the Jon Stickley Trio.

The video documentary series dream did not materialize, however, and I pivoted to audio. Even though the video of the Jon Stickley Trio did not see the light of day, the audio did, and it launched this podcast series in October 2017. With the current chapter of Southern Songs and Stories soon coming to a close, I thought that it would be perfect to end where we began, and sit with Jon Stickley at the Albino Skunk farm in the rolling countryside of Greer, SC to deliver this conversation where we touch on his Trio as well as a new collaboration with Larry Keel, his Chords For Callum charity, and teaching the guitar. I will get my first guitar lesson from Jon on this very podcast, so that should be worth a listen just by itself!

It has been a marvelous nine year run. Let’s go out with a twang.

Jon Stickley Trio: (L to R) Lyndsay Pruett, Jon Stickley, Hunter Deacon

Hitchhiking to the Top With Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show

September 28, 2026

In this episode, you get a familiar voice to not only this podcast but to all of roots music: Ketch Secor, of Old Crow Medicine Show, with a conversation from MerleFest in late April 2026. Just days after this episode is published, get set for another alumnus of this podcast, Jon Stickley of the Jon Stickley Trio, who will tell us about what he is doing these days, including a new project with Larry Keel in a conversation right ahead of the Trio’s performance at the Albino Skunk Music Festival.

Here, Secor reflects on the festival's pivotal role as the band's career launchpad, sparked by a chance encounter with Doc Watson in 1999, and details recent projects, including the documentary Louder Than Guns—which addresses school shooting advocacy—a new Old Crow album titled Union Made, and his role hosting Tennessee Crossroads. Secor also shares insights on the punk-adjacent, anti-hero mentality that shaped Old Crow's journey, drawing a distinct line between old-time music and bluegrass.

Ketch Secor on Cabin Stage at MerleFest by Gordon Burns.jpg

Arthur Grimes dances on stage with Ketch Secor at MerleFest by Will Sparklin.jpg

Ketch Secor at MerleFest by Will Sparklin.jpg

Ketch Secor with dobro player at MerleFest by Will Sparklin.jpg

Photo gallery: Old Crow Medicine Show performs at MerleFest in Wilkesboro, NC, with percussive dancers including Arthur Grimes, April 2026.

Songs heard in this episode:

“Doc’s Day” by Old Crow Medicine Show, from Remedy

“Next Go ‘Round” by Old Crow Medicine Show, from Tennessee Pusher

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

Piedmont Blues and the Fine Line of Gospel With Jontavious Willis

September 17, 2026

Don’t let the straightforward, down-to-earth aesthetic of Jontavious Willis’ music lead you to think that there is little complexity or depth to his art. Indeed, Willis exemplifies making something that isn’t really easy at all seem like a stroll down a country road in his native Georgia hill country. He is also well versed in the history and dynamics of his style of blues. From a recent post on his social media, for example, he said:

Ethnomusicologist Pete Lowry coined the term "Piedmont Blues" in the 1960s to describe a certain type of fingerpicking. But in my opinion, many of the titles are flawed. John Hurt and Hacksaw Harney, for example, were from the Delta. Even though they were great fingerpickers, they weren’t from the Piedmont region. Conversely, Barbecue Bob and Kokomo Arnold were from the Piedmont region of Georgia, and most of their styles could be associated with Delta blues. These terms are cool guidelines, but they aren’t concrete. I’m a Piedmont player because that’s where I’m from—the Piedmont region of Georgia.

I spoke with Jontavious Willis at MerleFest in Wilkesboro, NC in late April, 2026, where he performed solo, and also guested with Peter Wernick on his set. We talked about his style of blues and how it intersects with other genres, like bluegrass. We also talk about his relationship to the music of Doc Watson, the importance of connecting with his fans and how young musicians are keeping the blues alive and well. Willis’ latest album is West Georgia Blues, and we sample songs from that collection in this episode, as well as music from Doc Watson and Taj Mahal.

