Running Horses and Reinventing Country: Charley Crockett

Charley Crockett loves to ride horses almost as much as he loves to play music. 2020 was going to be the year that I got to see him play his music live not once, but twice — first at MerleFest in spring, and next at Cold Mountain Music Festival in summer. Of course, the pandemic struck both of those appearances for Charley, and made every venue and festival reschedule or cancel the year’s events. The silver lining is that, most likely, I got to speak with him for far longer than I would have in person at either of those festivals when I called him while he was staying in Taos, New Mexico. There, an animated and focused Charley Crockett told me about everything from his love of rap and hip hop to Ray Charles and the recently departed James Hand. Our conversation covered everything from social constructs that work to compartmentalize music, to how he came to lose his favorite amulet while running a very fast American Paint horse in the San Luis Valley only to find it again just as he was about to give up. Charley has had a lot of reasons to give up on many things in his life, but luckily for all of us, he played on. “Loaded dice, chips stacked against you: damn thing’s rigged. You better believe it is. But you got to play anyway,” he told me, “And you can play your hand and carve something out for yourself.”

In this episode, Charley Crockett describes his approach to making his own brand of music, dubbed "Gulf and Western", talks about his native Texas and his time in New Orleans and California, and much more. There is also plenty of music from his seventh album Welcome To Hard Times mixed in along with interviews of Charley and producer Mark Neill, and commentary from host and producer Joe Kendrick.

Charley Crockett songs heard in this episode:

“Run Horse Run” from Welcome To Hard Times (excerpt)

“The Valley” from The Valley (excerpt)

“Welcome To Hard Times” from Welcome To Hard Times (excerpt)

“Fool Somebody Else” from Welcome To Hard Times

BJ Barham and American Aquarium: It All Ends With Revealing Our History

In the first episode of this series, you got to hear about how BJ Barham turns uncomfortable conversations about the dark parts of Southern history into songs, about racial and class divides, how influential Tom Petty and Bruce Springsteen are to his music, and about how things stand for American Aquarium and in the music business more generally during the coronavirus pandemic. But we left a lot on the table, including much of my conversation with Tyler Boone, who has a new single out, and lots more from BJ Barham, including producer Shooter Jennings as the band’s Bigfoot, and more insight into the culture and politics of the South. All that and more on this episode of Southern Songs and Stories.

BJ Barham of the Raleigh, NC band American Aquarium

American Aquarium songs heard in this episode:

“Before The Dogwood Blooms” from Lamentations (excerpt)

”Brightleaf + Burley” from Lamentations

“The Long Haul” from Lamentations (excerpt)

I hope you enjoy this podcast, and that you will subscribe to this series on your podcast platform of choice, and give it a good rating and a review. Great ratings, and reviews especially, will make Southern Songs and Stories and the artists it profiles more visible to more people just like you. Plus, it never hurts to invite a friend to check out what we’re doing here at Southern Songs and Stories, which is produced in partnership with public radio station WNCW and Osiris Media. You can find us on Apple/iTunes here, on Pandora here, and Spotify here. Our theme songs are by Joshua Meng, with a link to his music here. Thanks for listening! - Joe Kendrick

BJ Barham and American Aquarium: It All Starts With Just One Word

With songwriting, and writing in general, things do not always happen in a straight line; they are not always created from start to finish. Pieces and parts can emerge seemingly at random. Ideas about the ending may come first, or maybe even every concept and point to be made can come to the writer at the onset. There are plenty of times that I have finished writing the script for a Southern Songs and Stories podcast, have recorded it and tweaked all the audio, only to struggle with a title for the episode. And then, I might change it several times before coming to a final decision. Musicians have struggled with album titles, too. Aren’t you glad that David Bowie changed his mind on what could have been called Shilling The Rubes, and instead titled his 1975 album Young Americans? Or that Talking Heads steered away from Melody Attack and went with Remain In Light?  

But this can work the other way around: some works flow from and present themselves only after the artist comes to their name. This is the case for BJ Barham and his band American Aquarium’s 8th studio album. Two years ago, Barham wrote down the word “lamentations”, and he knew that it would be his next album title before he created a single song for it. In hindsight, that word came to BJ Barham almost like a prophecy of Old Testament proportions: who could have known in 2018 just how bad things could get in two years’ time? And who could speak to the trials we would be going through, and the collective conversations we would be having so presciently in music that began with just one word? 

American Aquarium, with BJ Barham in center. The band changed three members and added another on their latest album, Lamentations.

This is the first of a two episode series on BJ Barham of American Aquarium, with in depth conversation with BJ Barham as well as guests Ronda Chollock, a music promoter from Charlottesville, Virginia, and music artist Tyler Boone, who grew up in Charleston, South Carolina, but now calls Hollywood home. We get into topics like how Barham articulates the dark history of the South so that people will start having conversations about racial and class divides, however uncomfortable those conversations might be. We touch on how bittersweet it must be to have a hit record with no way to play it in person to fans, about how metal and Southern rock have more in common than you might have thought, and working with yet another Grammy-winning producer, Shooter Jennings.

