301. Interview with Alonzo Townsend, St. Louis, Missouri (05:32)

Date:
2020-09-04
Main contributors:
Alonzo Townsend
Summary:
Alonzo Townsend (St. Louis, Missouri) Alonzo Townsend is the youngest son of Delta blues legend and patriarch of the St. Louis Blues Henry James “Mule” Townsend and blues singer Vernell Townsend. Alonzo has made it his mission to carry on the blues heritage and become an active voice for St. Louis’ history and vibrant music scene. Alonzo accepted the posthumous Grammy Award for Best Traditional Blues Album in 2008 on behalf of his late father for his album, Last of the Great Mississippi Delta Bluesmen: Live in Dallas. Alonzo himself is a spoken word emcee, booking coordinator, event manager and talent manager for events like Taste of St. Louis, River Front Times Music Showcase, Big Muddy Blues Festival, Blues at The Arch and more. His spoken word recording, “A Letter To My City,” was featured as a part of the 18 N 18 St. Louis Blues Society Compilation Album. Townsend is a speaker and writer for the St. Louis Blues Society, Blues Education programs including “Hip-Hop to The Blues,” and a presenter/youth educator for Blues in The Schools Programs. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/04/2020.

302. Interview with Adam Faucett, Little Rock, Arkansas (05:45)

Date:
2020-09-14
Main contributors:
Adam Faucett
Summary:
Adam Faucett (Little Rock, Arkansas) Adam Faucett is a singer-songwriter born in Benton, Arkansas, and based out of Little Rock. Faucett was originally a member of the Russellville, Arkansas-based band, Taught the Rabbits, and has been performing solo since 2006. After the breakup of that band, Faucett relocated to Chicago, where he focused on folk music, writing his first album, The Great Basking Shark. Upon the release of a second album in 2008, Show Me Magic, Show Me Out, he toured the U.S. and Europe with acts including Lucero, Calexico, The Legendary Shack Shakers, Vetiver, and Damien Jurado. Faucett’s music has been described as “southern soul swamp opera,” blending experimental rock, psychedelic rock, and noise rock into his framework of singer-songwriter country music. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/14/2020.

303. Interview with Ashley Sankey, Birmingham, Alabama (04:37)

Date:
2020-09-23
Main contributors:
Ashley Sankey
Summary:
Ashley Sankey (Birmingham, Alabama) Birmingham, Alabama-based musician Ashley Sankey, a classically trained keyboardist and percussionist and a formally trained jazz and opera vocalist, has been performing in the Birmingham area for many years. She taught herself guitar, and although she works in multiple genres, she considers herself a soul musician. Sankey has her own in-home studio, where she also produces music and engineers studio sessions for other up-and-coming Alabama artists. Ashley has a long history in the church and started singing background for traveling gospel acts at the age of thirteen. She released her first studio album, Ashley Sankey Presents “Birmingham’s Here,” in 2013. She also performs as a percussionist at Grant Chapel African Methodist Episcopal Church in Birmingham. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/23/2020.

304. Interview with Amy Garland, Fox, Arkansas (05:55)

Date:
2020-09-18
Main contributors:
Amy Garland
Summary:
Amy Garland (Fox, Arkansas) Fox, Arkansas-based musician and artist, Amy Garland, has spent many years serving as a mentor figure to other artists throughout the region. She also has her own show on the local public radio station, KABF, called “Backroads,” where she plays a variety of independent country/old-time/bluegrass/singer-songwriter musics to her local fanbase. Her all-girl group, The Wildflowers, performs regional shows, while she continues writing and performing her own compositions. Amy Garland is also a social worker and a guitar strap maker. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/18/2020.

305. Interview with Andrae Ambrose, Chicago, Illinois (05:32)

Date:
2020-10-01
Main contributors:
Andrae Ambrose
Summary:
Andrae Ambrose (Chicago, Illinois) As the President and Lead Producer of Jambrose Music Group, gospel musician Andrae Ambrose is known for his professional overseeing of live recording sessions. Andrae has worked with a number of major recording artists, including Grammy Award-winning producers Kevin Randolph, Donald Lawrence, Kirk Franklin, and Aaron Lindsey, as well as work with artists such as Leslie Ruiz, Brandon Roberson, Atmosphere of Heaven, San Franklin, One 4 Christ, and Reggie Royal & Judah. Andrae has served on the Chicago Board of Governors of the National Association of Recording Arts & Sciences (NARAS) and was the co-chair for the Gospel Task Force of the Chicago Chapter. He is the composer of the SoundMind Collection, a series of therapeutic instrumental music. As a member of a pastoral family, his perspective on music ministry includes training of worship leaders and choirs around the world. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/01/2020.

306. Interview with Andrea Colburn, Atlanta, Georgia (05:51)

Date:
2020-09-24
Main contributors:
Andrea Colburn
Summary:
Andrea Colburn (Atlanta, Georgia) Singer-songwriter Andrea Colburn is one-half of the musical duo Andrea and Mud, who categorize themselves as “surf western music.” Based in Atlanta, they spent many years operating a very demanding touring schedule. Growing up in St. Louis, Andrea Colburn says she wanted to learn guitar from a young age, but never particularly excelled at the instrument. When she moved to Georgia in 2012, however, a shift happened, and she found herself performing on a new level. When she connected with Kyle “Mud” Moseley, they found the right match. The duo released their album Bad News Darlin’ in 2020. In addition to guitar, Andrea Colburn also plays the musical saw. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/24/2020.

