 Mesha Maren is the author of the novel Sugar Run (Algonquin Books). Her short stories and essays can be read in Tin House, The Oxford American, The Guardian, Crazyhorse, Triquarterly, The Southern Review, Ecotone, Sou'wester, Hobart, Forty Stories: New Writing from Harper Perennial, and elsewhere. M. Randal O'Wain holds an MFA from Iowa's Nonfiction Writing Program. He is the author of Meander Belt: family, loss and coming of age in the working-class south (American Lives Series, 2019) and Hallelujah Station and other stories (Autumn House Press, 2020) His essays and short stories have appeared in Oxford American, Guernica, The Pinch, Booth, Hotel Amerika, storySouth, among others. 

Ep. 22 - Mesha Maren & M. Randal O'Wain

We talk to musicians, comedians and other artists who share stories about the ups and downs of life on the road.

Society & Culture

Personal Journals

History

Philosophy

Places & Travel

Music

The Rye Boys are Nic Harper and Clayton Smith and they're from Texas, with W.T. Newton.

Ep. 40 - The Rye Boys

As well as being a solo artist, Dylan Blackthorn plays with steampunk-goblincore stalwarts THAT Damned Band,​ Mazel Tov Kocktail Hour (the premier traditional Yiddish and Klezmer band in central Texas), The 999 EYES Freakshow & Surreal Sideshow, and folk-punk stalwarts Gary Lindsey & the Pleasure Tide. Dylan’s debut solo album, Small Flames, arrives 4/1/21.

Ep. 39 - Dylan Blackthorn

A southern storyteller uprooted and rolling around the country, WT Newton writes songs for the hurt in us and pens hymns for the underdog; songs from the front porch, and roots for the hopeless. 

Ep. 38 - WT Newton

Memphis musician/songwriter/multi-instrumentalist J.D. Reager is a veteran of several TN-based touring and recording acts, including Glossary, Pezz, Two Way Radio, Snowglobe, and the Passport Again. He has opened for heroes and appeared on MTV and released two critically acclaimed solo records, but is in no way famous. In 2017 he moved to Chicago, and has since founded the punk/pop duo Heeliocopter with Sean Rowader, launched a podcast called Back to the Light, and embarked on a series of collaborations with the Chicago indie trio Arthhur. He is also working on a new solo album.

Ep. 37 - J.D. Reager

Ambrose Jones is a comedian and host of the 38114 Show. He has appeared on Last Comic Standing, Gotham Live, and Uncontrolled Comedy. His album, Laughter Iz The Best Medicine, is available on iTunes.

Ep. 22 - Mesha Maren & M. Randal O'Wain

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