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.

Singer-Songwriter Nathan Evans Fox creates Heirloom To Seed Bank Life’s Work

Heirloom, the new album from singer-songwriter Nathan Evans Fox, is out and an impressive manifestation of both creativity and almost historical documentation of an Appalachian artist. Fox joined Roots Music Rambler this week to talk about the new album, his journey to Nashville from the mountains of Western Carolina, fatherhood and more.

Like many artists today, Fox often shares little snippets of what he’s working on via social media posts. One nugget of a song-to-be he shared a few months back drove well over one million views across his channels and the song wasn’t more than a few lines. He took the queue to finish it in what became “Hillbilly Hymn (Okra & Cigarettes)” which anchors the album. It has a traditional mountain feel and was recorded in an a capella focus with what seems like family gathered round his singing on the front porch.

But the record traverses everything from fatherly advice for a child in Lots of Beginnings to a brilliant “fuck you” song for those Fox gives permission to hate in “Landlords Bill Lee Etc.” It’s an amazing mix of home spun advice and statements about the polarization of today’s world.

He told us the record is a bit of a “seed bank” of his life for his children and the world he’ll leave behind.

Fox has never shied away from politics or social issues. He even told us when thinking about commercial country music, “The songs about trucks and jello shots don’t come organically to me.” He told Frank and Falls a little about gourds, blueberries and seed banking, acknowledged participating in fundamentalist Christian rites like exorcisms, and told us he’s leading an anti-confederate southern history book club this summer.

To say we were entertained is an understatement. We think you’ll be too.

Frank and Falls also share Roots Music Ramblers official member votes for this year’s Americana Music Association awards and offer up music recommendations in our Pickin’ the Grinnin’ segment. Falls recently finished Ken Burn’s documentary on Country Music. Frank shared an Instagrammer from Italy that just brings people joy in his feed named Metroman.

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.

Notes and links:

– Americana Music Association 2026 Award Nominations – https://americanamusic.org/2026-americana-honors-awards-nominees-revealed/
– Nathan Evans Fox Online – https://nathanevansfox.com
– Heirloom on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/album/4N5u84BhjfNToWx1daqxf7?si=SJ9YK20mQr-FI1tCa97EKg
– Nathan Evans Fox on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/2sQgm2iQWAvwjyGjTXDUJ2?si=IsetN-B7SZO-TqztWuP0Kg
– Nathan Evans Fox on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/nathan.evans.fox
– Nathan Evans Fox on TikTok – https://www.tiktok.com/@nathan.evans.fox
– Kanopy App – https://www.kanopy.com/en
– 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
– Jason Falls on Instagram – https://instagram.com/jasonfalls
– Jason Falls on TikTok – https://tiktok.com/@thejasonfalls
– Francesca Folinazzo on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/workmomtravels/

Pickin’ the Grinnin’ Choices

– Ken Burns’s Country Music – https://www.pbs.org/kenburns/country-music
– Metroman on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/metroman_official

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.

Nathan Evans Fox’s Mamaw used Alan Jackson to scare off birds?

Tomorrow is the day a new episode of Roots Music Rambler drops and you won’t want to miss this one! The hysterical and thoughtful @nathan.evans.fox joins us to talk about everything from his new album to exorcisms.

He grew up in a conservative Christian environment and only heard country music ambiently, like when his Mamaw used it to scare birds off her blueberries. Srsly!?!

Set a reminder to watch and listen to the entire episode! It drops tomorrow morning on YouTube, at rootsmusicrambler.com or wherever you listen to podcasts.

#nathanevansfox #blueberries #birdrepellant #alanjackson #countrymusic

Francesca Folinazzo says Instagram and Italy’s Metroman is worth following

A new episode of Roots Music Rambler is readying for Friday. This week our guest is the funny and thought-provoking singer-songwriter @nathan.evans.fox who talks to us about everything from gourds to exorcisms … not to mention his new album, Heirloom.

But in the Pickin’ the Grinnin’ segment, Frank raved about an Instagrammer she found that just lights her up every time she sees his content. She says to check out @metroman_official on the IGs!

Set a reminder to watch and listen to the entire episode! It drops Friday morning on YouTube, at rootsmusicrambler.com or wherever you listen to podcasts.

#nathanevansfox #metroman #italianmusic #italy #musicrecommendation

Rachel Swain also performs in The Swains with her dad (and perhaps soon, daughter)

A fun fact we learned about @rachelswainmusic on the latest episode of Roots Music Rambler was she also performs in a more strictly country band called The Swains with her father. And now her six-year-old daughter is threatening to jump on stage and sing @ellalangleyhq tunes!

See the full episode at rootsmusicrambler.com, on our YouTube channel (@rootsmusicrambler) or listen wherever you get podcasts!

#rachelswain #ellalangley #countrymusic #americanamusic