🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi sits down with the man behind one of the hottest podcasts in the jam scene — Clint Dodson of All Jammed Up! 🎶🔥

From Billy Strings runs and Hulaween chaos 🎸🌀 to media passes, imposter syndrome, and the art of staying authentic,this convo dives deep into the grind, the growth, and the gratitude behind building something real. 🙌

Clint opens up about: 🎙️ Turning a passion for live music into a full-blown podcast movement ☕ Editing episodes at Starbucks between shows (dedication level: MAX) 🎪 The friendships and community that make the jam scene magic 🍺 Brewing his own All Jammed Up Beer with One World Brewing in Asheville 💫 And finding balance, purpose, and love alongside his partner-in-crime, Chloe 💖

This episode is all about chasing the dream without losing the why — the laughs, the burnout, the breakthroughs, and the moments that make it all worth it.

🎧 Stream it now wherever you listen to podcasts! It’s real talk, good vibes, and a reminder that we’re all just out here trying to find our reason. 🌈✨

#WhatsTheReasonForThis #AllJammedUp #ClintDodson #PodcastLife #JamScene #BillyStrings #Hulaween #AshevilleMusic #LeftoverSalmon #Bluegrass #JamGrass #MusicPodcast #HomiesHelpingHomies #Authenticity #GoodVibesOnly

🎙️ This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay sit down with one of the most beloved pickers in the jamgrass world — Andy Thorn of Leftover Salmon! 🎶

You might know him as the banjo-slinging wizard who went viral for serenading a fox 🦊 outside his home in the Colorado hills… but there’s so much more to Andy’s story than that one magical moment.

From his bluegrass roots in North Carolina 🎻 to earning a degree in jazz guitar 🎸 (because, yep — there wasn’t a banjo program back then), Andy’s path to becoming one of the most respected players in modern bluegrass is a story of grit, heart, and pure love of the music.

He talks about: 🌄 What drew him out west to Colorado — and how the mountain scene and community completely changed his life. 🎸 The wild journey from playing small college jams to joining Leftover Salmon, one of the most iconic jamgrass bands ever. 🥁 What it’s like to go from bluegrass purity to plugged-in, full-band chaos with drums, keys, and amps turned to 11. 🦊 The day a curious fox wandered up mid-banjo session — and how that viral video became a global feel-good story during COVID. 👶 Being a full-time dad AND full-time touring musician (spoiler: no naps, lots of caffeine ☕). 🎧 Recording his latest solo album at home, surrounded by instruments, baby toys, and sunrise views — featuring friends like Tyler Grant, Greg Garrison, and Eric Deutsch of The Black Crowes. 🎶 Why “music should be fun” — and how bluegrass still feels like a tight-knit family of friends who just want to jam and lift each other up.

The guys also dig into the evolution of Leftover Salmon, the Colorado bluegrass scene, and how the next generation — bands like The Fretliners, Arkansauce, and Tonewood String Band — are keeping the fire alive 🔥.

Andy reflects on teaching at RockyGrass Academy, passing along his skills to the next wave of pickers, and what it means to see bluegrass finally becoming “cool” again with younger fans. 🙌

It’s one of the most genuine, funny, and inspiring convos we’ve had yet — packed with stories from the road, dad-life humor, and a reminder that no matter how big the stage gets, it’s all about the music, the people, and the pick. 💙

🎧 Stream “The Andy Thorn Episode” now on What’s the Reason for This? — available wherever you get your podcasts.

👉 Hit play, laugh a little, and maybe even go pick up that old instrument again. Because as Andy says: “Music should be fun — that’s the whole point.” 🎵✨

#WhatsTheReasonForThis #Podcast #AndyThorn #LeftoverSalmon #JamGrass #Bluegrass #ColoradoMusic #BillyStrings #Banjo #MusicPodcast #MusicianLife #PodcastCommunity #MusicLovers #FoxGuy #BanjoLife #BluegrassFamily #WTRFT

This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi sits down with the legendary Matt Mundy — the mandolin master whose innovative style helped shape the sound of the Aquarium Rescue Unit and the jamgrass movement that followed. From growing up in a bluegrass family in the deep South to jamming with icons like Béla Fleck, Sam Bush, and Oteil Burbridge, Matt takes us on a journey through decades of music, humility, and rediscovery.