American Aquarium songs heard in this episode:

“Me + Mine (Lamentations)” from Lamentations (excerpt)

“A Better South” from Lamentations (excerpt)

“Highway Patrolman” live at the Grey Eagle 08-30-16

“The Luckier You Get” from Lamentations (excerpt)

I hope you enjoy this podcast, and that you will subscribe to this series on your podcast platform of choice, and give it a good rating and a review. Great ratings, and reviews especially, will make Southern Songs and Stories and the artists it profiles more visible to more people just like you. Southern Songs and Stories is produced in partnership with public radio station WNCW and Osiris Media, and you can find us on Apple/iTunes here, on Pandora here, and Spotify here. Our theme songs are by Joshua Meng, with a link to his music here. Thanks for listening! - Joe Kendrick

Simple Truths And Charm With A Punch: Paul Thorn

For some reason, I had never seen Paul Thorn play live. Oh, I was familiar with his music, at least with a handful of songs especially. I thought I knew about Paul Thorn — his paintings, former boxing career, his colorful nature, that sort of thing. But boy am I glad that a good friend of mine wanted to drive some 250 miles just to catch him play in my home town earlier this year. That got me to thinking about Paul Thorn as an obvious fit for this series, and is he ever. There is so much more to Paul Thorn than I knew before meeting him and researching for this episode, and it is all quite entertaining and unique. There is way more than can be contained in the forty two minutes of this podcast, really, but it is at least a good start.

Paul Thorn playing with his band at the Don Gibson Theatre in Shelby, NC 03/06/20

Paul Thorn speaks at length about how confronting fear is central to his character, about growing up in Tupelo, Mississippi and going to the Pentecostal church where his father preached, how he likes music that is simple but universal, his habit of scouring flea markets and  yard sales, and much more. In this episode you will also hear from Angela Backstrom, music promoter and collector of vintage Western wear, my friend Jeff Williams, who planted the seed for this podcast, and of course, lots of music from Paul and his band.

Songs by Paul Thorn heard in this episode:

“Everybody Needs Somebody” live from the Don Gibson Theatre 03/06/20 (excerpt)

“I Don’t Like Half The Folks I Love” live from the Don Gibson Theatre 03/06/20

“Pimps & Preachers” live from the Don Gibson Theatre 03/06/20 (excerpt)

“800 Pound Jesus” from Hammer and Nail Live (excerpt)

“Mood Ring” from So Far So Good Live (excerpt)

“Mission Temple Fireworks Stand” from Mission Temple Fireworks Stand (excerpt)

I hope you enjoy this episode, and that you will subscribe to this series on your podcast platform of choice, and give it a good rating and a review. Great ratings, and reviews especially, will make Southern Songs and Stories and the artists it profiles more visible to more people just like you. Southern Songs and Stories is produced in partnership with public radio station WNCW and Osiris Media, and you can find us on Apple/iTunes here, on Stitcher here, and Spotify here. Our theme songs are by Joshua Meng, with a link to his music here. Thanks for listening! - Joe Kendrick

Elonzo Wesley: The String Band With An Indie Rock Approach

There have been any number of bands that started out in one mode only to wind up in another sooner or later. In one of our film documentaries, Amanda Anne Platt talked about thinking that she was a rock and roller at first, only to have an artist friend tell her that the songs she was writing were country songs instead. The scenario where young musicians bang out power chords early on before growing into an acoustic adulthood is fairly common. And then there are hybrids: pioneering acoustic guitarist Billy Strings said that he learned to play music by playing bluegrass, but he learned how to perform by playing in a metal band. The band Elonzo Wesley is unique in this conversation, not in that its members have largely rock and roll beginnings which evolved into an acoustic present, but in the approach that they use in expanding their sound far beyond just these two points in the musical spectrum. Their lyrics set them apart as well, revealing a keen awareness of the human condition. And their songs are good no matter what the backdrop.

(R to L) Dennis Contreras, Taylor Winchester and Jeremy Davis perform at the Fillmore in Charlotte, NC

In this episode, Elonzo Wesley members Jeremy Davis, Taylor Winchester and Dennis Contreras talk about the concept of their sound, how influences like Radiohead are still present in their music, the inclusive nature of the Charlotte music scene, and an after hours tour story that ended surprisingly better than it began. Along the way, you will hear music from their performances in March 2020 at Pisgah Brewing in Black Mountain, NC and at WNCW just ahead of that show, plus their cover of a song by My Morning Jacket. We get commentary from writer and photographer Daniel Coston about the band and his Queen City hometown, too.

