Basic Folk

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 Four" categories: Best New Artist. Aaand we know that WE ALL have had eyes on Molly for years, BUT since she's fully embraced the bluegrass genre on these last new albums, Best New Artist makes a lot of sense. Bluegrass was the music she grew up with in Palo Alto, CA with her guitar-teacher father helping her soak in the vibrant scene. She's also learning how to take control of the bluegrass narrative by telling her story and sharing her perspective through her new songs.

That rings so true with the new record, City of Gold, co-produced by Tuttle and Dobro-master Jerry Douglas (of Alison Kraus & Union Station fame), mostly co-written with her partner Ketch Secor (of Old Crow Medicine Show) and featuring her crack backing band: Golden Highway. She's writing bluegrass songs that are fun and insightful at the same time. We get a bluegrass version of Alice in Wonderland, the story of a woman fighting for her bodily autonomy and not to mention that time she married Dave Matthews on a road trip (LOL J/K, but that is a real new song with the real Dave). She digs into her new album as well as finding her own way in the patriarchal world of Bluegrass and leveling up about her alopecia, an autoimmune skin disease, causing hair loss. Molly Tuttle is a great hang, an inspiration for us all and has made a fabulous new album, City of Gold. LYLAS, Molly!

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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 of how form can be a foundation for expression.

Now, at the ripe age of 23, Jackson has released her stunning debut album, ‘Why Does The Earth Give Us People To Love.’ As the title suggests, this album reflects on love and loss. Kara has some fantastic insights about how embracing grief, and sharing it with others, can lead us to a healthier culture. She also shares about how her parents’ political convictions have influenced her concept of an artist’s role in the world.

One of my favorite moments in my conversation is where Kara articulates how she sees her work in conversation with Black artists who came before her. What a gift, to hear a brilliant young artist speak so clearly about how their creativity fits into a bigger tradition. We cannot wait to see what she does next.

*** lizzie and Kara talked about Kara’s poem “anthem for my belly after eating too much” at the top of the interview. Click here to read.

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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 theme of aging pops up on quite a few of his new songs. He opens up about his perspective on aging and what it has looked for his predecessors in Bluegrass. He reflects on his history, from choosing Colorado to over New York or L.A. to being very aware of how hard it was for his sister, Mollie O'Brien, to have a solo career and be a parent.

Nicknamed Red, Tim O'Brien serves as hero and mentor to many of today's finest players in the genre including Sarah Jarosz and Chris Thile. He recognizes the importance of allowing younger generations to step into the spotlight, while still being ready to honor his own Bluegrass heroes. In our conversation, Tim gets into things he's noticed changing for the better in his scene and also talks about how technology is both a good and challenging thing. For instance, In-ear monitors are great, HOWEVER, they really isolate the players instead of really feeling like they are playing together. Thanks Tim O'Brien!

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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, a killer voice, and big time rock star vibes. These are a few of the reasons why “Loser On The Ropes,” Dunne’s Kill Rock Stars debut, is earning this indie rocker critical acclaim and a ton of new fans.

Brian is a New York-born artist who knew he wanted to be a musician from the first moment he saw Bruce Springsteen on television. After graduating from Berklee College of Music, Brian started making records and figuring out his sound. He’s become a stalwart in the New York music scene both with his own music and as a member of the super-silly supergroup Fantastic Cat [shoutout to bandmate and Basic Folk alum Anthony D’Amato!].

In 2022, Brian got word that a live recording of his song “New Tattoo,” which had been recorded during a 2018 soundcheck, was climbing the charts in the Netherlands. His unexpected European star turn has not gone to this working artist’s head one bit; in fact he has delved even deeper into themes of failure and humility in his recent songs. But what keeps people coming back to Brian’s music is his hopeful spirit in spite of all the darkness.

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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 Berklee College of Music in Boston. There, he was exposed to all different types of music and developed that natural rhythm and groove that only comes with being in musical community.

His new instrumental album Gambit was produced by his mentor, the legendary fiddler Darol Anger, best known for being in the original lineup for The David Grisman Quintet. Through Darol, Ethan was able to work on a tradition of his own through music built from a foundation of Bluegrass. He talks about that AND he explains what the bluegrass vocabulary is on the mandolin for dumb-dumbs like me, who do not play music and are not folk scholars. Setiawan is an in-demand side man and band member, and can be seen playing with his band Corner House, Darol Anger, and Tony Trischka among others. Enjoy Ethan and get to know his new record!!

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Urgency and patience are the two poles of New England songwriter Caitlin Canty’s magnetism. Her music invites you to quiet moments of reflection with unhurried confidence. When I first heard her song “Get Up” in 2015 I felt like I was receiving a very important magical message. Canty’s subsequent releases have further revealed her uncanny talents for grooving at the right tempo, describing the memorable image, leaning into elegant arrangements, and letting delicate moods hang in the air.

