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 th...
Oct 03, 2023•1 hr 28 min•Season 3Ep. 40
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...
Sep 26, 2023•2 hr 20 min•Ep. 39
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...
Sep 15, 2023•1 hr 40 min•Season 3Ep. 38
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 whe...
Sep 08, 2023•54 min•Season 3Ep. 37
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 musi...
Sep 01, 2023•1 hr 1 min•Season 3Ep. 36
Jamie Dailey is a ball of energy, both on stage and off. After making some legendary music with Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, he formed the award-winning Dailey & Vincent with Darrin Vincent. For over fifteen years, they have found immense success in bluegrass and beyond. Dailey & Vincent host their own television show and were made members of the Grand Ole Opry in 2017. In August of 2020, Daniel joined Jamie at his kitchen table in Nashville, for an insightful conversation (filled wit...
Aug 25, 2023•1 hr 17 min•Season 3Ep. 35
We are posting this episode on what would have been J.D. Crowe's 85th birthday. He was a dear friend of the podcast, and was our special guest on our first two episodes. J.D. Crowe passed away on December 24th, 2021. His friend and former lead guitarist, Tony Rice passed away 364 days earlier on December 25th, 2020. In the days following Tony's passing, Daniel Mullins interviewed J.D. Crowe about his late friend, Tony Rice, for Daniel's daily radio program on Real Roots Radio. We are grateful to...
Aug 27, 2022•37 min•Season 2Ep. 34
Bill Emerson was a banjo giant, whose work with Jimmy Martin & The Sunny Mountain Boys, The Country Gentlemen, Emerson & Waldron, and more, resulted in his 2019 induction into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. His impeccable playing, innovative spirit, and pleasant demeanor, made this southern gentleman a beloved figure in bluegrass music. This interview was recorded the day after his Hall of Fame induction in Raleigh, NC. Due to some technical difficulties with Mr. Emerson's microphone,...
Aug 26, 2022•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 33
A member of the Grand Ole Opry and the Bluegrass Hall of Fame, Del McCoury has one of the most distinctive voices in all of roots music. With The Del McCoury Band, he has led one of the most successful bluegrass bands of all time, bringing the high lonesome sound to new places and new heights. Del sits down with Daniel Mullins at the Dayton Art Institute to talk about his legendary career. From his humble beginnings growing up on a farm, to his many years working in the timber business, Del’s st...
Sep 09, 2020•1 hr 22 min•Season 2Ep. 32
From the Ozark hills to the Grand Ole Opry, CJ Lewandowski and his band The Po Ramblin Boys are a bluegrass success story who have taken their traditional sound to new audiences. Daniel Mullins sits down with CJ in Nashville at the 2020 SPBGMA convention in Nashville to talk about CJ’s introduction to music, his fascination with the mandolin and first generation of bluegrass artists, and about his path to a successful career in the genre. Hear why bluegrass is more than just music to mandolin pl...
Sep 01, 2020•1 hr 27 min•Season 2Ep. 31
Russell Moore is IBMA’s most-awarded Male Vocalist and leader of the award-winning band, IIIrd Tyme Out. Here in Part 2 of his interview with Daniel Mullins, Russell recounts his journey from sideman to band leader, and the journey in-between. He talks about his favorite moments in music, as well as the songs that made his career, and band, stand out among others in the genre. Listen to Russell talk about where his passion for music still comes from, even after thirty years as a bandleader in th...
Aug 25, 2020•45 min•Season 2Ep. 30
As the most awarded male vocalist in bluegrass, Russell Moore has earned a pedigree as a lead singer and guitarist from the biggest artists in the industry. Still at the top of his game, Russell continues to record and perform with his award-winning band, Russell Moore and IIIrd Tyme Out. Here in Part 1 of a two-part interview with host Daniel Mullins, recorded in Columbus, OH at Musicians Against Childhood Cancer, Russell recounts his journey from Texas to North Carolina, and all the miles betw...
Aug 18, 2020•1 hr 13 min•Season 2Ep. 29
A renaissance woman of bluegrass, Andrea Roberts has led the life of a musician with the trailblazing, all-female group, Petticoat Junction, as well as one of manager, promoter, and talent agent for some of bluegrass music's most well-known artists. She is the wife of mandolin player, Danny Roberts of The Grascals, and mother to up-and-coming artist, Jaelee Roberts. She has been a mentor to countess young artists and tastemakers in the field including our own, Daniel Mullin,s who she sits down w...
