No Cover

Oklahoma Singer-songwriter Samantha Crain new album is titled Gumshoe, named in part about how she became a detective to solve the mystery of being a lone wolf but wanting to find community.In this episode, hear her talk about overcoming newfound stage fright, spending hours beading her album cover, and how studying Choctaw helped solve her personal mystery.

Johnny Manchild revisits KOSU's music podcast Songwriters & Tour Riders. He was previously on the 4th episode and since then, he has put out 2 more albums, moved to LA and back, and even married.Matthew Viriyapah catches up with Johnny about the years since, how LA compares to OKC, and the new book club he's starting at Commonplace Books.

A music video showcase titled OKC MTV is coming to the historic Rodeo Cinema at the Stockyards in Oklahoma City.Composer and classical musician Steven Stark talks about what inspired the event and how he hopes to foster more connections between Oklahoma's film and music industries.

Rolling Stone writer and New York Times editor Josh Crutchmer has spent years in the Red Dirt music scene, from the back of bars and concert halls to being on stage at Cain's Ballroom. He also recently gave Oklahoma State University's fall commencement speech.Matthew Viriyapah spoke to him about his journey from Oklahoma State University student to covering artists like The Great Divide, Turnpike Troubadours, and attending more than 30 shows of Wyatt Flores for his latest book, Red Dirt Unplugged.

Matthew Viriyapah spoke with Steven Jenkins, the director of the Bob Dylan Center, ahead of the biopic 'A Complete Unknown' starring Timothee Chalamet about his favorite parts of the film, the impact he hopes the film will have on younger viewers, and other films in Bob Dylan's filmography.

Tulsa band Wilderado had a whirlwind of a summer. They were featured in blockbuster movie Twisters, both on the soundtrack and on screen. Now, fresh off the release of their second album, Talker, they are headlining a sold out show at Cain's Ballroom in Tulsa.Singer Max Rainer talked about the album having a more "Oklahoma sound," as well as a band and crew that all call Oklahoma home.

Red Dirt band The Great Divide came out with a new album in 2022, titled Providence. It was the first album of new, original songs by the original lineup in 20 years. The band returned to Stillwater in 2023 with an additional member of the band, Bryce Conway, who prompted the latest release.In this episode, hear Mike McClure, JJ Lester, and Kelley Green talk about what it was like going into the studio for their latest album, playing concerts in Stillwater, and why they prefer being called the "uncles" of the Red Dirt scene.

This is Songwriters & Tour Riders, a music podcast from KOSU hosted by Matthew Viriyapah.Folksinger Willi Carlisle is not a native of the Arkansas Ozarks. But it's a place that he fell in love with.He has a new album out titled 'Critterland,' partially about trying to find community there and how he tries to share that with people who come to listen to his music.In this episode, hear Carlisle talk about the album, moving to Arkansas, and his favorite Oklahoma story.

This is Songwriters & Tour Riders, a music podcast from KOSU hosted by Matthew Viriyapah.Tulsa's King Cabbage Brass Band is bringing a taste of the Mardi Gras iconic sound to Oklahoma.They released their self-titled album last October and are playing with acclaimed New Orleans outfit, the Soul Rebels, on Thursday, Feb. 1 at Beer City Music Hall in Oklahoma City.In this episode, hear founder Gregory Fallis talk about the culture of Mardi Gras and New Orleans brass band music, and starting his own brass band in Tulsa.

This is Songwriters & Tour Riders, a music podcast from KOSU hosted by Matthew Viriyapah.Punk band Skating Polly has released a double LP titled Chaos County Line. The band is made up of siblings, Kelli and Kurtis Mayo and Peyton Bighorse. After five years, Kelli Mayo said that they wanted to "walk to the separate corner of the map on all of our influences."In this episode, hear Kelli talk about writing a double album, and how after years of being in a band with her siblings, they're getting more honest with their lyrics.

