Sami Braman is an accomplished old time fiddler. She’s been at it since she was six, leading a band since she was eight! Early training at Pacific NorthWest camps and festivals has led to many musical projects such as The Onlies, Willie Watson’s Band, and her own stringband. Frank Evans on banjo, Jake Stargell on guitar and Emily Mann on bass join Sami’s fiddle for a show at Northampton’s Parlor Room on Wed 9/4.

Our conversation is interspersed with tunes from her band release, “Riveter” alongside her work with The Onlies. We talk about her musical journey, her college choices, her playing with Willie Watson on record and on tour. Sami talks about the pride she has in running the Fiddle Tunes camp that she grew up attending. She discusses her move to Nashville Tn, a town jammed full of amazing fiddlers as she continues to grow as an artist. Catch the next phase of that growth when she leads her talented band on tour as the Parlor Room reopens for the Fall season. Details at ParlorRoom.org for details.

I’ve had lots of guests on the Town Crier in the last three years but never a REAL Town Crier! Kathy-Ann Becker, Wendell MA’s Town Crier, joined me to talk about her role in this now rare public service. Along with her handbell, 1781 Farmer’s attire and a proclamation to start the show, Kathy-Ann was a joy to chat with. We got a thorough history of the role that a Town Crier played in the eighteenth century as well as a look into more current duties as well. We chat about what makes a good Crier, how to become one (There’s only four in Massachusetts), we even compared what I attempt to do on my radio show to a Town Crier’s role.

Kathy-Ann will be heading to Provincetown this Fall for the American Guild of Town Crier’s competition. We know she’ll represent her Town of Wendell well! After, she’s been the Town Moderator for 29 years and stays active in Town festivities. She’ll be appearing at Wendell’s Old Home Days this Fall as well; ringing her handbell and proclaiming the news to all!

Anyone curious about applying for Town Crier themselves? Check out AmericanTownCriers.org for details.

My guest, Harry Remer, has two local shows you don’t want to miss. Ana Bandeira Chocolates in Northampton on Friday 7/12 and Shelburne Falls Porchfest on Sunday 7/14. We had a great chat about those gigs as well as topics like songwriting processes, musical heroes and a guitar that “got away”. Of course, Harry sang us a few of his original songs live in-studio. He opened with “Carolina Wren” and a powerful version of “Creatures of Habit”. We listened to his recording of “There’s A Light In Everything” another original while we finished with a radio themed song (!!) called “The End of the Dial”. You can follow Harry’s work at HarryRemerMusic.com and sign up to his newsletter. Support local music! Both venues, festivals and musicians need our help to keep the music ecosystem strong.!!

Duane Betts joined me on Father’s Day to talk about his new album, “Wild and Precious Life” along with his local Iron Horse show on July 17. We began by talking about his father’s musical legacy and if it was on balance; a burden or a blessing. We took a journey with Duane through some of his previous projects such as Backbone 69, White Star, Brethren of the Coast, Jamtown, Dawes and his Dad’s band, Great Southern. He has most recently been touring with the Allman Betts Band and now his solo tour coming to Northampton Massachusetts.

Duane filled us in on the writing of this latest batch of songs resulting in “Wild and Precious Life”. They were written in Dickie Betts basement studio while they lived in the guesthouse nicknamed the Palmetto Hotel. While Dickie’s health was failing at the time, he heard the process coming together as the songs worked themselves out. Duane works closely with Stoll Vaughan as a co-writer as well as Johnny Stachela who plays guitar on the latest work. Once written, Duane was offered the use of Swamp Raga; the studio of Ssusan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks in nearby Jacksonville. Derek even offered some insight into Dickie Betts character resulting in the song, “Stare Into the Sun” which Trucks plays guitar on as well. Topics like guitar harmony, sobriety, impact of Dickie’s legacy and guitars.

Throughout the conversation we hear songs to illustrate the topics. We begin with the Allman Brothers classic “Jessica” written for Dickie Betts daughter (in true Father’d Day fashion). We hear “Waiting on a Song” from “Wild and Precious Life” as well as “Stare at the Sun” and “Circles in the Stars’ to finish the segment.

