Best Masters Of The Oral Tradition Podcasts (2025)

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MASTER CLASS REPLAY: Locating Tribal Ancestry! 1:34:47

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3M ago1:34:47

1:34:47

Presented by: Jack Dappa Blues Heritage Preservation Foundation In partnership with The African American Folklorist This in-depth session brings together leaders grounded in Indigenous identity, tribal sovereignty, and reclamation work to guide participants through the process of connecting and reconnecting families to tribal ancestry. 💬 One powerf…

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Blues Music is Black History: The Hard Conversation at Hopson Plantation 1:47:08

3M ago1:47:08

1:47:08

What does it mean to speak the truth of the Blues on the very soil where our ancestors were enslaved? In this live broadcast, Lamont Jack Pearley—traditional Bluesman, folklorist, and founder of the Jack Dappa Blues Heritage Preservation Foundation—reflects on being invited to present his original scholarship on Blues Ecology at Hopson Plantation, …

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Mojo Workin’: Dr. Katrina Hazzard-Donald on Hoodoo, Blues, and the Black Belt Tradition 1:14:16

3M ago1:14:16

1:14:16

Jack Dappa Blues Heritage Radio presents:Mojo Workin’: Dr. Katrina Hazzard-Donald on Hoodoo, Blues, and the Black Belt TraditionIn this culturally rich and significant episode of Jack Dappa Blues Radio, we welcome renowned folklorist, sociologist, and dance scholar Dr. Katrina Hazzard-Donald for an in-depth discussion on Black Belt Hoodoo, Blues cu…

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Creole Roots, Sinners, and Gravediggers: The Blues According to Chris Thomas King 2:10:38

4M ago2:10:38

2:10:38

Creole Roots, Sinners, and Gravediggers Bluesman, actor, and cultural preservationist Chris Thomas King joins Jack Dappa Blues Radio to uncover the real story of the Blues — from the juke joints of Louisiana to the haunting depths of Gravedigger Gonna Cut You Down. We talk Creole identity, his film Sinners, the founding of the Blues Origin Institut…

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The African American Folklorist for the Month of June: Dr. Elisha Oliver 1:07:53

4M ago1:07:53

1:07:53

Each month, The African American Folklorist honors a Black scholar whose life’s work is immersed in the deep study and preservation of African American folkways, knowledge systems, and community truth-telling. For June, we recognize Dr. Elisha Oliver, a biocultural anthropologist, visual ethnographer, and Executive Director of Texas Folklife, as ou…

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The Blues as Black Sonic Folklore Pt. 2 – Hard Ground & High Water 1:50:16

4M ago1:50:16

1:50:16

The Blues as Black Sonic Folklore: Part 2:"Hard Ground and High Water: The Blues of Survival and Struggle"We continue our Black Music Month series by diving into the Blues as a witness to environmental crisis and class struggle.Featuring music by Bessie Smith, Charley Patton, Blind Lemon Jefferson, and Lead Belly, we explore how songs about flood, …

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Afro Indigenous Country Blues: The Sonic Sovereignty of Cactus Rose NYC 1:04:53

4M ago1:04:53

1:04:53

In this episode of Jack Dappa Blues Radio, we welcome Kandia Crazy Horse, Afro-Indigenous musician, rock critic, author, and frontwoman of the genre-defying band Cactus Rose NYC. From the newsroom to the stage, Kandia has blazed a singular trail across rock, country, and Americana—reclaiming sound as a site of cultural sovereignty, survival, and st…

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The Blues as Black Sonic Folklore: Part 1: The Folklore in the Blues 1:50:48

4M ago1:50:48

1:50:48

In this kickoff episode for Black Music Month, Jack Dappa Blues Radio explores the Blues as Black folklore, not just as music, but as cultural testimony, survival strategy, and sonic memory. Through the voices of Tommy Johnson, Mance Lipscomb, Rube Lacy, Charley Patton, and Blind Lemon Jefferson, we treat Blues lyrics as living archives, capturing …

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The Blues Narrative: The Children of the Great Migration 47:34

