Music Makers and Soul Shakers with Steve Dawson

This week on the show is the great mandolin player, singer and songwriter Sierra Hull. Sierra is a monster player, and while she’s still really young, she’s been making records of her own for over 15 years now. The latest one, called “25 Trips” came out right around the pandemic, so her touring was curtailed for a while, but she’s back at it now in full force, playing with her band and also with Cory Wong and  Bela Fleck, being a major part of Bela’s “My Bluegrass Heart” album and shows earlier this year. I was really interested in talking to her about that because I can’t imagine how crazy that must be to be sitting in a room full of your heros that you grew up listening to and learning from and suddenly they’re your peers and you’re right in the mix with all of them. In the bluegrass world, that project doesn’t get any heavier - Jerry Douglas, Bryan Sutton, Sam Bush, Chris Thile, Noam Pikelny, Stuart Duncan, Billy Strings, Molly Tuttle - they’re all involved, and it’s a great album. Sierra has made some great solo albums with Allison Krauss and Bela Fleck producing, and on the latest one, “25 Trips”, she’s co-producing with a killer engineer named Shani Gandhi. It’s definitely rooted in bluegrass, but steps out into some more experimental territory as well with some innovative sounds and production ideas. The crew on this album includes Justin Moses, Viktor Krauss, Bryan Sutton, Paul Franklin, Jano Rix and lots more. So we got to talk about how she approaches making music, and all about how she prepares as a side-person for some of the heavy gigs she’s involved in these days.Sierra is constantly out on tour and you can keep up with what she’s doing and where to see her at: sierrahull.comListen to the accompanying playlist for this episode here, which features the artist’s own music, plus many of the songs that were discussed during the show.This episode is brought to you by Izotope - check out their amazing recording software at: www.izotope.comThanks for your support, and your fearless host, Steve Dawson can be found at: www.stevedawson.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

My guest today is a killer steel guitarist who has been working out of Austin, TX for years - Rose Sinclair. We had this conversation over zoom a few months ago and I’m thrilled to be bringing it to you today. Rose put out an album recently called “Wave” that I sort of stumbled across and listened to it over and over again for weeks. There was just something that really spoke to me in her tone and phrasing and the way she approached playing the tunes on the album, which are mostly swing and jazz standards. She refers to her current music as cocktail swing, which I can get with. She plays a double neck steel with no pedals, no effects, not even a volume pedal and she has just really forged a cool style of her own and a modern voice on the instrument. Rose started out as a multi-instrumentalist, playing bass, guitar, banjo and even accordion in bands around Massachussets, where she’s from. She eventually got into the steel, as you’ll hear in our conversation, and that led to her moving to Austin to immersive herself in western swing music. Another really fascinating element to Rose’s career is that she dug deep into the roots of the style and tracked down some of the original generation of steel players and studied with them. Players like Maurice Anderson, PeeWee Whitewing and Herb Steiner, so we got to talk about her experiences with some of those players, too.Rose is actively making records, and also has a weekly gig at Sam’s Town Point in Austin. So please check out her beautiful record Wave, and you can find out about her new projects and any touring at rosesinclairmusic.comListen to the accompanying playlist for this episode here, which features the artist’s own music, plus many of the songs that were discussed during the show.This episode is brought to you by Izotope - check out their amazing recording software at: www.izotope.comThanks for your support, and your fearless host, Steve Dawson can be found at: www.stevedawson.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

