podcast
Anaïs Mitchell: 2019 Pre-Broadway interview on Hadestown, Lamb Rearing, and Untangling Third Wave Feminism (REISSUE)
(Editor’s Note: Welcome to our Reissue series! For the next several weeks, Basic Folk is digging back into the archives and reposting some of our favorite episodes alongside new introductions commenting on what it’s like to listen back. Enjoy!) This episode featuring Cindy Howes interviewing Anaïs Mitchell originally posted on January 10, 2019. Listening back,…
Read MoreMorgan Toney on Circles, Elders, and Phil Collins
Circles have played a huge role in fiddler and singer Morgan Toney’s life thus far: from drum circles, to talking circles, to the Earth itself (a circle!). In our Basic Folk conversation, Morgan talks about his L’nu (also known as Mi’kmaq) heritage and growing up on what’s now called Cape Breton, Nova Scotia, where his…
Read MoreKris Delmhorst: Inching Forward through Sleepless Nights
Kris Delmhorst is not a good sleeper. The Western Massachusetts songwriter is usually awake from 2 or 3 am to about 4 or 5am. Sometimes it feels nice and floaty, but other times she is wide awake worrying about anything her brain can get a hold of. This is similar to a feeling with which she…
Read MoreSara Watkins on I’m With Her’s Witchy AF New Record
Sara Watkins joins Basic Folk to talk about ‘Wild and Clear and Blue,’ the new album from I’m With Her, her band with Sarah Jarosz and Aoife O’Donovan. The new LP was inspired by looking back on your life in order to move forward, with a very witchy manner of speaking that encompasses the ancient,…
Read MoreMary Gauthier & Jaimee Harris on THE Three Shoes, Alchemy, and Weeding out Baddies
Mary Gauthier and Jaimee Harris talk to Lizzie and Cindy for Basic Folk on-board the Cayamo cruise in front of a live audience. We get down to business in addressing NICE things by asking Mary what kind of shoes she’s wearing – as she has a reputation for enjoying the good stuff, especially on her…
Read MoreSusan Werner Defines Hard Work, Paid Vacations and Relaxing as Indie Musician
The dynamic songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Susan Werner talks to us onboard the Cayamo cruise, which she describes as a “paid vacation.” Reflecting on her upbringing on a working farm, Susan discusses the hard work that shaped her, but also how she’s learning to embrace rest and relaxation. With humor and insight, she navigates the balance…
Read MoreJon Muq: Uganda, Cruise Ship Food, and His Googly-Eyed Guitar
Originally from the village of Mutungo, Uganda (near the country’s capital of Kampala), Jon Muq’s journey to his current life of touring with an Austin, Texas home-base has been unconventional. Onboard the Cayamo cruise earlier this year, we talked to Jon about his childhood experiences, including fetching water with friends and “We Are the World,”…
Read MoreAni DiFranco & Carsie Blanton: Menopause, The Wild Child, and Naps to fight Capitalism
Basic Folk is making trouble at sea with Ani DiFranco and Carsie Blanton! Hosts Lizzie and Cindy had the opportunity to speak with the two like-minded radical songwriters aboard the 2025 edition of Cayamo, a roots music cruise. Our conversation kicks off with Ani sharing her transformative experience performing as Persephone in the Broadway show…
Read MoreLoudon Wainwright III: Oversharing, Family Ties, and Musical Legacy
The legendary Loudon Wainwright III, whose career has spanned over five decades, is known for his deeply personal songwriting and sharp wit – and oversharing. The patriarch of the Wainwright folk dynasty (which includes Rufus, Martha, their late mother Kate McGarrigle, as well as Lucy and her mother Suzzy Roche), Loudon reflects on the balance…
Read MoreOlivia Ellen Lloyd: From West Virginia to Brooklyn, Finding Ground in Water
Olivia Ellen Lloyd’s latest album, ‘Do It Myself,’ sees the West Virginia-born Brooklyn-based songwriter reflecting on the powerful imagery of water. She shares how it has been a source of grounding and calmness in her life, from childhood memories spent on the Potomac River to her current love for the ocean, these elements have shaped…
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