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Basic Folk is a podcast with honest conversations between musicians and Cindy Howes, a well-versed public radio host and music curator, and guest host: singer/songwriter Lizzie No. Basic Folk approaches interviews with warmth, humor and insightful questions. This podcast fosters the folk community and showcases a genre that is often misunderstood. Basic Folk features complex conversations about the human experience witnessed from an artistic angle. Our definition of “folk” is extremely broad ...
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Feel Better, Move Better, Live Better
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Feel Better, Move Better, Live Better
Live Better, Feel Better, Live Better
Brandon Poen (Doctor of Physical Therapy) along with local physical therapists and other healthcare providers in the South Hill, VA region discuss key, relevant, & actionable information regarding a vast variety of topics including pain, movement, exercise, and so many more. Various other healthcare providers will be discussing other medical avenues of health to help the general population feel, move, and ultimately live better.
Brett Dennen is a songwriter, painter and summer camp enthusiast. His camp experience was instrumental in developing his musicality. He attended Camp Jack Hazard in the Sierra Nevada Mountains where young Brett was enamored with the music his camp counselors would play on guitar around the campfire. He was introduced to Paul Simon, Neil Young, Joni…
Nickel Creek, the bluegrass trio who's been in existence for almost 35 years, returns with their first original release in nine years. It's brainy, it's theatrical, its twists and turns are not predictable from its authors, who have entered mid-life. To that point, there is lots of middle on this album. The middle's not the most exciting or thrilli…
Adeem the Artist has gained a slew of new fans in the past year with their new album, ‘White Trash Revelry,’ but they are anything but an overnight success. Their journey to singer-songwriter acclaim began in middle school, when they moved from the Carolinas to New York State. Finding themself a southerner in the north, they found out that being fr…
Welcome to Folk Debate Club, our occasional crossover series with fellow folk-pod Why We Write! Today, to discuss Lyrics vs Melody, we welcome our panel of guests: music journalist and former singer/songwriter, Kim Ruehl, Isa Burke (Lula Wiles, Aoife O’Donovan), musician and Basic Folk guest host lizzie no, and yours truly, Cindy Howes, boss of Bas…
Sam Phillips was born to a family that loved doling out nicknames. She was called “Sam” growing up in a house that was filled with readers. She nurtured her love of philosophy and spirituality by exploring different religions and devouring works by authors like C.S. Lewis and Thomas Merton. Early in her career, she found success as a Christian musi…
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Basic Folk
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Anna Tivel & Jeffrey Martin, ep. 201
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Fun times with our favorite non-duo duo Anna Tivel and Jeffrey Martin. The pair met in the early 2010's in Portland, bonded over songwriting and have been together ever since. They got together at a time when they were both learning how to tour and they were able to figure it all out as a pair. And yes, they have toured and do tour together and hav…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ WHOA! SistaStrings is the real life sister duo of Monique (cello) and Chauntee (violin) Ross. Currently tearing it up on the road with Brandi Carlile and Allison Russell, The Ross sister’s musical roots began with their intense classical training, family gatherings and in chur…
Growing up in the Berkshires, Massachusetts-born Eliza Edens grew up in a family with strong musical roots. Getting her first guitar at 16, she was moved to write songs as her chosen form of expression. After some time in Philly, Eliza took on New York, choosing Brooklyn as her home base. There she found community and began to thrive creatively, es…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Mark Erelli is slowly going blind. In August 2020, he noticed he couldn’t see his fingers during a show. After that, as he was driving in a tunnel everything went black. Mark went to the doctor and was diagnosed with retinitis pigmentosa, or RP. Since then, his life has change…
Originally from a small town: Gause, Texas, Ruthie Foster came from a family of gospel singers. Singing gospel music acted as a prime method of communication in her life strongly enough that it ended up being her career. Along the way, Ruthie studied audio engineering in college, which ended up giving her invaluable knowledge to support her artisti…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ By the mid-2010’s Canadian rock legend Tom Wilson’s life was already pretty epic: he had perfected his blue collar roots rock sound in his bands Blackie and The Rodeo Kings and his seminal 90’s outfit Junkhouse. He was a home-grown rock and roller with humble Hamilton, Ontario…
*No Copy Available Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brandsBy The Bluegrass Situation
Courtney Marie Andrews seems anciently wise in general, but on her new album Loose Future, she's particularly tapped in to some cosmic intelligence. Growing up, CMA spent a lot of time alone, so we naturally start our conversation there. People have been isolated in the last few years, which can be sad and scary, but also offer certain gifts. Court…
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Basic Folk
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Zach Williams of The Lone Bellow, ep. 193
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50:25
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Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ The latest from Nashville-based, New York-bred and Georgia-born trio The Lone Bellow, Love Songs for Losers, was recorded at Roy Orbison’s creepy former house in Hendersonville, TN. The house’s vibe bled its way into the vibe of the album, which was co-produced by band members…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ *** Lizzie No interviews John Calvin Abney... A lot of people like to claim the title “Hardest Working Person In Music” but John Calvin Abney might take the crown from them all. John has made a name for himself as a shit-hot guitar player, accompanying John Moreland, Samantha …