307. Interview with Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes, New Orleans, Louisiana (05:59)

Date:
2020-09-14
Main contributors:
Bruce "Sunpie" Barnes
Summary:
Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes (New Orleans, Louisiana) Bruce “Sunpie” Barnes is a musician, author, and ethnographic photographer. Sunpie is the Big Chief of the Northside Skull and Bone Gang, one the oldest Afro-Creole carnival groups in the United States, which began its traditions in 1819. He is a member of the Black Men of Labor Social Aid and Pleasure Club and the band leader of Sunpie and the Louisiana Sunspots. His joint book and album project, Le Kèr Creole, was co-authored with Rachel Breunlin and Leroy Etienne. Sunpie is a former National Park Service Ranger, former high school biology teacher, former college football All-American, and former NFL football player for the Kansas City Chiefs. He performs his own style of Afro-Louisiana music, incorporating blues, zydeco, creole jazz, gospel, work songs, and Caribbean and African-influenced rhythms and melodies and is a multi-instrumentalist who plays accordion, harmonica, and piano along with rubboard, talking drum, and dejembe. He is a former member of the Paul Simon Band, and his acting work has appeared in the Hollywood films Point of No Return, Deja Vu, Under Cover Blues, Jonah Hex, Tremé, The Big Easy, Skeleton Key, and many more. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/14/2020.

308. Interview with Beau Bledsoe, Kansas City, Missouri (05:23)

Date:
2020-09-09
Main contributors:
Beau Bledsoe
Summary:
Beau Bledsoe (Kansas City, Missouri) Beau Bledsoe studied classical guitar at the University of Missouri-Kansas City Conservatory of Music under Douglas Niedt, where he received a Master of Music. There he continued his professional career in the Kansas City music scene playing with jazz musicians, classical chamber musicians, and also participating in the burgeoning Latin music scene. His interest in exploring new repertoire, cultures, and programming ideas led to the creation of a large body of arrangements, transcriptions and compositions for the solo guitar and guitar chamber music. He also founded Ensemble Ibérica, a group that performs the music of Ibéria (Spain and Portugal) and the colonial Americas while educating the public about Iberian cultural influence. His music is regularly programmed on Radio 1 BBC and All Songs Considered on NPR. His recording Yalnız by Alaturka received 4.5 stars and Best Albums of 2013 from Downbeat Magazine. He serves on the music faculty at the UMKC Conservatory of Music. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/09/2020.

309. Interview with Bonnie Montgomery, Wimberley, Texas (05:57)

Date:
2020-09-16
Main contributors:
Bonnie Montgomery
Summary:
Bonnie Montgomery (Wimberley, Texas) Austin-based artist Bonnie Montgomery works in a multitude of genres, including outlaw country, classical, and opera. With her roots in White County, Arkansas, Montgomery is a multi-instrumentalist and vocalist who has performed and toured with a number of artists, securing the title of 2020 Entertainer of the Year from the Arkansas Country Music Awards, the ACMA 2019 Americana/Roots Artist of the Year, and the titles of Best Americana Artist and Best Female Vocalist. She has produced singles with rockabilly legend Rosie Flores, toured with Texas troubadour Ray Wylie Hubbard, and composed a 2016 short-length opera about Bill Clinton’s youth in Hot Springs, Arkansas, which earned her accolades from The New Yorker and Huffington Post. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/16/2020.

310. Interview with Brian Coleman, Summerville, South Carolina (04:24)

Date:
2020-10-09
Main contributors:
Brian Coleman
Summary:
Brian Coleman (Summerville, South Carolina) First Nation drummer Brian Coleman was born in Summerville, South Carolina, where he resides with his wife Shantrice and their daughter, Alijah. Brian is a Tribal member of the Edisto Natchez-Kusso Tribe of South Carolina. He serves as Chairman and Treasurer of the Board for the Tribal Council and the Edisto Indian Free Clinic. As a musician, he is a member of the Edisto River Singers Drum group, with whom he regularly performs at pow wows and other functions. He received his degree in electrical engineering from South Carolina State University and a Master’s in Business Administration (MBA) from Charleston Southern University, and continues to work as an electrical engineer. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/09/2020.

311. Interview with Casey Wayne McCallister, Charlottesville, Virginia (05:49)

Date:
2020-09-08
Main contributors:
Casey Wayne McCallister
Summary:
Casey Wayne McCallister (Charlottesville, Virginia) Originally from Baton Rouge, multi-instrumentalist Casey Wayne McCallister spent years in New Orleans playing with multiple bands in the nuevo roots/country scene, including Hurray for the Riff Raff, before relocating to Charlottesville, Virginia. Over the years, he slowly began to do increasing amounts of composition for film, and now he has multiple feature film scores under his name, including the independent films Ghostbox Cowboy (2018), Western (2015), the Ross Brothers’ Bloody Nose, Empty Pockets (2020), and Socks on Fire (2020. He is also a skilled refurbisher of vintage organs. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/08/2020.

