The Music And Culture Episode, Part Two

We wrap up our two part series on Southern music and culture with a focus on notable artists from the last half century, including icons like Doc Watson and more recent bands like Southern Culture On The Skids. Our guests from episode one are all here: Laura Boosinger, Daniel Coston, Ty Gilpin, Kim Ruehl, Stu Vincent and Garret Woodward, with conversations about Southern hospitality, how it can be sheik to be from the South nowadays, as well as the darker side of culture and history in the region. We also welcome writer and editor Fred Mills as well as Kruger Brothers banjo player Jens Kruger to this podcast, which features music from the likes of Pete Fountain, Doc Watson, Tom Petty, Laura Boosinger, R.L. Burnside, and many more.

Doc Watson, photographed in December 2010 by one of our guests on the show, Daniel Coston.

Doc Watson, photographed in December 2010 by one of our guests on the show, Daniel Coston.

Thanks to our supporters on Patreon, to Dynamite Roasting, and to Bluegrass Planet Radio for carrying our series. Please spread awareness about this independent endeavor and consider helping us by subscribing and commenting on our show, and by becoming a supporter. It's easy to do, either with a one-time donation via the blue "Tip Jar" button on our site's front page, or by chipping in monthly on our Patreon page, which offers a lot of great bonus material. Thanks for listening, and we hope you enjoy the show!

The Music and Culture Episode, part one

It's a question which is at the heart of everything we do on Southern Songs and Stories, and we always pose it to artists and bands: How does your music speak to the South, and how does the South reflect itself in your music? It can go as broadly as a 'who are we and how did we get here?' exercise in philosophy and history, on down to the more anecdotal and local 'what foods do you miss the most when you're touring far away?' variety of queries.

A map of the Southern Section of the United States including Florida from 1816. They didn't want to count Florida all that much it seems.

A map of the Southern Section of the United States including Florida from 1816. They didn't want to count Florida all that much it seems.

With our latest podcast, we break from the deep dives into artists and bands that we have been doing for the last several episodes to pose this question to some of our favorite music professionals: Laura Boosinger, Daniel Coston, Ty Gilpin, Kim Ruehl, Stu Vincent and Garret Woodward. Their answers are thought provoking, and reveal a good bit of the unique nature of Southern music and culture, highlighting how it evolved and continues to change and expand into the larger world. 

This is part one of a two part episode, where we focus on origins and feature more of the roots end of the Southern music spectrum. Part two will continue forward in time and touch on the grittier side of the Southland as well as how music acts as a unifying element, and look at where these intersections of culture and music have been in the more recent era as well as where they may be in the near future.

Thanks to our sponsors, Dynamite Roasting, and our supporters on Patreon. Please spread awareness about this podcast and consider helping us by subscribing and commenting on our show, and by becoming a supporter, either with a one-time donation via the blue "Tip Jar" button on our site's front page, or by chipping in monthly on our Patreon page. Thanks for listening and we hope you enjoy the show!

 

You Don't Have To Say So Much: The David Childers Story

David Childers laid out his approach to songwriting by saying that, for him, less is more: you don't have to say so much. There can be great depth in the straightforward. What seems simple at first reveals, upon reflection, a wealth of meaning. This applies to David the man as well, I believe. He is, as producer Don Dixon said, "deceivingly sophisticated".

(L to R) Dale Shoemaker and David Childers in concert

(L to R) Dale Shoemaker and David Childers in concert

In this episode, we explore the world of North Carolina singer songwriter, painter and former lawyer David Childers, showcasing his music and some of his influences, along with interviews of David, son Robert, label head Dolph Ramseur, producer Don Dixon, Avett Brother bassist Bob Crawford, and writer, musician and WNCW radio host Carol Rifkin.

This episode is sponsored by Dynamite Roasting, organic and fair trade coffee, by Ramseur Records,  and we’re sponsored by you when you support Southern Songs and Stories on our Patreon page, or directly on our website, with links to both in the right column on this page. We’re glad you’re with us, and hope you may support the music of David Childers and other artists you enjoy hearing here, and can spread awareness of their work as well as ours at Southern Songs and Stories.

On Deck: The David Childers Story

Our next podcast episode focuses on NC singer songwriter David Childers, and it will feature Ramseur Records founder (and Avett Brothers manager) Dolph Ramseur and famed producer and music artist Don Dixon, among others. 

Here's a video filmed at David's house in Mt. Holly, NC, of the song "Greasy Dollar" which is on his new album Run Skeleton Run. David will be playing at the Purple Onion Cafe in Saluda NC on Sunday, November 19th, and has a show at the New Belgium Brewery in Asheville NC on Friday, January 12th. Stay tuned!

