Shows
Roots Music RamblerInside Producing Records with La La Land Sound’s Anne GauthierWe’re taking a bit of a diversion from the typical artist interview this week on Roots Music Rambler with a special guest. Anne Gauthier is the primary producer and engineer behind the great sounds and recordings that come out of La La Land Sound in Louisville, Ky. She has produced, mixed and recorded with artists like Bonnie Prince Billy, Murder by Death, Joan Shelley and more. She has also contributed to records by Ray Lamontagne, Jake Shears and White Reaper.
One of her career highlights was also working with legendary producer Glyn Johns (The Beatles, The Ro...
2025-08-2255 min
Roots Music RamblerBill Taylor and the Appalachian Heatherns talk America’s Got Talent, New AlbumBill Taylor got a message on TikTok in November from a talent scout for America’s Got Talent. Yes, he was interested, but he thought little of the outreach until two weeks later when the process began to have him and his Appalachian Heatherns fly to California for an audition in front of Simon Cowell, Sophia Vergara, Mel B and Howie Mandel.
The band recorded their audition in March. In June, it aired and the nation finally got to see and hear Taylor’s bluegrass and countrified version of Bob Dylan’s “Knockin’ on Heaven’s Door” which instantly...
2025-08-0852 min
Roots Music RamblerMagnolia Boulevard has emerged from adversity with its “Dream Team” and new music comingIn 2018, a group of southern rock, soul and funk loving musicians from Lexington, Ky., got together to form a new band called Magnolia Boulevard. They quickly gelled and his momentum before the pandemic interrupted what seemed to be a sure rise to prominence in the emerging Americana blend of genres popular in today’s clubs and music festivals.
As the COVID-19 fears subsided and they returned to the stage, their original drummer and universally loved musician Todd Copeland, died suddenly. But co-founders Maggie Noëlle and Ryan Allen continued working on their songwriting and the budding partnership, mixe...
2025-07-2548 min
Roots Music RamblerOne of the Best Music Festivals of the Summer is In Manchester, Kentucky and It’s Free!Did you know there’s a music festival coming Labor Day weekend that features an incredible roster of singers, songwriters and bands in the Americana, country, folk and bluegrass space and the tickets to said event are absolutely free? You do now.
The Manchester Music Fest is in its seventh iteration in eight years (damnit, COVID) and has always been completely free to the public to attend. Yes, you have to get there. Manchester is a small little burg nestled in the heart of the Eastern Kentucky Appalachians. But it’s a short drive from Interstate 75 South from...
2025-07-1156 min
Roots Music RamblerNicholas Jamerson offers new, meditative album through life and lossNicholas Jamerson is regarded as one of the finer songwriters in the current Americana, folk and country scene. His heartfelt lyrics of love, loss and lamentation born from the hills of Eastern Kentucky were the foundation of the success of Sundy Best, his award-winning band and collaboration with Kris Bentley.
But after its temporary break-up/hiatus, Jamerson continued writing and recording as a solo act, often backed by the Morning Jays, his support band. He’s churned out six studio and two live albums over the last decade, the newest of which, The Narrow Way, dropped June 20. It...
2025-06-271h 13
Roots Music RamblerBen Chapman drops surprise news including new album and collaboration hints on RMRRoots Music Rambler is not designed to be a breaking news outlet, but don’t tell Ben Chapman that. In our recent sit-down for Roots Music Rambler the Georgia-native and standout singer-songwriter dropped news item after news item.
Chapman, who recently tied the knot with longtime girlfriend and fellow songwriter Meg McRee shared the news of their upcoming first child (which they’d already shared on social media), but then told of a new solo album coming up, plus a collaboration project with McRee, Brit Taylor and Adam Chafins. The foursome released “Gone as it Gets” three years ag...
2025-06-1356 min
Roots Music RamblerIrishman Mark Geary mixes delightful melodies with dark melancholyFor Ireland’s Mark Geary, America was everything. He moved to New York in the 1990s and cut his teeth in the music business alongside legendary artists like Jeff Buckley. Thirty years later, his songs continue to paint pictures of the modern Irish experience, especially as it relates to America.
Geary sat down with Roots Music Rambler before his May headline show at The Monarch Music Community in Louisville, Ky., to talk about his latest album, In the Time of Locusts, songwriting, developing his sound and style and much more.
