The Impact of Place, and the Art of Collaboration With Maya De Vitry and Joel Timmons

It never ceases to delight me how connected we are in the roots music world. Take Maya De Vitry and Joel Timmons, for example. The two have been making music together for five years, and have worked together with Joel’s wife Shelby Means, the bass player in Molly Tuttle’s Band. Molly Tuttle’s partner is Ketch Secor, who was our guest a couple episodes ago. Maya’s partner and bandmate Ethan Jodziewicz has played on record with former Southern Songs and Stories guest Sierra Hull, and forthcoming guest Lindsay Lou. Joel, also a founding member of the Charleston, SC band Sol Driven Train, has known one of my best friends since he was a child.

These connections color wide swathes of the mural of our lives, fostering creative endeavors as well as giving us an array of common reference points to pick up on whenever we meet people who live in or travel through the universe of acoustic, roots and Americana music. They can be the difference between having a career or not, and are overall far more valuable than any one hit song, podcast episode or viral meme could be.

This episode bears witness to the connections listed above, including one that happened much more recently than I had imagined, as our preceding guest Margo Cilker recruited Maya De Vitry to play with her at the Albino Skunk Music Festival only weeks before they were to arrive. This is one of the stories that Maya tells here, and she is joined by Joel Timmons in his own interview in an episode which highlights how important their connection to home is in their songwriting, how beneficial collaborations can be, the importance of leveraging ever-capricious streaming platforms while remaining independent, and more, including music from Maya De Vitry’s performance at the spring Albino Skunk Music Festival in May 2024.

Maya De Vitry performs at the Albino Skunk Music Festival, Greer, SC 05-10-24

photo: Joe Kendrick

Thanks for joining us! 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, both of which are quick, easy and free! You can find us on Apple here, and Spotify here — hundreds more episodes await, including performers at The Albino Skunk Music Festival like Sierra Ferrell, Shinyribs, Darrell Scott, Lizzie No, and The Ruen Brothers, among many others.

From there it takes just a moment to give us a top rating, and where it is an option, a review! It makes a great difference because the more top reviews and ratings we get, the more visible we become to everyone on those platforms, which means that more people just like you discover and connect with artists like Maya De Vitry and Joel Timmons. 

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

Small Town Revelations From California to Carolina With Margo Cilker

I have been reading about Plato and Aristotle lately, in Jeffrey Kripal’s fascinating book, The Flip. Early on in the essay, Kripal points to the history of Western intellectual discourse having swung widely back and forth between the visionary philosophy of Plato, and the empirical rationalism of his student, Aristotle. In Plato’s view, our perception of reality involves our brains, but goes beyond our physiology to pull from a kind of exterior consciousness, which is filtered through our senses, bringing us what can become profound discoveries. In contrast, the empirical rationalist view of our consciousness attests that it comes from and ends with our physical selves.

Have you ever tried your hand at art, in one or more of its myriad forms? How did that go for you? Were you wracking your brain to come up with an idea, trying hard to get it all right, or were you letting your mind drift, quietly waiting for inspiration? I have plenty of experience with the former, especially in the early years of Southern Songs and Stories. Those first podcasts were longer, chock full of interviews with not only the subjects of each episode, but also quite often including many guests’ conversations which were excerpted from their own individual interviews, and a kind of encyclopedic approach to the endeavor. Not that I utterly eschewed clearing my mind and letting things come to me, but I came to realize its advantages more over time. That, and I simply improved as a writer and interviewer, and learned firsthand that less can often be more in this medium.

Margo Cilker certainly understands this, and her creative practice echoes a Platonic viewpoint, as she remarked, “My best art comes when I’m not trying too hard, and when I find out what’s on the other side of the song”. Many of her songs involve scenes and characters from small towns, like Santa Rosa, New Mexico, or Tahachapi, California, as well as locales in Upstate South Carolina, where she attended college and where we spoke on the day of her performance at the Albino Skunk Music Festival.

Maya De Vitry (left) and Margo Cilker (right) perform at the Albino Skunk Music Festival in Greer, SC, 05/09/24

photo: John Gillespie

In this episode, we talk about her travels, cultural differences between Appalachia and the American West, working with Maya De Vitry, who performed with her at Margo’s Albino Skunk debut that day and who is slated to appear in her own episode next, Margo’s focus on the lyrics to her songs, and more, including music from her live set as well as her second album, Valley Of Heart’s Delight.

Songs heard in this episode:

“I Remember Carolina” by Margo Cilker, performed live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/09/24

“Keep It On A Burner” by Margo Cilker, performed live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/09/24, excerpt

“Santa Rosa” by Margo Cilker, from Valley Of Heart’s Delight, excerpt

“Tehachapi” by Margo Cilker, performed live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/09/24

untitled new song inspired by Neil Young by Margo Cilker, performed live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/09/24

Thanks for visiting, and we hope you will follow this series on your podcast platform of choice, and also give it a top rating and a review. When you take a moment to give great ratings and reviews, Southern Songs and Stories and the artists it profiles become much more visible to more music, history and culture fans just like you. You can find us on Apple here, and Spotify here — hundreds more episodes await, including performers at The Albino Skunk Music Festival like Sierra Ferrell, Shinyribs, Darrell Scott, Eilen Jewell, among many others.

