Podcast appearances and mentions of Emmylou Harris

News, rants, theories and curios which this week includes …. … how Mani made the Stone Roses swing … Mick & Keith, Meg & Jack, Hall & Oates, Neil & Chris … ‘Sliding Doors' encounters that changed the landscape … the glorious sound of profanity on records! … what makes you a legend in county music? … the subtle genius of Nicky Hopkins' session work .. would Elvis have happened without Marion Keisker? … Willie Nelson – “a face like Mount Rushmore, a voice like the whole hinterland of America” … ever catch yourself listening to something and think ‘how would I explain this to an observer?' … the music you hear when 14 stays with you all your life … the singles charts of 1978 – Terry Wogan next to John Otway! Arthur Mullard and the Stranglers! Nick Lowe and Ally's Tartan Army! … why Lucinda Williams is an open book … when XTC went pastoral … 42 year-old hears Clear Spot and Raw Power for the first time! ... plus the Wrecking Crew, a Libertines Xmas sweater, birthday guest Dean Roderick and the time Emmylou Harris had two puddings. Pig's Boogie by the Jerry Garcia Band: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Sd0357IsE9kHelp us to keep The Longest Conversation In Rock going: https://www.patreon.com/wordinyourear Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Born in Mississippi, Bryan Owings moved to Nashville in the late 1980's to pursue his career as a session drummer. His discography is vast, spanning decades and boasting credits with artists like Buddy Miller, Iris Dement, Tony Joe White, Wanda Jackson, Sue Foley, Delbert McClinton, Lucinda Williams and Emmy Lou Harris Bryan, was also included in the 2013 Muscle Shoals documentary soundtrack, playing drums for Grammy award winning artist Alicia Keys. In this episode, Bryan talks about:     Bryan's origin story with drums     The draw to Nashville     Embracing your sound and being true to yourself     Finding the best monitor mix for the performance     Working with Iris Dement, Shelby Lynne     The reality of getting hired and fired, re-hired, fired…..     Playing drums in the Muscle Shoals documentary with Alicia Keys     Revisiting applicable technique ⁠⁠⁠ Here's our Patreon⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Here's our Youtube⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠Here's our Homepage

What is Americana music? Is it a genre? A community? A refuge? Twenty four years after the founding of the Americana Music Association and thirteen years since the first Grammy was awarded for Best Americana Album, defining "Americana" remains tricky. In our experience, the most common answer has been "you know it when you hear it."   However you define it, however, there is one thing everyone agrees on: Emmylou Harris and Rodney Crowell are Americana legends.   In this episode, recorded in front of a live audience in Nashville, TN, Emmylou and Rodney discuss their musical careers, how they became associated with Americana music, and what Americana means to them. Bob too shares his musical journey both before and after joining the Avett Brothers and the ways that genre (Americana and otherwise) has been part of that story.   This episode originally aired as RTN #284 on Sept. 25, 2023. This episode was originally edited by Gary Fletcher. Live audio recording and mixing by Adam Botner. This reair was edited by Ben Sawyer.

Send us a textJohn McFee formed San Francisco-based band Clover in the '60s. Their first, self-titled album on Fantasy came out in 1970. Several years later, they came to realize some key people in the UK pub rock scene were big fans of their music. Nick Lowe, Brinsley Schwarz and also drummer Pete Thomas, who called Clover to see if they would audition for the up and coming Declan MacManus, who would soon change his name to Elvis Costello. Clover got the gig, backing Elvis on My Aim is True and John McFee's great guitar work is what you hear on all the classic tracks like “Alison” and “The Angels Wanna Wear My Red Shoes”. John also played steel guitar on Van Morrison's Tupelo Honey and St. Dominic's Preview. The long list of artists he's contributed guitar, pedal steel and vocals for includes Carlene Carter, Nick Lowe, Emmylou Harris, The Grateful Dead, and Boz Scaggs. In '79, John McFee was asked to join The Doobie Brothers, replacing Jeff Baxter. He also formed Southern Pacific with Keith Knudsen of the Doobies and Stu Cook of Creedence. In the '90s that trio became Jackdawg. The release of their fantastic self-titled album was delayed due to the death of their manager. A CD release was temporarily available in 2009, but the album was out-of-print for years. That is, until now. Tune in to my talk with singer, songwriter, guitarist, record producer, and multi-instrumentalist, John McFee.Photo: Courtesy John McFeeThe classic Jackdawg album is available on vinyl, CD and also digital through Liberation Hall. Purchase options are here.Save on Certified Pre-Owned ElectronicsPlug has great prices on refurbished electronics. Up to 70% off with a 30-day money back guarantee!Euclid Records – Buy and sell records.A gigantic selection of vinyl & CDs. We're in St. Louis & New Orleans, but are loved worldwide!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Thanks for listening to Frets with DJ Fey. You can follow or subscribe for FREE at most podcast platforms.And now, Frets is available on YouTube. There are a lot of fun extras like videos and shorts and audio of all episodes. Subscribing for FREE at YouTube helps support the show tremendously, so hit that subscribe button! https://www.youtube.com/@DJFey39 You can also find information about guitarists, bands and more at the Frets with DJ Fey Facebook page. Give it a like! And – stay tuned… Contact Dave Fey at davefey@me.com or call 314-229-8033

Dolly Parton BioSnap a weekly updated Biography.It has been a whirlwind few days in the world of Dolly Parton, with headlines buzzing about her creative projects, business moves, and signature candor. The most significant and biographically weighty news is the release of her new memoir, Star of the Show: My Life on Stage. Out as of November 12, this final installment in her trilogy is a sweeping reflection on her seven decades as a performer—from the Tennessee mountains to the global stage. As described by Penguin Random House and echoed by Entertainment Weekly, the memoir is part love letter to her fans, part career retrospective, and brims with rich stories of working with legends like Porter Wagoner, Kenny Rogers, and Emmylou Harris. On social media, Parton thanked fans, noting that her career “has been a love affair with the stage and the wonderful people who made it all possible.”With the holiday season approaching, she's in public view both on and off stage. The new North American tour of Dolly Parton's Smoky Mountain Christmas Carol—a Depression-era retelling of Dickens set in East Tennessee, with music and lyrics by Dolly herself—has just opened its 2025–2026 Broadway Series run. The Carson Center and regional venues highlight the show's uplifting family-friendly spirit and appalachian touches. While Dolly herself does not appear, her songwriting is at the heart of the production.Also capturing attention, the innovative Threads: My Songs in Symphony experience marks a new chapter in how fans see and hear her work. Rolling out in Raleigh, Oklahoma City, and other cities this November, this multimedia symphonic celebration combines new orchestral arrangements, archival footage, and Dolly's own narration on screen. She describes it as the musical tapestry of her life. Audiences are especially curious about its previews of unreleased pieces from her forthcoming Broadway musical.Businesswise, Dolly Parton's collaboration with Kendra Scott just launched its third Change It! jewelry collection, inspired by her song from 9 to 5: The Musical. Harper's Bazaar reports the holiday line is all about creative reinvention, reflecting her ongoing influence on style and self-empowerment. Recent press also noted that her business empire continues to thrive through merchandise, fragrances, books, and partnerships with brands like Duncan Hines.Finally, on the lighter side: her early-rising habits—getting up at 3 a.m.—made the rounds courtesy of American Songwriter, and fan events such as Knights of the Round (Turn)Table in Long Beach honored her classic “Jolene” with an evening of musical storytelling. As for rumors, Dolly herself addressed health speculation last month, assuring fans in a personal video that she's fine, taking some time off to care for her husband and focus on work.Cultural columnists are almost unanimous: at 79, Dolly Parton remains as vital and generative as ever, weaving new threads for future generations and still finding ways to say, “I ain't got time to get old.”Get the best deals https://amzn.to/3ODvOtaThis content was created in partnership and with the help of Artificial Intelligence AI

Send us a textMulti-instrumentalist Maia Sharp has written songs for the likes of Cher, Bonnie Raitt, Trisha Yearwood, Keb' Mo', Taj Mahal and Art Garfunkel, just to name a few. Hailing from L.A., Maia is currently based in Nashville, often collaborating with many musicians and songwriters in that creative community. She also collaborates often with her dad, three-time Grammy Award winning singer/songwriter and guitarist Randy Sharp. Randy's songs have been recorded by artists including Linda Ronstadt, Delaney Bramlett, Glen Campbell, Tanya Tucker, Edgar Winter, the Dixie Chicks, Emmylou Harris, and of course, Maia. Tomboy is Maia Sharp's 10th solo album and her musical talent is on full display. In addition to her wonderful vocals and guitar, Maia, who's played saxophone for years, supplied a very cool sax solo on “Edge of the Weatherline”, one of many great tracks on the record. Stay tuned for my talk with the very talented Maia Sharp.You can find out more about Maia Sharp and also purchase music at maiasharp.comPhoto by Emma Lee. Check out her work here.Save on Certified Pre-Owned ElectronicsPlug has great prices on refurbished electronics. Up to 70% off with a 30-day money back guarantee!Euclid Records – Buy and sell records.A gigantic selection of vinyl & CDs. We're in St. Louis & New Orleans, but are loved worldwide!Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links. If you make a purchase, I may receive a commission at no extra cost to you.Thanks for listening to Frets with DJ Fey. You can follow or subscribe for FREE at most podcast platforms.And now, Frets is available on YouTube. There are a lot of fun extras like videos and shorts and audio of all episodes. Subscribing for FREE at YouTube helps support the show tremendously, so hit that subscribe button! https://www.youtube.com/@DJFey39 You can also find information about guitarists, bands and more at the Frets with DJ Fey Facebook page. Give it a like! And – stay tuned… Contact Dave Fey at davefey@me.com or call 314-229-8033

In this week's Ask Zac, I'm cooking up a little Tele Gumbo, as today's show is a mix of guitar talk, gear love, and practical tips:A better way to stretch your strings, one that keeps your tuning stable and won't damage your nut.Why Tele bridge covers (ashtrays) are actually useful — especially for protecting your strings and saddles when your guitar's in a gig bag.Book Review: In-Law Country by Geoffrey Himes — a must-read for fans of Emmylou Harris and her circle of musical friends.Gig-Ready Gear: Why I love Headstrong Amps and Danocaster Guitars — no mods, no tweaks, just plug in and play.It's a hearty serving of tips, tone, and talk — grab a coffee and dig in!#AskZac #TeleGumbo #Telecaster #GuitarTips #HeadstrongAmps #Danocaster #GuitarTalkwww.truetone.comNEW MERCH SITE!https://ask-zac-shop.fourthwall.comTo Support the Channel:Patreon  https://www.patreon.com/AskZachttps://ask-zac-shop.fourthwall.comTip jar:  https://paypal.me/AskZacVenmo @AskZacSupport the show

This singer songwriter grew up playing in a family band in Canada before moving to New Zealand and beginning a career of her own.  She has since shared the stage with Willie Nelson and Emmy Lou Harris, and built an audience all over the globe.

In this episodem we explore the remarkable journey of Bernie Leadon, the multi-instrumentalist and songwriter whose artistry helped define The Eagles' early sound. Often called the unsung hero of The Eagles, Bernie's contributions — from intricate guitar and banjo work to his soaring harmonies — helped shape a sound that has resonated for decades.From his early exposure to bluegrass and folk music in Minneapolis to his groundbreaking work in the West Coast country-rock scene, Bernie Leadon has remained a quiet but powerful force in American music. In this episode, we follow Bernie's path before, during, and after The Eagles, all the way to his most recent solo album, where he revisits the roots that first inspired him.Bernard Leadon III was born in Minneapolis, Minnesota, into a family that encouraged both creativity and education. While his father worked as an aeronautical engineer and his mother was a teacher, it was the sounds of bluegrass, folk, and country that truly captured young Bernie's imagination.By his teenage years, Bernie had mastered guitar, banjo, mandolin, and dobro, instruments that would become central to his career. After moving to San Diego, he immersed himself in the local music scene, connecting with influential figures like Chris Hillman and Gram Parsons, who would later become pivotal in the country-rock movement.Before joining The Eagles, Bernie Leadon played in several key bands that helped define the emerging country-rock genre. He worked with Hearts & Flowers, Dillard & Clark, and most famously, The Flying Burrito Brothers. During this period, Bernie became known as a musician who could add texture and authenticity to any song. His instrumental versatility and collaborative spirit made him highly sought after, setting the stage for his next big move.In 1971, Bernie Leadon joined Glenn Frey, Don Henley, and Randy Meisner to form The Eagles. His influence was immediate. On the band's debut album, Eagles (1972), Bernie's mastery of the banjo, guitar, and mandolin was showcased on hits like Take It Easy and Peaceful Easy Feeling. His harmonies and songwriting contributions, including Train Leaves Here This Morning and Bitter Creek, helped define the band's distinctive country-rock sound.Bernie continued to shape The Eagles' music on Desperado (1973), On the Border (1974), and One of These Nights (1975). However, as the band gravitated toward a rock-oriented direction with the addition of Don Felder and later Joe Walsh, Bernie felt increasingly disconnected from the evolving sound. In 1975, after years of touring and creative differences, Bernie famously left the band, marking the end of an era for both him and The Eagles.Following his departure, Bernie Leadon remained highly active in the music industry. He became a respected session musician, contributing to recordings by Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Stephen Stills, Randy Newman, and many others. In 1977, he released his first solo album, Natural Progressions, blending his bluegrass roots with rock and folk influences.Over the decades, Bernie continued to perform, collaborate, and record — he returned to The Eagles' “History of the Eagles” tour in 2013.Today, Bernie Leadon has returned with a reflective new solo album called "Too Late to be Cool" showcasing the depth and authenticity that have characterised his entire career. In this episode, we talk about Bernie's journey, his thoughts on music, and what it means to create art on his own terms. Bernie's story is a testament to creativity, versatility, and staying true to one's musical voice.Whether you're a lifelong Eagles fan, a lover of country-rock, or someone curious about the musicians behind the music, this episode is packed with insights, stories, and reflections. Bernie Leadon may not always have sought the spotlight, but his impact on American music is undeniable.

Rodney Crowell discusses his new album, Airline Highway. The legendary Houston-born singer, songwriter and guitarist first moved to Nashville in 1972, where he kicked off his stellar 50+ year career which includes stints as a key member of Emmylou Harris's Hot Band, and later as producer, collaborator and one-time husband of Rosanne Cash. The new album follows on the heels of his Grammy nominated 2023 album, The Chicago Sessions (with Wilco's Jeff Tweedy). Airline Highway features guests such as Ashley McBryde, Lukas Nelson, Larkin Poe, Tyler Bryant, and Blackberry Smoke's Charlie Starr. RSD Black Friday 2025 is November 25, see the whole list at RecordStoreDay.com. We'll be talking more about it as we get closer to the day itself. The Record Store Day Podcast is a weekly music chat show written, produced, engineered, and hosted by Paul Myers, who also composed the theme music and selected interstitial music.  Executive Producers (for Record Store Day) Michael Kurtz and Carrie Colliton. For the most up-to-date news about all things RSD, visit RecordStoreDay.com   Please consider subscribing to our podcast wherever you get podcasts, and tell your friends, we're here every week and we love making new friends!  