312. Interview with Andy Ruff, Bloomington, Indiana (05:52)

Date:
2020-10-05
Main contributors:
Andy Ruff
Summary:
Andy Ruff (Bloomington, Indiana) Andy Ruff is a lifetime Indiana resident and father of two: Anna and Hank (Hank is the front man for the band Hank Ruff and The Hellbenders). Andy Ruff is a honky tonk country singer, songwriter, bandleader, and mandolin and guitar player. Over the years, he has released two full-length albums of original songs with his local band, the Dew Daddies: Makin’ Good Time and Powered by Twang. Ruff is also a long-time politician, having served twenty years (five terms) on the Bloomington, Indiana, city council. In June 2020, he won a five-way primary to become the Democratic nominee for US Congress in a race he lost in November of 2020. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/5/2020.

313. Interview with Caz Gardiner, Washington, District of Columbia (05:45)

Date:
2020-09-30
Main contributors:
Caz Gardiner
Summary:
Caz Gardiner (Washington, D.C.) Caz Gardiner, 2019 Wammie (Washington DC Area Music Association) nominee for best Soul Artist/Group, grew up listening to jazz, Caribbean music, soul, blues, rock, mod, and punk. Caz has shared the stage with Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Lee Fields and the Impressions, the London Souls, the Selecter, Don Bryant, and Nikki Hill. Starting her music career in the 1990s as the front woman of the soul/ska band the Checkered Cabs, Caz was later the lead singer of the rock/soul band the Ambitions, as well as for the rocksteady band Caz and the Day Laborers, before deciding that she wanted to break free of the band dynamic by starting her own self-titled band. In addition to her own current band, Caz Gardiner has performed with the BandHouse Gigs, Newmyer Flyer productions, Beat Hotel, Soul Crackers, Caz Gardiner and the Badasonics, Caz and the Commotions, Victor Rice Octet, and the New York Ska Jazz Ensemble. Caz has recorded and performed throughout the U.S., South America, and parts of Europe.  Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/30/2020.

314. Interview with Daniel de los Reyes, Fayetteville, Georgia (05:42)

Date:
2020-09-30
Main contributors:
Daniel de los Reyes
Summary:
Daniel de los Reyes (Fayetteville, Georgia) Born into a musical family, Daniel de los Reyes’ grandfather co-founded the Cuban orchestra Casino de la Playa. His father, Walfredo de los Reyes III, went on to become one of Cuba’s most successful drummers/percussionists prior to moving to Puerto Rico and then to the United States. Daniel de los Reyes himself is a multi-faceted percussionist who has been on tour with the modern country outfit, the Zac Brown Band, for many years. Prior to his touring with the Zac Brown Band, de los Reyes has performed with a long list of major recording artists, including Don Henley, Earth Wind and Fire, Sting, The Killers, Sheryl Crow, Patti LaBelle, Peter Frampton, Jennifer Lopez, Stevie Nicks, and more. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/30/2020.

315. Interview with Corey Ledet, Parks, Louisiana (05:48)

Date:
2020-09-17
Main contributors:
Corey Ledet
Summary:
Corey Ledet (Parks, Louisiana) Zydeco artist Corey Ledet was born and raised in Houston, Texas, but spent his summers with family in the small town of Parks, Louisiana, immersed in Creole culture and music. An accordion player by training, he studied with many of the originators of zydeco, including Clifton Chenier, John Delafose, and Boozoo Chavis. His performing career began early at the age of ten, playing drums for the Houston-based band Wilbert Thibodeaux and the Zydeco Rascals before picking up the accordion. Ledet relocated to Louisiana and has performed there for years, infusing old and new styles of zydeco into his own unique sound. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/17/2020.

316. Interview with Buffalo Rogers, Oklahoma City, Oklahoma (05:50)

Date:
2020-09-30
Main contributors:
Buffalo Rogers
Summary:
Buffalo Rogers (Oklahoma City, Oklahoma) Singer-songwriter Buffalo Rogers’ music has been described as Americana with a heart. Originally from Oklahoma, where he has lived with his wife and child for a number of years, he has spent many years touring extensively throughout the Oklahoma/Texas area with his blend of country/Americana/folk. Known for his showmanship and clever lyrics, his songs have been recorded by the Damn Quails and many others. Buffalo Rogers is also a visual artist. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/30/2020.

317. Interview with Damein Wash, Oxford, Mississippi (05:59)

Date:
2020-09-25
Main contributors:
Damein Wash
Summary:
Damein Wash (Oxford, Mississippi) Hailing from Oxford, Mississippi, musician, composer and filmmaker Damein Wash has spent a lifetime pursuing music in the Southern gospel tradition. With the addition of classical training (a BM in Choral Music Education and an MM in Music Theory from the University of Mississippi), he is also well versed in choral, gospel, blues, jazz, rock, soul, and funk. Wash is the front man for the Oxford-based party band the Soul Tones. He is also a member of Three Grand, a trio of performers who perform across the United States and Canada, primarily for large corporate events. Wash’s recordings and original scores have made their way into Hallmark films and the long-time running daytime drama The Young and the Restless. Wash also arranged and conducted Deep South Gospel for the Moonshine Music Co., a Sony subsidiary, which was featured on STARZ’s American Gods and in USA Network’s Queen of the South. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/25/2020.

318. Interview with Daniel Christian, Tecumseh, Nebraska (06:04)

Date:
2020-10-01
Main contributors:
Daniel Christian
Summary:
Daniel Christian (Tecumseh, Nebraska) For more than a decade, Nebraska singer-songwriter Daniel Christian has been sharing his songs and stories with audiences nationwide, including at the Bluebird Café in Nashville, the SXSW Festival in Austin, and a coast-to-coast tour of the United States. Daniel has released eight studio albums, a Christmas single, and a live recording. His Coffee & Toast project was released on the South Carolina label, Tremulant Records. He has also collaborated on eight albums of children’s music as a member of the band, the String Beans. During the COVID-19 pandemic, Daniel created the “Empty Spaces Series,” playing online concerts from “empty rooms that shouldn’t be empty,” including opera houses, churches, schools, and more. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/01/2020.

