Best Fiddle And Guitar Podcasts (2025)

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Ben Garnett - Building Worlds in Sound on his New Record 'Kite's Keep' 41:48

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16h ago41:48

41:48

My guest this week is Ben Garnett, chatting about his superb new record 'Kite's Keep'. The album features a core band of Ben, Brittany Haas and Ethan Jodziewicz, with guest appearances from Darol Anger, Paul Kowert and Chris Eldridge. We talk about Ben's background, initially in electric guitar, and the influence his cousin Andy Timmons had on him …

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Peter Rowan: The Bluegrass Buddha's Tex-Mex Roots, ep. 327 1:08:54

6m ago1:08:54

1:08:54

Legendary Massachusetts-born, California-based musician Peter Rowan is best known for his bluegrass roots. A practicing Buddhist, he did time in Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys as well as in the short-lived and epically important Old & In the Way with Jerry Garcia and David Grisman. However, his latest album 'Tales of the Free Mexican Airforce' celeb…

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Bluegrass Unlimited Podcast with Jason Burleson 53:35

3h ago53:35

53:35

This week we feature banjo and guitar player Jason Burleson and talk with him about his career in bluegrass, his thirty years with Blue Highway and a new single that he and his wife have recently released that will lead to his first solo album. You'll also hear that single on the podcast.By Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine

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Bluegrass Unlimited Podcast with Sandy Rothman 1:06:08

4h ago1:06:08

1:06:08

This week we feature multi-instrumentalist and singer Sandy Rothman. Sandy has a long history in bluegrass music in California, but also performed with Bill Monroe and spent time performing with bands in Ohio. Back in the mid-1980’s Sandy was in a band called the The Bay Ramblers and has just released a two-CD set of the band’s music in order to ho…

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Alison Brown - Celebrating 30 Years of Compass Records 57:47

6d ago57:47

57:47

My guest this week is Alison Brown. Alison was the first woman to win an IBMA award in an instrumental category, winning Banjo Player of the Year in 1991. She's also a sought after producer, with credits including Dale Ann Bradley, Peter Rowan, Missy Raines and Bobby Osborne and she spent three years as a member of Alison Krauss's band Union Statio…

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Audition Preparation Tips 40:22

12d ago40:22

40:22

What scale or excerpt should you choose to audition with? What should you do if all the excerpts are either too difficult and others too easy? When you have limited time to prepare the material, where should you put your focus for the most pay off? What do they mean by "contrasting" pieces? If you've wondered about these questions, or if you're a t…

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Rissi Palmer & Miko Marks: "Buckle Bunny," No Cringe, and My Black Country, ep. 326 1:07:02

5d ago1:07:02

1:07:02

This time on Basic Folk, we are checking in with country singer-songwriter and Color Me Country radio host Rissi Palmer and Americana country artist Miko Marks. The two close friends both came up as Black women in country music in the early part of the 21st century where they experienced gatekeepers and discrimination in the industry, but undeniabl…

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Bluegrass Unlimited Podcast with Randy Waller 1:07:45

13d ago1:07:45

1:07:45

This week we feature guitar player and singer Randy Waller. Randy is the son of the legendary Charlie Waller of the Country Gentlemen. After his father passed, Randy kept the band going and a new recording of one of their live shows in Holland from 2006 has just been released. We talk with Randy about growing up with the Country Gentlemen, his care…

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Ethan Setiawan's Encyclopedia Mandolinnica 38:53

11d ago38:53

38:53

My guest this week is Ethan Setiawan. Ethan's new album Enyclopedia Mandolinnica is a collection of duets and trios featuring some of Ethan's mandolin heroes and contemporaries, including Mike Marshall, Caternia Lichtenberg, Jacof Jolliff, Matt Flinner and more. Recorded over the space of a year, the album showcases a wide range of styles and dynam…

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A quick update on the podcast 4:23

13d ago4:23

4:23

Hi everyone. This is a very short episode just to update you on a couple of bits and let you know about some changes coming to the Bluegrass Jam Along podcast over the coming weeks. There's some really exciting content coming your way but the format will be changing a little (I explain why in the episode). That's all, folks. Happy picking, Matt Sup…