The fountain of youth could very well be located in a mandolin, or a fiddle. At least for Sam Bush, playing the mandolin, along with the occasional fiddle, seems to give him an energy level that many people several decades his junior would envy. There is a lot to be said for playing music, whatever the instrument, and its benefits for well being. Cognitively and psychologically, there is a lot of data that affirms we can benefit greatly from playing music, even from simply actively listening to music. A lot of this boils down to a fundamental truth that learning is the catalyst for positive change and growth, and we can all continue learning and picking up new skills throughout our lives. Sam Bush, like so many career music artists, embodies that spirit, and serves as a great example of the heights we can achieve when we devote our lives to reaching towards our full capabilities. Musically, Sam Bush draws from a wide spectrum of styles, ranging from bluegrass to newgrass (which he helped establish and define as a sub-genre with his former group New Grass Revival), to rock and blues with his former project Duck Butter, to having been in both Leon Russell and Emmylou Harris' bands, among many other projects. His stories are just as lively. From recounting his times with Earl Scruggs and Bill Monroe to his observations about young stars like Sierra Hull and Billy Strings, to his many performances at Green Acres Music Hall, Sam Bush has many a tale to tell. We get to all of that, and get a glimpse at what he has in store in the near future as well, in a spirited conversation from backstage at the 2025 Earl Scruggs Music Festival. Of course, there is much music to highlight in this episode too, including excerpts from Sam's solo catalog, as well as the festival's namesake. Sam Bush performs at the Earl Scruggs Music Festival, August 29, 2025 (photo: Eli Johnson) Songs heard in this episode:“Stingray” by Sam Bush, from Glamour & Grits“Brown's Ferry Blues” by Tony Trischka, from Earl Jam, excerpt“Big Mon” by Sam Bush, from Late As Usual, excerpt“Foggy Mountain Special” by Flatt & Scruggs, excerpt“Circles Around Me” by Sam Bush, from Circles Around MeWe are glad you are here! Could you can help spread awareness of what we are doing? It is as easy as telling a friend and following this podcast on your platform of choice. You can find us on Apple here, Spotify here and YouTube here — hundreds more episodes await, filled with artists you may know by name, or musicians and bands that are ready to become your next favorites.You can follow us on social media: @southstories on Instagram, at Southern Songs and Stories on Facebook, and now on Substack here, where you can read the scripts of these podcasts, and get updates on what we are doing and planning in our quest 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

Welcome back to Transmissions, a weekly interview podcast created and curated by Los Angeles online music magazine Aquarium Drunkard. This week on the show, host Jason P. Woodbury speaks with a living legend, and one of our all-time favorite vocalists and songsmiths: Emmylou Harris.  On November 7th, New West Records will re-release an expanded edition of her 1998 live album Spyboy, back in print after 27 years. Recorded in the wake 1995's Wrecking Ball, an LP that redefined Harris for a whole new generation, Spyboy finds Harris and her band—Buddy Miller, Brady Blade and Daryl Johnson—on the road and stretching out into feverish new territory for the storied singer. Harris released her first album in 1970, and along the way, she's collaborated with artists like country rock pioneer Gram Parsons, Dolly Parton, Linda Ronstadt, Bob Dylan, Neil Young, and countless more. But as she settled into the ‘90s, she felt that country radio no longer made space for voices like hers—prompting a shift into a new direction with producer Daniel Lanois, who crafted a spectral, haunted sound for Wrecking Ball, placing her voice at the dreamy center. The resulting era introduced Harris to new ears—and we were thrilled to speak with her about it for this episode. Transmissions is created in partnership with the Talkhouse Podcast Network. We're brought to you by ⁠⁠⁠⁠Aquarium Drunkard⁠⁠⁠⁠, an independent music media crew headed by Justin Gage. Over at Aquarium Drunkard, you'll gain access to 20 years of music writing, playlist, essays, mixtapes, radio special, podcasts, videos and more.

Mike Delevante recently released his debut album, September Days, on Truly Handmade Records, a label founded by Guy Clark LLC's board of directors (including Grammy-winning author, producer, and filmmaker Tamara Saviano, who fell in love with the album at first listen). Not many artists release their first solo record two decades after their debut album but that's the case for Delevante, who spent the 1990s recording and touring as half of trailblazing Americana duo the Delevantes with his older brother Bob. The duo's acclaimed releases on Rounder and Capitol records in that era made a splash — Long About That Time (Rounder) was the first #1 debut album on Gavin's newly created Americana radio chart —and found them touring with like-minded artists including John Prine, Emmylou Harris, Steve Earle, Levon Helm and others. So, while it's hardly the first musical endeavor for Delevante, September Days is an important step for a musician who'd never put the spotlight directly on himself, until now. Produced by Joe Pisapia, whose production credits include work with Ben Folds, Guster, k.d. lang and many others, the album's shimmering guitars and instantly memorable melodies recall some of the 90's best guitar pop artists (Matthew Sweet, Freedy Johnston, Ron Sexsmith, The Jayhawks and more).  That decision was a long time coming. The Delevante brothers were New Jersey natives who've made Nashville their home since the ‘90s, along with frequent collaborator and co-producer, Garry Tallent of the E Street Band. Mike had shifted gears, focusing on visual arts. Both he and his brother had studied art in college, with Bob also turning more toward visual projects in the 2000s, but Bob had also made three solo records along the way. It was Tallent who got the brothers back into music. He'd enlisted them to sing on his 2019 solo album More Like Me, then invited them to be part of a live show he was doing in Asbury Park with Southside Johnny and special guest Bruce Springsteen. They had such a blast that “I felt myself getting pulled back into it,” Mike says. The result was 2021's A Thousand Turns. Its instantly appealing melodies and trademark sibling harmonies were a welcome return to form for the duo, whose mix of country and rock flowed naturally from brothers who came of age in New Jersey before moving to Nashville.https://www.instagram.com/michaeldelevante/?hl=enhttps://www.facebook.com/mike.delevante/https://mikedelevante.bandcamp.com/album/september-days"Still on the Run" - https://www.fbrmusic.com/@treymitchellphotography @feeding_the_senses_unsensoredfacebook.com/profile.php?id=100074368084848www.threads.net/@treymitchellphotographyftsunashville@gmail.com

AC/DC, EMMYLOU HARRIS & TYPE O NEGATIVE ‎ ‎Skicka ett meddelande till Tre Plattor!Support the show Följ Tre Plattor på Instagram för mer info! https://www.instagram.com/treplattor Spotify Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2Gh5M82U1Zw9snP2jDPcW4?si=a63d4efcf08a49c6 Apple Music Playlist: https://music.apple.com/se/playlist/tre-plattor/pl.u-KVXB2eWCZaMXyE

Veronica Fusaro steht für eine unverkennbare Stimme, bittersüsse Melodien und einen Sound, der gleichzeitig kraftvoll und verletzlich ist. Nun erscheint ihr zweites Album «Looking for Connection». Sie stand bereits beim renommierten Glastonbury Festival auf der Bühne und trat im Vorprogramm von Mark Knopfler auf. Die Thunerin mit italienischen Wurzeln spielt Alternative-Pop mit Soul- und Rockeinflüssen und trifft dabei nicht nur musikalisch, sondern auch thematisch den Nerv der Zeit. Auf ihrem neuen Album ergründet sie Themen wie Selbstwert, Liebe und den Zusammenhalt in der Gesellschaft. Der Luzerner Gitarrist und Sänger Paul Etterlin bringt mit «Maples» einen Song heraus, der ein Lebensgefühl vermittelt, und zwar eines, in dem Linedance, Musik und Community aufeinandertreffen. Der Text besteht aus Zitaten legendärer Musikgrössen wie Johnny Cash, Emmylou Harris, Brad Paisley, Alison Krauss, Dolly Parton oder Clint Black. Die vier Brüder alias 77 Bombay Street melden sich zurück: Vier Jahre nach dem letzten Album erscheint die Single «Space Station». Die vier haben den Song im eigens gebauten Studio im rätoromanischen Scharans geschrieben und produziert. «Wir hätten wohl nicht damit begonnen, wenn uns von Anfang an klar gewesen wäre, wie viel Aufwand es bedeutet», erzählt Leadsänger Matt Buchli. Doch die Reise hat sich gelohnt.

Grammy-winning singer/songwriter Shawn Camp pulls back the curtain on his varied career, including his latest album of songs that were composed with the legendary Guy Clark.PART ONEScott and Paul talk about how technology is changing the songwriting game, and other old man complaints. PART TWOOur in-depth conversation with Shawn Camp  ABOUT SHAWN CAMPSinger/songwriter Shawn Camp has written chart-topping hits such as “Two Pina Coladas” by Garth Brooks, “How Long Gone” by Brooks & Dunn, “Would You Go With Me” by Josh Turner, and “River of Love” by George Strait. Additionally, he has written charting singles for Blake Shelton, Billy Currington, Hal Kechum, Wade Hayes, the duo of Sammy Kershaw and Lorrie Morgan, and others. With a foundation in bluegrass and roots music, Shawn became a trusted collaborator of legends such as Loretta Lynn, Guy Clark, and John Prine. He wrote two songs, including the title track, of Willie Nelson's 2022 album, A Beautiful Time, which won the Grammy for Country Album of the Year. Camp has also earned Grammy awards for his production work on Guy Clark's final album, My Favorite Picture of You, and for his work as a member of the bluegrass group The Earls of Leicester. Other artists who've recorded Shawn Camp songs include Randy Travis, Patty Loveless, Alan Jackson, Kenny Chesney, Rhett Akins, Gary Allan, John Anderson, Gene Watson, Porter Wagoner, and Emmylou Harris. Shawn's latest album as a solo artist—his first in almost 20 years—is The Ghost of Sis Draper. The theme album is based around a collection of songs co-written with Guy Clark and is available on Truly Handmade Records, which is dedicated to preserving and building upon Clark's legacy.   Hosted by Simplecast, an AdsWizz company. See pcm.adswizz.com for information about our collection and use of personal data for advertising.

If you were tasked with making a feature film about Bruce Springsteen, you could throw a dart and hit any number of career peaks worth covering. Instead, director/writer Scott Cooper chose to zoom in on the Boss' personal low, chronicled by author Warren Zanes in his acclaimed 2023 book Deliver Me From Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska. With unbounded access to his subject, Warren's meticulous and potetic account of what he calls "the ultimate underdog of all recordings" is now the basis for 'Springsteen: Deliver Me From Nowhere,' coming to theaters everywhere this Friday, October 24th.   Also an executive producer on the film, Warren walks us through the journey from book to script to cineplex, as well as the film's granular attention to the smallest of details, and an emotional, full-circle moment he experienced after the film's first public screening. Plus, the brilliant casting choices of Jeremy Allen White and Jeremy Strong, as Springsteen and his longtime manager Jon Landau.   Deliver Me From Nowhere is available, with an updated, movie tie-in cover, wherever you get literature. Follow @warrenzanes on Instagram, and find his 2024 PBS special, Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska: A Celebration in Words and Music (featuring Noah Kahan, Lucinda Williams, Emmylou Harris, The Lumineers and more), at pbs.org.   Music throughout today's episode is from Joelton Mayfield's new LP, Crowdpleaser, also out this Friday, October 24th on Bloodshot Records. Visit joeltonmayfield.com for tour dates, social media, pre-order info and more.      NOTE: Further context on Warren Zanes' book Deliver Me From Nowhere: The Making of Bruce Springsteen's Nebraska is available from his previous interview on Episode 187 of Vinyl Emergency.  

Als Waylon midden in de nacht gebeld wordt door zijn grote held, countrylegende Waylon Jennings, is hij sprakeloos. Een gesprek om nooit meer te vergeten, herinnert hij zich. En er volgen meer, Jennings ziet het talent in de Nederlander die zich naar hem vernoemde. Het resulteert in een vriendschap, gezamenlijke optredens, dagenlange studiosessies en gesprekken aan het ziekbed van één van de allergrootste artiesten die het genre ooit heeft gekend. Maar Waylon blijkt een onuitputtelijke bron van bijzondere verhalen. Hij zong een duet met Dolly Parton en Emmylou Harris, liet Europa samen met Ilse DeLange verliefd worden op country music en verzorgde één van de beste pedalsteelgitaristen ter wereld, omdat Robby Turner simpelweg niemand had. Een openhartig gesprek met de man die nu voor eens en voor altijd terugkeert naar zijn passie. Zijn allergrootste liefde: countrymuziek. Die diepzittende liefde deelt hij in deze aflevering met de luisteraars van Countrykoorts. 

I Killed a Six Pack – Kendall Shaffer Life’s Highway (feat. Andy Griggs) – Soul Circus Cowboys Appalachian Voodoo – Branden Martin Should Have Listened To Myself (A Long Time Ago) – Brady Nichols Tired Of The Hard Way – Tyller Gummersall Driving Me to Drink – Country Honk Slow It Down (feat. Madison Hughes) – Philip Bowen Pap’s Billygoat – The Kody Norris Show (Long Journey Home: A Century After the 1925 Mountain City Fiddlers Convention) Tightrope – Zach Top Cryin’ Holy (feat. Emmylou Harris) – J.D. Crowe & The New South Kissing You Goodbye – Margo Price

O Brother, Where Art Thou? is a satirical comedy-drama musical film released in 2000, written, produced, and directed by The Coen Brothers. The film starred George Clooney, John Turturro, Tim Blake Nelson, Holly Hunter, John Goodman, and CHARLES DURNING in a 1930s Mississippi setting. In which a trio of escaped convicts travel across the American South in search of a supposed buried treasure, as Clooney attempts to re-connect with his divorced wife and children. The story was heavily influenced by Preston Sturges' film Sullivan's Travels, while also borrowing loosely from Homer's epic Greek poem The Odyssey, and featured a backdrop of period folk music, produced and arranged by T-Bone Burnett, and featured performances by Alison Krauss, Emmylou Harris, Ralph Stanley, John Hartford, and numerous others. The film was a major box office success in its time, earned major critical praise for its sharp writing and gorgeous autumnal aesthetics, while its soundtrack swept the 44th annual Grammy Awards.On a rare, guest-free episode of Hell Is A Musical, Lilz and Scott take in a viewing of O Brother, Where Art Thou? and are thoroughly delighted. (Not to give away the ending of the podcast.) Join them as they ruminate on ancient brands of hair cream, point out innumerable Big Lebowski references that are totally there, engage in time-honored bouts of fisticuffsmanship, and bask in the majesty of CHARLES DURNING.#HotDurnAutumn...with Lilz & Scott!