The Jon Stickley Trio Podcast

In this episode we dive deep into the conversation and live music of the Jon Stickley Trio that we recorded at the Spring Skunk Music Festival earlier this year, which was excerpted in the video released earlier with Grae Skye Studio. This podcast also features former bandmates of the trio, with Robert Greer of Town Mountain, Brett Johnson, formerly of Atmosphere, Mike Ashworth, now with Steep Canyon Rangers, and Galen Kipar all reflecting on their time playing with Jon, Patrick and Lyndsay. We also highlight some of the music of all of those artists as we go.

(L to R) Lyndsay Pruett, Jon Stickley and Patrick Armitage

(L to R) Lyndsay Pruett, Jon Stickley and Patrick Armitage

This episode is sponsored by Dynamite Roasting, organic and fair trade coffee, and we’re sponsored by you when you support Southern Songs and Stories on our Patreon page, or directly on our website, with links to both in the right column on this page. We’re glad you’re with us, and hope you may support the music of the Jon Stickley Trio and other artists you enjoy hearing here, and can spread awareness of their work as well as ours at Southern Songs and Stories.

A Day On The Farm With The Jon Stickley Trio

Guitarist Jon Stickley, violin player Lindsay Pruett and drummer Patrick Armitage played two rousing sets at the SpringSkunk Music Festival, and took time to talk with Joe Kendrick and Aaron Morrell about everything from their favorite instrumental bands, the making of their latest record, Maybe Believe, how "Smells Like Teen Spirit" has found its way into their take on "Blackberry Blossom", their memories of Skunk Fests past and much more.

Set list for the afternoon performance

Set list for the afternoon performance

We hope you enjoy the video and will consider supporting the band, Skunk Fest and Southern Songs and Stories by watching, spreading awareness and supporting our endeavors. All of us involved in this project could never have done this without each other, and we hope you will join in too!

The Jon Stickley Trio at SpringSkunk Music Fest

Southern Songs and Stories with Acoustic Syndicate

Did you play music growing up? Were you like me, taking lessons for years only to leave it behind once you got to college? This is the category that most of us who did play some music fall into, I bet. Fewer people play into adulthood, and fewer still have played shows, were paid for gigs, or recorded a record. Acoustic Syndicate's story started out a lot like mine, perhaps like yours -- the core of the group got instruments for Christmas when they were kids, and were put on the impromptu stage of the family living room soon after. But they kept at it, even when they didn't know that there was a bright future for their music. Through many twists and turns, they managed to stay together, bring on new members, and play for a quarter century, making seven records along the way and winning fans all over the country.

Acoustic Syndicate playing at the Back Porch Music Series in Durham, NC, 8-17-17

Acoustic Syndicate playing at the Back Porch Music Series in Durham, NC, 8-17-17

This is the story of Acoustic Syndicate: Steve McMurry, Bryon McMurry, Fitz McMurry, Jay Sanders and Billy Cardine, plus others who were key to their success, like Steve Metcalf of Little King Records and Green Acres Music Hall. I got to interview the band after their show in Durham, NC, on a sweltering August evening. This far-reaching conversation includes many musical highlights from the band as well as side projects.

Many thanks to our sponsors: Jam In The Trees, Little King Records and Dynamite Roasting

Playlist: Acoustic Syndicate: "Sailor Suit", "Rainbow Rollercoaster", "Billy The Kid", "Powderfinger (live)" Snake Oil Medicine Show: "Jumpin' Jehosaphat", Acoustic Syndicate: "Vanity", "Long Way Round", E Normus Trio: "Dear Diary", The Billy Sea: "Bil Bhai Rav", Acoustic Syndicate: "Coming In From The Cold",  "North Country Girl (live)"

New Shows Coming Soon

We've got a big month coming up, as the Jon Stickley Trio interview and performance video will debut, plus we'll be doing a podcast on Acoustic Syndicate ahead of their appearance at Jam In The Trees!

We are planning a monthly series of podcasts in addition to our video documentaries. Also, we're giving away prizes on social media for people who spread the word to help grow the Southern Songs and Stories audience. Stay tuned for our first batch of goodies including some Jon Stickley Trio shirts and CDs plus two passes to Jam In The Trees.

In case you haven't caught our most recent work, you can check out the series of podcasts on the SpringSkunk Fest on iTunes and on the website here: Part One, Part Two and Part Three. Plus, videos of the Jon Stickley Trio and our interview with Alexa Rose.

