Back Catalog Listening Party

In this special encore episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with NPR Tiny Desk Contest winner, Broadway composer and disability rights activist Gaelynn Lea , who revisits her 2018 album Learning How to Stay . We talk about reincarnation, space odysseys and the similarities between recording engineers and therapists. Originally Recorded September 18, 2020. Featured Songs: Bound By A Thread...

This week, hosts Anthony Ihrig and Mother banjo pop-in for a quick "hello" 👋 on the July 4th holiday weekend to wish you a happy summer season and remind you of a BIG milestone we have coming up that we don't want you to miss. We hope you are enjoying plenty of family, friends and good music this weekend, cheers!! ☀️🎶🍻 Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

In this week's episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and producer Seth Glier who joins us from his home in Western Massachusetts with dad snacks. He revisits his 2017 album Birds , shares the unique genesis of these songs and talks about creating musical space to grieve and crafting cinematic sounds with cutlery and other household objects. Featured...

In this special encore episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with Grammy-winning songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, music scholar, actor and radio host Dom Flemons . Performing around the world as "The American Songster," he joins us from his home in Chicago with his massive record collection to revisit his 2014 album Prospect Hill and the 2020 expanded re-issue Prospect Hill:The American S...

In this week's episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with singer/songwriter and Folk Potions founder Raina Rose , who joins us from her home in Austin, TX with a smoothie to revisit her 2013 album Caldera . She talks about the many landscapes that inspired the songs, taking her time to record them and how becoming a mother changed everything. Featured Songs: Woodsmoke Swing Wide The Gate Ba...

In this week's episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with North Carolina-bred "comrade country" artist Nathan Evans Fox . He joins us from his home in Nashville with a gin and tonic to revisit his 2018 album Texas Dust and digs into his complicated relationships with family, Houston and drums. He also talks about his anti-confederate book club, exploring the history of southern history and...

In this week's episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with legendary folk/rock duo Johnson & Drake who revisit their 1973 album Carry It On . They share incredible stories as they reflect on their quick rise to success touring with Jim Croce, REO Speedwagon, Earth, Wind and Fire and Linda Ronstadt. Plus we learn all about quadraphonic recording and what it took to obtain and remaster the...

In this week's episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with Midwest Country Music Award winner Molly Brandt , who joins us from her home in St. Paul to revisit her 2024 album American Saga . She talks about her love of crime podcasts and Ken Burns documentaries and drawing songwriting inspiration from dying strip malls, burlesque dancers and Paul Thomas Anderson's film There Will Be Blood. Fe...

In this week's special episode recorded for the Folk+ Online Music Conference, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with Celia Woodsmith and Kimber Ludiker from Grammy-nominated bluegrass band Della Mae . They join us from the road in Spokane, WA to revisit their pandemic album Family Reunion (2021) which waxes nostalgic about airport lines and touring life and also explores themes of loss and hope...

In this week's episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with folk artist Sadie Gustafson-Zook who celebrates her 1-year anniversary of living in Minneapolis with a virgin mimosa. She revisits one of two releases she put out in 2024, talks about why this EP What I Pushed Below is one of her favorites and shares how mood boards and spreadsheets help in her decision and art-making process. Featur...

In this week's episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with Serbian-born blues guitarist and songwriter Ana Popovic who joins us from Los Angeles to revisit her 2016 3-disc album Trilogy. She talks about exploring the moods of morning, mid-day and midnight working with Grammy-winning R&B, rock and jazz producers including Warren Riker (Michael Jackson, Santana, Aretha Franklin), Tom Hambr...

In this week's episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with Bohemian swing-folk band Adrian and Meredith who join us from their home in Nashville to revisit their 2016 debut More Than a Little . They talk about their Detroit polka roots, recording in an old pharmacy and why their first tour stop is always to a hardware store. A wild hour of wide-ranging music and stories! Featured Songs: More...

In this week's episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with country/Americana artist Michaela Anne who joins us to revisit her 2016 album Bright Lights and the Fame , which was recorded in Nashville and heavily influenced by her early days of living there and playing the country bars. She talks about the sparkly jumpsuit that graces the cover and offers her #1 piece of songwriting advice. Fea...