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Bluegrass Unlimited Podcast with Wyatt Ellis 58:49

23d ago58:49

58:49

This week we feature sixteen year old mandolin player Wyatt Ellis. Wyatt has gained the attention of the bluegrass and mandolin worlds and he did so starting at a very young age. He is now is touring with his own band and working on a new album. Several singles from that project have been released and you will have the chance to hear three of those…

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Vibe Coaches: Maya de Vitry, Ethan Jodziewicz, Joel Timmons, & Shelby Means, ep. 325 1:12:09

15d ago1:12:09

1:12:09

Maya de Vitry, Ethan Jodziewicz, Joel Timmons, and Shelby Means are on Basic Folk today talking about their new collaborations. Maya produced both Shelby and Joel's debut solo albums this year; Joel and Ethan play in Maya's band; and the two couples (Joel & Shelby are married and Ethan & Maya are partners) are all very close friends. They met in Na…

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Paul Brady on Tina Turner, Irish Music and Not Being Too Famous, ep. 324 54:33

19d ago54:33

54:33

Bob Dylan once called Paul Brady a "secret hero" and meant it as a compliment. The Irish songwriting legend has not been bothered by the fact that his profile has not risen as high as some of his peers. Starting off in the world of traditional Irish music, Brady spent time in the hugely influential Irish group Planxty until they disbanded in 1975. …

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Bluegrass Unlimited Podcast with Ronnie Simpkins 1:03:44

19d ago1:03:44

1:03:44

This week we feature bass player Ronnie Simpkins. Ronnie has had a long career in bluegrass starting with his family’s band and moving on to bands like the Bluegrass Cardinals, the Virginia Squires, the Tony Rice Unit and now he has been a member of the Seldom Scene for 30 years.By Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine

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Bluegrass Briefing August 18th 2025 9:43

24d ago9:43

9:43

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass. Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode. News and announcements - church street news Fretboard Summit Alison Brown Banjo Basecamp Bela Fleck banjo raffle Releases (The Grass is New) Infamous Stringdusters …

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Bluegrass Unlimited Podcast with Carolyne Van Lierop Boone 48:21

25d ago48:21

48:21

This week we feature banjo player Carolyne Van Lierop Boone. Carolyne is the banjo player with Amanda Cook’s band. Amanda is on the cover of our August 2025 issue and so we thought it would be a good to time talk with Carolyne about her background in bluegrass, working with Amanda Cook and banjo pickin'.…

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Everyone Has a Friend in Joe K. Walsh, ep. 323 49:59

26d ago49:59

49:59

Originally from northern Minnesota, Joe K. Walsh grew up in Duluth and became enthralled with the mandolin (his primary focus, currently) after hearing the first David Grisman Quintet record. His dad got the young Joe his own mando. He ended up getting very serious about the instrument and found himself studying at Berklee College of Music in Bosto…

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Bitesize - Gabe Witcher on first meeting Chris Thile and how Punch Brothers came together 13:27

1M ago13:27

13:27

My guest on this week's bitesize episode is Gabe Witcher. This extract comes from a longer conversation I had with Gabe in June 2023, directly after he'd played his final shows with Punch Brothers at Telluride. Gabe talks about first meeting Chris Thile at a festival when they were kids; playing football together before they even got round to jammi…

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Everyone Belongs at the Olive Klug show, ep. 322 52:36

1M ago52:36

52:36

Olive Klug and I (Cindy) recorded this interview in my closet while they were in Portland, Maine to play a show. They stayed along with their band Cori, Haley, and Payton and it was a real pleasure to be around them for a few days. You can tell that Olive is at their best around their band and it is a true collaboration on stage. Shoutout to the wh…

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Bluegrass Unlimited Podcast with Caleb Klauder 1:07:15

1M ago1:07:15

1:07:15

This week we feature mandolin and guitar player Caleb Klauder. Caleb has a diverse musical background that includes bluegrass, old-time, Cajun and classic country music. His band, the Foghorn String Band, was featured in Bluegrass Unlimited in March of 2023 and he and his wife Reeb Willms have put together a new bluegrass band and we’ll talk about …