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

Blurring Lines and Packing a Punch With Stillhouse Junkies

Here at Southern Songs and Stories, we take some liberties from time to time with what we put forward as songs and stories that fall under the umbrella of the American South. After all, we have featured a band from England (The Ruen Brothers), an artist from Idaho (Eilen Jewell), and several artists out of the sui generis state of Texas (Shinyribs, Joshua Ray Walker, The Deer), for starters. Add to that list the second group from Colorado profiled here (Yonder Mountain String Band being the first), as we bring Durango trio Stillhouse Junkies to the series.

Although all these artists are not from or living in the South (Texas notwithstanding), they all share a musical heritage that has direct connections to the region and its outsized music culture. Stillhouse Junkies is right in line here, with their members playing a style of music taking directly from forms so closely associated with the South, namely bluegrass, blues and country. With that in mind, and knowing that Southern hospitality is a hallmark of the region, we welcome Alissa Wolf, Fred Kozak and Cody Tinnin with open arms to this episode, which features conversation touching on topics ranging from uncommon trio configuration to how that trio format can sound as full as it does on record and at their live performance at the Albino Skunk Music Festival, where we spoke after their set. The band points out the advantages of being from a relatively small city in Colorado and hints at future collaborations, as well as giving us insight into life on the road, and we feature excerpts of music from their Albino Skunk set, which includes new songs that are slated for release later in 2024.

Stillhouse Junkies perform at the Albino Skunk Music Festival in Greer, SC 10/06/23

Photo: John Gillespie Photography

Songs heard in this episode:

“Up River” by Stillhouse Junkies, from Albino Skunk Music Festival

“Colorado Bound” by Stillhouse Junkies at Albino Skunk Music Festival 10-06-23, excerpt

“Johnny Mac” by Stillhouse Junkies at Albino Skunk Music Festival 10-06-23

“Whiskey Prison” by Stillhouse Junkies at Albino Skunk Festival 10-06-23

Thank you for visiting us and giving this podcast a listen! This series is a part of the lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. Thanks to everyone at the Albino Skunk Music Festival; many of the great people at Albino Skunk made this episode possible, and you can listen to more episodes on this series on artists who played there, like Shinyribs, Darrell Scott, Miko Marks and Eilen Jewell. Thanks to Corrie Askew for producing the radio adaptations of this series on public radio WNCW, and to Joshua Meng, who wrote and performed our theme songs.

Southern Songs and Stories is currently ranked #13 in Southern podcasts here on feedspot.com, and moved up to a top 2.5% globally ranked podcast by Listen Notes, which makes us smile.

This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it. - Joe Kendrick

Finally, A Country That Welcomes Her: Rissi Palmer

Imagine getting your dream job and immediately being scrutinized for your appearance; being asked to wear a wig that was nothing like your natural hair; being quizzed on obscure bits of the history of your field; being asked whether you took the job as a stepping stone to another one. Imagine getting lots of hate mail about the fact that you look different than everyone else with that job. What about being stopped by security when they did not believe that you were really supposed to be in front of people at your own event? Would you stay in that job? I would not. And neither did Rissi Palmer, at least for a time. Fortunately, she came back in a few years, and she has a remarkable tale to tell, which is reflected in her latest album, Revival.

Palmer tells us about that comeback, which began in earnest with the 2020 debut of her Apple Music series Color Me Country Radio With Rissi Palmer; the love she has for her adopted hometown of Durham, NC; hints of what is to come in her next album, and much more in this episode which features excerpts of her music both live and on album.

Rissi Palmer performs at Earl Scruggs Music Festival 09-03-23 (photo: Joe Kendrick)

Songs heard in this episode:

“Seeds” by Rissi Palmer, from Revival

“I’m Still Here” by Rissi Palmer feat. Miko Marks, excerpt

“Summerville” by Rissi Palmer, live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05-12-23

“Speak On It” by Rissi Palmer, from Revival

Thank you for visiting us and giving this podcast a listen! This series is a part of the lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. Thanks to Corrie Askew for producing the radio adaptations of this series on public radio WNCW, and to Joshua Meng, who wrote and performed out theme songs.

This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it. - Joe Kendrick

Cross Fading All Over the Place With Nora Jane Struthers and Joe Overton

 It is easy to think of musical genres as enduring, definitive territories that are discovered as much as they are created. But even continents drift, and when you dig deep into the careers of artists who are said to be from musical land X,Y or Z, you find that they often do not stay in one place for long, and are likely to be pushing their home territories in new directions. Nora Jane Struthers and Joe Overton are such artists, having come from the land of old-time and all things grass, but who are now several steps removed from being thought of as residents of only those two domains.

Despite bearing a title that might seem to point back to the old world, Nora Jane Struthers’ latest collection Back To Cast Iron finds the Nashville-based artist striding confidently into more electric, rock and roll type territory. In this episode, she addresses this evolution in her sound; she describes having gone from telling other women’s stories to telling her own; husband and bandmate Joe Overton talks about his love of rock bands like Wednesday and Slow Pulp; we hear how both Nora and Joe balance work and life now that they have two children, and much more. Recorded in October 2023 at the Albino Skunk Music Festival in Greer, SC, this episode also features music from their set.

