Roots Rednecks and Radicals
By Will Houk- Alt Country, Indie, Folk
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Image by Will Houk- Alt Country, Indie, Folk
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Subscribers: 13
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Episodes: 100
Description
Explore the rebellious counterculture, hidden histories, and unexpected connections bridging the worlds of alt-country, indie rock, and punk music. Hosted by Will Houk, Roots, Rednecks, and Radicals is a music history podcast dedicated to the artists who subvert traditional genres and challenge the status quo.
From deep dives into the working-class protest music of Woody Guthrie and Johnny Cash to the modern, trailblazing sounds of Orville Peck, Brandi Carlile, Charley Crockett, and Billy Strings, this show traces the thin line between outlaw country grit and independent DIY punk ethics. Whether analyzing classic americana, underground folk, bluegrass, or riot grrrl anthems, we uncover the radical roots behind the music you love.
New episodes drop regularly featuring exclusive artist interviews, music journalism, and curated track roundups. Hit follow to join the rebellion and discover how "redneck" and "radical" belong together.
| Episode | Date |
|---|---|
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IAN NOE, COLBY T. HELMS and JOHN R. MILLER are in the ROTATION!
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Oct 30, 2026 |
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COLBY T. HELMS Has Made ONE FOR THE LOSERS
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Oct 26, 2026 |
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RATBOYS TWIN TEMPLE and JAKE BLOUNT Are In The Rotation!
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Oct 23, 2026 |
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CHARLIE PARR On His New Record ROOMING HOUSE
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Oct 19, 2026 |
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SHONEN KINFE Brings Their Style Of Japanese Punk To Reno.
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Oct 18, 2026 |
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BILLY STRINGS, RHIANNON GIDDENS, and WILLI CARLISLE are in The Rotation!
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Oct 16, 2026 |
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KACEY MUSGRAVES & INTOCABLE Just Made Texas Music History!
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Oct 12, 2026 |
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Philly Punk Band ERASER Is On The Show Talking About Their New Album OPERATOR!
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Oct 09, 2026 |
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Did TOM MORELLO Really Tell People To Not Vote?
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Oct 07, 2026 |
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BECK'S New Album RIDE LONESOME Is An Introspective Journey.
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Oct 05, 2026 |
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Alex Orbison: Finishing a Lost Johnny Cash Song, Drumming for The Allman Betts Band, and His New Solo Album
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Sep 28, 2026 |
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ORVILLE PECK'S New Album Mule Is Some Of His Best Work.
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Sep 25, 2026 |
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PHOEBE BRIDGERS May Have Written The Album Of The Year LOST WEEKEND.
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Sep 23, 2026 |
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AARON LEE TASJAN'S New Album GET OVER IT UNDERDOG.
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Sep 07, 2026 |
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Nathan Evans Fox explores southern culture and history on his new album Heirloom.
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Aug 31, 2026 |
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RIP Dolly Parton!
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Aug 28, 2026 |
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5 Songs I'm Diggin' for August 2026. Featuring Lucy Dacus, Phoebe Bridgers, Nathan Evans Fox, Billy Strings and Margo Price w/Joan Baez.
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Aug 24, 2026 |
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Brandi Carlile Unleashes A Cover of an Alanis Morissette Song At Newport Folk Festival
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Aug 21, 2026 |
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Kacey Musgraves Celebrates Mexican Music With Brothers Detained By ICE
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May 14, 2026 |
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5 Songs I'm Diggin' For May! Featuring Lucy Liyou, Snail Mail, Kacey Musgraves/Willie Nelson, Deer Tick, and Shooter Jennings/Willie Nelson.
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May 11, 2026 |
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The Album That Set The Stage For Outlaw Country Turns 50 This Year!
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May 05, 2026 |
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5 Songs I'm Digging For April. Featuring Charley Crockett, Mitski, Iron & Wine, Ratboys, and India Ramey!
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Apr 28, 2026 |
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Jessye Desilva Glitters Up The Dark With This New Album Produced By Aaron Lee Tasjan!
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Apr 26, 2026 |
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Gillian Welch's album "Revivial" Came Out 30 Years Ago This Month! Let's Take A Look At This Classic Album.
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Apr 20, 2026 |
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Johnny Blue Skies (aka Sturgill Simpson) Has A New Album Out! And It's Weird As Hell!
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Apr 15, 2026 |
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Charley Crockett's new album "Age of the Ram" is the end of his Sagebrush Trilogy.
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Apr 09, 2026 |
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Folk/Blues Legend Charlie Parr Is On The Show!