Matt opens up about being “born into bluegrass,” learning from his mom and uncle, and finding his own voice on the mandolin after realizing the fiddle just wasn’t for him. He shares stories from his early gigs, turning down high school homecoming for a gig that changed his life, and his wild ride with Bruce Hampton’s ARU—including van mishaps, chaotic tours, and the legendary live album that still inspires jam fans today.

We dig into his decision to walk away from music at the height of his success, selling all his instruments, and how—ten years later—the spark to play came back stronger than ever. Now, Matt’s full circle moment shines through in his new album, “Many Ways Home”, featuring collaborations with longtime friends and family, including his mother Frances Mooney and drummer Jeff Sipe. It’s a record that blends bluegrass, jazz, and pure soul—just like his story.

Whether you’re a diehard Widespread Panic fan, a bluegrass purist, or someone who just loves a good comeback story, this episode hits every note.

🎧 Listen now to hear Matt’s reflections on fame, friendship, and finding joy in the music again. 📀 “Many Ways Home” is available everywhere you stream music.

🎙️ Kodi flies solo this week for a deep-dive conversation with guitarist, gear wizard, and Jerry Tone Store founder Jay Faires — a man on a mission to decode the electric alchemy behind Jerry Garcia’s legendary sound. From growing up jamming bluegrass in Tennessee to reverse-engineering vintage amps and building a tone empire online, Jay’s story hits every note of obsession, discovery, and pure love of music.

🎸 This episode explores the intersection of curiosity and creativity — how chasing tone can become its own form of art, and why the spirit of Jerry still hums in every note of the jam scene today.

💬 Highlights include: ⚡ Jay’s childhood jam sessions with his taper dad — and how improvisation shaped his musical DNA. 🎶 The evolution from reluctant bluegrass picker to tone-obsessed guitarist and gear entrepreneur. 🧰 A crash course in the science of signal flow, the “buffer” that changed everything, and why Jerry’s quest for sonic perfection was pure wizardry. 🎛️ The inside story of Waldotronics — the unsung hero behind some of the most accurate Garcia tone recreations today. 🔥 The origin story of Jerry Tone Store: from pandemic tinkering to viral TikToks and a full-blown business built by passion. 🌈 Reflections on authenticity, artistic identity, and how finding “your sound” can reconnect you with the joy of playing. 💡 Plus: gear talk, tone talk, and the spiritual weirdness that happens when music, science, and soul all line up.

🎧 Tune in for a journey through tone, tech, and timeless inspiration — from the Grateful Dead’s sonic legacy to the next generation of guitar dreamers keeping that fire alive.

Kodi & Shay (well, just Kodi this week!) sit down with legendary rock critic and Lou Reed biographer Anthony DeCurtis for an electric conversation that spans decades of music history — from the British Invasion to bluegrass revival, jam bands, and what keeps great music timeless.

🎸 This episode dives deep into how music shapes culture, community, and identity — and why open-mindedness might be the most rock ’n’ roll thing of all.

💬 Highlights include: 🎤 Anthony’s firsthand memories of the Beatles’ arrival and the raw rebellion of the Rolling Stones. 🎶 Stories from Greenwich Village’s heyday — when magazine stands and record shops were gateways to discovery. 🌈 The Grateful Dead’s rise from free shows in Central Park to cultural icons — and how the “jam band” ethos built a whole new musical ecosystem. 🤘 A deep dive into Billy Strings’ genre-bending brilliance, authenticity, and how he’s redefining what bluegrass can be. 🏙️ Reflections on Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run sessions — chaos, courage, and the beauty of creating without a rulebook. 🧠 From Plato to pop hooks — why music bypasses intellect and speaks straight to the soul. 💡 Anthony’s challenge to listeners: stay curious, stay open, and never stop finding new sounds that move you.