In this week's episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with Grammy-nominated singer, songwriter and producer Courtney Hartman . She joins us from her home in Eau Claire, WI to revisit her 2019 album Ready Reckoner , which was written while walking the 500-mile Camino de Santiago in France and Spain. She takes us inside the writing and recording of this intimate first solo album and talks abou...

In this week's episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with singer, songwriter, actor and playwright Queen Esther . She joins us from Harlem with a cup of tea to revisit her 2021 album Gild the Black Lily , where she conjures up her grandmother's home in the South's Lowcountry. She shares ghost stories, tips on poisonous plants and how writing songs can be like catching Pokémon. Featured Song...

In this week's episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with soul/folk songwriter Josh Cleveland who joins us with a Schell's beer and revisits his 2014 album Root of a Man . We laugh and have a good cry together, talking about writing love songs for his dad and his chosen home of Minneapolis. An hour full of uplifting songs for hard times. Featured Songs: City Fair Is Fare Like A Song Lost In...

In this week's episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with folk/pop duo The Twins of Franklin and revisit their 2020 debut album Low . They talk about singing and fighting like sisters, writing sad songs and their grand ambitions to write a musical. And, Laura Lou demonstrates a perfect pour of Guinness so hope you'll join the party! Featured Songs: Low When the Snow Falls Better Me One Brea...

In this week's special St. Patrick's Day episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with legendary Irish guitarist Dáithí Sproule . He joins us from West St. Paul with some whisky and coffee to revisit his 2011 album Lost River, Vol. 1, featuring many of his friends and past collaborators including Peter Ostroushko, Tom Schaefer, Liz Carroll, Laura MacKenzie, Dean Magraw and Altan. Known for his...

In this week's episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with folk artist and self-described word nerd Heather Maloney . She joins us with a finely aged wine, nervously revisits her 2015 album Making Me Break and makes enemies with bird and role playing geeks alike. A fun conversation with lots of musical surprises! Featured Songs: Otherwise Dandelion Rather Be Free 1855 🔗 Show Notes: https://...

Hosts Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with banjo player and songwriter Chris Coole of The Lonesome Ace Stringband . He joins us from Toronto with a fancy cocktail, revisits their 2018 album When the Sun Comes Up and talks about his unusual path to making bluegrass and old-time music. Featured Songs: At My Kitchen Table Let The Mermaids Flirt With Me Joe Puckett and His Loving Mother Pretty Boy...

In this week's episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with Minneapolis folk/blues duo Nikki Matteson & Rich Rue , who enjoy some red wine and revisit their 2022 album Sugar in the Rock . They talk about this album's analog and early rock & roll roots...plus we look at the many guitars that were used to make this record. Featured Songs: Complaint To Make Get Along Lonely Windows Thing...

Grant Peeples Listens Back to Punishing the Myth In this week's episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with folksinger and poet Grant Peeples , who joins us from his home in Florida with a cup of green tea. He revisits his 2014 album Punishing the Myth, talks about it being a commercial failure and why it's his favorite album. Featured Songs: You're a Slave to Your Imagination The Hanging Th...

In this week's episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with singer, songwriter and painter Vanessa Lively , who joins us from her home in Austin, TX with her cat. She revisits her 2014 album Return to Waves , talks about recording when pregnant and drawing inspiration from dreams, paintings and sinkholes. Featured Songs: Return to Waves Chasm We Are Waiting Dive In 🔗 Show Notes: https://back...

In this week’s episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with Philip Price and Flora Reed of the indie/folk band Winterpills , who join us with their cats from western Massachusetts with some wine and curry. Following the release of the 20th anniversary edition of their debut album Winterpills , they revisit the songs and how they’ve evolved over the years. They talk about their shared love of...

In this week’s episode, Anthony Ihrig and Mother Banjo talk with Americana songwriter Eli Gardiner , who joins us for lunch to revisit his 2020 album The Fire and The Medicine . He talks about trading hockey for music, tackling hard subjects in his songs, and the tattoo that inspired the album art. Featured Songs Villain Before the War Eaten Alive The Right and the Wrong When We Are Gone 🔗 Show N...