319. Interview with Eddie Moore, Kansas City, Missouri (05:39)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Eddie Moore
Summary:
Eddie Moore (Kansas City, Missouri) Jazz pianist and bandleader Eddie Moore was raised in Houston, Texas, and began his musical journey at Texas Southern University where he earned a Bachelor of Arts and immersed himself in the Houston music scene. As a lifelong musician traversing a number of bands and styles, he then relocated to Kansas City to study under Bobby Watson at the University of Missouri-Kansas City, where he received his MA in Jazz Studies. After forming jazz/fusion group Eddie Moore & The Outer Circle in 2012, he released his debut album, The Freedom of Expression, which was given 3.5 stars from Downbeat jazz magazine. Moore’s third album, Kings & Queens, incorporates elements of soul, R&B, rock, and hip-hop into his take on contemporary jazz. Released with Ropeadope Records, Moore’s forward-thinking sounds are part of the rich continuum of African American music that continues to be imbued with indigenous African elements. Moore is also recipient of the 2016 Charlotte Street Generative Performance Award; 2017’s Kemper Museum of Contemporary Art “Artist in Residence” in collaboration with Rashid Johnson; 2018’s work with The Outer Circle was nominated for an Indie Music Award; and his music has also been featured commercially for Sprint, Netflix’s Queer Eye and Morgan Cooper’s short film Room Tone. Moore has shared the stage and recorded with Bobby Watson, Pam, Watson, Logan Richardson, Maurice Brown, Boys II Men, Brian Blade and the Fellowship, John Baptiste, Erykah Badu, Mosdef, Bilal, Ledisi, Chantae Cann, Krystal Warren, Matt Otto, Brandon Draper, Andre Hayward, Tivon Pennicott, Various Blonde,  Dominique Sanders, 77 Jefferson, and the Marcus Lewis Big Band. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/06/2020.

320. Interview with Dena El Saffar, Bloomington, Indiana (05:37)

Date:
2020-09-23
Main contributors:
Dena El Saffar
Summary:
Dena El Saffar (Bloomington, Indiana) Dena El Saffar is a multi-instrumentalist, composer, teacher, and recording artist who has performed throughout the U.S. as well as in the Middle East and Latin America. Born and raised in a musical family in Chicago, she learned about her Iraqi heritage through stories, music, and recipes. She began violin lessons at the age of six. At the age of seventeen, after winning several concerto competitions and touring Europe with a youth orchestra, she traveled to Iraq and became inspired to learn Iraqi music traditions. After completing a Viola Performance degree at the Indiana University Jacobs School of Music, she settled in Bloomington. While still a student, she founded the Middle Eastern music group Salaam, which focuses on music of the Arab world. Salaam has recorded nine albums, and has been featured on NPR, including an interview on All Things Considered with Guy Raz. El Saffar plays several traditional Middle Eastern instruments, including oud and joza, as well as violin and viola. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/23/2020.

321. Interview with DJ Supreme, Birmingham, Alabama (05:55)

Date:
2020-09-26
Main contributors:
DJ Supreme
Summary:
DJ Supreme (Birmingham, Alabama) Birmingham, Alabama-based DJ/producer and local radio personality DJ Supreme has held many roles in the entertainment industry over the years. While he works in many genres, his classic sets fuse hip-hop with funk, soul, Motown, and classic rock as well as contemporary Top 40. DJ Supreme was born and raised in Detroit, Michigan, but relocated to Birmingham in the late 1980s, when he began making his own beats and doing his own production. He is one half of the hip-hop performing duo Shaheed and DJ Supreme. The Birmingham-based Communicating Vessels record label released the group’s third album, Knowledge Rhythm and Understanding. Together, they’ve performed with major touring acts, including Raekwon the Chef, Stalley, Atmosphere, and Brother Ali. In the summer of 2014, Shaheed and DJ Supreme successfully toured the UK with Jurassic 5 and Dilated Peoples. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/26/2020.

322. Interview with Damyon Jolley, Florence, Alabama (05:31)

Date:
2020-09-24
Main contributors:
Damyon Jolley
Summary:
Damyon Jolley (Florence, Alabama) Originally from Huntsville, Alabama, Damyon Jolley has been playing bass since 2012. He relocated to Muscle Shoals for school in the early 2010s, and starting in 2017, has worked as an engineer, producer, and bassist based in Florence, Alabama. Damyon Jolley is also the band manager for the Muscle Shoals-based band, Coffee Black. Founded by lead vocalist and pianist CJ Anderson, Coffee Black is a retro funk and soul band. Their sound is driven by the rhythm section of Damyon Jolley, Matt Pettie, Michael Rogers, Angelo Sandoval, and Taylor Edwards, and horn section of Nick Watford, Jaimy Murff, Eli Hart, and Chase Fowler. The Black EP, a solo project released by CJ Anderson in 2017, laid the foundation for Coffee Black’s sound and was further expanded with the release of their self-titled debut album in the fall of 2019. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/24/2020.

