S3 E6. Ken Irwin & Marian Leighton Levy: A Pair of Rounders (Part 2)

S3 E6. Ken Irwin & Marian Leighton Levy: A Pair of Rounders (Part 2)

Author: Blue Poncho Media October 3, 2023 Duration: 1:28:03
  In Part Two of our conversation with Ken Irwin & Marian Leighton Levy, we continue diving in to the fifty-plus year history of Rounder Records, which they helped found alongside Bill Nowlin. They tell us why J.D. Crowe & The New South's 1975 release (Rounder 0044) was so pivotal for the aspiring label (and so unlikely as well). Ken also takes us to the exact moment he first heard the voice of Alison Krauss of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, and we learn more about her rise as one of the most celebrated vocalists in American roots music history. Ken & Marian also share some of their pick hits from the Rounder catalog, and we put Ken's knowledge of the label's stock numbers to the test. Enjoy the second half of our in-depth conversation with this pair of Rounders (and Bluegrass Music Hall of Famers), Ken Irwin & Marian Leighton Levy! Be sure to check out the new book on the history of Rounder Records, written by David Menconi, 'Oh, Didn't They Ramble.' Click here to learn more!   This episode is brought to you by the following sponsors:  -- Samson's Haircare: samsonshaircare.com (Use code BLUEGRASS to save 10%.) -- LawnChair USA: lawnchairusa.com/wallsoftime (Use code WALLSOFTIME to save 10%.)-- Best Self Co: bestself.co (Use code BLUEGRASS to save 15%)

There’s a particular sound that feels like home-the drive of a banjo, the ache of a fiddle, the harmony of voices that seem to rise from the ground itself. Walls of Time: Bluegrass Podcast is built around that feeling, but it goes deeper, into the stories and people behind the music. Host Daniel Mullins doesn’t just sit in a studio; he takes his recorder to festivals, backstage areas, and front porches, capturing conversations where they naturally happen. This approach gives each episode an intimate, almost conversational quality, as if you’re right there in the room. You’ll hear from legendary pickers, innovative songwriters, and the dedicated souls who keep the tradition alive, all sharing their journeys in their own voices. The podcast, from Blue Poncho Media, is less about formal interviews and more about genuine connection, exploring how these artists live and breathe the genre. It’s for anyone who wants to understand not just how the music is made, but why it matters. Tune in for unfiltered stories, laughter, and the raw, unvarnished sound of bluegrass history being told by those who are shaping it, one note and one story at a time.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 42

Walls of Time: Bluegrass Podcast
Podcast Episodes
S1 E10. Little Roy Lewis: A Fun-Loving Legacy [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:07:09
From the time he was a boy, Little Roy Lewis has loved bluegrass music and the banjo. From picking cotton to picking the 5-string, Little Roy journeyed from the rural south to the biggest stages in the world with both th…
S1 E9. Cindy Baucom: Professional Passion [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:11:55
Highly respected broadcaster, Cindy Baucom sits down with Daniel Mullins this week to talk about how she got her start in radio, her work as a sought after festival MC, and her love of bluegrass music that started in her…
S1 E8. Mike Bub: Sideman Extraordinaire (Part 2) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:23
Here in Part 2 of Mike Bub’s conversation with host, Daniel Mullins, we hear again from this sideman extraordinaire as he talks about his time with the Del McCoury Band, his journey with the band as they broadened the bl…
S1 E7. Mike Bub: Sideman Extraordinaire (Part 1) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:39
From his time of growing up as a competition banjo player in the southwest, Arizona native Mike Bub has been a bluegrass staple -- from his time with the Weary Hearts to the Del McCoury Band, and even today as he is one…
S1 E6. Sierra Hull: From Fan to Icon [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 58:34
From fan to icon, the grateful and brilliant Sierra Hull tells her story of how she got her start by meeting her personal musical heroes. From a bright family upbringing to becoming friends with her idols, Sierra is a br…
S1 E5. Danny Paisley: A Pedigree on Positivity [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 33:25
The positivity of Danny Paisley. Hailing from Pennsylvania, Danny is what one would call “pedigreed Bluegrass.” He grew up playing this music alongside his legendary father, Bob Paisley, in The Southern Grass as they put…
S1 E4. Peter Rowan: The Keening Tones [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:06:12
Peter Rowan, a former Bluegrass Boy, has a storied career that includes working alongside Jerry Garcia with the West Coast band, Old & In The Way, and a reputation as an innovative and multi-faceted solo artist. He and o…
S1 E3. Blake Williams: The Sparta Flash [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:10:38
The Sparta Flash! Blake Williams is best known as a Bluegrass Boy, but one that witnessed some of the final years of his band leader, The Father of Bluegrass, Bill Monroe. Road stories from the last days of the first gen…
S1 E2. J.D. Crowe (Part 2): Going for Broke [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 44:47
We continue our conversation with Bluegrass Hall of Famer, J.D. Crowe today. J.D. shares advice for new bluegrass bands and musicians, his thoughts on doing things a little differently, and speaks fondly about the late K…
S1 E1. J.D. Crowe (Part 1): Grit and Innovation [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 48:34
The unmistakable music of banjo master, J.D. Crowe has shaped a generation of bluegrass musicians. His seminal band, the New South was known for taking mainstream songs and making them bluegrass favorites, as well as upd…