Blake Christiana talks 20-plus years of Yarn, new album and more
Rock, rhythm and blues band Yarn made a triumphant return to the Americana charts this spring with their new album Saturday Night Sermons. The lead single, “Good Things,” spent several weeks in the AMA’s top 20 singles chart and the band is back on the road supporting their 11th-ish album. Founder and frontman Blake Christiana joined Roots Music Rambler this week to talk all about the album, the songs, guitarist Andy Thomas’s new solo project and how it affects the band and more.
Yarn’s first album, almost more of an acoustic, folk offering, dropped way back in 2007. While their music has matured and evolved through the years, they’ve held on to that folk and country sensibility with songs like “Goodbye Cowgirl” on the new record. But Yarn has also become more of a Southern rock band as various influences have floated in and out of the band. Yarn has been nominated for a number of Grammys over the years and has become a mainstay in the Americana / Rock / Southern Rock genres.
Lead guitarist Andy Thomas, a recent guest on Roots Music Rambler, just spun out a solo record. Yarn says he’s still in the band and they support him 100%. Christiana talked to us about embracing the various projects and interests of the band members and even said a constantly changing cast of characters is an asset for his music.
Also on this episode, Falls recaps his week at Cowan Creek Mountain Music School in Whitesburg, Ky. He chaperoned his daughter Katie who took a class, but served as a fly-on-the-wall observer of the now 25-year-old summer pickin’ and grinnin’ academy. Many friends of the show (The Local Honeys, John Haywood, Larry & Cheryl Webster) and others we often talk about (Don Rogers, Grace Rogers, Jesse Wells, Ella Webster) also factor into the story.
And, certainly, Frank and Falls have their normal pickin’ the grinnin’ choices for music recommendations this week. In step with the Cowan Creek experience, Falls chose dulcimer virtuoso Roxanne McDaniel. Frank slid in a little Steph Strings recco.
Find the picks on Spotify and find Yarn online at yarnmusic.net, on Spotify or Instagram.
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Notes and links:
– Yarn online – https://yarnmusic.net/
– Yarn on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/05Pp7SeRkvE236OxUF2qmo?si=SMzGfNZeRQ-04BuaeRlJ0g
– Saturday Night Sermons on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/album/5CYrHu5FCWOiJL8nJWaMbb?si=xtliXS-3QIKIDahrVyvi6A
– Andy Thomas on Roots Music Rambler – https://rootsmusic.link/andythomas
– Cowan Creek Mountain Music School – https://cowancreekmusic.org/
– The Local Honeys on Roots Music Rambler – https://rootsmusic.link/thelocalhoneys
– John Haywood on Roots Music Rambler – https://rootsmusic.link/johnhaywood
– Larry & Cheryl Webster on Roots Music Rambler – https://rootsmusic.link/thewebsters
– The Roots Music Rambler Store – https://rootsmusicrambler.com/store
– Roots Music Rambler on YouTube – https://youtube.com/@rootsmusicrambler
– 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
Pickin’ the Grinnin’ picks:
– Roxanne McDaniel online – https://roxannemcdaniel.com/bio
– Steph Strings on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/39qxIdIb1R6se4J3X6nRPB?si=-FWKwscYSNSFamZu2xPdZw
Subscribe to Roots Music Rambler on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or wherever you get your podcasts.
Theme Music: Sheepskin & Beeswax by Genticorum; Copyright 2026 – Falls+Partners. All music on the program is licensed by ASCAP, BMI and SESAC. Roots Music Rambler is a member of the Americana Music Association.
