Red Line Roots

Jeffrey Foucault joins the Red Line Roots podcast to dig into his brilliant new record, The Universal Fire. The album has been described as a “working wake” for his late friend and bandmate, Bill Conway. It explores friendship, loss, both the depth and ephemeral nature of music, and the vitality of making something true. 

Credit to Joe Navas

William Prince: Stand in the Joy

If there is anyone I am excited to see at Newport Folk Festival this year, it is William Prince. From the first song on his amazing 2023 record, Stand in the Joy, I felt like I was listening to a songwriter who has figured it out: how to cut out all the things that get in the way of a great song and just get to the heart. In our conversation, I found myself wondering if that is connected to what we talked about: how to cut out or move past the things in life that don’t end up making a difference in the end. As William discusses, it’s all about family, love, and spending time doing what fills you up. I hope you enjoy this conversation with William–make sure to check out his music and, if you are going to Newport, don’t miss his set! 

Interview by Ken Templeton

The Simple Joy: The Power of Community
 
When I moved to North Carolina, I asked some folks about who is active in the local music scene and the name Tuck Satterfield kept coming up. One person said, “He knows everybody.” And while I have found that to be true, it’s also that Tuck is a real champion for songwriters and musicians in the NC Triangle. He goes to gigs, celebrates accomplishments, talks shop, lends support, and genuinely appreciates their art. 

On top of all that, Tuck is the primary songwriter for the Durham-based group The Simple Joy. Tuck is a thoughtful lyricist and together with his bandmates Stephen Muñoz (guitar, vocals), Pam McCarthy (percussion) and Michael Lowry (guitar, bass, vocals), creates songs that are deeply focused on our most intimate relationships and life’s unresolvable questions. But even though the subject matter can be serious, Tuck does not shy away from wry humor, and the groove and feel of the songs is often upbeat. 

I feel so fortunate to have been introduced to Tuck and to count him as a friend. I hope you enjoy our conversation! 

Photo Credit: Ken Templeton

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 and we are so thankful to Dawn for coming on the podcast. Enjoy!  

Photo Credit: Heather Evans Smith

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!”

Podcast interview by Ken Templeton

For this episode of the podcast, we got to talk with Dr. Newman about his work. We discuss the state of mental health in the music industry, the different stressors on not only artists, but the myriad people who support art, the challenges in accessing mental health support, and possible paths forward to make sure people get the care they need. As Dr. Newman puts it, where there was no “net” before, Amber Health is beginning to build one. This is inspiring work for anyone who cares about music. Thank you for listening, and sharing the episode as widely as you can. 

If you, or someone you know, is considering suicide:

• The 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline is a hotline for individuals in crisis or for those looking to help someone else. To speak with a trained listener, call 988. Visit 988lifeline.org for crisis chat services or for more information.
• The Crisis Text Line is a texting service for emotional crisis support. To text with a trained helper, text SAVE to 741741. It is free, available 24/7, and confidential.

Interview by Ken Templeton

Larry & Joe: Honest Music

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 to get on board. It’s a unique song, with modulating tempos, lyrics in Spanish and English, and a lot of humor. In this sense, it’s a song with a message, but a light touch. As Joe talks about in our podcast conversation, it’s not that everyone has to see everything in the same way; but we do have to stay in the room together and figure things out. 

One way to get people in the room is to play as well as Larry and Joe. From the first notes of the concert, their skill and respect for traditions was on display. Both Larry and Joe are multi-instrumentalists, so the sound never gets predictable or tired. And they can both sing so beautifully, investing everything in the emotion of the words. One of the highlights of the night was the gorgeous and sorrowful hymn-like song, “Border Wall.” It features verses from Joe, Larry, and DaShawn Hickman, who joined them on piano. The refrain goes: “Border wall, border wall / There will come one bright morning when it stands there no more.” 

I had so many questions about this record and the songs. But our conversation was mostly about making music together, and it was so heartfelt and beautiful that I am glad we didn’t just dive into a track-by-track analysis. We talk about community, tradition, and mostly about love. 

I hope you enjoy the podcast. Find out more about Larry and Joe, including tour dates, at their website. 

Our first ever repeat guest, mandolinist and songwriter Ethan Setiawan, returns to talk about his new record, Gambit. We talk writing and naming tunes, moving to a new community, playing together with friends and contemporaries and recording releasing a record through a pandemic.

Ethan is one of the most exciting, versatile and virtuosic musicians in today's acoustic music landscape. Be sure to check out his new record (and dig into his previous releases while you are at it!).

https://www.ethansetiawan.com/ 

Interview and editing by Brian Carroll
photo by Louise Bichan 

Max García Conover: I Saw The Devil

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 a beautiful world, but painful, child.” That, to me, is what Deer captures–the beauty of our interconnectedness and its fragility; the importance of attention and the costs of inattention. 

I hope you enjoy this latest edition of the Red Line Roots podcast and check out Deer. If you buy the CD from Son Canciones, they send you this beautiful book of stories behind the songs, and don’t you miss having something to hold and consider when you listen to new music? Anyway, enjoy. 

Photo: Shaw Photography

Interview by Ken Templeton
Edited by Brian Carroll

Thomas Rhyant: Further On

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 songs are just Thomas and an acoustic guitar. 

Interview by Ken Templeton