Roots Rednecks and Radicals

Hayes Carll is a Grammy nominated singer songwriter from Texas. For over 20 years he has been writing and releasing albums to critical acclaim. His songs are honest, and real. Exploring topics with a sensibility few other artists show. He recently released a new album called “You Get It All” co-produced by Kenny Greenberg and his wife Allison Moorer. It’s chock full of amazing songs. I had a chance to chat with him about it recently. I hope ya dig it.

Jon Randall is one of Nashville’s premiere songwriters. A Grammy, CMA, and ACM award winner he has been the creative force behind many projects with  household names like Miranda Lambert, Allison Kraus, Emmylou Harris, Nitty Gritty Dirt Band, and many others. This year he released an album with Mrianda Lambert and Jack Ingram called the Marfa Tapes. He also  recorded and released a self titled album of songs he had written over the years. I had a chance to talk with him about his incredible career, and this fantastic album. I hope you dig it!

This is the first installment in a new series I'll be doing on the show. I've been intrigued with the history of Mexican music for a number of years now. I decided to take a deep dive into the fascinating history of the music, the instruments, and the people who make this incredible music. Along the way I discovered all sorts of fascinating things like the influence of European styles of music, the working class and folk music roots of the styles, as well as a ton of great tunes. I hope you enjoy this series and learn something new. There is a plethora of music to explore, so join me on this journey into the history of Mexican Music! 

If you are interested in learning more here are a few resources I found to be helpful. 

https://www.amazon.com/Texas-Mexican-Conjunto-Working-class-American-Monographs/dp/029278080X 

https://www.amazon.com/Texas-Mexican-Conjunto-Working-class-American-Monographs/dp/029278080X

NY Times "Where Mexican Folk Ballads Meet Trap Music." 

https://www.nytimes.com/2019/09/16/style/trapcorridos-chicano-los-angeles.html

Jeremy Pinnell first came to national attention with his 2015 album release. Since then he’s continued to write, tour, and record amazing music. His most recent album “Goodby LA” is a continuation of this track record. The songs have a great, and vibrant honky-tonk feel reminiscent of the Bakersfield Sound. I had a chance to talk with him about this record. I hope you dig it!

Ward Hayden and the Outliers are an American Alt-Country/Rock band from the Northeast. They have been playing music together for some time now, and they just released an album of new songs. It sounds incredible. Their hard driving sound is reminiscent of Drive By Truckers, with great guitar tones and thoughtful lyrics. I had a chance to chat with them about their songs and the band recently. It was a fantastic conversation. They’re really good guys making great music. I hope you dig it! 

The Way Down Wanderers are an American string band from Illinois. Their sound weaves guitar, bass, mandolin, banjo and fiddle together into a beautiful blend of old time instruments . Their new album is called “More Like Tomorrow” and it features amazing songwriting and instrumentation. I had a chance to chat with them about their songs recently. I hope you dig our conversation!

This is the first installment in a new series. The purpose of the series is to help people stay informed on all the incredible music coming out in the world of Americana, Roots, and Folk music. I really think we are living in a golden age of  music, and I would love to share with you the stuff I think is stellar. So sit back, relax, and enjoy my take on some great tunes. 

Reggie Harris is a singer/songwriter, activist, and educator who has been active for over 40 years. Over the course of his career he’s recorded an impressive amount of music, won awards for his contributions to Civil Rights education, been featured on CNN, and is the Co-President of the Living Legacy Project. He has a new album out, called “On Solid Ground” that is a thoughtful and soulful reflection on our current world. I hope you enjoy our conversation.

Paul Thorn is an accomplished songwriter with an array of artists who have cut his songs. Tanya Tucker, Billy Rae Cyrus, and Jerry Jeff Walker have all covered his tunes. That’s incredible enough, but he’s also made a name for himself as a performer as well. He has a dry southern wit that informs his lyrics, and a laid back style that draws you in and makes you feel at home. His latest album is an exploration of these influences and I had a chance to chat with him recently about it. I hope ya dig it.