podcast
Basic Folk 228 – Nina de Vitry
Lancaster-born, Nashville-based Nina de Vitry‘s debut album, What You Feel is Real, shines while showcasing her passion for jazz and folk music. de Vitry’s name may sound familiar, as she comes from a musical family and is the youngest sister of folk superstar Maya de Vitry (formerly of The Stray Birds). She grew up fiddling…
Read MoreBasic Folk 227 – Ben Harper
Ben Harper has this deep connection to music through his family, who own a very special music store in the Inland Empire of California. The legacy of the store is founded on ensuring its community always has access to music. That legacy has deeply impacted the type of person Ben Harper continues to be throughout…
Read MoreBasic Folk 226 – Taylor Ashton
Canadian-born, New York based banjo person Taylor Ashton’s second solo album, Stranger to the Feeling, was recorded on a coast to coast road trip during 2021. These were the two weeks post-vaccine where we thought everything was A-OK, so Ashton and producer Jacob Blumberg set out on a recording adventure that included collaborations with friends…
Read MoreBasic Folk 225 – Raye Zaragoza
The headline for Los Angeles-based Raye Zaragoza‘s new album Hold That Spirit is that after she broke off her engagement, she used her wedding budget to fund the recording. She wrote the songs the year she turned 30 while she was thinking of the expectations placed on women in society to have everything together at…
Read MoreBasic Folk 224 – Meg Hutchinson
It’s been ten years since Boston-area Meg Hutchinson has released an album and she did it super quietly, so no shade if you didn’t realize that your favorite middle sister is back with some seriously devastating songs. Meg grew up just outside of Great Barrington, MA where she had an idyllic childhood surrounded by woods…
Read MoreBasic Folk 223 – Molly Tuttle
Basic Folk is thrilled to interview The Bluegrass Situation’s July 2023 Artist of the Month: Molly Tuttle! Quickly becoming The Bluegrass American Idol, Molly Tuttle’s new album City of Gold is hot off the heels of her Grammy-award winning 2022 record Crooked Tree, which also got her a nomination in one of the coveted “Big…
Read MoreBasic Folk 222 – Kara Jackson
Kara Jackson has a mind like a diamond and a voice like maple syrup. She has always been drawn to music as a medium, but you probably first heard of her as the National Youth Poet Laureate. Cutting her teeth as a performing poet gave Jackson a huge public platform as well as a sense…
Read MoreBasic Folk 221 – Tim O’Brien
Tim O’Brien is one of Bluegrass’ beloved players, from his work with the innovative Hot Rize to his yearly appearances at The Telluride Bluegrass Festival. He’s just released his first album of all original material, which is something to be said for his 50 year career. At 69 years old, it’s no surprise that the…
Read MoreBasic Folk 220 – Brian Dunne
I am feeling #blessed and #grateful to be sharing today’s interview with our listeners. Brian Dunne is one of my dearest pals in the music biz, not to mention one of my favorite songwriters working today. Brian’s songs are always clever and sincere, dark and fun, honest and imaginative. He’s got a way with words,…
Read MoreBasic Folk 219 – Ethan Setiawan
Is mandolinist Ethan Setiawan 100 years old?! The Indiana-born Setiawan’s expert playing will fool you into thinking he’s four times his actual age. Thanks to a supportive family and mennonite community, Ethan came to the mandolin and folk music at an early age. His impressive proficiency and technical prowess landed him a full scholarship to…
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