For this episode of Pass the Mic: Creating a Stage for Change , we spoke with singer songwriter Sunny War prior to her performance at the Pilot Light in Knoxville. Sunny War’s early musical history was rooted in punk music, and she has successfully blended these punk influences with elements of roots music— a unique sound that is further highlighted by her distinct right-hand technique that mimics the clawhammer banjo. Sunny is candid about her early experiences with heavy alcohol use and addict...
Jul 03, 2024•44 min
For this episode of Pass the Mic: Creating a Stage for Change , we talked to songwriter, activist, and multi-instrumentalist Leyla McCalla during the 2024 Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee. Previously, Leyla performed as part of the GRAMMY award winning Carolina Chocolate Drops. She is also a founding member of the Black, all-female American roots ensemble, Our Native Daughters. Her previous solo work includes her 2022 album Breaking the Thermometer , which explores the history of Radio ...
Jul 03, 2024•48 min
For this episode of Pass the Mic: Creating a Stage for Change , we spoke to composer, pianist/vocalist, and interdisciplinary artist Samora Pinderhughes during the 2024 Big Ears Festival . Samora is a graduate of The Julliard School and is currently completing a PhD in Creative Practice and Critical Inquiry. He is the first-ever Art for Justice / Soros Justice Fellow and a recipient of Chamber Music America’s 2020 Visionary Award. Much of Samora’s long term work as an artist has been dedicated t...
Jul 03, 2024•45 min
For this episode of Pass the Mic: Creating a Stage for Change , we spoke to Amythyst Kiah during the 2024 Big Ears Festival in Knoxville, Tennessee. Amythyst earned a GRAMMY nomination for her song “Black Myself” in the category of Best American Roots Song. She is also a member of the “all women of color supergroup”, Our Native Daughters, which also featured Rhiannon Giddens , Leyla McCalla , and Allison Russell . Amythyst’s 2021 album, Wary+Strange , was described as “a must-listen about living...
Jul 03, 2024•39 min
For this episode of Pass the Mic: Creating a Stage for Change , we decided to highlight some of the sights, sounds, and experiences of the 2024 Big Ears Festival . We spoke with the festival’s executive and artistic director, Ashley Capps, and Big Ears’ development director, Casey Fox, about the philosophy behind the festival, some of the challenges, hopes for the future of the event, and intentions for its impact on the local Knoxville community. We also ventured out into the streets to talk to...
Jul 03, 2024•42 min
For this episode of Pass the Mic: Creating a Stage for Change , we spoke to self-described “Southern Soul” artist Rissi Palmer . Rissi has released multiple solo records and music for children. Some career highlights include performances at the White House, the Grand Ole Opry, on Oprah & Friends , and numerous other national TV appearances. Her radio show Color Me Country Radio with Rissi Palmer celebrates Black artists and those who have been historically marginalized in country music. In t...
Jun 26, 2024•54 min
For this episode of Pass the Mic: Creating a Stage for Change , we spoke with Knoxville-based comedian, activist, community leader, poet, and self-described “truth teller” Brandi Augustus . In her comedy career, Brandi has opened for Katherine Blanford, Holly Lena, and Sam Tallent. She was voted Knoxville’s Finest Comedian in 2023 and is a show producer with Tiny Stage Comedy. In this conversation, Brandi describes the struggles that led her to living in Knoxville, the personal growth that follo...
Apr 11, 2024•55 min
For this episode of Pass the Mic: Creating a Stage For Change , we interviewed Knoxville-based performer and entrepreneur Jonathan “Courageous” Clark . Courageous has been an important figure in the Knoxville theatre community since childhood, and served as Executive and Artistic Director of the Carpetbag Theatre (CBT), Inc. He has toured nationally as a spoken word poet, has worked in nonprofit arts administration, and currently facilitates creative writing & performance workshops for group...
Mar 20, 2024•1 hr 8 min
For this episode of Pass the Mic , we talked to Devan Jaquez who serves as Principal Flutist with the Knoxville Symphony Orchestra . Devan was selected as a finalist in the 2020 Young Concert Artists International Competition, was selected to play in the 2020 Spoleto Festival USA Orchestra, was chosen as a 2020 instrumental fellow of the Music Academy of the West (MAW), and was chosen as a winner of the Keston MAX Competition, resulting in a performance with the London Symphony Orchestra. During...
Mar 06, 2024•44 min
For this episode of Pass the Mic , we talked to North Carolina based musician Rebekah Todd at the 2023 Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion. Rebekah, who identifies her music as “Cosmic Soul Rock”, has won numerous awards and has performed with a wide variety of notable artists including Keller Williams, Big Something, and Vince Herman among others. She hosts the podcast “Rebekah Toddcast,” and also hosts the “ Realign ” glamping retreat for women and non-binary people in North Carolina. In this epi...
