Dawn Landes: The Songs Hold Truth (podcast) Music Features Podcast by Ken Templeton - April 10, 20240 A chance encounter in a used book store has brought us a stunning new record from Dawn Landes. Years ago, she came upon The Liberated Woman’s Songbook, a 77-song collection curated by Jerry Silverman, who authored more than 200 music instruction books and was music editor for Sing Out! Magazine. Recently, Dawn teamed up with Josh Kaufman to produce an album by the same name, and has curated some truly spectacular live shows to celebrate both these songs from our history and some of the most amazing women in music today. The album came out on March 29, and Dawn has tour dates coming up, including one May 4 at Playmakers Theater in Chapel Hill. This was a fantastic conversation
Muddy Ruckus: It’s a Ride (Podcast) Music Features Podcast by Ken Templeton - January 30, 20240 Ryan Flaherty and Erika Stahl are the powerhouse duo out of Maine, Muddy Ruckus. Last year, they released Vacationland, which demonstrates just how expansively two people can make music. We got to chat with Ryan and Erika and really enjoyed their reflections on process and following where the music is leading, as well as their thoughts on how an album has to ebb and flow to be engaging to listeners and satisfying to musicians. Thanks for listening to the podcast–share it with friends who like good music! You can also revisit Muddy Ruckus on the Old Spruce Sessions–check out their performances of “Sweet Unknown” and “Restless Ryder!”
Chayim Newman: From the Ground Up (podcast) Music Features Podcast by Ken Templeton - June 15, 2023June 15, 20230 Anyone who has talked to a musician, tour manager, guitar tech, front of house engineer, or the many other people who pile into a van or bus and hit the road to bring live music on tour knows that it is a unique, exciting, strange, and challenging experience. And most will tell you that it takes a toll. Dr. Chayim Newman and Zack Borer, founders of Amber Health, have studied just exactly what that impact is on artists and those who support a tour. And even though we knew, intuitively, that touring is hard on a person, I’m not sure we really knew the extent of its impact. Newman and Borer found people working in the music industry have rates of
Larry & Joe: Honest Music (Podcast) Music Features Podcast by Ken Templeton - May 5, 2023May 5, 20230 On March 24, the virtuosic duo Larry & Joe released their album Nuevo South Train in Durham, NC at The Fruit. Joe Troop, the guitar, fiddle, and banjo player from the Grammy-nominated band Che Apalache, did a residency series at The Fruit and Larry Bellorín, a harp player from Venezuela had been encouraged to connect with Joe. Their connection was immediate and what results is a vibrant, joyful sound. In our podcast interview, we talk about that show at The Fruit. I was there, and loved every minute. Joe told the audience that we are “the Nuevo South.” Like the South (but unlike many roots music concert audiences) this audience was diverse! The title track of Nuevo South Train encourages everyone
Max García Conover: I Saw The Devil (podcast) Music Features Podcast by Ken Templeton - October 20, 20220 Max García Conover’s new record, “Deer,” (Son Canciones) came out on June 3. It feels like a collection of poems in the best possible way. As Max talks about in our most recent podcast, not poems like the ones you read in school–“intelligence tests,” meant to be obtuse. No, these are songs that keep you awake to yourself and the world. They are mostly quiet, and there is a tendency for uncertainty, or, at least, a questioning of what makes us so certain. The songs, to borrow a line from Frank Burroughs, “won’t keep still,” and that’s what I like about them. Sometimes when I listen, they’re sorrowful, sometimes joyful, and that’s life, isn’t it? As MC Taylor sings, “It’s
Thomas Rhyant: Further On (podcast) Music Features Podcast by Ken Templeton - October 11, 20220 Thomas Rhyant recorded his debut solo album, Love Lifted Me, in about forty-five minutes of first-takes. I guess when you’re this good, you just walk in the studio and make a record. I had the good fortune to hear Thomas perform at Newport Folk Festival last summer, as part of the Spiritual Helpline Gospel Revue. Thomas played guitar and sang in the group that also featured Sister Lena Mae Perry, The Union, Phil Cook and the Guitarheels. And when he sang–well, I’m not sure I’ve seen people that surprised and awed in a long while. He can hit falsetto notes that are simply out of reach for the vast majority of singers. Love Lifted Me is a spare, gorgeous record. Most
Autumn Nicholas: (Dis)comfort (podcast) Music Features Podcast by Ken Templeton - September 12, 20220 I had the good fortune to hear Autumn Nicholas at Newport Folk Festival this summer. I was taking photos as she began her song to start the Black Opry Revue set. And, after just a few notes, I had to stop snapping pictures because I had to listen. Her voice and performance were so captivating. After the Festival, I listened to everything she’s released on repeat. Autumn’s EP Shades of Beige features beautiful songs like “Light” and “Back When.” She’s released several singles since that 2020 EP, including the powerful anthems, “On a Sunday,” and “Not Gonna Do This Anymore.” Autumn is an incredible songwriter and artist and I am so thankful that she joined us for the latest episode
Rachel Sumner: Come Along (podcast) Music Features Podcast by Ken Templeton - August 9, 20220 Rachel Sumner & Traveling Light released their debut, self-titled album last week and it is fantastic. The first song, “Hunting Doves,” introduces this group well, showcasing their virtuosity and creativity. As we discuss in this episode of the Red Line Roots podcast, the song came together from finding pieces of songs in Rachel’s notebooks and Jame Joyce’s novel Ulysses. Intrigued? The entire record is beautiful, and we were so lucky to catch up with Rachel this summer about it. Listen to the episode for Rachel’s reflections on songwriting, on forming a new band, and find out which Bill Callahan song she added to our BEST SONG EVER playlist! Photo by Lindsay Straw
The Dead Tongues: It Doesn’t Have to Be (podcast) Music Features Podcast by Ken Templeton - July 19, 20220 I first heard one of Ryan Gustafson’s songs at the Phil Cook & Spirit Family Reunion Newport Aftershow in 2016, one of the most joyful musical experiences of my life. Ryan was playing in The Guitarheels, and played “Graveyard Fields,” one of the songs he’d written under the moniker The Dead Tongues. While playing with Hiss Golden Messenger on the Heart Like a Levee tour, Ryan released Unsung Passage, a truly beautiful record. This year, he released Dust, and I cannot recommend the album enough. The songs have so much space in them. They are both rich and spare, lyrically, and the band that Ryan assembled is loose and creative. We got to chat with Ryan ahead of his set at Newport Folk Festival on Friday, July 22.
The Kentucky Gentlemen: Love Language (podcast) Music Features Podcast by Ken Templeton - July 12, 20220 It was such a pleasure to talk with Brandon and Derek Campbell, also known as The Kentucky Gentlemen. The twin brothers moved to Nashville in 2013 and started writing songs. Years of hard work are paying off, as they release their EP The Kentucky Gentlemen, Vol. 1. They’ve had videos featured on CMT and have been featured in showcases sponsored by The Black Opry, an organization dedicated to changing the fact that Black people have been overlooked in country music, as artists and as fans. The Black Opry Revue set at Newport Folk Festival on Saturday, July 23 is sure to be a highlight of the weekend. We spoke with the Campbell brothers ahead of their appearance at Newport and we can’t wait to see them live! Photo Credit: Laura