Interviews
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Squared Roots: Ryley Walker x Ali Farka Touré
Dubbed “the African John Lee Hooker,” Ali Farka Touré rose out of obscurity, in terms of Western recognition, with a little help from Ry Cooder, when the two joined forces for Talking Timbuktu in 1994. Many more collaborations and accolades followed in the wake of that project, but Touré\’s success back home in Mali was…
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Squared Roots: LP x Roy Orbison
Roy Orbison was the kind of artist who defied all qualifiers and quantifiers. His voice, alone, could stop time. And his songs stand the test of it. Though Orbison had myriad contemporaries, he had no counterparts. Not really. His indelible talent and understated style collided to create a mesmerizingly mysterious allure. Across his more than…
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A Radical Spirit: A Conversation with Filmmaker Josh Fox
Any which way you slice it, the world is currently at a critical juncture. Environmentally, politically, socially, economically, and otherwise, the systems we have built have long been crumbling with people — and the planet — beginning to slip through the cracks. Documentary filmmaker Josh Fox has told one of those stories in great detail…
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Four Questions: Sarah Jarosz
The talent that Sarah Jarosz wields is truly something to behold. Like some of her peers — Sierra Hull, Parker Millsap, Mipso, and others — the width and depth of what she has done and will yet do is a little bit mind-boggling. And her gorgeous new album, Undercurrent, warrants even further acclaim as it…
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Squared Roots: Kevin Morby x Harry Dean Stanton
Roots culture cuts a wide swath that expands far beyond music, and Kentucky native Harry Dean Stanton is a living testament to that. Any list of roots icons would have to include him, if only for his performances on screens big and small in everything from Cool Hand Luke to Gunsmoke. But what only the…
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Wendell Berry and the Virtue of Hope: A Conversation with Filmmaker Laura Dunn
For legions of folks, Wendell Berry is far more than a writer and a farmer. He\’s also a hero, an icon, a role model. His plain-spoken, yet poetic way of moving through the world inspires those who seek to tread a similarly thoughtful path without leaving much in the way of footprints. Through his book…
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Five Questions: Sean Watkins
Most folks in the roots music world are very familiar with Sean Watkins, if not through his years as one-third of Nickel Creek (alongside Chris Thile and his sister Sara) or his ongoing Watkins Family Hour project, then certainly through his solo records. The guitarist/singer/songwriter always seems to have new music pouring out. His latest…
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Born Again: A Conversation with Mavis Staples
Sixty–five years into her recording career, Mavis Staples’ incomparable voice and infectious spirit are truly wonders to behold. Born in 1939 to Oceola and Roebuck “Pops” Staples, Mavis got her start early, singing in church and at home. Pops eventually put together a family band, and though Mavis was the youngest, she soon became the…
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Five Questions: Teddy Thompson and Kelly Jones
Sometimes, two artists come together out of nowhere and, as great as the parts might be, the whole is even greater. That\’s just what happened with Teddy Thompson and Kelly Jones. The singer/songwriters discovered a shared love of a classic sound and set about crafting a collection of their own. Through Little Windows, Thompson and…
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Squared Roots: Ryan Beaver x Kris Kristofferson
Of all the country music legends in the world, there\’s something truly special about Kris Kristofferson. He was — and is — a walking paradox. Gentle, yet rugged, poetic, but grounded, his personal spirit always pervaded his professional pursuits, bringing with it an air of wonder that reflected the sly, seemingly kind knowingness of his…