We appreciate your interest in our endeavor, and hope that you may help us spread awareness of our shows as well as the artists and music professionals you enjoy on the series. We would be most grateful for your help when you become a patron as well -- that page is here. 

We're looking forward to a banner month, and hope you can be a part of it!

SpringSkunk Music Fest Podcast part 1

April was a packed month. It began with the conclusion of our spring fund raiser at WNCW, went on with SpringSkunk Fest at the Albino Skunk Farm the next week, followed by a few days off to decompress, and MerleFest a couple of weeks after that. Plus, life -- a week on the air to fill in for vacationing colleagues (a somewhat rare treat these days), baseball games, yard work, and so on. It felt like there was never much time to devote to making the companion audio piece to our video work, which did see a couple of videos released soon after the festival, thanks to Aaron Morrell.

The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band closes out Thursday night at SpringSkunk

The Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band closes out Thursday night at SpringSkunk

It was time to buckle down and take a crack at making this podcast a reality. It was daunting. Sure, I have produced a lot of audio for WNCW -- interviews, round table discussions, even a long form series on refugees in North Carolina. But this was new territory, with about a dozen interview subjects, the full compliment of music played at the festival, and a story line that remained nebulous.

Nikki Talley and husband Jason Sharp play Thursday afternoon at SpringSkunk

Nikki Talley and husband Jason Sharp play Thursday afternoon at SpringSkunk

It wound up being a big project, with more pieces and parts than I had ever managed. But the memories were still with me, the ideas kept coming, and the technical hurdles of dealing with widely varying sets of audio were overcome. I finally began writing, and then stitched together the episode you find here.

Pretty Little Goat, who seem to relish playing music at any hour of the day

Pretty Little Goat, who seem to relish playing music at any hour of the day

I hope you enjoy this, the beginning of a three part documentary podcast series. Please support the artists you like here, as well as the festivals in spring and fall on the Skunk Farm in Greer, SC. We would appreciate your help in continuing our endeavor, too. You can find out how on our Patreon page here. Stay tuned for more video from the Jon Stickley Trio, and a lot more. Fes-taa-vul!!

MerleFest Was Great Fun And I'm Still Tired

A week ago today, I was emceeing at Hillside Stage at the 30th MerleFest in Wilkesboro, NC, wrapping up a packed three days of introducing artists and traipsing all over the festival grounds, taking in a lot of great music and talking to friends old and new. It was a hoot, as usual. This year was notable for having artists like James Taylor with the Transatlantic Orchestra, The Avett Brothers doing both their own sets and a tribute show to Doc Watson, and all-star jams with Sam Bush, Jerry Douglas, Bela Fleck, Jim Lauderdale, Shawn Camp and Donna The Buffalo, for starters.

Hillside stage crowd gathers on Saturday afternoon

Hillside stage crowd gathers on Saturday afternoon

So, I went straight from my workaday schedule of early to bed and early to rise to the festival schedule of sleep being optional, and walking miles upon miles in weather that was more like mid-June than late April while wearing button-down shirts and slacks. Plus I'm not 25 anymore, so when Monday rolled around I was back at work, but in a semi-vegetative state. Wooo!

Sarah Jarosz

Sarah Jarosz

As usual, the music was tops. I still keep getting a couple of Stray Birds songs stuck in my head. Catching Mary Stuart for the first time was a real treat. Watching Jorma Kaukonen solo was goose bump territory.

Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives

Marty Stuart and His Fabulous Superlatives

The social scene was better than ever. I got to talk with an old colleague from WNCW, Charlie Purdue, whom I haven't seen in a dozen years or more, and to meet his wife. I just happened to park near Zig from Skunk Fest, who drove up his newly purchased camper van, and hung out there a good bit of the weekend. This lead to lots more interaction with Skunkers and artists alike -- members of bands like Front Country, Stray Birds and Mipso were hanging out almost constantly. I got to talk backstage with artists like Shawn Camp, Jim Lauderdale and Bela Fleck at length, and listen to Doc Watson stories from David Holt and Pete Wernick.

Donna the Buffalo and Friends -- Pete Wernick and Shawn Camp here

Donna the Buffalo and Friends -- Pete Wernick and Shawn Camp here

Some funny and awkward moments that stick out: overhearing a stage tech say to himself as he walked by, "And on jazz flute, Ron Burgundy!". Hearing a band member hauling off their gear say to a friend, "Hippy band's up next!". Watching James Taylor being cordoned off and escorted out by what seemed like every single security officer available. Finding out that no, your emcee status over there does not mean you get to hang out with the Avett Brothers over here. Getting to emcee an unfamiliar stage and trying to use the wrong mic to address the audience, leading to the burly stage manager (let's call him "Mr. Chuckles") to march over to me and point out the correct one, just a few feet to the right, barking "Come on, get with it!". Having to be the guy who told Donna The Buffalo that, no, the song they just played was supposed to be their last because time was up, and then watching Jeb Puryear start reciting a poem that said something about death and a raven (he came over and gave me a hug on stage afterward, so that made me feel better). Don't you just love being the messenger in situations like this? Yeah, me neither.