Jeremy Davis and Taylor Winchester of Elonzo Wesley in their Southern Songs and Stories interview

Thanks for listening, and stay tuned for episodes on Elizabeth Cook and Paul Thorn soon! - Joe

Songs heard in this episode:

Elonzo Wesley “Them Houses” live at Pisgah Brewing 3-13-20

Elonzo Wesley “Golden” (single)

“Everything In Its Right Place” by Radiohead from Kid A excerpt

“Rule Of 7” from Elonzo Wesley live on WNCW 03-11-20

“Traveling Song” by Elonzo Wesley live at Pisgah Brewing 3-13-20

A Subtle Beauty And Poetic Message: Chatham County Line’s Strange Fascination

Even before the novel coronavirus pandemic turned life upside down, major changes were afoot for Chatham County Line. Banjo player Chandler Holt departed, although he is still playing with them on their new album and even joins them on some of their virtual concerts on their YouTube channel lately. Sonically, the big difference with Strange Fascination is the addition of drums -- Yan Westerlund, who is known for his playing in Mipso and Phil Cook’s group, is heard throughout the album, which was recorded at Mitch Easter’s Fidelitorium studio; Chris Boerner, who is often featured on guitar when touring with Hiss Golden Messenger, mixed and mastered it. The band has also moved away from using a single, ribbon type old school microphone towards singing into individual mics.

(L to R) John Teer, Dave Wilson, Greg Readling and Yan Westerlund in concert

Chatham County Line songwriter and frontman Dave Wilson and multi-instrumentalist John Teer are our guests on this episode of Southern Songs and Stories, where you will hear songs from their latest album, Strange Fascination, along with conversation on their lives in the midst of a pandemic, how they enlisted Sharon Van Etten to sing on the album’s title track, how Dave enjoys writing lyrics that make their point subtly and poetically, and more.

I hope you enjoy this episode on Chatham County Line, and that you will subscribe to this series on your podcast platform of choice, and give it a good rating and a review. Great ratings, and reviews especially, will make Southern Songs and Stories and the artists it profiles more visible to more people just like you. Southern Songs and Stories is produced in partnership with public radio station WNCW and Osiris Media, and you can find us on Apple/iTunes here, on Stitcher here, and Spotify here. Our theme songs are by Joshua Meng, with a link to his music here. Thanks for listening! - Joe Kendrick

Chatham County Line

Songs heard in this episode:

“Oh Me Oh My” from Strange Fascination (excerpt) 

“Strange Fascination from Strange Fascination 

“Free Again” from Strange Fascination

“Your Don’t Know How It Feels” from Sharing The Covers (excerpt)

“Brice’s Crossroads” from Speed Of The Whippoorwill (excerpt)

Balsam Range: From Broom Dances And Cake Walks To Maybe The Best Bluegrass Band In Haywood County, NC

The first time Balsam Range won the International Bluegrass Music Association award for Entertainer Of The Year back in 2014, bassist Tim Surrett recalled how someone came up to the band and asked, “How's it feel to be the best bluegrass band in the world?” It was a question they were not quite ready for, as Tim went on to say, “all of us just started laughing. It's like, we're not even sure we were the best bluegrass band in Haywood County!” Five years and several albums later, the five piece group has won that award for the second time, but this time it did not go to their heads, either. They are as humble as they are talented, and are having as much fun making music as they were when they were kids, when playing bluegrass and mountain music was a way to relax from a day’s work. 

Balsam Range: (L to R) Darren Nicholson, Tim Surrett, Buddy Melton, Marc Pruett and Caleb Smith

Get set for a lively and in-depth conversation with members Buddy Melton, Darren Nicholson, Marc Pruett, Caleb Smith and Tim Surrett, as well as many Balsam Range songs in this episode. Plus, you will hear from musician, writer and radio host Carol Rifkin as we talk about how Balsam Range and many other bluegrass bands employ outside songwriters frequently, and how that phenomenon dovetails with old-time and mountain music traditions. 

Southern Songs and Stories is produced in partnership with public radio station WNCW and Osiris Media, and is available on podcast platforms everywhere. Please help spread awareness of the artists featured here on Southern Songs and Stories, their music, and this series by simply subscribing to the podcast and giving it a good rating and a comment where you get your podcasts. For example, you can find us on Apple/iTunes here, on Stitcher here, and Spotify here. Our theme songs are by Joshua Meng, with a link to his music here. Thanks for listening, and I hope you enjoy this episode. - Joe Kendrick

Balsam Range performing at Goin’ Across The Mountain Live at The Foundation in Spindale, NC 1-18-20

Songs heard in this episode:

“Spring Hill”  from Mountain Voodoo (excerpt)

“Papertown” from Papertown (excerpt)

“Stacking Up The Rocks” from The Gospel Collection, originally on Five

“Get Me Gone” from Aeonic (excerpt)

“Last Train To Kitty Hawk” from Last Train To Kitty Hawk (excerpt)

“Jaxon Point” from Last Train To Kitty Hawk (excerpt)

A Soundtrack To An Enduring Icon: Dolly Parton

If there’s one thing in music that practically everyone knows something about, it’s living legend Dolly Parton. And if there’s one thing in music that few people know anything about, it’s how film soundtracks are made. Both of these are a given; like the sun rising and setting, there is music in movies, and there is the transcendent career of Dolly.