4M ago47:34

47:34

🎙️ REPLAY: The Blues Narrative — The Next Chapter of the Slave Narratives Originally aired: Late March Broadcast | 9 PM CST Presented by: Jack Dappa Blues Heritage Preservation Foundation In partnership with The African American Folklorist and We The Blues People We are proud to share the full replay of our special broadcast that launched a new cha…

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Sinners, Blues People, Storytelling, and Cultural Reckoning 1:52:27

4M ago1:52:27

1:52:27

In this episode, we dive back into the film Sinners, not just as a movie, but as a cultural reckoning. We’re breaking down how the film tells a deeper story about Black American folklife, Blues culture, and the enduring legacy of Blues People. This time, we’re not just exploring themes; we’re getting into the characters, the plot, and the ways they…

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The African American Folklorist of the Monthof May - Dr. Ebony Bailey 1:02:59

5M ago1:02:59

1:02:59

In this episode of The African American Folklorist, we honor Dr. Ebony Bailey as Folklorist of the month of May. Dr. Bailey is a dynamic scholar, writer, and cultural worker whose groundbreaking research intersects Black Literature and Folklore. Dr. Bailey explores how African Americans have historically been both represented as “the folk” and how …

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Spirit Work, Hoodoo & Black Southern Cosmologies: Conjure, Pentecost, and the Blues 1:25:53

6M ago1:25:53

1:25:53

Jack Dappa Blues Radio Live – Sunday Night EditionEpisode: Spirit Work, Hoodoo & Black Southern Cosmologies: Conjure, Pentecost, and the BluesIn this deeply spiritual and culturally rich episode, Jack Dappa Blues Radio Live explores the sacred intersections of Blues music, Hoodoo, Black Southern Pentecostalism, and Afro-Indigenous folk beliefs. Hos…

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The African American Folklorist of The Month - Dr. Constance Bailey 1:04:35

6M ago1:04:35

1:04:35

In this month’s episode of The African American Folklorist, we shine a spotlight on Dr. Constance Bailey—Assistant Professor of African American Literature and Folklore at Georgia State University, and an innovative scholar whose research explores Black women’s comedy, speculative fiction, and African American oral traditions.A native of Natchez, M…

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🎶 *Kelle Jolly – The "Affrilachian-Georgia-lina-Peach" & the Story of Lady Fay Ukulele 🎶 40:56

6M ago40:56

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In this special episode, we sit down with Kelle Jolly, the self-described "Affrilachian-Georgia-lina-Peach", whose music and storytelling embody the rich cultural tapestry of the Appalachian South. A celebrated folk artist, community builder, and ukulele virtuoso, Kelle shares the inspiration behind her latest book, Lady Fay Ukulele, and the deep s…

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Writing the Blues: Black Stories in Literature and Film 1:44:04

6M ago1:44:04

1:44:04

The blues is more than just music—it’s history, it’s storytelling, and it’s the soul of Black American life. In this compelling live broadcast, we explore Writing the Blues—the ways Black authors, poets, and filmmakers have infused their works with the rhythm, pain, resilience, and triumph of the blues.From Langston Hughes’ poetic blues verses to A…

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The Blues—A Living Oral History 1:41:01

7M ago1:41:01

1:41:01

Join us for a real, Blues People conversation about the blues on Jack Dappa Blues Radio! In this live broadcast, I—Lamont Jack Pearley, a traditional blues artist and folklorist—will take you deep into the blues as an oral tradition in the American South.The blues ain’t just music; it’s a living, breathing record of our history. It carries the voic…

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There's Not One Way to Be Black – A Conversation with Honeychild Coleman 1:17:29

7M ago1:17:29

1:17:29

In this electrifying episode of Jack Dappa Blues, we sit down with the powerhouse that is Honeychild Coleman—a pioneering force in the world of punk, blues, and avant-garde music. A Louisville native and Brooklyn-based artist, Honeychild’s journey has taken her from busking in the New York subway to collaborating with legends like The Slits, Mad Pr…

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African American Folklorist of The Month - Dr. Raymond Summerville 47:33

7M ago47:33

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Dr. Raymond Summerville joins me, as he is the African American Folklorist of February, to discuss the importance of having more Black Folklore scholars in the field to lead the discourse of our narrative, traditions, literature, and the dissemination of found research that represents the Black American experience. He also dives into his beginnings…