Jontavious Willis at MerleFest by Rob Simmons.jpg

Jontavious Willis with Pete Wernick at MerleFest by Matt Guerrant.jpg

Jontavious Willis on Cabin Stage at MerleFest by Gordon Burns.jpg

Jontavious Willis at MerleFest by Gordon Burns.jpg

Songs heard in this episode:

“West Georgia Blues” by Jontavious Willis, from West Georgia Blues

“Country Blues” by Doc Watson, from Doc Watson, excerpt

“Goin’ Up To the Country, Paint My Mailbox Blue” by Taj Mahal, from The Natch’l Blues, excerpt

“Keep Your Worries on the Dance Floor” by Jontavious Willis, from West Georgia Blues

This is where I thank you for taking this musical journey with us and ask you to follow this series wherever you listen to podcasts, and to connect with us on social media, and Substack. This episode is no different, but one thing that is about to change is the future direction of Southern Songs and Stories. This is the third in a series of four interviews from artists at this year’s MerleFest, and next up is Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show. Beyond that, I am debating on what to do with the podcast. I hope to keep it going, maybe in a different format, but the current chapter of the series is soon coming to a close. There have been some big life changes for me recently which make me realize that I simply won’t be able to spend all the time I devote to this series as you’re hearing it now. But rest assured that I am not leaving music and podcasts and writing and will come to the next chapter of this story before long. In the meantime, there are close to 200 episodes in the series that you can still enjoy, for free, wherever you listen to podcasts, as well as that conversation with Ketch up next. Ketch is never not entertaining, so it’s sure to be worth your time. - Joe Kendrick

The Moonlit Glow of Maggie Rose

August 26, 2026

Maggie Rose is a class act. Have you ever met someone who has incredible presence? Someone who can walk in a room and cause everyone to take a pause and notice them, even without a word spoken or any invitation to look their way? This is how people react to Maggie Rose. It is rare enough, even for professional music artists, but when you witness it happening, it is something special. That is how I felt when speaking with the Nashville artist at Merlefest in Wilkesboro, NC, in late April 2026.

Maggie Rose’s fifth album is titled Half Moon, and it was the subject of much of our conversation. We touched on her many musical sisters and brothers in song, her first impressions of MerleFest, and her lifelong love of connecting with live audiences. That, as well as musical excerpts from Half Moon awaits you in this episode.

Album art for *Half Moon* by Maggie Rose

Songs heard in this episode:

“Half Moon” by Maggie Rose, from Half Moon

“Hiding In Plain Sight” by Maggie Rose, from Half Moon, excerpt

“This Life” by Maggie Rose, from Half Moon

Thank you for visiting! We encourage you to follow this series wherever you listen to podcasts, and to share it with a friend. We are especially grateful for top ratings and your reviews. You can follow this series on social media: @southstories on Instagram, at Southern Songs and Stories on Facebook, and you can view these episodes and a lot more on my YouTube channel, at the handle JoeKendrickNC. We can also send you newsletters via Substack, 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 Happy Warriors of Fiery Folk: Scythian

August 6, 2026

“My mom went to Juilliard, graduated from Juilliard. She taught us all of our instruments. We performed very high-level classical music, but we never felt a connection with the audience. And that's what we really yearned for.” — Dan Fedoryka

You might not guess that the Fedoryka brothers, the core of the four-piece band Scythian, would have started their musical journey in such a formal setting, judging from their freewheeling, sweat-soaked and jet-engine-loud performances. As spontaneous and loose as you may think they are, however, Scythian is actually leaning hard into that foundational experience with their approach. It is the second part of Dan’s quote that is obvious from the first notes they play on stage, as Scythian is well known for getting their audiences fully engaged in their show — wide swaths of spontaneous dancing, pockets of shoulder surfing, and much of the audience singing along at full volume.

You might not expect that such a scene would be commonplace at a music festival founded on the music of the decidedly non-raucous flat-picking guitar legend Doc Watson and the festival’s namesake, his son and frequent musical partner Merle. But they are a staple at the festival over their now 17-year tenure there, and Doc gave them their first opportunity to play the festival himself.

In April 2026, I caught up with Scythian for a conversation that touched on everything from their first time playing at MerleFest, to their nomadic warrior ancestors from Ukraine and much more. We also dive into brand new music from the band as we salute the memory of Doc and Merle with a hearty toast from their homeland, “Nostrovia!”.

Dan Fedoryka of Scythian at MerleFest 2026.jpg

Scythian performs in the Dance Tent at MerleFest 2026.jpg

Ethan Caldell of Scythian at MerleFest 2026.jpg

Songs heard in this episode:

“Get There” by Scythian

“Bulgarian Suite” by Scythian, from Paste Studio’s “On The Road” session at the 7th Annual Suwannee Spring Reunion

“Life To Live” by Scythian

Thank you for dropping by! We encourage you to follow this series wherever you listen to podcasts, and to share it with a friend. We are especially grateful for top ratings and your reviews. You can follow this series on social media: @southstories on Instagram, at Southern Songs and Stories on Facebook, and you can view these episodes and a lot more on my YouTube channel, at the handle JoeKendrickNC. We can also send you newsletters via Substack, 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

Bluegrass That Is Traditional and Transcendent All at Once: Ettore Buzzini

July 23, 2026

One of the greatest things about roots music in general, and bluegrass specifically, is that it continually brings in new generations of players to the fold. These young artists cut their teeth on the classics of the genre and then, very often, branch out into new directions, pushing the boundaries of the form, and inventing new styles while reinvigorating the overall framework of the music they love.