We're back on a Zoom call to what must be the Rocker Dog capital of the world, Nashville, Tennessee, with renowned singer-songwriter Maia Sharp. Maia introduces us to her current rescue Louie whose Wisdom Panel reveals him to be 85% Bloodhound and 12% Australian Cattle Dog. We also pay our respects to her childhood dog Hamlet and the love of her life Emmitt. Plenty of great insights and stories from this dedicated dog parent.Maia's immensely enjoyable new album Tomboy comes out this week on September 12th with a tour starting the same day in Los Angeles. For music, tour dates and more visit linktr.ee/MaiaSharpMaia gave her shout outs to Shirley Catalina and Teach Your K9 who are committed to providing quality dog-human relationship training to help clients develop a well-behaved canine companion that fits their individual lifestyle. For more information on private or group classes go to teachyourk9.comShe also gave a nod of respect to Bonaparte's Retreat, a rescue founded by Grammy-winning artist Emmylou Harris that focuses on neglected and forgotten dogs and care for these wonderful animals for as long as it takes to find their forever homes. To adopt, foster, volunteer or donate visit bonapartesretreat.orgFor more pics and clips of Maia and Louie follow the show on Instagram at @rockerdogpodcast

“Failed bull-rider turned seminal songwriter” (Red Light Management), native Texan Rodney Crowell is considered to be one of the chief architects of Americana music, and a songwriter admired by good songwriters. Crowell has had an eventful career in his half century of writing songs, making records and helping create the style that's come to be known as alternative country. He's worked with a who's who of American music:  Emmylou Harris at first, and then much later as well, but also Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, Sheryl Crow – the list is too long to go into. Rodney Crowell is back with a new album called "Airline Highway" featuring many top-notch collaborations. He plays a solo set, in-studio.Set list: 1. Rainy Days in California 2. The Twenty-One Song Salute (Owed to G.G. Shinn and Cléoma Falcon) 3. Taking Flight

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Bruce Bouton is an accomplished pedal steel guitarist who has played on an extensive string of massive country albums and singles from the 80's onward. From his multi-year stint backing up Ricky Skaggs, playing some of the most memorable steel licks of the era, to most of Garth Brooks' musical output all through the 90's, Bruce has also appeared on records for Emmylou Harris, Brooks & Dunn, The Mavericks, Shania Twain, Keith Urban, Taylor Swift, Reba McEntire, and many more. Bruce has incredible skill on the instrument and has found a way to come up with hooky, accessible yet technically skillful parts and solos that have contributed to the success of so many of those recordings. He's been at this a long time and brings a wealth of experience to sessions and gigs still today. Bruce also made an instructional pedal steel video that is well worth seeking out - I sure found it enlightening when I was starting to play steel. Bruce is still very active around Nashville and we had a chance to hang out at the Henhouse and spend an hour or so talking about lots of his history and path to where he is today.You can get all the current info on Bruce at his website:www.rockinlapsteel.comEnjoy my conversation with Bruce Bouton!This season is brought to you by our main sponsors Larivée Guitars, Audeze, Izotope, FabFilter, and Chase Bliss. Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Americana, Roots, Folk, Blues and Country music. Featured Artists . New and Classic tracks. Episode includes Laura Veirs, Tim McGraw, Robbie Robertson, Emmylou Harris and Ags Connolly.A SPECIAL ON "ONE OF A KIND" SONGS.

"Hangover Terrace" The Ontario-born Ron Sexsmith is one of the great musical treasures on this weird and troubled planet. And we need him now more than ever. Over the course of his decorated career, the three-time Juno award-winning singer/songwriter has put out close to twenty winning albums and here's a quick note about that--his discography is perfect with not even a trace of a dip of quality. In fact, every album seems to top the last one, which is saying a lot because every album is absolutely brilliant. If this sounds like hyperbole, it's not. From his self-titled album to Cobblestone Runway to Retriever to Blue Boy to Carousel One to his brand new record Hangover Terrace, which is one of the greatest album titles ever, by the way, Ron Sexsmith always delivers the goods. It's hard to think of a musician who sings with such elegant precision and poetic finesse. Like Sinatra or Costello, his phrasing is unique and distinct--all it takes is a syllable of a song and you know instantly know it's him. He's toured with John Hiatt, Squeeze, Coldplay and Nick Lowe and his songs have been covered by folks like Rod Stewart, Nick Lowe, Emmy Lou Harris, Feist, Michael Buble, and Stevie Nicks. His 2017 novel Deer Life, A Fairy Tale is just wonderful and this year he made his theatrical composer debut with the internationally renowned Stratford Festival production of ‘As You Like It' in Stratford, Ontario, Canada. But back to Hangover Terrace. A moving and deeply stirring 14-track song cycle, Hangover Terrace is filled with dark whimsy, wistful ballads and mid-tempo magic. Sexsmith's fluid and free flowing voice is untouched by time, his delivery as free flowing and and as a result this is an album of emotional exactitude and pure indie soul. And this conversation is a real joy. www.ronsexmith.com (http://www.ronsexmith.com) www.bombshellradio.com www.stereoembersmagazine.com www.alexgreenbooks.com (http://www.alexgreenbooks.com) https://podcast.feedspot.com/california_music_podcasts/ https://podcast.feedspot.com/california_art_podcasts/ IG + BLUESKY: @emberspodcast Email: editor@stereoembersmagazine.com

On the Saturday August 23 edition of The Richard Crouse Show we meet New York Times bestselling author Joy Fielding. With a career spanning over four decades, she has eraned readers with her ability to weave intricate plots, complex characters, and emotional depth. Known for bestsellers like “See Jane Run,” “Don't Cry Now,” and “Someone Is Watching,” Fielding explores themes of relationships, betrayal, and human resilience. Today we’ll talk about her latest novel, the psychological thriller “Jenny Cooper Has a Secret.” The book follows a 76-year-old widow named Linda who visits Legacy Place, a memory care facility where she meets 92-year-old Jenny Cooper, a dementia patient who shocks Linda with a confession: “I kill people.” Initially dismissing it as delusion, Linda grows intrigued as Jenny lucidly recounts tales of her victims—mostly men who wronged her. When a resident dies under seemingly natural circumstances, Linda begins to question whether Jenny’s claims might hold truth. Then, we’ll hang out with singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith. Often called a “songwriter’s songwriter,” his fans include Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, Leonard Cohen and many, many others. He’s release 17 albums to date, and collaborated with producers like Daniel Lanois, Mitchell Froom and Bob Rock. His songwriting appears on albums from Rod Stewart, Michael Bublé, k.d. lang, Emmylou Harris and Feist. Today we talk about his latest album, “Hangover Terrace,” The album was sparked during Ron’s extended stay in the UK in late 2024, following his Sexsmith at Sixty tour. Inspired by time spent recording at London’s Eastcote Studios, Ron says the album was inspired by “the hangover I feel from the last few years of pandemic and life knocking us around.”

On the Saturday August 23 edition of The Richard Crouse Show we meet New York Times bestselling author Joy Fielding. With a career spanning over four decades, she has eraned readers with her ability to weave intricate plots, complex characters, and emotional depth. Known for bestsellers like “See Jane Run,” “Don't Cry Now,” and “Someone Is Watching,” Fielding explores themes of relationships, betrayal, and human resilience. Today we'll talk about her latest novel, the psychological thriller “Jenny Cooper Has a Secret.” The book follows a 76-year-old widow named Linda who visits Legacy Place, a memory care facility where she meets 92-year-old Jenny Cooper, a dementia patient who shocks Linda with a confession: “I kill people.” Initially dismissing it as delusion, Linda grows intrigued as Jenny lucidly recounts tales of her victims—mostly men who wronged her. When a resident dies under seemingly natural circumstances, Linda begins to question whether Jenny's claims might hold truth. Then, we'll hang out with singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith. Often called a “songwriter's songwriter,” his fans include Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, Leonard Cohen and many, many others. He's release 17 albums to date, and collaborated with producers like Daniel Lanois, Mitchell Froom and Bob Rock. His songwriting appears on albums from Rod Stewart, Michael Bublé, k.d. lang, Emmylou Harris and Feist. Today we talk about his latest album, “Hangover Terrace,” The album was sparked during Ron's extended stay in the UK in late 2024, following his Sexsmith at Sixty tour. Inspired by time spent recording at London's Eastcote Studios, Ron says the album was inspired by “the hangover I feel from the last few years of pandemic and life knocking us around.”

Today I'm joined by bluegrass singer, songwriter and superstar bassist Shelby Means, who this year finally released her debut self-titled solo album, to talk about the classic trailblazing bluegrass album by Alison Krauss & Union Station, ‘So Long So Wrong'. Shelby talks about how Krauss supplanted Emmylou Harris as her dad's favorite singer, not understanding song lyrics as a kid, discovering the Beatles through bluegrass, the changing lineups of Union Station, the innovative production of the record, the tension between perfectionism and feel, Shelby's experiences recording with members of Union Station and more.

Today's episode is titled "Sounds of the West" and features western music and cowboy poetry from Doug figgs, Duane Nelson, the Thick Crust Doughboys,  Dave Stamey, Emmylou Harris, The Western Swing Authority, Cincinnati Pops, Sons of the San Joaquin, Helene Cronin, Chuck Pyle, Sarah Pierce, Bill Staines, LeeLee Robert, Hot Texas Swing Band, Diamond W Wranglers, Patty Clayton.   

What does it take to rise from cleaning studios to shaping some of the most iconic records of our time? Trina Shoemaker's story is not just about breaking into the music industry—it's about breaking through it. As the first woman to win a Grammy for Best Engineered Album, Trina paved the way for a generation of female producers and engineers, and she brings her powerful voice and razor-sharp insight to this inspiring and unfiltered conversation. In this episode, Trina shares how she went from mopping floors at Capitol Records to earning Grammy wins for her work with artists like Sheryl Crow and Emmylou Harris. She tells the behind-the-scenes stories of working on Wrecking Ball and how that album helped define the sound of Americana. We explore her years in London learning the art of engineering, her move to New Orleans to join the legendary Kingsway Studio, and the deep musical and personal lessons she learned along the way. Trina also pulls back the curtain on the realities of being a woman in a male-dominated field—how she navigated the industry, demanded respect, and held true to her belief in capturing raw, honest performances. She discusses her approach to vocal production, why she avoids auto-tune, and how crafting backing vocals is one of her secret weapons. Beyond her life in the studio, Trina opens up about her love of writing and her dream of publishing a novel and having actor Will Patton narrate the audiobook. Whether you're a seasoned engineer or just starting out, this episode offers a powerful reminder: authenticity, persistence, and a deep respect for the artist's process will always rise above the noise. Get access to FREE mixing mini-course: https://MixMasterBundle.com My guest today is Trina Shoemaker, who was born in 1965 and raised in Joliet, IL, southwest of Chicago. Over the past three-and-a-half decades, she has produced, recorded and mixed hundreds of records. A four-time Grammy® Award winner and six-time nominee, she is the first woman to win the Grammy® for Best Engineered Album, Non-Classical. Her credits run the gamut from Queens Of The Stone Age, Rodney Crowell, Charley Crockett and Iggy Pop to Sheryl Crow, Brandi Carlile and Tanya Tucker. Although audio engineering is a passion, writing songs and playing musical instruments are not. Instead, while her ears are busy in the studio recording music, her imagination is busy creating characters, narratives, plotlines and dialogues as she travels through the hidden workings of songs. These stories have culminated in the creation of her debut novel, Bury Me Alive In Your Sugar. Trina lives on Mobile Bay in Fairhope, Alabama, with her husband, singer-songwriter Grayson Capps. Thank you to Tyler Bryant for the introduction! THANKS TO OUR SPONSORS! http://UltimateMixingMasterclass.com https://usa.sae.edu/ https://www.izotope.com Use code ROCK10 to get 10% off! https://www.native-instruments.com Use code ROCK10 to get 10% off! https://www.adam-audio.com/ https://www.makebelievestudio.com/mbsi Get your MBSI plugin here! https://RecordingStudioRockstars.com/Academy  https://www.thetoyboxstudio.com/ Listen to the podcast theme song “Skadoosh!” https://solo.to/lijshawmusic Listen to this guest's discography on Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/7FEgPMG0Zhkx6vdIuU5SUX?si=38dbbb23f1994fae If you love the podcast, then please leave a review: https://RSRockstars.com/Review CLICK HERE FOR COMPLETE SHOW NOTES AT: https://RSRockstars.com/518

AP correspondent Ed Donahue reports on new honors for Nashville songwriters.

Two-time Grammy winner and songwriting superhero Patty Griffin joins us for a wide-ranging discussion about her craftPART ONEReflecting on the lives of recently-departed songwriters Alan Bergman and Ozzy Osbourne, which might be the only time those two were discussed in the same conversation! PART TWOOur in-depth conversation with Patty GriffinABOUT PATTY GRIFFINPatty Griffin is a singer's singer and a songwriter's songwriter. With a catalog of finely-crafted selections that includes “Let Him Fly,” “One Big Love,” “Top of the World,” “Rain,” “Long Ride Home,” “Heavenly Day,” “Up to the Mountain,” “Ohio,” and many others, she has carved out a space as one the most respected artists and songwriters of the last 30 years. The seven-time Grammy nominee and two-time winner blends folk, blues, and other roots music traditions into her own unique style. Patty has received the Americana Music Association's Lifetime Achievement Award for Songwriting, and her songs have been covered by a long list of artists that includes The Chicks, Solomon Burke, Linda Ronstadt, Emmylou Harris, Miranda Lambert, Kelly Clarkson, Bette Midler, Martina McBride, Maura O'Connell, and others. Patty's eleventh, and most recent, studio album is called Crown of Roses.  

The magic of dance comes alive in this captivating conversation with The Step Crew, the innovative dance ensemble that blends Ottawa Valley step dancing, Irish step dancing, and elements of tap into a mesmerizing performance style all their own. Brothers Jon and Nathan Pilatzky join Cara Butler (Jon's wife) to share the remarkable journey that brought them from separate dance traditions to creating a show that puts movement front and center.Their connection with the Dublin Irish Festival runs deep. "Dublin was the first festival to hire us as The Step Crew way back in 2007," Cara explains, highlighting how the festival took a chance on their then-new concept. This marks their sixth appearance, underscoring the special relationship between these world-class performers and what they describe as a "professional yet organic" festival atmosphere.The trio's performance credentials dazzle – from appearances on late-night television to sharing stages with music legends Emmylou Harris and Alison Krauss at the historic Ryman Auditorium. Nathan (affectionately nicknamed "Crazy Legs" for his rubber-like dancing ability) calls that performance "one of the highlights of my career." Their journey began with The Chieftains, where the brothers first met Cara and discovered how their different dance styles could complement each other.Throughout the conversation, their warmth and humor shine through, especially during rapid-fire questions revealing personal quirks – from Cara's protein snack obsession to Nathan's love of hand-washing dishes and John's encyclopedic knowledge of Seinfeld episodes. But what truly resonates is their passion for performance and their genuine love for the Dublin Irish Festival community.Don't miss your chance to experience The Step Crew's unique fusion of dance traditions at this year's Dublin Irish Festival. As Cara puts it, "You're just going to have so much fun.    Visit DublinIrishFestival.org for all the information you need.

