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.