For Songs
67 episodes - English - Latest episode: 23 days ago -This podcast is for those who love music but can't write a tune to save their lives. We talk with singer/songwriters of all stripes, professional touring musicians to those who can't quite catch a break. Maybe you'll hear something you'll like. Maybe not. But you will come away with a greater appreciation for the gift of songwriting, and how hard it really is.
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Episodes
Episode 67: For Songs Singles! Find Your Way, Tim Easton
March 31, 2024 18:00 - 26 minutes - 24.5 MBSome folks are just a natural for this show. Nashville-based veteran singer/songwriter Tim Easton (https://www.timeaston.com/) certainly fits the bill. A renowned tunesmith, Easton has lived a quintessential troubadour life—busking in Europe and living in L.A., New York, and many places in between. Now calling Nashville home, Tim is back with a new album Find Your Way. Tim’s solo work dates back to the late 90s, back when the major labels bet big that so-called alt.country or Americana would ...
Episode 66: For Songs Singles! Tell Me This, Sons of Silver
March 01, 2024 02:30 - 33 minutes - 32.7 MBIf there’s one lesson songwriters learn over and over again, it’s that sometimes you just gotta let go. Sometimes you just gotta let the song work its way out on its own schedule. Just let it go. That’s the trick my next guest leaned on for his band’s latest single. Peter Argyropolous, lead singer and songwriter for LA-based rockers Sons of Silver, joins me to discuss Tell Me This, a classic, 70s-esque punk rocker released in early 2024. In addition to being a great friend of the show, Peter ...
Episode 65: For Songs Singles! I Can't Seem to Drink Her Off My Mind, Ian Jones
January 28, 2024 21:00 - 24 minutes - 23.7 MBIf there’s been one constant chronicled on this podcast, it’s that no one knows the future of the music industry. Hell, no one even knows what the next few days are going to be like in the industry. Certainly my next guest, Seattle-based singer/songwriter Ian Jones, is doing all he can to crack the code. Ian is making his third appearance on this show, this time to discuss his latest single, I Can’t Seem to Drink Her Off My Mind (https://open.spotify.com/album/3zkzAlf7arCVfra5MqU5h3?si=_-rhyS...
Episode 64: Celebrating the Life of Barry Lynch: A Conversation with Hannah Lynch
January 13, 2024 03:00 - 44 minutes - 42.3 MBLest anyone doubt the power of music, I give you the life of Barry Lynch. I met Barry while on vacation in May 2012 at a small pub in the small town of Moy, Northern Ireland, after he led a brilliant Irish session in which he sang and played just about every stringed instrument known to man. I finally brought him onto this show in July 2022 (https://forsongs.fireside.fm/49)to discuss an album he’d just produced by a band called the Armagh Rhymers. Sadly, Barry passed away suddenly in Spring ...
Episode 63: For Songs Singles! Dawning, Yasmin Williams
December 08, 2023 21:00 - 23 minutes - 22.7 MBWhen we last caught up with Yasmin Williams (https://www.yasminwilliamsmusic.com/), her life was just about to change. It was February 2021, the pandemic was slowly but surely starting to ease, and the DC-based acoustic guitar maestro released her groundbreaking album Urban Driftwood. Full of spellbinding, mesmerizing, uplifting acoustic-guitar driven instrumentals, Urban Driftwood took Yasmin from her parent’s house to all around the globe, playing festivals, selling out clubs, and doing gig...
Episode 62: A Conversation with James Fearnley
November 20, 2023 21:00 - 47 minutes - 45.8 MBThirty years ago, I popped in If I Should Fall From Grace with God by the London-Irish punk band the Pogues, and my life changed forever. I was 17, socially awkward, and a bit of a loner, but discovering the Pogues opened a whole world for me. Finding their brand of traditional Irish music blended with punk rock was like discovering a new home—comfortable yet dangerous, familiar yet mysterious. So it is such a tremendous honor to welcome Pogues founding member and accordion player James Fearn...