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Known as one of the foremost fiddlers of her generation, Lissa Schneckenburger's latest release is a huge left turn for the Vermont resident. Thunder in My Arms is unique because Lissa is not only singing her own compositions, but the subject matter is hugely personal. The alb…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Upright bassist, singer and songwriter Melissa Carper has been playing in bands since she took up the position of bass in her family band at the age of 12. She grew up with a reverence for country music in her small town Nebraska family. The original Carper Family band toured …
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Basic Folk
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Patrick Haggerty of Lavender Country, ep. 189
1:10:03
1:10:03
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Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ A note before we begin: our guest on this episode, Patrick Haggerty of Lavender country passed away on October 31 at the age of 78 several weeks after he’d had a stroke. This episode was produced before his death. We are grateful to be able to share this conversation with Patr…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Lizzie No talks to Ondara When Ondara was a little boy growing up in Nairobi, Kenya, music was both everywhere and just out of reach. He walked around the market listening to vendors playing music from stereos, stopping to listen when he heard something that caught his attenti…
Lizzie No talks to Mali Obomsawin Y’all ready for a crossover? Basic Folk listeners will remember Mali Obomsawin from their work as a bassist, singer, and songwriter with folk trio Lula Wiles, but today we are celebrating Mali’s debut as a jazz bandleader/composer. Mali’s new album, ‘Sweet Tooth,’ was inspired by field recordings of elders from Mal…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Originally from Charlottesville, Virginia, Caroline Spence came from this cool family that always seemed to be messing around with music: listening and playing music. She’s recently been discovering and sharing home movies from when she was a kid: scooting around in diapers on…
When Will Sheff was a baby, he had a life-threatening illness that required him to have a tracheotomy. From that moment, he was always aware of being fragile and somewhat out of place in his body. He never quite fit in in the New England prep school culture he grew up in. His childhood was full of magic, however. He spent a lot of time in the woods…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Lizzie No interviews Caleb Caudle on Basic Folk! Caleb Caudle has lived a lot of his life on the road. His father was a truck driver and Caleb learned early on that making a living often meant long days away from home. The North Carolina-born Caudle started out in a rock band …
Fiddler Brittany Haas has an impressive resume: she started touring at 14 with Darol Anger, recorded her debut album at 17, started performing with Crooked Still before she finished college and has played on Chris Thile’s radio program Live From Here and done stints in David Rawlings and Gillian Welch’s David Rawlings Machine. Currently, she’s teac…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Amy Ray is best known for being one half of Indigo Girls with Emily Sailers, a band that’s been going strong since the late 80’s. She’s also known for her activism and love for all types of music. On her latest solo album, If It All Goes South, Amy’s bringing us songs of comfo…
Lizzie No interviews Ken Yates! Ken Yates grew up in the college town of London, Ontario and he is truly Canada’s Next Top Model, by which I mean he is wonderfully talented, disarmingly nice, and from Canada, obviously. Ken is a Berklee College of Music graduate, and I took the opportunity to talk with him about that experience. Why would somebody …
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Kyshona is an artist with a literal mission statement: “To be a voice and a vessel for those who feel lost, forgotten, silenced and are hurting.” She’s found that having this tool at her disposal gives her work meaning, especially on those nights when she’s felt like she hasn’…
Lauren Balthrop's Mobile, AL upbringing saw her soaking in the music of The Andrews Sisters, Steve Sondheim, R.E.M., Elliott Smith and Neil Young. As a child, she was involved in activities that varied from sports, to drama, to music and beyond. She never really settled on a passion, until she found acting and theatre. She pursued that dream from f…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Lizzie No interviews Molly Tuttle on Basic Folk! Growing up in Palo Alto. California, Molly Tuttle was surrounded by music. Her dad was a teacher at Gryphon Stringed instruments, which is not-so-coincidentally where I got the pickups installed on my mini harp. Molly took to th…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Milwaukee-born Peter Mulvey has, along with classical duo SistaStrings, made an anti-fascist record. According to Peter, “to make an anti - fascist record, you must keep kindness and compassion in the foreground.” Love is the Only Thing goes from family, to politics, to family…
Editor’s note: Lizzie No interviews Adia Victoria on Basic Folk! Be sure to go back and listen to Lizzie’s previous guest host spots on the pod and subscribe, so you never miss Lizzie! For Adia Victoria, the blues are not just a genre of music or a set of formal elements. She lives the blues. In her life and work the blues are a mode of creating, a…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ I have been wanting to talk to Scotland-born fiddler and current New Yorker, Hannah Read on the pod, for longer than Basic Folk has existed. I met her at the very fun camp, Miles of Music in New Hampshire. We laughed our faces off all week and I was truly blown out of the wate…
We go track by track on Canadian-born New Zealand feminist trouble maker and country music superstar, Tami Neilson’s 5th album, Kingmaker. Recorded at Neil Finn’s Roundhead Studios, the songs of Kingmaker expose industry systems, exploding patriarchal structures of the industry, society, and family. It’s definitely not new territory for Tami, her p…