🎧 Tune in for stories that bridge eras, genres, and generations — from Rolling Stone magazine to the jamgrass scene.

Kodi & Shay sit down with Larry Keel — two-time Telluride Flatpicking Champion, bluegrass legend, and all-around mountain soul — for a deep dive into 🎸 roots, reinvention, and finding your center after 30+ years on the road.

☕ The guys kick things off with a caffeine-fueled chat before diving into Larry’s Virginia upbringing — where a banjo-picking dad, a musical brother, and a tight-knit Appalachian community helped forge one of bluegrass’s most distinctive pickers.

🎶 Larry opens up about: 🌄 How growing up in the mountains shaped his songwriting and worldview. 🎸 Crafting a unique sound that blends bluegrass, reggae, jazz, and psychedelic grooves — all without losing his soul. 🧠 The long road to “finding his own voice” after years of mimicking Tony Rice, and why individuality is everything in music. 💿 Writing with Tim O’Brien, Peter Rowan, and Jeremy Garrett (yep, that new Stringdusters track!), plus Del McCoury recording one of his songs now up for Grammy consideration. ❤️ His 30-year musical (and real-life) partnership with his wife, Jenny Keel — who learned bass just to play by his side. 🎸 The new duo album with John Stickley, featuring tributes to Jeff Austin and stripped-down, two-guitar magic.

🌌 Larry also gets real about the grind of touring, the business behind the art, and how gardening, fishing, and staying centered keep him grounded in a noisy world.

🎧 Highlights you don’t want to miss: 🎵 How he sneaks Bill Monroe licks into reggae tunes (because, why not?). 💬 The legacy of Jeff Austin and how his energy still inspires every note. 🔥 Electric Larry Land — his psychedelic, free-flowing side project that melts faces and opens minds. 🌱 The balance between hard work, heart work, and homegrown tomatoes.

💬 “If something doesn’t grow, it dies,” Larry says — and after this conversation, you’ll understand how he’s kept his music thriving while helping evolve the entire jamgrass scene.

🎧 Tune in for stories, laughs, and the kind of wisdom that only comes from a lifetime of picking, planting, and pushing musical boundaries.

👉 Follow Larry at LarryKeel.com and stream the new Stickley & Keel album everywhere now — or better yet, buy the record, hit a show, and help keep this legend on the river. 🎣🎵

Kodi & Shay sit down with Luciya and Soraya Sullivan — The Sullivan Sisters — for a deep dive into 🎶 bluegrass beginnings, sisterhood, and the journey from backyard jams to record deals.

👩‍🎤 The duo joins from opposite coasts — Soraya calling in from Berklee College of Music in Boston and Luciya from her senior year of high school in Evanston, IL — proving that talent has no age limit.

🏆 From their early start in North Carolina to taking first at RockyGrass (Luciya making history as the festival’s first female banjo champ!) and signing with Dark Shadow Recording, the sisters open up about growing up musical in a non-bluegrass family, finding their community, and keeping their roots strong in a city not exactly known for pickin’ circles.

🎶 Highlights include: 🪕 How their mom’s love for O Brother, Where Art Thou inspired their musical path. 🎓 Balancing high school and Berklee classes with touring, recording, and competitions. 🎤 Soraya on developing powerhouse vocals and finding her own voice as a songwriter. 🎵 The making of their debut EP Carolina Bluebird — two originals, two iconic covers, and a whole lot of heart. 💿 The story behind their brand-new record deal (signed at IBMA in Chattanooga!). 🎸 Luciya’s jaw-dropping win at RockyGrass and why she just can’t stop buying banjos. 🤘 And yes — the Katy Perry bluegrass cover we all need might just be on the horizon.

💬 From social media virality (including a fan encounter at a random South Dakota gas station 😱) to staying humble, hopeful, and hilariously grounded, this episode captures the magic of two sisters blazing their trail through the next generation of bluegrass.