(L to R): Mark Leggett, Dolly Parton and Velton Ray Bunch in studio for the making of the soundtrack to Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings

 In this episode we dive into the world of film soundtracks and the story of Dolly Parton with an interview of two of Dolly’s long time collaborators, Mark Leggett and Velton Ray Bunch. We’ll also feature some of their work from Dolly’s latest project, the series Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings, along with a new guitar piece from Mark, plus you’ll hear from western North Carolina artist Amanda Anne Platt along the way. Amanda has been on this series before, starting with our video documentary on her band here, and again on our episode on women in music here.

Songs heard in this episode:

Dolly Parton: “Muleskinner Blues” (excerpt)

Dolly Parton: “These Old Bones” (excerpt) from Halos & Horns

Mark Leggett and Velton Ray Bunch: “These Old Bones” (excerpt) from Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings

Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters: “Diamond In The Rough” (excerpt) from Amanda Anne Platt & The Honeycutters

Mark Leggett and Velton Ray Bunch: “Sugar Hill” (excerpt) from Dolly Parton’s Heartstrings

Dolly Parton: “Jolene” (excerpt)

Mark Leggett: “Folktown” from Guitars & Blackbirds

Do You Know Your Own Gravity? Traveling To The Imaginary Worlds Of Los Coast

Tell me if this ever happened to you before: a new band impresses you with their debut album, and when you get to see their live show, they blow you away with an array of extra layers to their sound. Such is my experience with Austin, Texas band Los Coast. Their first record, Samsara, contained a diverse but tightly knit variety of styles and influences, from Motown to jazz to gospel, and even a hint of avant-garde. And their lyrics! Front man Trey Privott’s lyrics hit me like a ton of bricks. Guitarist John Courtney described their MO in an earlier interview this way: “We want to provide an experience for people to discover deep things about themselves if they close their eyes and zone into it, while simultaneously providing an experience for people who just want to have fun, to do so, in a sort of magical playful way. I guess in summary: the rabbit hole can get as deep as the listener wants it to.”

Los Coast sound checks barefoot with a Gillian Welch tune in Black Mountain, NC 9-28-19

Southern Songs and Stories is produced in partnership with public radio station WNCW and Osiris Media, and is available on podcast platforms everywhere. Please help spread awareness of the artists featured here on Southern Songs and Stories, their music, and this series by simply subscribing to the podcast and giving it a good rating and a comment where you get your podcasts. For example, you can find us on Apple/iTunes here, on Stitcher here, and Spotify here. Our theme songs are by Joshua Meng, with a link to his music here. This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it. Enjoy! - Joe Kendrick

Songs heard in this episode (all performed live at Pisgah Brewing Company 9/28/19):

“Cymatics” (excerpt)

“Masquerade”

“(Everything But The) Kitchen Sink”

“Monsters”

Looking Back On The Year, Through The Decade & To The Roots Of Southern Songs And Stories

It is the end of the year and the end of the decade, which is the perfect opportunity to talk about the recent history of Southern Songs and Stories, and to give context to the show itself by going back to its beginnings in the year 2006.  

In 2006, the seeds for Southern Songs And Stories were planted with the concept for the talk feature What It Is on WNCW. The weekday round table of music journalists, artists and professionals debuted in 2007 and ran until 2012.

The stories uncovered on these podcasts just this year are too many to mention here, but how about tidbits like Mac Arnold working as a producer on Soul Train back in the day? Or that Marcus King’s grandfather Bill King was a member of the Country Gentlemen? Elizabeth Cook didn’t even want to be a musician although her family had a band when she was growing up. No, she wanted to be in business, so she majored in accounting and computer information systems. Luckily for us, she hated that job.

Joe Kendrick and Elizabeth Cook at MerleFest 2019

The Ruen Brothers perform at the Albino Skunk Music Festival in April 2019. Although they are from England, their music is inspired directly by Southern pioneers of rock, blues and country. Plus, they were too good to pass up when the opportunity arose to interview and feature them here. Here’s to breaking some more unwritten rules in 2020. Photo: John Gillespie

Southern Songs and Stories is produced in partnership with public radio station WNCW and the Osiris podcast network, and is available on podcast platforms everywhere. Would you help spread awareness of the artists featured here on Southern Songs and Stories, their music, and this series? Simply subscribe to the podcast and give it a good rating and a comment where you get your podcasts. For example, you can find us on Apple/iTunes here, on Stitcher here, and Spotify here. Our theme songs are by Joshua Meng, with a link to his music here. This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it. Thanks for listening, and Happy New Year! - Joe Kendrick

