Southern Songs and Stories

14/08/2024

New episode! Available at the link here, and wherever you follow podcasts.

When you think of Venezuelan music, perhaps salsa or merengue come to mind. But have you delved into joropo, or llanera music, from the plains in the country’s east? When you think of string band music like bluegrass, does anything far outside the region of the southern United States jump out as h...

10/08/2024

Yesterday was a good day. Beginning with a trip to pick up our son's Subaru from the shop in Swanannoa, than back to Spindale to pick up equipment for the interview (and a book at Next Door Used Books, and chicken feed at my favorite feed and seed (shout out Oakland Feed and Seed), that made for 120 miles by 10 a.m.

Then to rendezvous with WNCW intern Will Prim and head to PNC Arena in Charlotte to interview Ketch Secor of Old Crow Medicine Show ahead of his show that night, and get that uploaded to the station for broadcast within an hour of our chat.

There is much more of mine and Will's conversation with Ketch on an upcoming Southern Songs and Stories episode, which will publish the week of the Earl Scruggs Music Festival, where Old Crow is a headliner!

Today is day two of a three day fast. Not nearly as exciting as talking with Ketch, but it will be good to not be stuck on I-85 in Friday afternoon traffic again!

01/08/2024

Our episode on Marty Stuart awaits you on podcast platforms everywhere (in an app near you!), as well as on wncw.org and southernsongsandstories.com

Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives are headlining the upcoming Earl Scruggs Music Festival

In this episode, Marty talks about his decades in music, playing with Lester Flatt, Earl Scruggs (pictured here), Johnny Cash, his friendship with Tom Petty as well as being in the Byrds reunion tour, his role in the Ken Burns documentary on country music and more, including excerpts of his music.

29/07/2024

Today, a preview of the Southern Songs and Stories episode on Marty Stuart airs on WNCW just after the news in the 3pm hour.

The full podcast lands tomorrow on wncw.org and an app near you

Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives are headlining the upcoming Earl Scruggs Music Festival

https://www.wncw.org/southern-songs-and-stories/2024-07-25/a-quick-conversation-with-marty-stuart-ahead-of-earl-scruggs-music-festival-appearance

An excerpt of conversation from an upcoming episode of the podcast Southern Songs and Stories

22/07/2024

An excerpt of Tara and Jeb from Donna the Buffalo with Jim Lauderdale, from the latest episode of Southern Songs and Stories

Full episode is available wherever you follow podcasts

Also, AI transcription is never going to get names like MerleFest right I am afraid.

18/07/2024

12/07/2024

We love a good banjo around here, so we are sharing this link for all you five string dazzlers out there!

https://www.docwatsonmusicfest.org/banjo?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTAAAR3ap1pwerGkbgxYbF1ow1SY5blHc6wG2xr8AzwTDcDp1bZRZWfRbg2rPks_aem_UD-CHHwzSsuF0AjXqVxc6w

I acknowledge that by participating in the Terry Baucom Banjo Championship at Doc & Rosa Lee Watson MusicFest that I am giving my permission to have my performance and image recorded (audio, video and still photography) by MusicFest personnel or contractors. MusicFest retains the right to use any re...

28/06/2024

Interviewing this fellow tomorrow. I think he might actually be famous. What would you want to talk about with him?

28/06/2024

With WNCW – I just got recognized as one of their top fans! 🎉
(I know this might come as a shock to some, but it's true!)

27/06/2024

One of my favorite podcasts is American Songcatcher, from Nicholas Edward Williams. In a special guest episode on Southern Songs and Stories, hear Nicholas profile the legendary Bob Wills, the King of Western Swing.

