Claps, Covers, and Come Ons: Inside Barnstar!'s Musical Mischief, ep. 262

Claps, Covers, and Come Ons: Inside Barnstar!'s Musical Mischief, ep. 262

Author: The Bluegrass Situation May 23, 2024 Duration: 57:49
Barnstar!, Boston's premiere kinda bluegrass and definitely bombastic band, has released their new album Furious Kindness and we're #blessed to welcome Mark Erelli and Zachariah Hickman to the pod. Originally a fun side hustle and bluegrass vehicle for Zack, the group, which also includes Charlie Rose and Taylor and Jake Armerding, started very casually performing at the legendary local Cantab Lounge. Zack accurately likens the vibe of the place to a basement Star Wars Cantina full of bluegrass bands. In between their main gigs with performers like Josh Ritter and Lori McKenna and solo careers, Barnstar! has cultivated an explosive live performance filled with energy and emotional expression leaving concert attendees cheering and crying along. Included in their repertoire are some of the finest music covers including many that you'd never expect to see on a kind of bluegrass band album, like The Hold Steady, Patty Griffin, Elliott Smith and Elizabeth & The Catapult. We talk about what it's like to bring a cover song to the band to learn as well as co-writing with friends like Dinty Child and Chuck Prophet. We'd be remiss if we did not address the alien-like quality of Mark Erelli's singing voice and learn that it is because of his bestie Zack and Barnstar! that he can sing like this. Now he finds himself performing vocal warm-ups before hitting the stage with the guys. Not something he ever thought he'd do. All members of Barnstar! contribute and sing to the new album Furious Kindness, an album that just wants to shout in your face about how awesome you really are. Follow Basic Folk on social media: https://basicfolk.bio.link/ Sign up for Basic Folk's newsletter: https://bit.ly/basicfolknews Help produce Basic Folk by contributing: https://basicfolk.com/donate/ Interested in sponsoring us? Contact BGS: https://bit.ly/sponsorBGSpods Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

There's a certain magic that happens when musicians are given the space to talk not just about their craft, but about the life that feeds it. That's the heart of Basic Folk, a series of conversations that feel more like catching up with an old friend than a formal interview. Hosts Cindy Howes and Lizzie No bring a genuine curiosity and easy warmth to each episode, creating an environment where artists often share stories and insights they might not elsewhere. Since 2018, this podcast has carved out a vital niche, actively seeking to honor and platform the incredible, sometimes under-the-radar, voices within the roots music world. You'll find a beautifully diverse tapestry of sound and experience here, from technical wizards and Grammy-winners like Molly Tuttle to culturally pivotal figures like Leyla McCalla, all united by their connection to folk music's expansive tradition. Produced by The Bluegrass Situation, each episode digs into the personal journeys, creative struggles, and quiet triumphs that shape the music. It’s less about celebrity and more about substance, offering listeners a chance to intimately understand the people behind the songs. Tune in for thoughtful, humorous and deeply human dialogues that remind you why folk music, in all its forms, remains a powerful force for storytelling and connection.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

Basic Folk
Podcast Episodes
Frazey Ford Revisits the Subtle Grooves of 'Indian Ocean', ep. 331 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:19
Frazey Ford has always loved soul music. She fell in love with Otis Redding at age 11 and discovered people like Ann Peebles along the way, but it was Al Green that really knocked her out. She loved the layers, the expre…
The Barr Brothers Rally Around Mysticism, ep. 330 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:25
In the eight years since The Barr Brothers last released an album, Andrew has been drumming with people like Feist, Mumford & Sons, and Broken Social Scene while Brad released a solo record and underwent incredible perso…
David Wilcox Can Heal Your Heart in Two Minutes, ep. 329 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:03
Asheville-based songwriter David Wilcox has been through some s-h-i-t. A difficult childhood in Northeast Ohio sent him seeking answers – mostly on his bicycle – in an attempt to get away. He has spent his lifetime leani…
Kathleen Edwards: Making up for 30 Years of No Tears, ep. 328 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:00
Kathleen Edwards claims that she's now a pretty frequent crier after not crying for the first 30 years of her life. One reason for this change is the connectedness she has been feeling since leaving music and starting he…
Peter Rowan: The Bluegrass Buddha's Tex-Mex Roots, ep. 327 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:08:54
Legendary Massachusetts-born, California-based musician Peter Rowan is best known for his bluegrass roots. A practicing Buddhist, he did time in Bill Monroe's Blue Grass Boys as well as in the short-lived and epically im…
Everyone Has a Friend in Joe K. Walsh, ep. 323 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 49:59
Originally from northern Minnesota, Joe K. Walsh grew up in Duluth and became enthralled with the mandolin (his primary focus, currently) after hearing the first David Grisman Quintet record. His dad got the young Joe hi…
Everyone Belongs at the Olive Klug show, ep. 322 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:36
Olive Klug and I (Cindy) recorded this interview in my closet while they were in Portland, Maine to play a show. They stayed along with their band Cori, Haley, and Payton and it was a real pleasure to be around them for…