Let It Roll

This week author David Ritz -- rock's greatest ghost writer -- tells Nate about his memoir "The God Groove: A Blues Journey to Faith” and how a life time of loving gospel and R&B and getting to know some of the music's greatest creators led him to partake of their faith. Buy the book and support the podcast. Download this episode. Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to i...

This week author Adam White tells Nate about his book "Motown: The Sound of Young America” and his co-author Barney Ales who was Motown's head of sales, collections and Berry Gordy's right-hand man for much of the 1960s. Buy the book and support the podcast. Download this episode. Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview? Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.com Follow u...

Hosts Nate Wilcox and Justin Bankston finish our appreciation of Tales from the Tour Bus season one with an interview with Jeff Feuerzeig, the writer & producer of the Johnny Paycheck, George Jones and Tammy Wynette episodes. GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- The final 15 minutes of thi...

In this episode, Mark tells Nate about saga of Pink Floyd from pioneers of British psychedelia to kings of Prog rock and their succession of front men from Syd Barrett to Roger Waters to David Gilmore, as outlined in Mark's book, "Comfortably Numb: The Inside Story of Pink Floyd”. Buy the book and support the podcast. Download this episode. Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for...

Hosts Nate Wilcox and Justin Bankston appreciate the season 1 finale of Tales from the Tour Bus featuring undersung Austin music legend Blaze Foley. GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- The final 15 minutes of this episode are exclusively for paying subscribers to the Let It Roll Substack....

This week author Dan Charnas returns to tell Nate more about his book "The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip Hop.” In this episode, Dan tells Nate about the emergence of West Coast gangsta rap and the massive PR kerfluffles that followed the release of "Cop Killer" by Ice T's heavy metal band Body Count. Buy the book and support the podcast. Download this episode. Have a question or...

Hosts Nate Wilcox and Justin Bankston continue the Let It Roll mini-series in which we comment on a great music animated documentary series. In this episode, Justin and Nate discuss Mike Judge's treatment of Waylon Jennings, king of the country music outlaws. GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

This week author RJ Smith joins Nate to talk about his book “The One: The Life and Music of James Brown.” In this episode, RJ tells Nate about James Brown's rise from extreme poverty in the racist south to his reinvention of 20th Century American music. Buy the book and support the podcast. Download this episode. Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview? Email le...

Hosts Nate Wilcox and Justin Bankston continue the new Let It Roll mini-series in which we comment on a great music animated documentary series. In this episode, Justin and Nate discuss Mike Judge's treatment of outlaw songwriter Billy Joe Shaver. GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- The f...

This week author Peter Doggett returns to talk about his book “You Never Give Me Your Money: The Beatles After the Breakup.” In this episode, Peter tells Nate about Allen Klein, Yoko Ono, Apple Corps and all the other webs that ensared The Beatles after their breakup. Buy the book and support the podcast. Download this episode. Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to inte...

Hosts Nate Wilcox and Justin Bankston continue the Let It Roll mini-series in which we comment on a great music animated documentary series. In this episode, Justin and Nate revel in the epic tragicomic tale of the love between two of country music's all-time best. GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

This week author Jesse Jarnow joins Nate to talk about his book “Heads: A Biography of Psychedelic America”. In this episode, Jesse tells Nate about the links connecting the LSD black market, the Grateful Dead, the Internet, Hip Hop, electronic dance music and jam bands. Buy the book and support the podcast. Download this episode. Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to i...

Hosts Nate Wilcox and Justin Bankston continue the new Let It Roll mini-series in which we comment on a great music animated documentary series. In this episode, Justin and Nate struggle with the charismatic yet problematic Jerry Lee Lewis. GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠ -- The final 15...

This week author Stanley Booth joins Nate to talk about his book “Red Hot and Blue” In this episode, Stanley shares some of his many Memphis music stories with Nate including watching Otis Redding write and record "Dock of the Bay" and the story that may have spurred Elvis Presley's 1968 comeback. Buy the book and support the podcast. Download this episode. Have a question or a suggestion for a to...