The great Hawaiian slack-key guitarist, George Kahumoku Jr. is on the show this week! George has been playing around the Hawaiian islands for decades, but came to prominence in the 80’s and 90’s when Dancing Cat records started putting out records by the foremost traditional slack-key players. George was one of the main ones, but we were alo introduced to his brother Moses, Sonny Chillngworth, Keola Beamer, Ledward Ka’apana, Barney Isacs, Cyril Pahanui, and quite a few more. George is one of the greats of the fingerstyle slack-key genre - he grooves, he has an amazing voice, he plays almost exclusively on a 12-string and he has his own F-tuning that suits the style so well. The first part of this interview includes some really interesting Hawaiian history that was mostly news to me, so I hope you enjoy that! George is very active still and plays a weekly show on Maui called Masters of Hawaiian Music. He is also a multiple Grammy award winner, not to mention a celebrated farmer. His latest album is called Rennaisance Man, and he’s also going on tour this fall around the western states. You can get all of that info at kahumoku.comListen to the accompanying playlist for this episode here, which features the artist’s own music, plus many of the songs that were discussed during the show.This episode is brought to you by Izotope - check out their amazing recording software at: www.izotope.comThanks for your support, and your fearless host, Steve Dawson can be found at: www.stevedawson.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Hey everyone, welcome back! My guest today is an incredible drummer who lives and works here in Nashville, Fred Eltringham. Fred one of my favourite drummers around town and has held down the drum chair in Sheryl Crow’s band for the last 10 years or so. I’ve had a chance to see them in action a few times and they are really special. Fred keeps pretty busy here in Nashville when he’s not out with Sheryl Crow - he’s played on records or on stage with folks like Billy Gibbons, Emmylou Harris, Lucinda Williams, Willie Nelson, Darius Rucker, Kenney Chesney, Rodney Crowell, Kacey Musgraves - the dude has stacked up some serious credits! I love to talk to folks like this on the show - maybe slightly under the radar players who are super talented and just learn about their paths to get where they are now. Fred is pretty invisible on socila media, but he has a website where he posts a few things and his dates with Sheryl Crow are up there if you’re ever able to go see him. That’s at www.fredeltringhamdrummer.comListen to the accompanying playlist for this episode here, which features the artist’s own music, plus many of the songs that were discussed during the show.This episode is brought to you by Izotope - check out their amazing recording software at: www.izotope.comThanks for your support, and your fearless host, Steve Dawson can be found at: www.stevedawson.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