Give it a listen or better yet get a ticket to see the music live at the Iron Horse on Thursday 7/17. IronHorse.org

Mikey Sweet returns to NineVoltHeart to preview his upcoming Iron Horse show along with Ward Hayden & the Outliers on June 27. We begin the segment with “Let It Go” from Mikey’s debut album, The North King. The in-studio performance features two new songs from Sweet, “Elijah” and “States of Grace” offering a preview of his Iron Horse gig on Thursday night. We also listened to his rendition of “Will The Angels Come” from last year’s soul project “The Ghost of Brian McCullough”. Brian was one of Mikey Sweets songwriting mentors and friend who passed away in 2021. Along the way, Mikey and I discuss his earliest memories of Northampton’s Center Street venue, the Iron Horse. We talk about Sweet’s incredible life journey towards sobriety and a new career in counseling. While he may have taken a performing hiatus, his love of songwriting and singing never wavered. A new approach seems to fit Mikey’s new tunes. Honest, uplifting and direct. In that regard maybe not much has changed after all. Give the show a listen or better yet go to IronHorse.org to get a ticket for Mikey Sweet along with Ward Hayden and the Outliers 6/27.

Becky Buller has known almost unparalleled success as a musician for decades. Ten time IBMA award winner, member of the ground breaking First Ladies of Bluegrass, solo artist and bandleader, she nevertheless felt undeserving and anxious. Her mental health hit a major setback during the pandemic when she lost half her band and all her livelihood. She is not alone in this circumstance as a majority of independent musicians struggled with their mental health during this trying time. Not everyone turned this tumult into art however. With the help of a Freshgrass Commission, Becky and her band recorded “Jubilee” at North Adams’ Studio 9 last year.

The album is a song cycle of her journey through this crisis; the ups and downs of her depression are chronicled throughout “Jubilee”. It is an astounding piece of work, lyrically and instrumentally. It’s a brave and honest look at this artist in crisis; along with her hopeful prayerful recovery.

The segment includes the entire “Jubilee” cycle interspersed with Becky’s honest assesment of the songs on this latest Dark Shadows Recording. Highly recommended.

Session Americana has long been a loose collective of Boston-area players collaborating; the Anti-band philosophy serving them well. Nine (and soon to be 10) albums with world-wide tours belie the concept that they’ve avoided all the industry “shoulds” and gone with the “joy of the music” as the north star. The latest retrospective, “The Rattle and the Clatter”, is great place to start if you missed the early years in small Cambridge clubs crowded at tables with notable guests and buzz.

The band makes a New England run including the newly renovated Iron Horse Music Hall in Northampton, Ma on 5/23. Billy Beard, drummer and co-founder of Session Americana, joins Eleanor Buckland in a conversation about the band’s origins and development and their twenty years on the road.

Give the segment a listen. It includes “Pack Up the Circus”, “Merrimac County” from Rattle as well as Eleanor’s “You Don’t Have to Know”.

Lisa Bastoni has just released a gem of an album, “On the Water”. She joined me in-studio with Sean Staples who produced the album and plays multiple instruments throughout. With Sean on mandolin and Lisa with her guitar; they charmed the listening audience with their sincerity, modesty, and a batch of new songs.! They begin with a live version of the album opener, “Right Side of the River”. Studio cuts of “Waxwing” and “Let’s Look at Houses” follow emphasizing the variety of tone and subject matter. “Waxwing’ was the result of a songwriting prompt while the fun “Houses” the result of a co-write with Willi Carlisle. We listened to a Sean Staples co-write with Mark Erelli called “Blacktop Parade” next along with a discussion of the role of songwriter retreats to the creative process. Lisa and Sean performed “I Wish It Would Last” and “Cheap Wine” live from “On the Water”. We finished with “Bluebonnets” from the studio version.

Lisa and Sean will perform a CD release show at the Parlor Room on Sunday 4/21. ParlorRoom.org for info