The Deslondes, named for the street in the Lower Ninth Ward of New Orleans where they lived back in the day, has been one of Americana’s most impressive and creative bands for more than a decade. While fully committed to that ongoing project, their gravel-voiced baritone singer and writer Riley Downing has taken his most impressive step yet as a solo artist with Landfill Poetry on Oh Boy Records. He speaks with The String about his late break into folk music, record collecting, and yes, that job he had on a garbage truck.
ON DEMAND
VIDEO
Click here to watch WMOT's free livestream of the 2026 AMERICANAFEST Day Stage on September 16th-18th from 12 p.m. to 5 p.m. CDT.
NPR TOP STORIES
-
Six Democratic and six Republican senators wrote a letter calling on President Trump to withdraw from his recent deal with Russian President Vladimir Putin.
-
Locals and preservationists have long opposed Trump's plan to redevelop a municipal D.C. golf course. That legal fight escalated after the government cleared hundreds of trees on short notice.
-
In a letter, Cornell's president apologized for what happened to the student who alleges she was raped by several men at a fraternity house in 2024 and promised 'meaningful action.'
-
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy sat down for an interview with NPR at a time of renewed tensions with the White House.
Sign up for our weekly newsletter, featuring music news, contests and our concert calendar.
WMOT's video archive is now on YouTube. Click here to subscribe.
Click here to view the latest ticket giveaways.