Interviews
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Been There All Along: An Interview with Chris Stapleton
Chris Stapleton is one of those guys that has been around for long enough that, even if you don\’t think you know his music, you probably do. As a songwriter, he\’s had a bunch of cuts and a handful of hits, courtesy of artists like Kenny Chesney, Luke Bryan, and George Strait. As a band…
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A Record of Time: An Interview with the Weepies
Maybe not quite to the level of Johnny and June or Sonny and Cher, but the Weepies\’ Steve Tannen and Deb Talan are a much-beloved husband-wife duo who have been making delightful folk-pop records for the past dozen years or so. All told, their four albums have sold over a million copies … a million…
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The Turning of the Tide: An Interview with They Might Be Giants' John Flansburgh
It\’s a little bit crazy to think that John Linnell and John Flansburgh have been making music as They Might Be Giants for more than 30 years now. And, in some ways, they are just getting started. This year, they circled back to their roots and reinstated their iconic Dial-a-Song program which features a new…
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The Waterboys Carry On: An Interview with Mike Scott
Though the Waterboys may not be a thoroughly household name, they are certainly a time-honored, time-tested musical brand. Founded in 1983 by Scotsman Mike Scott, the band\’s revolving door has included more than 70 musicians from all over the United Kingdom and the United States. Scott looked to the latter region when it came time…
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Where There's Folk, There's Fire: An Interview with Buffy Sainte-Marie
Buffy Sainte-Marie has been singing truth to power for more than 50 years now. From her start in the early 1960s onward, Sainte-Marie has written about the tough issues of war, addiction, governmental abuse, and cultural genocide in songs like “Universal Soldier,” “Cod\’ine,” “Bury My Heart at Wounded Knee,” and “Now That the Buffalo\’s Gone.”…
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Home Is Where the Song Is: An Interview with John Moreland
On his new album, High on Tulsa Heat, John Moreland explores the idea of home — what it means and doesn\’t mean, what it is and what it wants to be. He questions the faith that some folks rely on and questions the love of others. It\’s a deep, rich exploration of where he is,…
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Five Questions: Darrell Scott
Ben Bullington wasn\’t just any small-town Montana doctor. He was also a revered songwriter who counted Rodney Crowell, Will Kimbrough, and Darrell Scott among his fans and friends. But despite his musical output, Bullington\’s first-ever performance happened in December of 2012 at Nashville\’s Station Inn, a month after he was diagnosed with pancreatic cancer. The…
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Squared Roots: Will Dailey x Willie Nelson
Willie Nelson is like the Energizer Bunny. He just keeps going and going, even as he celebrated his 82nd birthday last week. (The guy wrote his first song 75 years ago!) His career really got going in the 1950s, though, as he split his time between writing songs and radio DJing. By the time 1960…
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Here and Now: An Interview with Alabama Shakes
When your influences range from James Brown to Led Zeppelin, you already have a lot to work with. Add in immense and innovative talent, and you\’re going to rule the world. Case in point: Alabama Shakes. Just over four years ago, the band went into a Nashville studio to lay down some demos. In less…
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Ladies and Gentlemen… the Bangles
Even though most people know the Bangles from glossy pop hits like “Eternal Flame” and “Walk Like an Egyptian,” they weren’t always so polished. Susanna Hoffs, Vicki Peterson, and Debbi Peterson started the band, quite literally, in a garage — Hoffs’ parents’ garage, to be specific. Inspired by the melodies of the Beatles and the energy…