Nora Jane Struthers

Nora Jane Struthers with Joe Overton (right, on pedal steel guitar) and band at their Albino Skunk Music Festival performance 10/06/23

Songs heard in this episode:

“Grass” by Nora Jane Struthers, live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 10-06-23

“Barn Dance” by Nora Jane Struthers & the Party Line, from Carnival, excerpt

“Bottom of the Glass” by Vivian Leva, from Time Is Everything, excerpt

“Imaginary People” by Viv & Riley, from Imaginary People, excerpt

“Cornbread and Butterbeans” by Carolina Chocolate Drops, from Genuine Negro Jig, excerpt

“Too Little, Too Late, Too Bad” by Rhiannon Giddens, from You’re The One, excerpt

“Can’t Wait To Get Back on the Road” by Nora Jane Struthers, live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 10-06-23, excerpt

“I Can Hear The Birds” by Nora Jane Struthers, performed live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 10-06-23

Thank you for visiting us and giving this podcast a listen! This series is a part of the lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. Thanks to everyone at the Albino Skunk Music Festival; many of the great people at Albino Skunk made this episode possible, and you can listen to more episodes on this series on artists who played there, like Shinyribs, Darrell Scott, Miko Marks and Eilen Jewell. We also have an interview with the band Stillhouse Junkies from last fall’s Albino Skunk Fest coming up, as well as conversations with Pete Wernick among others from this fall’s IBMA conference, and Travis Book of the band Infamous Stringdusters, who has a new solo record out.. Thanks to Corrie Askew for producing the radio adaptations of this series on public radio WNCW, and to Joshua Meng, who wrote and performed our theme songs.

Southern Songs and Stories was recently ranked in the top 20 Southern podcasts here on feedspot.com, and remains a top 5% globally ranked podcast by Listen Notes, which makes us smile.

This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it. - Joe Kendrick

Peering Into Darkness While Dancing In the Light with Kev Russell of Shinyribs

Shinyribs is an Austin Texas band that began in 2007 as a side project for Kevin Russell, who also goes by Kev, and was then still committed to The Gourds, the band he had co-founded fifteen years earlier. A few years later, The Gourds released their last album, and Kev sauntered over to Shinyribs full time. Known for his showmanship on stage and for a big band approach to both the concept and performances of his music, and drawing from a smorgasbord of funky roots-rock, big band swing, Tex-Mex, screaming soul and burlesque blues, while pumping out infectious rhythms and topping it all with hooky harmony, Shinyribs is a party waiting to happen. At least that is what it sounds like on first listen, and looks like at first glance.

Shinyribs is a shindig, and a large one at that, but it is also a vehicle for Kev’s unique brand of poetry, which can point to deeper, darker issues at times, especially on his latest album Transit Damage. I spoke with Kev in early October 2023 on a crisp, clear autumn afternoon in the rolling foothills of the Upstate of South Carolina countryside before Shinyribs’ performance as a headliner at The Albino Skunk Music Festival, where we talked about the secret sauce that went into his new album, about making good records in the studio and being equally good live, how starting Shinyribs felt like a hail mary to him at first, plus we discuss James Brown and an Albino Skunk Fest memory which parallels one of The Godfather of Soul’s signature parts of his shows. There is a lot more, including live music from Shinyribs’ performance from that night, all simply waiting for you to press play.

Songs heard in this episode:

“Simply Belong To You” by Shinyribs, performed live at The Albino Skunk Music Festival 10-06-23

“Song of Lime Juice and Despair” by Shinyribs, performed live at The Albino Skunk Music Festival 10-06-23, excerpt

“Dark Cloud” by Shinyribs, performed live at The Albino Skunk Music Festival 10-06-23, excerpt

“Poor People’s Store” by Shinyribs, recorded live at The Albino Skunk Music Festival 10-06-23, excerpt

“If Love Is Earned” by Shinyribs, performed live at The Albino Skunk Music Festival 10-06-23

Thank you for visiting us and giving this podcast a listen! This series is a part of the lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. Thanks to everyone at the Albino Skunk Music Festival as well as John Gillespie for sharing some of his great photos of the Shinyribs show — many of the great people at Albino Skunk made this episode possible, and you can listen to more episodes on this series on artists who played there, like Miko Marks, Darrell Scott, and Eilen Jewell. We also have interviews with Nora Jane Struthers and the band Stillhouse Junkies from this fall’s Skunkfest coming up, as well as conversations with Pete Wernick among others from this fall’s IBMA conference. Thanks to Corrie Askew for producing the radio adaptations of this series on public radio WNCW, and to Joshua Meng, who wrote and performed out theme songs.

Southern Songs and Stories was recently ranked in the top 20 Southern podcasts here on feedspot.com, which is worth a look.