Kyle Bradley was raised in Piedmont, Oklahoma. But his alter-ego, Thunder Jackson, was born in Los Angeles, California, after years of playing in smoky bars and busking since he was a teenager.He released his debut self-titled album in 2020, but after its release he said that music wasn't making sense to him anymore. It wasn't until he moved back to Oklahoma where he found the inspiration to create again.He released an EP titled Take Me Back last fall and is working on new music while splitting his time between L.A. and Oklahoma.In this episode, hear Thunder Jackson talk about how his father was an Elvis impersonator and got him a license to play in bars as a teenager, creating the moniker Thunder Jackson, and returning to Oklahoma.

The Lone Bellow's latest album is titled Love Songs for Losers and was recorded in Roy Orbison's former home. Matthew talked with singer Zach Williams just before they started their first tour of 2023, which fell right around the 10-year anniversary of the release of their debut album. In this episode, hear Williams talk about producing their own album, going back on tour, and what it was like recording in Roy Orbison's former home.

Folk music duo Companion released their debut album Second Day of Spring in May 2022. Companion is made up of twins, Jo and Sophia Babb, who were raised in Oklahoma, and have been performing together since they were at least 15 years old. In Oklahoma, they performed primarily under the name The Annie Oakley but after moving to Colorado, they felt ready for a fresh start musically. The title track draws from a feeling they both had to start anew. In a new place, they were surrounded by new people and the natural scenery of Colorado. In this episode, hear them talk about drawing inspiration from their new surroundings and friends, changing their name, touring with Tori Amos, and their process of writing songs together.

North Carolina country artist Sarah Shook & The Disarmers released their latest album, Nightroamer, in February. In this episode, hear Sarah talk about being LGTBQ in country music, getting sober, and the first time they met a non-binary person.

https://www.kaitlinbutts.com/#newalbum-section (Kaitlin Butts) is a singer-songwriter from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her latest album, What Else Can She Do, is a collage of different female characters who tackle that question and draw from parts of the country artist's own life. The first track's title, "It Won't Always Be This Way" was a statement that she and her mother would repeat during a particularly rough period of their lives. And that statement has proven to be true. In just the last year or so, Kaitlin married fellow musician Cleto Cordero of https://www.flatlandcavalry.com/ (Flatland Cavalry), moved to Nashville, and recorded this sophomore album. Listen to hear Kaitlin talk about going through that time, what it's like being married to another musician, and being more weird in country music.

Jason Scott and the High Heat are an Oklahoma band fronted by singer-songwriter, Jason Scott. Jason grew up Pentecostal and was once a youth and worship pastor. Now as a musician, he is writing songs while his bandmates joke about him once never having heard songs like "Stairway to Heaven."

Norman Music Festival is returning this week after two years of a pandemic-spurred hiatus. The festival brings hundreds of musicians and thousands of fans to the city of Norman, Oklahoma. Shari Jackson is the executive director of Norman Music Alliance, the organization that throws the free festival that Jackson calls the 'best annual party in the state.' Listen to hear her talk about the festival's impact, what the last two years have been like, and how an all-volunteer board put together this year's festival in 90 days.

https://linktr.ee/sundeep_ (Sun Deep) has only been making music for three years. But he has already produced songs for numerous hip hop artists in Oklahoma and is also part of the bilingual hip hop duo Finite Galaxy. His upcoming release https://sundeep1.bandcamp.com/releases ('Will Rap For Change') is his first producer album where he got sixteen other artists to join him. It is set to come out on March 19th with an accompanying release show where the proceeds for the show and album will be going to charity. Listen to hear Sun Deep talk about being a late-blooming artist and how his background affects his production and rap style.

Max Rainer is from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and is the singer for https://www.wilderado.co/ (Wilderado). Their self-titled debut album was largely written in an old church that was being sold at auction. After a couple of years of struggling with writing, Rainer wrote songs there dealing with his struggles balancing being a father and a touring musician. Hear Max talk about writing in a church by himself, his fear of being an absent dad, and how he put those feelings into song.