Eamon McLaughlin is a Grammy Nominated British born fiddle player. He's a member of the Grand Ole Opry house band. He specializes in Country, Bluegrass and Americana music. He tours with EmmyLou Harris and Rodney Crowell. And he's backed many artists including Vince Gill, Nina Simone and the Oak Ridge Boys.My featured song is “My Love” from the album Bobby M and the Paisley Parade. Spotify link.------------------------------------------The Follow Your Dream Podcast:Top 1% of all podcasts with Listeners in 200 countries!Click here for All Episodes Click here for Guest List Click here for Guest Groupings Click here for Guest TestimonialsClick here to Subscribe Click here to receive our Email UpdatesClick here to Rate and Review the podcast—----------------------------------------CONNECT WITH EAMON:www.opry.com/artists/eamon-mcloughlin_______________________ROBERT'S RECENT SINGLES:“THE CUT OF THE KNIFE” is Robert's latest single. An homage to jazz legend Dave Brubeck and his hit “Take Five”. It features Guest Artist Kerry Marx, Musical Director of The Grand Ole Opry band, on guitar solo. Called “Elegant”, “Beautiful” and “A Wonder”! CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS—----------------------------“DAY AT THE RACES” is Robert's newest single.It captures the thrills, chills and pageantry of horse racing's Triple Crown. Called “Fun, Upbeat, Exciting!”CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS___________________“MOON SHOT” reflects my Jazz Rock Fusion roots. The track features Special Guest Mark Lettieri, 5x Grammy winning guitarist who plays with Snarky Puppy and The Fearless Flyers. The track has been called “Firey, Passionate and Smokin!”CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS____________________“ROUGH RIDER” has got a Cool, ‘60s, “Spaghetti Western”, Guitar-driven, Tremolo sounding, Ventures/Link Wray kind of vibe!CLICK HERE FOR THE OFFICIAL VIDEOCLICK HERE FOR ALL LINKS—--------------------------------“LOVELY GIRLIE” is a fun, Old School, rock/pop tune with 3-part harmony. It's been called “Supremely excellent!”, “Another Homerun for Robert!”, and “Love that Lovely Girlie!”Click HERE for All Links—----------------------------------“THE RICH ONES ALL STARS” is Robert's single featuring the following 8 World Class musicians: Billy Cobham (Drums), Randy Brecker (Flugelhorn), John Helliwell (Sax), Pat Coil (Piano), Peter Tiehuis (Guitar), Antonio Farao (Keys), Elliott Randall (Guitar) and David Amram (Pennywhistle).Click HERE for the Official VideoClick HERE for All Links—----------------------------------------Audio production:Jimmy RavenscroftKymera Films Connect with the Follow Your Dream Podcast:Website - www.followyourdreampodcast.comEmail Robert - robert@followyourdreampodcast.com Follow Robert's band, Project Grand Slam, and his music:Website - www.projectgrandslam.comYouTubeSpotify MusicApple MusicEmail - pgs@projectgrandslam.com 

The public may best know Phil Madeira as an ace-in-the-hole sideman for high-profile Americana artists like Emmylou Harris, while Nashville insiders know him as a songwriter's writer and a go-to studio musician as well. While his career goes back well over 50 years, over the last decade or so, Madeira has released a series of superb, highly-focused solo albums and creative collaborations that have focused on various aspects of his musical, lyrical, and overall artistic skillsets. On his latest project, Falcon, (releasing July 18), Madeira combines all of these elements seamlessly. It presents as a sort of "Best Of Phil Madeira" project, that happens to be comprised of all new tunes.  On this episode we catch up with Madeira to hear about Falcon in detail, and how it fits into his larger body of work. We will also peek behind the curtain a bit, into the deeper personal work this music reflects in the life and heart of the artist.  For more info visit the full show notes page at TrueTunes.com/Falcon and to learn more about Phil Madeira find his website at PhilMadeira.net.  If you want to support the show, please join our Patreon community or drop us a one-time tip and check out our MERCH!

This week we look at the subject of death including - Stephen Ireland; NHS Chestfeeding Workshops;  Billboard Chris wins in Australia; Chris Coghlan vs the Priest; Pascal Robinson-Foster's death chant at Glastonbury; Country of the Week - Thailand; Zoohran Mandani and the artificial construct of violence;  Transfeminist Pregnancy; Turkish Islamists attack LeMan; The UK Governments definition of extreme right wing; Pakistani Drug Dealer can stay in UK to teach son Islam; The effects of Cruise Ships on Climate Change;  the Planet is getting Greener;  O Brother Where Art Thou?  AI and Medicine;  The Thickness of Justin Welby;  The Death of Jimmy Swaggert; and 1 Corinthians 15:55  with music from Alison Krauss; Ralph Stanley; Soggy Bottom Boys; EmmyLou Harris ;  Gillian Welch; Acts Music

Fáilte ar ais chuig eagrán nua de Ar An Lá Seo ar an 3ú lá de mí Iúil, liomsa Lauren Ní Loingsigh. I 1981 tharla easaontas leis an CIE agus de bharr sin ní raibh aon mbus I mBaile Átha Cliath don lá sin. I 1992 mharaíodh duine a bhí I ndrong nuair a bhí siad ag argóint faoi airgead. I 1981 bhí súil ag comhairle contae an Chláir chun píosa den chéad chéim a bheith déanta acu den seachbhóthar roimh dheireadh an bhliain. I 1992 rinne an ghrúpa GPA athnuaite den dúthracht don tSionainn an tseachtain seo. Sin La Roux le Bulletproof – an t-amhrán is mó ar an lá seo I 2009 Ag lean ar aghaidh le nuacht cheoil ar an lá seo I 1972 fuair Fred McDowell bás de bharr ailse ag aois 68. Rinne an bhanna cheoil The Rolling Stones leagan de a amhrán You Got To Move ar a albam Sticky Fingers. Bhí sé mar mhúinteoir do Bonnie Raitt ar giotár. I 2001 fuair amhránaí Johnny Russell bás ag aois 61. Scríobh sé Act Naturally agus Rinne The Beatles agus Buck Owens leagan den amhrán. Rinne Jim Reeves, Jerry Garcia, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, agus Linda Ronstadt leagan de a amhráin chomh maith. Agus ar deireadh breithlá daoine cáiliúla ar an lá seo rugadh Peggy Gou sa Chóiré Theas I 1991 agus rugadh aisteoir Tom Cruise I Meiriceá ar an lá seo I 1962 agus seo chuid de na rudaí a rinne sé. Beidh mé ar ais libh amárach le heagrán nua de Ar An Lá Seo. Welcome back to another edition of Ar An Lá Seo on the 3rd of July, with me Lauren Ní Loingsigh 1981: CIE dispute left dublin without buses on this day. 1992: provo gang victim was killed in cash row. 1981: clareco.council hoped to have land for the first stage of the town by pass purchased by the end of 1981. 1992: The GPA group renewed its commitment to shannon this week. That was La Roux with Bulletproof – the biggest song on this day in 2009 Onto music news on this day In 1972 Blues singer, guitarist Mississippi Fred McDowell died of cancer aged 68. The Rolling Stones covered his 'You Got To Move' on their Sticky Fingers album. He coached Bonnie Raitt on slide guitar technique 2001 American singer, songwriter Johnny Russell died aged 61. He wrote 'Act Naturally' covered by The Beatles and Buck Owens. Jim Reeves, Jerry Garcia, Dolly Parton, Emmylou Harris, and Linda Ronstadt had all covered his songs. And finally celebrity birthdays on this day – DJ Peggy Gou was born in South Korea in 1991 and actor Tom Cruise was born in America on this day in 1962 and this is some of the stuff he has done. I'll be back with you tomorrow with another edition of Ar An Lá Seo.

Americana, Roots, Country , Folk & Acoustic music.New and Classic Tracks. AN All FEMALE ARTISTS SPECIAL. Includes Lee Ann Womack, Emmylou Harris, Gretchen Peters and Lori McKenna.

