Basic Folk

• Frazey Ford Revisits the Subtle Grooves of 'Indian Ocean', ep. 331

  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 expression, and especially his voice. She completely dove in and even started an Al Green cover band. Although she had been perfecting her soul sound, the band that took off for Ford was, of course, The Be Good Tanyas. She talks in our Basic Folk interview about how the trio really worked to perfect quiet, beautiful country music rooted in her love of soul. She took that love into her solo career with her first record, 'Obadiah.' Even though her solo debut was mostly a folk record, documentary filmmaker Robert Gordon heard one of those songs on the radio. He sent her an email and invited her to work with Al Green's band, The Hi Rhythm Section. That invitation was the inception of her second album, 2014's 'Indian Ocean.'Now seeing a deluxe edition release in 2025, 'Indian Ocean' captured Frazey coming into her own as a solo artist. Working with brothers Charles (organ), Leroy (bass) and Teenie (guitar) Hodges, The Hi Rhythm Section taught her so much about groove, space, and collaboration. In our conversation, Frazey revisits those sessions and the lessons they brought. She talks about how the brothers had always wanted to record with a folk artist and what kind of care and attention they brought to her songs. She reflects on her time working with Teenie , who died before 'Indian Ocean' was released, but not before it was finished. We also get into her early life with her hippie family, her many creative outlets, and her fashion ethos.Follow Basic Folk on social media: https://basicfolk.bio.link/Sign up for Basic Folk's newsletter: https://bit.ly/basicfolknewsHelp produce Basic Folk by contributing: https://basicfolk.com/donate/Interested in sponsoring us? Contact BGS: https://bit.ly/sponsorBGSpodsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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• The Barr Brothers Rally Around Mysticism, ep. 330

  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 personal change. Brad made the huge decision to get sober, which he talks about candidly in our Basic Folk interview. Anything you read about the new record, 'Let it Hiss,' might allude to his newfound sobriety while not mentioning it directly. The band made a conscious decision not to include it in any press releases, specifically so that their audience could have their own relationship with the new music. It seems like getting sober has impacted every aspect of the album, but one could listen and project just about any personal pivotal shift onto these songs. Regardless, I am so appreciative that Brad opened up about his sobriety, so we could better understand the music and the incredible relationship that he and Andrew share.In our conversation, we talk about Brad's deep connection to the number 216, its origin, and why he's kept that number close to him for most of his life. He shares his reflections on the music lessons given to him and Andrew from visiting Malian musicians, who exchanged their services for free dental work from their father. Those lessons completely changed the musical trajectory of the brothers and still impact them today. We also talk about their former band, The Slip (who are actually still active every now and again), a much loved Boston group that was fully embraced in the jamband world. I find the music of Andrew and Brad Barr to be completely transformative and not of this world – and I'm so grateful for the new record. Please go see them live, especially if you are into celestial experiences!!Follow Basic Folk on social media: https://basicfolk.bio.link/Sign up for Basic Folk's newsletter: https://bit.ly/basicfolknewsHelp produce Basic Folk by contributing: https://basicfolk.com/donate/Interested in sponsoring us? Contact BGS: https://bit.ly/sponsorBGSpodsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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• David Wilcox Can Heal Your Heart in Two Minutes, ep. 329

  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 leaning into his problems and digging into their roots at the source: his own heart. He decided to see what lessons his heart had been trying to teach him and, at 67 years old, he's still listening and learning. He claims to have the answer of how to heal your heart and how to do it in two minutes; he lays it out in our conversation.We also talk about his new album, 'The Way I Tell the Story,' which continues his exploratory journey through the lens of his wife's Parkinson's diagnosis, retelling the story of his childhood, and staying calm in an emergency and in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene, which has devastated his community. We discuss how David was able to walk the line of acknowledging his talents without getting too caught up in the hot-and-fast success he experienced at the start of his career. He explains when it's best to feel the depths of sorrow versus disassociate and he talks about his lifelong love of cycling and how it continues to be a meditation and a life-saver. David is full of gems and wisdom – I think I'll be listening back to this edition of Basic Folk many times over.Follow Basic Folk on social media: https://basicfolk.bio.link/Sign up for Basic Folk's newsletter: https://bit.ly/basicfolknewsHelp produce Basic Folk by contributing: https://basicfolk.com/donate/Interested in sponsoring us? Contact BGS: https://bit.ly/sponsorBGSpodsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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• Kathleen Edwards: Making up for 30 Years of No Tears, ep. 328

  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 her coffee shop, Quitters. In our Basic Folk conversation, Edwards tears up talking about the cover of her new album 'Billionaire,' which was shot by a former Quitters employee, Riley. Riley – along with a fellow employee Amanda – traveled to Nashville in 2019 to watch Kathleen perform. The event was a pinnacle moment in her adult life, especially since, sadly, Amanda has since passed away.Kathleen also discusses her folk music roots, which began during her days at a bucolic childhood summer camp where her counselor suggested that she could make a career out of writing and performing songs. She gives a hat tip to Ani DiFranco, who she cites as a major influence musically and personally. Through Ani's example, she learned that success in the music business meant being self-reliant.Edwards talks about overcoming clinical depression, her decision to take a hiatus from music to open Quitters cafe, and how that period impacted her life and career. She delves into the making of the new album, highlighting the contributions of Jason Isbell and other collaborators to the project. Throughout our chat, Kathleen emphasizes the importance of authenticity, self-reliance, and the role of humor and vulnerability in her music – and life.Follow Basic Folk on social media: https://basicfolk.bio.link/Sign up for Basic Folk's newsletter: https://bit.ly/basicfolknewsHelp produce Basic Folk by contributing: https://basicfolk.com/donate/Interested in sponsoring us? Contact BGS: https://bit.ly/sponsorBGSpodsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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• Peter Rowan: The Bluegrass Buddha's Tex-Mex Roots, ep. 327

  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 important Old & In the Way with Jerry Garcia and David Grisman. However, his latest album 'Tales of the Free Mexican Airforce' celebrates the music of the Southwest and draws a throughline from Tex-Mex to bluegrass. Rowan has a long history with this music from his very first solo record, which includes the original recording of "The Free Mexican Airforce" as well as "Midnight-Moonlight." Both of those classic Rowan compositions got re-recorded for the new record and feature the late great Flaco Jiménez (as did the original 1978 recordings), who just passed away in July of 2025.In our Basic Folk conversation, we talk about Flaco's enthusiasm for Peter's music, the many collaborations they recorded. and why he included a recording of Flaco speaking on the album. Peter speaks about how immigrants and musical culture from Latin America are constantly inspiring him and keeping him patriotic. He also spoke about what keeps him aging well, what his energy and enthusiasm look like at 83 years old, and, of course, Bill Monroe's baseball team.Follow Basic Folk on social media: https://basicfolk.bio.link/Sign up for Basic Folk's newsletter: https://bit.ly/basicfolknewsHelp produce Basic Folk by contributing: https://basicfolk.com/donate/Interested in sponsoring us? Contact BGS: https://bit.ly/sponsorBGSpodsAdvertising Inquiries: https://redcircle.com/brands

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