This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it. - Joe Kendrick

Going Home to Where Dreams Come True: Miko Marks

As Carl Sandburg said in his poem “Washington Monument by Night”, "Nothing happens unless first we dream." In the case of Miko Marks, her music career took off only after she had a literal dream, where she reunited with her old producer in a jam session. Prior to that, her dream of making it as a country music artist had long laid fallow, having been put to rest for more than a decade. Even without the backdrop of dashed hopes, dropping out and eventually, sweet redemption, Miko Marks’ story is a remarkable one. Her music is central to this resurgence, with three strong albums to her credit in the past two years, including her 2022 country soul collection Feel Like Going Home. That album especially set in motion a wave of accolades and media coverage, and set the stage for her to tour all over the US, including an appearance at the Grand Ole Opry, and Merlefest, where she also sang with Little Feat, whom she had toured with as well.  

I caught up with Miko Marks recently at her return engagement at the Albino Skunk Music Festival in May 2023. We spoke before her set, and talked about the connections between country music, gospel and soul, her unique comeback story, and what changes in the music business she believes would help artists like herself, who have historically been on the outside looking in.

Miko Marks performing at the Albino Skunk Music Festival in Greer, SC 05/12/23

Songs heard in this episode:

“One More Night” by Miko Marks, performed live at Albino Skunk Music Festival, 05/12/23

“Hard Times“ by Miko Mark, performed live at Albino Skunk, 05/12/23

“Long Journey Home” by Miko Marks, live at the Albino Skunk Festival, 05/12/23, excerpt

“Feel Like Going Home” by Miko Marks, live at Albino Skunk Fest 05/12/23

Thank you so much for dropping by and giving this episode a listen. Was this the first podcast from an artist performing at the Albino Skunk Music Festival that you have heard on this series? I bet you would enjoy recent episodes on Eilen Jewell and Jake Xerxes Fussell, who also performed at the festival last spring. This series is a part of the lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. Thanks to Corrie Askew 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. And big thanks to everyone at the Albino Skunk Music Festival for their incredible hospitality. This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it. - Joe Kendrick

Roots Reinterpreted: The Folk Revival of Jake Xerxes Fussell

In this series, we often spend time with artists and styles of music that are not celebrated in the mainstream, and our guest here is no exception. With a focus on music that is from artists living in the South and on music that has roots from the region, we are constantly talking with bluegrass, blues, country, rock and Americana artists in this endeavor. These forms of music are immensely important to the history and legacy of original music in this country, but they seldom are associated with today’s biggest stars, and even they are not the only game in town when one treks to the musical land of Niche. One reason why we love those genres is simply because they became so popular, fueling one of America’s great exports to the world. But it is easy to get wrapped up in that history and culture and lose sight of other traditions that also are not celebrated in the mainstream, nor are part of the narrative where roots music born in the South becomes foundational to a preponderance of popular music in the twentieth century. In this conversation with Jake Xerxes Fussell, I was reminded of that.

That reminder is just one part of our conversation, which took place in mid May 2023 at the Albino Skunk Music Festival in Greer, SC. Jake played a solo set on guitar, and afterwards we spoke about his deep roots in folklore, about his fourth album Good and Green Again, being a DJ on WHUP in Hillsborough NC and more in this episode which also features excerpts of music from his live set.

Jake Xerxes Fussell performs at the Albino Skunk Music Festival, 05/13/23

Songs heard in this episode:

“Raggy Levy” by Jake Xerxes Fussell, live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/13/23“Rock Steady” by Aretha Franklin, excerpt

“Morning Train” by Precious Bryant, from The Truth, excerpt

“Frolic” by Jake Xerxes Fussell, from Good and Green Again, excerpt

WHUP’s Fall Line Radio show excerpt from 07-12-23

“The River St. Johns” by Jake Xerxes Fussell, live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05-13-23

We are so grateful when you tell someone about this series, and it is easy to follow us on your podcast platform of choice, where it will only take a minute to give us a good rating, and where it is an option, a review. When you do that, it makes this series go up in the rankings, which means that more people just like you will find it, and more people will get turned on to the artists and endeavors we profile. This series is a part of the lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes of this podcast on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. Thanks to Corrie Askew 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.

This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it. — Joe Kendrick

Like Scenes From a Black & White Movie: Retro Cool and Minor Key Mystery With Eilen Jewell

It was a warm and picturesque spring day in the South Carolina countryside, just outside of the city of Greer, on the grounds of the Albino Skunk Music Festival, which got its name from some white skunks that were on the property, land which used to be a working farm. Now a largely wooded little valley of twenty plus acres, with one stage and many vintage RVs and campers that have been repurposed as a green room, accommodations, even storage, as well as a 1951 GMC bus that was originally owned and operated by Greyhound, which still runs and occasionally travels to other festivals. I sat with Eilen Jewell at the building dubbed the Nap Shack, on the hillside behind the stage.

(L to R) Jerry Miller, Eilen Jewell, Jason Beek, Matt Murphy perform at the Albino Skunk Music Festival 05-13-23

It has been a tumultuous couple of years or so for Eilen Jewell. Much of the adversity and life lessons she took from this time are chronicled on her new album Get Behind The Wheel, her first involving an outside producer, Will Kimbrough — we touch on that as well as her love of Loretta Lynn, how she took her dad’s record collection as a kid, which transported her to a past filled with artists like Mississippi John Hurt and Bessie Smith that continue to inspire her today, and how her young daughter has picked up playing the guitar without learning, as Eilen says, all her own bad habits on the instrument. 

