Sara Jean Stevens Hits Her Stride With Working Mother, New EP Coming Soon
Welcome to Episode 11 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls “Frank,” and Jason Falls, who goes by “Falls” most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.
On this episode, we’re joined by singer-songwriter Sara Jean Stevens. The Illinois-based artist has put in years of grind, playing in other people’s bands and other people’s music. She even did a European tour with Bleached, an L.A.-based punk band a few years back.
But she decided one day she had songs in her that needed to get out, so she started gigging with her own band, which morphed into a solo act backed by musicians and began to find her own voice and sound. Firmly planted in the Americana sound, Stevens writes songs she calls “dusty and warm” like the horse farm she grew up on.
Frank and Falls talked about her journey to cutting her first album, the new EP and eventual LP in the works, her career as a hair and makeup artist, her recent jaunt into being a muralist, and a lot more. Stevens is set to open for John Hiatt in the spring and is poised for a big year in 2024.
Frank and Falls also reveal Roots Music Rambler’s new merch, now available at rootsmusicrambler.com/store, talk about their experience in bands and singing in public, and, of course, share some new albums and artists worth checking in in the Pickin’ the Grinnin’ segment of the show.
Falls swoons over his favorite new find in years – Proof of Life from Joy Oladokun.
Buckle up for The Hoe-Down and the Throw-Down! It’s a new episode of Roots Music Rambler.
Notes and links:
The Roots Music Rambler Store – https://rootsmusicrambler.com/store
Chris Slater’s framed RMR 1st Edition Shirt – https://www.facebook.com/photo?fbid=7400897503253592&set=a.105369919473090
Frank singing LaBamba – https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AjVsEXOW6b8
Sara Jean Stevens Online – https://www.sarajeanstevens.com/
Sara Jean Stevens YouTube – https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrw4kkUAfksFdhyV3Kz82ng
Working Mother on Bandcamp – https://sarajeanstevens.bandcamp.com/album/working-mother
Bleached on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/2kS9MrOD16tiQOIyJTzFxK
The Betty White mural in Oak Park (by Sara Jean Stevens) – https://www.oakpark.com/2022/08/30/oak-parks-golden-girl-gets-a-mural/
Dial Back Sound – Matt Patton’s studio – https://www.dialbacksound.com/
The Seratones – https://www.seratones.com/
The Creative Act by Rick Rubin – https://amzn.to/3NTfwMY
Roots Music Rambler on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/rootsmusicrambler/
Roots Music Rambler on TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@rootsmusicrambleon
Roots Music Rambler on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/RootsMusicRambler
Jason Falls on Instagram – https://instagram.com/jasonfalls
Francesca Folinazzo on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/workmomtravels/
Pickin’ the Grinnin’ Recommendations
WFPK 2023 Countdown Results & Playlist – https://www.lpm.org/music/2023-11-07/best-albums-of-2023-countdown
Jason’s Americana Playlist on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2cjb41BYtyQGNImpJLI1Sg?si=87ddbb644eb34b32
Weathervanes – Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit – https://open.spotify.com/album/2gL0IM5SYhCxJebPaKdDkx
The Record – Boy Genius – https://open.spotify.com/album/0e9GjrztzBw8oMC6n2CDeI
Rustin’ in the Rain – Tyler Childers – https://open.spotify.com/album/7rSObXhKazzmeZFHuGX1mx
Guts – Olivia Rodrigo – https://open.spotify.com/album/1xJHno7SmdVtZAtXbdbDZp
Cousin – Wilco – https://open.spotify.com/artist/2QoU3awHVdcHS8LrZEKvSM
Hackney Diamonds – Rolling Stones – https://open.spotify.com/album/1AxMcdQRLguJqSZMxvRNdO
First Two Pages of Frankenstein – The National – https://open.spotify.com/album/5Mc6uebYtKnRc5I7bjlNB6
Jason’s big recommendation: Joy Oladokun’s Proof of Life – https://open.spotify.com/album/30lZLey3bIVaqxlkAnKrg4
Noah Kahan on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/2RQXRUsr4IW1f3mKyKsy4B
Noah Kahan/Hozier Collaboration – https://open.spotify.com/track/4oEf84vBYVftf6KmZexhVo
The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We – Mitski – https://open.spotify.com/album/2Cn1d2KgbkAqbZCJ1RzdkA
And be sure to get your MuskOx premium flannel shirts just in time for fall. Use the code RAMBLER on checkout for a discount! – https://gomuskox.com/rambler
Subscribe to Roots Music Rambler on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, GoodPods or wherever you get your podcasts.
Theme Music: Sheepskin & Beeswax by Genticorum