Ettore Buzzini only recently graduated from high school, but you might never guess that from listening to his new album Blue Blue Blue. I chanced upon his performance in my new hometown of Charlotte, NC, which is adjacent to Ettore’s home in Mooresville. At the show, I was intrigued with his faithful renditions of traditional bluegrass numbers contrasted with his classical music-leaning originals, coupled with grassy versions of hits by artists like Pharrell Williams and The Beatles. While working on an upcoming episode on the band Scythian this week, I noticed that Ettore was opening for them in Galax, VA this weekend, so I thought, why not have an opening podcast for the opening band, so to speak? Here is the result, a conversation with the banjo phenomenon who is on the Patuxent Records label, which helped bring in established stars like Danny Paisley, Mark Schatz and Michael Cleveland alongside him to play on his forthcoming album Blue Blue Blue.

Ettore Buzzini (center) and his band performing at St. Martin’s Episcopal Church in Charlotte, NC, June 20, 2026. Photo: Daniel Coston

Songs heard in this episode:

“Flowers” by Ettore Buzzini, from Blue Blue Blue

“The Birth of Eros” by Ettore Buzzini, performed live at Bela Fleck's Banjo Concert at the Blue Ridge Banjo Camp at Brevard Music Center, Brevard, NC in 2025, excerpt

“Dear Old Dixie” by Ettore Buzzini, from Blue Blue Blue

Thank you for being here! We encourage you to follow this series wherever you listen to podcasts, and to share it with a friend. We are especially grateful for top ratings and your reviews. You can follow this series on social media: @southstories on Instagram, at Southern Songs and Stories on Facebook, and you can view these episodes and a lot more on my YouTube channel, at the handle JoeKendrickNC. We can also send you newsletters via Substack, 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

Be Comfortable With Yourself and Live Loud: Tift Merritt

July 6, 2026

Ask anyone who has has been there, is getting there, or maybe just realizing that it is around the bend, and they will tell you: getting older is not for the faint of heart. Not counting all the challenges with getting physically older, there are the many curveballs that life throws our way with work, family, and friendships, not to mention just maintaining mental balance in a world full of upheaval. Amidst all of these challenges and pitfalls which accumulate and perhaps even accelerate over time, who among us has not abandoned a dream, or retreated back home, or found themselves at an untenable place in life? How did that make you feel? Defeated? Upset? Depressed? Take heart, because it takes a lot of courage to say, “I quit”, and it could be one of the wisest choices you could have made.

Tift Merritt knows this firsthand, having returned to her native North Carolina feeling like she “had failed a little bit when I came home to my mama” after many years of pursuing her music career, to settle down and raise her daughter in a place where she felt people could lead “a good, simple life where the important things are right”. Her days making music her sole focus were over, as she took on other work, but as you will hear in our conversation, she never lost her desire to put love out into the world through her songs. After a long hiatus, she returned to Gold Pacific Studios in Nashville, and recorded her collection titled Sugar, an album that distills much of the wisdom that she accumulated over those years that at first felt like failure.

Songs heard in this episode:

“Everyday Singing” by Tift Merritt, from Sugar

“Sugar” by Tift Merritt, from Sugar, excerpt

“Fate Of Man Is Sarah’s Eyes” by Tift Merritt, from Sugar, excerpt

“Wild Women Don’t Have the Blues” by Ida Cox, from Wild Women Don’t Have the Blues, excerpt

“Library of Dust”by Tift Merritt, from Sugar, excerpt

“Finest Feelings” by Tift Merritt, from Sugar

Thank you for dropping by! We encourage you to follow this series wherever you listen to podcasts, and are especially grateful for top ratings and your reviews. You can follow this series on social media: @southstories on Instagram, at Southern Songs and Stories on Facebook, and you can view these episodes and a lot more on my YouTube channel, at the handle JoeKendrickNC. We can also send you newsletters via Substack, 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

Bringing After Dark and Charlotte’s Music Past Back to Light, Part Two

June 4, 2026

In our first episode, we gave a broad overview of Charlotte’s music history, going back to the 1920s with the advent of AM radio in the Queen City, and continuing forward into the 1970s and 1980s to focus on the public television series After Dark on WTVI. Here, we conclude our trip back in time with a more detailed account of both that TV series and some of the music artists it featured, with plenty of music from artists we interviewed (The Spongetones, and Sugarcreek) as well as others who are still making music, like The Voltage Brothers and Lenny Federal. It is a snapshot of a special place and time, both very familiar to me, having grown up in the region, but also much of which was unknown until digging into the WTVI archives and producing these podcasts.