Songs heard in this episode:

Eilen Jewell “Where They Never Say Your Name” live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05-13-23

“The Bitter End” by Eilen Jewell, from Get Behind The Wheel, excerpt

“The Pill” by Eilen Jewell, live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05-13-23

“Alive” by Eilen Jewell, live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05-13-23

Thank you for being here, and we are even more grateful whenever you share this with someone. Sharing in person is most appreciated, but please also follow us on your podcast platform of choice, and then it will only take a minute to give it a top rating and, where it is an option, a review. Great ratings, and reviews especially, will make Southern Songs and Stories and the artists it profiles more likely to find a home with more fans. This series is a part of the lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes of this podcast on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. Thanks to Corrie Askew 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. Thanks also to Charles Wiggins at the Isothermal Community College library for pointing me to examples where people talked about feeling like they were born too late, as well as Touring Logistics for supplying audio of the live performances at Albino Skunk, to Mark Johnson for recording Eilen Jewell’s performances, and to Zig and everyone at the festival for their generous hospitality.

This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it. — Joe Kendrick

Sierra Ferrell, Revisited

Hello and welcome to Southern Songs and Stories, with a favorite episode from 2021 here on this re-podcast of The Country Heart and Jazz Mind of Sierra Ferrell, published in late July of that year. Since then, Sierra Ferrell has enjoyed seeing the ranks of her fans swell on the heels of Long Time Coming, her album released later that summer. Currently, she is working on her next album with a bigger sound, including drums and pedal steel guitar, as well as fiddle tunes. 

Sierra Ferrell at the Albino Skunk Music Festival in May 2021

I interviewed Sierra Ferrell at the Albino Skunk Music Festival, which is happening again this week, May 11th through 13th in Greer SC, where I plan on interviewing more artists for future episodes here, so as we say in radio, stay tuned! Hopefully everything will line up for conversations with Miko Marks, Jake Xerxes Fussell and Eilen Jewell. Hope I am not jinxing things by saying that before I have the interviews in hand!

And a big tip of the hat to the Albino Skunk Festival, which is always punching above its weight with getting such great artists. Sierra Ferrell has blown up after playing there, and in its decades long history, internationally known artists like Lake Street Dive, The War and Treaty and Billy Strings have played the festival many times. The War and Treaty talked with me at Albino Skunk in 2019, by the way, and that remains one of my favorite episodes here as well. 

Just two weeks ago I was at Merlefest where I interviewed Peter Rowan and Bella White, and you should be seeing episodes with their conversations here before too long. Lots going on as always in podcast land, and I hope to share another bit of positive news here soon, but nothing is set in stone so that will have to wait. What will not have to wait is for you to share Southern Songs and Stories with someone you know who likes music, or history and culture, and follow and give us a top rating on your podcast platform of choice. 

Oh, and speaking of history, thanks to one of my favorite podcasts, The Road to Now, for sharing a clip from my podcasts on The Shelton Laurel Massacre on one of their recent episodes. You can find The Road To Now on Osiris Media, and co-host and Avett Brothers bass player Bob Crawford recently published his podcast miniseries Founding Son, on America’s sixth president John Quincy Adams, which is well worth a listen also. 

Thanks again, and I hope you enjoy our episode on Sierra Ferrell.

Songs heard in this episode:

“Lonesome Woman Blues” by Sierra Ferrell live at Albino Skunk Festival 05/14/21

“I’d Do It Again” by Sierra Ferrell, live at Albino Skunk Festival 05/14/21, excerpt

“T For Texas” by Sierra Ferrell, live at Albino Skunk Festival 05/14/21, excerpt

“Whispering Waltz” by Sierra Ferrell, live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/14/21, excerpt

“Why’d Ya Do It” by Sierra Ferrell, live at Albino Skunk Festival 05/14/21, excerpt

“In Dreams” by Sierra Ferrell, live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/14/21

A Mythical and Moral Tale To End All Tales With Barrett Davis

This one is for all the late bloomers. For anyone that went all in on their passion as an adult rather than a youth (or hopes to still), you will find a kindred spirit in Barrett Davis, who in his late 20s has released his debut album and is pushing to make music his career. While it may be harder to start a music career later in life, it has been done before: fellow North Carolina artists Chatham Rabbits come to mind, as well as previous Southern Songs and Stories guests Pony Bradshaw and Jeremy Pinnell, plus icons like Leonard Cohen and Al Jarreau are also examples.

Barrett Davis (center) performing at the Albino Skunk Music Festival 10-08-22 (photo: John Gillespie)

Davis, a carpenter by day, has the additional challenge of providing for his family while he chases his dream. If his first album The Ballad Of Aesop Fin is any indication, though, he has a good shot at realizing his goals of making carpentry more along the lines of a hobby or side hustle than a daily endeavor. The eight song collection features Woody Platt of Steep Canyon Rangers fame, and is produced by longtime friend and former bandmate Aaron Aiken, now a member of Asheville indie pop group Pink Beds. We spoke on a video call in early September 2022, and touched on everything from the sense of place in his music to his faith to what he described as the “old man emotions” that he witnessed on construction sites. Of course, we dip into his music as well, including a live performance of his song “Lazarus”.

