When it comes to hard times, trouble and loss, Appalachian music might as well have the patent. The mountains are often more beautiful than bountiful. There is no second line down in the mines. Poverty and sorrow are ever present, but hardened resolve and hope are there too. The four piece band Tellico captures the spirit of Appalachia again on their second album, Woven Waters, with real life stories of love and loss and of hope and hardship put to song.

Tellico performs at Mountain Song in Brevard, NC 9-8-18

Although they are all not native to the Appalachians, the traditions and world view of the hill country and highlands are foremost in everything this four piece band does, even when they are influenced and informed by music and culture from places as far away as Japan. They are lifelong musicians who have day jobs and families, and all the while they manage to be in top form.

This episode features an interview with band members Anya Hinkle, Stig Stiglets, Aaron Ballance and Jed Willis as well as Ty Gilpin (who helped bring them to their new home, Organic Records), plus Jon Stickley of the Jon Stickley Trio, who produced earlier Tellico recordings, and who has played with Jed as far back as high school. We talk about working with Irish folk artist John Doyle, who produced their new album, how the blues is at the center of so much of Southern music, other artists who have mentored and influenced them, and how important the jam scene is to their music. There is plenty of Tellico’s music here as well, with many new songs excerpted from their performance at this year’s Mountain Song Festival, as well as the studio version of “Courage For The Morning”.

Tellico’s second album, Woven Waters, produced by renowned Celtic artist John Doyle — Tellico’s second album, *Woven Waters,* produced by renowned Celtic artist John Doyle

Thanks for visiting Southern Songs and Stories, and thanks to our supporters on Patreon. Thanks to both the Osiris Podcast Network and to Dawn Mac at Bluegrass Planet Radio for carrying the show, and to Sean Rubin for audio engineering the live music on this episode. Thanks to Tellico for their music and friendship. I encourage you to spread the word about this podcast and consider helping us by subscribing and commenting on our show, and by becoming a patron. - Joe Kendrick

Artist stereotypes do not apply

How many times have parents cringed when their children fell in love with a musician? Let's be honest, the world has looked askance at artists of all stripes (with notable exceptions) for most of our history. Musicians tend to be thought of as people who may be great at their art but who are nonetheless pretty bad at life skills like paying bills, getting to work on time, and sticking with the missus.

Aaron turns all those stereotypes on their head; he is not only a fantastic songwriter and musician, but he also runs his own construction business and is a devoted family man living a stone's throw from where he grew up in the western NC mountains. He is as meticulous and intense about his guitar and ballads as he is about his green built homes and raising his two girls.

As you'll see in our pilot episode, Aaron does both life and art exceptionally well. The folks around him are a big part of that.