Roots Music Rambler

Francesca Folinazzo & Jason Falls

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Where there are people, there is music. In our celebration of melodies and lyrics, harmonies and riffs, we typically focus on the songs or the people who wrote them. We often overlook the where. Join Francesca and Falls for Roots Music Rambler, a podcast exploration of the where as much as the who or what. We’ll interview emerging and established artists, fans and others in Americana, Outlaw Country, Bluegrass, Blues, Roots, Soul, World and beyond. But we will always get to the stories of where they’re from and how that impacted the music we know and love. It’s more than just their influences. It’s their families. Communities. Cultures. This show is a fun combination of music, travel, history and more. We dig into the stories from artists, musicians, songwriters, producers, fans and beyond, that don’t just expose their musical influences, but their life influences. Music follows the path of human movement. We trace the steps to bring better understanding to what we hear today and why we love it. Join us for the exploration of the real roots of music on Roots Music Rambler.

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Top 10 Roots Music Rambler Episodes

Goodpods has curated a list of the 10 best Roots Music Rambler episodes, ranked by the number of listens and likes each episode have garnered from our listeners. If you are listening to Roots Music Rambler for the first time, there's no better place to start than with one of these standout episodes. If you are a fan of the show, vote for your favorite Roots Music Rambler episode by adding your comments to the episode page.

Pixie & The Partygrass Boys May Have the Greatest Bluegrass-Covers-of-Rock-Songs Album Ever

Roots Music Rambler

12/01/23 • 90 min

It’s time for Episode 7 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls “Frank,” and Jason Falls, who goes by “Falls” most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.

On this episode, Ben Weiss of the Utah-based bluegrass group Pixie & The Partygrass Boys joins Frank and Falls to talk about perhaps the best bluegrass cover album of all time. The Chicken Coop, Vol. 1 is and 11-track toe-tapper that puts a guitar-mandolin-banjo-fiddle spin on everything from “Gimmie Shelter” by the Rolling Stones to The Talking Heads’ “Psycho Killer.”

Intentionally silly and fun, Pixie & The Partygrass Boys took their bars and weddings gigs and jazz backgrounds and flipped them into a novel, but serious musical take on bluegrass music. In fact, they have a new album on the horizon that isn’t as cover and gimmick-driven.

Weiss, who plays mandolin and provides some vocals for the band, joined the show on the eve of a Pacific Northwest jaunt for the group. He talked about the background of the band, their treatment of a recent version of The Nutcracker and the commonalities in jazz and bluegrass.

Frank and Falls also spent time lamenting the TikTok-ificiation of Americana music shows and concerts, from tickets to crowds, and Falls shared his experiences watching Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour movie with his daughter at a Drive-In Theatre.

(And stick around for the outtakes as he almost embarasses a former teacher!)

As usual, the two have some recommendations for new music in the Pickin’ the Grinnin’ segment as well that includes a new album from a notable Americana singer.

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

Some other notes and links:

The Run Pee App
Sauerbeck Family Drive-In - LaGrange, Ky.
The Bloodhound Gang - The Bad Touch
The River of Rosewater - Nutcracker spin featuring Pixie & The Partygrass Boys music

Pickin’ the Grinnin’ Recommendations

And be sure to get your MuskOx premium flannel shirts just in time for fall. Use the code RAMBLER on checkout for a discount!

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

Roots Music Rambler is also sponsored by Sonos. Put high quality speakers in every room of your house for a seamless listening experience while you party, work, laundry, clean and more. Go to https://rootsmusic.link/sonos to get your first speaker and experience the difference of Sonos.

Theme Music: Sheepskin & Beeswax by Genticorum

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S.G. Goodman Talks About Her Rise to Prominence in Americana Music

Roots Music Rambler

03/08/24 • 71 min

Welcome to Episode 14 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo (Frank) and Jason Falls (Falls) as we explore the real roots of the music we love.