This week on the show is an incredible singer, songwriter and musician - Amy Helm. Amy has a sublime feel for music, and a really interesting story too. She grew up in New York, partly in the city and I think at various times with her dad in Woodstock - her dad, of course, being legendary Band drummer and singer, Levon Helm. She was around Levon’s barn an awful lot and has seen that place go from its humble beginnings to a mecca for roots music, hosting some of the greatest live shows of the early 2000’s onwards, known as the Midnight Ramble. Amy started a killer band in the early 2000’s called Ollabelle, and they did alot of touring and recording, and made some great records too. When Levon got really sick with cancer in the early 2000’s, Amy worked with him as he regained his speaking and eventually singing voice and she ended up producing the incredible Dirt Farmer album with Larry Campbell. Amy has put out 3 records under her own name, the most recent one we got to talk about quite a bit, and it’s called “What The Flood Leaves Behind”. It’s a masterful album, and she just keeps getting better. We talked about her recording and writing process and just had a great ol’ conversation. Enjoy, share and please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!Listen to the accompanying playlist for this episode here, which features the artist’s own music, plus many of the songs that were discussed during the show.Info on Amy’s records, merch and tour dates can be found at www.amyhelm.comThis episode is brought to you by Izotope - check out their amazing recording software at: www.izotope.comThanks for your support, and your fearless host, Steve Dawson can be found at: www.stevedawson.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Today I’m bringing you a conversation with one of the most recorded pedals steel players in modern times - Russ Pahl. Russ has played on all the great T-Bone Burnett records of the past bunch of years, and has also recorded for the likes of Sturgill Simpson, Carrie Underwood, Dierks Bentley, Norah Jones, Blake Shelton, Orville Peck, Marcus King, Ceelo Green, Yola, Jim Lauderdale, Buddy Miller, and the list goes on. From his early days cutting his teeth in country bands around Minneapolis, to moving to Nashville in the 80’s, he has managed to hone his craft and develop a unique sound. He scored a cool gig with Dickey Betts in the late 80’s, and then Buddy Miller started calling him for his productions, and Vince Gill had him in his live band for about 5 years. It seems that after about 2000, the floodgates just opened and when someone wanted a steel player that didn’t play the same licks as everyone else and had a creative approach, Russ was the one to call. We had a great conversation and get into all that stuff, and more. Enjoy, share and please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!Listen to the accompanying playlist for this episode here, which features the artist’s own music, plus many of the songs that were discussed during the show.This episode is brought to you by Izotope - check out their amazing recording software at: www.izotope.comThanks for your support, and your fearless host, Steve Dawson can be found at: www.stevedawson.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Welcome back, music nerds! My guest this week is Tristen, an incredible songwriter and performer from right here in Nashville. She released one of my favorite albums during the pandemic called “Aquatic Flowers” and I was excited to get a chance to meet with her to talk about the making of that album, as well as how she approaches songwriting, lyrics, and how melodies flow so easily for her. She has a unique style that seems so effortless, but the way she can craft a melody and instrumental parts is downright remarkable. I also wanted to discuss the pitfalls of being an indie artist in Nashville, and how she juggles her songwriting and performing career with her other business, which is a groovy vintage clothing store here in East Nashville called Anaconda Vintage. We had a great conversation and I think you’ll enjoy hearing about her life and career. Enjoy, share and please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!Listen to the accompanying playlist for this episode here, which features the artist’s own music, plus many of the songs that were discussed during the show.Info on Tristen’s records, merch and tour dates can be found at www.tristen.comThis episode is brought to you by Izotope - check out their amazing recording software at: www.izotope.comThanks for your support, and your fearless host, Steve Dawson can be found at: www.stevedawson.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You can support the show with monthly contributions through our Patreon site at: https://www.patreon.com/MakersAndShakersWelcome back, music nerds! My guest this week is the phenomenal guitarist, producer and sideman, Duke Robillard. Duke is a fountain of knowldege about blues, swing, jump and R&B and has been touring and recording in those fields since the early 70’s. His early successes with his band Roomful of Blues gained him noteriety as a guitarist who had processed all of the classic styles and players of those genres but had his own remarkable voice. Duke has gone on to make a boatload of solo albums, and tours with his band all over the world. Duke has also produced lots of records for other artists and played as a sideman to many as well, including a stint in Bob Dylan’s band, and was a part of the sessions for the classic Time Out Of Mind album. We get into all of it here today, as well as some of his greatest influences and early experiences learning to play. Enjoy, share and please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!Listen to the accompanying playlist for this episode here, which features the artist’s own music, plus many of the songs that were discussed during the show.Info on Duke’s records, merch and tour dates can be found at www.dukerobillard.comThis episode is brought to you by Izotope - check out their amazing recording software at: www.izotope.comThanks for your support, and your fearless host, Steve Dawson can be found at: www.stevedawson.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You can support the show with monthly contributions through our Patreon site at: https://www.patreon.com/MakersAndShakersWelcome back to Season 6! This week I’m joined by the amazing songwriter, singer, and guitarist Aoife O’Donovan. We get into all kinds of things about her spectacular new record “Age of Apathy” - how she approached songwriting and layering guitar parts, working with producer Joe Henry and remotely with musicians during the pandemic. We also talked about her history recording with Tucker Martine, and her other group I’m With Her. Whether performing solo, part of a collaboration with the likes of Chris Thile, Jerry Douglas, or I’m With Her, to her earlier band Crooked Still, Aoife has always pushed the boundaries of melody and song framework, and her voice is always spectacular. Enjoy, share and please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!Listen to the accompanying playlist for this episode here, which features the artist’s own music, plus many of the songs that were discussed during the show.Info on Aoife’s records, merch and tour dates can be found at www.aoifeodonovan.comThis episode is brought to you by Izotope - check out their amazing recording software at www.izotope.comYour fearless host, Steve Dawson can be found at: www.stevedawson.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

You can support the show with monthly contributions through our Patreon site at: https://www.patreon.com/MakersAndShakersIt’s our first show of Season 6 and we're thrilled to bring you this interview with the incredibly unique singer/songwriter, guitarist and all-around hilarious fellow, Steve Poltz. Steve just put out a new record called “Stardust and Satellites” that I love, and we got into that a bit before going on massive tangents about everything under the sun - Chet Atkins, words of wisdom from Roger Miller, getting into sticky situations with Sean Penn, touring til you drop, songwriting, how to overcome stage fright, and everything in between. Then we played a Christmas song together. And it was all a total riot. Enjoy, share and please subscribe wherever you get your podcasts!The accompanying playlist for this episode, which features the artist’s own music, plus many of the songs that were discussed during the show can be found at:https://open.spotify.com/playlist/76uyIoB89Z84nc3PzzsdsQ?si=113ad27170414fccInfo on Steve Poltz’s records, merch and tour dates can be found at: https://poltz.comThis episode is brought to you by Izotope - check out their amazing recording software at https://www.izotope.com/en/lp/soulpod.htmlYour fearless host, Steve Dawson can be found at: https://www.stevedawson.ca Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.