The String

Episode 213: Rarely do artists retire in their prime, but that’s what Texas songwriter Robert Earl Keen is doing. In January, he announced to the surprise of his many fans that he’d play 2022 into September and then wrap up his road career with a final show in Helotes TX, a favorite venue. He’s 66 years old and very much in fighting shape. But he’s got other things he wants to do. He’s planning to write songs, get more focused on his excellent podcast and pursue what he feels like. He’s not ruling out shows in the future, but he sounds pretty determined in the interview ahead not to return to a tour bus. Also, a visit with Kentucky indie roots rocker S.G. Goodman. 

Episode 212: Decades after it came out in 1979, you still regularly hear “Romeo’s Tune” by Steve Forbert over PAs in the grocery store or on oldies radio if that’s what you’re into. But don’t let that early hit define Forbert’s long, distinguished career. He’s an excellent and widely admired songwriter with more than 20 albums to his credit. He came by Craig’s home studio to talk about his mindset moving from his hometown Meridian, MS to New York in the 1970s, on up to his latest record, Moving Through America. Also in the hour, songwriter Michaela Anne on her lovely, reflective album Oh To Be That Free.

Episode 211: Not many instrumentalists have invented and spread a new technique, but Darol Anger has, and now the percussive bow and string practice called "the chop" is almost mandatory for rising bluegrass and even some classical players. This happened over a 40+ year career that's seen Anger contribute to the historic David Grisman Quintet, co-found the Turtle Island String Quartet, pursue a long-running duo with Mike Marshall and now lead a youthful quartet called Mr. Sun, which has a new album. Anger's influence is huge as a composer, player and teacher, and it was a treat to speak with him at his home in Nashville, where he's moved for the first time in his life. It puts him near many of his former students and proteges, including fiddle star Brittany Haas. I catch up with her for this look at Darol's career. 

Episode 210: Over the past ten years, Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors have become one of the most successful and beloved bands in Nashville, a kind of nice guy finishes first story in Music City. Thing is, the band is also huge in Knoxville, where he went to college and Memphis, where he grew up. And around the nation too. It's just hard to remember that local dude Drew is a roots and folk rock star, and as evidence of that, he's playing a two-night stand at the Ryman Auditorium to celebrate his 40th birthday. We talk about his years of struggle to gain momentum, the role of his wife Ellie in his life and band and about the music that came out of the pandemic, including a duo album with Ellie called Coming Home. Also, a catch up with old-time folk songwriter, banjo player and historian Jake Blount. 

Episode 209: The Po' Ramblin' Boys, probably the hottest young band in bluegrass, started as a house band at a distillery in East Tennessee, where they were able to hone their sound over years of daily performing. Balancing that polish with the raw and earthy sound of traditional bluegrass music has become a signature of the band, says founder C.J. Lewandowski in this wide-ranging conversation. Also here, the newest member, fiddler and powerful singer Laura Orshaw. Their celebrated new album Never Slow Down was released by America's oldest roots label, Smithsonian Folkways. 

Episode 208: Western North Carolina has a long history in roots music, but Amanda Anne Platt and the Honeycutters have been one of the defining sounds of the scene for the last decade or more, a no-frills, highly musical country band fronted by an exceptional singer and songwriter. On my recent trip to Asheville, I caught a Honeycutters show and then sat down with Amanda at her century-old home in Black Mountain, NC to talk about her guitar-building days, the evolution of her band and the new double album The Devil And The Deep Blue Sea. Also, part two of my visit with Asheville folk singer Valorie Miller. 

Episode 207: Monoflora, the fourth album from Asheville, NC quartet River Whyless speaks to the musical values that have made them  cult favorites since 2012 - complex harmonies, layered textures and worldly grooves. This conversation reveals an especially deep bond of friendship that's produced creative tensions and ultimately exceptionally enthralling music. Also in this NC field trip episode, part one of a chat with folk artists Valorie Miller. 

Episode 206: Growing up in Florida, Joshua Hedley got his heart set on playing the fiddle at age 3 and on moving to Nashville to play in honky tonks in his teens. For years he was a sideman whose obligations ended at the end of the night or the tour. Eventually, he was moved to write and sing his own music, and as soon as he did, some heavy supporters noticed, including Margo Price and the team at Third Man Records, which released his debut Mr. Jukebox in 2018. Now he's followed with the grand sounding Neon Blue, inspired by the vibes of 1990s country. This is a classic modern-day Nashville story. 

Episode 205: An influx of superb roots artists from Michigan to Nashville has been good for Music City, with Billy Strings, Lindsay Lou, even Jack White. Rather new to the city are The Accidentals, the highly-skilled and daring roots pop trio from Traverse City. Since emerging five years ago, they've toured like crazy and built a large and loyal fan base. They got on a pandemic co-writing tear with some of the greats, including Mary Gauthier and Tom Paxton. And they made their most ambitious and exceptional album yet with 2021's Vessel. I talk with multi-instrumentalists Sav Buist and Katie Larson about the journey from school orchestra as teens to this run of acclaimed, edgy folk music. 

Episode 204: In a great year for bluegrass, two projects stand out. One, from our featured guest, because he's the living patriarch of traditional bluegrass music. Del McCoury has earned every honor and award one can win in his field, and he's built historic bridges from American folk and roots to the realms of jam band rock and roll, thanks to his open heart and a blazing band that for more than 25 years has included his sons Ron and Rob. I sat with Del backstage at the Grand Ole Opry to talk about being in Bill Monroe's band in the 60s and his new recording Almost Proud. The other project covered here is a collection of lost instrumentals written by Bill Monroe himself but revived and recorded for the first time by mandolinist Mike Compton. The former founder of the Nashville Bluegrass Band tells us how he produced the unique project Rare & Fine: Uncommon Tunes of Bill Monroe.