If a band goes over this 90 minute set limit, backstage folks be gettin' stressed

If a band goes over this 90 minute set limit, backstage folks be gettin' stressed

Soon we'll unveil more videos and the first part of the podcast in our SpringSkunk and Jon Stickley Trio series. I got another interview last week to add to the podcast, from Country Fried Rock's Sloane Spencer. She and her family are regulars on the Skunk Farm, and her perspective will be a nice addition to the piece.

Vintage organs tend to be heavy

Vintage organs tend to be heavy

In the meantime, I hope to catch our first episode's star, Aaron Burdett, when he has his album release show at Isis Restaurant and Music Hall next weekend. Good times! I promise to try to get more rest though. - Joe Kendrick

 

Alexa Rose and Laura Durkin Interview

It was a beautiful Saturday morning with more warmth and an absence of the stiff breeze we witnessed the first day or so of the festival when Aaron Morrell made his way from the mountains down to the rolling foothills of Upstate SC. He jumped into action right away when we saw Alexa Rose and her fiddler Laura Durkin getting ready to go back home. 

 Luckily we got to sit down and talk with them in the shelter of The Band Done Quit (more on all the colorful names of Skunk Fest later). There were lots of tractors going by, and these distractions actually worked out in our favor. Such was the nature of things that weekend.

Alexa Rose and her band opened up the SpringSkunk Music Festival Thursday

Alexa Rose and her band opened up the SpringSkunk Music Festival Thursday

You can see our conversation with Alexa and Laura below.

A Little "Skunk Therapy"

Do you have a favorite place that you return to time and again, a happy spot with friends old and new? The Skunk Farm near Greer, SC, is that and a whole lot more for the attendees ("Skunkers") and volunteers every six months when the SpringSkunk Festival and Albino Skunk Music Festival come around. Volunteer chef Matty gave me the title to this post in his interview about his experiences on the farm. He expressed a sentiment shared with almost everyone else that I spoke with there, that they love the festival for more than just the good times. Whenever they can come back, even in between festivals, it is "a little Skunk therapy".

Pictured above is Kev Russell, taken towards the end of Shinyribs' set on Saturday night. We were within feet of the band, which is another unique aspect to add to the long list of unique aspects of everything about the event. No, make that more than an event, since it goes well beyond the three days in the spring and three days in the fall that the festival takes place. It's more of a musical pilgrimage, and a perpetual homecoming.

We'll be wrapping our heads around what this all means in the days and weeks to come as we create a series of concert videos and documentaries about all things Skunk and the Jon Stickley Trio. In addition to our extended interview with the Trio, we interviewed newcomer Alexa Rose, who opened the festival Thursday afternoon. There's a lot to tell. -Joe

Getting Ready For SpringSkunk

We trekked to the Albino Skunk Farm near Greer, SC last weekend to get going on our documentary on the SpringSkunk Fest and the Jon Stickley Trio when they perform there on April 8th. I got to interview Zig and meet some of the Skunk regulars: "Hack", "Ginseng", "Sea Hunt" and others who were given their nicknames by Glynn "Zig" Zeigler in the course of their years of service. As you may be able to tell, this is no ordinary festival. We're looking forward to bringing you more updates soon. -Joe

Zig and Joe at the Skunk Bus before Zig's interview. We spotted an albino squirrel during the conversation, which was a first! This seemed to bode well for our work there.

Zig and Joe at the Skunk Bus before Zig's interview. We spotted an albino squirrel during the conversation, which was a first! This seemed to bode well for our work there.

We're back!

Look for more music documentary videos very soon! To find out more, check out the link to our Patreon page in the right column. Thanks for being here!

An introduction to our new series of documentaries, starting with the Albino Skunk Music Festival and the Jon Stickley Trio.

Staying In Tune With The Musical Family At Carolina In The Fall

Jazz artist Roy Ayers once said, "The true beauty of music is that it connects people. It carries a message, and we, the musicians, are the messengers." I was reminded again of that connection with an extended musical family of members both old and new recently at the second annual Carolina In The Fall Music and Food Festival in Wilkesboro, NC.

