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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:

Jenny Owen Youngs, ep. 47 Nov 14, 2019

Show notes

Jenny Owen Youngs! Jenny is an indie pop songwriter, queer icon and podcast host. I am thrilled to have her on Basic Folk! Her new EP, Night Shift, is out now (November 15) and we talk about it and all of her whole life in our conversation. From her young life in rural New Jersey to space camp (where she wished for more space and less camp) to coming out in a very public way in 2012. Jenny is a sweet, funny and caring person, and we really get into what makes her tick in this episode.

Jenny's been on my radar since 2005 with her debut Batten The Hatches and she's released two full length albums since then and a handful of EPs. In recent years, Jenny's created this amazing community along with Kristin Russo with their podcast, "Buffering The Vampire Slayer," that goes through commentary about each episode of "Buffy The Vampire Slayer" and includes an original song by Jenny at the end of each podcast. Her other podcast, "Veronica Mars Investigations," is hosted by herself and Helen Zaltzman.

American Songwriter Podcast Network

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Ryan Walsh of Hallelujah The Hills, ep. 46 Nov 08, 2019

Show notes

Ryan Walsh of the literary (read: nerd) indie rock band Hallelujah The Hills has new music on the way. The new I'm You LP releases on November 15, 2019. Walsh, originally from Dedham, MA, has always held an interest in history and folk music, particularly when it comes to his hometown. Dedham was the site of where Sacco and Vanzetti were wrongly held for murder and also, subsequently, was named in one of Woody Guthrie's ballads about the two anarchists. The courthouse where their trial took place happens to be at the end of Walsh's childhood street and it's wonderful to hear him speculate as to whether the legendary songwriter stepped foot on the same street he grew up on.

Ryan also is the author of Astral Weeks: A Secret History of 1968, which chronicles Van Morrison's 9 months spent in Boston, MA right before he recorded and released the masterpiece. Walsh shares insights on writing the book and the subsequent influence on his life. Please enjoy this conversation with one of my favorite humans, Ryan Walsh of Hallelujah The Hills!

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Betsy Siggins, ep. 45 Oct 31, 2019

Show notes

Betsy Siggins is a folk boss in charge, and we’re beyond honored to welcome her as a guest on Basic Folk. Siggins has been an integral part of the folk music world since the late 1950’s when she and her roommate, Joan Baez, starting hanging around the Cambridge scene at Club 47. She’s work at the famous folk club until it closed in the 1960’s, where after that she worked with The Smithsonian in Washington, D.C. and also paved the way for homeless shelters catering to AIDs patients in New York City. After her tenure as Executive Director at Club Passim (formerly Club 47), Betsy worked on The New England Folk Archives that reside in Amherst, MA. Currently, Betsy is working on her memoirs that are bound to be packed with priceless stories about folk legends like Baez, Bob Dylan, Jim Kweskin, James Taylor and many more.

We hear some of these fascinating stories from Siggins during the conversation. We also get a glimpse into where Betsy came from in her roots with her family life, that did include some classical music influence as well as a love for early country radio. I honestly could have talked to her for days. Hope you enjoy!

This show is part of the American Songwriter Podcast Network.

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Emily Mure, ep. 44 Oct 17, 2019

Show notes

Emily Mure is a real life New York native! She is a life-long oboist, who had big plans for a career in classical music. That all changed when she discovered the guitar, thanks to the encouragement of her grandfather. Emily excelled at songwriting and quickly dove into this brave new world. After college, she moved to Ireland for 6 months where she soaked up the busking community in Galway. She returned to her native Roosevelt Island and actually lives in her childhood apartment.

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Wallis Bird, ep. 43 Sep 26, 2019

Show notes

Wallis Bird is a joyful musician who is an incredibly emotionally exciting live performer and songwriter. On Basic Folk we talk about her upbringing, her views on faith and spirituality and her immediate attraction to the guitar. We also get into her career talking about the publishing offers she started getting at 12 years old.

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Molly Sarle of Mountain Man, ep. 42 Sep 19, 2019

Show notes

Molly Sarle of Mountain Man has been working on her solo record for a little while and it's finally out! The beautiful Karaoke Angel is the Santa Cruz, CA's native debut album. During our conversation on Basic Folk, Molly talks about her family and where music was in her life growing up. We dig into a few very interesting topics like religion! sex! and cats!

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Joe Troop of Che Apalache, ep. 41 Sep 12, 2019

Show notes

Joe Troop, frontman for the Buenos Aires "Latin-Grass" group Che Apalache, has loved bluegrass since he was 15. He kind of discovered that fact almost at the same time he discovered his attraction to men. As a North Carolina native, Troop is a proud out gay man in a world that doesn't always accept him: the rural south. Please enjoy and subscribe!

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Amanda Shires, ep. 40 Aug 29, 2019

Show notes

Amanda Shires, Texas born, Nashville based, sideplayer turned songwriter, turned force of nature in Americana, folk and alt-country world. Her partnership with Jason Isbell is legendary. Her most current project, The Highwomen, is well on it's way to legendary status.

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David Huckfelt, ep. 39 Aug 22, 2019

Show notes

David Huckfelt, founding member of the Minneapolis folk band, The Pines, emanates poetry in everything he does. From his solo work to his outlook on life, Huckfelt is living artwork. It was a real pleasure to speak with him about his Iowa upbringing, his connection to indigenous people and his two-week solitary writing retreat on the most remote and least visited national park in mighty Lake Superior.

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Johnathan Rice, ep. 38 Aug 15, 2019

Show notes

Scottish-American songwriter Johnathan Rice might have first landed on your radar through his duo Jenny & Johnny with his former partner Jenny Lewis. Rice's story starts in Virginia and Scotland where he spent time going back and forth for his dad's work. Each place having its own effect on his young musicianship. Virginia embodied a typical mid-90's American teen experience. In Scotland, he was surrounded by a large family where music was front and center.

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