For those who haven't heard the announcement I posted, songs from this point on will sometimes be split among multiple episodes, so this is the second part of a two-episode look at the song “Who Knows Where The Time Goes?” by Fairport Convention, and the intertwining careers of Joe Boyd, Sandy Denny, and Richard Thompson. Click the full post to read liner notes, links to more information, and a transcript of the episode. Patreon backers also have a forty-one-minute bonus episode available, on Judy Collins’ version of this song. Tilt Araiza has assisted invaluably by editing, and will hopefully be doing so from now on. Check out Tilt's irregular podcasts at http://www.podnose.com/jaffa-cakes-for-proust and http://sitcomclub.com/ Erratum For about an hour this was uploaded with the wrong Elton John clip in place of “Saturday Sun”. This has now been fixed. Resources Because of the increasing problems with Mixcloud’s restrictions, I have decided to start sharing streaming playlists of the songs used in episodes instead of Mixcloud ones. This Tunemymusic link will let you listen to the playlist I created on your streaming platform of choice — however please note that not all the songs excerpted are currently available on streaming. The songs missing from the Tidal version are “Shanten Bells” by the Ian Campbell Folk Group, “Tom’s Gone to Hilo” by A.L. Lloyd, two by Paul McNeill and Linda Peters, three by Elton John & Linda Peters, “What Will I Do With Tomorrow” by Sandy Denny and “You Never Know” by Charlie Drake, but the other fifty-nine are there. Other songs may be missing from other services. The main books I used on Fairport Convention as a whole were Patrick Humphries' Meet On The Ledge, Clinton Heylin's What We Did Instead of Holidays, and Kevan Furbank's Fairport Convention on Track. Rob Young's Electric Eden is the most important book on the British folk-rock movement. Information on Richard Thompson comes from Patrick Humphries' Richard Thompson: Strange Affair and Thompson's own autobiography Beeswing.  Information on Sandy Denny comes from Clinton Heylin's No More Sad Refrains and Mick Houghton's I've Always Kept a Unicorn. I also used Joe Boyd's autobiography White Bicycles and Chris Blackwell's The Islander.  And this three-CD set is the best introduction to Fairport's music currently in print. Transcript Before we begin, this episode contains reference to alcohol and cocaine abuse and medical neglect leading to death. It also starts with some discussion of the fatal car accident that ended last episode. There’s also some mention of child neglect and spousal violence. If that’s likely to upset you, you might want to skip this episode or read the transcript. One of the inspirations for this podcast when I started it back in 2018 was a project by Richard Thompson, which appears (like many things in Thompson’s life) to have started out of sheer bloody-mindedness. In 1999 Playboy magazine asked various people to list their “songs of the Millennium”, and most of them, understanding the brief, chose a handful of songs from the latter half of the twentieth century. But Thompson determined that he was going to list his favourite songs *of the millennium*. He didn’t quite manage that, but he did cover seven hundred and forty years, and when Playboy chose not to publish it, he decided to turn it into a touring show, in which he covered all his favourite songs from “Sumer Is Icumen In” from 1260: [Excerpt: Richard Thompson, “Sumer is Icumen In”] Through numerous traditional folk songs, union songs like “Blackleg Miner”, pieces by early-modern composers, Victorian and Edwardian music hall songs, and songs by the Beatles, the Ink Spots, the Kinks, and the Who, all the way to “Oops! I Did It Again”: [Excerpt: Richard Thompson, “Oops! I Did it Again”] And to finish the show, and to show how all this music actually ties together, he would play what he described as a “medieval tune from Brittany”, “Marry, Ageyn Hic Hev Donne Yt”: [Excerpt: Richard Thompson, “Marry, Ageyn Hic Hev Donne Yt”] We have said many times in this podcast that there is no first anything, but there’s a reason that Liege and Lief, Fairport Convention’s third album of 1969, and the album other than Unhalfbricking on which their reputation largely rests, was advertised with the slogan “The first (literally) British folk rock album ever”. Folk-rock, as the term had come to be known, and as it is still usually used today, had very little to do with traditional folk music. Rather, the records of bands like The Byrds or Simon and Garfunkel were essentially taking the sounds of British beat groups of the early sixties, particularly the Searchers, and applying those sounds to material by contemporary singer-songwriters. People like Paul Simon and Bob Dylan had come up through folk clubs, and their songs were called folk music because of that, but they weren’t what folk music had meant up to that point — songs that had been collected after being handed down through the folk process, changed by each individual singer, with no single identifiable author. They were authored songs by very idiosyncratic writers. But over their last few albums, Fairport Convention had done one or two tracks per album that weren’t like that, that were instead recordings of traditional folk songs, but arranged with rock instrumentation. They were not necessarily the first band to try traditional folk music with electric instruments — around the same time that Fairport started experimenting with the idea, so did an Irish band named Sweeney’s Men, who brought in a young electric guitarist named Henry McCullough briefly. But they do seem to have been the first to have fully embraced the idea. They had done so to an extent with “A Sailor’s Life” on Unhalfbricking, but now they were going to go much further: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Matty Groves” (from about 4:30)] There had been some doubt as to whether Fairport Convention would even continue to exist — by the time Unhalfbricking, their second album of the year, was released, they had been through the terrible car accident that had killed Martin Lamble, the band’s drummer, and Jeannie Franklyn, Richard Thompson’s girlfriend. Most of the rest of the band had been seriously injured, and they had made a conscious decision not to discuss the future of the band until they were all out of hospital. Ashley Hutchings was hospitalised the longest, and Simon Nicol, Richard Thompson, and Sandy Denny, the other three surviving members of the band, flew over to LA with their producer and manager, Joe Boyd, to recuperate there and get to know the American music scene. When they came back, the group all met up in the flat belonging to Denny’s boyfriend Trevor Lucas, and decided that they were going to continue the band. They made a few decisions then — they needed a new drummer, and as well as a drummer they wanted to get in Dave Swarbrick. Swarbrick had played violin on several tracks on Unhalfbricking as a session player, and they had all been thrilled to work with him. Swarbrick was one of the most experienced musicians on the British folk circuit. He had started out in the fifties playing guitar with Beryl Marriott’s Ceilidh Band before switching to fiddle, and in 1963, long before Fairport had formed, he had already appeared on TV with the Ian Campbell Folk Group, led by Ian Campbell, the father of Ali and Robin Campbell, later of UB40: [Excerpt: The Ian Campbell Folk Group, “Shanten Bells (medley on Hullaballoo!)”] He’d sung with Ewan MacColl and A.L. Lloyd: [Excerpt: A.L. Lloyd, “Tom’s Gone to Hilo” ] And he’d formed his hugely successful duo with Martin Carthy, releasing records like “Byker Hill” which are often considered among the best British folk music of all time: [Excerpt: Martin Carthy and Dave Swarbrick, “Byker Hill”] By the time Fairport had invited him to play on Unhalfbricking, Swarbrick had already performed on twenty albums as a core band member, plus dozens more EPs, singles, and odd tracks on compilations. They had no reason to think they could actually get him to join their band. But they had three advantages. The first was that Swarbrick was sick of the traditional folk scene at the time, saying later “I didn’t like seven-eighths of the people involved in it, and it was extremely opportune to leave. I was suddenly presented with the possibilities of exploring the dramatic content of the songs to the full.” The second was that he was hugely excited to be playing with Richard Thompson, who was one of the most innovative guitarists of his generation, and Martin Carthy remembers him raving about Thompson after their initial sessions. (Carthy himself was and is no slouch on the guitar of course, and there was even talk of getting him to join the band at this point, though they decided against it — much to the relief of rhythm guitarist Simon Nicol, who is a perfectly fine player himself but didn’t want to be outclassed by *two* of the best guitarists in Britain at the same time). And the third was that Joe Boyd told him that Fairport were doing so well — they had a single just about to hit the charts with “Si Tu Dois Partir” — that he would only have to play a dozen gigs with Fairport in order to retire. As it turned out, Swarbrick would play with the group for a decade, and would never retire — I saw him on his last tour in 2015, only eight months before he died. The drummer the group picked was also a far more experienced musician than any of the rest, though in a very different genre. Dave Mattacks had no knowledge at all of the kind of music they played, having previously been a player in dance bands. When asked by Hutchings if he wanted to join the band, Mattacks’ response was “I don’t know anything about the music. I don’t understand it… I can’t tell one tune from another, they all sound the same… but if you want me to join the group, fine, because I really like it. I’m enjoying myself musically.” Mattacks brought a new level of professionalism to the band, thanks to his different background. Nicol said of him later “He was dilligent, clean, used to taking three white shirts to a gig… The application he could bring to his playing was amazing. With us, you only played well when you were feeling well.” This distinction applied to his playing as well. Nicol would later describe the difference between Mattacks’ drumming and Lamble’s by saying “Martin’s strength was as an imaginative drummer. DM came in with a strongly developed sense of rhythm, through keeping a big band of drunken saxophone players in order. A great time-keeper.” With this new line-up and a new sense of purpose, the group did as many of their contemporaries were doing and “got their heads together in the country”. Joe Boyd rented the group a mansion, Farley House, in Farley Chamberlayne, Hampshire, and they stayed there together for three months. At the start, the group seem to have thought that they were going to make another record like Unhalfbricking, with some originals, some songs by American songwriters, and a few traditional songs. Even after their stay in Farley Chamberlayne, in fact, they recorded a few of the American songs they’d rehearsed at the start of the process, Richard Farina’s “Quiet Joys of Brotherhood” and Bob Dylan and Roger McGuinn’s “Ballad of Easy Rider”: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Ballad of Easy Rider”] Indeed, the whole idea of “getting our heads together in the country” (as the cliche quickly became in the late sixties as half of the bands in Britain went through much the same kind of process as Fairport were doing — but usually for reasons more to do with drug burnout or trend following than recovering from serious life-changing trauma) seems to have been inspired by Bob Dylan and the Band getting together in Big Pink. But very quickly they decided to follow the lead of Ashley Hutchings, who had had something of a Damascene conversion to the cause of traditional English folk music. They were listening mostly to Music From Big Pink by the Band, and to the first album by Sweeney’s Men: [Excerpt: Sweeney’s Men, “The Handsome Cabin Boy”] And they decided that they were going to make something that was as English as those records were North American and Irish (though in the event there were also a few Scottish songs included on the record). Hutchings in particular was becoming something of a scholar of traditional music, regularly visiting Cecil Sharp House and having long conversations with A.L. Lloyd, discovering versions of different traditional songs he’d never encountered before. This was both amusing and bemusing Sandy Denny, who had joined a rock group in part to get away from traditional music; but she was comfortable singing the material, and knew a lot of it and could make a lot of suggestions herself. Swarbrick obviously knew the repertoire intimately, and Nicol was amenable, while Mattacks was utterly clueless about the folk tradition at this point but knew this was the music he wanted to make. Thompson knew very little about traditional music, and of all the band members except Denny he was the one who has shown the least interest in the genre in his subsequent career — but as we heard at the beginning, showing the least interest in the genre is a relative thing, and while Thompson was not hugely familiar with the genre, he *was* able to work with it, and was also more than capable of writing songs that fit in with the genre. Of the eleven songs on the album, which was titled Liege and Lief (which means, roughly, Lord and Loyalty), there were no cover versions of singer-songwriters. Eight were traditional songs, and three were originals, all written in the style of traditional songs. The album opened with “Come All Ye”, an introduction written by Denny and Hutchings (the only time the two would ever write together): [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Come All Ye”] The other two originals were songs where Thompson had written new lyrics to traditional melodies. On “Crazy Man Michael”, Swarbrick had said to Thompson that the tune to which he had set his new words was weaker than the lyrics, to which Thompson had replied that if Swarbrick felt that way he should feel free to write a new melody. He did, and it became the first of the small number of Thompson/Swarbrick collaborations: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Crazy Man Michael”] Thompson and Swarbrick would become a brief songwriting team, but as much as anything else it was down to proximity — the two respected each other as musicians, but never got on very well. In 1981 Swarbrick would say “Richard and I never got on in the early days of FC… we thought we did, but we never did. We composed some bloody good songs together, but it was purely on a basis of “you write that and I’ll write this, and we’ll put it together.” But we never sat down and had real good chats.” The third original on the album, and by far the most affecting, is another song where Thompson put lyrics to a traditional tune. In this case he thought he was putting the lyrics to the tune of “Willie O'Winsbury”, but he was basing it on a recording by Sweeney’s Men. The problem was that Sweeney’s Men had accidentally sung the lyrics of “Willie O'Winsbury'” to the tune of a totally different song, “Fause Foodrage”: [Excerpt: Sweeney’s Men, “Willie O’Winsbury”] Thompson took that melody, and set to it lyrics about loss and separation. Thompson has never been one to discuss the meanings of his lyrics in any great detail, and in the case of this one has said “I really don't know what it means. This song came out of a dream, and I pretty much wrote it as I dreamt it (it was the sixties), and didn't spend very long analyzing it. So interpret as you wish – or replace with your own lines.” But in the context of the traffic accident that had killed his tailor girlfriend and a bandmate, and injured most of his other bandmates, the lyrics about lonely travellers, the winding road, bruised and beaten sons, saying goodbye, and never cutting cloth, seem fairly self-explanatory: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Farewell, Farewell”] The rest of the album, though, was taken up by traditional tunes. There was a long medley of four different fiddle reels; a version of “Reynardine” (a song about a seductive man — or is he a fox? Or perhaps both — which had been recorded by Swarbrick and Carthy on their most recent album); a 19th century song about a deserter saved from the firing squad by Prince Albert; and a long take on “Tam Lin”, one of the most famous pieces in the Scottish folk music canon, a song that has been adapted in different ways by everyone from the experimental noise band Current 93 to the dub poet Benjamin Zephaniah to the comics writer Grant Morrison: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Tam Lin”] And “Matty Groves”, a song about a man killing his cheating wife and her lover, which actually has a surprisingly similar story to that of “1921” from another great concept album from that year, the Who’s Tommy. “Matty Groves” became an excuse for long solos and shows of instrumental virtuosity: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Matty Groves”] The album was recorded in September 1969, after their return from their break in the country and a triumphal performance at the Royal Festival Hall, headlining over fellow Witchseason artists John and Beverly Martyn and Nick Drake. It became a classic of the traditional folk genre — arguably *the* classic of the traditional folk genre. In 2007 BBC Radio 2’s Folk Music Awards gave it an award for most influential folk album of all time, and while such things are hard to measure, I doubt there’s anyone with even the most cursory knowledge of British folk and folk-rock music who would not at least consider that a reasonable claim. But once again, by the time the album came out in November, the band had changed lineups yet again. There was a fundamental split in the band – on one side were Sandy Denny and Richard Thompson, whose stance was, roughly, that Liege and Lief was a great experiment and a fun thing to do once, but really the band had two first-rate songwriters in themselves, and that they should be concentrating on their own new material, not doing these old songs, good as they were. They wanted to take the form of the traditional songs and use that form for new material — they wanted to make British folk-rock, but with the emphasis on the rock side of things. Hutchings, on the other hand, was equally sure that he wanted to make traditional music and go further down the rabbit hole of antiquity. With the zeal of the convert he had gone in a couple of years from being the leader of a band who were labelled “the British Jefferson Airplane” to becoming a serious scholar of traditional folk music. Denny was tired of touring, as well — she wanted to spend more time at home with Trevor Lucas, who was sleeping with other women when she was away and making her insecure. When the time came for the group to go on a tour of Denmark, Denny decided she couldn’t make it, and Hutchings was jubilant — he decided he was going to get A.L. Lloyd into the band in her place and become a *real* folk group. Then Denny reconsidered, and Hutchings was crushed. He realised that while he had always been the leader, he wasn’t going to be able to lead the band any further in the traditionalist direction, and quit the group — but not before he was delegated by the other band members to fire Denny. Until the publication of Richard Thompson’s autobiography in 2022, every book on the group or its members said that Denny quit the band again, which was presumably a polite fiction that the band agreed, but according to Thompson “Before we flew home, we decided to fire Sandy. I don't remember who asked her to leave – it was probably Ashley, who usually did the dirty work. She was reportedly shocked that we would take that step. She may have been fragile beneath the confident facade, but she still knew her worth.” Thompson goes on to explain that the reasons for kicking her out were that “I suppose we felt that in her mind she had already left” and that “We were probably suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder, though there wasn't a name for it back then.” They had considered inviting Trevor Lucas to join the band to make Denny more comfortable, but came to the (probably correct) conclusion that while he was someone they got on well with personally, he would be another big ego in a band that already had several, and that being around Denny and Lucas’ volatile relationship would, in Thompson’s phrasing, “have not always given one a feeling of peace and stability.” Hutchings originally decided he was going to join Sweeney’s Men, but that group were falling apart, and their first rehearsal with Hutchings would also be their last as a group, with only Hutchings and guitarist and mandolin player Terry Woods left in the band. They added Woods’ wife Gay, and another couple, Tim Hart and Maddy Prior, and formed a group called Steeleye Span, a name given them by Martin Carthy. That group, like Fairport, went to “get their heads together in the country” for three months and recorded an album of electric versions of traditional songs, Hark the Village Wait, on which Mattacks and another drummer, Gerry Conway, guested as Steeleye Span didn’t at the time have their own drummer: [Excerpt: Steeleye Span, “Blackleg Miner”] Steeleye Span would go on to have a moderately successful chart career in the seventies, but by that time most of the original lineup, including Hutchings, had left — Hutchings stayed with them for a few albums, then went on to form the first of a series of bands, all called the Albion Band or variations on that name, which continue to this day. And this is something that needs to be pointed out at this point — it is impossible to follow every single individual in this narrative as they move between bands. There is enough material in the history of the British folk-rock scene that someone could do a 500 Songs-style podcast just on that, and every time someone left Fairport, or Steeleye Span, or the Albion Band, or Matthews’ Southern Comfort, or any of the other bands we have mentioned or will mention, they would go off and form another band which would then fission, and some of its members would often join one of those other bands. There was a point in the mid-1970s where the Albion Band had two original members of Fairport Convention while Fairport Convention had none. So just in order to keep the narrative anything like wieldy, I’m going to keep the narrative concentrated on the two figures from Fairport — Sandy Denny and Richard Thompson — whose work outside the group has had the most influence on the wider world of rock music more broadly, and only deal with the other members when, as they often did, their careers intersected with those two. That doesn’t mean the other members are not themselves hugely important musicians, just that their importance has been primarily to the folk side of the folk-rock genre, and so somewhat outside the scope of this podcast. While Hutchings decided to form a band that would allow him to go deeper and deeper into traditional folk music, Sandy Denny’s next venture was rather different. For a long time she had been writing far more songs than she had ever played for her bandmates, like “Nothing More”, a song that many have suggested is about Thompson: [Excerpt: Fotheringay, “Nothing More”] When Joe Boyd heard that Denny was leaving Fairport Convention, he was at first elated. Fairport’s records were being distributed by A&M in the US at that point, but Island Records was in the process of opening up a new US subsidiary which would then release all future Fairport product — *but*, as far as A&M were concerned, Sandy Denny *was* Fairport Convention. They were only interested in her. Boyd, on the other hand, loved Denny’s work intensely, but from his point of view *Richard Thompson* was Fairport Convention. If he could get Denny signed directly to A&M as a solo artist before Island started its US operations, Witchseason could get a huge advance on her first solo record, while Fairport could continue making records for Island — he’d have two lucrative acts, on different labels. Boyd went over and spoke to A&M and got an agreement in principle that they would give Denny a forty-thousand-dollar advance on her first solo album — twice what they were paying for Fairport albums. The problem was that Denny didn’t want to be a solo act. She wanted to be the lead singer of a band. She gave many reasons for this — the one she gave to many journalists was that she had seen a Judy Collins show and been impressed, but noticed that Collins’ band were definitely a “backing group”, and as she put it “But that's all they were – a backing group. I suddenly thought, If you're playing together on a stage you might as well be TOGETHER.” Most other people in her life, though, say that the main reason for her wanting to be in a band was her desire to be with her boyfriend, Trevor Lucas. Partly this was due to a genuine desire to spend more time with someone with whom she was very much in love, partly it was a fear that he would cheat on her if she was away from him for long periods of time, and part of it seems to have been Lucas’ dislike of being *too* overshadowed by his talented girlfriend — he didn’t mind acknowledging that she was a major talent, but he wanted to be thought of as at least a minor one. So instead of going solo, Denny formed Fotheringay, named after the song she had written for Fairport. This new band consisted at first of Denny on vocals and occasional piano, Lucas on vocals and rhythm guitar, and Lucas’ old Eclection bandmate Gerry Conway on drums. For a lead guitarist, they asked Richard Thompson who the best guitarist in Britain was, and he told them Albert Lee. Lee in turn brought in bass player Pat Donaldson, but this lineup of the band barely survived a fortnight. Lee *was* arguably the best guitarist in Britain, certainly a reasonable candidate if you could ever have a singular best (as indeed was Thompson himself), but he was the best *country* guitarist in Britain, and his style simply didn’t fit with Fotheringay’s folk-influenced songs. He was replaced by American guitarist Jerry Donahue, who was not anything like as proficient as Lee, but who was still very good, and fit the band’s style much better. The new group rehearsed together for a few weeks, did a quick tour, and then went into the recording studio to record their debut, self-titled, album. Joe Boyd produced the album, but admitted himself that he only paid attention to those songs he considered worthwhile — the album contained one song by Lucas, “The Ballad of Ned Kelly”, and two cover versions of American singer-songwriter material with Lucas singing lead. But everyone knew that the songs that actually *mattered* were Sandy Denny’s, and Boyd was far more interested in them, particularly the songs “The Sea” and “The Pond and the Stream”: [Excerpt: Fotheringay, “The Pond and the Stream”] Fotheringay almost immediately hit financial problems, though. While other Witchseason acts were used to touring on the cheap, all packed together in the back of a Transit van with inexpensive equipment, Trevor Lucas had ambitions of being a rock star and wanted to put together a touring production to match, with expensive transport and equipment, including a speaker system that got nicknamed “Stonehenge” — but at the same time, Denny was unhappy being on the road, and didn’t play many gigs. As well as the band itself, the Fotheringay album also featured backing vocals from a couple of other people, including Denny’s friend Linda Peters. Peters was another singer from the folk clubs, and a good one, though less well-known than Denny — at this point she had only released a couple of singles, and those singles seemed to have been as much as anything else released as a novelty. The first of those, a version of Dylan’s “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere” had been released as by “Paul McNeill and Linda Peters”: [Excerpt: Paul McNeill and Linda Peters, “You Ain’t Goin’ Nowhere”] But their second single, a version of John D. Loudermilk’s “You’re Taking My Bag”, was released on the tiny Page One label, owned by Larry Page, and was released under the name “Paul and Linda”, clearly with the intent of confusing particularly gullible members of the record-buying public into thinking this was the McCartneys: [Excerpt: Paul and Linda, “You’re Taking My Bag”] Peters was though more financially successful than almost anyone else in this story, as she was making a great deal of money as a session singer. She actually did another session involving most of Fotheringay around this time. Witchseason had a number of excellent songwriters on its roster, and had had some success getting covers by people like Judy Collins, but Joe Boyd thought that they might possibly do better at getting cover versions if they were performed in less idiosyncratic arrangements. Donahue, Donaldson, and Conway went into the studio to record backing tracks, and vocals were added by Peters and another session singer, who according to some sources also provided piano. They cut songs by Mike Heron of the Incredible String Band: [Excerpt: Linda Peters, “You Get Brighter”] Ed Carter, formerly of The New Nadir but by this time firmly ensconced in the Beach Boys’ touring band where he would remain for the next quarter-century: [Excerpt: Linda Peters, “I Don’t Mind”] John and Beverly Martyn, and Nick Drake: [Excerpt: Elton John, “Saturday Sun”] There are different lineups of musicians credited for those sessions in different sources, but I tend to believe that it’s mostly Fotheringay for the simple reason that Donahue says it was him, Donaldson and Conway who talked Lucas and Denny into the mistake that destroyed Fotheringay because of these sessions. Fotheringay were in financial trouble already, spending far more money than they were bringing in, but their album made the top twenty and they were getting respect both from critics and from the public — in September, Sandy Denny was voted best British female singer by the readers of Melody Maker in their annual poll, which led to shocked headlines in the tabloids about how this “unknown” could have beaten such big names as Dusty Springfield and Cilla Black. Only a couple of weeks after that, they were due to headline at the Albert Hall. It should have been a triumph. But Donahue, Donaldson, and Conway had asked that singing pianist to be their support act. As Donahue said later “That was a terrible miscast. It was our fault. He asked if [he] could do it. Actually Pat, Gerry and I had to talk Sandy and Trevor into [it]… We'd done these demos and the way he was playing – he was a wonderful piano player – he was sensitive enough. We knew very little about his stage-show. We thought he'd be a really good opener for us.” Unfortunately, Elton John was rather *too* good. As Donahue continued “we had no idea what he had in mind, that he was going to do the most incredible rock & roll show ever. He pretty much blew us off the stage before we even got on the stage.” To make matters worse, Fotheringay’s set, which was mostly comprised of new material, was underrehearsed and sloppy, and from that point on no matter what they did people were counting the hours until the band split up. They struggled along for a while though, and started working on a second record, with Boyd again producing, though as Boyd later said “I probably shouldn't have been producing the record. My lack of respect for the group was clear, and couldn't have helped the atmosphere. We'd put out a record that had sold disappointingly, A&M was unhappy. Sandy's tracks on the first record are among the best things she ever did – the rest of it, who cares? And the artwork, Trevor's sister, was terrible. It would have been one thing if I'd been unhappy with it and it sold, and the group was working all the time, making money, but that wasn't the case … I knew what Sandy was capable of, and it was very upsetting to me.” The record would not be released for thirty-eight years: [Excerpt: Fotheringay, “Wild Mountain Thyme”] Witchseason was going badly into debt. Given all the fissioning of bands that we’ve already been talking about, Boyd had been stretched thin — he produced sixteen albums in 1970, and almost all of them lost money for the company. And he was getting more and more disillusioned with the people he was producing. He loved Beverly Martyn’s work, but had little time for her abusive husband John, who was dominating her recording and life more and more and would soon become a solo artist while making her stay at home (and stealing her ideas without giving her songwriting credit). The Incredible String Band were great, but they had recently converted to Scientology, which Boyd found annoying, and while he was working with all sorts of exciting artists like Vashti Bunyan and Nico, he was finding himself less and less important to the artists he mentored. Fairport Convention were a good example of this. After Denny and Hutchings had left the group, they’d decided to carry on as an electric folk group, performing an equal mix of originals by the Swarbrick and Thompson songwriting team and arrangements of traditional songs. The group were now far enough away from the “British Jefferson Airplane” label that they decided they didn’t need a female vocalist — and more realistically, while they’d been able to replace Judy Dyble, nobody was going to replace Sandy Denny. Though it’s rather surprising when one considers Thompson’s subsequent career that nobody seems to have thought of bringing in Denny’s friend Linda Peters, who was dating Joe Boyd at the time (as Denny had been before she met Lucas) as Denny’s replacement. Instead, they decided that Swarbrick and Thompson were going to share the vocals between them. They did, though, need a bass player to replace Hutchings. Swarbrick wanted to bring in Dave Pegg, with whom he had played in the Ian Campbell Folk Group, but the other band members initially thought the idea was a bad one. At the time, while they respected Swarbrick as a musician, they didn’t think he fully understood rock and roll yet, and they thought the idea of getting in a folkie who had played double bass rather than an electric rock bassist ridiculous. But they auditioned him to mollify Swarbrick, and found that he was exactly what they needed. As Joe Boyd later said “All those bass lines were great, Ashley invented them all, but he never could play them that well. He thought of them, but he was technically not a terrific bass player. He was a very inventive, melodic, bass player, but not a very powerful one technically. But having had the part explained to him once, Pegg was playing it better than Ashley had ever played it… In some rock bands, I think, ultimately, the bands that sound great, you can generally trace it to the bass player… it was at that point they became a great band, when they had Pegg.” The new lineup of Fairport decided to move in together, and found a former pub called the Angel, into which all the band members moved, along with their partners and children (Thompson was the only one who was single at this point) and their roadies. The group lived together quite happily, and one gets the impression that this was the period when they were most comfortable with each other, even though by this point they were a disparate group with disparate tastes, in music as in everything else. Several people have said that the only music all the band members could agree they liked at this point was the first two albums by The Band. With the departure of Hutchings from the band, Swarbrick and Thompson, as the strongest personalities and soloists, became in effect the joint leaders of the group, and they became collaborators as songwriters, trying to write new songs that were inspired by traditional music. Thompson described the process as “let’s take one line of this reel and slow it down and move it up a minor third and see what that does to it; let’s take one line of this ballad and make a whole song out of it. Chopping up the tradition to find new things to do… like a collage.” Generally speaking, Swarbrick and Thompson would sit by the fire and Swarbrick would play a melody he’d been working on, the two would work on it for a while, and Thompson would then go away and write the lyrics. This is how the two came up with songs like the nine-minute “Sloth”, a highlight of the next album, Full House, and one that would remain in Fairport’s live set for much of their career: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Sloth”] “Sloth” was titled that way because Thompson and Swarbrick were working on two tunes, a slow one and a fast one, and they jokingly named them “Sloth” and “Fasth”, but the latter got renamed to “Walk Awhile”, while “Sloth” kept its working title. But by this point, Boyd and Thompson were having a lot of conflict in the studio. Boyd was never the most technical of producers — he was one of those producers whose job is to gently guide the artists in the studio and create a space for the music to flourish, rather than the Joe Meek type with an intimate technical knowledge of the studio — and as the artists he was working with gained confidence in their own work they felt they had less and less need of him. During the making of the Full House album, Thompson and Boyd, according to Boyd, clashed on everything — every time Boyd thought Thompson had done a good solo, Thompson would say to erase it and let him have another go, while every time Boyd thought Thompson could do better, Thompson would say that was the take to keep. One of their biggest clashes was over Thompson’s song “Poor Will and the Jolly Hangman”, which was originally intended for release on the album, and is included in current reissues of it: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Poor Will and the Jolly Hangman”] Thompson had written that song inspired by what he thought was the unjust treatment of Alex Bramham, the driver in Fairport’s fatal car crash, by the courts — Bramham had been given a prison sentence of a few months for dangerous driving, while the group members thought he had not been at fault. Boyd thought it was one of the best things recorded for the album, but Thompson wasn’t happy with his vocal — there was one note at the top of the melody that he couldn’t quite hit — and insisted it be kept off the record, even though that meant it would be a shorter album than normal. He did this at such a late stage that early copies of the album actually had the title printed on the sleeve, but then blacked out. He now says in his autobiography “I could have persevered, double-tracked the voice, warmed up for longer – anything. It was a good track, and the record was lacking without it. When the album was re-released, the track was restored with a more confident vocal, and it has stayed there ever since.” During the sessions for Full House the group also recorded one non-album single, Thompson and Swarbrick’s “Now Be Thankful”: [Excerpt, Fairport Convention, “Now Be Thankful”] The B-side to that was a medley of two traditional tunes plus a Swarbrick original, but was given the deliberately ridiculous title “Sir B. McKenzie’s Daughter’s Lament For The 77th Mounted Lancers Retreat From The Straits Of Loch Knombe, In The Year Of Our Lord 1727, On The Occasion Of The Announcement Of Her Marriage To The Laird Of Kinleakie”: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Sir B. McKenzie’s Daughter’s Lament For The 77th Mounted Lancers Retreat From The Straits Of Loch Knombe, In The Year Of Our Lord 1727, On The Occasion Of The Announcement Of Her Marriage To The Laird Of Kinleakie”] The B. McKenzie in the title was a reference to the comic-strip character Barry McKenzie, a stereotype drunk Australian created for Private Eye magazine by the comedian Barry Humphries (later to become better known for his Dame Edna Everage character) but the title was chosen for one reason only — to get into the Guinness Book of Records for the song with the longest title. Which they did, though they were later displaced by the industrial band Test Dept, and their song “Long Live British Democracy Which Flourishes and Is Constantly Perfected Under the Immaculate Guidance of the Great, Honourable, Generous and Correct Margaret Hilda Thatcher. She Is the Blue Sky in the Hearts of All Nations. Our People Pay Homage and Bow in Deep Respect and Gratitude to Her. The Milk of Human Kindness”. Full House got excellent reviews in the music press, with Rolling Stone saying “The music shows that England has finally gotten her own equivalent to The Band… By calling Fairport an English equivalent of the Band, I meant that they have soaked up enough of the tradition of their countryfolk that it begins to show all over, while they maintain their roots in rock.” Off the back of this, the group went on their first US tour, culminating in a series of shows at the Troubadour in LA, on the same bill as Rick Nelson, which were recorded and later released as a live album: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Sloth (live)”] The Troubadour was one of the hippest venues at the time, and over their residency there the group got seen by many celebrities, some of whom joined them on stage. The first was Linda Ronstadt, who initially demurred, saying she didn’t know any of their songs. On being told they knew all of hers, she joined in with a rendition of “Silver Threads and Golden Needles”. Thompson was later asked to join Ronstadt’s backing band, who would go on to become the Eagles, but he said later of this offer “I would have hated it. I’d have hated being on the road with four or five miserable Americans — they always seem miserable. And if you see them now, they still look miserable on stage — like they don’t want to be there and they don’t like each other.” The group were also joined on stage at the Troubadour on one memorable night by some former bandmates of Pegg’s. Before joining the Ian Campbell Folk Group, Pegg had played around the Birmingham beat scene, and had been in bands with John Bonham and Robert Plant, who turned up to the Troubadour with their Led Zeppelin bandmate Jimmy Page (reports differ on whether the fourth member of Zeppelin, John Paul Jones, also came along). They all got up on stage together and jammed on songs like “Hey Joe”, “Louie Louie”, and various old Elvis tunes. The show was recorded, and the tapes are apparently still in the possession of Joe Boyd, who has said he refuses to release them in case he is murdered by the ghost of Peter Grant. According to Thompson, that night ended in a three-way drinking contest between Pegg, Bonham, and Janis Joplin, and it’s testament to how strong the drinking culture is around Fairport and the British folk scene in general that Pegg outdrank both of them. According to Thompson, Bonham was found naked by a swimming pool two days later, having missed two gigs. For all their hard rock image, Led Zeppelin were admirers of a lot of the British folk and folk-rock scene, and a few months later Sandy Denny would become the only outside vocalist ever to appear on a Led Zeppelin record when she duetted with Plant on “The Battle of Evermore” on the group’s fourth album: [Excerpt: Led Zeppelin, “The Battle of Evermore”] Denny would never actually get paid for her appearance on one of the best-selling albums of all time. That was, incidentally, not the only session that Denny was involved in around this time — she also sang on the soundtrack to a soft porn film titled Swedish Fly Girls, whose soundtrack was produced by Manfred Mann: [Excerpt: Sandy Denny, “What Will I Do With Tomorrow?”] Shortly after Fairport’s trip to America, Joe Boyd decided he was giving up on Witchseason. The company was now losing money, and he was finding himself having to produce work for more and more acts as the various bands fissioned. The only ones he really cared about were Richard Thompson, who he was finding it more and more difficult to work with, Nick Drake, who wanted to do his next album with just an acoustic guitar anyway, Sandy Denny, who he felt was wasting her talents in Fotheringay, and Mike Heron of the Incredible String Band, who was more distant since his conversion to Scientology. Boyd did make some attempts to keep the company going. On a trip to Sweden, he negotiated an agreement with the manager and publisher of a Swedish band whose songs he’d found intriguing, the Hep Stars. Boyd was going to publish their songs in the UK, and in return that publisher, Stig Anderson, would get the rights to Witchseason’s catalogue in Scandinavia — a straight swap, with no money changing hands. But before Boyd could get round to signing the paperwork, he got a better offer from Mo Ostin of Warners — Ostin wanted Boyd to come over to LA and head up Warners’ new film music department. Boyd sold Witchseason to Island Records and moved to LA with his fiancee Linda Peters, spending the next few years working on music for films like Deliverance and A Clockwork Orange, as well as making his own documentary about Jimi Hendrix, and thus missed out on getting the UK publishing rights for ABBA, and all the income that would have brought him, for no money. And it was that decision that led to the breakup of Fotheringay. Just before Christmas 1970, Fotheringay were having a difficult session, recording the track “John the Gun”: [Excerpt: Fotheringay, “John the Gun”] Boyd got frustrated and kicked everyone out of the session, and went for a meal and several drinks with Denny. He kept insisting that she should dump the band and just go solo, and then something happened that the two of them would always describe differently. She asked him if he would continue to produce her records if she went solo, and he said he would. According to Boyd’s recollection of the events, he meant that he would fly back from California at some point to produce her records. According to Denny, he told her that if she went solo he would stay in Britain and not take the job in LA. This miscommunication was only discovered after Denny told the rest of Fotheringay after the Christmas break that she was splitting the band. Jerry Donahue has described that as the worst moment of his life, and Denny felt very guilty about breaking up a band with some of her closest friends in — and then when Boyd went over to the US anyway she felt a profound betrayal. Two days before Fotheringay’s final concert, in January 1971, Sandy Denny signed a solo deal with Island records, but her first solo album would not end up produced by Joe Boyd. Instead, The North Star Grassman and the Ravens was co-produced by Denny, John Wood — the engineer who had worked with Boyd on pretty much everything he’d produced, and Richard Thompson, who had just quit Fairport Convention, though he continued living with them at the Angel, at least until a truck crashed into the building in February 1971, destroying its entire front wall and forcing them to relocate. The songs chosen for The North Star Grassman and the Ravens reflected the kind of choices Denny would make on her future albums, and her eclectic taste in music. There was, of course, the obligatory Dylan cover, and the traditional folk ballad “Blackwaterside”, but there was also a cover version of Brenda Lee’s “Let’s Jump the Broomstick”: [Excerpt: Sandy Denny, “Let’s Jump the Broomstick”] Most of the album, though, was made up of originals about various people in Denny’s life, like “Next Time Around”, about her ex-boyfriend Jackson C Frank: [Excerpt: Sandy Denny, “Next Time Around”] The album made the top forty in the UK — Denny’s only solo album to do so — and led to her once again winning the “best female singer” award in Melody Maker’s readers’ poll that year — the male singer award was won by Rod Stewart. Both Stewart and Denny appeared the next year on the London Symphony Orchestra’s all-star version of The Who’s Tommy, which had originally been intended as a vehicle for Stewart before Roger Daltrey got involved. Stewart’s role was reduced to a single song, “Pinball Wizard”, while Denny sang on “It’s a Boy”: [Excerpt: Sandy Denny, “It’s a Boy”] While Fotheringay had split up, all the band members play on The North Star Grassman and the Ravens. Guitarists Donahue and Lucas only play on a couple of the tracks, with Richard Thompson playing most of the guitar on the record. But Fotheringay’s rhythm section of Pat Donaldson and Gerry Conway play on almost every track. Another musician on the album, Ian Whiteman, would possibly have a profound effect on the future direction of Richard Thompson’s career and life. Whiteman was the former keyboard player for the mod band The Action, having joined them just before they became the blues-rock band Mighty Baby. But Mighty Baby had split up when all of the band except the lead singer had converted to Islam. Richard Thompson was on his own spiritual journey at this point, and became a Sufi – the same branch of Islam as Whiteman – soon after the session, though Thompson has said that his conversion was independent of Whiteman’s. The two did become very close and work together a lot in the mid-seventies though. Thompson had supposedly left Fairport because he was writing material that wasn’t suited to the band, but he spent more than a year after quitting the group working on sessions rather than doing anything with his own material, and these sessions tended to involve the same core group of musicians. One of the more unusual was a folk-rock supergroup called The Bunch, put together by Trevor Lucas. Richard Branson had recently bought a recording studio, and wanted a band to test it out before opening it up for commercial customers, so with this free studio time Lucas decided to record a set of fifties rock and roll covers. He gathered together Thompson, Denny, Whiteman, Ashley Hutchings, Dave Mattacks, Pat Donaldson, Gerry Conway, pianist Tony Cox, the horn section that would later form the core of the Average White Band, and Linda Peters, who had now split up with Joe Boyd and returned to the UK, and who had started dating Thompson. They recorded an album of covers of songs by Jerry Lee Lewis, the Everly Brothers, Johnny Otis and others: [Excerpt: The Bunch, “Willie and the Hand Jive”] The early seventies was a hugely productive time for this group of musicians, as they all continued playing on each other’s projects. One notable album was No Roses by Shirley Collins, which featured Thompson, Mattacks, Whiteman, Simon Nicol, Lal and Mike Waterson, and Ashley Hutchings, who was at that point married to Collins, as well as some more unusual musicians like the free jazz saxophonist Lol Coxhill: [Excerpt: Shirley Collins and the Albion Country Band, “Claudy Banks”] Collins was at the time the most respected female singer in British traditional music, and already had a substantial career including a series of important records made with her sister Dolly, work with guitarists like Davey Graham, and time spent in the 1950s collecting folk songs in the Southern US with her then partner Alan Lomax – according to Collins she did much of the actual work, but Lomax only mentioned her in a single sentence in his book on this work. Some of the same group of musicians went on to work on an album of traditional Morris dancing tunes, titled Morris On, credited to “Ashley Hutchings, Richard Thompson, Dave Mattacks, John Kirkpatrick and Barry Dransfield”, with Collins singing lead on two tracks: [Excerpt: Ashley Hutchings, Richard Thompson, Dave Mattacks, John Kirkpatrick and Barry Dransfield with Shirley Collins, “The Willow Tree”] Thompson thought that that album was the best of the various side projects he was involved in at the time, comparing it favourably to Rock On, which he thought was rather slight, saying later “Conceptually, Fairport, Ashley and myself and Sandy were developing a more fragile style of music that nobody else was particularly interested in, a British Folk Rock idea that had a logical development to it, although we all presented it our own way. Morris On was rather more true to what we were doing. Rock On was rather a retro step. I'm not sure it was lasting enough as a record but Sandy did sing really well on the Buddy Holly songs.” Hutchings used the musicians on No Roses and Morris On as the basis for his band the Albion Band, which continues to this day. Simon Nicol and Dave Mattacks both quit Fairport to join the Albion Band, though Mattacks soon returned. Nicol would not return to Fairport for several years, though, and for a long period in the mid-seventies Fairport Convention had no original members. Unfortunately, while Collins was involved in the Albion Band early on, she and Hutchings ended up divorcing, and the stress from the divorce led to Collins developing spasmodic dysphonia, a stress-related illness which makes it impossible for the sufferer to sing. She did eventually regain her vocal ability, but between 1978 and 2016 she was unable to perform at all, and lost decades of her career. Richard Thompson occasionally performed with the Albion Band early on, but he was getting stretched a little thin with all these sessions. Linda Peters said later of him “When I came back from America, he was working in Sandy’s band, and doing sessions by the score. Always with Pat Donaldson and Dave Mattacks. Richard would turn up with his guitar, one day he went along to do a session with one of those folkie lady singers — and there were Pat and DM. They all cracked. Richard smashed his amp and said “Right! No more sessions!” In 1972 he got round to releasing his first solo album, Henry the Human Fly, which featured guest appearances by Linda Peters and Sandy Denny among others: [Excerpt: Richard Thompson, “The Angels Took My Racehorse Away”] Unfortunately, while that album has later become regarded as one of the classics of its genre, at the time it was absolutely slated by the music press. The review in Melody Maker, for example, read in part “Some of Richard Thompson’s ideas sound great – which is really the saving grace of this album, because most of the music doesn’t. The tragedy is that Thompson’s “British rock music” is such an unconvincing concoction… Even the songs that do integrate rock and traditional styles of electric guitar rhythms and accordion and fiddle decoration – and also include explicit, meaningful lyrics are marred by bottle-up vocals, uninspiring guitar phrases and a general lack of conviction in performance.” Henry the Human Fly was released in the US by Warners, who had a reciprocal licensing deal with Island (and for whom Joe Boyd was working at the time, which may have had something to do with that) but according to Thompson it became the lowest-selling record that Warners ever put out (though I’ve also seen that claim made about Van Dyke Parks’ Song Cycle, another album that has later been rediscovered). Thompson was hugely depressed by this reaction, and blamed his own singing. Happily, though, by this point he and Linda had become a couple — they would marry in 1972 — and they started playing folk clubs as a duo, or sometimes in a trio with Simon Nicol. Thompson was also playing with Sandy Denny’s backing band at this point, and played on every track on her second solo album, Sandy. This album was meant to be her big commercial breakthrough, with a glamorous cover photo by David Bailey, and with a more American sound, including steel guitar by Sneaky Pete Kleinow of the Flying Burrito Brothers (whose overdubs were supervised in LA by Joe Boyd): [Excerpt: Sandy Denny, “Tomorrow is a Long Time”] The album was given a big marketing push by Island, and “Listen, Listen” was made single of the week on the Radio 1 Breakfast show: [Excerpt: Sandy Denny, “Listen, Listen”] But it did even worse than the previous album, sending her into something of a depression. Linda Thompson (as the former Linda Peters now was) said of this period “After the Sandy album, it got her down that her popularity didn't suddenly increase in leaps and bounds, and that was the start of her really fretting about the way her career was going. Things only escalated after that. People like me or Martin Carthy or Norma Waterson would think, ‘What are you on about? This is folk music.'” After Sandy’s release, Denny realised she could no longer afford to tour with a band, and so went back to performing just acoustically or on piano. The only new music to be released by either of these ex-members of Fairport Convention in 1973 was, oddly, on an album by the band they were no longer members of. After Thompson had left Fairport, the group had managed to release two whole albums with the same lineup — Swarbrick, Nicol, Pegg, and Mattacks. But then Nicol and Mattacks had both quit the band to join the Albion Band with their former bandmate Ashley Hutchings, leading to a situation where the Albion Band had two original members of Fairport plus their longtime drummer while Fairport Convention itself had no original members and was down to just Swarbrick and Pegg. Needing to fulfil their contracts, they then recruited three former members of Fotheringay — Lucas on vocals and rhythm guitar, Donahue on lead guitar, and Conway on drums. Conway was only a session player at the time, and Mattacks soon returned to the band, but Lucas and Donahue became full-time members. This new lineup of Fairport Convention released two albums in 1973, widely regarded as the group’s most inconsistent records, and on the title track of the first, “Rosie”, Richard Thompson guested on guitar, with Sandy Denny and Linda Thompson on backing vocals: [Excerpt: Fairport Convention, “Rosie”] Neither Sandy Denny nor Richard Thompson released a record themselves in 1973, but in neither case was this through the artists’ choice. The record industry was changing in the early 1970s, as we’ll see in later episodes, and was less inclined to throw good money after bad in the pursuit of art. Island Records prided itself on being a home for great artists, but it was still a business, and needed to make money. We’ll talk about the OPEC oil crisis and its effect on the music industry much more when the podcast gets to 1973, but in brief, the production of oil by the US peaked in 1970 and started to decrease, leading to them importing more and more oil from the Middle East. As a result of this, oil prices rose slowly between 1971 and 1973, then very quickly towards the end of 1973 as a result of the Arab-Israeli conflict that year. As vinyl is made of oil, suddenly producing records became much more expensive, and in this period a lot of labels decided not to release already-completed albums, until what they hoped would be a brief period of shortages passed. Both Denny and Thompson recorded albums at this point that got put to one side by Island. In the case of Thompson, it was the first album by Richard and Linda as a duo, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight: [Excerpt: Richard and Linda Thompson, “I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight”] Today, I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight is widely regarded as one of the greatest albums of all time, and as one of the two masterpieces that bookended Richard and Linda’s career as a duo and their marriage. But when they recorded the album, full of Richard’s dark songs, it was the opposite of commercial. Even a song that’s more or less a boy-girl song, like “Has He Got a Friend for Me?” has lyrics like “He wouldn’t notice me passing by/I could be in the gutter, or dangling down from a tree” [Excerpt: Richard and Linda Thompson, “Has He got a Friend For Me?”] While something like “The Calvary Cross” is oblique and haunted, and seems to cast a pall over the entire album: [Excerpt: Richard and Linda Thompson, “The Calvary Cross”] The album itself had been cheap to make — it had been recorded in only a week, with Thompson bringing in musicians he knew well and had worked with a lot previously to cut the tracks as-live in only a handful of takes — but Island didn’t think it was worth releasing. The record stayed on the shelf for nearly a year after recording, until Island got a new head of A&R, Richard Williams. Williams said of the album’s release “Muff Winwood had been doing A&R, but he was more interested in production… I had a conversation with Muff as soon as I got there, and he said there are a few hangovers, some outstanding problems. And one of them was Richard Thompson. He said there’s this album we gave him the money to make — which was I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight — and nobody’s very interested in it. Henry the Human Fly had been a bit of a commercial disappointment, and although Island was altruistic and independent and known for only recording good stuff, success was important… Either a record had to do well or somebody had to believe in it a lot. And it seemed as if neither of those things were true at that point of Richard.” Williams, though, was hugely impressed when he listened to the album. He compared Richard Thompson’s guitar playing to John Coltrane’s sax, and called Thompson “the folk poet of the rainy streets”, but also said “Linda brightened it, made it more commercial. and I thought that “Bright Lights” itself seemed a really commercial song.” The rest of the management at Island got caught up in Williams’ enthusiasm, and even decided to release the title track as a single: [Excerpt: Richard and Linda Thompson, “I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight”] Neither single nor album charted — indeed it would not be until 1991 that Richard Thompson would make a record that made the top forty in the UK — but the album got enough critical respect that Richard and Linda released two albums the year after. The first of these, Hokey Pokey, is a much more upbeat record than their previous one — Richard Thompson has called it “quite a music-hall influenced record” and cited the influence of George Formby and Harry Lauder. For once, the claim of music hall influence is audible in the music. Usually when a British musician is claimed to have a music ha