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Bitesize - Jarrod Walker on playing with Billy Strings, plugging in and pedals 19:44

1M ago19:44

19:44

My guest for this week's Bitesize episode is Jarrod Walker, best known to most of you as the mandolin player in Billy Strings' band. This is a segment of a longer interview from 2022. In this section Jarrod talks about getting the gig with Billy, how it was both the most progressive and the most traditional gig he'd had, learning to play plugged in…

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Bluegrass Briefing August 4th 2025 8:24

1M ago8:24

8:24

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass. Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode. News and announcements - church street news Joe Brent Adhyâropa Records interview JD Crowe and the New South reissue Tim Stafford JD Crowe interview episode Earl Sc…

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Gina Chavez: From Choir Kid to Latin Grammy Nominee, ep. 321 1:05:37

1M ago1:05:37

1:05:37

New bestie Gina Chavez speaks about her journey in music, her deep love for connecting with people, and the influence of her mixed cultural background on Basic Folk. Her parents are of Mexican and Swiss-German descent. Her father, although second generation Mexican-American, was not raised with Spanish language or any Mexican culture. Gina discusse…

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Bluegrass Unlimited Podcast with Jeremy Garrett 1:10:57

1M ago1:10:57

1:10:57

This week we feature fiddler Jeremy Garrett. Jeremy is a member of the Infamous Stringdusters and now has a new solo album out. We’ll talk to Jeremy about his bluegrass career, his twenty years with the Stringdusters, his songwriting and the new album. You will also hear a few cuts from the album.By Bluegrass Unlimited Magazine

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Joe Brent - Adhyâropa Records : Reimagining What a Record Label Is 50:58

2M ago50:58

50:58

My guest this week is Joe Brent, founder of Adhyâropa Records. So many of the guests I've had on the podcast have released their albums through Adhyâropa and I was fascinated to find out more about the label. We talk about why Joe set up the label in the first place, the reasons why it's almost impossible for musicians to make a living today, how A…

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Bluegrass Briefing July 28th 2025 8:17

1M ago8:17

8:17

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass. Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode. Releases (The Grass is New) Alison Krauss vinyl reissue from Craft Recordings The Grass is (mostly) New 2025 playlist Other bits Sign up for emails https://bluegras…

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Bluegrass Unlimited Podcast with Bryan McDowell 1:10:31

2M ago1:10:31

1:10:31

This week we feature multi-instrumentalist Bryan McDowell. Bryan tore up the contest circuit on fiddle, guitar and mandolin about fifteen years ago and then went on to play with Claire Lynch and recorded a duo record with Mark Schatz. He has also spent time performing with Sierra Hull, Molly Tuttle, Missy Raines and many others. He now has a new al…

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Tony Kamel Believes in Life and You Should Too, ep. 320 41:34

2M ago41:34

41:34

You may recognize the voice, face, and vibe of wonderful human being Tony Kamel from his acclaimed bluegrass group, Wood & Wire. But Tony is on Basic Folk today to talk about his wonderful solo albums, including his latest, 'We're All Gonna Live.' The album, which just came out, is a realist-optimist's guide to navigating a complex and often heartb…

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Bitesize - Caitlin Canty on Songwriting and Slow Processing 9:00

2M ago9:00

9:00

This week's Bitesize episode comes from one of my favourite interviews, the conversation I had with Caitlin Canty about her record Quiet Flame. The album was produced by Chris Eldridge (of Punch Brothers and Mighty Poplar) and features a fantastic band, including Paul Kowert, Brittany Haas, Sarah Jarosz, Noam Pikelny and Andrew Marlin. In this exce…

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Bluegrass Briefing July 24th 2025 - IBMA Music Awards nominations special 12:13

2M ago12:13

12:13

Hi, This week's briefing is slightly different - I'm running you through some of the nominees for this year's IBMA Music Awards. I'd love to hear what you think - who you think will win, who you think should win, who's missing from the lists and any other thoughts. Come and join the conversation via Instagram, Facebook or Threads and let me know! M…

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Bluegrass Unlimited Podcast with Danielle Yother 1:09:53

