Adventures in Americana presents Smouse in the House

Husband and wife duo Carriage House seem to absorb the surroundings around them. From their time living in Red Wing, MN to their current home in La Crosse, WI, the melodies and soothing presence of Jenna and Jeffrey Kelly are part of the natural landscape. Both Jenna and Jeffrey care so much about the lyrics and telling a story poetically, where landmarks, hills, and community are meaningfully int...

Molly Maher is a connector and advocate for our local music scene who lives quietly under the radar. She’s got her hands in a variety of festivals, shows, and collaborations, which in itself is impressive to see. But it’s when you add in her own music, which carries such heart and weight in its lyrics, that you fully understand the importance of Molly’s voice in our scene. Sitting in her basement...

Daphne Jane builds worlds around her music. Using her own home, friends, partner, and iconic sense of style, Daphne has a vision of where her music lives. It’s no surprise that she creates Pinterest boards for each song to help her creative team understand the colors and landscape of her music. That intention and strength support songs that feel like a piece of life and authentically feel like the...

Can you have too much fun recording a podcast? You can decide that when listening to Colin Bracewell and host Tom Smouse discuss songwriting. Maybe it was the 30-minute walkabout in downtown Stillwater that added a layer of comfort before they hit record. But it’s definitely the charm and charisma that Colin exudes that makes it genuinely easy to talk with him. Catching up with Colin in the quiet...

Seeing an artist find their own voice, and step out with their own songs, feels like watching a bird take flight. In 2025, Anna Devine released her debut EP, and she has continued to navigate the local and regional music scene ever since. Anna chats with host Tom Smouse about the early moments of performing solo and her process for songwriting, then she shared two newer songs!

Originally from Austin, TX, Ethan Lee and Cara B — otherwise known as The Tennessee Stiffs — have been hard at work creating their own scene down in Red Wing, MN steeped in their love and dedication to Americana music. When Cara and Lee moved back to Minnesota, they left their full band behind and went through a personal and musical transformation. In this episode, they chat about that shift and h...

Clayton Ryan is that guy we all want to know. He stands out, in height and in personality. Sitting down to talk with him, it felt like a casual buddy-buddy chat about life. Clayton doesn’t disguise his feelings, mince words or feed you something flashy just because. He wants to build a fanbase by meeting people, having real conversations and finding moments to connect. 

Our host Tom Smouse visits the Minneapolis home of Indigenous singer-songwriter Laura Hugo! Originally from Teec Nos Pos, Arizona, which is located in the Navajo Nation, she talks about how her music has grown and shifted with her experiences moving around the country and eventually settling here in Minnesota. Laura just makes you smile; her spirit, resilience, and genuine warmth are so infectious...

When a musician walks up to your car asking to help carry stuff in, then you know it’s going to be a very personable conversation. There’s no lack of charisma in Minneapolis singer-songwriter Jack Klatt, and it feels very natural, as is his ability to explain his writing process and how location—and the journey to each place—strongly influences his music. It makes perfect sense from someone who ha...

Born, raised, and currently based in the Midwest, Elisabeth Corrin Maurus—aka Lissie—has been making music since she was a child in Rock Island, Illinois. Having followed Lissie from her very first album, host Tom Smouse found it surreal to sit in her home, looking at the Gold record of Catching a Tiger on the wall. You can tell that she’s a natural storyteller as her memories of travels and prior...

Welcome back! For our inaugural episode of our new season, Tom Smouse met with Emma Josephine, a Mankato, MN native, who has a special way of connecting with her muse and the listener. She is unassuming and authentic, and you can sense through her songs that music helps her make sense of the world around her. Emma Josephine taps into simple stories that listeners can all relate to, all while makin...

Laura Sellner, aka Superior Siren, has been on my radar for a very long time. Superior Siren exemplifies how to put a mood and character to music, with the natural environment of Lake Superior looming large as the heart of her music. We discuss how Sacred Heart music venue influences Duluth artists with its sound and the importance of being surrounded by other creatives and living in a community t...