This week, the Patron Saint of the Dollar Store herself blesses us with her presence. S.G. Goodman joins the show to talk about her meteoric rise to prominence in the Americana music scene. The last 12-18 months have included her being named Americana Emerging Artist of the Year, releasing her second album to high acclaim, having Tyler Childers cover “Space and Time” on his Rustin’ in the Rain album, then being asked to join him on stage at the Grand Ole Opry, then going on tour to open for Childers and Jason Isbell ... WOW!

Goodman sat in with Falls to talk about the rise, her background, the whole Tyler Childers evolution with Space and Time and a lot more.

Frank and Falls also talk about the Jason Isbell-Amanda Shires divorce, The 2024 Grammys and more. Falls had a very pointed reaction to Taylor Swift’s on-stage announcement of her new album much to his daughter’s chagrin. Frank lamented the fact Childers’s In Your Love video didn’t win.

And, of course, both share their regular pickin’ the grinnin’ recommendations for new music. Falls even asked Goodman to contribute, so she told us who she’s listening to during her brief break from the road.

Don’t forget you can now show your support 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:

Jason Isbell & Amanda Shires to divorce
The 2024 Grammys winners list
Senora May’s Instagram Post
S.G. Goodman’s website
Daniel Martin Moore online
The Kentucky Natural Lands Trust & Pine Mountain Settlement School
Erin Rae on Instagram
Lankum on Spotify - (S.G.’s music recommendation)
Fred Eaglesmith on Spotify - (S.G.’s music recommendation)
The Roots Music Rambler Store
Roots Music Rambler on Instagram
Roots Music Rambler on TikTok
Roots Music Rambler on Facebook
Jason Falls on Instagram
Francesca Folinazzo on Instagram

Pickin’ the Grinnin’ Recommendations

And be sure to get your MuskOx premium flannel shirts just in time for fall. Use the code RAMBLER on checkout for a discount! - https://gomuskox.com/rambler

Subscribe to Roots Music Rambler on Spotify,

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Exploring the Roots of Drive By Truckers Instrumentalist Jay Gonzalez, A New Album and New Music

Roots Music Rambler

10/20/23 • 59 min

Welcome to Episode 4 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls “Frank,” and Jason Falls, who goes by “Falls” most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.

On this episode, Francesca catches up with Jay Gonzalez of the Drive by Truckers. The multi-instrumentalist has a new side project coming out in December. He shares the story of finding and collaborating with lyricist Peter Smith to produce the new Gonzalez Smith album. The first single from the album, She’s My Girl, is out now.

Frank also explores Jay’s roots as a musician growing up in upstate New York, moving to the South and blending with the Drive by Truckers.

Frank & Falls also do a little check-in to see how the show is going so far, four episodes in. Francesca reveals she spent 20 years as a 9-1-1 dispatch operator. Jason muses on his next tattoo and hints that he’s working on an impersonation off Drive by Trucker co-founder Patterson Hood.

Since we’re all new to Roots Music Rambler, the show includes three main parts:

Francesca and Falls open the show talking about a topic of the day in the music industry.
Our guest then comes in as we explore their roots – of music and life.
Then Francesca and Falls finish off the show with our Pickin’ The Grinnin’ segment. That’s where both pick what music, artists, events and more make them grin this week. They share whom they’ll see live, what new artists they’ve discovered and more.