323. Interview with DeCarlo Tatum, Jr., Atlanta, Georgia (05:42)

Date:
2020-09-25
Main contributors:
DeCarlo Tatum, Jr.
Summary:
DeCarlo Tatum, Jr. (Atlanta, Georgia) Atlanta-based rapper DeCarlo Tatum, Jr. emerged in 2014 as a member of the Atlanta rap trio, Rebel Forest. The group flourished creatively under the tutelage of southern hip-hop pioneer Rico Wade and released several singles, most notably “More” and “Drugs” in 2015. 2020 marked DeCarlo’s second full-length release on Rare Dope International. The project, titled DEVOTION, introduces listeners to the key principles of DeCarlo’s sound. The album follows the rhythmic pattern of the ceremony that proceeds a church service. In other words, it is meant to sound like the jam session before the main church event. The lead single, “Project Baby,” features Damain.OG. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/25/2020.

324. Interview with DJ Mahf, St. Louis, Missouri (05:55)

Date:
2020-09-09
Main contributors:
DJ Mahf
Summary:
DJ Mahf (St. Louis, Missouri) St. Louis-based DJ and producer Dan Mahfood, better known as DJ Mahf, is the younger brother of famed LA comic-book artist Jim Mahfood, and is the DJ for the local St. Louis group Earthworms. As the official DJ for the New Orleans Super Bowl as well as the official DJ for the St. Louis Blues hockey team, DJ Mahf has spent much time performing at both local and corporate gigs. While he specializes in old and new underground hip-hop records, he spins a wide array of music, from Motown to rhythm and blues, avant-garde, and Top 40. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/09/2020.

325. Interview with Eimear Arkins, St. Louis, Missouri (05:57)

Date:
2020-09-04
Main contributors:
Eimear Arkins
Summary:
Eimear Arkins (St. Louis, Missouri) Originally from a small village in Ireland’s County Clare, St. Louis-based fiddler Eimear Arkins is also a singer and dancer with eleven Irish music world championship titles. Eimear has toured extensively with Comhaltas Ceoltóirí Éireann throughout Ireland, Britain, North America, and Canada. She has also performed with the show Brú Ború and helped to represent Ireland at World Expo 2010 in Shanghai. In August 2015, she traveled to World Expo in Milan with St. Louis Irish Arts where she promoted Irish culture and the expression of Irish culture worldwide. Eimear has toured with The Paul Brock Band, Cherish the Ladies, Tomaseen Foley’s A Celtic Christmas and often performs with harp player and St. Louis native, Eileen Gannon. Eimear is a qualified Irish music and dance instructor and teaches at St. Louis Irish Arts. In June 2018, she released her debut album, What’s Next?, and was awarded “Best Newcomer” from Live Ireland in 2019. In January 2020, Eimear was awarded an Artist Fellowship from the Regional Arts Commission of St. Louis. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/04/2020.

326. Interview with Dwynell Roland, Minneapolis, Minnesota (05:35)

Date:
2020-10-07
Main contributors:
Dwynell Roland
Summary:
Dwynell Roland (Minneapolis, Minnesota) Dwynell was born and raised in North Minneapolis and has been rapping since the age of 13. During that time when he first started writing, he was part of a collective called TCB (Twin City Boyz). His time with the TCB was spent largely perfecting his craft of freestyling. Dwynell’s first mixtape, Upside, showed his burgeoning songwriting talent. His album 92 and Roland showed ongoing growth as a songwriter, taking on topics of partying and reflection, as well as feel-good jams and deep lyrics. With the release of his Factors EP in 2014, Dwynell started to explore more serious subject matter, such as the track “She” about the quest for love gone awry, and that led him to new territory, such as garnering an opening spot on Prof Outdoors in 2016. Shortly after his performance, he released a project called The Popular Nobody, a project that allowed Dwynell to show why he is one of the standouts of the young new rappers hailing from Minneapolis. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/07/2020.

327. Interview with Edem K. Garro, Lincoln, Nebraska (05:46)

Date:
2020-10-01
Main contributors:
Edem K. Garro
Summary:
Edem K. Garro (Lincoln, Nebraska) Edem K. Garro is a Ghanaian-American composer, vocalist, and multi-instrumentalist from Omaha, Nebraska. In 2017, she won the Omaha Entertainment and Arts Award for Best Soul Artist. As a skilled hand percussionist and vocalist, she incorporates West African aesthetics into her songwriting and performances. Whether performing traditional music or her electronic compositions, Edem’s work primarily focuses on cultural preservation and identity. As a Nebraska Arts Council artist, she routinely performs for universities, schools, and organizations throughout the West. In recent years, she has had ongoing creative partnerships with Lincoln Motors, Minnesota Humanities, and the Denver Public Library. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/01/2020.

328. Interview with Dessa, New York City, New York/Minneapolis, Minnesota (05:57)

Date:
2020-10-05
Main contributors:
Dessa
Summary:
Dessa (New York City, New York/Minneapolis, Minnesota) Originally from Minneapolis, Minnesota and now splitting time between Minneapolis and New York, singer, rapper, and writer Dessa has made a career of bucking genres and defying expectations—her resume as a musician includes performances at Lollapalooza and Glastonbury, co-compositions for 100-voice choir, performances with the Minnesota Orchestra, and Top 200 entries on the Billboard charts. She contributed to the #1 album The Hamilton Mixtape; her track, “Congratulations,” has notched over 16 million streams. As a writer, she’s been published by The New York Times and National Geographic Traveler, broadcast by Minnesota Public Radio, and published a memoir-in-essays (My Own Devices, 2018) in addition to two literary collections. As a speaker, Dessa has delivered keynote speeches and presentations on art, science, and entrepreneurship; guest lectures at universities and colleges across the US; and a TED talk about her science experiment on how to fall out of love. She’s been covered by Pitchfork, Forbes, and The Wall Street Journal among others.  Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/05/2020.