Send us a text“The business I have today exists because I made decisions before I felt ready. I hired when it scared me. I started before it was perfect. And I showed up every day not as the business owner I was—but the one I knew I was becoming.”In this solo episode, Sydney is pulling back the curtain on the mindset and execution shifts that helped her grow Renaissance Marketing Group, launch sold-out summits across the country, and step into a version of herself she hadn't yet fully met—but trusted enough to build for.If you're a small business owner, entrepreneur, or founder in a season of transition—or you know there's a bigger version of yourself on the horizon—this episode is for you.In This Episode:1. Make decisions based on where you're headed—not where you're standingThe mindset shift that changed everythingHow forecasting and future-casting help you break free from playing small2. Hire before you're comfortable—not after you're drowningWhy delegation is the first step in stepping into your CEO roleHow hiring before you're “ready” creates space for growth3. Operate your business like you take it seriously—because you doSystems, structure, and why “showing up like the future you” mattersBehind the scenes of how Sydney prepared her business (and team) for her maternity leave—and what happened next“The next version of you isn't waiting for perfect conditions. She's waiting for you to believe in her enough to act. So make the call. Hit publish. Show up like her. And run your business for the woman you're becoming.”Renaissance Founders is our newest done-for-you personal brand package designed for female founders ready to grow online—without doing it all themselves.Our team takes over your personal social strategy and content, so you can show up and shine.Book your free discovery call: renaissancemarketinggroup.com/contact-usPresented in Partnership with NexusPointFeeling overwhelmed in your business? If you're stuck in the weeds, NexusPoint helps founders streamline operations and integrate global talent—so you can lead like a CEO, not just survive like an operator.Exclusive for The Renaissance Podcast listeners: Get your $500 recruitinSupport the showAbout The Host:Sydney Dozier the visionary behind Renaissance Marketing Group, a leading Nashville-based social media agency founded in 2014. Over 9 years, Sydney has curated a top-tier team, establishing Renaissance as a go-to agency delivering proven social media marketing results. Renaissance offers a wide array of services, from social media management to content creation, professional photography and videography, branding, and more, serving clients across the nation. Their focus is clear: drive revenue, foster online growth, and exceed client expectations. Sydney is not only a business dynamo but also the co-host of The Renaissance Podcast, aimed at empowering entrepreneurs. Her dedication to supporting women entrepreneurs led to The Mona Lisa Foundation, offering mentorship, grants, education, and a vibrant community. She's also the brains behind The Renaissance Women's Summit, an annual event in Nashville with a mission in inspiring women entrepreneurs. Sydney is a wife and mother to Sawyer James and has an unwavering passion for entrepreneurship, the color pink, and her two furry companions, Stevie Nicks and EmmyLou Harris. Learn more: www.renaissancemarketinggroup.com

