Lilly Hiatt: Driving Tunes and Life Lessons, ep. 297

Lilly Hiatt: Driving Tunes and Life Lessons, ep. 297

Author: The Bluegrass Situation February 20, 2025 Duration: 44:50
Singer-songwriter Lilly Hiatt has an interesting way of working melodies and a down to earth way of telling stories about her life and about how she sees the world. All of her albums have cool, crunchy guitar parts that take folk songwriting to a new rockin' level. On her new album 'Forever,' Hiatt's diverse influences are woven into songs that touch on everything from relationships to anxiety and mental health to good old-fashioned rock & roll. In our Basic Folk conversation, we talked about the lessons that Lilly learned growing up the daughter of legendary songwriter John Hiatt and what it meant to her to see her dad go through the ups and downs of the music business while having the humility and self belief to keep going. She also talks about how she thinks about herself as a performer – and how that's changed since the pandemic. Before the pandemic Hiatt had a couple of really big records ('Trinity Lane,' 2017 and 'Walking Proof,' 2020) that gained a lot of hype and attention. Once coronavirus hit, she had to sit in the house and ask the big questions like a lot of us did. She sat with the loneliness, alienation, and uncertainty. You can hear in our interview just how much mutual respect and admiration we have for each other and how much belief we have in one another, not only as songwriters, but as women and as people who are in recovery. Very LYLAS vibes, lots of laughs. 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…