There was a moment right away in recording this podcast that gave me goosebumps. Sitting in an empty church outside of Mahtowa, Josie Langhorst pointed to a space up front and shared that her first public performance was right there. Being in a place where an artist first found their voice is extra special, especially when we get to hear two new songs recorded live in that same exact spot . You ca...

In a short time, Clare Doyle has garnered a lot of buzz and praise for her music. Clare’s creative journey from childhood to when the pandemic reawakened her interest in songwriting is movie material. Her ability to share without boundaries, feel without holding back, and authentically reveal herself in her songs is a talent every musician aims to achieve. Our discussion on how songs come together...

Listening to Kevin Kniebel and Justin Bruhn bring up names and bands from the Twin Cities Americana scene (past and present) shows just how much Pert Near Sandstone respects and understands heritage. They’ve collaborated with and influenced so many artists over their two-decade run as a band, I had to ask just how they keep it rolling. Their answer is based in the spirit of family and leaving egos...

Magnetic. That’s the way I felt the first time when playing McKain Lakey’s album Somewhere. Half way through the podcast I had to figure out where that magnetic lure came from, which turns out, is baked into the Seattle production of the album. Getting to know more about McKain, where they’ve lived and their own appreciation to the various genres that make up their own music is fascinating.

It's been an absolute joy to to witness the evolution of local indie-folk duo The Twins of Franklin. From their debut release Low in 2020, to their new gorgeous release This Life, best friends Laura Lou and Becky Shaheen share their lives through their songs. These chapters of their life, good and bad, are bravely presented and easily resonate with so many fans. My sides hurt from laughing ev...

In some ways, talking with Matthew French felt like I was reconnecting with a long-lost brother. Matthew has a gentle warmth, kindness, and comforting presence. His music has always given me a sense of security in life, knowing I’m not alone in difficult times, and finding solace and advice deep in his lyrics. This podcast gives us a look into Matthew’s family by discussing “Sweet Ohio Soil”, as w...

If you’re like many of us, the harp has always been a mystic mystery. We rarely see it or hear it, and struggle to even understand the complexity of playing it. But when you see Nikki Lemire perform, she makes it look effortless and easy. The same is true when talking to Nikki about her music and life; there’s an ease and comfort as she shares her musical journey. I felt profoundly connected to he...

Brainerd, MN-based singer-songwriter Kelley Smith’s debut album Moon Child found an immediate audience and plenty of exposure. Reconnecting in the lull after hearing about that experience, and how she’s processing and planning the next chapters of her life and music career, gave our host Tom Smouse a special inside look into what many artists go through. Experiences like sitting in Kelley's k...

Just blocks away from the 3rd Police Precinct that burned down during the 2020 protests, Minneapolis country-folk band The Gated Community saw many of their recordings lost due to a power outage. But being in the center of burning buildings, gunshots, and neighborly concern, Sumanth Gopinath was compelled to write about it in new songs, which fit perfectly with their existing songs and socially co...

“Bit of a recluse, a naturalist, and about to release something, or so I hear." That's how another artist described Whit Page to our host Tom Smouse. Having heard her perform before, he was immediately piqued to understand her more non-traditional approach as an artist. We had the special opportunity to record her performing two unreleased songs inside her home. You’re about to discover...

There’s a tender kindness behind John Louis's songs that, in person, shine bright. Tom Smouse visited John at his home to learn more about his songwriting. While tossing a dog toy for the new puppy and chatting, you can hear the importance he places on the stories that explore the depth of emotions and pain. It’s this skill that seems to bring a healing factor over those that connect with his...

There is no greater example of how music transcends our physical worlds than what Twin Cities artist Gabriel Rodreick, aka Freaque, creates. His songs often use visceral physical and visual imagery to traverse our range of emotions. Tom visited Gabriel at his home to discuss his process for creating such powerful stories.

In this episode, Tom Smouse visited the home shared by Siri Undlin (aka Humbird) and Luke Callen, two Twin Cities-based artists who each deliver their own unique take on folk music. The pair demonstrated the level of respect and love they have for their community and one another. Both fresh off the release of their newest albums, Humbird and Luke give us an inside peek into two new songs and upcom...