Maggie Rose is a class act. Have you ever met someone who has incredible presence? Someone who can walk in a room and cause everyone to take a pause and notice them, even without a word spoken or any invitation to look their way? This is how people react to Maggie Rose. It is rare enough, even for professional music artists, but when you witness it happening, it is something special. That is how I felt when speaking with the Nashville artist at Merlefest in Wilkesboro, NC, in late April 2026.
Maggie Rose’s fifth album is titled Half Moon, and it was the subject of much of our conversation. We touched on her many musical sisters and brothers in song, her first impressions of MerleFest, and her lifelong love of connecting with live audiences. That, as well as musical excerpts from Half Moon awaits you in this episode.
Album art for Half Moon by Maggie Rose
Songs heard in this episode:
“Half Moon” by Maggie Rose, from Half Moon
“Hiding In Plain Sight” by Maggie Rose, from Half Moon, excerpt
“This Life” by Maggie Rose, from Half Moon
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This is Southern Songs and Stories, where our quest is to explore and celebrate the unfolding history and culture of music rooted in the American South, and going beyond to the styles and artists that it inspired and informed.
- Joe Kendrick