Episode 61: For Songs Singles! Somebody Wake Me When Its Over, Sweet Lizzy Project
November 04, 2023 17:00 - 25 minutes - 24.7 MBIf you’ve ever felt like there’s just not enough time in the day, that the world is crashing down and you’re feeling more pressure than you can handle, have I got the song for you. In this episode of For Songs Singles, I welcome back Lisset Diaz of the Havana-by-way-of-Nashville-based Sweet Lizzy Project (www.sweetlizzyproject.com). Lisset discusses the band’s dynamite new single, Somebody Wake Me When It’s Over. The song is a musical tour-de-force, a blistering rock opera that jumps out of y...
Episode 60: A Third Conversation with Louis Michot
October 10, 2023 20:00 - 40 minutes - 38.5 MBSometimes life comes full circle. In this episode of For Songs, I welcome back Louisiana-based singer/songwriter Louis Michot of the traditional Cajun band the Lost Bayou Ramblers. Louis first appeared on the show in Fall 2020, at the height of the pandemic. He didn’t know it at the time but he was in the midst of writing and recording his first solo album. Three years later, Louis has just released Reve du Troubadour, which is Cajun French for Troubadour’s Dream (https://www.louismichot.com/...
Episode 59: A Return Conversation with Dom Flemons
August 04, 2023 20:00 - 42 minutes - 40.1 MBThe sun is out, life is returning to normal and our favorite bands are back on tour. Not even two years ago this seemed like an impossible dream, as I’ve chronicled on this show. But here we are, in Summer 2023, and things seem, well, pretty good. A new day is dawning. Just ask acclaimed multi-instrumentalist/singer-songwriter Dom Flemons (www.theamericansongster.com), who released his brilliant solo record Traveling Wildfire this past March. Dom joins me for a third time to discuss his new r...
Episode 58: A Second Conversation with Ian Jones
May 19, 2023 20:00 - 49 minutes - 48.3 MBMusic, not unlike life, is about the journey rather than the destination. And perhaps no artist I’ve interviewed knows that better than Seattle-based singer/songwriter Ian Jones (https://www.ianjonesmusic.com/). A true song craftsman, Ian knows that getting your big break in the music industry is about luck and being in the right place at the right time. But more than anything, you need killer songs. And while Ian hasn’t quite struck his lucky break, it’s not for a shortage of great tunes. Ia...
Episode 57: For Songs Singles! Break Down the Walls, Emma Noble
April 23, 2023 17:00 - 23 minutes - 22.2 MBThe best thing about music is no matter how old you are, no matter how long you’ve been listening and loving music, you can still hear something that will stop you in your tracks. Which is what happened to me a few months ago when London-based singer/songwriter Emma Noble’s latest single Break Down the Walls jumped out of my Spotify feed. It was an old-school sound with a fresh twist. Or maybe it was a fresh, new vibe with an old-school feel. Whatever it was, I was hooked. Break Down the Wall...
Episode 56: A Return Conversation with Dan Murphy of the Scarlet Goodbye
March 24, 2023 17:00 - 45 minutes - 36.7 MBJoin me as former Soul Asylum guitarist Dan Murphy makes his long-awaited return not only to this show but to the music industry as a whole! In this episode, Dan talks about his new band the Scarlet Goodbye (https://thescarletgoodbye.com/) and its brand-spanking new debut album Hope’s Eternal. The band is a duo, with Dan being joined by fellow Minneapolis singer/songwriter Jeff Arundel. Dan left Soul Asylum and the music biz about 10 years ago, reappearing every now and again for a one-off Go...
Episode 55: A Fourth Conversation with Paleface!
March 10, 2023 21:00 - 40 minutes - 30.3 MBRemember last fall? When indie-rock legend Paleface and his partner/drummer Monica “Mo” Samalot came onto the show to discuss their crowdfunding campaign for their new album? Well you should! And guess what? The campaign was a success and the new album is out! Beyond the Bells was released in mid-February, and man is it fantastic. Drawing inspiration from his entire career, which began in the late 80s and early 90s in New York, Beyond the Bells is a masterclass in production and songwriting. ...