George Hatcher Band - Coming Home album.jpg

Photo gallery, beginning top left: Lenny Federal of The Federal Bureau of Rock-N-Roll; Virginia Massey concert listing for After Dark; The George Hatcher Band album cover; Pat Walters and Steve Stoeckel of The Spongetones; Michael Federal of The Federal Bureau of Rock-N-Roll; Bill Hanna; WTVI’s remote broadcast van; former WTVI crew with host and producer Joe Kendrick

Songs heard in this episode:

“Black Moon Rising” performed live by George Hatcher Band 08/16/81 at Main Street Music Hall, Morganton NC

“Lost In A Photograph” by Sugarcreek, performed live at Yesterday’s in Hickory, NC, July 28, 1981, excerpt

“Dying To Live” by The Voltage Brothers, performed live at P.B. Scott’s, Charlotte NC, 7/23/83, excerpt

“Better Take It Easy” by The Spongetones, performed live at P.B. Scott’s in Blowing Rock, NC, 07/15/81, excerpt

“She Is The Woman Who Brings Out The Man In Me” by Super Grit Cowboy Band, performed live at P.B. Scott’s in Blowing Rock, NC, 06/19/82, excerpt

unknown song by The Federal Bureau of Rock-N-Roll, performed live at Johnny Dollars Beach Club, 08/07/82

Thanks for being here! We encourage you to follow this series wherever you listen to podcasts, and are especially grateful for top ratings and your reviews. You can follow this series on social media: at southstories on Instagram, at Southern Songs and Stories on Facebook, and you can view these episodes and a lot more on my YouTube channel, at the handle JoeKendrickNC. We can also send you newsletters via Substack, 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.

Big thanks to Daniel Coston for sharing the audio of After Dark performances and for being a key part of this two part series; it would not have happened without his guidance and support. Daniel has been a previous guest on this series several times, and an easy way to find those episodes is by using the search bar at southernsongsandstories.com.

- Joe Kendrick

Bringing After Dark and Charlotte’s Music Past Back to Light, Part One

May 21, 2026

Charlotte has been on my mind a lot lately. Recently, I profiled the Queen City’s Emanuel Wynter in the episode “Violin’s Architect of Joyous Sound: Emanuel Wynter”, which followed a recent episode on Charlotte artist Sam Tayloe of the band Time Sawyer titled “New Stages for Time Sawyer and Their Hometown Festival”. Around the time I interviewed Emanuel Wynter, I was in Charlotte on two occasions for interviews that are coming to light here, in the first of a two part series on the public TV program After Dark, the brain child of the late Bill Barnes, who launched the series on WTVI in the late 1970s, continuing through 1984. Charlotte photographer, writer and music producer Daniel Coston came into possession of the audio of performances which were the foundation for After Dark episodes, and Daniel gave me the idea for this podcast and joined in as a co-producer.

This episode features interviews with former WTVI staff, members of Charlotte bands The Spongetones and Sugarcreek, as well as Daniel Coston, along with audio excerpts of performances from both aforementioned bands as well as The Fabulous Knobs and New Grass Revival, whose performance was the debut for banjo player Bela Fleck and guitarist Pat Flynn. Along the way is a good bit of history of the scene in Charlotte and the region, focusing on the late 1970s to mid 1980s, but also going back to the days of the Crazy Water Crystals Saturday Night Jamboree, a “barn dance” program on AM radio station WBT beginning in 1933.

Featured artists from Charlotte’s Finest concert series at Charlotte, NC public TV WTVI in 1984

Songs heard in this episode:

“Encourage Me” by The Fabulous Knobs, live at P.B. Scott’s, Charlotte NC 09/21/83

“Every Night Is A Holiday” by The Spongetones, performed live at P.B. Scott’s in Blowing Rock, NC, 07/15/81, excerpt

“Miss Mystic” by Sugarcreek, performed live at Yesterday’s, Hickory, NC, 07/28/81, excerpt

“In the Middle of the Night” by New Grass Revival, performed live at Fast Company, Hickory, NC 06/18/82

Daniel Coston has been a previous guest on this podcast in our series titled “The Music and Culture Episode” parts one and two, and New Grass Revival members Bela Fleck, Sam Bush and John Cowan have their own episodes on this series, as well as being guests on the three part series on Green Acres Music Hall.

