Basic Folk

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 connected through music and their collaboration has led to many shows together and the production of her debut album visions. We talk about their musical partnership as well as her family. Her dad was a very talented painter turned architect. He died when Alice was 18 and she shared his influence on her art, music and life outlook. After graduating from Smith College, she moved to Seattle and worked at a guitar show learning priceless info about instruments, gear and life in general. Now in Los Angeles, Alice is in the middle of working on a project at FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, AL. I've enjoyed getting to know Alice! We didn't know each other before quarantine, but before this interview we coincidentally worked together on troubleshooting live streaming shows, which is a fast way to make a good friend or a life-long enemy. Hope you enjoy!

American Songwriter Podcast Network: https://americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/basic-folk-podcast/

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 prairies in Alberta, Canada. She knew that performing was what she wanted to pursue even as a young child. She discovered songwriting after attending the Edmonton Folk Festival at age 12, taught herself to play the guitar and started playing for anyone who would listen. Danielle also plays in a band with her husband, Connor Walsh and longtime bandmate Bryn Besse. She talks about what it's like to play with her husband - apparently they don't perform well together as a duo, which is hilarious to hear. We also talk about the concept of Ribcage songs, when you're feeling guarded and then vulnerable or heart songs. Danielle is kind, funny, empathetic and a blast to talk to! I really enjoyed our conversation and I took like a fish to water to her music. Hope you enjoy!

https://americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/basic-folk-podcast/

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 arrested, leaving home, living on the streets, hopping trains and getting clean all before she was 25. Music has been ever-present in her life. She learned to finger pick guitar by listening to The Beatles "Blackbird." At 13 years old, she joined a punk band, which started a long complicated relationship with the punk lifestyle.

These days, Sunny's living in Los Angeles and surviving the quarantine just fine. In talking to her, I checked in with how she's doing dealing with lockdown. I was glad to hear she was staying away from alcohol and had just started eating a Keto diet. Sunny War is full of surprises! I literally did not know what to expect as I asked each question. Thanks to Sunny for talking to me!

American Songwriter Podcast Network: https://americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/basic-folk-podcast/

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 music of Pete Seeger. These days, Nerissa finds it more difficult to find common ground with those she disagrees with politically, but is refreshingly honest about how she feels. In fact, this whole conversation with Nerissa is filled with incredibly honest and revealing realizations she's discovered along the way. I appreciated her forwardness with some sensitive questions: like considering a childless life after her divorce in her mid-30's. I admire how much she was willing to put her story out there for others. I've been a huge fan of the Nields since high school and Nerissa's music changed my life and opened my eyes to a modern-era underground folk movement. What's wild is that I first saw The Nields at MixFest in 1999, a hot AC station (Mix 98.5) that hosted a concert every year in Government Center. They played along with Ben Folds Five, Fleming & John, Duran Duran and Lou Vega (Mambo No. 5 guy!). It was wild. Anyways. I love The Nields and this was quite a thrill to talk to Nerissa. Thanks for listening!

American Songwriter Podcast Network: https://americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/basic-folk-podcast/

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 control of the narrative of her unique and beautiful name. On her website it says: "Letitia is an old family name that she shares with a number of women in her family. As a child she was nicknamed “Sandy” from VanSant, her middle name. Her friends still call her Sandy, but she responds to both!"

A shy child, Letitia grew up with a passion for social justice and pursued a career in politics. She worked at a progressive lobby group in Washington, DC, until she decided to make music a full time venture. Her writing does have a political edge occasionally. She also bravely approaches the topic of sexual assault, garnering from her personal experience. We talked about how she made the choice to address her experience in such a public and upfront manner. She is a clear-headed, smart and compassionate person. I really enjoyed getting to know Letitia VanSant! Her new album Circadian is out now! Thanks for listening!

This show is part of the American Songwriter Podcast Network.

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 in town and the farm kids: namely that the town kids wore the same clothes all day instead of changing into work clothes after school to get to work. We talk about this realization as well as music growing up in the house and her family's sense of humor. There's a great explanation of different types of agriculture for my aggie fans and a conversation of of faith from an agnostic's perspective. Susan is a versatile musician who likes to explore different sounds and themes of her album. Case in point, her 2017 EP surrounds the sounds of Cuba, which laid the foundation for her newest album, 2019's NOLA. Hope you enjoy this engaging and wildly fun interview with the one and only Susan Werner.

This show is part of the American Songwriter Podcast Network.

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 rock bangers. There are a lot of themes on this record like celebrating women and reclaiming your own self and your body. It fully acknowledges past traumas in unique metaphors. The song "Baking Bread for the Circus" is a song about survival in an abusive situation: the circus being the show, where there is darkness behind the stage. The bread is whatever you need to do to survive the circus. Maya breaks down this and all the tracks in this insightful and entertaining conversation. Maya is one of my favorite people and musicians: everything she creates and says totally blows me away. I'm so glad to get her back on the podcast. If you haven't listened to Maya's first appearance on Basic Folk, make sure you go back to episode 11. I just want you to be as obsessed with Maya De Vitry as I am. Listen on and I guarantee you'll be all about this amazing person.

THis show is part of the American Songwriter Podcast Network.

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 thought he would be a professional bass player in New York's experimental jazz scene, but then he heard the siren call of the banjo. He talks about the first time he got a banjo, which led to him learning the instrument. When he was touring in South America as a bass player, he found that musicians would play socially on the street. He wasn't able to play on the street with his electric bass, so he bought a banjo and was able to join. From there, his life path changed. He started playing the instrument in totally unique and innovative ways, including backing up his good friend Kishi Bashi on tour.

After many years in New York City, Mike was called to the south. He eventually settled in Asheville, NC, which led him to exploring his love of bluegrass and old time on the banjo. This has resulted in his most organic album, A Wave of Golden Things.We talked about the recording process of the record: he made it on a hemp farm in a few weeks. While he was producing the record, 16 baby animals were born! So, yeah, we also talk about baby animals. Enjoy!

This podcast is part of the American Songwriter Podcast Network.

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 from the players on the record, like when drummer Jamie Dick suggested a "Bo Diddley Beat" for the song "Can't Stand Myself," which Erelli had never tried before. There's lot of sweet, yet realistic love songs on this album that are appropriate coming from a married guy who's kids are getting older. And of course, there is his amaizng voice, which is on display on this record, especially on the final track "Careless."

It was a pleasure to welcome Mark back to Basic Folk! If you missed his first appearance, go back and listen to Episode 6 of the podcast.

This show is part of the American Songwriter Podcast Network.

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 from musicians and music fans talking about Anais. You'll hear thoughts about this amazing songwriter from Josh Ritter, Ani Difranco, Anthony Mason (CBS News), Josh Kaufman and Eric D. Johnson (Josh & Eric are from Bonny Light Horseman). This show was part of Peter Mulvey's yearly week-long festival at Passim called "The Lamplighter Sessions."

Anais has been busy! She, of course, has her folk opera, Hadestown, on Broadway, she released an album with her band Bonny Light Horseman AND she's just given birth to her second child, Rosetta. We're releasing this episode on her birthday (March 26!). Hope you enjoy!

This show is part of the American Songwriter Podcast Network.