podcast
Lutalo: Hip Hop Roots and Folk Future(s)
In 2024, Vermont’s Lutalo released their debut album, The Academy. In this episode of Basic Folk, they share the profound influence of their father, whose deep love for artistry and creativity laid the foundation for Lutalo’s musical path. We delve into the broad variety of their influences, from underground hip-hop to African drumming classes, each…
Read MoreJerry Douglas: From Steel Mills to Dobro Thrills
Jerry Douglas is widely regarded as the best Dobro player in the world. Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, and James Taylor are counted among his many collaborators and his four-decade career has earned him 16 GRAMMY Awards and numerous other accolades. In our Basic Folk conversation, he shares stories about his upbringing in Warren, Ohio, where…
Read MoreBasic Folk: An Official Bluegrass Situation Production
A New Day for #BasicFolk! We are pleased to announce we are now an official production of The Bluegrass Situation!! We’re debuting our new logo by Belhum, new theme music by Dietrich Strause and our new attitude. Come hang with the girlies on Basic Folk: check out the new trailer below: Powered by RedCircle Basic…
Read MoreYear-End Reflections with Cindy & Lizzie: A Wild 2024 Ride
It’s 2024 recap time on Basic Folk! Cindy & Lizzie dive into a most special year-end reflection, featuring highlights from our honest conversations with folk musicians. We revisit THE top episode of the year, Anna Tivel & Jeffrey Martin‘s insightful discussion on navigating artistic challenges and living a simple life. Cindy shares her favorite episode…
Read MoreNature Calls for Trampled by Turtles’ Dave Simonett: Music, Hunting and Home
Dave Simonett, lead singer and songwriter of the bluegrass-adjacent Trampled by Turtles, is a talented musician and a great outdoorsman. From the small town of Mankato, Minnesota, to the vibrant music scenes of Duluth and Minneapolis, Simonett shares his upbringing in a musically-inclined, nature-loving family, shaped by the sounds of church hymns and classic rock. In our…
Read MoreBecca Stevens on Grief, Spiritual Co-Writing and Connection
I (lizzie) first came across Becca Stevens via her collaboration with string group The Attica Quartet. Her new album, Maple to Paper, is really different from her previous releases. If you think you know everything that there is to know about Becca Stevens as a singer, songwriter, arranger, and producer, you are wrong. And you…
Read MoreTwisted Pines’ Kathleen Parks Secret Polka Past
Hot off the heels of Twisted Pines’ latest release, Love Your Mind, Kathleen Parks is here to dig into her uncelebrated polka origins. Daughter of renowned trumpetist Eric Parks, the younger Parks grew up in New York’s Hudson Valley in a very creative family (her mother was also a dancer and the one who made…
Read MoreEdie Carey & Sarah Sample: remain Cool despite Comfort, Cajons and Dream Catchers
Friends and collaborators, Edie Carey & Sarah Sample teamed up in 2014 for their first album Til the Morning: Lullabies and Songs of Comfort. The pair both had babies and were wanting to do a project that centered around calming music for both children and adults. They were shocked at the album’s reception by adults…
Read MoreThe Sound of Women’s Voices: A Shorty Bonus on a Weird Ass Day
I woke up today and my wife told me the news. I went for a walk in the woods and found myself thinking about We Shall Overcome and singing it by myself surrounded by fallen leaves and pine trees. I put on Dawn Landes’ new album: The Liberated Woman’s Songbook, I thought about women of…
Read MoreFrom Songwriting to Sobriety: Kasey Anderson’s Journey to His Final Album
We’re starting with the end in our conversation with Kasey Anderson. On the pod, we’ve covered a lot of firsts; debut album, origin stories and the beginnings. Ever since I (lizzie) have known Kasey, his social media bio has been “gradually retiring songwriter.” I’m always teasing him about “What does that mean? When are you…
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