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William Prince grew up on country and gospel music in rural Manitoba on the Peguis First Nation reserve, getting a grounding from his minister/musician father. Now Prince is a musical minister of sorts, making a strong mark on north American folk music with his sincerity, gravitas and beautiful baritone voice. His formal debut won Canada's JUNO Award for best contemporary folk album, and his twin releases in 2020 were well attuned to the spiritual yearning of the pandemic lockdown. Now Stand In The Joy, produced by Dave Cobb, is a rich portrait of contentment and gratitude.

Alison Brown found her life's work early when she started playing banjo as a pre-teen growing up in southern California. But it took some time and real life experience - a Harvard degree, an MBA and a couple of years in banking - before she finally gave herself permission to chase a music career. She toured with Alison Krauss in her early days and then formed her own bands, earning her rep as an innovative, jazz-oriented virtuoso player. She's released about a dozen albums of her own composing, including the latest On Banjo, featuring guests Stuart Duncan, Steve Martin and Anat Cohen. We sat down in the studio of Compass Records, which she co-founded with her husband more than 25 years ago, for a wide-ranging talk about her instrument, her destiny, and her latest music.

Wow it’s already time for Merlefest in North Carolina, which is in some ways the kickoff of the summer bluegrass festival season. And in this week’s show, we talk about the backstory of the bluegrass festival, born in 1961 in Luray VA. Our inspiration is the new single about the festival influence from Robbie Fulks, whose album Bluegrass Vacation came out April 7. Also up this week, new songs from Wood Box Heroes, Pam Gadd and Cajun-influenced old-time band The Faux Paws. And we bask in the festival-ready glory of Peter Rowan, Joe Mullins and the Tennessee Bluegrass Band. Have fun out there and stay safe!

Featuring Sara Jean Kelley, Cimarron 615 & Mary Scholz

For all of the sardonic honky tonk music of his early albums and the more character-driven folk music from albums like Upland Stories and Gone Away Backward, Fulks can trace a strong bluegrass thread through his career. He grew up loving Doc Watson in North Carolina, picked up the banjo and flatpicked guitar as a kid, and joined the venerable bluegrass band Special Consensus as he established himself in the Chicago music scene. He’d touch on the genre here and there, but now he’s finally written and recorded Bluegrass Vacation, a 12-song collection that touches on classic themes and high lonesome textures.

This week's broadcast of Finally Friday from 3rd and Lindsley in downtown Nashville, TN, featuring music from Jess Lynn Madera, Claudia Nygaard and Smalltown Strings.

Back when I was falling in love with bluegrass music, part of the allure was its rich tradition of instrumentals, where the virtuosic musicianship of the players could really shine. I can only assume that Bill Monroe revered the tradition of old-time fiddling so much that he made room for soloists in his seminal Blue Grass Boys and the rest is history. This week we got a new single from banjo pace-setter Alison Brown dueting with the great Steve Martin, a teaser from her upcoming May 5 album On Banjo. And we built a set around that of new instrumental tracks from guitarist Alex Graf, mandolinist Ethan Setiawan and fiddler Michael Cleveland. Also this week, the first single from Tim O’Brien’s upcoming album Cup of Sugar, due June 16. Classic grass is here too from the Lost And Found and the legendary duo album of Ricky Skaggs and Tony Rice.

Featuring Them Vibes, Mike Farris & Kevin Kinney

Dom Flemons made history founding the Carolina Chocolate Drops, an old-time band that changed the face of roots music in the 21st century. Through found songs and tunes learned at the feet of old masters, they won a Grammy Award, played the Grand Ole Opry, and opened up new lanes for Black musicians finding their voice in folk. Since parting ways in 2013, Flemons has been a lynchpin of the folk music scene, an “American songster” who plays a wide range of instruments and who puts on magnetic solo shows. His 2018 concept album Black Cowboys dug up more potent history and earned a Grammy nomination. For his first album since then, he goes inward and leans into his life of songwriting for the first time, resulting in the vivacious and eclectic Traveling Wildfire.

Featuring Eli Paperboy Reed, Rissi Palmer & Ben de la Cour