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Basic Folk — Music
Basic Folk

Basic Folk features honest conversations with folk musicians hosted by Cindy Howes and Lizzie No. We approach interviews with warmth, humor and insightful questions. Since 2018, this podcast has dignified under the radar roots musicians by providing a platform that they might not otherwise have. You’ll hear interviews from Three-time Grammy-winning guitar gods like Molly Tuttle, Haitian American folk legends like Leyla McCalla and deep feelers like songwriter John Hiatt.

Basic Folk is dedicated to showcasing the best in folk, bluegrass, acoustic and americana including Black, Brown and Queer folx who have been excluded, or felt like they did not belong, in the folk world. Cindy & Lizzie each bring a unique perspective to these honest conversations with folk musicians. We are equally dedicated to repainting the broad landscape of folk music as we are to tearing down the ivory towers of the music industry. What would Bruce Springsteen do if he ever got the keys to that mansion on the hill? Let's find out together on Basic Folk.

Basic is an official production of The Bluegrass Situation. Thanks for listening.

Welcome to Basic Folk.

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Latest Episodes:

Susan Werner, ep. 67 Apr 30, 2020

Show notes

What a dang treat to talk to the legend herself Susan Werneron Basic Folk! Susan was born and raised on her family's 140 acre farm near Manchester, Iowa. Her and her siblings helped out on the farm growing up. At a young age she noticed the divide between kids who lived in town and the farm kids: namely that the town kids wore the same clothes all day instead of changing into work clothes after school to get to work. We talk about this realization as well as music growing up in the house and her family's sense of humor. There's a great explanation of different types of agriculture for my aggie fans and a conversation of of faith from an agnostic's perspective. Susan is a versatile musician who likes to explore different sounds and themes of her album. Case in point, her 2017 EP surrounds the sounds of Cuba, which laid the foundation for her newest album, 2019's NOLA. Hope you enjoy this engaging and wildly fun interview with the one and only Susan Werner.

This show is part of the American Songwriter Podcast Network.

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Maya De Vitry's "How to Break a Fall" Track by Track, ep. 66 Apr 23, 2020

Show notes

Maya De Vitry, formerly of The Stray Birds, quietly released one of the best records of the year on March 13, How To Break a Fall. She goes through the album track by track with us on Basic Folk. The record ranges in sound from gauzy beauties, to sick grooves to jagged rock bangers. There are a lot of themes on this record like celebrating women and reclaiming your own self and your body. It fully acknowledges past traumas in unique metaphors. The song "Baking Bread for the Circus" is a song about survival in an abusive situation: the circus being the show, where there is darkness behind the stage. The bread is whatever you need to do to survive the circus. Maya breaks down this and all the tracks in this insightful and entertaining conversation. Maya is one of my favorite people and musicians: everything she creates and says totally blows me away. I'm so glad to get her back on the podcast. If you haven't listened to Maya's first appearance on Basic Folk, make sure you go back to episode 11. I just want you to be as obsessed with Maya De Vitry as I am. Listen on and I guarantee you'll be all about this amazing person.

THis show is part of the American Songwriter Podcast Network.

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Tall Tall Trees, ep. 65 Apr 10, 2020

Show notes

Mike Savino is the brains behind the experimental-banjo act, Tall Tall Trees. Raised in Long Island, Mike was first encouraged to explore his musical talents thanks to his sixth grade band leader, Mr. Hangley. From there, he became engulfed in the world of jazz: first on sax and then on bass. He thought he would be a professional bass player in New York's experimental jazz scene, but then he heard the siren call of the banjo. He talks about the first time he got a banjo, which led to him learning the instrument. When he was touring in South America as a bass player, he found that musicians would play socially on the street. He wasn't able to play on the street with his electric bass, so he bought a banjo and was able to join. From there, his life path changed. He started playing the instrument in totally unique and innovative ways, including backing up his good friend Kishi Bashi on tour.

After many years in New York City, Mike was called to the south. He eventually settled in Asheville, NC, which led him to exploring his love of bluegrass and old time on the banjo. This has resulted in his most organic album, A Wave of Golden Things.We talked about the recording process of the record: he made it on a hemp farm in a few weeks. While he was producing the record, 16 baby animals were born! So, yeah, we also talk about baby animals. Enjoy!

This podcast is part of the American Songwriter Podcast Network.

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Mark Erelli's "Blindsided" Track by Track, ep. 64 Apr 02, 2020

Show notes

We get a track by track from New England singer/songwriter Mark Erelli on his new album Blindsided on Basic Folk! The record came out last week and is very Tom Petty inspired. Mark talks about how the late legend inspired the sound and even at least one song. We talk about the contributions from the players on the record, like when drummer Jamie Dick suggested a "Bo Diddley Beat" for the song "Can't Stand Myself," which Erelli had never tried before. There's lot of sweet, yet realistic love songs on this album that are appropriate coming from a married guy who's kids are getting older. And of course, there is his amaizng voice, which is on display on this record, especially on the final track "Careless."

It was a pleasure to welcome Mark back to Basic Folk! If you missed his first appearance, go back and listen to Episode 6 of the podcast.

This show is part of the American Songwriter Podcast Network.

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Anais Mitchell Tribute at Club Passim, ep. 63 Mar 26, 2020

Show notes

Songwriters pay tribute to Anais Mitchell in a concert recorded October 29, 2019. Peter Mulvey, Rose Polenzani, Mark Erelli, Molly Venter (Red Molly), Ali McGuirk, Liv Greene and Barry Rothman performed Anais songs at Club Passim. In between songs, I was there playing clips from Anais' interview on Basic Folk and clips from musicians and music fans talking about Anais. You'll hear thoughts about this amazing songwriter from Josh Ritter, Ani Difranco, Anthony Mason (CBS News), Josh Kaufman and Eric D. Johnson (Josh & Eric are from Bonny Light Horseman). This show was part of Peter Mulvey's yearly week-long festival at Passim called "The Lamplighter Sessions."