Episode 54: A Conversation with Mark Bingham
January 13, 2023 21:00 - 37 minutes - 35.8 MBFrom New Orleans to “Fakersfield,” Mark Bingham has seen it all. The sought-after producer, songwriter, guitarist, arranger, etc., has literally rubbed elbows with music royalty. Bands like REM, artists like Dr. John, Marianne Faithfull have all called on Mark to produce, arrange, you name it. All the while, Mark wrote his own music and now, he is at the beginning of an ambitious career retrospective project to release the 22 albums he’s written over the last 50-plus years. When we spoke in l...
Episode 53: A Return Conversation with Lisset Diaz of the Sweet Lizzy Project
November 18, 2022 21:00 - 48 minutes - 47 MBIf you love music, if music changed your life, if music made you feel things you’ve never felt before, then this is the interview for you. Joining me once again is Lisset Diaz of the Cuban-by-way-of-Nashville-based Sweet Lizzy Project. We discuss the band’s newest and long-awaited album Pirate Radio/Radio Pirata. Simply stated, this is album for the ages. Pirate Radio is a concept album that traces the life and consequences of a fictional character in Cuba who goes to great lengths to listen ...
Episode 52: A Conversation with Nora O'Connor
November 02, 2022 00:00 - 36 minutes - 33.8 MBThere’s a moment in singer/songwriter Nora O’Connor’s new album My Heart when you realize just how special her talent is. By admission, the Chicago-based musician is more comfortable in the background, singing backup and playing various instruments with such Americana luminaries like Neko Case, the Decembrists, Robbie Fulks, among others. But for the first time in 18(!) years, Nora is back with a solo album—her third—called My Heart, released in early October. And it’s about midway through th...
Episode 51: A Conversation with John McCutcheon
October 10, 2022 20:00 - 40 minutes - 37.4 MBYou think you’ve been productive during COVID? Maybe so, but did you write, record, and release three (that’s right, THREE!!!) albums in two-plus years? No? Well, my next guest did. In fact, folk singer John McCutcheon’s latest album Leap, released in September 2022, is not only his third album since 2020, but his 43rd of his career! John’s love of folk music began as a young teenager watching the 1963 March on Washington; after seeing Bob Dylan, Odetta, Joan Baez, and Peter, Paul, and Mary, ...
Episode 50: Another Conversation with Paleface
October 04, 2022 01:30 - 18 minutes - 10.8 MBAs you’ve no doubt heard in listening to this podcast, the music industry is not for the faint of heart. You need nerves of steel, patience, determination, and, at times, a devil-may-care attitude. You also need support, and lots of it, if you hope to make just enough to get by. In this special episode of For Songs, we are joined again by indie-rock legend Paleface and his drummer/partner Monica “Mo” Samalot. Paleface has seen it all, a veteran of the industry since the early 90s. His songwri...
Episode 49: A Conversation with Barry Lynch
July 13, 2022 20:00 - 45 minutes - 50.2 MBFor me, this episode is 11 years in the making. For my guest Barry Lynch and his group the Armagh Rhymers? We’re talking 30 years. The Armagh Rhymers (https://armaghrhymers.com/), a traditional Irish mummers band from Northern Ireland, released their first album in 1992. So now 30 years later, “Vol. 2” is on the streets and, well, you need to take a seat, grab a pint or two, and listen in. Mumming, for those who don’t know, is an ancient tradition, dating back in Ireland to the pagan, pre-Cat...
Episode 48: Another Conversation with Peter Argyropoulos of Sons of Silver
June 11, 2022 22:00 - 45 minutes - 43.1 MBPeter Argyropoulos has a way with words. The lead singer/songwriter of the LA-based hard-rock band Sons of Silver has his finger on the pulse on what’s happening across the country and, indeed, the world. On his band’s debut EP Doomsday Noises, he presaged the pandemic, the social unrest, and the decaying fabric of society that has been our existence the last two years. Now, a year and half later, the band is back with a blistering follow-up EP called Ordinary Sex Appeal. In this five-song se...
Episode 47: A Conversation with Ben Vaughn
May 23, 2022 23:00 - 42 minutes - 39.3 MBThere’s something about simplicity and subtlety that sets the best songwriters apart. The simplicity in using the exact, perfect word—and only that word—to describe a feeling in a way that everyone can relate. And the subtlety of taking the listener on an emotional journey with a song that only lasts three minutes. Few artists have attained a mastery of both quite like my next guest, singer/songwriter Ben Vaughn. An exceptionally talented musician, Ben is a persistent writer; indeed, he write...
