For Songs - Episodes Archive

Episode 35: A Conversation with Jade Jackson and Aubrie Sellers

November 5th, 2021 | Season 1 | 43 mins 20 secs

americana, aubriesellers, countryrock, indiemusic, jacksonsellers, jadejackson, newmusic

A chance meeting in 2019 between established singer/songwriters Aubrie Sellers and Jade Jackson turned into one of the most compelling new albums in years—October 2021’s Breaking Point. In this episode, Jade and Aubrie detail how their unlikely partnership came to be and how Breaking Point became the most authentic album both have made to date. Listen in as the duo—officially called Jackson+Sellers—walk us through four songs from the album and how difficult it is to make a living as a musician.

Episode 34: For Songs Singles! Hesitate, Sons of Silver

October 15th, 2021 | Season 1 | 18 mins 16 secs

hesitate, indierock, iwarnedyou, newmusic, politics, rocknroll

Welcome to the first episode of For Songs Singles! Instead of four songs, we talk about one. 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 decline of our discourse, where we wall off those we disagree with, whether they are family or friends. You may not agree with what Peter says or how he says it, and that’s almost the point. For those who aren’t sure where they fit in these hyperpartisan, hypersensitive times, Hesitate is the song for you.

Episode 33: A Conversation with Dar Williams

October 1st, 2021 | Season 1 | 39 mins 52 secs

darwilliams, folk, folkmusic, folkrock, joanbaez, newalbum, newmusic, pandemic

Time 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. On this episode of For Songs, singer/songwriter Dar Williams covers these themes and more on her latest album “I’ll Meet You Here,” released on Oct. 1. Dar has been making music since the early 90s, following in the footsteps of folk-rock luminaries Joan Baez, Jim Croce, and others. In fact,Joan took Dar under her wing, offering her advice and spots on tour throughout her career. And now Dar is roughly the same age as Joan Baez was when they first met, and she is returning the favor. Dar and I discuss four songs from “I’ll Meet You Here,” along with her influences—some will surprise you—and how she is gearing up to tour during a pandemic. So join me and welcome Dar Williams to For Songs.

Episode 32: Catching Up with Dom Flemons

August 26th, 2021 | Season 1 | 27 mins 13 secs

americana, americansongster, domflemons, folkmusic, livemusic, rootsmusic

It’s a #ForSongs first! Check out my in-person interview with the mighty Dom Flemons, 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 his important work in changing the narrative of American folk music and highlighting the contributions African-American artists have made throughout the course of history. Listen in as Dom Flemons makes his return appearance to For Songs.

Episode 31: A Conversation about #Cuba with Lisset Diaz

July 18th, 2021 | Season 1 | 35 mins 17 secs

#cuba, #cubalibre, #lissetdiaz, #slp, #soscuba, #sweetlizzyproject, #vivacubalibre

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 back to For Songs. If you’ve been watching the news, you know there is a once-in-a-generation protest movement in Cuba. Cubans are putting their lives on the line to bring an end to the authoritative regime. Listen in as Lisset, a Havana native, bravely talks about her hopes and fears for her country. She talks about the pain of not knowing what is happening to her friends and family still in Cuba. She knows that by speaking out, there’s a chance she she may never be able to return to Cuba as long as the current regime is in power. And because Lisset is taking such a huge risk, we owe it to her to listen. Please, if you care about what’s happening in Cuba, share this episode with a friend or family member. Make sure the world knows what is happening.

Episode 30: A Conversation with Larry Kirwan of Black '47

July 16th, 2021 | Season 1 | 49 mins 5 secs

#black47, #celticcrush, #freedom, #ireland, #joestrummer, #nyc, #theclash

Larry Kirwan is a true renaissance artist. Singer, songwriter, poet, novelist, historian—all wrapped up in one. Join me in this special episode of For Songs as Larry walks us through three great Black ’47 songs and an exclusive track called Rockaway Blue, based on his latest novel of the same name. We talk about Irish history, music, politics, and what Joe Strummer taught him about songwriting. Sit down, grab a drink, and listen to one of the greats!

Episode 29: A Conversation with Matt Easton of The Jenny Thing

June 23rd, 2021 | Season 1 | 39 mins 29 secs

#berkeleyrocks, #cinematicrock, #indierock, #retronouveau, #synthrock, #thejennything, #tjt

It certainly sounds like it wouldn’t work—blending the lush orchestration and bright pop of 80s bands like Erasure, New Order, and Peter Gabriel with the sparse, textural feel of 90s mainstays Nine Inch Nails. But for Matt Easton and his Berkeley, Ca.-based band The Jenny Thing, the result is masterful. The Jenny Thing first came to be in 1991. They came close to hitting it big during their nine-year run up and down the West Coast, but the band called its quits in 1999. If the masses weren’t ready for such a blend back then, they certainly might be now. Join me as Matt Easton talks about The Jenny Thing’s first album since 1999 called American Canyon. Matt talks about the band’s songwriting process, and just what a 90s band influenced by 80s music sounds like. Tune in!

Episode 28: A Conversation with Sandra the Pie Lady and Tony T. of the Pug

June 9th, 2021 | Season 1 | 13 mins 8 secs

#guitars, #indierock, #livemusic, #music, #pandemic, #pieshop, #saveourstages

Live music is back! But that doesn't mean everything is okay for the music industry, especially independent venues and the ecosystem that they support. In this episode of For Songs, we speak with Sandra the Pie Lady of the Pie Shop in DC and Tony T of the Pug about what they're going through as they get ready to reopen. Yes, live music is back--but those venues that it this far are barely hanging on. Listen in!