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Mar 30, 2026 |
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Folk Duo The Lowest Pair Talk Are On The Show!
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Mar 28, 2026 |
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5 Songs I'm Digging For March! Featuring Jeff Tweedy, Jeremy Ivey (w/Margo Price), Courtney Barnett, Father John Misty, and the Milk Carton Kids.
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Mar 23, 2026 |
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Colter Wall Is Taking A Break From Music For The Time Being
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Mar 19, 2026 |
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Folk The Man! John Henry
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Mar 16, 2026 |
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Country Music Grifters: Kid Rock
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Mar 09, 2026 |
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Steve Earle's Guitar Town Turns 40 This Month. Let's Take A Look At This Classic Album!
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Mar 03, 2026 |
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Celebrating Black History Month With The Carolina Chocolate Drops!
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Mar 01, 2026 |
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Remembering Bob Weir. The legendary guitar player of the Grateful Dead!
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Feb 17, 2026 |
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5 Songs I'm Diggin' For February featuring: Lucinda Wiliams, Mitski, Ecca Vandal, Flea, and Kim Gordon
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Feb 10, 2026 |
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Folk The Man! The Ghost of Tom Joad
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Feb 03, 2026 |
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5 Songs I'm Diggin' for January featuring Wednesday, Courtney Barnett, Clover Country, Colter Wall, and Brennan Leigh!
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Jan 29, 2026 |
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Sammy Brue on his touching album dedicated to the memory of Justin Townes Earle.
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Jan 26, 2026 |
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Hayley Heynderickx and Max Garcia Conover Are Making Music Like Woody Guthrie
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Jan 23, 2026 |
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MJ Lenderman and Waxahatchie are artists to be listening to in 2026!
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Jan 05, 2026 |
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Breaking down the best music of 2025!
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Jan 01, 2026 |
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Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas is a damn delight!
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Dec 22, 2025 |
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This Episode Goes To 11! Remembering Rob Reiner And His Classic Film This Is Spinal Tap!
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Dec 21, 2025 |
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Amanda Shires dives deep into her divorce with Jason Isbell on her new album "Nobody's Girl."
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Dec 15, 2025 |
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Billy Strings Tiny Desk Concert!
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Dec 11, 2025 |
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Mexican folk musician Silvana Estrada is someone you need to be listening to!
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Dec 08, 2025 |
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Brandi Carlile's new album "Returning to Myself" is Brandi at her best!
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Dec 01, 2025 |
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Twangly, Jangly, Honky-Tonking Alt Country!
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Nov 24, 2025 |
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In Memory of Todd Snider, The Interview We Did In 2020. RIP Todd!
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Nov 20, 2025 |
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Indie Folk, But Not Like Stomp-Clap Indie Folk
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Nov 19, 2025 |
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Austin Meade is blending rock and country sounds on his new album Almost Famous.
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Nov 10, 2025 |
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Singer Songwriter Max Gomez On His New Album Memory Mountain
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Nov 03, 2025 |
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The Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art's New Record Label Features The Kasawambwe Brother of Malawi Africa.
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Oct 27, 2025 |
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I Am A Fall-Ass Hoe. And Do I Got A Playlist For You! Let's Celebrate Spooky Season With Some Great Music.
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Oct 20, 2025 |
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Roots Rewind: Amanda Shires On Her Song The Problem, And Writing About Women's Reproductive Rights
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Oct 13, 2025 |
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The West Texas Exiles Talk About Their New Album, The West, And How The Desert Impacts Their Songwriting.
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Oct 06, 2025 |
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Roots Rewind: A Conversation With Amy Ray of Indigo Girls
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Oct 01, 2025 |
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5 Song I'm Digging for September 2025! Featuring Jeff Tweedy, Neko Case, Lucy Dacus, Will Hoge, and Hayes Carll.
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Sep 29, 2025 |
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Rancid's break out album ...And Out Come The Wolves turns 30 this year. And it's still a banger!
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Sep 23, 2025 |
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Willie Nelson's Red Headed Stranger Turns 50 This Year! Let's Take A Look At This Classic Album.
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Sep 18, 2025 |
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AI Generated Music Sucks! Let's Take A Look At Some Awful Songs I "Wrote" Whatever That Means.
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Sep 09, 2025 |
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5 Songs I'm Digging Ep. 8 featuring Margo Price/Jesse Welles, Tyler Childers, Charley Crockett, Wednesday, and SG Goodman!
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Aug 25, 2025 |
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Kai Crowe-Getty discusses his new album "The Wreckage."
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Aug 18, 2025 |
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Tyler Childers Visionary New Album "Snipe Hunter" Is A Banger!
