The Fretboard Journal Guitar Podcast

For our 200th episode of the Fretboard Journal Podcast, we take the show on the road and broadcast from our recent Fretboard Journal Live event from the Calton Case headquarters in Austin, Texas. You’ll hear our live interview with Steve McCreary (Collings Guitars), music from Redd Volkaert, Paul Glasse and Kym Warner (Greencards) and hear our conversation with Jimmie Dale Gilmore and Dave Alvin about their new album, Downey to Lubbock. Closing things out, we hear a great tune with Anthony da Costa.

For most luthiers, building and repairing six string guitars pays the bills. On this week’s podcast, we talk a luthier who has carved out an entire career for himself building only ukuleles, tenor guitars and the occasional mandolin. Portland, Maine’s Joel Eckhaus talks to us about his Earnest Instruments lineup, the fateful music lessons he took from Vaudeville music legend Roy Smeck and much more.

Mulit-instrumentalists and music historian Dom Flemons (Carolina Chocolate Drops) joins us to talk about his new Smithsonian Folkways record 'Black Cowboys' and a lot more.

Greg and Janet Deering (Deering Banjos) walk us through their company's continued growth, talk about their early days at American Dream (the same cooperative that launched Taylor Guitars); their wide array of instruments – from starter to collector-grade – and more.

On today’s podcast, we talk to guitar god Eric Johnson! We chat about using meditation to live in the present, Eric's new Fender signature model thinline Stratocaster, his new pedal board, re-creating the Ah Via Musicom album today and much more.  

Acclaimed singer-songwriter Chris Smither joins us on this week’s Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about his new double-album, Call Me Lucky. We chat about his unique interpretations of well-trodden covers such as “Sittin’ On Top of the World” and “Maybellene,” learn about his guitar of choice – a custom Collings 000 with a 12-fret, short scale neck, a cutaway and a solid peghead that he purchased from the Music Emporium - plus a lot more.

Guitar legend Duck Baker joins us this week to talk about his new compilation, Les Blues du Richmond: Demos & Outtakes, 1973-1979 (out this month on Tompkins Square Records). We also talk about why so many guitarists in the early ‘70s were arranging ragtime music, learn about avant-garde jazz musicians like Roswell Rudd taught Baker, plus a lot more. It’s a fun chat with one of the music world’s most versatile players.

Larry Campbell and Teresa Williams join us on the Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about their latest recording; the challenges of being working musicians who happen to be married, guitars and much more! 

Singer-songwriter Caitlin Canty and Noam Pikelny stop by the Fretboard Journal to talk abut Canty's new record, 'Motel Bouquet.' Pikelny - best known as the banjo wizard alongside Chris Thile in Punch Brothers - produced the album and also plays guitar on it.

Guitarist Glenn Jones joins us this week to talk about the forthcoming 1000 Incarnations of the Rose Festival, a three-day long music festival celebrating the music of John Fahey, Robbie Basho and American Primitive guitar. We also hear about Jones' collaboration with Fahey, the new crop of young fingerstyle guitarists and a lot more.

Today we’re talking to accomplished studio guitarist and composer Mark Leggett. Mark has led a fascinating life with credits that include the guitar solo from Martika’s “Toy Soldiers” to the playing with Dolly Parton, to doing music for My Name Is Earl. During our chat, we get the inside story on Leggett’s viral guitar videos – yes, he has a solo album brewing – as well as the guitars he loves and what it’s like to make a living scoring music for films and TV. 

On this week's podcast, we catch up with longtime friends and music collaborators David Grisman and Del McCoury at Wintergrass 2018. We talk about the early days of bluegrass festivals, some of the larger-than-life personalities they worked alongside (including Bill Keith, Jerry Garcia and Mac Wiseman), Grisman's amazing work at Acoustic Disc, McCoury's DelFest and much more. 

Singer-songwriter Suzanne Santo joins us on the Fretboard Journal Podcast to talk about starting out in music, moving to New York City (by herself!) at 16, her work in HoneyHoney, the decision to put out a solo record and much more. 

Acclaimed music photographer Jim Herrington - best known for his iconic portraits of Dolly Parton, Johnny Cash, Merle Haggard and other legends - joins us to talk about his latest project, which has nothing to do with music! With his new coffee table book, "The Climbers," Herrington travels the world to photograph some of the most accomplished climbers / mountaineers still alive.

This week, we talk to guitar builder Larry Pogreba about his one-of-a-kind resonator guitars, Weissenborns and acoustics. Larry is a big proponent of using recycled and reclaimed woods and metals in his instruments, which have a who's who list of owners including Jackson Browne, Bonnie Raitt, David Lindley, Cindy Cashdollar and other greats.