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

Some other notes and links:

Happy Place Beer by Third Space Brewery
Rosie’s in Bloomington, Illinois
American Aquarium
The Hu - Mongolian band Francesca mentioned
Billy Joel’s Glass Houses - Gonzalez’s first album
Shenorock, New York - Where Gonzalez grew up
She’s My Girl - The first single from Gonzalez Smith’s new album
The Manhattan Bar - Athens, Ga.
Gary McFarland & Peter Smith’s 1971 album Butterscotch Rum on Spotify
Waiting for the Fire by Marvelous Toy - Gonzalez’s Pickin’ the Grinnin’
The Henry Clay People - Gonzalez’s friend Jordan Hudock’s other band

Pickin’ the Grinnin’ Recommendations

Zack Bryan’s new album
Sierra Ferrell
18 Wheels of Love - Video mentioned by Francesca
Nathan Graham’s new single Right One
Lovejoy’s new single Normal People Things
Noah Kahan
Cole Chaney
Ella Webster (Cole Chaney’s fiddle player)
Hillbilly Days - PIkeville, Kentucky’s spring festival

And be sure to get your MuskOx premium flannel shirts just in time for fall. Use the code RAMBLER on checkout for a discount!

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

Theme Music: Sheepskin & Beeswax by

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Ella Salter & The Sunday Sinners talk obstacles as they ready for a new album

Roots Music Rambler

11/03/23 • 74 min

Welcome to Episode 5 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls “Frank,” and Jason Falls, who goes by “Falls” most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.

On this episode, Frank & Falls are joined by Ella Salter and her backing band, The Sunday Sinners. Ella’s 2019 debut album “Beverly” saw its launch thwarted by COVID and the South Alabama singer had a sluggish start to a promising rise through the Americana and Country circuits. But she pulled together The Sunday Sinners once the world opened back up and the unit has been writing new songs since.

They’re in the midst of an Indie Go Go campaign to raise the necessary funds to record a second studio album in early 2024 and are still working the roadhouses, bars and clubs throughout the South in preparation.

Ella et. al., joined the podcast from their weekly rehearsal space – a furniture store – near Mobile, Ala., and talked about Ella’s Texas-Alabama roots, the hurdles she and the band have had to overcome, writing the new album and much more.

Falls also shares his recent experience with and Edgar Allen Poe dramatic production on The Belle of Louisville and he and Francesca file their regular segment Pickin’ the Grinnin’ where they share the new artists, albums and songs that are making them smile this week.

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

Some other notes and links:

Pickin’ the Grinnin’ Recommendations

And be sure to get your MuskOx premium flannel shirts just in time for fall. Use the code RAMBLER on checkout for a discount!

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

Theme Music: Sheepskin & Beeswax by Genticorum

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The Queen of Queer Country talks LGBTQ artists in Country Music, growing up on the accordion and The Secret Emchy Society

Roots Music Rambler

09/22/23 • 116 min

Welcome to the second episode off Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls "Frank," and Jason Falls, who goes by "Falls" most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.

On this episode, we talk about Tyler Childers' new album, the first song that took Francesca's breath away, and she talks Falls out of pulling a smart-alek stunt at an upcoming Ryan Adams show. Our guest this time around is the Queen of Queer Country Cindy Emch. She is the founder and brains behind The Secret Emchy Society which is playing Americanafest the week of this episode drop. We dig into her childhood growing up with an accordion-playing mom, college radio days, her experience growing into an LGBTQ existence in the world and how her person and personality presents challenges in the world of country music.

Since we're all new to Roots Music Rambler, the show includes three main parts:

Francesca and Falls open the show talking about a topic of the day in the music industry. Tyler Childers has a new album out since the last episode, so the conversation started there.
Our guest then comes in as we explore their roots – of music and life.
Then Francesca and Falls finish off the show with our Pickin' The Grinnin' segment. That's where both pick what music, artists, events and more make them grin this week. They share who their going to see live, what new artists they've discover and more.

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

Some other notes and links:

And be sure to get your MuskOx premium flannel shirts just in time for fall. Use the code RAMBLER on checkout for a discount!

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

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The Question We All Want Answered: Does Wilco Suck?

Roots Music Rambler

02/09/24 • 91 min

Welcome to Episode 12 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo (Frank) and Jason Falls (Falls) as we explore the real roots of the music we love.

On this episode, we finally explore the topic that has been nagging at Falls (at least) for some time: Does Wilco suck? Needless to day, it’s an entertaining conversation that might end in a different place than you expect.

