Sarah Jarosz has quietly built one of the most influential and acclaimed careers in roots music, with 10 Grammy nominations and 4 wins among other accolades. She’s more than delivered on the promise that so many heard as she grew up a prodigy in Wimberly, TX. In late July, Sarah got together with Jessie Scott at the Concord Records offices in downtown Nashville to play music and chat about life in our latest Words & Music episode.
Here, Sarah talks about her collaboration with David Crosby and about working with John Leventhal as a co-writer and co-producer on her magnificent 2020 album World On The Ground. Also in the hour: the origins of her trio I’m With Her and some delight at the news that Paul Simon has settled in his retirement into her old home town. Jessie and Sarah play DJ, spinning some choice cuts from Sarah’s career, and Sarah also plays a few acoustic tunes. In a particular treat, Sarah performs “Blue Heron,” the last song on her 2021 project Blue Heron Suite, a project that to this point she’s only played as a full work.
Jarosz moved to Nashville amid the 2020 lockdown, and she’s settled in nicely, she says. But only next month does she finally play the Basement East, the premiere venue on her side of town. That show, featuring a full band, takes place Sept. 9. Tickets here.