It’s hard to believe that Nashville’s SteelDrivers have been making their unique brand of hard-core string band music for nearly twenty years. They were the vehicle through which many of us were introduced to the epic voice of Chris Stapleton, back when he and Mike Henderson co-wrote that band’s high impact debut album of 2008. When Henderson and Stapleton had to move on, the band pulled its greatest trick, growing bigger and building a legacy that’s like nothing else in 21st century bluegrass. In Episode 324 of The String, Craig talks with original members Mike Fleming, bass player and baritone vocal, and Tammy Rogers, the fiddler and harmony singer who now leads the way with the band’s songwriting. We talk about the whole ride, up to the new album Outrun, out now on a revived Sun Records.
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Lance Cowan came to Nashville from his native Kentucky in the 1980s to build his career as a newspaper reporter, but he had the songwriting bug from the beginning. He made the scene at the Bluebird Café and made musical friendships. But with a family to raise, he wasn’t up for the sacrifices of the touring life. So he turned to music PR and he’s been one of the most trusted and easy-going pros in the roots music field for three decades. Now though, he’s turned back to music, releasing two albums in two years. Craig catches up with his old friend and colleague about his new direction. -
The story of how global banjo explorer Joe Troop (formerly of Che Apalache) met Venezuelan harpist and all-around folk music master Larry Bellorín is testimony to the magic of global culture and a cautionary tale about the stark turn US policy has taken against working asylum seekers this year. Over three years as the bilingual, genre-fusing, and multi-instrumental duo Larry & Joe, they’ve toured widely and made two albums together to great acclaim among folk music lovers. They’re one of the most charismatic and culture-crossing acts to come out of roots music in the past decade. Here in a special episode of The String, they tell their story in an interview that took place in Knoxville, TN in March. -
That. Was. Fantastic. WMOT’s experienced and passionate (and woman run) team pulled it all together, lined up great music, got a little lucky with the weather, and our people turned out for a truly exceptional Roots On The Rivers. All afternoon and evening on Saturday, the grounds of Two Rivers Mansion rang with authentic music that touched some core genres in the Americana universe - modern folk, rock and roll, bluegrass, newgrass, and the blues. Our members and fans turned out in record numbers. And the artists generously embraced our Roots Radio community with very nice words live on the air for WMOT between their scorchin’ songs.Photographer Kristen Drum was on the scene for us again, and here are some highlights of our day.
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. -
Listen to Jessie Scott as she sits down with William Prince for a Words & Music session. -
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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Susan Werner is this week's guest for 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. Werner performed "Halfway to Houston", "I Can't Be New", "What Did You Do to Your Face?". Plus, a behind-the-scenes interview with Jessie Scott. -
Mike Delevante joins us for another edition of Words & Music, where we invite artists to discuss and perform stripped-down versions of their latest projects. Mike and his all-star band performed "The Rain Never Came", "Too Far Gone", and "Good Cry" from his debut solo record, September Days. -
Hayes Carll (and his dog Winnie) join 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. Carll performed "You Get It All", "High", and "Beaumont", plus a behind-the-scenes interview. -
Darrell Scott 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 "Long Time Gone", "One Hand Upon the Wheel" and "Kentucky Morning", plus a behind-the-scenes interview with Jessie Scott about about releasing new music through his monthly "New Moon, New Music" series and his latest record The New Modern Hymns.
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