podcast

Basic Folk 62 – Jesse Dee

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Powered by RedCircle Jesse Dee is a painter and a singer who takes influence from classic soul and R&B. The eldest fo 5 children raised in Arlington, MA, just outside Boston, Jesse was obsessed with oldies on the radio from a young age. He turned to theatre as a teen and started writing songs and … Read more

Basic Folk 61 – Nora Jane Struthers Track by Track

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Powered by RedCircle Nora Jane Struthers is back! We go track by track on her new album Bright Lights, Long Drives, First Words! The record was recorded while she was 8 months pregnant after a long struggle with infertility (see Basic Folk episode 4 for the whole incredible story). This album addresses the dichotomy between realizing … Read more

Basic Folk 60 – Taylor Ashton

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Powered by RedCircle Taylor Ashton! Clawhammer banjo! Illustrations! Canada! He started his career in the alt-folk band Fish & Bird and has collaborated with musical friends like Courtney Hartmann (formerly of Della Mae). Taylor’s debut solo album, The Romantic, is out now and filled with sweet banjo grooves and emotional feelings. We talk about his growing … Read more

Basic Folk 59 – Kora Feder

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Powered by RedCircle Kora Feder came from a musical family. Her mother is the well regarded singer/songwriter, Rita Hosking. Growing up, she was surrounded by music, so it’s not a surprise that she naturally gravitated toward performing and singing with her musical mom and dad. Her vacations were spent going on tour around the west … Read more

Basic Folk 58 – Dave Godowsky

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Powered by RedCircle Business or performance? According to Dave Godowsky, you don’t have to choose, guys. As a professional music fan for nearly 3 decades, Dave has been an artist manager, A&R rep and several other kinds of music industry types. All the while, he’s weaved in and out the singer/songwriter/performer, for which he has … Read more

Basic Folk 57 – Leyla McCalla

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Powered by RedCircle I had a lot to talk about with Leyla McCalla! The New Orleans resident has already had an impressive career with her solo work, Carolina Chocolate Drops and Our Native Daughters. However, it seems like she’s just getting started. I literally had 9 pages of questions for her as we sat in … Read more

Basic Folk 56 – Elisapie

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Powered by RedCircle Montreal’s Elisapie was born in Salluit, Quebec into the Inuit community. She grew up in the a little arctic village in The North surrounded by the sad truth of what happened to the generations before her when while settlers forced the semi-nomadic Inuit people to settle into one area. Elisapie was born … Read more

Basic Folk 55 – Crys Matthews

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Powered by RedCircle Crys Matthews is the self-proclaimed “Poster Child for Intersectionality.” While she’ll say that with a smile, it’s actually true: she’s a black, lesbian, butch woman, formerly in an interracial marriage. Raised in North Carolina, her mother was a preacher, providing Crys with a rich backdrop of gospel music. She found music in … Read more

Basic Folk 54 – Amythyst Kiah

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Singer-songwriter Amythyst Kiah joins us this week. She can be heard along side Layla McCalla, Allison Russell and Rhiannon Giddens in the Grammy nominated project Songs of Our Native Daughters. Amythyst talks about growing up an independent worker in Mississippi and how music forced her into collaboration. She recounts how writing songs helped her through … Read more

Basic Folk 53 – Rachel Lynne LIVE at Club Passim

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Rachel Lynne, the highly emotive songwriter, joins us for a live episode at Club Passim! Lynne was born and raised in Georgia. She spent her young life obsessed with music, especially sad and lonesome country music. Her own music cannot be described as country, but it has a certain lonesome quality to it. If you’ve ever experienced any serious emotions, one listen to Rachel’s music and you’ll feel understood and extremely connected.

Rachel shares a few songs from her catalog and talks about growing up with music, dealing with anxiety and the fascinating story of how she got her guitar. Currently living in Denver, I first met Rachel in Pittsburgh where she wowed audiences and won hearts.

She has not released her full length record yet, but you can check out this set she performed at WYEP in Pittsburgh:

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