Over the past 20 years, Caleb Klauder and Reeb Willms have emerged as the first couple of old-time string band and traditional country music in the Pacific Northwest. They’ve made themselves staples through their duo act, Klauder’s self-named band, and the origin of their renown, the almost 25-year-old Foghorn Stringband. From its origins in Portland, OR, Foghorn integrated Appalachian, Southeastern, and Cajun traditions, stirring up propulsive energy whether in a tavern, a dance hall, or a performing arts center. Reeb plays guitar, Caleb the mandolin. Fiddling comes from Sammy Lind, while Nadine Landry, a French Canadian, brings driving bass and keening vocals. They are festival favorites and an ideal example of pre-bluegrass folk music done right.
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Who are these people who say that there’s no great music being released anymore - you know, not like when they were young? Maybe they’re just online trolls, but in any event, they couldn’t be more out of touch. We’re in a golden age of music making, and 2024 was another year to prove it. While the quantity of new roots music can be intimidating, the quality is widely distributed across many regions, styles and subgenres. Helping you know where you might listen and learn is the purpose of this - my ninth annual Essential and Outstanding Americana Albums list, which I’m proud to share with you.
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One of my highlights of 2024 was finally getting to see Minneapolis folk rocker Humbird, an artist whose three recordings display an unusual degree of sonic imagination and bandcraft, even beyond her serene and appealing voice. On her newest, Right On, songwriter Siri Undlin conjures ghosts, protests monoculture and environmental neglect, and investigates relationships. In this conversation, taped the morning after her official showcase at Americanafest 2024, we talk about her passion for folklore, the warm embrace of the Minneapolis DIY music scene, and the benefits of bare feet when using guitar pedals.
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“I like dark songs. I don't know why,” says Grayson Capps early on in Episode 303 of The String. “Cheerful songs don't do much for me.” The Lower Alabama bluesman and songwriter is talking about both his career in general and his seventh album in particular, with the un-cheerful title Heartbreak, Misery & Death. It’s a covers collection featuring songs that shaped him as a young guy coming of age in Brewton, AL and New Orleans, where he went to school and launched his music career. It couldn’t have been a better springboard for an hour with an artist who’s even more fascinating for his distance from Music City and its business apparatus.
LINER NOTES
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Listen to Jessie Scott as she sits down with William Prince for a Words & Music session.
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The gang from Fruition sat down with Jessie Scott for a special Words & Music set Monday, November 18th.
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A new original song for SAFPAW from Nashville songwriter, Tim Easton. See the video and find out more about SAFPAW and Tim's support of their mission for the past ten years.
WMOT VIDEO: LIVE SESSIONS ON NPR MUSIC
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This week's AmericanaFest replay features Chris Smither, who performed "Still Believe In You" from his latest album 'All About the Bones' and crowd favorite "Leave The Light On". Watch the videos here.
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Last week, Brent Cobb stopped by the studio to chat with Jessie Scott about the resurgence of great songwriters and his deep reverence for Otis Redding, which inspired the title track of his latest record, Southern Star. Cobb also performed "It's A Start", "Southern Star", and "When It's My Time". Listen to the full interview and performance here.
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Watch Amy Helm receive a standing ovation for her performances of "Dear Louisiana" and "Sweet Mama" at the 2024 AmericanaFest Day Stage.
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Watch Ron Pope and Amythyst Kiah perform LIVE for WMOT's monthly Wired In concert series at Riverside Revival in Nashville, TN at 7:00 p.m. CST on December 11th.
NPR Top Stories
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ABC News agreed to pay $15 million to Trump's presidential library to settle a lawsuit over George Stephanopoulos' inaccurate on-air assertion that Trump was found liable for raping E. Jean Carroll.
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Karen Friedman Agnifilo was second-in-command at the Manhattan District Attorney's Office. There, she prosecuted violent crime cases, including those that had "a mental health component."
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The woman said that during the alleged assault, she tried to resist but Jay-Z told her to stop. She also acknowledged some inconsistencies in her account but firmly maintained that she was attacked.
Win a pair of tickets to see Amos Lee at Ryman Auditorium on April 16th, 2025
Win a pair of tickets to Paul Cauthen at Ryman Auditorium on January 25, 2025
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