Episode 46: A Conversation with the Waymores
May 07, 2022 01:00 - 41 minutes - 38.9 MBFunny how the world works, at least in the world of music. This is the story of Kira Annelise and her husband Willie Heath Neal, who together make up the country duo The Waymores (https://www.thewaymores.com/). When they met, Willie was a seasoned songwriter about to hang it up. He was still singing in bands when Kira saw him performing, and her world changed. A talented singer, Kira had yet to pick up a guitar or even listen to real country music—real being Hank Sr., Johnny Cash, John Prine,...
Episode 45: For Songs Singles! Restless Companion, Michael Patrick F. Smith
April 18, 2022 20:00 - 23 minutes - 22.5 MBIt’s been a little more than since my next guest first joined me on For Songs. Michael Patrick F. Smith and I go way back. Way way back. To elementary school, middle school, high school, and even church. Michael returns to the show for the first time since January 2021, a few weeks before his book The Good Hand was published. The Good Hand (https://www.thegoodhand.org/) is a blistering read, telling the tale of his journey to North Dakota at the height of the shale-gas revolution that turned ...
Episode 44: Another Conversation with The Pug--Talking the Clash, Joe Strummer, Big Audio Dynamite & Much More!
April 10, 2022 18:00 - 39 minutes - 40.8 MBIt’s been a rough two years, to say the least. Music is one of the few things keeping us together, and for some of us, The Clash have been doing the heavy lifting. In this unique episode, Tony from the Pug joins me for an enthralling conversation about music, the Clash, and so much more. The general theme of this conversation is as follows: What Big Audio Dynamite/Joe Strummer solo songs would’ve been great Clash songs? We tried to put in some ground rules, but those quickly went out the door...
Episode 43: A Conversation with Emily Capell
March 20, 2022 18:30 - 45 minutes - 43.8 MBQuestion for you: If you had the chance to spend an hour in the car with one of your musical heroes—you are driving—what music would you play? Believe it or not, this is a difficult, stressful decision. And my next guest, northwest London-based Emily Capell (https://www.emilycapell.co.uk/), faced this very dilemma. Emily, who literally grew up on the Clash and its various offshoots, is an old soul. Her music is inspired by, well, the Clash, Big Audio Dynamite, but it goes beyond that. You’ll ...
Episode 42: A Conversation with the Whitmore Sisters
February 18, 2022 21:00 - 44 minutes - 41.9 MBIt is a cliché that blood is thicker than water, but its also true. And my next guests are living proof. Bonnie and Eleanor Whitmore of the Whitmore Sisters have just released their first album as a duo. Ghost Stories is an emotional powerhouse. And it is full of inspiration. Eleanor and Bonnie have been in and around the Americana genre for pretty much their whole lives. Eleanor and her husband Chris Masterson make up folk rock duo The Mastersons, and they also play in Steve Earle’s backing ...
Episode 41: A Conversation with Ian Jones
January 21, 2022 21:00 - 40 minutes - 38.9 MBSo if there’s one theme in most all these interviews I’ve conducted the last nearly two years, it’s that the music biz is a tough one, even in the best of times. When you think about it, it’s almost impossible to make money—spotify, pandora, and the Internet have seen to that. And my next guest, Seattle-based singer/songwriter Ian Jones, (www.ianjonesmusic.com) knows this better than most. Back in the 90s and early 2000s, Ian left his home to give music a go in California, moving to Santa Bar...
Episode 40: For Songs Singles! Keeping On, Franklin Gotham
January 07, 2022 21:00 - 21 minutes - 20.7 MBHere we go—nearing Year Three of this pandemic. Not to mention the coldest days of the year, hazardous weather, you name it. Days like these, you gotta dig deep to keep going. If you are struggling to trudge ahead as the news seemingly gets worse every day, have I got a song for you. Joining me for this first episode of 2022 is my old friend Kevin Adkins of Franklin Gotham. In this episode, Kevin and I talk about Franklin Gotham’s latest single Keeping On, a tune for our time. It is no doubt ...