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The African American Folklorist of the Month - Dr. Anika Wilson 1:00:54

7M ago1:00:54

1:00:54

On this episode, speak with Dr. Anika Wilson, The African American Folklorist of the Month for March! Wilson discusses her book, methodology, scholarship, and positionality as a Black Academic in the field. Anika Wilson (she/her) is Associate Professor and former chair of the Department African and African Diaspora Studies at UW-Milwaukee. She earn…

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🎙️ From Slave Seculars to The Blues Pt. 2 – The Legacy of Black Spirituals and Hymnals 🎶 1:32:19

7M ago1:32:19

1:32:19

🎙️ From Slave Seculars to The Blues: Preserving & Conserving Black American Folklore Pt. 2 – The Legacy of Black Spirituals and Hymnals 🎶Join us for Part 2 of our deep dive into the evolution of Black American music, as we explore how Black Spirituals, hymnals, and Slave Seculars informed the Blues. In this episode, we uncover the sacred and secula…

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From Slave Seculars to The Blues: Preserving & Conserving Black American Folklore 1:39:35

8M ago1:39:35

1:39:35

In this episode, we explore the rich cultural legacy of Black American music, focusing on the evolution from slave seculars—non-religious songs of survival, work, and resistance—to the development of the blues. Through stories, historical insights, and music, we uncover how enslaved African Americans used music to communicate, preserve their identi…

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The 13th Amendment, Blues, Black Folklore, and Black Indigenous Roots 1:29:17

8M ago1:29:17

1:29:17

January 31 marks a pivotal moment in American history—the passing of the 13th Amendment in 1865, which abolished slavery. But freedom was more than a legal decree; it became a living story told through the rhythms of the blues, the wisdom of Black folklore, and the resilience of Afro-Indigenous traditions.On this episode, we explore how the fight f…

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African American Folklorist of The Month - Larry Handy 55:42

8M ago55:42

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African American Folklorist of the Month - Larry Handy Larry Handy discusses with me the concept of Ethnopoetic theory (a method for analyzing and recording oral poetry and performances to capture the poetic elements of the original performance) and his love for archiving and being a librarian. Handy is a “Folklife Poet” and shares with us the mean…

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Misty Blues: A Live Tribute to Odetta 54:10

1y ago54:10

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Misty Blues and lead singer Gina Coleman celebrate 25 years of composing and performing original blues. They will be celebrating this feat on a Blues Cruise this coming Friday. With that, after an encounter with Legendary singer and activist Odetta, Coleman and crew have been working towards a project that has now manifested as – I’m Too Old For Ga…

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The Blues Society - Memphis Country Blues Festival 1:31:04

1y ago1:31:04

1:31:04

THE BLUES SOCIETY is a re-evaluation of the 1960s seen through the lens of the Memphis Country Blues Festival (1966-1969). It’s the story of Blues masters like Furry Lewisand Robert Wilkins, who had attained fame in the 1920s but were living in obscurity by the 1960s. It’s also the story of a group of white artists from the North and the South who …

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Cultural Conservation - Cultural Conservation - The Attack on Blues Legacy and Land 1:14:20

1y ago1:14:20

1:14:20

In February of 2024, the Mississippi John Hurt Museum burned. The fire, believed to have been set intentionally, happened immediately after the Legendary Mississippi Blues Pioneer's cabin received landmark status. That was not the first or last attack on the Hurt Family museum, land, or legacy. A week later, the sheriff's office began investigating…

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Juneteenth and African American Folklore 1:08:36

1+ y ago1:08:36

1:08:36

As we celebrate JUNETEENTH, we must understand how Folklore and the Blues Narrative relate to this celebration. In this episode, I will discuss the celebration, what the celebration is actually about, and its connection to and significance of African American Folklore and traditional Black Music. Juneteenth should always be mentioned with “African …

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Smithsonian Folkways releases The Complete Friends of Old-Time Music Concert 1:13:30

1+ y ago1:13:30

1:13:30

Black Spirituals, Field Hollers, and Slave Seculars celebrate Black American Traditional Music and Experience. This show is dedicated to sharing and raising awareness of folklife, songs, dance, scripture, lyrics, and everything related to black Spirituals, Field Hollers, and Slave secular expressions, as well as the coded songs of Black Spirituals …