Anais has been busy! She, of course, has her folk opera, Hadestown, on Broadway, she released an album with her band Bonny Light Horseman AND she's just given birth to her second child, Rosetta. We're releasing this episode on her birthday (March 26!). Hope you enjoy!

This show is part of the American Songwriter Podcast Network.

Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

Jesse Dee, ep. 62 Mar 19, 2020

Show notes

Jesse Dee is a painter and a singer who takes influence from classic soul and R&B. The eldest fo 5 children raised in Arlington, MA, just outside Boston, Jesse was obsessed with oldies on the radio from a young age. He turned to theatre as a teen and started writing songs and learning guitar in high school. He attended Mass Art (Massachusetts College of Art and Design) while the intention of become a professional artist, but a stint in a touring act in college pointed him towards music and performance as a life calling.

Jesse's released a couple of brilliant albums that encapsulate that incredible R&B and soul sound that he originally fell in love with. We talk about what drew him to that sound originally and what he enjoys about the writing of soul and R&B classics. Also, his dad was totally on the PBS show, This Old House, sooooo COME ON!

American Songwriter Podcast Network

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Nora Jane Struthers' "Bright Light, Long Drives, First Words" Track by Track, ep. 61 Mar 12, 2020

Show notes

Nora Jane Struthers is back! We go track by track on her new album Bright Lights, Long Drives, First Words! The record was recorded while she was 8 months pregnant after a long struggle with infertility (see Basic Folk episode 4 for the whole incredible story). This album addresses the dichotomy between realizing her hard-earned dream and the tough realities of keeping her musical career alive (touring and all) in the wake of new motherhood. There are songs about finding home in your family, being too far away from friends and the song that Nora Jane claims is the best song she's ever wrote.

On this episode, she is kind enough to go through the album song by song and address different themes and styles. My favorite song on the album is an amazing track called "To Catch a Phoenix," which is super dramatic and very Game of Thrones, Hunger Games, Harry Potter. She actually breaks that metaphor down line by line and I'm sitting there listening to her with my jaw on the floor. It's cool.

American Songwriter Podcast Network

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Taylor Ashton, ep. 60 Mar 06, 2020

Show notes

Taylor Ashton! Clawhammer banjo! Illustrations! Canada! He started his career in the alt-folk band Fish & Bird and has collaborated with musical friends like Courtney Hartmann (formerly of Della Mae). Taylor's debut solo album, The Romantic, is out now and filled with sweet banjo grooves and emotional feelings. We talk about his growing up in Canada: flying solo on an airplane at a very young age. He would draw on the barf bags to impress the flight attendants, which led him to a life-long love of illustrating. We talk about moving to New York and first connecting with the massive city and then finding his people there. He connected with Courtney at a Julian Lage and Chris Eldridge show, so we get the story there.

Taylor is a warm and funny person to talk to and I really enjoyed getting to spend time with him. I love his new record beyond words and really recommend you catching a live show of his sometime soon! He'll be touring with Aoife O'Donovan soon, including March 12 at Sanders Theater in Cambridge. Hope you love this one!

American Songwriter Podcast Network

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Kora Feder, ep. 59 Feb 27, 2020

Show notes

Kora Feder came from a musical family. Her mother is the well regarded singer/songwriter, Rita Hosking. Growing up, she was surrounded by music, so it's not a surprise that she naturally gravitated toward performing and singing with her musical mom and dad. Her vacations were spent going on tour around the west coast and in the UK. When she headed off for college, she knew she wanted to travel while staying in school. She spent her college years living immersed in places like Thailand and China studying and observing cultures that are far different from her native Davis, CA.

Kora is an incredibly gifted songwriter in that she is able to write about challenging subjects like poverty and gun control, with unshakeable grace. We talked about the challenges faced with wanted to address global, political issues, while being fully aware that, at 25 years old, she doesn't have answers and is still learning so much about the world and herself. Her debut full length album In Sevens, was released last year. The songs are striking, as is her very interesting phrasing. It's like she's able to jam all these thoughts, feelings and words in beautifully without sounding pretentious. Enjoy Kora! She is an exciting up and coming talent.

American Songwriter Podcast Network: https://americansongwriter.com/american-songwriter-podcast-network/basic-folk-podcast/

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Dave Godowsky, ep. 58 Feb 20, 2020

Show notes

Business or performance? According to Dave Godowsky, you don't have to choose, guys. As a professional music fan for nearly 3 decades, Dave has been an artist manager, A&R rep and several other kinds of music industry types. All the while, he's weaved in and out the singer/songwriter/performer, for which he has a great talent for. Dave's genuine good hearted nature has gotten him the trust, talent and time of many impressive well known musicians like Bon Iver, Gene Ween (of Ween), Adam Duritz and Lianne La Havas. He's also well connected to many smaller music communities. One of those communities was essential to his songwriting in the last ten or so years: The Subrosa Songwriting Retreat that takes place on Three Mile Island in Lake Winnipesaukee, New Hampshire. Dave talks about how this retreat has allowed him to piece together enough songs for his last few album.

His newest album, Cuts (out Feb 28), is this beautiful calming album dotted with lovely harp and woodwinds. During production, he was concentrating on keeping the band zen and working to create a" musical Xanax." He said" “if people were having a panic attack, they could put this on and it would calm them.” It's a great album and hope you go listen to it when it's out on Feb 28!

Check out all the podcasts over on the American Songwriter Podcast Network.

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