{"podcast":{"title":"Basic Folk","slug":"basic-folk-1030186","podcast_index_feed_id":1030186,"rss_url":"https://feeds.redcircle.com/aaf5e937-14de-4377-8d58-100b59a5150d","website_url":"https://redcircle.com/shows/basic-folk","image_url":"https://media.redcircle.com/images/2025/1/2/2/39e58f92-5091-43dd-b05e-40970bca1ffe_1-426f-94e7-bd417e8f3751_basic-folk-logo-final.jpg","author":"The Bluegrass Situation","episode_count":371,"summary":"Basic Folk features honest conversations with folk musicians hosted by Cindy Howes and Lizzie No. We approach interviews with warmth, humor and insightful questions. Since 2018, this podcast has dignified under the radar roots musicians by providing a platform that they might not otherwise have. You’ll hear interviews from Three-time Grammy-winning guitar gods like Molly Tuttle, Haitian American folk legends like Leyla McCalla and deep feelers like songwriter John Hiatt. Basic Folk is dedicated to showcasing the best in folk, bluegrass, acoustic and americana including Black, Brown and Queer folx who have been excluded, or felt like they did not belong, in the folk world. Cindy & Lizzie each bring a unique perspective to these honest conversations with folk musicians. We are equally dedicated to repainting the broad landscape of folk music as we are to tearing down the ivory towers of the music industry. What would Bruce Springsteen do if he ever got the keys to that mansion on the hill? Let's find out together on Basic Folk. Basic is an official production of The Bluegrass Situation. Thanks for listening. Welcome to Basic Folk. Follow Basic Folk on social media: https://basicfolk…","last_synced_at":null,"page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/basic-folk-1030186"},"episode":{"title":"Laurie Lewis' Bluegrass Love Letter to California, ep. 337","slug":"laurie-lewis-bluegrass-love-letter-to-california-ep-337","published_at":"2026-02-19T07:00:23+00:00","page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/basic-folk-1030186/laurie-lewis-bluegrass-love-letter-to-california-ep-337","show_page_url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/basic-folk-1030186","url":"https://basicfolk.com","audio_url":"https://audio4.redcircle.com/episodes/f6665ca8-e8d6-4edd-90e8-4df101e03ee5/stream.mp3","summary":"A foundational participant in the '70s Bay Area bluegrass scene, Laurie Lewis knows the power of collaboration. She's been a part of an ensemble in recent years that's called \"Laurie Lewis & the Right Hands\" with Laurie on fiddle, guitar, and vocals, Brandon Godman on fiddle, George Guthrie on banjo, and Hasee Ciaccio on bass. That group plays a huge part in her new album, 'Oh California!,' a collection of songs that explore our own places in the natural world and in each other’s hearts. It also serves as a love letter to her home state. One standout track, the traditional \"Fair and Tender Ladies,\" is a duet with Ciaccio, which brings the song's cautionary tale to life. In our Basic Folk conversation, Laurie talks about what it's been like to learn traditional songs before actually catching their meaning, long after figuring out the tune. Lewis emphasizes the communal and collaborative nature that defines her musicianship. She recounts her early exposure to music played socially when her father and his friends gathered at their home to play classical music when she was young. She credits that experience with solidifying her decision to learn to play, so she could have as much fun as they did. Laurie also opens up about her path to finding independence from her father's expectations and her eventual return to music through modern dance and folk tradition. She touches on her passion for nature, recounting transformative hiking experiences, and reveals her thoughts on collaboration and mentorship within the music community. Additionally, Lewis reflects on the profound impact of losing her voice in 2021 and the emotional journey of rediscovering her musical identity. We wrap up our conversation talking about her friend Alice Gerrard, whom she covers on the new album. After…","meta_description":"A foundational participant in the '70s Bay Area bluegrass scene, Laurie Lewis knows the power of collaboration. She's been a part of an ensemble in recent…","key_points":[],"chapters":[],"topics":[],"duration_seconds":3135,"processing_state":"not_requested","actions":[{"name":"request_transcript","method":"POST","url":"https://stenobird.com/v1/public/podcasts/basic-folk-1030186/episodes/laurie-lewis-bluegrass-love-letter-to-california-ep-337/transcription-requests","description":"Idempotently request low-priority transcript generation for this episode."},{"name":"read_markdown","method":"GET","url":"https://stenobird.com/podcast/basic-folk-1030186/laurie-lewis-bluegrass-love-letter-to-california-ep-337.md","description":"Read the agent-friendly Markdown representation of this episode resource."}]}}