When Music Is More Than Music, And Becomes A Family: Marcus King

Sometimes it is easy to say what type of music you are listening to, and to pick out what influences go into an artist’s music. But how many times have you heard someone say something like, ‘their sound is Muscle Shoals meets Philly soul’ or ‘this band is what would happen if the Allman Brothers and Janis Joplin had a baby’, and so on? So many times, these are lazy analogies, but even when they have merit, they might only scratch the surface of what informs that artist or band. And on first listen, you will probably quickly recognize some of the ingredients in the music of Marcus King. Blues, rock and soul jump out right away. And when you look at Marcus, it is easy to sum things up by saying that he is a young guitar phenomenon with a powerful voice and a super tight band. This is all true, but there is so much more to discover with Marcus King, and the deeper you go, the more you find out about how intricate his music can be.

After moving to Nashville, Marcus King brought in hit songwriter Paul Overstreet and The Black Keys’ Dan Auerbach to work with him on his album El Dorado

Even though Marcus King did not graduate from high school, he is widely read. Especially when it comes to music, he is a polymath. He enjoys learning guitar technique from vocalists, piano players, and saxophone players, and he knew to quit emulating other guitarists years ago. He can even draw a line from stand up comedy to the music he makes. Marcus is only 23, but his voice, his playing and his songwriting have matured greatly over the span of his five studio albums. With his latest, El Dorado, King brings in co-writers for the first time, along with new producer Dan Auerbach. In this episode, you will hear from Marcus King as well as fellow Greenville, SC based artist and frequent collaborator Charles Hedgepath, along with music from both of their newest records, and a live cover from when they were together on stage at the third annual Marcus King Band Family Reunion.

Marcus King Band live at WNCW 7-15-19. Photos: Kim Henson

Songs heard in this episode:

Marcus King: excerpt of “Wildflowers & Wine” from El Dorado

excerpts of Country Gentlemen, King Curtis, Janis Joplin, Margaret Glaspy and Sonny Rollins

Marcus King: “One Day She’s Here” from El Dorado

The Shady Recruits: excerpt of “Ghoraibi” from The Shady Recruits

Marcus King: excerpt of “Say You Will” from El Dorado

Marcus King Band with Charles Hedgepath: “Orange Blossom Special” live from the Marcus King Band Family Reunion 9-28-19

Southern Songs and Stories is produced in partnership with public radio station WNCW and the Osiris podcast network, and is available on podcast platforms everywhere. Would you help spread awareness of the artists featured here on Southern Songs and Stories, their music, and this series? Simply subscribe to the podcast and give it a good rating and a comment where you get your podcasts. For example, you can find us on Apple/iTunes here, on Stitcher here, and Spotify here. Our theme songs are by Joshua Meng, with a link to his music here. This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it. - Joe Kendrick

Pass The Biscuits, Please: Thanksgiving History And Food From The Pilgrims To Today

Pull up a chair and fill up your plate for a mix of Thanksgiving history and music on this episode of Southern Songs and Stories. We celebrate the holiday with some of the fascinating history of the events surrounding its beginnings and how it evolved, with a focus on all the great food on our tables, especially here in the South, and some music on the side.

Pumpkins have been a staple of Thanksgiving feasts since the time of the Pilgrims

Songs heard in this episode:

Red Stick Ramblers: excerpt of “That’s What I Like About The South” from Right Key, Wrong Keyhole

Pura Fe: excerpt of “My People My Land (part 2)” from Hold The Rain

Freight Hoppers: excerpt of “How Many Biscuits Can You Eat This Morning?” from Where’d You Come From, Where’d You Go?

Golden Smog: excerpt of “Pecan Pie” from Down By The Old Mainstream

Nora Jane Struthers & Korby Lenker: “Let’s Just Have Supper”

The Osborne Brothers: “Cut The Cornbread”

Southern Songs and Stories is produced in partnership with public radio station WNCW and the Osiris podcast network, and is available on podcast platforms everywhere. Would you like to help spread awareness of the artists featured here on Southern Songs and Stories, their music, and this series? Simply subscribe to the podcast and give it a good rating and a comment where you get your podcasts. For example, you can find us on Apple/iTunes here, on Stitcher here, and Spotify here. This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it. - Joe Kendrick

The Unlikely Story Of A Band With A Lot To Like: Mipso

The band Mipso never anticipated being as successful or as long lived as they became. It is a band that mandolin player Jacob Sharp called unlikely, because none of the members studied music when they met in college at UNC-Chapel Hill, and none of them thought music was going to be a career -- nothing beyond their initial love of other bands, and of playing together. If Mipso is an unlikely band, it is also quite an exceptional one, now set to release their fifth album (sixth if you count their Mipso Trio debut). They were in the middle of recording their new record during the time we got together in the small city of Elkin, NC on a beautiful summer evening. In this episode of Southern Songs and Stories, we talk with members Libby Rodenbough, Joseph Terrell and Wood Robinson as well as Bridget Kearney of Lake Street Dive, who is soon to tour with Mipso in her project with Benjamin Lazar Davis. Get set for many live songs from their performance at the Reevestock Music Festival, where we met, and find out how their approach to making music has not changed all that much over the years, while their sound has evolved considerably. Mipso also shares their take on how their music reflects Southern culture, and we even take a stab at revealing exactly how they came up with their name and what it means.

