Red Barn Radio

In a dim green room backstage on tour in the UK, Michaela Anne pressed record on her phone and captured what would become the chorus to her new single, If Your Body Fails You — her first song in two years. It was the spark that broke a long silence, a stretch when songwriting had felt impossibly far away.

The silence began when Michaela became a mom, just as her own mother suffered a life-altering stroke. Bearing witness to her mother’s loss—of mobility, of independence, of being treated as fully herself—Michaela became desperate to understand unconditional love, for herself and for those around her. “I want to resist the idea that we must be preserved. If we’re lucky to be here long enough, our bodies will fail us, and only in our deep devotion to ourselves and each other will we survive.” If Your Body Fails You carries that tenderness: a recognition that we will change, and that love must deepen to hold all of it.

Bond Henry, a Chicago singer-songwriter.

Bond's songs often have a strong autobiographical element. One particularly personal example is “The Poor Man’s Dollar (The Ballad of Donald Lee),” which tells the story of his father and connects to Bond's own childhood experience in an orphanage in Chattanooga, Tennessee.

Henry has also developed a live identity that moves comfortably between intimate singer-songwriter performances and fuller band settings. He has performed as a trio and has even played an acoustic show for a heavy-metal audience—a nice illustration of how broadly he approaches his musical influences.

He continues to be part of the Chicago music community; his song “What's Your Name” was featured on WXRT's Local Anesthetic in September 2026. Bond is an interesting guy and a thoughtful writer-- I'm looking forward to talking with him. Join me next week for an evening of music and talk with Bond Henry!

BOOT JUICE is a seven-piece high-energy rock ‘n’ roll / Americana act from Northern California, notori-ous for their barn-burning live shows that get entire crowds on their feet dancing: a reputation earned from recent performances at legendary venues like The Fillmore and Dillon Amphitheater, festival sets at Treefort, High Sierra, and Golden Road Gathering, and packed club shows all across America during their many years on the road.

The group’s fervently-anticipated fourth album, Keeping Out Of The Ground (out 3/20) exemplifies the tradition of kickass eclectic American rock ‘n’ roll: With three vocalists, dueling acoustic and electric-guitar shredding, a bawdy horn section, and driving, soulful rhythms, the album offers everything from groovy, danceable bangers (“Hard Time for Hard Times”, “Slingshot”, “Struggles”) to heavy, show-stopping rock anthems (“Try Again Tomorrow”, “Rise and Shine”, “Boise”), and tender, swinging ballads (“Anywhere With You”, “Love From Here”, “Keeping Out of the Ground”). Throughout it all, the band sends a poignant message: Despite everything going on in the world and the hopelessness creeping in around us, the best thing we can do is push it through, keep ourselves out of the ground, keep showing up for ourselves and our neighbors, and forgive ourselves when we just need to try again tomorrow.

Though they call the Sacramento, California area home, Boot Juice originated in 2017 deep in the moun-tains and rivers of Idaho and Northern California, where husband-and-wife duo Connor Herdt (vocals / acoustic guitar) and Jessica Stoll (vocals, mandolin) worked outdoor jobs like raft-guiding and ski patrol. Herdt’s close friend and former member, Evan Daly (vocals / electric guitar), would often come out to visit and the two would do what they’ve done since they were young kids: sit around and shred on guitar togeth-er for hours. Stoll, who has done all of the band’s artwork (album covers, merch designs, tour / show posters – you name it) since the band’s early days, joined the band as a vocalist and mandolin player, balancing Herdt’s heartfelt crooning and Daly’s raspy, rock ‘n’ roll bellows with her soulful, resonant pipes.

Monroeville is a Smoky Mountain-based band rooted in the traditions of Bluegrass, Country, and Blues music — with a modern energy that connects across genres and generations.

Founded by Matt Munsey, a Grammy-nominated musician, Monroeville began in 2010 with the release of their self-titled debut album. What started as a passion for honest, acoustic-driven music quickly grew into a full-time act known for engaging crowds and delivering high-energy performances.

Since their debut in 2010, Monroeville has stayed true to its roots, writing and performing original music. Over the years, the band has recorded four full-length albums, numerous singles and music videos, and a live album with a youth orchestra — all made up of original songs that reflect their sound, story, and evolution as a group.