Also on the show, Frank asks Falls about his burgeoning addiction to vinyl record shopping and the two interview their daughters about the music they love. Katie and Lucia joined the hosts for some spirted talk about Boy Genius, Lovejoy, Gracie Abrams and more.

And, of course, some new music was offered up as this week’s Pickin’ the Grinnin’ for you to feast upon.

Don’t forget you can now show your support 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.

(As of press time, there are no “Wilco Sucks” bumper stickers.)

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

Notes and links:

Pickin’ the Grinnin’ Recommendations

And be sure to get your MuskOx premium flannel shirts just in time for fall. Use the code RAMBLER on checkout for a discount!

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

Theme Music: Sheepskin & Beeswax by Genticorum

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Travel Pop musician Mike Mentz discusses drawing inspiration from his travels, his aggressive 21 roads project and a cappella groups on Roots Music Rambler

Roots Music Rambler

10/06/23 • 80 min

Welcome to episode 3 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls “Frank,” and Jason Falls, who goes by “Falls” most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.

On this episode, we talk about Falls’s disappointment with a concert cancellation, the sweet Dolly Parton AirBnB he stayed in recently in Nashville, and the latest songs and artists piquing our interest. This show’s guest is self-proclaimed travel pop artist Mike Mentz whose journey from the Chicago suburbs to the world abroad has inspired two significant new projects that are framing roots music in a whole new light.

We talk to him about his acapela group beginnings, singing on a cruise ship, then traveling the world with an inspired mission to let the place inspire his music. He’s recently launched an impressive video and record series based on several months visiting Mexico and has many more facets of the project on the horizon.

Since we’re all new to Roots Music Rambler, the show includes three main parts:

Francesca and Falls open the show talking about a topic of the day in the music industry.
Our guest then comes in as we explore their roots – of music and life.
Then Francesca and Falls finish off the show with our Pickin’ The Grinnin’ segment. That’s where both pick what music, artists, events and more make them grin this week. They share whom they’ll see live, what new artists they’ve discovered and more.

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

Some other notes and links:

Dolly’s Music Row Oasis (where Jason filmed the episode)
The Dollyhouse family of AirBnB Nashville rentals
Vibing Victorian (the Bloomington, Illinois AirBnB Francesca & Tom rented)
Francesca's pics from the AirBnB on Roots Music Rambler's Facebook page
Jason’s Instagram and TikTok accounts
Roots Music Rambler Instagram
Austin Lucas’s website (future guest)
Mike Mentz’s website
Mike Mentz’s album Souvenir
Mike’s Patreon (support and get access to the cool stories, videos, etc.)
John Haywood’s website

And be sure to get your MuskOx premium flannel shirts just in time for fall. Use the code RAMBLER on checkout for a discount!

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

PREMIER: Talkin' Oliver Anthony Conspiracy Theories, Tobacco Farming, Napster & More With Country Artist JD Shelburne

Roots Music Rambler

09/08/23 • 76 min

Welcome to Episode 1 of Roots Music Rambler! What was once an off-shoot of a travel blog is now destined to become your favorite music podcast. Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls "Frank," and Jason Falls, who goes by "Falls" most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.

On this episode, we talk Oliver Anthony conspiracy theories, tobacco farming, Napster & more with up-and-coming country artist JD Shelburne. His new album "Neon Hallelujia" is out and the sixth in Shelburne's efforts, all of which dig into hometown life in Taylorsville, Kentucky. The conversation wound around his childhood, his parents, his wife and 3-year-old son. We talked about songwriting, the evolution of his music, the temptations of the music industry and more.

And yes, we dug into Oliver Anthony and whether or not Shelburne thinks the conspiracy theories that Anthony's explosion onto the music scene was all a set up.