- Joe Kendrick

Introducing the Alabama Astronaut Podcast with Abe Partridge and Ferrill Gibbs

April 22, 2026

Acclaimed Alabama songwriter Abe Partridge and podcaster Ferrill Gibbs return to the podcast world with their new series titled Alabama Astronaut Radio Transmission, continuing their earlier work in the podcast series Alabama Astronaut to chronicle the religious practice of snake handling in the American South, and to document the movement’s unique and largely unknown songs and often raucous musical styles.

Abe’s quest brought him face-to-face with the deadly practices of a largely ridiculed subculture, first amidst a backdrop of American crises occurring in 2020–2021. As they captured audio on a little Sony handheld recorder, Abe and Ferrill cobbled together the foundations of a bizarre and wonderful story, as mistrust gave way to genuine friendships. In their quest, the two collaborators bring us insights into a widely misunderstood and stigmatized tradition which also contains a wealth of great music. Their stories come from a place of openness and curiosity rather than from a mindset of superiority or conceit. The results reveal and interpret a rich and fantastical world seldom explored and even more rarely understood.

I spoke with Abe and Ferrill about coming back together for their latest work as introduction to episode two of Alabama Astronaut Radio Transmission, which follows our conversation here.

Alabama Astronaut Radio Transmission

- Joe Kendrick

Violin’s Architect of Joyous Sound: Emanuel Wynter

April 7, 2026

When you think of the violin, or in country and roots music circles its kissing cousin the fiddle, what comes to mind? The Suzuki method, or Antonio Vivaldi perhaps? Maybe a song like “Ashokan Farewell” or “The Devil Went Down To Georgia”? But have you heard of Stuff Smith, Regina Carter, Papa John Creach, or Stéphane Grappelli? Charlotte artist Emanuel Wynter certainly has, and having grown up learning the Suzuki method, he would go on to take inspiration from violinists in a variety of genres to interpret his own love for blues, rock, soul and jazz. The result is a fresh take on the instrument in an electric and eclectic setting that also showcases his band’s lock-tight grooves and his own clear and confident vocals.

I spoke with Emanuel Wynter in his hometown of Charlotte about how he plays violin in a variety of music settings, from his own style over to session work and a praise band, and how his early love of blues and rock music translates to the instrument, which is far more versatile and expressive than you might expect. We touch on the three boxes that he needs to check before taking on a gig, and what he wants to get across with his lyrics as well. From vintage tube amps, double stops and a love for astronomy, architecture, and spontaneity, our conversation covers a lot of ground, and along the way, we feature a number of songs from Emanuel Wynter’s live album From Orbit.

Emanuel Wynter performs in Elkin, NC on October 11, 2025 (photo: Daniel Coston)

Songs heard in this episode:

“From Orbit” by Emanuel Wynter, from From Orbit

“Stranger” by Emanuel Wynter, from From Orbit, excerpt

“Barefoot Fiddler” by Johnny Gimble, from The Texas Fiddle Collection, excerpt

“Bonaparte’s Retreat” by Fidllin’ Arthur Smith & His Dixieliners, from Fidllin’ Arthur Smith & His Dixieliners, excerpt

“Pastel Skies” by Emanuel Wynter, from From Orbit

Thanks to Charlotte photographer, writer and music producer Daniel Coston for letting me use his photo of Emanuel Wynter from his band’s set in Elkin, NC at the Milltown Get Down in fall 2025. Daniel also shot the cover for the album From Orbit.

- Joe Kendrick

Country That Contains Multitudes: Kelsey Waldon

March 10, 2026

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

February 20, 2026

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

February 4, 2026

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.

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

A Long Winter’s Night with The Ruen Brothers

January 15, 2026

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

December 18, 2025

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.

Nathan Harris and Sam Tayloe of Time Sawyer at Milltown Get Down 2025.JPG

Sam Tayloe leads the huddle for Time Sawyer at Milltown Get Down 2025.JPG

Sam Tayloe of Time Sawyer at Milltown Get Down 2025.JPG

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

December 10, 2025

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

November 19, 2025

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.”

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

November 4, 2025

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

- Joe Kendrick

Pay Attention, Stop Listening To Yourself: The Wood Brothers

October 15, 2025

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.

- Joe Kendrick