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The Lady and the Empress! Lady D's One Woman Bessie Tribute Show 50:21

1+ y ago50:21

50:21

On this episode of Jack Dappa Blues, enjoy the collaborationof Jack Dappa Blues Radio and Southern Ohio Folklife for a conversation w/ LadyD (West Virginia’s First Lady of Soul) to talk about her recent performance ofThe Lady and the Empress, a one-woman show about the life and music of BessieSmith, the Empress of the Blues. Learn about Bessie Smit…

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Why Is It Always About Race? - “Country, Country Blues, and Blackness” 55:27

1+ y ago55:27

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For some reason, when it comes to Country Music, most people do not associate it with black folk or folk musical expression. The thing is, country music, in its many forms, comes directly from black expression. i.e., the blues, country blues, and more. To give the context to the roots of commodified music presented and thought of as white music… We…

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Candice Ivory - Queen of Avant Soul Sangs The Blues 1:24:27

2y ago1:24:27

1:24:27

Today, I speak with Candice Ivory about her new project, When The Levee Breaks. As said on her websiteAfter releasing three acclaimed albums of jazz-driven original songs, vocalist Candice Ivory reveals a whole new sound on When the Levee Breaks: The Music of Memphis Minnie. Raised in Memphis and based in St. Louis, Ivory hails from an illustrious …

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Black Scholarship and Black Culture 1:23:38

2y ago1:23:38

1:23:38

Many Black Academic Scholars are also active practitioners in our respective cultures and traditions. That doesn't negate their ability to teach, mentor, or share skills and tricks of the trade with the folk. It actually makes them even more qualified. Some feel Black Scholars who are educated or formally trained cannot teach or pass on the folk tr…

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You Have A Home 49:20

2y ago49:20

49:20

On this episode, I'm encouraging all folks invested in the story of Black American tradition, folklore, folklife, material art, street art, religious belief, spiritual belief, Advocacy, Organization work, Public Programming, and everything that has to do with the "so-called" African American Narrative to submit work to the African American Folklori…

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Shirley Moody-Turner African American Folklorist of The Month 57:16

2y ago57:16

57:16

On this episode, I speak with Shirley Moody-Turner, an associate professor of English and African American Studies and founding co-director with Gabrielle Foreman of the Center for Black Digital Research/#DigBlk. She is an Author and award-winning educator that says, “As a young girl growing up in Buffalo, NY, I felt a deep longing to learn more ab…

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Hannah Mayree and the Black Banjo Reclamation Project 1:17:40

2+ y ago1:17:40

1:17:40

On this episode, I speak with singer, songwriter, and music educator Hannah Mayree about her journey in music, culture, tradition, and the Black Banjo Reclamation Project. Hannah Mayree (she/her/they/them) is a creative facilitator and musician whose work and art lend itself as a tool for redesigning and reconnecting to our roots as humans on this …

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Kristina R. Gaddy - "Well of Souls - Uncovering the Banjo's Hidden History" 1:14:00

2+ y ago1:14:00

1:14:00

In this episode, I will speak with Kristina R. Gaddy about her journey and New York Times best-selling book, Well of Souls - Uncovering The Banjo's Hidden History. Kristina R. Gaddy is an award-winning writer who believes in the power of narrative nonfiction to bring stories from the past to life in order to inform the world we live in today. Her d…

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Notable Folklorists of Color - The AFS African American Folklore Section 1:27:35

2+ y ago1:27:35

1:27:35

In this episode, Todd Lawrence, Maria Lewis, and Lamont Pearley will host a live stream event offered by the AFS African American Folklore Section, the African American Folklorist and Jack Dappa Blues featuring Notable Folklorists of Color creators and curators, Phyllis May-Machunda, Sojin Kim, and Olivia Cadaval.The conversation will detail the in…

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Brei Carter: Country Singer-Songwriter 38:10