Aug 11, 2020•1 hr 18 min•Season 2Ep. 28
Fiddle master, Michael Cleavland is considered one of today's greatest bluegrass artists. Here in Part 2 of Daniel Mullins' interview with Michael, they talk about his journey in bluegrass, from his first professional performances to fronting his own Grammy award-winning band, Michael Cleveland & Flamekeeper. Recorded backstage during rehearsal for the 2019 IBMA Awards Show in Raleigh, NC, hear the conclusion of this two-part episode with fiddling legend, Michael Cleveland. This episode is b...
Aug 04, 2020•40 min•Season 2Ep. 27
As one of the most awarded fiddle players in bluegrass music today, Michael Cleveland’s career is still unfolding. Born visually impaired, Michael has had a unique journey as an artist. In this two-part episode, Daniel sits down with Michael in Raleigh, NC, backstage during rehearsal for the 2019 IBMA Awards Show, as Michael shares his story of becoming an accomplished master of bluegrass fiddling. Michael talks about his influences, his philosophy of music, and his intense study of the instrume...
Jul 28, 2020•48 min•Season 2Ep. 26
For over three decades, Larry Stephenson has been a band leader, recording artist and leader in bluegrass music. Prior to launching his solo career, Larry worked with some important figures in the genre, including Bill Harrell and the trailblazing band, The Bluegrass Cardinals. Over the last thirty years, a who's who of world class musicians have been members of The Larry Stephenson Band. Daniel sits down with Larry in Nashville, TN to talk about his journey in pursuit of originality and authent...
Jul 21, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 25
Skip Cherryholmes now plays in the powerhouse North Carolina-based outfit, Sideline which also has a family connection for him. In Part 2 of Skip’s conversation with Daniel Mullins, hear the continuation of Skip’s journey with his family band, Cherryholmes, the conclusion of that band, the struggle to survive outside of music, and his inevitable return to playing music full-time alongside his father-in-law, the celebrated banjo player, Steve Dilling. Enjoy Part 2 of this interview with accomplis...
Jul 14, 2020•46 min•Season 2Ep. 24
As the guitar player and a vocalist in the seminal family band, Cherryholmes and now, Sideline, Skip Cherryholmes’ story is one of bootstrap beginnings and a fast rise to the top. Although now disbanded, Cherryholmes blazed a trail for young bluegrass artists, and their legacy remains an important one. In Part 1 of a two-part conversation with Daniel Mullins, Skip talks about the emergence of his family’s band and talks about the spiritual path that led them to make music together. Hear how this...
Jul 07, 2020•1 hr 10 min•Season 2Ep. 23
Kitsy Kuykendall is one of bluegrass music's most beloved personalities. Her late husband, Pete Kuykendall founded Bluegrass Unlimited magazine, fondly referred to as "The Rolling Stone of Bluegrass." Kitsy and Pete dedicated their lives to promoting, supporting, and spreading the music of bluegrass throughout the world. For over 50 years, Bluegrass Unlimited has been the premier print resource for this music community, and Kitsy’s energy, personality, and knowledge have been factors in its succ...
Jun 30, 2020•1 hr 1 min•Season 2Ep. 22
Prolific fiddle player, golf professional and son of a Hall of Fame fiddler, Johnny Warren is a member of the bluegrass supergroup, the Earls of Leicester, whose mission is to promote the timeless sound of Lester Flatt & Earl Scruggs and The Foggy Mountain Boys. With the Earls, Johnny helps preserve his father, Paul Warren’s, classic fiddle style. In this episode of Season 2 of Walls of Time, Daniel talks with Johnny backstage at Memorial Hall in Cincinnati, a mere blocks away from where Fla...
Jun 23, 2020•54 min•Season 2Ep. 21
From The Johnson Mountain Boys, to Longview, and The Seldom Scene, Dudley Connell is one of the most identifiable and beloved voices in Bluegrass. Today, on the third episode of Walls of Time Season 2, Daniel Mullins sits down with this charismatic performer in an old camper parked backstage at the SamJam Bluegrass Festival in Piketon, OH. They talk about Dudley’s journey from first getting hooked on the traditional bluegrass sound, to how he helped develop and change the music through the years...
