Exploring the Roots of Drive By Truckers Instrumentalist Jay Gonzalez, A New Album and New Music
Explicit content warning
10/20/23 • 59 min
1 Listener
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
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
Previous Episode
Travel Pop musician Mike Mentz discusses drawing inspiration from his travels, his aggressive 21 roads project and a cappella groups on Roots Music Rambler
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
Next Episode
Ella Salter & The Sunday Sinners talk obstacles as they ready for a new album
1 RecommendationsWelcome 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:
- The Belle of Louisville
- The Pale Blue Eye on IMDb
- Ella Salter & The Sunday Sinners
- “Beverly” on Spotify
- The Indie Go Go Campaign
- Wards - Fast food in Mississippi
- Elle’s Facebook Feed
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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