2+ y ago38:10

38:10

On this episode, I speak with Brei Carter, Country Singer-Songwriter, about her journey in Music and her signing with Brown Lee Entertainment For Exclusive Global Music Distribution & Digital Marketing. Emerging crossover country and southern pop recording artist Brei Carter proves that faith, patience, and time sometimes pay off. Growing up in Mon…

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Black & Indian Folklife, Storyville, Oklahoma, & The Blues 1:03:26

2+ y ago1:03:26

1:03:26

There is excellent Black Folklife, Indian Folklore, Black Music, AND educational oral history in Kentucky and nationally that Jack Dappa Blues Heritage Preservation Foundation archives and builds a repository for. In this episode, I discuss Storyville, Oklahoma, Freedmen, Blues, and the People of the Blues To Raise Cultural and Ethnic awareness of …

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DR DIANA BAIRD N'DIAYE - AAF OF THE MONTH 1:03:23

3y ago1:03:23

1:03:23

On this episode, I speak with Dr. Diana Baird N'Diaye, The African American Folklorist of the Month! Dr. Diane Baird N’Diaye is an interdisciplinary Visual artist/maker and cultural scholar. N’Diaye developed and headed the African American Crafts Initiative, is the principal investigator and Curator of the Will to Adorn: African American Dress and…

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Mending Our Relationship With B.O.B (Black Owned Business) - Glows & Grows 1:14:50

3y ago1:14:50

1:14:50

On this episode, we speak about, Why is B.OB. Essential in an era we are supposed to be united and integrated? What do we expect from a B.O.B. that we don’t expect from anyone else? And most of all, How do I determine where I spend my Money? The criteria for the last question is broken down by : Customer Service Products Locations We also discuss w…

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Glen David Andrews - Treme's Trombone Singer 57:25

3y ago57:25

57:25

By Lamont Jack Pearley On this episode, I speak with Glen David Andrews, born and raised in Treme's 6 Ward, only blocks away from the historical Congo Square in New Orleans, Louisiana! Andrews shares that the gumbo of New Orleans culture is evident in the music and traditions and should be honored. Andrews knows who he is, where he comes from, and …

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Kesi Neblett - From Civil Rights Legacy to Netflix 46:13

3y ago46:13

46:13

On this episode, I speak with the youngest daughter of Civil Rights Activists Charles and Marvinia Neblett, Kesi Neblett, who was born and raised in Russellville, KY, and has a fantastic story. She was also recently featured on THE Mole; a reality game show that originally aired on ABC from 2001 to 2008 before being rebooted on Netflix in 2022. Cha…

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The Greenwood District in Tulsa Ok, the Real Story! 1:30:55

3y ago1:30:55

1:30:55

After sitting in and listening to the presentation "Greenwood’s Past, Present, and Future" at this year's American Folklore Society Conference in Tulsa, Oklahoma, where Quraysh Ali Lansana (Tri-City Collective) and Carlos A Moreno (Tri-City Collective) shared the true story of the happenings before, during and after the 1921 Riots of Tulsa, I thoug…

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From Me to You - Deidra R. Moore Janvier, Esq. 45:04

3y ago45:04

45:04

From Me to You: The Power of Storytelling and Its Inherent Generational Wealth In this episode, I speak with Deidra R Moore Janvier, Esq. about her new book, From Me to You: The Power of Storytelling and Its Inherent Generational Wealth. From Me to You is the answer to one crucial question: “So, Mom, what exactly was slavery about?” asked the autho…

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John Wesley Work III - Composer, Ethnomusicologist, Educator, and Choral Director 1:25:15

3y ago1:25:15

1:25:15

In this broadcast, Todd Lawrence and I discuss the scholarship and work Of John Wesley Work III and the newly launched Award named in His honor. The AFS African American Folklore Section is proud to issue the first call for submissions for the new John Wesley Work III Award, which the section has launched to honor and spotlight applied folklorists,…

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Buffalo Soldier Project, San Angelo Texas, and Black History 44:24

3y ago44:24

44:24

In this episode of the African American Folklorist, I speak with Sherley Spears, NAACP Unit 6219 President, President of the National Historic Landmark Fort Concho, and founder of the Buffalo Soldier Project. The National Historic Landmark Fort Concho Museum preserves the structures and archeological site features for pride and educational purposes…