That commitment to original music and live performance has opened the door to major moments along the way — including being named IBMA Momentum Band of the Year and performing in front of 80,000 fans at Bristol Motor Speedway on live television. They have performed live filmings for syndicated TV shows, and secured coveted spots on national festival stages.

Darron Sturgill is a Singer-Songwriter from Rockcastle County Kentucky; Bursting into the acoustiverse with Americana style inspired music with multi-genre undertones. He gives inspirational messages in his lyrics and textured guitar riffs with his inspirations from his library of music influences; Conveying a relax-ing feel to his live performances.

He's played many bookings at many places including Legends Bar & Venue (Cincinnati, OH), The Burl (Lexington, KY) & many more in and around the Kentucky area; Radio stations including WRFL 88.1 (Lexington, KY), V-99.3 (Irvine, KY) & WGOH-WUGO 100.9 (Grayson, KY); festivals including Mewz In The Mountains, Cannastock, Flood With Love; Actor and Soundtrack Creator in partnership with a local Kentucky Film Called Moonbow Movie, Starred in two music video's; including benefit events as well.

Rainbow Girls formed in the fall of 2010, when they began performing together at an underground open mic in UC Santa Barbara’s neighboring college town, Isla Vista.[1] Original members consisted of Erin Chapin, Caitlin Gowdey, Vanessa Wilbourn, and Cheyenne Methmann.[2]

The band spent the Summer of 2011 busking and couch-surfing in Europe, and releasing self-recorded de-mos.[3] When they returned to California in the Fall, they began playing with drummer Savannah Hughes. The band performed at farmers markets in the Santa Barbara area, playing venues like SoHo and Cold Spring Tavern and performing at local festivals like Earth Day and Summer Solstice.[4]

In April 2013, the band left Santa Barbara and moved to the countryside north of San Francisco’s Bay Area. That same year, Rainbow Girls released their crowdfunded debut album, The Sound of Light.[5] Rainbow Girls continued to tour the West Coast regularly, as well as Europe and the UK every summer.

After the departure of Methmann in 2014,[6] the remaining four members recorded their sophomore album, Perceptronium, and released it in June 2015.[7]

In the spring of 2016, Hughes announced she could no longer tour with the band full-time, so the remaining three members of the band – Chapin, Gowdey, and Wilbourn – began performing as a trio. In this period they opened for John Craigie and The Brothers Comatose.[8]

On November 8, 2017, Rainbow Girls released their third album, American Dream, with a shift to a more acoustic folk sound.[9][10][11]

In the fall of 2018, the band received wide exposure when their video of Alvin Robinson's "Down Home Girl" received several million views on Facebook.[12] They soon went into the studio to record a cover al-bum, Give the People What They Want, which was released on February 22, 2019.[13] Their video for “Down Home Girl” (originally performed by Robinson and popularized by The Rolling Stones, The Coast-ers, and Old Crow Medicine Show) led them to be picked up by Madison House booking agency, as well as by manager, Hannah Spero

Episode 256

First Air 09-20-26

Matt Axton and Badmoon

Badmoon

Gravey

Home Sweet Home

Same Old Story

Matt Axton is a gifted singer/songwriter. Granted, that’s a claim made by many artists that inhabit the world of Americana these days, but in Matt’s case, it’s more than a mere boast. The ability to make music is firmly infused in his genes, courtesy of a family history that implanted that ability in him early on.

While he modestly describes his sound as a “humble slice of Americana,” it’s clear that it possesses so much more. With a style that encompasses country, folk, roots, rock, R&B, and pure pop proficiency, he defies easy categorization. With a rich reservoir of original tunes — over 300 in fact — and three well received albums (Blue Sky Rain, Matthew C. Axton and Badmoon), he’s established himself as a prolific and proficient singer, songwriter and guitarist, both on his own and at the helm of his various ensembles.

Even a small sampling of his musical output proves the point. His “Blue Sky Rain” is both stirring and seductive, an easy amble that belies its description of the topsy turvy travails that accompany the entanglements of relationships. “Born of Chains” is flush with steadfast determination, a rugged, relentless bluesy-rocker that conveys clear conviction and a desire to overcome whatever obstacles are tossed in his way. On the other hand, “Everything” is an homage to romance, desire and faithfulness shared with some upbeat bluegrass banter. Here again, Matt demonstrates his remarkable fluidity and a decidedly affable attitude.

