podcast

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…

Powered by RedCircle Mike Savino is the brains behind the experimental-banjo act, Tall Tall Trees. Raised in Long Island, Mike was first encouraged to explore his musical talents thanks to his sixth grade band leader, Mr. Hangley. From there, he became engulfed in the world of jazz: first on sax and then on bass. He…

Powered by RedCircle We get a track by track from New England singer/songwriter Mark Erelli on his new album Blindsided on Basic Folk! The record came out last week and is very Tom Petty inspired. Mark talks about how the late legend inspired the sound and even at least one song. We talk about the contributions…

Powered by RedCircle Songwriters pay tribute to Anais Mitchell in a concert recorded October 29, 2019. Peter Mulvey, Rose Polenzani, Mark Erelli, Molly Venter (Red Molly), Ali McGuirk, Liv Greene and Barry Rothman performed Anais songs at Club Passim. In between songs, I was there playing clips from Anais’ interview on Basic Folk and clips…

Powered by RedCircle Jesse Dee is a painter and a singer who takes influence from classic soul and R&B. The eldest fo 5 children raised in Arlington, MA, just outside Boston, Jesse was obsessed with oldies on the radio from a young age. He turned to theatre as a teen and started writing songs and…

Powered by RedCircle Nora Jane Struthers is back! We go track by track on her new album Bright Lights, Long Drives, First Words! The record was recorded while she was 8 months pregnant after a long struggle with infertility (see Basic Folk episode 4 for the whole incredible story). This album addresses the dichotomy between realizing…

Powered by RedCircle Taylor Ashton! Clawhammer banjo! Illustrations! Canada! He started his career in the alt-folk band Fish & Bird and has collaborated with musical friends like Courtney Hartmann (formerly of Della Mae). Taylor’s debut solo album, The Romantic, is out now and filled with sweet banjo grooves and emotional feelings. We talk about his growing…

Powered by RedCircle Kora Feder came from a musical family. Her mother is the well regarded singer/songwriter, Rita Hosking. Growing up, she was surrounded by music, so it’s not a surprise that she naturally gravitated toward performing and singing with her musical mom and dad. Her vacations were spent going on tour around the west…