329. Interview with Elexa Dawson, the Flint Hills, Kansas (06:19)

Date:
2020-10-02
Main contributors:
Elexa Dawson
Summary:
Elexa Dawson (The Flint Hills, Kansas) First Nation singer-songwriter Elexa Dawson lives in the Flint Hills region of Kansas. As a musical storyteller, Elexa Dawson presents her original music with a voice that is reminiscent of the prairie hills she calls home. She is a citizen of the Potawatomi Nation, she plays guitar and mandolin, and she works as a studio vocalist. Her album Music is Medicine (Lost Cowgirl Records, 2019) debuted Elexa’s solo career with community-centered songs meant to inspire, instigate and heal. Her song “High Place” charted #6 on Indigenous Music Countdown. She was the 2019 First People’s Fund Fellow and the 2020 Western Arts Alliance AIP Fellow. Elexa performs solo as well as with a bluesy folk trio at private and public events, gatherings, festivals, and campfires. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/02/2020.

330. Interview with Ellie Grace, Kansas City, Missouri (05:54)

Date:
2020-09-24
Main contributors:
Ellie Grace
Summary:
Ellie Grace (Kansas City, Missouri) Ellie Grace grew up performing in a family band. She is now a singer, multi-instrumentalist, songwriter, and dancer who specializes in roots-based Americana and percussive dance. Ellie has performed at prestigious venues across the U.S. and Canada, from the Winnipeg Folk Festival to Lincoln Center to the National Women’s Music Festival. She has appeared as a featured guest with Peter and Paul (of Peter, Paul and Mary) at the Rubicon Theater in California. Ellie Grace is also a teacher, having taught at camps, schools, colleges, and festivals across the country. In addition to her time on faculty at Smith College, Mount Holyoke College, and University of North Carolina-Asheville, Ellie has directed schools of folk music and dance in Missouri and North Carolina. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/24/2020.

331. Interview with Vanderford, Buffalo, South Carolina (06:39)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
Freddie Vanderford
Summary:
Vanderford (Buffalo, South Carolina) Growing up in Buffalo, South Carolina, Vanderford first learned to play the mouth harp, or harmonica, from his grandfather, who played “old mountain songs” on the instrument. Initially, Vanderford blended the country style of his grandfather with the sound of the Chicago blues. However, an encounter with the Piedmont blues of Arthur “Peg Leg Sam” Jackson would forever change Vanderford’s musical style. As a knowledgeable cultural historian and traditional performer, Vanderford is highly sought after for his performing and recording talents. Vanderford received the Jean Laney Harris Folk Heritage Award in 2010. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/14/2020.

332. Interview with Fred Mayorga, Miami, Florida (04:34)

Date:
2020-10-15
Main contributors:
Fred Mayorga
Summary:
Fred Mayorga (Miami, Florida) Nicaraguan musician Fred Mayorga was born in Nicaragua in 1987. He is now based in Miami, Florida, where he emigrated in June of 2000. At the age of 12, he learned how to play Marimba de Arco, Nicaragua’s iconic traditional instrument. In Miami, Fred performs widely throughout the area and is studying music production. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/15/2020.

333. Interview with Tyler Gregory, Lawrence, Kansas (05:59)

Date:
2020-10-05
Main contributors:
Tyler Gregory
Summary:
Tyler Gregory (Lawrence, Kansas) Hailing from the town of Wamego in the hills of Kansas, folk/Americana/bluegrass musician Tyler Gregory can regularly be found performing 260+ shows a year. With his steam-powered melodies, Gregory’s mix of blues and roots music privileges aesthetics of passion and freedom. Performing his live shows mainly on guitar/banjo/stomp-box/vocals, Gregory is based in Lawrence, Kansas, where he found a like-minded community of musicians with which to surround himself. Greatly influenced by the life and music of Woody Guthrie, Tyler explores the aesthetics of a touring troubadour while bringing his own unique voice to the performance of traditionally-framed songs. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/5/2020.

334. Interview with Sulaiman Rahman, Frederick, Maryland (05:57)

Date:
2020-09-29
Main contributors:
Sulaiman Rahman
Summary:
Sulaiman Rahman (Frederick, Maryland) Originally from the D.C. area and residing in Frederick, Maryland, singer/guitarist Sulaiman Rahman is the front man for the D.C.-based original rock band Marshall Fuzz producing a sound that is inspired by the blues rock tradition of classic rock bands like Black Sabbath, the Jimi Hendrix Experience and Cream. Some critics have described them as a mashup of Black Sabbath and Muddy Waters. Alongside Vince Vezzi on bass and Nick Rodousakis on drums, they have gigged continuously since they formed the band in 2014. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/29/2020.

