Southern Songs and Stories

The town of Elkin, NC, boasts only 4000 residents, but its downtown seems to resemble a town much larger than that. What looks to me like a downtown about half the size of my home town of Shelby, NC, turns out to be a good bit less populated than its footprint suggests. But making a bigger impression than expected is in keeping with everything I have experienced in this foothills town in the north...

The 19th century Swedish philosopher and poet Henri Frederic Amiel wrote one of the most eloquent observations about music, saying “Music is harmony, harmony is perfection, perfection is our dream, and our dream is heaven.” If Amiel is right, and I have a feeling he is, then pairing Andrea Zonn and John Cowan in a setting where they can sing some of their favorite songs both old and new, is bound...

It took a long time after I first read David Menconi’s work to finally meet him, and longer still to sit with him for an extended conversation, but fortunately, the time has finally come. And if the saying “good things come to those who wait” applies here, if I was indeed waiting years for that Tuesday afternoon interview in late September 2024, then it is doubly appropriate now that our conversat...

It is great fun to witness lines reconverge in unexpected ways on this series. When I spoke with Andrew VanNorstrand and Chris Miller of The Faux Paws back at the end of summer, I learned that they had just received the masters for their next album. Fast forward to late winter the following year, and we happen to circle back to the band directly ahead of the release of their new record with this p...

Conversation with NC banjo innovator Tray Wellington including his music, and commentary from host and producer Joe Kendrick

In the music business, the words “influence” and “inspiration” get thrown around a lot. Artist Y is “influenced” by artists A, B and C, or “inspired” by their love of genres D and E, often with no elaboration of what that really might mean. Influence and inspiration are often overused to the point of meaninglessness in these contexts, or perhaps misunderstood as something akin to emulation. It is...

A couple of weeks ago, I could not have predicted that I would come upon another way of crafting a Southern Songs and Stories podcast in this fashion. Regular or even casual listeners will be familiar with the go-to format of documentary style profiles of and interviews with music artists in this series; those of you who listen a lot will probably be familiar with some of the less traveled paths w...

The new year arrived and “Auld Lang Syne” bubbled up to the top of playlists all over the land. There are so many versions of this classic, which speaks to the importance of remembering friends and happy times from years past, and it reminded me to pause and reflect on this series, which has featured a great many musical acquaintances and friends (and acquaintances who became friends) over a fairl...

After surveying all of the available new Christmas and holiday themed music that I could find, I came up with a tidy playlist of nine noteworthy songs to share here in an episode that departs from our usual artist interview format. Here, we play full songs in several sets, with some back stories on each artist and song. Ranging from the elegant, folky take on “Coventry Carol” by The Milk Carton Ki...

An interview delving into their unique approach, being at home in a liminal space, collaborating with fellow acoustic innovator Casey Driessen, and more in this conversation from their appearance at the 2024 Earl Scruggs Music Festival. Includes music excerpts from the band's third album, Love Your Mind.

Joe Kendrick speaks with Steve Earle by video call in June 2024, a conversation which took place after losing Jeremy Tepper just two days before, a conversation where he talks about his rigorous summer tour, his relationship with his music before he became sober, his favorite cover songs from both artists covering his music and vice versa, aspirations to record Irish music and perhaps even a jazz...

Conversations with music artists Jesse Iaquinto and Josh Blake, as well as music professionals Jessica Tomasin, Liz Whalen Tallent, Jason Guadagnino, Rachel Shea and Russell Keith, including flood songs from Jake Blount, Rhiannon Giddens, Songs From The Road Band and The Seldom Scene. Included is a new song from Fireside Collective, "Whippoorwill".

Joe Kendrick posts an audio diary of the last several weeks events in western NC beginning with a lead up to Helene's arrival, and continuing with a trip to Raleigh for IBMA, a trip back home to the land of no utilities and then to the storm's aftermath, as well as a personal tragedy and a great loss for all of WNCW.

Conversations with Maya De Vitry and Joel Timmons about their musical collaboration, how the places where they were from and traveled to gave them equally essential but far different keys to their art, and more, including live music from both Maya De Vitry with Joel Timmons in the band, and Joel's own band Sol Driven Train.

An interview with Americana artist Margo Cilker, who talks about her extensive travels, cultural differences between Appalachia and the American West, working with Maya De Vitry, who performed with her at Margo’s Albino Skunk Music Festival debut the day of our conversation, her focus on the lyrics to her songs, and more, including music from her live set.

On August 9th, 2024, host and producer Joe Kendrick traveled with WNCW intern and rising Carleton College senior, Will Prim, to the PNC Arena in Charlotte, North Carolina, just ahead of Ketch Secor’s show that night supporting Hank Williams Jr. Old Crow Medicine Show is headlining the Earl Scruggs Music Festival in Tryon, North Carolina, over Labor Day weekend 2024. The interview includes commenta...

A bilingual conversation with Larry and Joe at the Earl Scruggs Center in Shelby, NC. They are also part of the lineup at the upcoming Earl Scruggs Music Festival in Tryon, NC over labor day weekend 2024. In our conversation, we talk in depth about the duo’s synthesis of musical styles and cultures, we discover why the harp became so popular in Venezuela, and we get into how their music often has...

Host and producer Joe Kendrick, along with WNCW's Tom Pittman, speak with the iconic country and bluegrass star, including commentary and music from Marty Stuart and his Fabulous Superlatives.

Conversations with and music from with Tara Nevins and Jeb Puryear of Donna the Buffalo and Jim Lauderdale who were interviewed at MerleFest in late April 2024

Welcoming a recent episode of the music history podcast American Songcatcher to our series, courtesy of host and producer Nicholas Edward Williams

Conversations with two rising stars in the roots and country music world making their MerleFest debuts, along with excerpts of their latest music and commentary from host and producer Joe Kendrick

A short history of a gospel niche, with interviews of artists performing at the spring 2024 GospelSHOUT! event as well as live music, plus the unlikely story of how Henry Louis Gates Jr. helped lead us to discover something so surprising and unique in our own back yard

Music and conversation from cosmic country pioneer Daniel Donato, who talks in depth about his life’s work is a service to listeners, his ever-present muse, playing with Bob Weir of Grateful Dead fame, and perhaps surprisingly, having been an angry kid who was an avid wrestler and more, along with commentary from host Joe Kendrick

Tony Trischka talks with host Joe Kendrick in this episode, which includes music excerpts from his extensive catalog as well as his forthcoming album, Earl Jam.

There are stories where the characters and events are so extraordinary and gripping that one can miss their overall meaning. It can be easy to take stories like the one you are about to hear at face value, and leave their larger context unrealized. But even the most casual reading of the events and people of Madison County, North Carolina from 1863 should raise a lot of red flags about our own wor...