Mipso perform at Reevestock in Elkin, NC 8-3-19

Songs heard in this episode:

Mipso: Excerpt of “Edges Run” performed live at Reevestock 8-3-19

Mipso: “A Servant To It” performed live at Reevestock 8-3-19

Mipso: Excerpt of “A Couple Acres Greener” performed live on WNCW 5-22-15

Mipso: Excerpt of “Get Out While You Can” (2018 single)

Mipso: “Louise” performed live at Reevestock 8-3-19

Bridget Kearny & Benjamin Lazar Davis: excerpt of “Slow Rider” from Bawa 

Mipso: cover of Guy Clark’s “Dublin Blues” performed live at Reevestock 8-3-19

(L to R): Libby Rodenbough, Joe Kendrick, Joseph Terrell and Wood Robinson set up for the interview Photo: Daniel Coston

Southern Songs and Stories is produced in partnership with public radio station WNCW and the Osiris podcast network, and is available on podcast platforms everywhere. Would you like to help spread awareness of the artists featured here on Southern Songs and Stories, their music, and this series? Simply subscribe to the podcast and give it a good rating and a comment where you get your podcasts. For example, you can find us on Apple/iTunes here, on Stitcher here, and Spotify here. This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it. - Joe Kendrick

Beautiful Intentional Communities With Hiss Golden Messenger

Hiss Golden Messenger front man MC Taylor told me that what he learned from his time as a folklorist is “that … there are magical things happening everywhere all around us … and people create beautiful intentional communities and cultural movements around the smallest things that … maybe a lot of other people would never understand as something important enough to pay attention to, but that's what makes community so beautiful. There are many different types of community.” It is this awareness of and love for what many people might overlook that helps make Hiss Golden Messenger’s music special, at turns even profound. This attention to detail is just one of many aspects of MC Taylor’s personality, talent and spirit that grounds and propels his music.

Hiss Golden Messenger performing at Highland Brewing Company in Asheville, NC 7-11-19

I spoke with MC Taylor and band mate Phil Cook about the making of the new Hiss Golden Messenger album, Terms Of Surrender, about how they have embraced and come to represent Southern music and culture, how asking what someone had for breakfast can be the best way to begin an interview, and much more. Of course, there is also a lot of music, both from Hiss Golden Messenger (including two live performances) and from Phil Cook’s latest solo release.

Songs heard in this episode:

“My Wing” by Hiss Golden Messenger (excerpt, from Terms Of Surrender)

“Happy Birthday Baby"” by Hiss Golden Messenger (excerpt, from Terms Of Surrender)

“Hungry Mother Blues (Live At The Cave)” by Phil Cook from As Far As I Can See

“Cat’s Eye Blue” (live 8-24-19) by Hiss Golden Messenger

“Southern Grammar” (live 8-22-19) by Hiss Golden Messenger

Thanks to Hiss Golden Messenger tour manager Luc Suèr for his invaluable help in coordinating my interview with MC Taylor and for sending the band’s live songs heard in this episode!

Southern Songs and Stories is produced in partnership with public radio station WNCW and the Osiris podcast network, and is available on podcast platforms everywhere. New episodes air biweekly on Bluegrass Planet Radio as well. Would you help spread awareness of the artists featured here on Southern Songs and Stories, their music, and this series? Simply subscribe to the podcast and give it a good rating and a comment where you get your podcasts. You can find us on Apple/iTunes here, on Stitcher here, and Spotify here, for example. This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it. - Joe Kendrick

Defining A Sound As Elusive As Their Namesake: The Deer

The Deer are a band that does not fit into any one box, any single term you might use to describe them. The term “folk” comes up a lot when you hear about this Austin, Texas quintet. Descriptors like “indie folk”, “transcendental Texas folk” and “psychotropic folk” are all floating around out there, but like so many handles we try to put on music, they are often slippery and ill suited to pick up what artists are laying down.