335. Interview with Tricia Spencer and Howard Rains, Lawrence, Kansas (06:05)

Date:
2020-10-02
Main contributors:
Tricia Spencer
Summary:
Tricia Spencer and Howard Rains (Lawrence, Kansas) Tricia Spencer is a Kansas fiddler who grew up learning the tradition of old-time music from her grandparents. While growing up, her free time was spent traveling to festivals and fiddling contests throughout the Midwest where she learned from the likes of Pete McMahan, Cyril Stinnet, Lyman Enloe, Dwight Lamb, Amos Chase, and Lucy Pierce. Tricia is multi-instrumentalist who has studied with some of the great masters and is sought after as a performer, dance fiddler, and instructor. Howard Rains is a native Texas artist and the fourth generation to play on his fiddle. He comes from a musical and artistic family and plays rare, old tunes learned from friends, family, mentors, and old recordings. Together, Spencer & Rains have performed and taught nationally and internationally, preserving and building upon the traditions of their region. The husband-and-wife duo are known for their twin fiddle harmony, which is a product of the influence of midwestern Scandinavian fiddlers Tricia heard as a child. At the same time, Howard’s distinct repertoire reintroduces listeners to the pre-contest styles of Texas fiddling. That same sense of harmony is in their vocals, as well, which they pull from all manner of American folk music. Both multi-instrumentalists, they are steeped in tradition and are dedicated to the preservation, performance, and teaching of old-time music. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/02/2020.

336. Interview with Will Stewart, Birmingham, Alabama (05:09)

Date:
2020-09-18
Main contributors:
Will Stewart
Summary:
Will Stewart (Birmingham, Alabama) Originally from Alabama, Will Stewart spent many years living in Nashville as a songwriter, front man, and lead guitarist. When he returned to Birmingham, he released his full-length solo debut, County Seat, in 2017. “Caught somewhere between the worlds of country and electrified rock,” as a songwriter he tried to turn the landscape of his home state into music. Co-produced with Les Nuby (who also engineered and mixed the album) and recorded in a series of live takes, County Seat nods to a number of songwriters who sing about the beauty of their homeland without glossing over its imperfections. There are electrified moments influenced by Neil Young, guitar arpeggios influenced by R.E.M., some Dylan-style aesthetics, as well as the modern-day take on folk by Hiss Golden Messenger. Steward intended his first full-length release as a solo artist to be a rallying cry from a Son of the South who, having returned home after a long trip, looks at his birthplace with renewed eyes.  Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/18/2020.

337. Interview with Wallace Lester, Nashville, Tennessee (05:32)

Date:
2020-09-18
Main contributors:
Wallace Lester
Summary:
Wallace Lester (Nashville, Tennessee) Born in Jackson, Mississippi, and raised all over America, Wallace Lester has been playing drums from an early age. Wallace spent the 1990s touring nationally with the Boulder, Colorado-based funk-jam band Zuba. He played over two hundred and fifty dates a year with Zuba and placed his songs in the Farrelly Brothers’ classic comedies Kingpin and There’s Something About Mary. Once he moved to New Orleans, Louisiana, Wallace drummed with the space rockers Bipolaroid and the soul blues shouter Mathilda Jones. Hurricane Katrina sent Wallace north to Mississippi, where in his first week in Oxford, he was asked to join the Yalobushwackers with Jim Dickinson. Besides the Yalobushwackers, Wallace has also toured nationally and internationally with Kenny Brown, Reverend John Wilkins, the Como Mamas, Shannon McNally, Eric Deaton, Blue Mountain, and Garry Burnside. After twelve years in Holly Springs, Mississippi, Wallace now resides in Nashville, Tennessee. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/18/2020.

338. Interview with Tissa Khosla, Washington, District of Columbia (05:52)

Date:
2020-09-29
Main contributors:
Tissa Khosla
Summary:
Tissa Khosla (Washington, D.C.) Originally from Mumbai, India, Tissa began his musical and professional life in Tallahassee, Florida as a student. Gravitating to the baritone saxophone from a young age, he remains in pursuit of its deep and moving sound, which he believes coincides with his own voice and philosophy of music. Khosla can be heard alongside the Modern Jazz Generation on a recording entitled United We Play, featuring the American Symphony Orchestra. Along with a thorough practice schedule and teaching lessons, he is the Digital Developer at the D.C. nonprofit Casey Trees, whose mission is to restore, enhance, and protect the tree canopy of Washington, DC. This position has given him the opportunity to write code, work on music technology, and develop accessible web design. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/29/2020.

339. Interview with Arnaldo Guevara, North Salt Lake, Utah (06:00)

Date:
2020-10-15
Main contributors:
Arnaldo Guevara
Summary:
Arnaldo Guevara (North Salt Lake, Utah) Born in Ciudad Bolívar, Guayana, Venezuela, Arnaldo Guevara sings Venezuelan Llanero music. He has performed extensively with various groups in radio programs, festivals, and cultural events since he was a child. While attending college in Mérida, he joined the choir Orfeón de la Universidad de Los Andes, the polyphonic group Tepuy 5, and the Cantoría de Mérida, with which he toured Venezuela, the Caribbean Islands, and Colombia. He has performed with important groups such as Stereo Gaita, Diamantes del Sur, and Las Cuerdas de Don Ramón Hurtado. He has participated in numerous TV and radio shows and has released three CDs, Arnaldo Guevara y su canto (2009), Arnaldo Guevara y su canto en Mavidad (2015), and Arnaldo Guevara y Su Canto... Popular y Caribeño (2017). He has shared the stage with prestigious artists and groups such as Cheo Hurtado, Jesús Hidalgo, Gualberto Ibarreto, Serenata Guayanesa, and Huascar Barradas, among others. Currently, he resides in North Salt Lake, Utah, where he is a member of the Hispanic choir Luz de las Naciones. In addition to being a musician, Arnaldo is also a social communicator and works as a professional broadcaster. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/15/2020.