Available on demand at the link below, and wherever you follow podcasts

https://www.southernsongsandstories.com/blog/2024/6/27/american-songcatcher-bob-wills

20/06/2024

The new podcast is out now! Check out my introduction to Nick Shoulders and the Okay Crawdad and Adeem the Artist from their time at MerleFest in April 2024 wherever you follow podcasts, as well as at southernsongsandstories.com

18/06/2024

In the first of two episodes from MerleFest in April 2024, WNCW’s Joe Kendrick highlights two artists making their debuts at the festival on Southern Songs and Stories, Nick Shoulders and the Okay Crawdad and Adeem the Artist

Following this episode are two artists who have made MerleFest a regular stop over its history — 24 and 26 times, respectively — Jim Lauderdale and Donna the Buffalo.

Hear the conversation and music from both Nick Shoulders and Adeem the Artist from Southern Songs and Stories along with hundreds more episodes on your podcast app of choice

18/06/2024

Interviewing Steve Earle today for WNCW and Southern Songs and Stories ahead of his show this Friday in Spindale at the Foundation Performing Arts & Conference Center

What would you talk about with Steve?

10/06/2024

It was a blast to welcome The Po' Ramblin' Boys on stage again, this time at last weekend's Cherry Bounce Festival, where they played favorites from their catalog as well as new songs from their forthcoming album. "Lonely Pine" was a highlight for sure!

This photo is one I took of C.J. Lewandowski at IBMA when I interviewed him for Southern Songs and Stories

Speaking of the podcast, coming up I have episodes on Nick Shoulders and the Okay Crawdad, Adeem the Artist, Jim Lauderdale and Donna the Buffalo, among others.

One of the artists I am looking forward to interviewing is Steve Earle, who comes to play at the Foundation at ICC on 6/21. What would you talk about with Steve Earle?

Also I have an idea for a theme to pursue in the podcast, that being people that talk too much and too loudly at live shows. After hearing about the disastrous scene at a recent Watchhouse show in Charlotte, this got me thinking that the phenomenon deserves attention. Not sure how I might take on the subject, but perhaps interviewing venue owners, promoters and others in the business might be the way to go. What do you think?

04/06/2024

Trombone shout bands are not well known to your typical music enthusiast -- probably not even your average gospel music fan -- but a major hub for this style of gospel music thrives in Charlotte, North Carolina

Check out this episode which features a brief history of this unique music as well as the unlikely story of how we came to discover it. Available at the link below as well as your favorite podcast app.

Hymns and gospel songs have flowed into, and very often, back out of out of every style of music with roots in the American South. From the music itself to its context in worship through choirs, instruments ranging from piano to organ to praise bands, and communal singing, the gospel tradition is, i

27/05/2024

Working through some of my concert videos to share on my YouTube, and here is the latest, from Sol Driven Train closing out their headlining set at Albino Skunk Music Festival

For their encore, Sol Driven Train went into full Metallica mode!

22/05/2024

Hear music and conversation from cosmic country pioneer Daniel Donato in the new podcast from Southern Songs and Stories.

Daniel talks in depth about his life’s work as a service to listeners, his ever-present muse, playing with Bob Weir of Grateful Dead fame, and perhaps surprisingly, having been an angry kid who was an avid wrestler and more.

Listen at southernsongsandstories.com and your favorite podcast app

17/05/2024

Happy to see this series bump up in the podcast rankings! Now #12 in best Southern podcasts according to Feedspot Blog Reader
https://podcasts.feedspot.com/southern_podcasts/?feedid=5642141

Also, get set for a new episode on Daniel Donato coming Tuesday May 21st!

Best Southern Podcasts to Listen to ⋅ 1. Southern Remedy ⋅ 2. The Southern Tea ⋅ 3. Southern Girl Crime Stories ⋅ 4. The Essential Southern Podcast ⋅ 5. Southern Appalachian Herbs

08/05/2024

Doing some homework on Margo Cilker for an interview at Albino Skunk Music Festival this Thursday. Getting very psyched!

What would you ask Margo?

01/05/2024

Mixing the music on WNCW today noon to three with an album spotlight on the latest by Little Feat for New Tunes at 2!