Chicagoan Francesca Folinazzo (Frank) founded Roots Music Rambler as a music and travel blog in a pre-pandemic world. COVID killed events and travel plus her desire to play her banjo. Falls texted her in 2023 and said, 'Let's bring it back as a podcast!' He was raised on John Prine, babysat on Waylon Jennings and taught to drink and cuss the proper, mountain way. He hails from Pikeville, Ky., the birthplace of Dwight Yoakum, whose annual festival is Hillbilly Days.

Cody Palmer of Sparkle Carcass discusses is Alt-Country awakening

Chicago dive bar country band Sparkle Carcass is our guest on a NEW episode of Roots Music Rambler today. Frontman Cody Palmer joins us to explain the name, talk about his mom and wife, hunt for a long-lost band they’ve covered … oh! And talk about the band’s brand new album (LIVE TODAY) called Maraschino Chevy.

We’d probably classify Sparkle Carcass as Alt Country. Cody takes us through his genre awakening to get to that point as a youngster.

Frank and Falls also talk blisters, why we exist and share our picks for new music for you in the Pickin’ the Grinnin’ segment.

Watch the full episode on our YouTube channel at rootsmusicramlber.com or listen by searching for Roots Music Rambler wherever you get your podcasts!

#sparklecarcass #americanamusic #rootsmusic #altcountrymusic

Chicago-based alt-country band Sparkle Carcass drops new record Maraschino Chevy

Long-time listeners of Roots Music Rambler will recognize the name of the band Sparkle Carcass. They happen to be one of Francesca Folinazzo’s favorite Chicago-based bands she sees play live frequently. And to their credit, they are well-known in the windy city as an alt-country, dive bar sorta crew.

Well, Cody Palmer and crew today released their second studio album and he joined us on Roots Music Rambler to talk about it. The LP is called Maraschino Chevy and brings out their honky-tonk, beer-slingin’, toe-tappin’ sound nicely.

Palmer joined Frank and Falls to talk about the album, his songwriting process, a musical mom whose healthy rivalry with him helped form his work and a lot more. He talked about how he and wife (and band member) Reilly Downes balance their independent musical projects while participating in one another’s and a lot more.

We also talk about Sparkle Carcass’s first Maraschino Chevy single “Sippin’ on a Cool One” which was originally released by a band called Rollin’ Country around 1977. But Palmer has never been able to find the band for proper credit or acknowledgement. So if you know them or of them, reach out to us at ramblers@rootsmusicrambler.com and we’ll connect the dots!

Also on this episode, Falls shares a social media conversation with artist Lance Rogers and Bill Taylor that helped crystallize his purpose in doing this podcast, his radio show, and beyond. And he and Frank share their picks for new music to listen to in our Pickin’ the Grinnin’ segment.

Download the episode and subscribe at rootsmusicrambler.com, watch the full episode on YouTube, or download wherever you get your podcasts.

Also be sure to help spread the love of the show with Roots Music Rambler’s new merch, now available at rootsmusicrambler.com/store. Authentic t-shirts, hats and stickers are now available.

Buckle up for The Hoe-Down and the Throw-Down! It’s a new episode of Roots Music Rambler.

Links:
Rock-N-Roll Story Guys Podcast – https://open.spotify.com/show/1jnyKfqk6SuX7FxNfLRcqh
Sparkle Carcass Online – https://www.sparklecarcass.com/
Sparkle Carcass on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/4f8AkxhV9AqBr9UwP0mzXL
Sparkle Carcass on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/sparklecarcass/
Lance Rogers on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/lancerogersmusic/
For the Love of Appalachia – https://fortheloveofappalachia.org/

Pickin’ the Grinnin’ Recommendations

King Margo – Can’t Have You (Can’t Lose You) – https://open.spotify.com/artist/4nU1TOkubLd1C3dMnPLkiR
Lance Rogers – Golden Hour – https://open.spotify.com/artist/5WqUoLKTuTzjH9gMoqMXkf

Subscribe to Roots Music Rambler on YouTube, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or wherever you get your podcasts.

Theme Music: Sheepskin & Beeswax by Genticorum; Copyright 2025 – 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.

Sparkle Carcass’s Cody Palmer reveals a diverse musical background that informs his music

A new episode of Roots Music Rambler drops tomorrow! (Yeah, we’ve kinda shifted to weekly because we’ve been talking to so many great artists lately!)

Tomorrow, we get to know Sparkle Carcass, or at least frontman Cody Palmer. He takes us through how the band got its name, his songwriting process and talks about the band’s brand new album (drops tomorrow, too) called Maraschino Chevy.

We asked Cody to take us through his musical influences in this clip. Which wound up being more diverse than anyone would expect.

Watch the full episode on our YouTube channel at rootsmusicramlber.com or listen by searching for Roots Music Rambler wherever you get your podcasts!

#sparklecarcass #americanamusic #rootsmusic #altcountrymusic

The Last Revel once inspired by Trampled By Turtles, is now produced by Dave Simonett

Not only did @thelastrevel get inspiration from @tbtduluth, they idolized the band for years. Their latest album, Gone for Good, was actually produced by Turtles’ frontman @davesimonett which puts the band’s influence from TBT in a new stratosophere.

Lee Henke, Ryan Acker and Vinnie Donatelle all joined Roots Music Rambler to talk about the new album, the Turtles, songwriting and more this week. Henke recalled first being inspired by Simonett and company years ago.

Hear more of the interview with the band, plus Frank and Falls’s Pickin’ the Grinnin’ pick by listening at rootsmusicrambler.com, watching on YouTube, or downloading wherever you get podcasts.

#thelastrevel #folkrockmusic #folkrock #americanamusic #rootsmusic #musicpodcast @ivprnashville