RC Edwards is from Tahlequah Oklahoma and is probably best known as the bassist for the Turnpike Troubadours. However this year he put out a new album with long time friend Amber Watson and produced by fellow Troubadour, Hank Early. The album, Big Country, is named after OSU basketball player, Big Country Bryant Reeves and puts together stories and players around Tahlequah and Sequoyah County, Oklahoma. With a new band, he says it feels like reliving early days with the Troubadours. Listen to hear RC talk about working with Amber, writing a folk song about Bryant Reeves, and how he thought about experimenting with a new group. Support this podcast

Unwed Sailor is an instrumental rock band based in Tulsa, Oklahoma, but also has its roots in the 90s music scene of Seattle, Washington. Johnathon Ford is the bassist and songwriter and lived in the famous music scene with his former band, Roadside Monument. Ford left his home in Tulsa looking for his 'Black Flag get in the van' experience, but he has since been back for about ten years. Now, in his late forties, he has continued to put out music with his band, Unwed Sailor. Their first album came out twenty years ago and has just been reissued. They have put out an album a year for the last three years, with another planned for next year. In this episode, hear Ford's stories of early 90s Seattle and coming back to Tulsa, his approach to songwriting as a bassist and how he wrote and recorded their latest album, Truth or Consequences. Support this podcast

Parker Millsap is a singer-songwriter from Purcell, Oklahoma. On his latest album Be Here Instead, he explored writing from a more vulnerable and personal point of view in a way that felt like he 'was sneaking up on himself. The album was produced by John Agnello, who had previously worked with bands like Sonic Youth, Dinosaur Jr., and Kurt Vile. Together, they recorded the album with a full live band, while also experimenting with different effects and tools. In this episode, hear more about how Parker started writing more using an iPad and feeling more fearless in his approach to songwriting. Support this podcast

Madeline Kassen is from Tulsa, Oklahoma and releases music under the moniker Pisha. The recent Berklee College of Music grad put out her first album titled Threnody earlier this year. The title means 'a lament' and the album is her lamenting 'a past self,' and represents a turning of age period in more ways than one. In this episode, hear more about why she took on a pseudonym as an artist and her advice for someone going into music school. Support this podcast

Hear a preview of Songwriters & Tour Riders, as we give you an inside look at musicians coming from Oklahoma and those just passing through. Hosted by Matthew Viriyapah, hear musicians tell stories of recording, touring and living as an artist. Support this podcast

Josh Fudge was only 18 years old when he released his first album, Fun Times, at the beginning of this year. Juxtaposing sweet melodies with melancholic lyrics, the album captures his experience transitioning into adulthood. In this episode, hear more about what it was like graduating in a pandemic, how Josh's plans for the future have changed because of it, and what it was like putting out his first studio album. Support this podcast

The annual festival honoring the legacy and music of legendary Oklahoma singer Woody Guthrie is returning to his hometown. Last year's Woody Guthrie Folk Festival — affectionately known as WoodyFest — went completely virtual. But this year, musicians like Grammy-winning singer-songwriter Patty Griffin and Grammy-nominated Mary Gauthier will take the stage in addition to Oklahoma artists like Samantha Crain, John Fullbright and Mike McClure. WoodyFest will also feature a children's festival featuring a ukulele and harmonica class, as well as a family-friendly concert. There will be panel discussions on songwriting and the history of prejudice around Okemah and the lynching of Laura Nelson and her son on May 24, 1911, outside the town. In this episode, hear WoodyFest's media chair Maddie Gregory talk about the artists performing, how the festival is taking precautions and the new events and panels. Support this podcast

A born and raised Oklahoman, Kitt Wakeley recorded his album remotely at the historic Abbey Road Studios in London, England. On it, he combines his love for rock drums and riffs, sweeping orchestral melodies and pulsing electronic beats. The album's title — Symphony of Sinners and Saints — is a reference to the combination of 'Sinners' in his rock band and the 'Saints' of the orchestra. In this episode, Kitt talks about how he has navigated his career since his start in grunge cover bands and recording radio commercial music, earning his 'street cred' in the music industry and how he recently rediscovered his sister after forty years apart. Support this podcast

During segregation, North Tulsa and Greenwood was primarily Black and was called Little Africa. But it was home to one of the most prosperous Black communities in history, Black Wall Street. On May 31 and June 1, 1921, a white mob with the support of local law enforcement attacked, burning dozens of homes and buildings and killing an estimated 300 people. Now 100 years later, a collective of Oklahoma hip-hop artists have released a commemorative project via Motown Records and Black Forum titled Fire in Little Africa. Combining the talents of more than 40 different artists, rappers, poets, and singers, Fire in Little Africa hopes to shine on not just the Tulsa hip-hop scene, but also a part of history that for many of the artists was never really taught to them in school. In this episode, hear more about how the album was recorded, the growing Tulsa and Oklahoma hip-hop community that it represents, and what it means to them. Support this podcast

This bonus episode of No Cover features more conversation and music with North Carolina musician Matt Heckler. In this episode, he talks more about recently getting into biking, touring with Flogging Molly and Dock Boggs. Support this podcast

The pandemic was an unexpected blessing for North Carolina musician Matt Heckler. With the unexpected time and rest, he was able to record his latest album, Blood, Water, Coal, which debuted at number three on the Bluegrass Billboard chart. But what he plays isn't exactly what you would call bluegrass. In this episode, Matt talks about his style of folk music which takes influence from places like Ireland, Appalachia, and Romania, and also about slowing down in the last year to self-record his latest album. Support this podcast

LCG & the X spent 18 months performing and working on their first album. But when they released their self-titled debut, it came out at the worst possible time — March 2020, right as the pandemic became a reality for many of us. In this episode, Morgan Hartman, lead singer of the Oklahoma City rock band, talks about the album's release, writing a song based on A Tale of Two Cities and what it's like to listen to those songs now. Support this podcast

The McKnight Center for the Performing Arts at Oklahoma State University begins its second season on Sunday, March 28th with brass quintet Canadian Brass. The multi-million dollar performing arts center opened in Stillwater, Oklahoma in October 2019. For its inaugural season the center hosted performances from artists and acts like The New York Philharmonic, Edgar Meyer and The Preservation Hall Jazz Band. But in the middle of their first season, the pandemic cut it short. Now, the McKnight Center is returning with their second season. The center's marketing director, Jessica Novak, talks about what performances at the center will look like now, what precautions and changes have been made and what role a performing arts center plays in the community, especially in times like these.  Support this podcast

Quese IMC is a Native American hip hop artist and citizen of the Pawnee and Seminole Nations. He has been part of the hip hop scene in Oklahoma for many years and helped organize Culture Shock Camp, one of the early hip hop summits to help establish what Oklahoma and Native American hip hop looks like today. In this episode, hear Quese IMC talk about his story in hip hop, the growth of Native hip hop as a genre, and his five year hiatus from making music. Support this podcast

For Black History Month, No Cover is taking a look back at some Black musicians that have been on the show in the past year. You’ll be hearing again from Dr. View, Bartees Strange, Original Flow, and Jabee. They all released really wonderful projects in the last year and they shared some of their stories and experiences that went into their music. Support this podcast

Chad Whitehead is the operating partner for Tower Theatre in Oklahoma City, and for like many in the music business, the past year has caused heavily reduced revenue and numerous layoffs for his business. But for 2021, Chad gives a possible timeline for when live indoor concerts could truly return to Oklahoma. Support this podcast

Mike McClure is a pioneer of the Red Dirt music scene that began in Stillwater, Oklahoma. He was part of The Great Divide and produced numerous other records for acts like Cross Canadian Ragweed and Turnpike Troubadours. With the pandemic giving many in the music industry a lot more time at home this year, Mike believes his latest solo record, Looking Up, is his most cohesive album yet. The album was written in the wake of close friends and mentors passing away, as well as him coming to grips with drinking. Hear him talk about his decision to give up drinking, recalling those early Red Dirt days and advice for those going through tough times. Support this podcast

Blackmankidboy, the latest album from Oklahoma City hip hop artist Original Flow, highlights his experience growing up and contrasted with today. While making this record, he lost his mother due to cancer and then was on the verge of giving up music. It threw him into a depression, but out of that grief, came a project that he calls some of his best work. In the episode, he talks about writing songs in his car and how he dealt with his mom's death. Support this podcast

The debut record from 25-year-old Daniel Donato brings together jam band music and outlaw country. It comes after about a decade of playing guitar professionally in Nashville. When he was 16, he was the youngest person to ever play with the Don Kelly Band at the historic Robert’s Western World and then toured with musicians like Paul Cauthen. A Young Man's Country was produced by Robben Ford and draws from his inspirations, such as The Grateful Dead and Merle Haggard. Hear how he tries to combine all of those into his banner of "cosmic country" and the story of how he got into the Grateful Dead thanks to his high school history teacher.  Support this podcast

One of Bartees' fears is just being one thing. Born in England, Bartees Cox Jr. grew up in a military family that bounced around from place to place until they settled down in Mustang, Oklahoma. His mother is an opera singer and he sang in church choirs and operettas, before taking up football. He even planned to walk-on at the University of Oklahoma. Things changed, but for most of his life, he's felt like he has been forced to just do and be one thing at a time. Now as a musician, he released his debut LP Live Forever, where he wants his songs to be able to continue the conversation started by artists like Tyler, The Creator. Support this podcast

Tennessee Jet, whose real name is TJ, grew up traveling with his parents on the rodeo circuit. And while in the truck, he listened to traditional country music on the radio. His newest album, The Country, is an ode to country music. Each song represents a different style of the genre, from the ’50s to outlaw to alt-country. He even covered his dad’s favorite song, "Pancho and Lefty." In this episode, TJ talks co-writing with Cody Jinks and recording with Dwight Yoakam's band. He also talks about why female artists are writing most of the great songs in country music today and explains the origin of his name. Support this podcast

Kyle Nix is best known as the fiddle player for the Oklahoma country band Turnpike Troubadours. While that band has been on hiatus, Nix took that time to work on his solo debut, Lightning on the Mountain & Other Short Stories. The album is inspired by everything from Spaghetti Westerns and Ennio Morricone soundtracks, to short stories by Ernest Hemingway and Stephen King. And it features appearances from other members of the Troubadours and fiddle legend Byron Berline.  In this episode, Nix talks about what it was like working with his bandmates again, those inspirations, and what it was like to record and release his debut album. Support this podcast

Jabee says the idea of his latest album's title, This World Is So Fragile and Cruel I'm Glad I Got You, "kind of floats throughout the climate we are living in." It comes after a four year period of learning and community work. And while this pandemic has put a pause on most musicians' tours and shows, Jabee has been continually organizing. He helped put together last weekend’s Oklahoma City march commemorating the March On Washington and organized a Juneteenth celebration earlier this summer. He also released a song with Julius Jones, a Black death row inmate whose petition for clemency has been taken up by Jabee, several professional athletes and others. In the episode, he talks about meeting Julius Jones, Juneteenth, the album and more. Support this podcast

Stefan Babcock is the singer and primary songwriter for the Canadian punk rock band, PUP. Their latest album, Morbid Stuff, was listed on NPR's list of The 15 Best Rock Albums Of 2019 and recently won a Juno award. With songs drawn from his life about things like a camping disaster with his sister, the death of his pet chameleon and destroying his car, the punk rocker translates bad experiences into music. But he tries to be careful not to glorify the myth of the tortured artist. In this episode, Babcock talks about his recent engagement and about that "fine line" in writing songs about mental health.  Support this podcast