Shepherd Hits 2025 with a new single, plans for lots of new music

Explicit content warning

01/31/25 • 60 min

There are few artists out there who fit the Americana music label by decidedly not fitting in any single box better than Jeff Shepherd. The northern Indiana native has been called rock, blues, outlaw country and punk. His music harkens back to 70s rock but has enough country influences to draw comparisons to southern rock and outlaw country artists, alike.

Shepherd, which he now goes by as a single-named moniker, joined us on Roots Music Rambler to talk about his new single, “Settle Down,” and his plans for more new music in 2025. We talked about his time working in the steel mills, the struggles of an independent musician and his newest venture into fatherhood. His son was born a little over a year ago and the lifestyle change has been interesting, he says.

Plus, Frank checks in on Falls who was weathering a snow storm during the recording and the duo talk about one getting to meet a couple of emerging artists at a recent show. And as always, they share their Pickin’ the Grinnin picks for new music for you to explore this week.

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:

Pickin’ the Grinnin’ Recommendations

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

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

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:

Pickin’ the Grinnin’ Recommendations

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

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

Previous Episode

Leah Blevins heads into 2025 with new music in mind

The first time you hear Leah Blevins sing, you immediately notice a voice similar to Dolly Parton. As if that weren’t enough to want to hear more, she belts out influences from Martina McBride, Loretta Lynn and even Stevie Nicks. And she’s poised for a new album later in 2025 that could be the project that vaults her even higher in the country music scene.

Blevins joined Frank and Falls on Roots Music Rambler to talk about what’s coming in 2025. She heads to the studio in February to add to an already released single (Hundred Different Sides). The new project is the first of a two record deal, so the future is bright.

Blevins was raised in Sandy Hook, Ky., a tiny little burg in the hills of Northeast Kentucky. It happens to be the home of another great country singer: Keith Whitley.

We explored her musical journey, talked about her debut album (First Time Feeling) which came out in 2021, her influences, family and more.

Plus, Falls reports back on Brent Cobb’s first Ryman Auditorium headline show and both he and Frank talk about 2025 live show plans they’ve already got in the works. And as always, they share their Pickin’ the Grinnin picks for new music for you to explore this week.

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:

Pickin’ the Grinnin’ Recommendations

Ella Salter & The Sunday Sinners (New EP on Spotify)
Ella Salter & The Sunday Sinners (Episode 5 of Roots Music Rambler)
Yacht Rock Documentary on IMDB

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, Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or wherever you get your podcasts.

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

Next Episode

Have Music Festivals Jumped the Shark?

It’s no secret that the Roots Music Rambler team loves a good music festival. But as we’ve discussed before, there are perhaps too many of them and the costs continue to skyrocket for fans. It just so happens that there exists an entire podcast and YouTube show dedicated to music festivals and its host, Nate Riggs, is a friend of the program.

This week on Roots Music Rambler, Frank and Falls dig in with Riggs to talk about the state of music festivals across the U.S. The conversation includes everything from the costs to the lineups to the experiences and more. Falls also shares news that his children want him to take them to Bonnaroo and he and Frank talk about the under-the-radar festivals worth attending.

The hosts also talk about A Complete Unknown, the new Bob Dylan biopic starring Timothée Chalamet.

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:

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, Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or wherever you get your podcasts.

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