2M ago1:09:53

1:09:53

This week we feature guitar player, singer and songwriter Danielle Yother. Danielle is a very talented flatpicking guitar player who came to the attention of the flatpicking world about ten years ago at a very young age. Now she is performing with the band The Wilder Flower and they have a new album out. We talk with Danielle about the band, her gu…

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Kora Feder is the Future of Political Folk Songwriting, but also Has Too Many Craft Projects, ep. 319 41:53

2M ago41:53

41:53

On this episode of Basic Folk, Kora Feder talks about her new album, 'Some Kind of Truth,' as well as reflecting on the incredible changes and growth she's experienced since we last spoke in February 2020. One of the impacts of the pandemic on her music career was the necessity of exploring other artistic ventures like crafting hats and lino-cuttin…

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Sara Watkins - Connection and Collaboration on I'm With Her's 'Wild and Clear and Blue' 54:29

2M ago54:29

54:29

My guest this week is Sara Watkins, with a deep dive into I'm With Her's latest record, 'Wild and Clear and Blue', which has already become one of my favourite records of recent years. We talk about the album’s first writing sessions in 2021, just as the world was starting to reconnect post-pandemic and how that theme of connection eventually grew …

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Bluegrass Briefing July 14th 2025 10:01

2M ago10:01

10:01

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass. Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode. News and Announcements (Church Street News) Gillian Welch & David Rawlings Tiny Desk Concert IBMA Nominee Announcement details Releases (The Grass is New) The Grass…

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Bluegrass Unlimited Podcast with James Kee 1:00:33

2M ago1:00:33

1:00:33

This week we are featuring guitar and mandolin player, and singer, James Kee. Originally from the Chattanooga area of Tennessee, James now lives in Nashville and performs and records with East Nash Grass. We talk with James about his early bands, his move to Nashville, his work with East Nash Grass and the band’s new record due out in August 2025.…

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Tami Neilson: On Taking Wynonna's Call, Her Scary Near-Death Experience, and Willie Nelson, ep. 318 1:13:32

2M ago1:13:32

1:13:32

In recent years, Tami Neilson has been learning to carry both great joy and great sorrow simultaneously. The New Zealand-based, Canada-born powerhouse's new album, 'Neon Cowgirl,' is named after the towering electric figure on a sign that's overlooked Broadway in Nashville, watching over Tami's career since she was 16 years old. The songs were born…

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Shelby Means on her new solo record and 4 years with Molly Tuttle and Golden Highway 40:41

2M ago40:41

40:41

My guest this week is Shelby Means. Lots of you will know Shelby from her time with Della Mae and, more recently, from her time as the bass player in Molly Tuttle's band Golden Highway, who she won a Grammy with. She now has a new solo record out called Shelby Means. We talk about making the record, including the people she assembled to play on it;…

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Bluegrass Unlimited Podcast with Ron Block 57:24

2M ago57:24

57:24

This week we feature guitar and banjo player Ron Block. Ron is best known for his guitar and banjo work with Alison Krauss and Union Station, but he got his start growing up in southern California, later attending South Plains College and then performing with the Weary Hearts and Lynn Morris Band before joining Alison Krauss. We talk with Ron about…

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Indigo Girls: Activism Through Fashion and Community Through Food (REISSUE), ep. 317 57:13

2M ago57:13

57:13

(Editor’s Note: Welcome to our Reissue series! For the past several weeks, Basic Folk has been digging back into the archives and reposting some of our favorite episodes alongside new introductions commenting on what it’s like to listen back. This is our last Reissue for now, so please enjoy! This episode featuring separate interviews with The Indi…

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Joe K Walsh - Less is More, Conversation and Space in Music 54:19

2M ago54:19

54:19

My guest this week is Joe K Walsh. Joe plays mandolin with several projects, including Mr Sun (featuring Darol Anger, Grant Gordy and Aidan O’Donnell); the Mike Block Trio; a duo with Matt Flinner and a trio with Ella Jordan and Jed Wilson. He joins me this week to chat about his most recent solo record “Trust and Love” and also his previous record…

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Bluegrass Briefing June 30th 2025 12:08