Feb 01, 2024•22 min
For many talented working musicians, juggling a variety of professional responsibilities and identities is the reality. For this episode of Pass the Mic , we talked to singer-songwriter, occupational therapist, and massage therapist Beth Snapp at the 2023 Bristol Rhythm and Roots Festival. In this episode, Beth discusses her experiences providing healthcare services to patients with COVID-19 during the height of the pandemic, including ways those experiences shaped her songwriting and perspectiv...
Feb 01, 2024•41 min
For this episode of Pass the Mic , we had the pleasure of talking with mandolin virtuoso Sierra Hull at the 2023 Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion. Sierra’s career launched at a young age— at just 12, she performed at Carnegie Hall. Only one year later, she signed a record deal with Rounder Records. In this conversation, Sierra describes ways that the enthusiasm of her family and support of her bluegrass community helped her thrive as a young musician. Sierra also describes what she values within...
Feb 01, 2024•50 min
For this episode of Pass the Mic , we talked to Alison Brown at the 2023 Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion. Alison is an internationally recognized and GRAMMY winning banjoist known for her roots in bluegrass with elements of jazz. At a pivotal moment in her life, Alison left a career on Wall Street to tour with Alison Krauss and Union Station. She never looked back. Allison has released twelve critically-acclaimed solo albums. In addition to performing, she is a co-founder of the well-respected ...
Feb 01, 2024•47 min
For this episode of Pass the Mic , we had the pleasure of talking to Carlene Carter at the 2023 Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion. Carlene shared memories of learning music from her mother, June Carter, and her grandmother "Mother" Maybelle Carter. Her 2014 record Carter Girl celebrates this family history with unique contemporary interpretations of the Carter Family’s original songs. Carlene made a conscious decision to embrace her country roots while also incorporating elements of rock, advic...
Jan 24, 2024•42 min
For this episode of Pass the Mic , we talked to Kelsey Waldon at the 2023 Bristol Rhythm and Roots Reunion. Kelsey Waldon was born and raised in rural Western Kentucky. Originally, she identified primarily as a songwriter, but eventually embraced her distinct singing voice after receiving positive feedback and encouragement. In this conversation, Kelsey shared recent experiences touring and promoting her most recent full-length record, No Regular Dog . Kelsey discusses the influence of her mento...
Jan 24, 2024•49 min
For this episode of Pass the Mic , we’re excited to celebrate the spirit of the 2023 Bristol Rhythm & Roots Reunion by highlighting some of the diverse voices that make this event so special— some attending the festival for the first time, long-time returning festival goers, and some of the folks working within and on the periphery of the event to keep in running smoothly. We had the privilege of speaking to Dr. René Rodgers, the head curator of the Birthplace of Country Music Museum , about...
Jan 24, 2024•30 min
For this episode of Pass the Mic , we talked with members of the NYC based band The Scooches , named appropriately for the way it “scooches” a wide range of genres and cultures together to create beautiful and eclectic roots music. We talked to founding members and spouses, Betina Hershey and Nick Russo, percussionist Harvey Wirht, originally from Suriname, and vocalist Miles Griffith. In this conversation, members of The Scooches discuss their early experiences of being immersed in music, becom...
Jan 10, 2024•47 min
For this episode of Pass the Mic , we talked to Brandon and Derek Campbell— twin brothers who form the country music duo Kentucky Gentlemen . Brandon and Derek grew up in Versailles, Kentucky where their involvement in performing began with singing in a church choir. The Kentucky Gentlemen were named “Artist to Watch” by NPR and Nashville’s Country Music Almanac in 2023. In this conversation, Derek and Brandon talk about growing up in Versailles Kentucky, writing music that reflects personal val...
Nov 15, 2023•32 min
For this episode of “Pass the Mic” , we sat down with Nashville-based hip hop artist Brian Brown . Brian discussed his eclectic musical upbringing, and ways that his early musical influences have shaped his current sound. He also describes his realities of being a working musician in Nashville, and the ongoing pursuit of balance and self-care. Brian also points out the hypocrisy of Black hip-hop artists being held to a high standard, while mainstream white artists are celebrated even while promo...
Nov 08, 2023•41 min
For this episode of “ Pass the Mic: Creating a Stage for Change ,” we sat down with Tiffany Provenzano and Ahsaki LaFrance-Chachere , two music industry professionals involved with Nashville-based mTheory’s Equal Access Development Program. This 12-month program is designed to provide access and training for underrepresented voices in the country music industry by extending funding, training, and access to industry leaders and other resources for both artists and managers in the industry . In th...