Geary is on the sonaBlast Rec...
2025-05-301h 04
Roots Music RamblerLogan Ledger brings California Country Cool to the Americana SceneIf you’ve listened to Roots Music Rambler much at all you know Frank and Falls are suckers for the new wave of retro-sounding Americana and Country artists. (See our previous episode with Kimmi Bitter.) When we first heard Logan Ledger, the same fascination kicked in. With sounds reminiscent of Marty Robbins, Jim Croce and The Byrds, it was easy to see why this Bay Area product was reclaiming the title of purveyor of California Country in early album reviews. His debut record in 2020 was produced by T. Bone Burnett. His sophomore effort, “Golden State...
2025-05-0251 min
Roots Music RamblerStoryteller Gabe Lee talks songwriting, family and growing up in NashvilleSongwriters and storytellers are at the core of Americana music. Few conversations in the genre go very long without the mention of names like John Prine, Jason Isbell, Gillian Welch and others. Most of those folks flocked to Nashville at one time or another to get a publishing deal, cut some records and try to make it in music.Gabe Lee never had to flock to Nashville. He was born and raised there. The son of Taiwanese immigrants, his mother a pianist, Lee studied to be a classical concert pianist as a kid. Adolescence...
2025-04-181h 12
Roots Music RamblerCait Justice Debut Reveals a Fresh Voice from AppalachiaThe mountains of Appalachia have produced some of the most memorable music in recent memory. From Dwight Yoakam to Chris Stapleton and Sturgill Simpson to Tyler Childers, plus up-and-comers like Brit Taylor and Leah Blevins, there’s beautiful tunes in “them-thar hills.”Cait Justice’s debut album Angel Teeth from sonaBlast Records offers a new entry in the fresh voices from Eastern Kentucky. The 20-something college student from Pikeville, Ky., now resides in Louisville. Within weeks of hitting town, she played a few open-mic and listening rooms, was recommended to sonaBlast’s Gill Holland, and found...
2025-04-041h 09
Roots Music RamblerThe Mallett Brothers Band is back with Higher Up in the HillsFolk rockers The Mallett Brothers are back with a new album on April 4 called “Higher up in the Hills.” Luke and Will Mallett joined us on Roots Music Rambler this week to talk about the album, the first couple of singles from it, 15-years of making it in independent music without leaving their home state of Maine and more. The brothers who front the band are actually from folk music royalty. Their father, David Mallett, is a well-known folk singer who wrote “The Garden Song” popluarized by Pete Seeger, John Denver and others. We talked ab...
2025-03-211h 11
Roots Music RamblerFlatpicker Tyler Grant talks about his journey, new songs, albumThere’s nothing we love more on Roots Music Rambler than digging into the stories behind songs, albums and artists, especially when geography and place have an impact there. That’s why this episode stands out as one of our favorites as Tyler Grant joined us to talk about his new album, his journey through bands and solo work and more.No one digs into a story as well as Grant does and you’ll note that right away as we talked about his latest single and upcoming album, Flatpicker, which is due out in Mar...
2025-03-071h 17
Roots Music RamblerHave Music Festivals Jumped the Shark?It’s no secret that the Roots Music Rambler team loves a good music festival. But as we’ve discussed before, there are perhaps too many of them and the costs continue to skyrocket for fans. It just so happens that there exists an entire podcast and YouTube show dedicated to music festivals and its host, Nate Riggs, is a friend of the program.This week on Roots Music Rambler, Frank and Falls dig in with Riggs to talk about the state of music festivals across the U.S. The conversation includes everything from the...
2025-02-211h 09
Roots Music RamblerShepherd Hits 2025 with a new single, plans for lots of new musicThere are few artists out there who fit the Americana music label by decidedly not fitting in any single box better than Jeff Shepherd. The northern Indiana native has been called rock, blues, outlaw country and punk. His music harkens back to 70s rock but has enough country influences to draw comparisons to southern rock and outlaw country artists, alike.Shepherd, which he now goes by as a single-named moniker, joined us on Roots Music Rambler to talk about his new single, “Settle Down,” and his plans for more new music in 2025. We talked abou...