Hosts Nate Wilcox and Justin Bankston kick off a new Let It Roll mini-series in which we comment on a great music animated documentary series. In this episode, Justin and Nate revel in the hilarious and touching tale of Johnny Paycheck and Mike Judge's brilliant telling. GO TO THE LET IT ROLL SUBSTACK TO HEAR THE FULL EPISODE⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠...

This week author Peter Doggett joins Nate to talk about his book “CSNY: Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young.” In this episode, Peter tells Nate about the late 60's soft rock supergroup and how it all fell apart so fast yet lasted so long. Buy the book and support the podcast. Download this episode. Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview? Email letitrollpodcast@gmail...

This week author Andrew Flory joins Nate to talk about his book “I Hear A Symphony: Motown and Crossover R&B.” In this episode, Andrew and Nate talk about the man behind the biggest independent label of all time. Andrew tells us about the method behind Motown's massive success, the songwriters, producers, musicians and singers all led by one genius. We'll take a one week break and then go right in...

This week author Mark Blake joins Nate to talk about his book “Bring It On Home: Peter Grant, Led Zeppelin, and Beyond--The Story of Rock's Greatest Manager.” In this episode, Mark and Nate talk about the man behind the biggest rock band of the 1970s, Peter Grant, manager of Led Zeppelin. Mark goes beyond the legends of money, muscle and drugs and tells us about the real human being who fought for...

Buy the book and support the podcast. Download this episode. Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview? Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Twitter. Follow us on Facebook. Let It Roll is proud to be part of Pantheon Podcasts. This week author Ben Yagoda joins Nate to talk about his book “The B Side: The Death of Tin Pan Alley and the Rebirth of the Great...

This week author Jesse Jarnow joins Nate to talk about his book “Wasn’t That a Time: The Weavers, the Blacklist and the Battle for the Soul of America.” In this episode, Jesse tells Nate about one of America’s unlikeliest million selling pop combos -- the folk singing, unabashedly left wing Weavers and their battles with the paranoid American right wing, all in the context of a pre-rock and roll 5...

This week author Peter Doggett returns to discuss his book “Electric Shock: 125 Years of Pop Music.” In this episode, Peter and Nate discuss the joyous music that dominated the years of World War II including Benny Goodman, Frank Sinatra, Count Basie and more. Come back next week when author Jesse Jarnow joins us to discuss the Weaves vs the blacklist. Buy the book and support the podcast. Downloa...

This week author Peter Doggett returns to discuss his book “Electric Shock: 125 Years of Pop Music.” In this episode, Peter and Nate discuss how the invention of electric recording, microphones and radio allowed singers like Bing Crosby and Rudy Vallee to "croon" to their audiences. Come back next week when author Peter Doggett returns to talk about the Swing Era. Buy the book and support the podc...

This week author Dan Charnas joins Nate for a discussion of his book “The Big Payback: The History of the Business of Hip Hop.” In this episode, Dan and Nate talk about two of the legendary record companies from Hip Hop’s early years: Sugarhill Records and Def Jam. They discuss Sylvia and Joe Robinson’s background in the world of old school R&B and how those practices carried over into the 1980s....

This week Nate and author Jonathan Gould conclude their discussion of Otis Redding. They cover Redding's breakthrough with audiences urban, English and anglo and his tragic death. Buy the book and support the podcast. Download this episode. Have a question or a suggestion for a topic or person for Nate to interview? Email letitrollpodcast@gmail.com Follow us on Twitter. Follow us on Facebook. Let...

This week author Jonathan Gould joins Nate for the first of two episodes discussing his book “Otis Redding: An Unfinished Life.” In this episode, Jonathan and Nate cover the youth of Otis Redding in segregation era Georgia, his beginnings in music, his discovery by Stax Records, his management and an early brush with crime. Buy the book and support the podcast. Download this episode. Have a questi...