Songs heard in this episode:

“Aesop Fin” by Barrett Davis, from The Ballad Of Aesop Fin

“Highway 64” by Barrett Davis, from The Ballad Of Aesop Fin, excerpt

“Quiver” by Barrett Davis, from The Ballad Of Aesop Fin, excerpt

“Lazarus” by Barrett Davis, live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 10-08-22

Thanks for listening, and we would be even more grateful were you to share this episode with someone. It is super easy to follow us on your podcast platform of choice, and then it will only take a minute to give it a good rating, and on platforms with the option, a review. Great ratings and reviews will make Southern Songs and Stories and the artists it profiles more likely to be found by more people just like you.

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

Why Is Live Music So Good? Let’s Talk It Over

Do you love live music? This episode is for you! After taking in a number of shows after a bit of a lull, I was energized, engaged, and excited. It got me thinking about telling the story of not only those concert experiences, but also about the broader subject of live music. So let’s talk, shall we? I’ll start, and then hopefully you can respond, and we can compare notes in a future episode.

Southern Songs and Stories has been running for over five years as a podcast, and existed as a video documentary series years before that. You probably know that the main mode for both versions of the show remains a series of in-depth interviews with music artists and media professionals, along with commentary from yours truly, and music to round it all out. But every once in a while we branch out with different approaches. This episode is also a tangent, not focusing on one artist or group, but touching on the common theme of live music so often featured here. It is presented in three chapters, with each chapter putting forward a question to guide the narrative and also literally ask you that question. First up: what was your first live music experience? Then, what was your most recent concert or festival? And probably the biggest of all, what was your favorite?

Paul McCartney at Bonnaroo 06-14-13

This episode is a music diary of sorts, with no artist interviews at all. It is also the first Southern Songs and Stories to be offered as an NFT, or Non-Fungible Token. It is available online like every other in this series, but there are also a small number of unique versions of it available on the website uncut.fm, the company which states that their mission is to build a new podcasting economy, where hosts can connect directly with their fans, and distribute their work and receive payments without intermediaries. It is a bit like taking the crowd funding model up a notch, because everyone who buys the NFT version of this podcast owns something that they can then sell, trade, or give away. It is no longer a one-way street; it is not a subscription that will end; it is yours even if I stop producing Southern Songs and Stories and take down this site. You could think of it as a kind of digital trading card, or a way to bookmark a chapter in this series. The benefits? Imagine this first edition, limited run of ‘digital trading cards’ becoming more valuable in time; you could sell yours for a profit if you like, and that benefits me too because in addition to the first sale, there is a small return to every NFT’s creator on each subsequent transaction. And there are more benefits, like being a part of the unique community of contributors who will have access to a gated space on Uncut where we can talk about this episode or anything else we want to share. We might even come up with a new and better NFT for the next round. Everything is spelled out in the Southern Songs and Stories listing online at uncut.fm.

Songs heard in this episode:

“A Good Bass For Gambling” by Komiku, sourced from freepd.com

“Still Pickin’” by Kevin MacLeod, sourced from freepd.com, excerpt

“Eddie’s Twister” by Eddie Lang, sourced from Open Music Archive, excerpt

“Little Bits” by the Johnny Dodd Trio, sourced from Open Music Archive, excerpt

“Take The Ride” by Bryan Teoh, sourced from freepd.com

Link to video of the Isotope 217 performance at Vincent’s Ear, Oct. 5 1999 mentioned in the episode here

We are glad to have you visit us, and would be even more so were you to share this with someone. It is super easy to follow us on your podcast platform of choice, and then it will only take a minute to give it a good rating, and on platforms with the option, a review. Great ratings and reviews will make Southern Songs and Stories and the artists it profiles more likely to be found by more people just like you.

What are your live music experiences? What else would you like for us to focus on in another live music themed episode? Everyone who buys one of the limited edition NFT versions of this episode on the website uncut.fm will have access to a gated space with everyone who supported us in this way, where we can start even more conversations about the music we love. 

Southern Songs and Stories is a part of the podcast lineup of Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes of this podcast on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. Thanks to Carlos Diaz and the team at uncut.fm for making it possible to make the NFT version of this episode available -- uncut.fm has a host of other podcast NFTs to offer on their website as well. I’m Joe Kendrick, and this is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it.    

Don't Call It Utopia: Imagining A World Made Better For Music

The concept of utopia is as old as civilization itself, but we are not getting there any faster than we ever were. Every attempt has failed, sooner or later. The writing has been on the wall for utopia since the beginning, it seems -- we lasted only a hot minute in the Garden Of Eden before messing that one up, for example. So let us not try for utopia here, but at least try to envision something that is a step above where we are. Let us make a map of the future that is not unrealistically devoid of potholes, but shows at least a bit smoother of a ride for all of us on our musical journey. 