The Deer perform in Greer, SC at the Albino Skunk Music Festival 4-13-19

The Deer features Grace Rowland on lead vocals, keyboards, and guitar, Alan Eckert on drums, Noah Jeffries on fiddle and mandolin (an instrument for which he won the Idaho flat picking championship), Michael McLeod on guitar, (he also serves as the band’s engineer), and Jesse Dalton on bass. This episode tackles the definition of folk music, Deer-style, and features many live songs from the band, ranging from their 2018 performance on WNCW to last spring’s Albino Skunk Music Festival, as well as the new single from their forthcoming album Do No Harm. You will also hear conversations with them about how they define their sound, their love/hate relationship with South By Southwest, and their take on how Southern Gothic influences inhabit the music of their largely adopted hometown.

Noah Jeffries (L) looks on as Alan Eckert (R) of The Deer talks about how artists can best use SXSW to their advantage.

Songs heard in this episode:

"And Like Through The Eye Go I" live from studio B June 7, 2018 

“Winter To Pry” live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 4-13-19

“Swoon” live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 4-13-19

“Army Ants” live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 4-13-19

“Move To Girls” from Do No Harm

Southern Songs and Stories is produced in partnership with grassroots radio WNCW and the Osiris podcast network, and is available on platforms everywhere. New episodes air biweekly on Bluegrass Planet Radio as well. A great way to help spread awareness of the artists featured here on Southern Songs and Stories, their music, and this series is to subscribe to the podcast and to give it a good rating and a comment where you get your podcasts. You can find us on Apple/iTunes here, on Stitcher here, and Spotify here, for example. This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it. - Joe Kendrick

When Bluegrass Gets Weird And Psychedelia Goes Acoustic: Yonder Mountain String Band

When talking about how things used to be two decades ago, Adam Aijala, guitarist and founding member of Yonder Mountain String Band said, “We could play a hardcore bluegrass festival, and we'd be the weird band; we could play a jam band festival and be the only band without drums.” That is not always the case for this now five-piece group nowadays, but they still find themselves in a place where few artists stay for long: bridging the musical territories of classic bluegrass with jam and psychedelia. 

Ben Kauffman on bass and Adam Aijala on guitar during their set at Cold Mountain Music Festival 6-1-19

Host Joe Kendrick interviews the band, and brings in a conversation with Nick Forster of the group Hot Rize and the radio show eTown to this episode, which also features many live tracks that Yonder Mountain played at the Cold Mountain Music Festival in June of this year. One of those songs features a guest appearance from Mimi Naja of the band Fruition.   

Yonder Mountain String Band performs at Lake Logan, NC 6-1-19

Southern Songs and Stories is produced in partnership with grassroots radio WNCW and the Osiris podcast network, and is available wherever you get your podcasts. One of the easiest ways to help spread awareness of the artists’ featured here on Southern Songs and Stories, their music, and this series is to subscribe to the podcast and to give it a good rating and a comment on the platforms where you listen to your podcasts. You can find us on Apple/iTunes here, on Stitcher here, and Spotify here, for example. This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it.

Dangermuffin: Reaching Into A Mythical Past And Rocking A Modern Jam

Dan Lotti once said, “For me, the whole artistic process is rooted in a sort of spiritual practice. I’m not outwardly yogic, but every single day I’m involved in a yogic practice of meditation and stretching. I think that practice inevitably breathes and inspires the music. It opens you up to a lot of different perspectives”. For Dan and his band Dangermuffin, the music they make is meant for both fun and for healing. Their songs are both for bringing community together, and for letting loose and enjoying a tight jam. Here, those jams are mostly acoustic. In this episode, host Joe Kendrick talks with the now mainly Appalachian based group about how searching for authenticity can lead to greater rewards, balancing life at home with touring, what elements of Southern culture are reflected in their music, and more. And of course, there is lots of their music, with a sampling of Dangermuffin songs from their recent stop in Greer, SC at the Albino Skunk Music Festival. 

(L To R) Mike Sivilli, Johnny Calamari, Dan Lotti and Andrew Hendryx of Dangermuffin perform at the Albino Skunk Festival 4-11-10. Photo: John Gillespie

(L To R) Johnny Calamari (in the “Rookie Chair” described in the podcast) and Andrew Hendryx of Dangermuffin at the Nap Shack.

Southern Songs and Stories is produced in partnership with grassroots radio WNCW and the Osiris podcast network, and is available wherever you get your podcasts. One of the easiest ways to help spread awareness of the artists’ featured here on Southern Songs and Stories, their music, and this series is to subscribe to the podcast and to give it a good rating and a comment on the platforms where you listen to your podcasts. This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it.

On The Road With Southern Songs And Stories: Tales From Colorado To Carolina

Happy summertime, y’all. It is the time of year to go places and take in some live music. And in this episode of Southern Songs and Stories, we tag along with several artists as they tell us some of their tales from being on those highways and byways. You will hear new stories from bands featured on previous episodes, like Town Mountain and Jon Stickley Trio, and from artists like Hiss Golden Messenger, Dangermuffin, The Deer, Yonder Mountain String Band, and The Travelin’ Kine, which will give you a peek at some of what we have in store. From practical jokes played on band mates to being locked in a kids’ bedroom to a stolen instrument, a lost tooth, stinky cheese and more, it is all here on this podcast. Of course, there is plenty of good music to go along with these tales, too.

