podcast

Powered by RedCircle Old time player Jake Blount and his sister were the first of his family (on his dad’s side) to be born off the Virginia plantation where his ancestors were kept as slaves for as long as anyone can remember. That history was all around him as a kid and really hit him…

Powered by RedCircle Vermont-born Pete Bernhard (Devil Makes Three) was raised surrounded by art as all the adults in his life were either visual or musical artists. While his friends were obsessing over Metallica and Megadeath, Pete was captivated by old blues musicians. He found common ground with Cooper McBean growing up, who loved the…

Powered by RedCircle Isa Burke, of Americana/folk trio Lula Wiles, is an opinionated white lady in America and I literally cannot get enough of her. The Maine native rebelled at a young age (under 10!) against her parents’ folky disposition and devoured as much rock and roll as she could find. Eventually, her parents convinced…

Powered by RedCircle Alice Howe’s vibe is Jackson Browne & Bonnie Raitt, but also Joan Baez and old English ballads. Her musical life was changed in 2016 when she met Freebo, legendary musician who’s played with Bonnie Raitt, Crosby, Stills & Nash, Maria Muldaur, Kate & Anna McGarrigle and many others. Freebo and Alice instantly…

Powered by RedCircle Once singer/songwriter Danielle Knibbe earned the nickname “The Lyric Doctor” due to her intrinsic ability to channel human feelings through songs like an actual medical doctor. This woman was born to make you cry, feel and emote. Now Danielle calls Toronto home, but the musician was born and raised on in the…

Powered by RedCircle Sunny War has a cool finger picking style and a singing voice that matches her persona: whimsical, yet strong. Sunny’s probably the bravest person I have ever talked to in my life. She’s been through the ringer of life: living a nomadic life with her mom, surviving abuse, suffering from addiction, getting…

Powered by RedCircle Nerissa Nields is a guitarist, songwriter and singer best known for performing with her sister Katryna in The Nields and as a duo. She grew up outside of Washington, DC surrounded by music and politics, which had a profound impact on her formative years. She especially found herself greatly influenced by the…

Powered by RedCircle There is something I find very telling about the way Letitia VanSant approaches her name with people. The Baltimore musician offers the pronunciation upfront (“Leh-TISH-ah” – “tish” rhymes with “wish.”), not assuming that someone would know how to say it. There is kindness and patience in the offering, but also she takes…

Powered by RedCircle What a dang treat to talk to the legend herself Susan Werner on Basic Folk! Susan was born and raised on her family’s 140 acre farm near Manchester, Iowa. Her and her siblings helped out on the farm growing up. At a young age she noticed the divide between kids who lived…

Powered by RedCircle Maya De Vitry, formerly of The Stray Birds, quietly released one of the best records of the year on March 13, How To Break a Fall. She goes through the album track by track with us on Basic Folk. The record ranges in sound from gauzy beauties, to sick grooves to jagged…