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Aug 13, 2025 |
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Nathan Evans Fox on his news song Hillbilly Hymn and why the Old Testament idea of "Jubilee" is relevant today. But probably not in the way you think.
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Aug 11, 2025 |
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Tami Neilson's new album "Neon Cowgirl" is a powerhouse of an album. She joins me today to talk about the record, recording with Willie Nelson, and what a whirlwind the last few years have been!
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Aug 04, 2025 |
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Tribute to the music of Ozzy Osbourne!
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Jul 30, 2025 |
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Amanda Shires reflects on her divorce with Jason Isbell in her new track "A Way It Goes."
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Jul 28, 2025 |
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Margo Price Comes Out Swinging With Her New Single "Don't Let The Bastards Get You Down"
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Jul 23, 2025 |
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Reno based alt-rock band Worm Shot is on the show performing live and talking about why we need more women in rock music!
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Jul 14, 2025 |
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Laufey has a new song out called Tough Luck and it is a masterpiece!
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Jul 07, 2025 |
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Turnstile has a new album out and it’s experimental, hardcore, and incredible! We take a look at it on today's episode!
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Jun 30, 2025 |
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The Girlies Are Taking Over Indie Rock! Today we take a look at Mitski, St. Vincent, The Marias, Japanese Breakfast, Lucy Dacus, and Laufey.
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Jun 23, 2025 |
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Drunken Prayer (Morgan Geer) talks about his new album out on Dial Back Sound headed up by Drive By Truckers/Laura Jane Grace bassist Matt Patton.
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Jun 17, 2025 |
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Cowboy poet and singer/songwriter Mike Beck talks about working with Ian Tyson, Colter Wall, and why Nevada is King!
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Jun 13, 2025 |
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The Girlies Are Taking Over: Punk! This week we take a look at Bikini Kill, Amyl and the Sniffers, The Linda Lindas and more!
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May 12, 2025 |
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Roots Rewind: A White Guy Listens to Mexican Music Pt. 1
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May 05, 2025 |
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Melody Walker talks songwriting with Sierra Ferrell, and Molly Tuttle. Also her plethora of projects including a Grateful Dead Drag Band!
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Apr 04, 2025 |
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Is The Patronage Model The Way Forward For Musicians?
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Mar 17, 2025 |
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The Girlies Are Taking Over! Pop Music
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Mar 03, 2025 |
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We Need To Talk About The Kendrick Lamar Halftime Show!
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Feb 24, 2025 |
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TopHouse is on the show today talking about their new EP!
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Feb 17, 2025 |
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Celebrating Black History Month With Gangstagrass!
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Feb 10, 2025 |
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Celebrating Black History Month With The American Songster Dom Flemons!
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Feb 03, 2025 |
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Cowboy Poets Andy Hedges and Brenn Hill Talk the Music and Culture of The West!
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Jan 27, 2025 |
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A Shoutout To My Listeners!
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Jan 26, 2025 |
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Making of a Folk Hero: Jesse James and Luigi Mangione
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Jan 20, 2025 |
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The Girlies Are Taking Over: Americana Pt. 2
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Jan 13, 2025 |
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The Girlies Are Taking Over: Americana Pt. 1
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Jan 06, 2025 |
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Is Bob Dylan overrated? Today we take a look at the hype around Bob Dylan and whether or not it is well deserved.
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Jan 02, 2025 |
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Best of 2024! On today's episode I do a breakdown of the best roots music of 2024. Enjoy and Happy New Year!
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Dec 30, 2024 |
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Roots Rewind: Emmit Otter's Jugband Christmas!
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Dec 24, 2024 |
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Dolly Parton Explores her family history in Smoky Mountain DNA!
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Dec 17, 2024 |
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Tom Petty's Wildflowers Pt. 2
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Nov 20, 2024 |
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Tom Petty's Wildflowers is 30 years old! Let's take a look at this unbelievable album!
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Nov 12, 2024 |
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Best of: Amanda Shires joins me to talk about her song "The Problem" and women's reproductive health.
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Oct 29, 2024 |
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Miss Nevada Karrina Ferris is on the show! It's Nevada Day and to celebrate I wanted to bring this conversation I had with her to you today.
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Oct 25, 2024 |
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Singer Songwriter Abigail Austin Lucas is on the show! I had a great conversation with her and Kim Cook from the Reno Punk Flea Market.
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Oct 23, 2024 |
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5 Songs I'm Digging: Spooky Season Edition! On today's episode we take a look at five of my favorite songs from the Halloween season. I hope you dig it!
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Oct 20, 2024 |