While attending the Albino Skunk Music Festival in October 2021, I had this in mind. And so I went about asking people one question. Or rather, a choice between two questions: given the chance to improve one aspect of your musical journey, or the chance to get rid of one thing that stands in its way, what would that be? I asked artists who played at the festival as well as festival goers the same question, and got a lot of great answers. No two answers were the same, and all of them got me thinking about how we might make our lives in music a little richer, or a little less difficult. From the practical to the whimsical to the ideal, it’s all here in this episode. And along the way, you will hear some of the latest music from artists who spoke with me, including Aaron Burdett, LIzzie No, The Contenders, Riley Downing, The Two Tracks and The Pink Stones.

Lizzie No plays harp during her set at The Albino Skunk Music Festival on October 2, 2021

Songs heard in this episode:

“Rockefeller” by Aaron Burdett, from Dream Rich, Dirt Poor

“Deep Breath” by Riley Downing, from Start It Over, excerpt

“Love Me Hardly” by The Pink Stones, from Introducing…The Pink Stones, excerpt

“Finer Weather” by The Contenders, from Laughing With The Reckless, excerpt

“Deep Well Song” by Lizzie No, from Vanity, excerpt

“Beautiful” by The Two Tracks, from Cheers To Solitude

Southern Songs and Stories is a part of the podcast lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes of this podcast on Bluegrass Planet Radio here . Thanks to Glynn Zeigler and everyone at the Albino Skunk Music Festival for their abundant hospitality,  and thanks to Corrie Askew for producing the radio adaptations of this series on public radio WNCW. I’m your host and producer Joe Kendrick thanking you for listening, and I hope you can spread awareness of this endeavor by telling a friend in person or on social media. Giving Southern Songs and Stories a follow, a top rating and a good review will go far in helping us to continue this project and to aid the artists we cover in their musical endeavors, too!   

Happy In Disguise: Amanda Anne Platt and the Honeycutters

Procrastination is often the yin to the yang of creativity, a kind of stumbling block that can at times derail the work of making art. Artists can procrastinate just like you and I do when it comes to getting on with whatever hard things are in front of us, which is kind of comforting. Knowing that Jim Lauderdale, for example, has often finished writing songs while in a recording session should give all of us some room to forgive ourselves for not studying for that final exam or for not doing our taxes until the last minute.

Writing songs is seldom easy. But for Amanda Anne Platt, writing songs seems free of anxiety. In fact, keeping a journal and writing songs is her way of processing life. Whereas we might take a walk or talk to a friend to decompress after long hours of doing the hard things, Amanda would likely take those hard things and put them into melodies, melodies which we can in turn crank up on the ride home to loosen up from our static filled day.

Amanda Anne Platt and the Honeycutters perform at Albino Skunk Music Festival on May 14, 2021. Photo: John Gillespie

Amanda Anne Platt has appeared on Southern Songs and Stories as a guest in a roundtable of women artists from western NC in 2018 as well as a video documentary version of the show back in 2015, when her band was newly signed to their first record deal with Organic Records, which she still calls home. It was a time when she had called western North Carolina home for less than a decade, having moved from her native New York to Asheville, North Carolina to start her musical career. I spoke with Amanda once again at the Albino Skunk Music Festival in Greer, South Carolina when she and the Honeycutters performed in the late spring of 2021. Included here is our conversation as well as excerpts from the new collection titled Between the Devil and the Deep Blue Sea as well as a live performance from Skunk Fest.

Songs heard in this episode:

“New York” by Amanda Anne Platt and the Honeycutters from The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, excerpt

“Open Up Your Door” by Amanda Anne Platt and the Honeycutters, live at Albino Skunk 05-14-21

“St. Sebastian” by Amanda Anne Platt and the Honeycutters from The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea, excerpt

“The Devil” by Amanda Anne Platt and the Honeycutters from The Devil and the Deep Blue Sea

We hope you enjoy the podcast, and also hope you might tell someone about it either in person or on social media. You can follow the series on podcast platforms everywhere, where it helps greatly when you give us a top rating and even more so with a good review, because the show’s visibility to everyone using those platforms depends largely on followers, ratings and reviews. Southern Songs and Stories is a part of the podcast lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes of this podcast on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. Thanks to Corrie Askew 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. - Joe Kendrick

Speaking All Things Bluegrass With Unspoken Tradition

It is a joy talking with guests on this podcast, but I have to say that my interview with these gentlemen was especially rewarding. They are some of the most genuine, forthright and dedicated artists you will ever meet, and this holds for whenever they are in a studio, on stage or simply talking with anyone who wants to take a few minutes of their time. They put all of themselves into what they do, and it shows.

This is the second of three episodes to originate from one of my all-time favorite festivals, The Albino Skunk Music Festival in Greer, South Carolina. The podcast on Sierra Ferrell preceded this one and still to come is our episode on Amanda Anne Platt and the Honeycutters, who also played at the Skunk Farm in May 2021. Here, I spoke with brothers Audie and Zane McGinnis, Ty Gilpin, Tim Gardner and Sav Sankaran of Unspoken Tradition just ahead of their performance, and we had a lively and far ranging conversation about their musical philosophies, how they got their start in bluegrass (and in the case of fiddle player Tim Gardner, old time music), what silver linings they discovered from not getting to tour due to COVID-19, and much more. And as always, there is music, from a sampling of their live performance at Skunk to excerpts of several of their newest songs which will be part of their forthcoming album, their fourth since their 2013 debut.