As you hear in this premier episode of Roots Music Rambler, the show includes three main parts:

Francesca and Falls open the show talking about a topic of the day in the music industry. In this episode, it was hard to not start with Oliver Anthony's viral success that has flipped country music, the Billboard charts and iTunes on their collective heads.
Our guest of honor comes in to talk about their background, music and beyond. That's where Shelburne fits into this first episode
Then Francesca and Falls finish off the show with our Pickin' The Grinnin' segment. That's where both pick what music, artists, events and more make them grin this week. They share who their going to see live, what new artists they've discover and more.

Buckle up for what Falls called, "The Hoe-Down and the Throw-Down." It's the debut episode of Roots Music Rambler.

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

Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Singer-Songwriter Renee Maskin Turns Out Another Strong Album with Shimmer

Roots Music Rambler

04/12/24 • 54 min

Welcome to Episode 17 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo (Frank) and Jason Falls (Falls) as we explore the real roots of the music we love.

This week, New Jersey-based singer songwriter Renee Maskin joins the show to talk about her transition from progressive rock and punk to folk and Americana. She’s now on her third album, an imaginative gem called Shimmer, and has even been named songwriter of the year and artist of the year by New Jersey Stage.

Maskin spent several years in a progressive / punk band before a fateful trip to Texas and a recommendation to listen to Tom Waits turned her musical interests to folk and Americana. Since the switch, she’s been honored as a songwriter with awards and recorded three albums, all fueled by the inspiration surrounding the music scene in her hometown of Asbury Park, N.J.

She sat in with Falls to talk about the Bruce Springsteen-vibe of Asbury Park, her evolution as a songwriter, touring with her former band which included touring with The Pretenders and more. Maskin started her professional pursuits in college as a visual artist, but quickly moved to music full-time.

She’s been writing since she first took a guitar lesson as a teenager.

Frank and Falls also talk about Falls’s recent invitation to fill-in on WFPK’s Roots ‘n’ Boots, a weekly roots music show on terrestrial radio in Louisville, music documentaries worth watching and, of course, both share their regular pickin’ the grinnin’ recommendations for new music.

Don’t forget you can now show your support 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:

Pickin’ the Grinnin’ Recommendations

And be sure to get your MuskOx premium flannel shirts just in time for fall. Use the code RAMBLER on checkout for a discount! - https://gomuskox.com/rambler

Subscribe to Roots Music Rambler on

Discovering the Roots of Arabic Music with Oud Virtuoso Mohammed Dohai

Roots Music Rambler

12/29/23 • 69 min

Welcome to Episode 9 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls “Frank,” and Jason Falls, who goes by “Falls” most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love.

This is a special episode we’ve been hinting at for a while. In November of 2023, Falls traveled to Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, on business. While there, he reached out to Oud soloist and teacher Mohammed Dohai. The Oud is a traditional Arabic instrument dating back centuries that is a predecessor of the lute, mandolin and guitar. It is typically played with 12 strings, double strung like a mandolin, but has a deep, pear-shaped body, short finger board and angled capstan.

Dohai spent 10 years working as a civil inspector on engineering projects in the UAE but in 2015 transitioned to playing and teaching Oud full-time. He’s since become a frequent performer throughout the Arabic region, playing for large crowds, royalty and beyond.

He teaches Oud at Bait Al Oud, a prestigious international conservatory dedicated to the instrument in Abu Dhabi. He not only accepted Jason’s invitation to be on the podcast, but met him in person to talk about, show and play the instrument for Roots Music Rambler.

This episode is special for that and other reasons. Our journey to understand the roots of this Arabic instrument and one of its finest players is exactly why the podcast exists ... to dig into the roots of music and musicians that a given place or time makes unique.

Frank and Falls also share their recent weekend that can only be described as Trucker-laden, Falls reveals his new S.G. Goodman-inspired tattoo, and the two share the music they’re listening to this week to help you know what Picks are making us Grin in the Pickin’ the Grinnin’ segment.

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

Notes and links: