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.
A new episode of Roots Music Rambler drops Friday. This week, we chat with Shepherd about his new single, his current push to get more songs in the studio in anticipation of a new record and more about his journey to becoming a successful musician.
That path took and interesting pit stop recently as he welcomed his first son into the world. Hear how it changed his approach to music, work and life on the full episode at rootsmusicrambler.com or wherever you get your podcasts.
#americanamusic #jeffshepherd #shepherd #rootsmusic #musicpodcast #musicinterview #rockmusic
Joy Oladokun covered Elton John’s “Rocketman” in her Blackbird Tour stop in Louisville, Ky., at Headliners Music Hall on January 20, 2025. Here’s a short clip of that.
The show featured Joy as her own opener, with a 45-minute acoustic set before a break and the full band. It was an early stop on the new tour and a fantastic show!
#livemusic #joyoladokun #louisville #americanamusic
Joy Oladokun’s “Am I?” (full song) from her Blackbird Tour stop at Headliners Music Hall in Louisville, Ky., on Jan. 20, 2025.
Joy Oladokun’s “Sweet Symphony” from her Blackbird Tour stop at Headliners Music Hall in Louisville, Ky., January 20, 2025. She opened the show with a 45-minute solo acoustic set, then brought out the band for an amazing hour of jams.
Did you know that one of Roots Music Rambler’s regular segments on each show is the Pickin’ the Grinnin’ segment. Frank and Falls pick music — maybe an artist, maybe an album, maybe a song — that is their pick to make you grin. It’s our way of recommending music.
On the latest episode (which features our chat with singer-songwriter Leah Blevins and drops Friday), Frank picked a former RMR guest (Ella Salter and the Sunday Sinners) as her Pickin’ the Grinnin’!
Listen for Falls’s pick and more at rootsmusicrambler.com or wherever you get your podcasts.
#rootsmusic #americanamusic #musicpodcast #musicinterview #newmusic
