Ward Hayden and the Outliers are an American Alt-Country/Rock band from the Northeast. They have been playing music together for some time now, and they just released an album of new songs. It sounds incredible. Their hard driving sound is reminiscent of Drive By Truckers, with great guitar tones and thoughtful lyrics. I had a chance to chat with them about their songs and the band recently. It was a fantastic conversation. They’re really good guys making great music. I hope you dig it! 

Roots, Rednecks, and Radicals

Ward Hayden and the Outliers

The Way Down Wanderers are an American string band from Illinois. Their sound weaves guitar, bass, mandolin, banjo and fiddle together into a beautiful blend of old time instruments . Their new album is called “More Like Tomorrow” and it features amazing songwriting and instrumentation. I had a chance to chat with them about their songs recently. I hope you dig our conversation!

The Way Down Wanderers

This is the first installment in a new series. The purpose of the series is to help people stay informed on all the incredible music coming out in the world of Americana, Roots, and Folk music. I really think we are living in a golden age of  music, and I would love to share with you the stuff I think is stellar. So sit back, relax, and enjoy my take on some great tunes. 

5 Songs I‘m Digging

Reggie Harris is a singer/songwriter, activist, and educator who has been active for over 40 years. Over the course of his career he’s recorded an impressive amount of music, won awards for his contributions to Civil Rights education, been featured on CNN, and is the Co-President of the Living Legacy Project. He has a new album out, called “On Solid Ground” that is a thoughtful and soulful reflection on our current world. I hope you enjoy our conversation. 

Reggie Harris

Paul Thorn is an accomplished songwriter with an array of artists who have cut his songs. Tanya Tucker, Billy Rae Cyrus, and Jerry Jeff Walker have all covered his tunes. That’s incredible enough, but he’s also made a name for himself as a performer as well. He has a dry southern wit that informs his lyrics, and a laid back style that draws you in and makes you feel at home. His latest album is an exploration of these influences and I had a chance to chat with him recently about it. I hope ya dig it. 

Paul Thorn

Rising Appalachia is an American folk/roots group that has been touring and making music for years. They play an impressive range of style and instruments, and draw on inspiration from disparate sources, creating a unique style all their own. Their most recent record was recorded in a spontaneous fashion, in a very short time. And the result is amazing. I had a chance to chat with Leah about the album and how it was made. I hope you dig it!

Rising Appalachia

Erik Schicotte is a singer songwriter from Milwaukee Wisconsin. He has a deep booming voice reminiscent of Johnny Cash and Colter Wall. He has a new EP out called “Miss’ry Paciffic” that showcases his songwriting skill. He called in to my show to chat about the new record, and the songs he wrote. We had a great talk. I hope ya dig it. 

Erik Shicotte

Rachel Baiman is a singer songwriter based out of Nashville TN. I chatted with her about the EP she released in 2018 called Thanksgiving. I’ve been impressed with not only her skillful playing, but also her songwriting ability. It’s succinct and to the point. She writes great melodies, as well as lyrics the genuinely explore topics. We chatted recently about her new album called “Cycles.” I hope you dig it!

Rachel Baiman

The Infamous Stringdusters are a string band based out of Nashville TN. They have been putting out music for some time now and have made a name for themselves as standout musicians in a talented music scene. They recently released an album that is a tribute to the late/great Bill Monroe. I got to talk with Andy about this album, and what they’ll be up to this year. I hope you dig it!

The Infamous Stringdusters

The latest record by southern-country rock band Steel Woods is a touching tribute to a lost bandmate. Founding member Rowdy Cope passed away this January. The news was devastating to the band, as well as the musical community surrounding them. They finished the album “All of Your Stones” as both a way to heal, and pay fitting tribute to their longtime friend and bandmate. I had a chance to talk with lead singer Wes about the album. I hope ya dig it. 

Steel Woods

For the last twenty years Shannon McNally has been crafting songs and performing her music in front of audiences. She has developed a unique style with both her voice and her guitar playing. Her most recent album is a tribute to the songwriting legacy of Waylon Jennings. A long time fan of his music, she wanted to interpret his songs with a bit of her own style thrown in. The result is fantastic. Fans of Jennings will recognize the vibe of his songs, and her voice brings a fresh outlook to the tunes. I recently chatted with Shannon about this album. I hope you dig it.    Thanks to Shannon for chatting with me about this album. And thank you for listening. Don’t forget to subscribe to the show wherever you listen. And check me out social media. Just search up Roots, Rednecks and Radicals. Have a good one everybody. I’ll catch you next time.

Shannon Mcnally

John Smith is a singer songwriter from the UK. During the pandemic like most artists he found himself at home with a bunch of cancelled gigs. He decided to record an album that collaborated with people from around the globe including Sarah Jarosz, Jessica Staveley-Taylor, Bill Frisell, and The Milk Carton Kids. The album he recorded is intimate, and beautiful. I had a chance to chat with him about the recording of the album and some of his incredibly written songs. I hope you dig it. 

John Smith

Southern Culture on the Skids is a rockabilly, R&B, surf rock southern- country rock band that has been a mainstay of clubs for years. They’ve performed on TV shows like the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, and Late Night with Conan O’Brien. Not to mention the Beavis and Butthead movie. They have a loyal following that have been following them for years. During the pandemic they recorded an album called “At Home with SCOTS.” I had a chance to chat with Rick about the recording, the songs, and how the band has been doing this last year. I hope ya dig it!

Southern Culture on the Skids

Amigo the Devil is a pretty unique songwriter. His songs are hard to pin down, both sonically and lyrically. He calls his sound “Dark Folk” which is pretty accurate. But it’s more than that. He draws on various influences to create a sonic landscape that is sparse, and intriguing. His lyrics often focus on heavy issues of death, religion, even ethics. In the end his songwriting is fascinating and leaves you thinking about things long after the song is over. I had a chance to chat with him about his new album “Born Against.” I hope you dig it!

Amigo The Devil

The Accidentals are, in their own words, a female-fronted multi-instrumentalist power trio. I like that description. The Michigan based band has been writing and recording music for a number of years now. Their sound eccompasses many genres including folk, indie, orchestral, and pop. Their upcoming EP is a collection of songs they wrote during the pandemic that reflect on the state of our current culture. I had a chance to chat with Sav, Katie and Michael about this release, and their band. It was a fun chat. Make sure to check them out, they’re young but they are crazy talented and I look forward to hearing from them in the years to come. I hope ya dig it! 

The Accidentals

Roots and Radicals Podcast·Thursday, May 24, 2018 The Roots, Rednecks, and Radicals is a radio show/podcast that focuses on Americana, Roots, and Folk music. We play a variety of music from divergent artists from many different eras. Roots and Folk music can be defined in many different ways and we lean in to the fact that artists from various backgrounds have enriched the catalog of American music with their ingenuity and creativity.

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Roots, Rednecks, and Radicals

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