Jun 16, 2020•57 min•Season 2Ep. 20
Today, on the second episode of season two of the Walls of Time: Bluegrass Podcast, Daniel Mullins continues his conversation with Doyle Lawson, a legendary figure in bluegrass and a Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame member. They talk extensively about the formation of his legendary band, Doyle Lawson & Quicksilver, a band whose former members have included some of the biggest names in today's bluegrass scene. There are also some special moments that you may not expect, as Doyle speaks about his ...
Jun 09, 2020•55 min•Season 2Ep. 19
Doyle Lawson. A legendary figure in Bluegrass and a Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame member. Today, on the first episode of Season 2 of the Walls of Time: Bluegrass Podcast, Daniel Mullins sits down on Doyle Lawson's bus before a Quicksilver reunion performance in Lexington, Kentucky, to hear an illustrated timeline of Doyle's rich career, including stories of his earnest beginnings in East Tennessee, through his time with Jimmy Martin, The Country Gentlemen, JD Crowe and his own band Quicksilver. G...
Jun 01, 2020•1 hr 17 min•Season 2Ep. 18
Season 2 is almost here! Catch this exclusive sneak peek of the sophomore season of the Walls of Time: Bluegrass Podcast, returning June 2nd, 2020.
May 22, 2020•7 min
Allen Mills is the founder of the seminal bluegrass band, The Lost and Found. As a bandleader, songwriter and bass player for this important group, Allen has had a powerful and positive impact on friends and fans both through his music and his fun-loving personality. In this interview, recorded in front of a live audience at the International Bluegrass Music Association's annual conference in Raleigh, NC in 2019, host Daniel Mullins sits down with this living legend to talk about his musical his...
Jan 31, 2020•1 hr 9 min•Season 1Ep. 17
Few banjo players have impacted American music like Sonny Osborne has. The Osborne Brothers’ success includes multiple country radio hits, working with Merle Haggard, international tours, being members of the Grand Ole Opry, winning a CMA award, and induction into the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame. Sonny’s banjo playing is some of the most influential in bluegrass music. In part two of this interview on Walls of Time, Sonny shares his thoughts on bluegrass and banjo playing, behind-the-scenes sto...
Nov 22, 2019•50 min•Season 1Ep. 16
There is no bigger living legend in bluegrass than banjo great Sonny Osborne. Along with his brother Bobby, they formed the Osborne Brothers in the 1950’s and went on to become one of the most influential artists in the field. Huge hits like "Rocky Top" helped make them a household name. Sonny retired from music in 2003, but his legacy lives on as both a member of the Bluegrass Music Hall of Fame and the Grand Ole Orpy. Daniel Mullins sat down with Sonny on his back porch for a two-part intervie...
Nov 19, 2019•1 hr 8 min•Season 1Ep. 15
Best known as the banjoist for the award-winning bluegrass group The Grascals, Kristin Scott Benson comes from a long line of musicians. A South Carolina native, she has been playing the banjo since the age thirteen. Her career has resulted in multiple International Bluegrass Music Association Banjo Player of the Year awards, critically acclaimed solo recordings and the 2018 Steve Martin Award for Excellence in Bluegrass and Banjo. Humble, grateful and super talented, Kristin credits points of h...
Nov 01, 2019•57 min•Season 1Ep. 14
Hunter Berry is an East Tennessee native who grew up in a hotbed of traditional music, surrounded by some of the best bluegrass artists in the country. A prodigy performer, he was offered a job by Hall of Famer Doyle Lawson when Berry was just 14 years old. He has spent most of his professional years as the fiddler for Rhonda Vincent & the Rage and has one of the most identifiable fiddle styles on the current bluegrass scene. In this episode of Walls of Time, Daniel and Hunter talk about Hun...
Oct 22, 2019•1 hr 6 min•Season 1Ep. 13
In part two of host Daniel Mullins’ interview with Carl Jackson, Carl talks about his work as a writer and producer. From working with Jim Rushing to producing Grammy award-winning albums like the all-star Louvin Brothers tribute, Carl relates his experiences of producing albums for some of the top artists in country and bluegrass. He gives insight into his journey and what it takes to be true to your art and yourself in the evolving music industry. Let’s re-join Daniel and Carl in Nashville, TN...
Oct 11, 2019•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 12