Episode 39: A Conversation with Nicole Atkins
December 26, 2021 18:00 - 41 minutes - 39.7 MBIt is Christmas time, and while this isn’t a Christmas episode per se, it is the gift that keeps on giving. If you’ve ever heard Nicole Atkins sing, you know there’s something eerie, calm, haunting yet beautiful about her voice. There’s a sense of mystery, a compelling sound that keeps you coming back for more. Perhaps this has something to do with where she’s from, a small town not far from the Jersey beaches, maybe 40 minutes south of New York City. If you’ve ever been to the Jersey shore, ...
Episode 38: For Songs Singles! Dreaming of a Revolution, by the Sweet Lizzy Project
December 17, 2021 21:00 - 24 minutes - 23 MBThe spark of freedom can be seen anywhere if you look for it. In this episode of For Songs-Singles, we bring back Lisset Diaz of the Sweet Lizzy Project (www.sweetlizzyproject.com) to discuss her band’s latest single, Dreaming of a Revolution/Otra Revolucion. The song is inspired by the protesters in Cuba, who are putting their lives on the line to protest against the existing regime. The song is the first from their forthcoming album Pirate Radio/Radio Pirata. Every song on the album was rec...
Episode 37: A Conversation with the Mighty Joshua
December 03, 2021 21:00 - 42 minutes - 40.1 MBNever doubt it—music can change lives. My next guest is living proof. Renowned reggae singer The Mighty Joshua (http://mightyjoshua.com/) certainly had no intentions of singing and playing in front of thousands. In fact he started his musical career in Richmond, Va., as a percussionist in a few reggae bands, content playing a supporting role to others. But at the heavy urging of well-traveled reggae keyboardist Chris ‘Peanut’ Whitley, Joshua embraced his calling and truly became Mighty. Sudde...
Episode 36: A Second Conversation with Louis Michot
November 19, 2021 21:00 - 38 minutes - 33.5 MBWith Hurricane Ida bearing down on his home state of Louisiana, musician Louis Michot felt helpless. After a quick jaunt for his band’s—Grammy winning Lost Bayou Ramblers—first gig outside Louisiana in nearly two years, Michot and his crew raced home to be with their family as the storm approached. An unlucky break during the show led to a short COVID scare, but even more frightening were the cries for help he saw online as Ida pummeled New Orleans and other areas, knocking out power for week...
Episode 35: A Conversation with Jade Jackson and Aubrie Sellers
November 05, 2021 20:00 - 43 minutes - 40.9 MBIt sounds like a cliché, but sometimes when you expect the unexpected, you might just get exactly what you need. That’s what happened to then-California-based singer/songwriters Jade Jackson and Aubrie Sellers after a chance meeting in 2019. Jackson and Sellers, both accomplished artists on different ends of the country-rock spectrum, began working together on one of Jade’s songs Hush during the start of the pandemic. One thing led to another, and both relocated to Nashville to record the com...
Episode 34: For Songs Singles! Hesitate, Sons of Silver
October 15, 2021 20:00 - 18 minutes - 17.5 MBWelcome to the first episode of For Songs Singles! Instead of four songs, we talk about one. It’s a bit shorter and lets us take a deep dive into the creation and meaning of one song in particular. On this first episode we feature Hesitate, the blistering new song from LA-based indie-rock band Sons of Silver. Hesitate is a musical and lyrical tour-de-force. It jumps out of the speakers with driving guitars and pounding bass and drums. Singer/songwriter Peter Argyropoulos takes the global decl...
Episode 33: A Conversation with Dar Williams
October 01, 2021 20:45 - 39 minutes - 37.3 MBTime has a funny way of working, right? Some days feel like they last forever, while others are over in a blink of an eye. And the cruel joke is that as you get older, time seems to move even faster. One day you are a bright eyed, bushy tailed 20-something ready to take over the world, and the next, the world has chewed you up and spit you out. Well, maybe it’s not that bad, but you get the point. On this episode of For Songs, singer/songwriter Dar Williams covers these themes and more on her...