The Infamous Stringdusters performed a rousing set on the Carolina Stage

The Infamous Stringdusters performed a rousing set on the Carolina Stage

Last year, the monsoon season began with the festival, and it was the rainiest weekend festival I could remember. The people that attended were pretty hard core fans, decked out in rain gear and patiently waiting out some set delays that were largely due to the unrelenting precipitation. 

This year the weather did a 180 degree turn, and we had mostly sunny, fairly hot days in store. I was emceeing once again for WNCW, and by mid-afternoon on Friday, decided to ditch my jeans in favor of shorts for the rest of the way.

Josh Vana of Nora Jane Struthers & the Party Line works on his guitar backstage

Josh Vana of Nora Jane Struthers & the Party Line works on his guitar backstage

Some musical takeaways: The Infamous Stringdusters were the most difficult to photograph. They had a fog machine going, which looked great but made the camera lose focus. They also moved around constantly. But they also put on a fantastic set, so no real complaints here. Nora Jane Struthers & the Party Line's sound has evolved from a sound rooted in acoustic traditions to a much more electric, honky-tonk style all their own. I was knocked out by their newest material, which will appear on album sometime around or just before spring of 2017.  Canadians really can play authentic bluegrass: see Slocan Ramblers (pronounced "Slow-Can"). Flatt Lonesome is as impeccably dressed as their harmonies are spot on. Volunteers are the best -- I had many conversations with people staffing the event and felt like I was right at home.

Nora Jane Struthers & the Party Line

Nora Jane Struthers & the Party Line

Guitarist Jay Lapp of The Steel Wheels steps out on the main stage

Guitarist Jay Lapp of The Steel Wheels steps out on the main stage

After the late night jam early Sunday morning, I got a few minutes with Jay Lapp of The Steel Wheels and asked him about the Red Wing Roots Music Festival that they host, about touring by bicycle, and their next record.

It was heartwarming to reconnect with old friends Jeff Eason, Holly and Mike Paul, Tom and Gail Watts, and The Kruger Brothers. New friends like Stu Vincent were a joy, and getting to know festival organizers Dale and Michelle Isom better was another high point for the weekend. 

One of the many murals in Wilkesboro, NC

One of the many murals in Wilkesboro, NC

This month I hope to reconnect with both my musical and biological family when I take my cousin Richard to his first LEAF festival in Black Mountain. Hope to see you there! -Joe

Exotic Elegance With River Whyless

I got the email months ago from artist manager Katie Benson, asking what my interest might be in doing a live broadcast on WNCW with Asheville, NC quartet River Whyless at their album release show at Harvest Records. Immediately I wrote back, "My first thought is, 'Heck yeah!'. My second thought is of twisting anyone's arm necessary to make it a reality."

 

River Whyless 8-26-16 at Harvest Records (l to r): Ryan O'Keefe, Halli Anderson, Alex McWalters, Daniel Shearin

River Whyless 8-26-16 at Harvest Records (l to r): Ryan O'Keefe, Halli Anderson, Alex McWalters, Daniel Shearin

We set the wheels in motion at WNCW and headed up the mountain on a gorgeous late summer afternoon to capture the performance. Midday host Scotty Robertson worked as engineer for the session and I got to interview the band. They played six of their favorite songs from We All The Light live on air, and I got to interview them as well.

Aaron Morrell manning the camera at Harvest Records for River Whyless

Aaron Morrell manning the camera at Harvest Records for River Whyless

Luckily, WNCW fan and cinematographer Aaron Morrell of Grae Skye Studio was listening and heard about the show, and decided to come over and take video of the event. He crafted an exquisite video, which you can see below. Thank you Aaron, Katie, Matt and Mark at Harvest, everyone in River Whyless, and Scotty Robertson for making all of this possible! Enjoy - Joe Kendrick

The River Whyless's new Album, "We All The Light" is out in the world now. To celebrate the release of the new work, bandmates Ryan O'Keefe, Halli Anderson, Alex McWalters and Daniel Shearin graced Asheville's landmark record store, Harvest Records for an in-store performance. As a bit of icing on the cake, Joe Kendrick and crew from public radio WNCW was there to stream live as well as do an impromptu interview about the band's new album, their process and upcoming tour with Blind Pilot. What a treat and joy it was to film such a talented group of musicians. If you get a chance to see these folks it's well worth the effort!! River Whyless- https://riverwhyless.bandcamp.com Harvest Records- http://harvest-records.com WNCW- http://wncw.org All video production by Aaron Morrell Cams- Pana GH4, Canon 60d Audio- Daniel Shearin