Oct 25, 2023•49 min
For this episode of “ Pass the Mic: Creating a Stage for Change ,” we sat down with Nashville-based blues musician Adia Victoria . Adia was born in South Carolina, lived for a period of time in Europe, and eventually landed in Nashville in 2010. Her full-length records include Beyond the Bloodhounds released in 2016, Silences in 2019, and more recently, her 2021 album entitled A Southern Gothic, which was produced by T Bone Burnett. Adia Victoria honors Blues traditions while carving out a space...
Oct 11, 2023•33 min
For this episode of Pass the Mic , we had the opportunity to talk with Knoxville-based percussionist and educator Obayana Ajanaku. Obayana has been studying West African drumming since the age of 6. He is a lifelong student of African percussion, and continues to pursue opportunities to develop his performing skills and expertise of African music. He has performed both internationally and across the United States. Obayana serves as the West African drum instructor at Austin East High School in K...
Oct 04, 2023•34 min
For this episode of Pass the Mic, we sat down with Nashville-based artist Robbie Lynn Hunsinger . For many years, Robbie Lynn worked as a top notch classical oboist in Atlanta, New York and Chicago. Recently she has become a sought after media and concert artist, a composer, multi-instrumentalist, creative technologist, improviser and educator. Robbie Lynn is a pioneer in Western and Eastern oboe, multimedia performance and responsive art installation. She has been an obbligato soloist with the ...
Sep 13, 2023•55 min
This episode of Pass the Mic features Dom Flemons , also known as the “American Songster.” Dom is Grammy winning recording artist, two-time Emmy nominee, and a 2020 U.S. Artists Fellow. His repertoire covers a century of American Roots music. In addition to being an accomplished songwriter and instrumentalist, Dom is a music scholar, record collector, actor, poet, and creator of the “ American Songster ” radio program based in Nashville. In his early career, Dom formed the Carolina Chocolate dro...
Aug 24, 2023•48 min
For this episode of Pass the Mic, we sat down with Nashville-based hip hop artist Daisha McBride, also known as The Rap Girl. Daisha first gained attention for her music while recording and sharing videos of herself rapping while attending MTSU as a college student. At the age of 27, Daisha has already released three full-length albums and numerous singles. She is the subject of the recent documentary In Her Element directed by Idil Ibrahim. The documentary was featured on BET as part of its Que...
Aug 17, 2023•37 min
For this episode of Pass the Mic, we talked to Knoxville-based musician Andrea Kukuly Uriarte (they/them). Andrea performed with their band Rica Chicha at the 2023 Big Ears Festival, which was described by Oxford American as “one of the most quietly earth-shattering, subtly luminous festivals the world over. Rica Chicha’s sound is inspired by psychedelic Peruvian cumbia groups of the 1960s, and by Argentinian and Peruvian folk, punk, rock, and ska from the 1980s and 1990s. Andrea was born in Per...
Jul 18, 2023•46 min•Season 1Ep. 4
For this episode of Pass the Mic: Creating a Stage for Change, we sat down to chat with two Knoxville based jazz pianists: Donald Brown and Taber Gable. These two talented musicians represent different generations, yet share some common experiences and a passion for nurturing others in their East Tennessee communities through the arts. Donald Brown is an accomplished pianist, composer, and producer. He grew up in Memphis Tennessee, and is one of eleven children. He began studying piano at Memphi...
Jun 14, 2023•46 min•Season 1Ep. 3
For close to a century, the Grand Ole Opry has been at the heart of country music. Despite country music’s roots in African American culture and traditional African instruments, Black musicians only represent 1% of the Grand Ole Opry…but the Black Opry is changing that. In this episode, we sit down with Holly G, the founder of the Black Opry, and East Tennessee’s own Kelle Jolly to learn more about their experiences (good and bad), inspirations, and hopes for the future of the industry. Pass the...
Jun 01, 2023•54 min•Season 1Ep. 2
GRAMMY-nominated Allison Russell joins the Tennessee Theatre on this special sneak peek episode. Allison discusses her work on Love Rising, recent gun violence that has impacted Nashville and the entire country, as well the role arts can play in making changes. Allison Russell is a Canadian singer-songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, poet, and activist. She released her first solo album, Outside Child, in 2021 and we feature the following songs from that album: “Nightflyer,” “4th Day Prayer,” and ...
May 17, 2023•38 min•Ep. 1
