Cindy Howes Dawn Landes is a woman who knows her way around a recording studio AND a rowboat. Before becoming a fulltime performer/songwriter Dawn worked as a sound engineer for many years. After studying for a bit at NYU she left school to pursue an internship at Phillip Glass’ studio. It was at Phillip Glass’ studio she … Read more
On Basic Folk this week I sit down with Mark Erelli, a singer-songwriter out of the New England area. Growing up Erelli did a little of everything: tennis, musicals, science, and then… he found rock music. This was all thanks to his high school science teacher who would play bootleg Grateful Dead tapes during exams. … Read more
I feel very grateful to have Kaia Kater on Basic Folk! Her willingness to talk so openly about the whiteness of folk music had me in awe. I learned a lot about her experience in the world as a biracial person. This is one not to miss. You might say Grenadian-Canadian, clawhammer banjo player and … Read more
Nora Jane Struthers started in bluegrass, but has leaned towards Americana and rock and roll in the past decade. She’s also got an incredible life story that includes overcoming dyslexia, infertility and falling in love with her bandmate. She plays and records as Nora Jane Struthers and The Party Line. Originally a high school English … Read more
Anna Tivel is my guest this week. Tivel is known for her character songs that portray the beauty and pain in everyday individuals. Born in a small farming town in Skagit Valley, Washington, Anna came to songwriting as a recent college grad waiting tables in downtown Portland. Her first song, she reports, was about “whales … Read more
In this week’s episode, I sit down (and basically LOL the entire time) with one-man-band Matt Lorenz of The Suitcase Junket. Originally from a small town in rural Vermont, Lorenz’s first instrument was a free, second-hand piano the family had gotten from a posting on a bulletin board. As his musical career continued so did … Read more
In the inaugural episode of Basic Folk (!), I talk with Brooklyn-based singer-songwriter Ana Egge. Dubbed the “Nina Simone of Folk Music,” Ana and I sit down to discuss her early influences growing up on a commune in rural New Mexico, crafting her own guitar at the age of 15 and writing herself into understanding. … Read more
Meet the host Cindy Howes! I love folk music and interviewing people. I have over 20 years experience in broadcasting and being super obsessed with music. This episode introduces myself and the intention of Basic Folk: “Conversations with authentic Americana, singer-songwriters and roots musicians that fly under the radar.” The intention is to foster this … Read more
I have been a guest on a couple if podcasts recently (aka in 2018): The Sewers of Paris (where I spilled my guts to my good friend Matthew Baume) and also Petticoat Rule, where I got to talk super confidently about my industry (RAH-DEO) to Erika Laing and Tara Molesworth. It felt awesome to be able to … Read more