There is something that happens when two particular voices blend together that transcends all understanding or logic. And, when those voices share the same DNA, the magnetic pull is such that they become one voice. We've heard that family blend many times: The Everlys, The Wilsons, The Gibbs, The Andrew Sisters, etc. The list goes on.One of the most uncanny examples of this phenomenon belongs to Charlie and Ira Louvin, those titans of Country and Gospel music. When they sing with religious devotion, such as they do here in The River of Jordan - you can hear God and his miracles working in every keening, harmonic fifth. The other song presented today features Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, - a pair of folks about as far from siblings as you can get, but whose vocal cords also combine miraculously.THE LOUVINSThe first time I heard of Ira and Charlie Louvin was through Emmylou Harris's 1975 version of If I Could Only Win Your Love, and I had to know from whence this other-worldly sound originated. Like a hound on the scent, I tracked down several recordings from the brothers, and sat open mouthed as song after song cut through me. The Louvins, whose birth name was Loudermilk (cousins to the noted songwriter), had a contentious relationship, owing to Ira's drunken temperament and womanizing. Charlie contemplated going solo, but Ira's early demise, at 41, in a drunken car crash, made the decision permanent. Ira usually takes the high harmony, but they had the ability to switch mid way through a song so that it was often hard to tell who was covering which part.  Truly one of the all time great sibling singing duos. ALISON KRAUSS AND ROBERT PLANTA musical marriage made in heaven that no fiction writer could have invented, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss came together in one of the most celestial combos ever. The Led Zeppelin frontman, renowned for his soaring falsetto, melds with the rawboned steadiness of bluegrass's sweetheart in an eclectic stew of influences that somehow create a single entity. Today's featured song, Please Read the Letter, nestled among cuts by the Everlys, Gene Clark, Mel Tillis, and Townes Van Zandt was written by Plant and his Zeppelin brother, Jimmie Page, and is added seamlessly to the mix.The resulting album, Raising Sand, produced by the curatorial genius T-Bone Burnett, was released in 2007, and swept the Grammies and Americana Music Awards, taking its place in the pantheon of beautiful enigmas.  