Episode 32: Catching Up with Dom Flemons
August 26, 2021 20:00 - 27 minutes - 29.9 MBIt’s a #ForSongs first! Check out my in-person interview with the mighty Dom Flemons (www.theamericansongster.com), singer/songwriter/historian/storyteller/trailblazer. Dom and I chatted about a hour before a mid-August 2021 show just south of Washington. Listen in as Dom discusses the touring life during COVID, what’s changed, and how his connection with his fans is deeper and stronger than ever. We also discuss his important work in changing the narrative of American folk music and highligh...
Episode 31: A Conversation about #Cuba with Lisset Diaz
July 18, 2021 20:00 - 35 minutes - 32 MBLet me be clear: this is the most important interview I’ve ever done. It is my humbling honor to welcome the amazing singer/songwriter Lisset Diaz of the Sweet Lizzy Project (www.sweetlizzyproject.com) back to For Songs. Lisset and her bandmates emigrated from Havana, Cuba, to Nashville, TN, in 2017 to record their second full-length album Technicolor. Lisset is a frequent guest of the show, but this interview is different. If you’ve been watching the news, you know there is a once-in-a-gener...
Episode 30: A Conversation with Larry Kirwan of Black '47
July 16, 2021 20:00 - 49 minutes - 46.5 MBBuckle up folks. This is a special episode of For Songs. My guest is Larry Kirwan, lead singer/songwriter for the seminal Irish-American rock band Black ’47. Black ’47, for a time, was considered New York City’s house band; they had a massive following up and down the East Coast. For folks of a certain age, Larry’s music was their introduction to Irish history, particularly the Northern Ireland conflict. Join us as we talk about three great Black ’47 songs, along with a brand new, exclusive t...
Episode 29: A Conversation with Matt Easton of The Jenny Thing
June 23, 2021 20:00 - 39 minutes - 37.5 MBDepending on where you live, one could say that we’re going through a bit of a renewal. COVID cases are dropping, people are eating out, and as we’ve chronicled, live music is back! So it’s appropriate, then, that my next guest and his band are going through a rebirth of their own. Berkeley, Ca., based The Jenny Thing (www.thejennything.com) first came to be in 1991. Their music blended 80s synth pop with the industrial rock sound popularized by 90s bands like Nine Inch Nails. The band was a ...
Episode 28: A Conversation with Sandra the Pie Lady and Tony T. of the Pug
June 09, 2021 20:00 - 13 minutes - 11.9 MBLive music is here! And not just outdoors! But actual music in actual clubs--like it used to be before March 2020! As things open up, though, our favorite bars and clubs don't just flip a switch and go back to normal. Here in DC, many bars and clubs have been closed for a year and half! That's 18 months of no money, no people, no music, no drinks, nothing. It's not just been a slow week or month--it's been nothing coming in for almost two years! If any bars and clubs made it this far, they ar...
Episode 27: A Conversation with Maia Sharp
May 23, 2021 20:00 - 43 minutes - 40.1 MBMost folks don’t have the kind of year singer/songwriter Maia Sharp (www.maiasharp.com) just did. In addition to ending a 20-plus year marriage, she uprooted her life, moved from LA to Nashville and wrapped up the recording of her newest album Mercy Rising in late 2019. But that’s not all. In between a tornado blew through her new neighborhood in March 2020 and during the subsequent recovery and rebuild, she caught the coronavirus before most of us knew how deadly it could be. So yeah, Maia’s...
Episode 26: A Conversation with Dan Murphy
May 07, 2021 20:00 - 50 minutes - 38.2 MBAfter co-leading Minneapolis-based Soul Asylum to stratospheric heights in the 90s, lead guitarist Dan Murphy quit the business cold in 2012. Tired of the grind, Murphy literally hung up his famous Les Paul, seemingly for good. While Soul Asylum carries on with singer/guitarist David Pirner as the only original member, Murphy has focused instead on his online pinup art gallery called Grapefruit Moon. But as they say, life happens. Murphy picked up the guitar again for a family funeral and sta...