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Basic Folk
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Backstage Preview: Willi Carlisle on Field Music
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This preview of Backstage (Basic Folk's bonus episodes) features Willi Carlisle (who was on BF episode 171 this past week), talking about learning the traditional song "The Riddle Song (I Gave My Love a Cherry)". Check out the full episode and a performance from Willi, by contributing to Basic Folk. Links below! Hear Field Music with Willi in it's …
It's hard to not fall a little in love with Willi Carlisle. The former high school football captain is irresistible on stage and on record. He grew up an outsider and the feeling remains in his adult life. In writing about his intense life, he's found an outlet and in his music we, the others, feel seen. His history is filled with complex experienc…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Editor’s note: Lizzie No interviews Leon Timbo on Basic Folk! Be sure to go back and listen to Lizzie’s previous guest host spots on the pod and subscribe, so you never miss Lizzie! When Leon Timbo was a teenager, he prayed for a singing voice. As a young poet and the child of…
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Basic Folk
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Backstage Preview: Dietrich Strause Friend Hang
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This preview of Backstage (Basic Folk's bonus episodes) features Dietrich Strause. Dietrich, who just appeared in our main feed (ep. 171), hangs with Cindy and Lizzie: talking about music at weddings, what it's like to play a wedding and the main difference between Baz Luhrmann and Tchaikovsky Hear the entire Friend Hang with Dietrich: http://basic…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Dietrich Strause, raised in Lancaster, PA, was classically trained on trumpet growing up, but the allure of songwriting and performing his own music pulled him into the Americana world. He found his way to the Boston area and into the super collaborative and supportive communi…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Edie Carey's last solo full length album was in 2010 (holy smokes!), so we are more than ready to dig into her new record The Veil, encompassing themes like motherhood, infertility, love, being a lady while raising a girl and all the things that make you cry in your cereal. Ed…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Editor’s note: Lizzie No interviews Cristina Vane on Basic Folk! Be sure to go back and listen to Lizzie’s previous guest host spots on the pod and subscribe, so you never miss Lizzie! Blues musician Cristina Vane has lived many lives. She grew up in Europe listening to an ecl…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Former Grant Lee Buffalo frontman, Grant-Lee Phillips' latest solo album, All That You Can Dream, is -quite- dreamy. During the pandemic, Grant's been contemplating many things and figuring out how to spend his time away from the road. One interest he's been cultivating is pai…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Editor’s note: Lizzie No interviews S.G. Goodman on Basic Folk! Be sure to go back and listen to Lizzie’s previous guest host spots on the pod and subscribe, so you never miss Lizzie! S.G. Goodman’s Kentucky upbringing is front and center in a lot of her songwriting. She is an…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Richard Thompson's memoir, Beeswing: Losing My Way and Finding My Voice 1967 - 1975 (now out in paperback) is a page-turner of a read about a legend at the dawn of British folk rock. Thompson details his early days with Fairport Convention, one of the most influential folk ban…
John Doe's career has gone from poetry to punk to country to acting to punk to folk and back again several times. Frontman for the extremely influential LA punk band X, John was there at the dawn of West Coast punk and has written about it (twice) in his books Under the Big Black Sun and More Fun in the New World. He actually sourced out most of th…
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Basic Folk
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Backstage Preview: Song Premiere – "Animal" by Jean Rohe
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This preview of Backstage (Basic Folk's bonus episodes) features the premiere of a new song from Jean Rohe (also of the duo Robinson & Rohe) called "Animal," which tells of her experience with abortion. After the song, I'm joined by Jean and Abby Minor, board member at Abortion Conversation Projects. Check out the full episode by contributing to Ba…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Steve Forbert is not a dramatic person. His stories are fairly straight forward even though he's lived a pretty incredible life, which began in Meridian, MS as a young musician. In the hometown of Jimmie Rodgers, Steve found a great guitar teacher in Virginia Shine Harvey, who…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Fiddler and singer/songwriter Lily Henley's latest album, Oras Dezaoradas, is a full-on celebration of her Sephardic Jewish Heritage. The lineage of Sephardic people can be traced back to the Iberian Jews expelled from Spain and Portugal in 1492. For Jewish people, there are m…
Grace Givertz, born and raised in South Florida, began writing and performing at age eleven when she got a guitar and learned to play off YouTube videos. Grace is a survivor in many ways: she manages and confronts several chronic illnesses, she survived having her Berklee scholarship rescinded due to a systematic error and lived through being struc…
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at https://basicfolk.com/donate/ LA-based singer/songwriter Amy Correia will tell you that she is not a prolific writer, which… okay maybe she doesn’t write a million songs in one year, but holy crap, those songs and that voice will wallop you. Originally from Lakeville, Massachusetts, Amy’s musical roots lay…
Editor’s note: Basic Folk is pleased to introduce our listeners to one of our favorite podcasts by sharing an episode in our feed! Why We Write features conversations between folk music reporter Kim Ruehl and a hand-picked array of great songwriters, presented by Folk Alley. So much goes into a song—the songwriter’s intimate life, their upbringing,…