Notably, he also keeps good company. Matt has recorded original material with Steve Ferrone (drummer for Tom Petty & the Heartbreakers) and Hal Cragin (bassist for Iggy Pop), and shared sessions at the legendary East West Studios in Hollywood where Tom Petty recorded much of his work. The songs include: “Last Search”, a Southern rock-style anthem; “Born of Chains,” which shares a sparse and dark singer/songwriter vibe; the Americana style “What a Day”; the soulful strains of “Soul to Sell” and “The Big South”, a blues groove reminiscent ZZ Top.

He has collaborated on projects such as “Abbey Road Reimaged – A Tribute to the Beatles” where Aaron Badgley of Spill Magazine called Axton’s cover of ‘Octopus’ Garden’ “pure genius.”

“Matt’s powerful songwriting and vocals, along with his natural rapport with the audience, was the highlight of the 4th of July celebration where we hired him to play for the 3,500 people at Donner Lake,” said Ben Martin, executive director of the Tahoe Truckee School of Music and Tahoe Music Professionals booking service.

Grace Rogers is a musician & writer from Kentucky having just released her debut full length album Mad Dogs (Sophomore Lounge, 2025). Grace Rogers blends rock, country, and traditional influences into tunes that, in the words of Leigh Viner, "hum like hymns and drive like rain." Pitchfork named Mad Dogs one of the 30 best Rock Albums of 2025, and Stereogum writes, “Rogers has the kind of talent and irrepressible per-sonality that makes a singer-songwriter stand out in a crowded field.” Long Bio: Kentucky singer, songwriter and poet, Grace Rogers, comes from a family of old time, traditional and string band musicians. Her great grandpa Charlie Rogers played guitar in the Kentucky String Ticklers, recorded on the Gennett Record Label in Richmond Indiana during the Great Depression. Grace, herself, has been playing solo shows and tradi-tional music for around ten years. But on Mad Dogs (Sophomore Lounge, May 2025, Worried Songs, Nov 2025) her debut studio album, Rogers has ventured beyond the music she cut her teeth on with the help of a group of skillful, kind-hearted musician friends: Ian Gordon on electric guitar, Chris Cupp on bass and cello, and Fiona Palensky on drums and vocal harmonies. Drawing nourishment from the deep roots of her home place in Bath County and watered by the freak waters of Louisville, Rogers has crafted eight original tracks that hum like hymns and drive like rain. The album was recorded by Jim Marlowe at End of an Ear (Ryan Davis & the Roadhouse Band, Joan Shelley, Young Widows) in Louisville, KY, and mixed and mastered by Carl Saff at SaffMastering. Pitchfork named Mad Dogs one of the 30 best Rock Albums of 2025, and Stere-ogum writes, “Rogers has the kind of talent and irrepressible personality that makes a singer-songwriter stand out in a crowded field.”

Every so often we have the chance to introduce you to an artist who's still at the be-ginning of the journey. Those are some of my favorite evenings, because years later you can say, "I remember hearing them before everyone else did." I think you'll feel that way about Garrett Dearing, our guest next week on Red Barn Radio.

Garrett has turned a lifetime of Kentucky memories, a mix of colorful characters, sad times and hopeful times, into songs that are we like a lot not because they're flashy or trying to be clever, but because they are honest and accessible to all. Raised in Barren County, Garrett began singing in church before discovering that songwriting could help him make sense of the life he's lived.

Growing up in the small town of Union, West Virginia, Caden was sur-rounded by old timers. While no one in his family played an instrument, he got bored and decided he would learn to play the banjo. He taught himself to play bluegrass banjo at a young age. That lead to Caden pick-ing up a guitar as well. Eventually he would grow to love southern rock, blues, country, and folk music with big inspirations such as Lynyrd Skynyrd, Doc Watson, Jim Croce, The Allman Brothers and many more! These inspirations molded his voice to what it is today! His knowledge and playability of music is a wide variety of all genres! Caden has music across all platforms telling tales of Appalachia.