🎧 Tune in for laughs, inspiration, and serious pickin’ power. 👉 Follow The Sullivan Sisters everywhere @SullivanSistersBluegrass and stream Carolina Bluebird now!

After a brief delay we are back! 💪 Grab your megaphone and a stein of Breck Brew 📣🍺 because things get loud and bluegrassy at Oktoberfest in Littleton! This chaotic, hilarious, and heartwarming episode dives deep with Silas Herman (yes, Vince Herman’s kid!) and The Tone Unit as they talk about music, fatherhood, train songs, and why the bassist never gets to solo.

We’ve got fiddle stories, dad wisdom, band chemistry, and more “you can’t say that on mic” moments than a live mic should allow. From ghosted DMs 🎻 to mandolin therapy sessions 💆‍♂️, this one’s got all the Colorado bluegrass vibes with a splash of chaos and a chug of beer foam.

• 🍼 Bluegrass Baby Boom: Silas is becoming a dad while starting a band—what could go wrong?
• 🎶 The Tone Unit Origin Story: Born from jams, ghosted messages, and the Colorado bluegrass scene’s finest.
• 🪕 Train Songs Are a Lifestyle: Nobody knows why we’re obsessed—but we are. Choo choo. 🚂
• 🎻 Fiddle Philosophy: Carson warns us: don’t pick up a violin unless you enjoy ergonomic nightmares.
• 🧘 Band Zen: Keep your jams fresh—mix up your crowd, your chords, and your breweries.
• 💀 Bass Player Problems: “You can’t please Matt.” (Unless you pay him. 💸)
• 🤘 Festival Dreams: Catch The Tone Unit lighting up stages from Colorado to who-knows-where next summer.

Big love to Silas Herman & The Tone Unit for the laughs, the tunes, and the train whistles 🚂. If you had half as much fun listening as we did recording, go hit follow, share it with a friend, and we’ll see you next time — probably hungover, definitely happy. Cheers, y’all! 🍻”

After a month-long hiatus (thanks to a full-on cyberattack 💻🔥), What’s the Reason for This? is BACK with Kodi & Shay in rare form. From losing their YouTube channel and email to clocking 3.6 MILLION views in 30 days 🚀, this episode is equal parts chaos, comedy, and comeback story. You’ll hear about: ✨ The hack that almost shut everything down 🤘 Why Billy Strings fans are pushing for bluegrass circle pits 😂 Shay getting mistaken for Tom Segura on a plane 🎶 Magoo’s rise, giveaways, and why Kodi is demanding a bluegrass Mariah Carey Christmas cover This one is messy, raw, hilarious, and 💯 heart — proof you can’t keep WTRFT down.

This week, Kodi and Shay welcome banjo powerhouse and IBMA Songwriter of the Year nominee, Brenna MacMillan. From her Kentucky roots to her Nashville grind, Brenna’s journey blends tradition, resilience, and artistry in unexpected ways.

She opens up about:

• ✈️ Touring the world (including an international festival in Tunisia) and why musicians really get a “bathroom tour” more than sightseeing.
• 🎶 Picking up the banjo at age nine thanks to her “Pappy,” growing up in a harmony-filled family of singers, and rediscovering music in college after pursuing dentistry and chemistry.
• 🌿 Working as a chemist in a cannabis lab while secretly writing songs that would later fuel her acclaimed debut album.
• 💡 Her creative process—why 60% of her songs come from vivid dreams—and how vulnerability, despair, and healing turn into powerful lyrics that connect deeply with listeners.
• 🤝 Collaborating with heroes like Sarah Jarosz, Ronnie McCoury, and Peter Rowan, and how the Nashville community helps dreams become reality.

Brenna also shares her excitement for what’s next—touring her new album, songwriting inspired by both waking life and dreams, and balancing her solo career with tour-managing East Nash Grass.

🔗 Find her music, tour dates, and official links at BrennaMcMillan.com