Walls of Time: Bluegrass Podcast

In Part Two of our conversation with Ken Irwin & Marian Leighton Levy, we continue diving in to the fifty-plus year history of Rounder Records, which they helped found alongside Bill Nowlin. They tell us why J.D. Crowe & The New South's 1975 release (Rounder 0044) was so pivotal for the aspiring label (and so unlikely as well). Ken also takes us to the exact moment he first heard the voice of Alison Krauss of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, and we learn more about her rise as one of the most celebrated vocalists in American roots music history. Ken & Marian also share some of their pick hits from the Rounder catalog, and we put Ken's knowledge of the label's stock numbers to the test. Enjoy the second half of our in-depth conversation with this pair of Rounders (and Bluegrass Music Hall of Famers), Ken Irwin & Marian Leighton Levy! Be sure to check out the new book on the history of Rounder Records, written by David Menconi, 'Oh, Didn't They Ramble.' Click here to learn more! [https://www.amazon.com/Oh-Didnt-They-Ramble-Transformation/dp/1469674998/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1Y8SPYHSLGJNO&keywords=oh+didn%27t+they+ramble&qid=1695714633&sprefix=oh+didn%2Caps%2C112&sr=8-1]   This episode is brought to you by the following sponsors:  -- Samson's Haircare: samsonshaircare.com [http://samsonshaircare.com/?aff=6] (Use code BLUEGRASS to save 10%.)  -- LawnChair USA: lawnchairusa.com/wallsoftime [http://www.lawnchairusa.com/wallsoftime] (Use code WALLSOFTIME to save 10%.) -- Best Self Co: bestself.co [https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=1006351&u=3369229&m=71884&urllink=&afftrack=] (Use code BLUEGRASS to save 15%)

The story of Rounder Records is one of the most unlikely success stories in American roots music. Two of the historic record label's three founders, Ken Irwin & Marian Leighton Levy join us to tell the tale in this extensive, in-depth, two-part interview. We learn how this set of outlaw romantics journeyed from the counter-culture to the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame, and learn many lessons along the way, like the importance of "knowing that you don't know" and how to travel across the entire country on only eleven cents! Enjoy the first part of our conversation with this legendary pair of Rounders. Be sure to check out the new book on the history of Rounder Records, written by David Menconi, 'Oh, Didn't They Ramble.' Click here to learn more! [https://www.amazon.com/Oh-Didnt-They-Ramble-Transformation/dp/1469674998/ref=sr_1_1?crid=1Y8SPYHSLGJNO&keywords=oh+didn%27t+they+ramble&qid=1695714633&sprefix=oh+didn%2Caps%2C112&sr=8-1]   This episode is brought to you by the following sponsors:  -- Samson's Haircare: samsonshaircare.com [http://samsonshaircare.com/?aff=6] (Use code BLUEGRASS to save 10%.)  -- LawnChair USA: lawnchairusa.com/wallsoftime [http://www.lawnchairusa.com/wallsoftime] (Use code WALLSOFTIME to save 10%.) -- Best Self Co: bestself.co [https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=1006351&u=3369229&m=71884&urllink=&afftrack=] (Use code BLUEGRASS to save 15%)

Jeremy & Corrina Stephens are truly old souls. They both seek a deeper understanding of their shared passions: traditional music and their faith. Both are uber-talented multi-instrumentalists with an immense knowledge of the music of early roots music pioneers such as Reno & Smiley, Jim & Jesse, The Chuck Wagon Gang, Charlie Monroe, Fred Rose, and more, which is evident in the style of bluegrass they create with their band, High Fidelity. It was a treat to sit down for a visit at the Coffee Hub in Xenia, OH with this wonderful folks, as we chatted about everything from Corrina's love of punk rock to Jeremy's analysis of canned tuna! Enjoy!   This episode is brought to you by the following sponsors:  -- Samson's Haircare: samsonshaircare.com [http://samsonshaircare.com/?aff=6] (Use code BLUEGRASS to save 10%.)  -- LawnChair USA: lawnchairusa.com/wallsoftime [http://www.lawnchairusa.com/wallsoftime] (Use code WALLSOFTIME to save 10%.) -- Best Self Co: bestself.co [https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=1006351&u=3369229&m=71884&urllink=&afftrack=] (Use code BLUEGRASS to save 15%)

Tammy Rogers King is a founder of the Grammy award-winning band, The Steeldrivers. Known for her fiddling, singing, and songwriting, her musical journey includes touring with Patty Loveless, working as a Nashville songwriter, and making music with Dusty Miller in the late 80's/early 90's. In this interview, she sits down backstage on a Saturday night at SamJam Bluegrass Festival in Piketon, OH, and Tammy dives deep into the "why" of carving her own path, how the right song can make an impact when you least expect it, and why she chose a life "fiddlin' around" with music (or did the fiddle choose her?).   This episode is brought to you by the following sponsors:  -- Samson's Haircare: samsonshaircare.com [http://samsonshaircare.com/?aff=6] (Use code BLUEGRASS to save 10%.)  -- LawnChair USA: lawnchairusa.com/wallsoftime [http://www.lawnchairusa.com/wallsoftime] (Use code WALLSOFTIME to save 10%.) -- Best Self Co: bestself.co [https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=1006351&u=3369229&m=71884&urllink=&afftrack=] (Use code BLUEGRASS to save 15%)

Dubbed "The Sweethearts of Bluegrass", Darin & Brooke Aldridge are a strong couple -- both in music and in marriage. Growing up in the same region of North Carolina, they met through mutual friends and bonded over a mutual interest in bluegrass. Recorded in a hotel room in the fall of 2021 in Wilkesboro, NC, Darin and Brooke discuss how their love blossomed, Darin's early days with Charlie Waller & The Country Gentlemen, the allure of the Grand Ole Opry, and the importance of making music with a message.   This episode is brought to you by the following sponsors:  -- Samson's Haircare: samsonshaircare.com [http://samsonshaircare.com/?aff=6] (Use code BLUEGRASS to save 10%.)  -- LawnChair USA: lawnchairusa.com/wallsoftime [http://www.lawnchairusa.com/wallsoftime] (Use code WALLSOFTIME to save 10%.) -- Best Self Co: bestself.co [https://shareasale.com/r.cfm?b=1006351&u=3369229&m=71884&urllink=&afftrack=] (Use code BLUEGRASS to save 15%)