(l to r) Zane McGinnis, Ty Gilpin, Sav Sankaran, Audie McGinnis and Tim Gardner of Unspoken Tradition perform at Albino Skunk Music Festival on May 14, 2021

Songs heard in this episode:

“Monroe’s Hornpipe” by Unspoken Tradition, live at Albino Skunk Festival 05-14-21

“California” by Unspoken Tradition, excerpt

“Irons In the Fire” by Unspoken Tradition, excerpt

“At the Bottom Again” by Unspoken Tradition

I hope you enjoyed the podcast, and might tell someone you know about it. You can follow the series on podcast platforms everywhere. And once you do that, could you help by giving us a top rating, and a review? In just moments, you will help make all of the topics and artists covered on this series more likely to be found by more people just like you. Southern Songs and Stories is a part of the podcast lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes of this podcast on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. Thanks to Corrie Askew 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. I’m your host and producer Joe Kendrick, and this is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists that make it.    

The Country Heart and Jazz Mind of Sierra Ferrell

Meeting Sierra Ferrell was nothing like I expected. The scene was somewhere backstage at the Albino Skunk Music Festival this spring, and in her orbit were several new faces, one of whom was holding an elderly Boston Terrier. As I would soon find out, it was Jeremiah Jenkins whose main gig is booking Red Wing Roots Music Festival in Virginia who was holding onto the pup named, appropriately enough, Boston. However, it was not his dog. Sierra Ferrell had brought Boston, but Boston was not her dog either. She was just taking care of him for a friend by bringing him to South Carolina where the air would be better for his allergies, and holding him a lot — or in this case, getting someone like Jeremiah to do the holding. Before long many people came to know Boston, and a charming, eccentric story within the larger charming eccentricities of the festival itself was born. It seemed that almost as many people knew of Boston as there were those who got to experience the magnetic set of western swing, golden era country and fiery originals from Sierra and her band.

After her performance, she stayed through the next day to catch more of the music, which was when we took time to talk. Here, she tells us about her long awaited album debut on Rounder, titled (you guessed it) Long Time Coming, her musical upbringing and early, more rocking tastes, her new band, how the forests of her native West Virginia can be heard in her songs, and more. Many songs that Sierra Ferrell and her band played at the festival are here as well, which include several from her new collection. The music and conversation are lively and free-spirited, and hint at greater things to come in a moment when Sierra is already emerging as a singer, songwriter and instrumentalist to be celebrated.

Sierra Ferrell with Boston in the green room at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05-15-21

Boston, the elderly, blind and allergic Boston Terrier who practically stole the show

Songs heard in this episode:

“Lonesome Woman Blues” by Sierra Ferrell live at Albino Skunk Festival 05/14/21

“I’d Do It Again” by Sierra Ferrell, live at Albino Skunk Festival 05/14/21, excerpt

“T For Texas” by Sierra Ferrell, live at Albino Skunk Festival 05/14/21, excerpt

“Whispering Waltz” by Sierra Ferrell, live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/14/21, excerpt

“Why’d Ya Do It” by Sierra Ferrell, live at Albino Skunk Festival 05/14/21, excerpt

“In Dreams” by Sierra Ferrell, live at Albino Skunk Music Festival 05/14/21

Thanks for visiting! I hope you enjoyed the podcast, and might tell someone you know about it. You can follow the series on podcast platforms everywhere. And once you do that, could you take a minute and give us a top rating, and a review? In almost no time you will help make all of the topics and artists covered on this series more likely to be found by more people just like you. Southern Songs and Stories is a part of the podcast lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes of this podcast on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. Thanks to Mark Johnson for supplying the live audio from Albino Skunk, and to Zig and everyone there for being so generous and accommodating. Thanks also to Corrie Askew for producing the radio adaptations of this series on public radio WNCW, where our former intern Joshua Meng wrote and performed our theme songs. - Joe Kendrick

Telling the Tale of Music

Recently, an old friend of mine hit me up to contribute to a storytelling compilation he was making, and after lots of procrastinating, I came up with my own story — or rather, my own account of how I love to tell stories. Brian John Mitchell is the friend in question, and he started his label Silber Records officially back in 1996, and has been making zines and comics for decades as well.  

album cover for Remora’s 2011 release Scars Bring Hope

As Brian says on the Silber website, “Good music deserves to be heard & we’re doing our part to make sure it gets from the bedroom to your ears…. Our music is likely mellower, but no less angst-ridden than the music we all grew up on.  Punk rock, post rock, metal, sludgecore, freak folk, americana, bedroom pop, drone, shoegaze, aggressive ambient, post apocalyptic pop, noise - it’s all music.” 

I hope you can take a few minutes and go to the Silbermedia Bandcamp page and listen to some of the stories that Brian compiled for his series.

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

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