Southern Songs and Stories is produced in partnership with grassroots radio WNCW and the Osiris podcast network, and is available wherever you get your podcasts. One of the easiest ways to help spread awareness of these artists, their music, and this series is to subscribe to the podcast and to give it a good rating and a comment on the platforms where you listen. We always want to improve, and want your input so we can give you more podcasts and experiences that you love. So, we are doing a listener survey. When you click to complete the survey here, you can enter to win an amazing limited edition, original Osiris poster. It is shown below. We will be selecting 3 winners at random. Thanks for listening, and for supporting great music and great podcasts! - Joe Kendrick

limited edition Osiris poster giveaway

Songs played in this episode, in order:

Hiss Golden Messenger “Pittsboro Farewell (Two Monarchs)” excerpt, from Poor Moon

Yonder Mountain String Band “Black Truck”, performed live at Cold Mountain Music Festival 6-1-19

Hiss Golden Messenger “I Need A Teacher” excerpt, from Terms Of Surrender

Jon Stickley Trio “The Price Of Being Nice” excerpt, from Maybe Believe

Acoustic Syndicate “Vanity” excerpt, from Terra Firma

Canned Heat “On The Road Again” excerpt

Tim O’Brien “Me And Dirk’s Trip To Ireland” excerpt, from Two Journeys

Getting Ruened With Henry And Rupert Stansall Of The Ruen Brothers

It all began with the desire to give a platform to all the great off-the-cuff conversations about music heard in the hallways at WNCW. A dozen years ago, as then morning music host, I started the feature What It Is, with journalists, artists and other music professionals taking on a wide array of topics ranging from album and concert reviews to debates on overrated icons, and everything in between. My love of producing multimedia projects rooted in music conversation continued with other independent projects that followed What It Is, and now that comes full circle, with Southern Songs and Stories becoming a part of the WNCW lineup, while remaining a proud member of the Osiris podcast network and Bluegrass Planet Radio. 

The Ruen Brothers perform at the Albino Skunk Music Festival. Photo: John Gillespie

This episode takes a detour from the very South-centric array of artists and history heard previously on the series with a show on The Ruen Brothers, from England. Their music is inspired by a lot of pioneering Southern artists, however: The Everly Brothers, Roy Orbison, Muddy Waters and Johnny Cash, among others, are all acknowledged as being key to their sound. 

I caught up with Henry and Rupert at the spring Albino Skunk Music Festival in Greer, SC. They talk about similarities between the rural area where they grew up and the rolling hill country of Upstate South Carolina, how people often forget that rock and blues greats from the mid 20th century had an air of danger about them, and how the Americana scene is booming in England; woven into these conversations are many live songs from their performance. - Joe Kendrick

Don't Say No To The Muse: Side Hustles, Part Two

Let’s say you want to be a musician. The music bug bit you, and you just can’t resist the urge to pick up an instrument, maybe keep a notebook handy at all times to write down ideas and lyrics. You start recording pieces of melodies and sing them to your phone before the ideas evaporate. Maybe it was because you saw that performance where the light bulb went off over your head, or you heard a song in a movie soundtrack that moved you, or you got on stage and felt more alive than anywhere else. However it happened, you are soon wood shedding and finding like minds to play with and then finding an audience to play to. The muse serves up a sweet elixir, and you may be forever under its spell.

The Deer, from Austin, Texas, perform in Greer, SC 4-13-19. Photo: John Gillespie

Our guests on this podcast are firmly in that camp, but there are also plenty of musicians who have dropped out. Some came back, too. In our first episode on Side Hustles, there were a lot of examples of why music artists would want to quit making music, at least as a primary means of making a living. Making money by making music is harder than ever, it seems, unless you are at the very top of the heap. The pitfalls for professional musicians seem to have no end. But, there is no shortage of people making music, and plenty who stay with it through thick and thin. I hinted at why that’s the case in our first episode, but never spelled it out. If you haven’t deciphered the clues yet, stick around and it will come together by the end of the episode. Along the way, you’ll hear from Dangermuffin, Joey Burns of Calexico, The Deer, Max Brown and Phil Bronstein from The War and Treaty, and Dan Fedoryka from Scythian, along with a lot of their music, too.

Thanks for visiting! Please support the music of the artists you enjoy hearing here, and I hope you will spread awareness about this independent project and consider helping by subscribing, rating and commenting on the show where you get your podcasts, and by becoming a patron. You can find out about contributing on our Patreon page, linked in the column to the right. To correspond, shoot me an email and I will be glad to get back to you from southernsongsandstories@gmail.com.  This series is available on most every podcast platform, as well as on Bluegrass Planet Radio. This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it. - Joe Kendrick