2M ago12:08

12:08

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass. Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode. News and Announcements (Church Street News) IBMA Picking For the Prize Noam Pikelny tour dates Jake Workman safari Ned Luberecki safari Releases (The Grass is New) …

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Joy Oladokun Writes Worship Music for Youth Group Rejects (REISSUE), ep. 316 51:18

3M ago51:18

51:18

(Editor’s Note: Welcome to our Reissue series! For the past several weeks, Basic Folk has been digging back into the archives and reposting some of our favorite episodes alongside new introductions commenting on what it’s like to listen back. Enjoy! This episode featuring Lizzie No interviewing Joy Oladokun, was originally posted on February 24, 20…

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Bluegrass Unlimited Podcast with Tony Kamel 1:09:20

3M ago1:09:20

1:09:20

This week we feature singer, songwriter and guitar player Tony Kamel. Tony is best known for his work with the band Wood & Wire. He now has a solo album out and is doing some solo touring this year. We’ll talk with Tony about how he got his start in bluegrass all the way up to the recording of the new record.…

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Celebrating IBMA World of Bluegrass as it Prepares to Move to Chattanooga in 2025 1:03:26

3M ago1:03:26

1:03:26

This week we're celebrating IBMA World of Bluegrass as it prepares to make the move to Chattanooga after a successful decade in Raleigh. First I'll be talking to former IBMA Executive Director, and current board member, Paul Schiminger about the history of World of Bluegrass, how it started, the various cities it's been hosted in over the years and…

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Watchhouse in Conversation with Jacob Sharp (Mipso) (Bonus) 45:55

3M ago45:55

45:55

(Editor's Note: Oh, WOW! A bonus, surprise episode with Watchhouse? Yes! And it is a treat. We are pleased to have Jacob Sharp of Mipso as our guest host in conversation with his friends Andrew Marlin and Emily Franz of Watchhouse, talking about their new studio album, 'Rituals.' The record was co-produced with Ryan Gustafson of The Dead Tongues. T…

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Chris Thile: Calvin and Hobbes, Classical Music, and Curiosity (REISSUE), ep. 315 1:21:20

3M ago1:21:20

1:21:20

(Editor’s Note: Welcome to our Reissue series! For the next several weeks, Basic Folk is digging back into the archives and reposting some of our favorite episodes alongside new introductions commenting on what it’s like to listen back. Enjoy! This episode featuring Cindy Howes interviewing Chris Thile was originally posted on September 9, 2021 aft…

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Bluegrass Unlimited Podcast with Sarah Jarosz 48:39

3M ago48:39

48:39

This week we feature singer, songwriter and multi-instrumentalist Sarah Jarosz. Sarah started her career in bluegrass at a young age and has continued to grow her career both as a solo artist and with the band I’m With Her. We talk to Sarah about her early years in bluegrass up through her current solo and band projects.…

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Celebrating 50 years of the David Grisman Quintet - part 3 David Grisman 1:23:36

3M ago1:23:36

1:23:36

We're celebrating 50 years of the David Grisman Quintet with a special set of 3 episodes. This week is part 3, featuring the man himself, David Grisman. I chat to David about how the Quintet came together and developed over those early years, how it built on the work he'd already done with The Great American Music Band, how Tony Rice joined the ban…

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Bluegrass Briefing June 16th 2025 13:32

3M ago13:32

13:32

Welcome to this week’s Bluegrass Briefing, a weekly series of episodes taking a look at what’s going on in the world of bluegrass. Here are the links to stuff mentioned in this episode. News and Announcements (Church Street News) Tony Rice Backwaters re-release Del McCoury Pickin’ Party Bluegrass at the Ryman Releases (The Grass is New) The Grass i…

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Dar Williams: Music was Decided for Me (REISSUE), ep. 314 1:03:07

3M ago1:03:07

1:03:07

(Editor’s Note: Welcome to our Reissue series! For the next several weeks, Basic Folk is digging into the archives and reposting some of our favorite episodes alongside new introductions commenting on what it’s like to listen back. This episode featuring Lizzie No interviewing Dar Williams originally posted on October 14, 2021. Enjoy!) Dar Williams…