Episode 25: A Conversation with Emily Brown
April 07, 2021 20:00 - 41 minutes - 39.5 MBTake a deep dive into the songwriting process with Berkeley, Ca.-based singer/songwriter Emily Brown. Emily walks us through the making of her latest album A Fish of Earth, which is bursting with lush orchestration, strong melodies, and haunting instrumentation. It is an inspired album, with musical nods to Glen Campbell, Loretta Lynn, and gorgeous musicals like The Sound of Music. The album is made even stronger by her personal-yet-relatable lyrics focused on relationships—relationships with...
Episode 24: A Conversation with Sandra the Pie Lady
March 26, 2021 20:00 - 20 minutes - 13.2 MBIt’s no secret the toll the pandemic is taking on the music industry. Musicians are struggling to get by, they can’t tour, they really can’t play much of anywhere, except their living room. It’s truly become a hand-to-mouth existence. And honestly, the same goes for the independent venue owners too. Being shuttered for more than a year will likely put most out of business; indeed, far too many have closed since March 2020. Those that are still here are hanging by a thread. This is a special e...
Episode 23: A Conversation with David Childers
March 19, 2021 20:00 - 41 minutes - 30.8 MBIt’s been said that late bloomers bloom best. Not sure where I heard that, but it certainly applies to David Childers, the singer/songwriter based outside of Charlotte, NC. David’s one of the sharpest songwriters around, mixing southern wit, imagery, and charm with an Americana feel. His latest album, Interstate Lullaby, covers a broad range of themes from climate change to white supremacy. The characters in his songs are rough around the edge, gritty, and far from perfect. He captures their ...
Episode 22: A Second Conversation with Yasmin Williams
March 05, 2021 21:00 - 37 minutes - 37.5 MBYou know what’s cool? Watching a truly innovative and talented musician start getting her due. Yasmin Williams, the brilliant guitarist from Northern Virginia, is getting noticed by some of music’s biggest media outlets—Rolling Stone. NPR. Pitchfork. The Washington Post. Yep, the world is getting to hear what we’ve known all along—that Yasmin Williams is one of music’s most singular young talents. Her guitar work is breathtaking and her songwriting is hypnotic. And her newest album, Urban Dri...
Episode 21: A Conversation with Mic Harrison
February 19, 2021 21:00 - 40 minutes - 40.1 MBSome people are born to write songs and play in bands. Knoxville, Tenn.-based singer/songwriter Mic Harrison is one of those people. Music is in his blood, as his Dad gave him a guitar and taught him some early lessons. Then as a member of the influential mid-90s alt.country band The V-Roys with For Songs veteran Scott Miller, Mic came as close as can becoming the Next Big Thing, only to see the band breakup a few years later. After playing with another star-crossed band Superdrag, Mic and hi...
Episode 20: A Conversation with Dom Flemons
February 05, 2021 21:00 - 38 minutes - 36.7 MBAlright everyone, grab your seats. Get your pencils and notebooks out and put on your thinking caps. American music school is in session! Our teacher for this episode of For Songs is Dom Flemons, founding member of the Grammy winning, groundbreaking African-American string band the Carolina Chocolate Drops. Listen and learn how Dom has spent his career unearthing and highlighting the vital role Black musicians played in American folk music. We discuss the breathtaking Prospect Hill: The Ameri...
Episode 19: A Conversation with 3 Pairs of Boots
January 22, 2021 21:00 - 38 minutes - 36.2 MBI’m sure we all want to give up our day job for our dream job. As tempting as it sounds, it’s fraught with risk. On this episode of For Songs, California-based 3 Pairs of Boots, featuring the real-life married couple Laura Arias and Andrew Stern, talk about how they did just that. After years of balancing work and family life with the arts, Andrew and Laura reached a point where they needed to give music their undivided attention. And we’re all better off for it. As 3 Pairs of Boots, Laura an...
Episode 18: A Conversation with Michael Patrick F. Smith
January 08, 2021 21:00 - 42 minutes - 40.7 MBLots of really bad things have come about because of the internet, Facebook, Twitter, etc. But one good thing is catching up with friends you haven’t seen or heard from in decades. In this episode of For Songs, I speak with singer/songwriter/playwright/author Michael Patrick F. Smith. Michael and I went to elementary school together in the small town of Ijamsville, Md. Not a streetlight or traffic light when we grew up there, but it was home. We went our separate ways after high school--he ve...