Episode 27: A Conversation with Maia Sharp

May 23rd, 2021 | Season 1 | 43 mins 1 sec

#aaa, #americana, #cherylstrayed, #maiasharp, #nashville, #rootsrock, #singersongwriter, #womeninmusic

If you’ve ever wondered the kind of pain and emotion that goes into writing a song, listen in as singer/songwriter Maia Sharp walks us through her newest album Mercy Rising. Written as her 20-plus year marriage was ending, Mercy Rising is an honest, brilliant look into the all the emotions that come from such a traumatic, lifechanging event. How do you start over? When can you start feeling good again? Maia gives us a tutorial into how these songs came together and how she made best-selling author Cheryl Strayed cry after writing a song influenced by one of her books. Take a journey with Maia Sharp on this episode of For Songs.

Episode 26: A Conversation with Dan Murphy

May 7th, 2021 | Season 1 | 50 mins 25 secs

#altcountry, #goldensmog, #guitar, #joestrummer, #newmusic, #otherdanmurphy, #pandemic, #rock, #songwriter, #soulasylum

Ready for an all-out fanboy episode of For Songs? This is it! In this special show, I speak with former Soul Asylum guitarist/singer Dan Murphy, who still performs one-off gigs with my favorite band from my college years, alt.country supergroup Golden Smog. We talk about two brand-new songs from a yet-to-be-released album and two songs from Golden Smog’s first full-length album, Down by the Old Mainstream. Making this even better, we discuss our love for the Clash, and he shares how he tried to convince Joe Strummer to join Soul Asylum onstage at a show in New York. If that’s not enough to get you to listen in to this, I’m not sure what will.

Episode 25: A Conversation with Emily Brown

April 7th, 2021 | Season 1 | 41 mins 26 secs

#emilybrown, #folkrock, #glencambell, #singersongwriter, #womeninrock

Take 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, made even more so by her personal-yet-relatable lyrics focused on relationships—relationships with romantic partners, with parents, with expectations, and with religion. Emily discusses her songwriting process with a refreshing candor and humble nature. So sit back and take it all in, and welcome Emily Brown to For Songs

Episode 24: A Conversation with Sandra the Pie Lady

March 26th, 2021 | Season 1 | 20 mins

#bars, #dc, #music, #pandemic, #pielady, #pieshop, #pieshopdc, #saveourstages

We’ve chronicled how hard the last year has been on the musicians, but what about the independent venue owners? So many have closed, and others are barely hanging on. Washington offered some hope in recent stimulus legislation, but will it be too late? In this episode, I speak with Sandra the Pie Lady, owner of the Pie Shop, a small live venue in Washington. Sandra talks about the last year, the struggles, and how the community has fought back and given her and others some much-needed hope. Listen in, and order some pies! www.pieshopdc.com

Episode 23: A Conversation with David Childers

March 19th, 2021 | Season 1 | 41 mins

#americana, #davidchilders, #folkmusic, #interstatelullaby, #ramseurrecords, #songwriter, #songwriting

It’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. You’d think he’s been at it for his entire life, but it wasn’t until his late 30s and early 40s that he got serious. So for all you aspiring songwriters out there, grab a beer and listen in. And keep at it!

Episode 22: A Second Conversation with Yasmin Williams

March 5th, 2021 | Season 1 | 37 mins 40 secs

#2020, #2021, #bandcamp, #livemusic, #spinster, #urbandriftwood, #yasminwilliams

Soo…how’s your year going? Well, if you’re my next guest Yasmin Williams, it’s going quite well indeed! Her newest album Urban Driftwood is getting rave reviews in some of music’s biggest outlets, such as Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, and mainstream venues like NPR and the Washington Post. Oh yeah, and she’s been on this show a few times too! I’m honored to welcome Yasmin back to For Songs. Join us as we discuss her brilliant and breathtaking Urban Driftwood, how the album came together, and her expectations for the music industry in 2021…

Episode 21: A Conversation with Mic Harrison

February 19th, 2021 | Season 1 | 40 mins 59 secs

#americana, #brightspot, #diy, #highscore, #micharrison, #steveearle, #vroys

Some 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. Since then, Mic and his band The High Score have been making music since the late 2000s. Mic joined me from Knoxville to discuss the band’s latest album Bright Spot, released in November 2020. We talk about four songs and how the pandemic has impacted not just the band’s trajectory but his artistic process. Grab a beer, take a seat, and enjoy!

Episode 20: A Conversation with Dom Flemons

February 5th, 2021 | Season 1 | 38 mins 44 secs

#americansongster, #carolinachocolatedrops, #chocolatedrops, #domflemons, #maraineyblackbottom, #maraineyfilm

Dom Flemons is on a mission: As the American Songster, Dom is out to right the terrible wrong that has left us with an incomplete history about American folk music. Throughout his career, starting with the Grammy winning African-American string band the Carolina Chocolate Drops and now as a full-fledged solo artist, Dom is unearthing the ignored and stolen contributions from Black musicians. But he’s as versatile as it gets—we talk about his reissued album Prospect Hill: The American Songster Omnibus, which covers pre-war blues, jazz, folk, all the way up to early 80s hip hop. So settle in and get comfortable, and let Dom Flemons walk you through time.