Anne Harris: A Fiddler and Her Love of Music E140

Anne Harris: A Fiddler and Her Love of Music E140

A rock band is only as good as its ability to surprise you, and Anne Harris is built for surprise. She’s the fiddle player you hear with Cracker, and we talk about the first night it clicked that turned into an open invitation to sit in and stretch out. Along the way, Anne explains what makes musical chemistry real: shared taste, trust, and the kind of listening that turns solos into a back-and-forth conversation. We get deep into the art of live improvisation and why it keeps a show from getting stale, especially when the set can change on a dime. Anne also tackles the difference between a violinist and a fiddle player, and how style and tradition shape the same instrument. From there, the story widens across projects like Gypsy Blue Review and Halo Rider, and touring with Taj Mahal and Keb Mo as part of TajMo, a gig she describes as a living education in music history. If you care about live music, real human creativity, and the stories behind the songs, listen through and share it with a friend who still believes the stage is sacred. Send us a one-way message. We can’t answer you back directly, but it could be part of a future Music In My Shoes Mailbag!!! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2265604/fan_mail/new]

Athfest 2026, A Proposal, and A Life of Illusion E139

Athens, Georgia can humble you fast: one minute you’re chasing a band you’ve never heard of, the next you’re packed into a legendary room watching the kind of guest appearance people talk about for years. We’re back from Athfest with a full set of field notes, from the festival’s free outdoor stages to the wristband club crawl that turns Athens into a choose-your-own-adventure for live music fans. Along the way we run into familiar friends, swap stories about who lit up the night, and dig into what makes the current Athens music scene feel alive beyond the old-school mythology. We also get into the moments that make festivals stick in your memory even more than the setlists: getting caught in a downpour and watching strangers dance like it’s the best weather on earth, then sprinting between rooms like the Georgia Theater and the 40 Watt Club for can’t-miss performances. There are shoutouts to artists tied to the show, talk about stage presence, and a few perfect “how did I not know this band?” discoveries that remind us why we keep showing up. Then the conversation swerves in the best way, from a hidden proposal mission in Founders Garden (mosquitoes included) to the Joe Walsh's "A Life of Illusion". If you like Athens, live music, festival recaps, and the stories that orbit the songs, subscribe, share this with a friend, and leave us a review. Learn Something New or Remember Something Old Please like and follow the Music in My Shoes Facebook and Instagram pages Reach out to us at musicinmyshoes@gmail.com Send us a one-way message. We can’t answer you back directly, but it could be part of a future Music In My Shoes Mailbag!!! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2265604/fan_mail/new]

Billboard Hits of July 4, 1976: Skyrockets in Flight, Afternoon Delight E138

Fireworks are loud, but the real Fourth of July time machine is a song you haven’t heard in years. We kick off our holiday special by talking Atlanta traditions like the Peachtree Road Race, then dive straight into the United States Bicentennial vibe that made 1976 feel bigger than life. Along the way, we share the tiny details that still stick: Bicentennial quarters, the two-dollar bill comeback and Operation Sail in New York. From there, we rebuild the day through music by revisiting the Billboard Hot 100 for July 4, 1976. It’s a perfect snapshot of classic rock, disco, soul, and pop all fighting for your transistor radio at the same time. We hit tracks and stories tied to Fleetwood Mac, the Bee Gees, Wild Cherry, Cliff Richard, Lou Rawls, ABBA, Queen, the Doobie Brothers, and more, plus the surprising top-of-chart moments that remind you how wild a single week of radio could be. Then Jimmy drops a punk rock history grenade in Minute with Jimmy: the Ramones play their first show in England on July 4, 1976, while The Clash play their first-ever gig across town. It’s the kind of behind-the-scenes music story that explains how scenes ignite overnight. If you love music history, the Bicentennial era, or just digging up the soundtrack of your own life, hit play. Subscribe to Music in My Shoes, share this with a friend who lived through 1976, and leave a review with the one song that instantly takes you back. Learn Something New or Remember Something Old Please like and follow the Music in My Shoes Facebook and Instagram pages Reach out to us at musicinmyshoes@gmail.com Send us a one-way message. We can’t answer you back directly, but it could be part of a future Music In My Shoes Mailbag!!! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2265604/fan_mail/new]

Paperback Writer, Carole King "Tapestry", and Somebody Put Something in My Drink E137

We bounce from a killer Cracker and Drivin N Cryin concert to a surreal moment where Heart’s “Barracuda” follows us through LaGuardia. The mailbag sparks stories about meeting listeners, debating concerts, and how the songs we love can turn into life lessons we don’t forget.  • Cracker plays loose and confident  • Drivin N Cryin opening run and why “Scarred But Smarter” still hits  • “Barracuda” in the airport and walking to the beat  • listener messages and meeting people at shows  • mixed fan reactions to Echo and the Bunnymen shows  • “Paperback Writer” details and rediscovering old songs  • Carole King and why Tapestry lasts  • The Runaways, the Ramones, The Cure, and LL Cool J time-hopping through pop history  Learn Something New or Remember Something Old Please like and follow the Music in My Shoes Facebook and Instagram pages Reach out to us at musicinmyshoes@gmail.com Send us a one-way message. We can’t answer you back directly, but it could be part of a future Music In My Shoes Mailbag!!! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2265604/fan_mail/new]

Behind the Strings of R.E.M.'s Out of Time: Violinist David Arenz E136

“Losing My Religion” has one of the most recognizable feels in modern rock, and a big part of that atmosphere lives in the strings. We’re joined by former Atlanta Symphony Orchestra violinist David Arenz, who played on R.E.M.’s Out of Time, to unpack what it’s like to walk into a studio, open the sheet music, listen to the track, and deliver takes that end up etched into music history. We get practical about the process: how pop string sections are recorded, why overdubbing matters, how a small group can sound massive, and what pros rely on when the clock is running. David also takes us through the real career path behind orchestral playing, from early training and relentless practice to high-pressure auditions, probation, and decades of rehearsals, concerts, and touring as a working musician. Then the stories open up. We talk Atlanta studios, TV theme work, and the strange truth that you often don’t know where your music will land until you hear it out in the world. And yes, David even ends up singing “My Girl” with The Temptations at Chastain Park in Atlanta, GA. If you love R.E.M., the Out of Time album, music production, or the orchestra, this one is for you. Subscribe, share the show with a music-obsessed friend, and leave us a review. What song do you hear differently once you know how it was made? Learn Something New or Remember Something Old Please like and follow the Music in My Shoes Facebook and Instagram pages Reach out to us at musicinmyshoes@gmail.com Send us a one-way message. We can’t answer you back directly, but it could be part of a future Music In My Shoes Mailbag!!! [https://www.buzzsprout.com/2265604/fan_mail/new]