Canty’s new album, ‘Quiet Flame,’ was recorded live with a string band and no drums. Live tracking has become her signature over the years, and this new record shows the authentic and powerful moments that can only be created in that setting. Produced by Chris Eldridge of the Punch Brothers and featuring collaborators like Sarah Jarosz, Brittany Haas, and Paul Kowert, ‘Quiet Flame’ is not only a showcase for Canty’s unmistakable voice and songwriting, but also a celebration of her impressive artistic community.

Caitlin knows a thing or two about teamwork after many years of team sports. She was a soccer player and heptathlete through her college years, and I have a hunch that her athlete-brain and her musician-brain share a particular wisdom. Pacing, collaboration, focus, and graceful movement characterize her unique body of work. It was a true delight to talk about writing, friendship, family, touring, humility, and self-belief with this gem of a musician.

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Rissi Palmer and Miko Marks have been laying the foundation for country musicians and fans who are Black for almost 20 years. Back in the early 2000's both women experienced the trials and tribulations of being Black women in country. Despite their success and large growing fanbase, both were separately discouraged by the ceilings and roadblocks they encountered from the white-dominated industry. Even though they nearly quit music, they discovered a deep and meaningful ally and friend in each other. Now, both are back in the spotlight in a different era that has seen a rise of Black musicians and The Black Opry in Nashville. Recently, Rissi and Miko have been touring together and we got them both on to talk about their parallel experiences, friendship and what they've been up to recently. It was a sincere honor and a blast to speak with these inspiring women.

This month The Bluegrass Situation is highlighting The Black Opry as their artist of the month. Basic Folk, a part of The Bluegrass Situation Podcast Network, is proud to present this episode in collaboration with our BGS motherhost. 

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Welcome to Folk Debate Club, our occasional crossover series with fellow folk-pod Why We Write! Today, to discuss Lyrics vs Melody, we welcome our panel of guests: music journalist and former singer/songwriter, Kim Ruehl, Isa Burke (Lula Wiles, Aoife O’Donovan), illustrious male folk singer Willi Carlisle, musician and Basic Folk guest host lizzie no, and yours truly, Cindy Howes, boss of Basic Folk.

In music (and life), there is debate over authenticity versus performative. On stage, in written music, online and in person: what is the artist going for? Realness or entertainment? It doesn’t seem that simple. There are many examples of artists who do both very well and I think the best art is created at the intersection of the two.

There is no question: it’s hard to pull off. We want to try and break down what each of these elements is in music, how to achieve each and what is more important: to perform a personality or just be your genuine self?

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Lately I have been fascinated by musicians who are creative not only in what they create, but also in terms of how they share it. This curiosity has made me a fan of Matt Sucich, an artist who has cultivated a passionate fanbase via his live performances, instagram livestreams, and thoughtful email newsletter. We are living in a moment of history where there is more music available than ever before, and more ways of interacting with creators than ever before. But it can be challenging to sift through all the noise and get to the heart of things. True intimacy in creative community is rare and I admire those who are able to sustain it. Matt is one of those people.

If you are new to Sucich’s catalog, I suggest starting with his thoughtful, inviting, pandemic-era album, ‘Don’t Be So Hard On Yourself,’ and then diving into his latest release, ‘Holy Smokes,’ which is out now on Five and Dime Records. Matt and I talked about how the recording process for this new album differed from past releases, the role humor plays in his music, the open mic night that changed his life, his passion for puppets, what it means to show your work, and the songwriters who have shaped his worldview. He is one of the New York music scene’s best-kept secrets, so welcome aboard the Sucich train!

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Fiddler Hanneke Cassel has been a big Celtic star for decades and comes to the pod to try and teach me the difference between Irish and Scottish music. Just kidding all you Hanneke-heads! …. But seriously, she helps me keep some things straight. She’s been fusing all different styles of music for a long time and her latest album Infinite Brightness weaves her signature flowing Celtic style along with traces of Americana, old time (but she tells me she’s not an old time or a bluegrass player) and a hint of classical and maybe even Texas Swing, which was how she first started on the fiddle. Well, she actually started playing classical and found it hard to read music, but eventually discovered a fiddling competition and fell in love with the instrument.

In our conversation, Hanneke reflects back on her youthful playing and how she decided to go to Berklee College of Music in Boston. Once there and along with Laura Cortese and Lissa Schneckenburger, she was at the forefront of a fiddle revolution that continues to this day in New England. She talks about her teachers who connected her to the music she loves most, the importance of encouragement from her peers and the inspiration for her to do the same for the next generation. Also, there are lots of Matt Smith references in this episode, so if you are not familiar: Matt Smith runs the historic Club Passim in Harvard Square, Cambridge and is the center point for many touring and New England folk musicians. There is no one like Hanneke! Her new album is a delight and I’m so happy to have her on the pod!

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