A few years ago, Colorado’s Tyler Grant was twanging an electric guitar and touring with his band Grant Farm. After the pandemic, he joined the world of river guiding and entertaining customers on trips through some of the West’s most beautiful and important canyons. Now Grant has circled back to the music that propelled him into the spotlight as guitar player in the Emmitt-Nershi Band - bluegrass guitar. His new album Flatpicker is a mix of instrumentals and songs, but they’re all about the places and stories of the western land he cherishes.
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Over a 15-year career that began in Boston’s jazz and old-time scene, Nashville-based Miss Tess has distinguished herself with a hybrid blend of contemporary songwriting and vintage, swinging Americana. On her newest, the widely traveled artist taps a long love affair with Cajun country in Louisiana, yet it’s her own blend rather than a traditional homage. Our conversation spans her upbringing in Maryland, her passion for early blues and jazz, her fascinating musical relationships and her annual immersion in the Blackpot festival in Lafayette, where she made the new Cher Rêve.
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As the new year dawned, the first emerging artist that started buzzing on our radar was a California native living in Nashville with an emotional country-noir debut album called Silver Rounds. She was Olivia Wolf, and now months later, her album has proven its staying power, with critical acclaim and a long run on the Americana chart. She’s no youngster, so our conversation dives into her background and her long, patient journey to fully committing herself as a songwriter/artist. That story includes coming of age at the Hardly Strictly Bluegrass festival and a tragic event in her life that inspired many of her best songs.
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Last year, the biggest-ever study of the health of Nashville music venues found a scene full of challenges. “Real estate and other costs are becoming increasingly expensive, making new venues hard to start,” it said. But you can’t keep a good Music City down, and recent months have seen several openings, conspicuously Skinny Dennis in East Nashville and The Pinnacle downtown, with more in the planning. Others have considered moving. With all the flux and rumors, we decided to take our own survey of the venues that feature roots music on a regular basis and that have a fresh story to tell.
LINER NOTES
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Jessie Scott sat down with Judy Collins for a special Words & Music session at WMOT's Riverside Revival studio in East Nashville.
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Listen to Jessie Scott as she sits down with William Prince for a Words & Music session.
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The gang from Fruition sat down with Jessie Scott for a special Words & Music set Monday, November 18th.
WMOT VIDEO: LIVE SESSIONS ON NPR MUSIC
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Randall Bramblett joins us for our 30A Songwriters Sessions series, where we invite artists to perform acoustic sets in a beach house turned studio near Santa Rosa Beach, Florida, during the 30A Songwriters Festival. Bramblett performed stripped-down versions of "I Don't Care", "Dead in the Water", and "Used to Rule the World". Watch the full performance and behind-the-scene interview here.
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Sierra Hull, Mike Farris, and Cristina Vane performed songs from their latest records to a packed house at Riverside Revival for WMOT's monthly Wired In concert series. Watch clips from their show here.
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Devon Allman is this week's guest for our 30A Songwriters Sessions, where we invite artists to perform acoustic sets in a beach house turned studio near Santa Rosa Beach, Florida during the 30A Songwriters Festival. He performed "White Horse", "You" and "Ride", plus a behind-the-scenes interview with Jessie Scott about the making of his latest record 'Miami Moon', and the philosophy behind his label Create Records.
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Liz Longley joins us for another 30A Songwriters Session, where we invite artists to perform acoustic sets in a beach house turned studio in Florida during the 30A Songwriters Festival. She performed "100x", "Start Again", and "Can't Get Enough" from her latest album 'New Life'. Watch the full set and behind-the-scenes interview here.
NPR Top Stories
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In a new memo, Attorney General Pam Bondi said the DOJ will allow for subpoenas, court orders and search warrants to get information and testimony from journalists.
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International students had filed dozens of lawsuits after the government removed them from a database crucial for maintaining their legal status.
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Shlissel challah is a special loaf baked the first sabbath after Passover. We trace the modern route by which the bread has spread beyond the ultra-orthodox world to everyday Jewish bakers.
Win a pair of tickets to The Lone Bellow at Ryman Auditorium on November 22, 2025
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