Madison Cunningham is Embarrassed All the Time. ep. 332

Madison Cunningham is Embarrassed All the Time. ep. 332

Author: The Bluegrass Situation December 4, 2025 Duration: 59:12

Our episode with Madison Cunningham was one of those all-time Basic Folk moments where a guest gets really deep really quickly. I'm so grateful to have had the chance to speak with this brilliant young torchbearer of the folk tradition to celebrate the release of her new album, 'Ace.' Cunningham grew up in the church, an environment which shaped her earliest memories of music. From the very beginning she had a sense of togetherness and transcendence in music which remains today and is represented throughout her catalogue. It was fascinating to hear Madison describe how she developed into a commanding solo performer, renegotiating her relationship with spirituality and individuality along the way.

After the massive impact of her GRAMMY-winning 2022 album, 'Revealer,' and collaborations with artists like Andrew Bird, Cunningham summoned all her creative, form-breaking powers for her new album. As we talked through the track list and arrangements I got the sense that this is an artist who is always challenging herself to release control. She lets things fall apart and then puts the pieces back together according to her own imagination. This is freedom. Her reflections on heartbreak feel intimate, thoughtful, hopeful, and unique. 'Ace' may or may not be a "Folk" album by aesthetic measures, but it is certainly an outstanding example of world-building in the singer-songwriter format. Whether on piano or guitar, Cunningham has a focused way of expressing herself that makes me want to know what unpredictable gems she will create next. Long live the creativity of independent women! - Lizzie No


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: 367

Basic Folk
Podcast Episodes
Lizzie No, ep. 94 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:00
Around age 10, Lizzie No was getting tired of the violin. The Princeton-born No picked the harp after seeing it being wheeled into an elevator on 'Diff’rent Strokes.' It was the weirdest instrument that she could have im…
Lori McKenna, ep. 93 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:43
Help produce Basic Folk by contributing at basicfolk.com/donateLori McKenna is on Basic Folk talking about her new album The Balladeer. Lori's been a huge part of the New England folk circuit for over two decades and for…
Stella Schindler of Kentucky Avenue, ep. 92 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:24:42
Stella Schindler is one half of the DC area Americana band Kentucky Avenue, who's been (safely) working on their sophomore album throughout the pandemic. Stella, an English teacher at an all-girls Catholic School, has le…
Samantha Crain, ep. 91 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 52:03
Samantha Crain had a hell of a time in the summer of 2017. She had just released her album You Had Me at Goodbye earlier in the year and was ready to roll out for a busy schedule of touring the new music. By the end of t…
Izzy Heltai's “Father” Track by Track, ep. 90 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:41
We got to know Izzy Heltai on episode 27 of Basic Folk where he talked about his supportive family, Western Mass community and for the first time spoke in an interview about being a trans man. He's released his debut alb…
Brittney Spencer, ep. 89 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 50:40
Brittney Spencer's making her way in Nashville. Her presence in Music City is radical not only because she's a woman, but also Brittany is a young Black country artist. Spencer has been enamored with country music ever s…
Alex Sturbaum, ep. 87 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 46:16
American Songwriter Podcast Network Advertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands
Ellis Paul, ep. 86 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:21
Ellis Paul! The one and only. This has been a long time coming. The Maine-born musician is famous for helping establish the “Boston Songwriter Sound” in the late 80’s, 90’s and 2000’s. He grew up on a potato farm and bec…
Jamie Fox, ep. 85 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 47:15
A special episode of Basic Folk features First Nation person Jamie Fox, who is one of the only people in America playing a style of fiddle called "Métis" of the Aaniih and Nakoda tribes in Montana. Métis means "mix race"…