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.

Emily Jamerson’s emotional moment recording a deeply personal song by her brother Nicholas Jamerson

On the latest episode of Roots Music Rambler, singer-songwriter @emilyannjamerson talks about her duet on brother @nicholasjamerson’s latest album The Narrow Way in the song Sunday Dinners. It was an emotional moment recording something so deeply personal of her brother’s.

We talked about Nicholas, Emily’s songwriting, what’s next for her musically and a lot more. Plus, Frank and Falls provide their Pickin’ The Grinnin’ recommendations for new music for you. Hear the full episode at rootsmusicrambler.com, on our YouTube channel or wherever you get your podcasts.

#emilyjamerson #nicholasjamerson #songwriting #brothersisterduets #americanamusic

The book that Emily Jamerson credits for putting herself out there

A new episode of Roots Music Rambler is live and dives deep into the singing and songwriting of the amazing @emilyannjamerson. She told us about growing up with a future famous singer-songwriter older brother (@nicholasjamerson) and gave him credit for opening that door for her by simply sharing a book that changed her approach to putting herself out there.

Hear more of the Emily Jamerson story and lots more on the episode at rootsmusicrambler.com, on our YouTube channel or wherever you listen to podcasts.

#emilyjamerson #nicholasjamerson #singersongwriter #songwriting #wellness #confidence

Emily Jamerson explains older brother Nicholas’s influence and impact on her musical career

EPISODE DROP! A new episode of Roots Music Rambler is live and this week, we’re talking to @emilyannjamerson, a singer-songwriter from Prestonsburg, Ky., and the younger sister of @sundybest frontman @nicholasjamerson.

She told us her successful older brother has always been a big part of her music and career.

Hear more of his impact on Emily and her approach to songwriting at rootsmusicrambler.com, on our YouTube channel, or wherever you listen to podcasts.

#emilyjamerson #nicholasjamerson #sundybest #singersongwriter #songwriting

Emily Jamerson turns to 2026 poised for big things

Americana music enthusiasts and concert-goers are constantly in search of the “next big thing.” We all want to be in on the ground floor of watching and artist’s rise to fame so we can say we were a fan from “the beginning.” Whether it’s seeing Tyler Childers with 20 other people at a dive bar in 2017 or standing next to Wyatt Flores at Laurel Cove watching Jesse Wells play, the undiscovered are always discovered by those who remember running into them along the way.

On more than one occasion in the last six months, the “next big thing” label has been said in the same sentence with Emily Jamerson. The younger sister of Sundy Best founder and underground country godfather Nicholas Jamerson, Emily has emerged with songs and stories as moving and thoughtful as her brother’s. She has yet to record a full album, but a strong set of singles and some live sessions have made their way to the streaming services. They’re consistently good with each new one revealing more of the Prestonsburg, Ky., native’s promise.

Emily Jamerson joined Jason Falls for an interview with Roots Music Rambler back in late September. Since that time she has continued to build a strong road presence, expanding to a full band for many shows, and her duet with her older brother, “Sunday Dinners” (which she talks about in the interview) started getting radio play. It’s on Nicholas’s latest album, The Narrow Way.

Emily shared more reflections on growing up in the Jamerson household to compliment her older brother’s stories he shared with us back in the summer. She also shared the formal and informal advice and encouragement Nicholas has provided along the way, including a book (Michael Singer’s The Surrender Experiment), he gave her that helped push past self-doubt and finally write and share her music.

And we talked about and listened to some of her latest music like ”Dried Paint” and “Run, Run Baby.”

Frank and Falls also chatted about Christmas plans and traditions, plus each shared their Pickin’ the Grinnin’ pics for recommended music this week. Frank kept with the holiday theme and shared the music of Ottmar Leibert, whose 1990 album Poets & Angels is one of her favorites for this time of year. Falls calls out upstart honky-tonkers Jason Scott & The High Heat who he saw open for The Mavericks and Dwight Yoakam last April.
Watch the Episode on YouTube

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:
Emily Jamerson on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/7eurbbPj6LaU05qJOXSjGG?si=1v_Zn84NR4yTzLUfZ5vYqA
Emily Jamerson on Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/emilyannjamerson/
Emily Jamerson on Instagram – https://www.instagram.com/emilyannjamerson/?hl=en
Nicholas Jamerson on Roots Music Rambler – https://rootsmusic.link/nicholasjamerson
Sundy Best on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/21lH0EoFGV5oUmyCZuz7jg?si=Qq7hDUbVSsegNo-Y6Taxsg
World Chicken Festival – https://chickenfestival.com/
Michael Singer’s The Surrender Experiment – https://amzn.to/4iRQThO
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’ Recommendations

Ottmar Liebert’s Poets & Angels – https://open.spotify.com/album/5GwFm4qkouebIWmqO0F6yO?si=M3vcP_O8SVmasWp9rKTrgg
Jason Scott & The High Heat on Spotify – https://open.spotify.com/artist/03IlJFWZVEYHlSKSBYlfAm?si=gY6ubxnFR5SRCPgrzH2rGQ

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.