13 JUN 2020 · Photojournalist, Crush Rush, shares the power of images in historic events. With frank conversation about the importance of photojournalism, anti-racism, and his experience as a Black man in America, we delve into some of the difficult topics necessary to change our world. If you "don't like talking about this stuff all the time," you need to listen to this podcast.

23 MAY 2020 · Read Cowtownchad’s (AKA Chad Cochran) photo essays about mental health, I Didn’t Want to Tell You –IDWTTY, as part of Country Fried Rock podcast miniseries, Rock N Roll Book Club. Chad Cochran, known in the photography world as Cowtownchad, coaxes comfortable photos from uncomfortable subjects — both the people and the topics. As he transitioned...

23 MAY 2020 · Read The Muscle Shoals Legacy of FAME by Blake Ells, part of the Country Fried Rock podcast miniseries, Rock N Roll Book Club. Blake Ells loves music and Alabama. Ells ties together his passion for the music made in his home state with his journalistic storytelling. The resulting book brings the history of Aretha Franklin...

24 SEP 2019 · Dutch Americana songwriter Judy Blank records in Nashville. Blank tours in Europe because of the prohibitive cost of US work visas for musicians. American audiences will have to live off videos and her album, Morning Sun, to enjoy her take on nuanced songwriting. European Americana Songwriter While hip hop prevails among younger audiences in the...

24 SEP 2019 · Sally Jaye runs Cafe Rooster Records. The songwriter, musician, and creative entrepreneur crafts her own art. Through her independent music label, she elevates that of others, too. Jaye’s ear for art pushes boundaries. She refuses to stagnate creatively, nor allow others to wallow in complacency, either. The Minks just released their debut LP on Cafe...

24 SEP 2019 · Midwestern roots rocker, Beth Bombara, recently released Evergreen. After regular touring, Bombara headed to the Rocky Mountains to clear her head. The mountain air let her reset mentally, and when she returned to St. Louis, Bombara wrote the songs for her new album. Bombara and her band honed their communication through a solid tour schedule....

24 SEP 2019 · Chad Cochran, the photographer known as Cowtownchad, created his I Didn’t Want to Tell You, Normalizing the Conversation About Mental Health project nearly 5 years ago. With a fully crafted concept, Cowtownchad refined his approach, and recently debuted the first part of this series via the coincidentally-titled No Depression roots music magazine. (The magazine title...

12 SEP 2019 · What could get us out of semi-retirement more than a member of R.E.M. playing our favorite venue? Nothing! Grab your tickets to the Fox Theatre Revival, hosted by Kevn Kinney of Drivin N Cryin. The show happens Friday 9/13/19 at the fabulous Fox Theatre in Atlanta, Georgia. Drive-By Truckers, Michelle Malone, and Dodd Ferrelle and...

18 MAY 2018 · Don Gallardo‘s latest album, Still Here, shares his signature sound with fresh vocal phrasing and deep instrumentation.  The lush, beautiful album leans more folk-country or indie folk than the current "take" on Americana music.  Subtle background vocals and harmony complement Gallardo's voice.  Notable contributors include Erin Rae and Luella.  Gallardo shares raw, honest insight into independent music making.  He reveals the situation that nearly ended the album mid-recording.  While many people gloss over and pretend "everything's fine," he clarifies what life is like and how projects derail in a candid conversation. Country Fried Rock featured Gallardo in our inaugural season as a radio program.  Sadly, that audio disappeared.  He generously contributed to our charity compilation for musician suicide prevention.  Vol. 1 and 2 continue to raise funds for Nuci's Space, providing direct services to the music community of Athens, GA.  After a decade in Nashville, Don Gallardo's connections within the songwriters community led him to collaborate with several friends on Still Here. Robby Hecht, Mando Saenz, Carey Ott, Doug Williams, David Borne', Luke Amelang, Jesse Cole, and Tim Easton co-wrote songs for Gallardo's latest record. These connections with peers whom Gallardo admires allowed him to learn from their special nuances in both writing and performing, as he elaborates in this conversation in the podcast.  In the studio, Gallardo also included friends and legends, Dylan Alldredge, Joe Andrews (now with Old Crow Medicine Show), Richard Bailey (banjo, played on hundreds of records, including Steeldrivers, Jim Lauderdale, and the Picking On series), Kyle Everson (dobro, who also played on Gallardo's album Sweetheart Radio Revolution), Hillel Frankel (sax, who also happens to be a noted attorney in Nashville), Jim Hoke (clarinet, played on almost every record you own), Neilsen Hubbard (mixing, percussion, Mary Gauthier, Amy Speace, Garrison Starr, Amelia White), Micah Hulscher (Margo Price), Clint Maine (also in #CFRalumni Allen Thompson‘s band, Brent Mason (guitar on nearly every country hit since Geo...

19 FEB 2018 · Caleb Caudle‘s new album, Crushed Coins, builds dreamy, ethereal landscapes. The newest Country Fried Rock podcast (below) features an in-depth conversation with Caudle about recording in Los Angeles and Nashville and expanding his sound. With familiar players from his previous albums, Caudle found new sounds by keeping the plan flexible. The pedal steel goes ambient rather than country, yet it's clearly a Caleb Caudle record. Partnering with Cornelius Chapel Records and touring extensively in the US and Europe this year, catch Caleb Caudle live and check out Crushed Coins. Caudle also happens to love the US National Parks, having visited many of them over his years of touring. Stop by his Instagram to see some of his recent visits. We discuss a few of them in this podcast, as well as his adventure on Cayamo 2018.