2025-01-311h 00
Roots Music RamblerLeah Blevins heads into 2025 with new music in mindThe first time you hear Leah Blevins sing, you immediately notice a voice similar to Dolly Parton. As if that weren’t enough to want to hear more, she belts out influences from Martina McBride, Loretta Lynn and even Stevie Nicks. And she’s poised for a new album later in 2025 that could be the project that vaults her even higher in the country music scene.Blevins joined Frank and Falls on Roots Music Rambler to talk about what’s coming in 2025. She heads to the studio in February to add to an already releas...
2025-01-1759 min
Roots Music RamblerRoots Music Rambler’s Top 10 Songs & Albums from 2024Well, 2024 is in the books and what a year we saw in Americana and Roots Music. From Sierra Ferrell’s explosion to Beyonce’s Cowboy Carter and crazy collaborations to new music from artists like Gillian Welch and David Rawlings, The Secret Sisters, Marcus King and Dwight Yoakam, the year was one for the books.Since this was the first full calendar year Roots Music Rambler existed (we debuted in September of 2023), we thought we would start an annual tradition of recapping the year with our top songs, albums and artists, plus do a litt...
2025-01-031h 22
Roots Music RamblerInside the Stories and Experience of Singer-Songwriter Margo CilkerIt’s not often Rolling Stone compares a singer-songwriter to John Prine. But they did just that when they heard “Steelhead Trout” by Margo Cilker. The Oregon-based artist’s first two albums have turned her into an emerging star in the Americana music scene. Pohorylle, her debut, was so good, the UK Americana Music Association nominated it for Album of the Year alongside Brandi Carlile, Robert Plant & Allison Kraus and Charley Crockett. She went on tour with Drive-By Truckers and Hayes Carll.Her sophomore album, Valley of Heart’s Delight, is...
2024-12-201h 12
Roots Music RamblerCelebrating Bluegrass, Harmony and Family with the Bibelhauser BrothersFew musicians today stay as busy as Aaron Bibelhauser. Not only is he a prolific songwriter and one half of the twin brother-led bluegrass band called The Bibelhauser Brothers, but he hosts a notable bluegrass music radio show, collaborates with several other artists on albums and singles and leads a community jam session periodically in his home city of Louisville. The only mystery about Aaron is when does he sleep?Aaron and his twin Adam, who splits vocals with his brother, plays bass, contributes to the writing and production of songs, and naturally offers...
2024-12-061h 23
Roots Music RamblerKindred Valley’s Appalachian roots and stories garnering quite a followingWhen Blake Lacy, Noah Freeman and Brett McCoy met and discovered each other’s musical tastes, they did what college students do: They started a band. A few iterations of an expanded friend circles later and the trio evolved to a six-person offering called Kindred Valley. The band came on the Roots Music Rambler radar opening for Brit Taylor (Episode 16) at The Burl in Lexington, Ky., in February of 2024. A few months later, they were headlining shows at The Burl and dotted music venues up and down the mid-atlantic and midwest.
2024-11-221h 23
Roots Music RamblerBluegrass mainstay Dave Adkins talks new album, band geeks and moreDave Adkins has already had a fantastic career as a bluegrass artist. He was nominated for Male Vocalist of the Year by the Society for the Preservation of Bluegrass Music of America in 2022, which was the second time he earned that nod. He’s also been nominated for awards like the International Bluegrass Association Emerging Artist of the Year and Inspirational Bluegrass Artist of the Year. In 2020, Adkins contributed lead vocals to two tracks on a Grammy Nominated Best Roots Gospel Album in 2020. His catalog of songs written and performed have earned countless No. 1 and...
2024-11-081h 02
Roots Music RamblerGeorge Ducas returns with Pete Anderson-produced Long Way From HomeGeorge Ducas is back with a new album, but a decidedly elevated sound thanks to him luring legendary Bakersfield sound producer Pete Anderson back to the country studio. He sat in with Roots Music Rambler this week to talk to Frank and Falls about the new album, the day-to-day of being a Nashville songwriter and a lot more.Ducas even made a public promise to try and get Anderson to come on the show! (We’re giddy over this!)As if that weren’t enough, Ducas also played the firs...
2024-10-251h 31
Roots Music RamblerGhost of Paul Revere frontman Griffin William Sherry emerges with solo albumThe Ghost of Paul Revere announced its breakup in April of 2022 and fans of the Maine-based folk trio were heartbroken. The band said it had become more difficult to make records and tour while maintaining their friendship and the latter was more important.But 2024 brought about two rays of sunshine in the world of Ghost fans: The band has released a 10th anniversary, 180-gram vinyl reissue of its most successful release, Believe. And lead singer and primary songwriter Griffin William Sherry is back with a new album and tour. He told us the sound...
2024-10-111h 10
Roots Music RamblerFrom Mennonite Church to Celtic Punk and now Country and Folk, Brandon Good has seen it allBrandon Good’s early days in music were in the Mennonite Church. Later, in a Celtic punk band. Nowadays, the Chicago-based singer-songwriter is expressing his love for harmonies and melodies through more country and folk, singer-songwriter type tunes while unifying several genres into an interesting blend of tunes.Good joined Frank and Falls on Roots Music Rambler this week to talk about his previous work in albums like The Anvil, which he called a “heavy” album of introspection and emotion. But he also teased out some new music coming this fall with a new LP on...
2024-09-271h 15
Roots Music RamblerThe New Queen of Old School Country Sound Kimmi Bitter has arrivedIn March of this year, Kimmi Bitter came out of nowhere to land on top of the Alt Country music charts with her first full-length album Old School, a collection of songs that if you didn’t know better, you’d swear were from Patsy Cline and the Jordanaires. That record spent four weeks at No. 1 and vaulted Bitter into the conversations for Americana newcomer of the year.Bitter joined Roots Music Rambler to talk about the explosion of her record, the opportunities it has opened up and what the future of her music and...
2024-09-1350 min
Roots Music RamblerMountain and Bluegrass Music with Linchpins Larry and Cheryl WebsterLarry and Cheryl Webster may not be big recording artists or the kind of musicians that sell-out arenas around the world, but they are as important to the music industry and community as anyone that has ever come out of Eastern Kentucky. Their network of contacts and influence put them in the role of linchpin for many mountain and bluegrass musicians through the now six decades the couple has been playing, writing, performing and booking music.It just so happens they were the couple whose Friday night pickin’ and grinnin’ sessions gave one of our...
2024-08-301h 43
Roots Music RamblerAtomic Junction Drops New Album of Clever Alt Country Tracks on Americana SpaceAaron Perlut learned to play the guitar at age 47. That was just six years ago. Now, he’s the front man for Atomic Junction, which dropped its first full-length LP earlier this summer. The St. Louis-based band’s sound is not unlike many of its midwestern kin: A little country, a little punk, a little rock. And a lot interestingPerlut joined Frank and Falls on the latest episode of Roots Music Rambler to talk about the midlife start to his musical journey, recording the band’s first album, their influences and more. The conver...
2024-08-161h 12
Roots Music RamblerThe Incredible Kaia Kater talks new album, representation in Americana musicBelieve it or not, Rhiannon Giddens isn’t the only black banjo player turning heads in Americana Music. Kaia Kater’s first album in six years is out and the likes of Rolling Stone, No Depression and more are giving it glowing marks. She’s not just turning out a unique sound and a very different take on how the banjo plays into new music, but Kater is also chiming in on representation of people of color in bluegrass, country and Americana music. This week on Roots Music Rambler, hosts Francesca Folinazzo (Frank) and Jason F...
2024-08-021h 15
Roots Music RamblerJackson Pines Singing New Jersey Into the Folk SceneWhen you think of music from New Jersey, you typically think of Bruce Springsteen. Or perhaps Bon Jovi. But most people don’t immediately see folk music come to mind. Jackson Pines may not be trying to change that, but they’re certainly doing their best to make New Jersey folk a more widely known and understood subset of the Garden State’s musical DNA.This week on Roots Music Rambler, hosts Francesca Folinazzo (Frank) and Jason Falls (Falls) caught up with the two founders of Jackson Pines, Joe Makoviecki and James Black to get a...
2024-07-191h 13
Roots Music RamblerMichigan-based country singer Rachel Brooke talks new single, journey to the stage and moreThis week on Roots Music Rambler, hosts Francesca Folinazzo (Frank) and Jason Falls (Falls) are joined by country music singer and songwriter Rachel Brooke. Her new single is out and she is touring the U.S. this summer to drum up anticipation for an EP later this year and perhaps a new full album in 2025. She sat in with Frank and Falls to share her journey from being a teenage punk band drummer to crooning country songs in honky tonks around the midwest. She also discussed her music and writing, the layoff from touring a...
2024-07-051h 05
Roots Music RamblerBri Bagwell’s “Overnight” Success is on Year 15, But She’s Here!This week on Roots Music Rambler, hosts Francesca Folinazzo (Frank) and Jason Falls (Falls) visit with Texas-based country artist Bri Bagwell. She has strung together 12 No. 1 hits on the Texas Country Music Charts and is a nine-time winner of that organization’s Female Artist of the Year. She’s well on her way to becoming the next big thing in country music and she sat in with us for a chat.Bagwell’s latest album, Corazon Y Cabeza, features a song climbing those charts this summer called The Rescue. It’s about her dog Whiskey, a rescue she foun...
2024-06-211h 07
Roots Music RamblerSinger-Songwriter Leon Majcen brings Prine and Buffett-esque sounds to new albumThis week on Roots Music Rambler, hosts Francesca Folinazzo (Frank) and Jason Falls (Falls) are joined by emerging Americana singer-songwriter Leon Majcen (pronounced MITE-zen). The Florida-based songwriter brings a mix of John Prine and Townes Van Zandt lyrics with a Jimmy Buffet, Gulf Coast vibe that is sure to appeal to a lot of music fans.Majcen came to our attention opening for Sundy Best in Louisville in February. Falls then saw him at the Monarch Music Space in Louisville in May. His self-titled new album launched in late May and is well worth the listen, if...
2024-06-0759 min
Roots Music RamblerJesse Lynn Madera talks new album, heavy-hitter producers and moreThis week on Roots Music Rambler, hosts Francesca Folinazzo (Frank) and Jason Falls (Falls) visit with singer-songwriter Jesse Lynn Madera whose new album “Speed of Sound” is out. She pulled together a list of heavy-hitter producers to make this new record including Dan Navarro of Lowen and Navarro fame, and Grammy winners Jim Scott and Ryan Hadlock. The early single from the album “Last Calls” features Navarro and is turning some heads in the Americana space.Frank and Falls explored the new album, her roots growing up in both West Virginia and Texas, her creative flow and inspirat...
2024-05-241h 10
Roots Music RamblerSon Volt, Bottle Rockets guitarist John Horton talks about the beginnings of Alt CountryWelcome to Episode 19 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo (Frank) and Jason Falls (Falls) as we explore the real roots of the music we love.On this episode, we have a true Alt Country legend with us. Guitarist John Horton joins us on the show to talk about his career and impact on the music world. He became a member of the legendary band The Bottle Rockets in 2003. As if that wasn’t impressive enough to cement him as an impactful contributor to the Alt Country sound, he joined friend Jay Farrar and his band...
2024-05-101h 11
Roots Music RamblerFolk Legend Si Kahn Turns 80 with New Music, Look Back at CareerWelcome to Episode 17 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo (Frank) and Jason Falls (Falls) as we explore the real roots of the music we love.This week, folk music legend Si Kahn joins the program to celebrate his 80th birthday (April 23). He looks back on his over 50-year career of making music and talks about a new album coming out in September called “Labor Day.” Kahn is a long-time labor organizer and advocate whose songs are typically laced with political punditry and satire. His first album, New Wood, was recorded in the 1970s and c...
2024-04-261h 29
Roots Music RamblerSinger-Songwriter Renee Maskin Turns Out Another Strong Album with ShimmerWelcome to Episode 17 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo (Frank) and Jason Falls (Falls) as we explore the real roots of the music we love.This week, New Jersey-based singer songwriter Renee Maskin joins the show to talk about her transition from progressive rock and punk to folk and Americana. She’s now on her third album, an imaginative gem called Shimmer, and has even been named songwriter of the year and artist of the year by New Jersey Stage. Maskin spent several years in a progressive / punk band before a fateful trip...
2024-04-1254 min
Roots Music RamblerBrit Taylor Flips Kentucky Blue to a Chart-Climbing Bluegrass AlbumWelcome to Episode 16 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo (Frank) and Jason Falls (Falls) as we explore the real roots of the music we love.This week, Falls caught up with rising star Brit Taylor before a recent performance in support of her Kentucky Bluegrassed album. The Hindman, Ky., native actually took 2023’s Kentucky Blue, her second album comprised of a number of strong country and Americana nongs, and rendered a bluegrass version of many of those songs with Kentucky Bluegrassed. The bluegrass version entered the Americana Music Association charts in early March...
2024-03-2943 min
Roots Music RamblerS.G. Goodman Talks About Her Rise to Prominence in Americana MusicWelcome to Episode 14 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo (Frank) and Jason Falls (Falls) as we explore the real roots of the music we love.This week, the Patron Saint of the Dollar Store herself blesses us with her presence. S.G. Goodman joins the show to talk about her meteoric rise to prominence in the Americana music scene. The last 12-18 months have included her being named Americana Emerging Artist of the Year, releasing her second album to high acclaim, having Tyler Childers cover “Space and Time” on his Rustin’ in the Rain album, t...
2024-03-081h 11
Roots Music RamblerLouisville-based Digby back with first album in 17 years (Exclusive clips!)Welcome to Episode 13 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo (Frank) and Jason Falls (Falls) as we explore the real roots of the music we love.On this episode, Falls sits down with three members of the Louisville-based Digby, which is back with its first album in 17 years. The group, originally known as Hundred Acre Wood, scored a modest hit single in the early 2000s with “Hundred Percent Free” but put down the guitars, drums and fiddle as life happened to its members.While often labeled a “power pop” band, the group evolved from a mor...
2024-02-231h 13
Roots Music RamblerThe Question We All Want Answered: Does Wilco Suck?Welcome to Episode 12 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo (Frank) and Jason Falls (Falls) as we explore the real roots of the music we love.On this episode, we finally explore the topic that has been nagging at Falls (at least) for some time: Does Wilco suck? Needless to day, it’s an entertaining conversation that might end in a different place than you expect. Also on the show, Frank asks Falls about his burgeoning addiction to vinyl record shopping and the two interview their daughters about the music they love. Katie and L...
2024-02-091h 31
Roots Music RamblerSara Jean Stevens Hits Her Stride With Working Mother, New EP ComingWelcome to Episode 11 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls “Frank,” and Jason Falls, who goes by “Falls” most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.On this episode, we’re joined by singer-songwriter Sara Jean Stevens. The Illinois-based artist has put in years of grind, playing in other people’s bands and other people’s music. She even did a European tour with Bleached, an L.A.-based punk band a few years back. But she decided one day she had songs in her that neede...
2024-01-261h 15Roots Music RamblerFrom Rock Bottom to Rockabilly Success, Ashley Best is At His Best NowWelcome to Episode 10 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls “Frank,” and Jason Falls, who goes by “Falls” most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.Ashley Best has one of the stories that just sets him up to write great country songs. The Cadiz, Ohio dairy farmer started playing music in his teens, then life got in the way. In his early 20s, his wife died unexpectedly and left him with two daughters to raise. The struggles of a widower got to him and he admitte...
2024-01-121h 27
Roots Music RamblerDiscovering the Roots of Arabic Music with Oud Virtuoso Mohammed DohaiWelcome to Episode 9 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls “Frank,” and Jason Falls, who goes by “Falls” most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.This is a special episode we’ve been hinting at for a while. In November of 2023, Falls traveled to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on business. While there, he reached out to Oud soloist and teacher Mohammed Dohai. The Oud is a traditional Arabic instrument dating back centuries that is a predecessor of the lute, mandolin and guitar. It is typically...
2023-12-291h 09
Roots Music RamblerJohn Haywood Talks Old Time Banjo, Heavy Metal and TattoosIt’s time for Episode 8 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls “Frank,” and Jason Falls, who goes by “Falls” most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.On this episode we dig into the eclectic world of artist, musician and bonafide Eastern Kentuckian John Haywood. Not only is John an “old time” banjo player, but also leads a heavy metal band while being an artist and running a tattoo parlor during the day. He hails from Prestonsburg, Kentucky, just a hop, skip and a jump from Pikevi...
2023-12-151h 38
Roots Music RamblerPixie & The Partygrass Boys May Have the Greatest Bluegrass-Covers-of-Rock-Songs Album EverIt’s time for Episode 7 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls “Frank,” and Jason Falls, who goes by “Falls” most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.On this episode, Ben Weiss of the Utah-based bluegrass group Pixie & The Partygrass Boys joins Frank and Falls to talk about perhaps the best bluegrass cover album of all time. The Chicken Coop, Vol. 1 is and 11-track toe-tapper that puts a guitar-mandolin-banjo-fiddle spin on everything from “Gimmie Shelter” by the Rolling Stones to The Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer.”Inten...
2023-12-011h 30
Roots Music RamblerNathan Graham hits his rise to prominence with debut album Saint of Second ChancesWelcome to Episode 6 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls “Frank,” and Jason Falls, who goes by “Falls” most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.On this episode, singer-songwriter Nathan Graham’s debut album Saint of Second Chances is out and a breath of fresh air mixing Chicago blues, rock, pop, soul and more. He joined Frank & Falls to talk about his background, family, influences and the new tunes, as well as what he learned from his brief stint on The Voice in 2017.The Chicag...
2023-11-171h 13
Roots Music RamblerElla Salter & The Sunday Sinners talk obstacles as they ready for a new albumWelcome to Episode 5 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls “Frank,” and Jason Falls, who goes by “Falls” most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.On this episode, Frank & Falls are joined by Ella Salter and her backing band, The Sunday Sinners. Ella’s 2019 debut album “Beverly” saw its launch thwarted by COVID and the South Alabama singer had a sluggish start to a promising rise through the Americana and Country circuits. But she pulled together The Sunday Sinners once the world opened back up and the unit...
2023-11-031h 14
Roots Music RamblerExploring the Roots of Drive By Truckers Instrumentalist Jay Gonzalez, A New Album and New MusicWelcome to Episode 4 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls “Frank,” and Jason Falls, who goes by “Falls” most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.On this episode, Francesca catches up with Jay Gonzalez of the Drive by Truckers. The multi-instrumentalist has a new side project coming out in December. He shares the story of finding and collaborating with lyricist Peter Smith to produce the new Gonzalez Smith album. The first single from the album, She’s My Girl, is out now. Frank also ex...
2023-10-2059 min
Roots Music RamblerTravel Pop musician Mike Mentz discusses drawing inspiration from his travels, his aggressive 21 roads project and a cappella groups on Roots Music RamblerWelcome to episode 3 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls “Frank,” and Jason Falls, who goes by “Falls” most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.On this episode, we talk about Falls’s disappointment with a concert cancellation, the sweet Dolly Parton AirBnB he stayed in recently in Nashville, and the latest songs and artists piquing our interest. This show’s guest is self-proclaimed travel pop artist Mike Mentz whose journey from the Chicago suburbs to the world abroad has inspired two significant new projects that...
2023-10-061h 20
Roots Music RamblerThe Queen of Queer Country talks LGBTQ artists in Country Music, growing up on the accordion and The Secret Emchy SocietyWelcome to the second episode off Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls "Frank," and Jason Falls, who goes by "Falls" most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.On this episode, we talk about Tyler Childers' new album, the first song that took Francesca's breath away, and she talks Falls out of pulling a smart-alek stunt at an upcoming Ryan Adams show. Our guest this time around is the Queen of Queer Country Cindy Emch. She is the founder and brains behind The Secret Emchy So...
2023-09-221h 55
Roots Music RamblerPREMIER: Talkin' Oliver Anthony Conspiracy Theories, Tobacco Farming, Napster & More With Country Artist JD ShelburneWelcome to Episode 1 of Roots Music Rambler! What was once an off-shoot of a travel blog is now destined to become your favorite music podcast. Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls "Frank," and Jason Falls, who goes by "Falls" most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.On this episode, we talk Oliver Anthony conspiracy theories, tobacco farming, Napster & more with up-and-coming country artist JD Shelburne. His new album "Neon Hallelujia" is out and the sixth in Shelburne's efforts, all of which dig into hometown life in Taylorsville, Ke...
2023-09-081h 16Roots Music RamblerTRAILER: Welcome to Roots Music RamblerWhere there are people, there is music. In our celebration of melodies and lyrics, harmonies and riffs, we typically focus on the songs or the people who wrote them. We often overlook the where.Welcome to Roots Music Rambler!Join Francesca Folinazzo and Jason Falls for Roots Music Rambler, a podcast exploration of the where as much as the who or what. We’ll interview emerging and established artists, fans and others in Americana, Outlaw Country, Bluegrass, Blues, Roots, Soul, World and beyond. But we will always get to the stories of where they’re from...
2023-08-3001 min