Alice Gerrard

Alice Gerrard

Author: Tom Power April 2, 2020 Duration: 1:21:50

Old-time legend and Bluegrass Hall of Fame member Alice Gerrard talks to host Tom Power at her kitchen table in North Carolina.

Gerrard tells stories of how she and other college students from the northern U.S. found bluegrass and old-time, of the lifelong influence of the Antioch College folk scene, meeting her Hall of Fame partner Hazel Dickens and making some of the greatest records in the genre. She goes on to describe her split from Hazel, her work since, the creation of print publication The Old-Time Herald, of which she is the founding editor. In tender moments, she shares the last time she ever spoke with Hazel, and describes what she sang to "sing her back home."


There’s a story behind every song, and behind that story is a person who lived it. Toy Heart with Tom Power digs into those personal histories, focusing on the very roots of bluegrass music itself. Host Tom Power, known from CBC Radio, approaches these conversations with a genuine curiosity that goes beyond the typical interview. Each episode features an intimate talk with a foundational artist-voices like Del McCoury, Ricky Skaggs, Alice Gerrard, Jesse McReynolds, and Jerry Douglas, among others. They don’t just recount career highlights; they trace their own origins, sharing the specific moments, influences, and challenges that shaped them within this distinct musical world. Produced in partnership with BGS (The Bluegrass Situation), this podcast is built for anyone who wants to understand not just how bluegrass sounds, but how it feels to those who created its legacy. The tone is conversational and revealing, often feeling like you’re overhearing a deep talk between old friends. New episodes arrive every other week, ready to be found wherever you listen.
Author: Language: en-us Episodes: 23

Toy Heart with Tom Power (A Podcast About Bluegrass)
Podcast Episodes
Del McCoury [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:07
Del McCoury talks to Tom backstage at the Opry about how he started playing banjo, his (interesting) time in the military, joining Bill Monroe's band, being replaced by Bill Keith, starting over, playing music with his s…
Preview - Toy Heart: A Podcast About Bluegrass [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 5:13
CBC radio host Tom Power ("q") and BGS (The Bluegrass Situation) bring you the most in-depth podcast about the origins of bluegrass ever created. Power sits down with luminaries of the genre such as Del McCoury, Ricky Sk…