Send us a textHiring someone to manage your social media is a big decision: and one that can have a lasting impact on your brand's growth. But how do you know if you should hire a freelance social media manager or bring on a full-service agency?In this episode, host Sydney Dozier, founder of Renaissance Marketing Group, breaks down the real differences between freelancers and agencies. From strategy and communication to execution, reporting, and resources, you'll walk away with the clarity you need to make the right call for your business.This isn't about bashing one or favoring the other, it's about understanding the experience, the outcomes, and the support level that comes with each option. Whether you're a founder just starting out or scaling fast and need a full creative team behind you, this episode is for you.Ready to explore what it would look like to work with a dedicated agency team? Email us at getsocial@renaissancemarketinggroup.com to schedule a discovery call and find out if Renaissance is the right fit for your brand.Support the showAbout The Host:Sydney Dozier the visionary behind Renaissance Marketing Group, a leading Nashville-based social media agency founded in 2014. Over 9 years, Sydney has curated a top-tier team, establishing Renaissance as a go-to agency delivering proven social media marketing results. Renaissance offers a wide array of services, from social media management to content creation, professional photography and videography, branding, and more, serving clients across the nation. Their focus is clear: drive revenue, foster online growth, and exceed client expectations. Sydney is not only a business dynamo but also the co-host of The Renaissance Podcast, aimed at empowering entrepreneurs. Her dedication to supporting women entrepreneurs led to The Mona Lisa Foundation, offering mentorship, grants, education, and a vibrant community. She's also the brains behind The Renaissance Women's Summit, an annual event in Nashville with a mission in inspiring women entrepreneurs. Sydney is a wife and mother to Sawyer James and has an unwavering passion for entrepreneurship, the color pink, and her two furry companions, Stevie Nicks and EmmyLou Harris. Learn more: www.renaissancemarketinggroup.com

In this episode, Blake sits down with legendary singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier for a deep, honest, and surprisingly gear-heavy chat. Mary didn't pick up songwriting seriously until her mid-thirties—after years as a Boston-based chef, restaurant owner, and, as she puts it, a total mess. But once she got sober and started hitting open mics, everything changed. They talk about her early love for Taylor guitars, her eventual obsession with the low-end growl of vintage Gibsons, and how she's more about tone that serves the song than flashy technique. Mary shares the story behind her breakout song “I Drink,” explains why emotion always trumps complexity, and offers a masterclass in the art of getting doors to open in Nashville—even if you have to sneak in through a window. You'll also hear: The connection between fear and fog (and how to burn both off) What it's like to share a stage with John Prine, Emmylou Harris, and Lucinda Williams Why you should never underestimate the power of a good crust (yes, pizza crust) A crash course in humility, persistence, and the power of being kind This one's a gem. If you're a songwriter, storyteller, or just trying to figure out your path—hit play. Support The Show And Connect! The Text Chat is back! Hit me up at (503) 751-8577 You can also help out with your gear buying habits by purchasing stuff from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tonemob.com/reverb⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tonemob.com/sweetwater⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ or grabbing your guitar/bass strings from ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tonemob.com/stringjoy⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ Release your music via DistroKid and save 30% by going to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Tonemob.com/distrokid Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Send us a textIn this solo episode, I'm sharing 10 of the biggest life and business lessons I've learned in 33 years, straight from the heart and shaped by my journey as a founder, a mom, and a modern Renaissance woman. From letting go of perfectionism to redefining success on your terms, this episode is your reminder that your renaissance is already unfolding. One intentional step at a time.Learn about my fabulous and talented mom AND her books that I mention HERE!New from Renaissance Marketing GroupRenaissance Founders is our newest done-for-you personal brand package designed for female founders ready to grow online without doing it all themselves. Our team takes over your personal social strategy and content, so you can show up and shine.  Now onboarding for Summer 2025. Book your free discovery call!Presented in Partnership with NexusPointFeeling overwhelmed in your business? If you're stuck in the weeds, NexusPoint helps founders streamline operations and integrate global talent—so you can lead like a CEO, not just survive like an operator.  Exclusive for The Renaissance Podcast listeners: Get your $500 recruiting fee waived.  Book your free consult: go.nexuspt.io/rmgLoved this episode? Help us celebrate 152 episodes by leaving a quick rating or review—it truly means the world!Support the showAbout The Host:Sydney Dozier the visionary behind Renaissance Marketing Group, a leading Nashville-based social media agency founded in 2014. Over 9 years, Sydney has curated a top-tier team, establishing Renaissance as a go-to agency delivering proven social media marketing results. Renaissance offers a wide array of services, from social media management to content creation, professional photography and videography, branding, and more, serving clients across the nation. Their focus is clear: drive revenue, foster online growth, and exceed client expectations. Sydney is not only a business dynamo but also the co-host of The Renaissance Podcast, aimed at empowering entrepreneurs. Her dedication to supporting women entrepreneurs led to The Mona Lisa Foundation, offering mentorship, grants, education, and a vibrant community. She's also the brains behind The Renaissance Women's Summit, an annual event in Nashville with a mission in inspiring women entrepreneurs. Sydney is a wife and mother to Sawyer James and has an unwavering passion for entrepreneurship, the color pink, and her two furry companions, Stevie Nicks and EmmyLou Harris. Learn more: www.renaissancemarketinggroup.com

Send us a textIn this week's solo episode, Sydney opens with a Memorial Day reflection, honoring those who have served—including her father, brother, sister in law, and grandfather. With deep gratitude, she transitions into a message that so many women entrepreneurs need to hear right now:✨ You are not behind. ✨ You are right where you're meant to be. ✨ And there's no such thing as an overnight success.Sydney peels back the pressure we put on ourselves to “arrive” faster and reminds us that growth is not a straight line—it's built in quiet mornings, long nights, and the brave decision to keep going. Featuring a powerful quote from Gary Vaynerchuk, and stories of three iconic women who found massive success later in life—Vera Wang, Sara Blakely, and Kendra Scott—this episode is your reminder that you're on time.Sydney also shares her own 10-year journey as a founder, including a recent challenging season filled with loss, transition, and the unknown. Her message is clear: success isn't a finish line—it's a mindset.Highlights:A Memorial Day tribute and personal storyGary Vee's reminder: “You're just early.”The real (later-in-life) success stories of Vera Wang, Sara Blakely, and Kendra ScottSydney's raw look at the past year inside RenaissanceEncouragement for every woman in a season of building, waiting, or rebuildingIf you've been feeling behind, this episode is your permission slip to exhale—and keep building.You are a Renaissance Woman. Keep showing up. Keep building. And know—you have time.Presented in partnership with NexusPointFeeling overwhelmed in your business? If you're stuck in a cycle of constant to-dos and firefighting, you're operating—not owning. The solution isn't more hours; it's smarter systems and empowered delegation.That's where NexusPoint comes in. With over a decade of entrepreneurial experience, they help founders streamline operations and integrate global talent—so you can lead like a CEO, not just survive like an operator.✨ Exclusive for The Renaissance Podcast listeners: NexusPoint is waiving their $500 recruiting fee. Book your FREE consult: go.nexuspt.io/rmgLoved this episode? Help us celebrate 151 episodes by leaving a quick rating Support the showAbout The Host:Sydney Dozier the visionary behind Renaissance Marketing Group, a leading Nashville-based social media agency founded in 2014. Over 9 years, Sydney has curated a top-tier team, establishing Renaissance as a go-to agency delivering proven social media marketing results. Renaissance offers a wide array of services, from social media management to content creation, professional photography and videography, branding, and more, serving clients across the nation. Their focus is clear: drive revenue, foster online growth, and exceed client expectations. Sydney is not only a business dynamo but also the co-host of The Renaissance Podcast, aimed at empowering entrepreneurs. Her dedication to supporting women entrepreneurs led to The Mona Lisa Foundation, offering mentorship, grants, education, and a vibrant community. She's also the brains behind The Renaissance Women's Summit, an annual event in Nashville with a mission in inspiring women entrepreneurs. Sydney is a wife and mother to Sawyer James and has an unwavering passion for entrepreneurship, the color pink, and her two furry companions, Stevie Nicks and EmmyLou Harris. Learn more: www.renaissancemarketinggroup.com

Send us a textOn this episode, we discuss Grievous Angel, the last album recorded by one of the most interesting, tragic, and influential people in modern music: Gram Parsons.   In just six short years, from 1967 until his death in the fall of 1973, Gram Parson help pioneer what would become known as country rock, or what he preferred to call  "Cosmic American Music." In those six years, he made several landmark albums with the International Submarine Band, the Byrds, and the Flying Burrito Brothers, as well recording two solo albums. None were commercially successful at the time of their release, but they cast a long shadow on the music of the later half of the 20th Century, and continue to do so today. Its difficult for modern listeners to understand how unique and innovative Parsons vision of blending elements of country, rock, folk, and (most importantly) soul was at the time because it has influenced so much that came after that its uniqueness gets lost crowd.For Grievous Angel, Parsons was able to get some of the best musicians in the business backing him. He also could recognize talent when he saw it and knew having Emmy Lou Harris as his duet partner would create magic, which it most certainly did. Released just months after Parsons untimely death, and containing some of his most beautiful, songs Grievous Angel is a remarkable and poignant album that chronicles Parsons influences and his devotion to traditional country music, while showcasing his ability to blend those influences with other genres into something entirely original.  Visit us at www.tappingvinyl.com.

Send us a textIt's our 150th episode!

This week Reid and Dan host Georgia Trio, The Castellows, out in God’s Country. Lily, Powell, and Ellie share their love for bow hunting whitetail, fishing, and turkey hunting. There is a contentious conversation on who kills the biggest deer and other pressing questions that will have you laughing out loud as you are listening. They share what growing up on their farm in Georgia looked like and how they had to drag one sister to Nashville because she never wanted to leave. All five of them discuss the musical dynamic of siblings and how the harmonies of siblings are unparalleled. The episode ends with some of the most beautiful harmonies you’ve ever heard and an Emmy Lou Harris gravorite that’s one of the best yet. God's Country on Instagram, TikTok, and Facebook MeatEater on Instagram, Facebook, Twitter, Youtube, and Youtube Clips Subscribe to The MeatEater Podcast Network on YouTube Shop God's Country Merch Shop MeatEater MerchSee omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.

Musicians like Emmylou Harris, Rosanne Cash, Guy Clark and others changed the scope of country music forever. Hosts Jim DeRogatis and Greg Kot talk with author Geoffrey Himes about the artists of the movement he calls “in-law country.” They also hear from some listeners.Join our Facebook Group: https://bit.ly/3sivr9TBecome a member on Patreon: https://bit.ly/3slWZvcSign up for our newsletter: https://bit.ly/3eEvRnGMake a donation via PayPal: https://bit.ly/3dmt9lUSend us a Voice Memo: Desktop: bit.ly/2RyD5Ah Mobile: sayhi.chat/soundops Featured Songs:Emmylou Harris, "Born to Run," Cimarron, Warner Bros. Nashville, 1981The Beatles, "With A Little Help From My Friends," Sgt. Pepper's Lonely Hearts Club Band, Parlophone, 1967Rosanne Cash, "Seven Year Ache," Seven Year Ache, Columbia, 1981Rosanne Cash, "My Baby Thinks He's A Train," Seven Year Ache, Columbia, 1981The Flying Burrito Brothers, "Six Days on the Road," Last of the Red Hot Burritos, A&M, 1972Emmylou Harris, "Luxury Liner," Luxury Liner, Warner Bros. Nashville, 1976The Byrds, "You Ain't Goin' Nowhere," Sweetheart of the Rodeo, Columbia, 1968The Byrds, "Time Between," Younger Than Yesterday, Columbia, 1967Emmylou Harris, "If I Could Only Win Your Love," Pieces of the Sky, Reprise, 1975Rodney Crowell, "I Couldn't Leave You If I Tried," Diamonds & Dirt, Columbia, 1988Emmylou Harris, "Two More Bottles of Wine," Quarter Moon in a Ten Cent Town, Warner Bros. Nashville, 1978Emmylou Harris, "Pancho and Lefty," Luxury Liner, Warner Bros. Nashville, 1976Emmylou Harris, "Till I Gain Control Again," Elite Hotel, Reprise, 1975Ricky Skaggs, "Heartbroke," Highways & Heartaches, Epic, 1982Guy Clark, "L.A. Freeway," Old No. 1, RCA, 1975Liquid Mike, "Drinking and Driving," Paul Bunyan's Slingshot, Temporal, 2024TAE & The Neighborly, "We Can Be," Self Help, smooth bean, 2024David Grisman and Jerry Garcia, "Whiskey In the Jar," Shady Grove, Acoustic Disc, 1996Graham Nash, "Chicago / We Can Change the World," Songs for Beginners, Atlantic, 1971Bnny, "Good Stuff," One Million Love Songs, Fire Talk, 2024See Privacy Policy at https://art19.com/privacy and California Privacy Notice at https://art19.com/privacy#do-not-sell-my-info.