340. Interview with Andrew Heist, Juneau, Alaska (05:53)

Date:
2020-09-23
Main contributors:
Andrew Heist
Summary:
Andrew Heist (Juneau, Alaska) Along with working at the Alaska State Senate and playing bluegrass, Cajun, and old-time music on mandolin, fiddle, guitar, and accordion, Andrew Heist is the president of the Alaska Folk Festival. This festival, central to Juneau’s social life, has become the largest cultural event annually held in Juneau, with participants and attendees numbering over 2,500 and thousands more in the radio audience—and even the internet. KRNN-FM, Juneau's Public radio station, broadcasts all the performances live. Musicians and participants from around the world attend the nine four-hour performances averaging fifteen acts each, fourteen hours of dances plus dance workshops, a family concert and forty-plus hours of teaching workshops devoted to every imaginable folk music skill, plus jamming all week long. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 09/23/2020.

341. Interview with Aaron Keim, Hood River, Oregon (06:33)

Date:
2020-09-23
Main contributors:
Aaron Keim
Summary:
Aaron Keim (Hood River, Oregon) Aaron Keim lives an artistic life along with his wife Nicole, making music, building musical instruments, writing instructional music books, crafting folk art, and raising their 6-year-old son Henry in Hood River, Oregon. As the Quiet American, they play old-time and teach at festivals and music camps. Their connection to folk tradition is undeniable as they find new ways to sing old songs and unique ways to incorporate music and art into their teaching and performing. Mainly influenced by Depression-era string band music and the folk revival, they use ukulele, banjo, and accordion to accompany their harmony singing; pick old-time tunes; and lead the audience through group singing. A modern, home-grown folk revival: the Quiet American. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 09/23/2020.

342. Interview with Willie Wells, West Columbia, South Carolina (06:16)

Date:
2020-10-14
Main contributors:
Willie Wells
Summary:
Willie Wells (West Columbia, South Carolina) Willie Wells, the son of the late Bill Wells, has always been on the music scene. Since the early ‘70s, Willie has played drums and sung lead and harmony vocals. Willie and another musician friend organized a country music group called CHOYCE that ran for more than twenty years. With early country music and bluegrass influences from his father, Willie continued to develop and expand his musical direction toward recording studio production. In the past ten to twelve years, Willie has shifted more toward continuing the bluegrass legacy of his father. Being inspired by his father to play guitar and to be at the helm of the “Blue Ridge Mtn. Grass” band (BRMG) that his father started some forty years ago, Willie is keeping his father’s wishes to preserve bluegrass music in South Carolina. Today, the band is a mix of traditional and contemporary bluegrass with some new arrangements of old songs as well as a mix of original songs. Willie Wells & The Blue Ridge Mtn. Grass first album title, Yesterday, Today, and Tomorrow, continues to promote bluegrass music throughout the area. Willie is also the owner of Bill’s Music Shop & Picking’ Parlor in West Columbia, South Carolina. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 10/14/2020.

343. Interview with Artie Mendoza, Flathead Indian Reservation, Montana (04:51)

Date:
2020-09-16
Main contributors:
Artie Mendoza
Summary:
Artie Mendoza (Flathead Indian Reservation, Montana) Firefighter by day and rapper by night, Artie Mendoza (Kiid Truth) is a twenty-five-year-old Kootenai and Mexican who has been described as a “performer with a knack for rhythm and poetry.” Artie made the name “Kiid Truth” at the age of eleven based on his age and in his music he spoke the truth. At the age of nineteen, Artie finished up his first mixtape, The truth speaks for itself. Artie's goal in music is to take his talent to the next level while spreading positive messages through his music and speaking about what is going on at present. He says that the reason to do music is to express himself, to spread messages through his music and connect with people struggling in the same way he did. He has been very active in his community during COVID times and has been part of the social media campaign that the Confederated Salish and Kootenai Tribes launched aiming to educate kids about COVID-19. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 09/16/2020.

344. Interview with Arnaldo! Drag Chanteuse, Seattle, Washington (06:34)

Date:
2020-10-07
Main contributors:
Arnaldo! Drag Chanteuse
Summary:
Arnaldo! Drag Chanteuse (Seattle, Washington) Arnaldo started as a soloist with Seattle Men’s Chorus (SMC) and has performed with SMC in some of the major concert halls in the US, Europe, New Zealand, and Australia. In 1995, he started a group called Cabaret Q, where the “drag chanteuse” persona began. In 1999, Arnaldo began his solo cabaret shows in Seattle’s Capitol Hill and has since performed his one-person cabaret in Portland, Las Vegas, Palm Springs, Puerto Vallarta, New York, and Manila. Arnaldo has also collaborated with various directors, choreographers, and songwriters in the Seattle area. In 2005, he completed the Cabaret Summer Conference Workshop at Yale University. In 2006, Arnaldo started the Pacific Northwest Cabaret Association and continues to organize Seattle’s March is Cabaret Month featuring local and visiting artists. 2007 marked Arnaldo’s New York cabaret debut, and in 2008, Arnaldo was honored with a New York Backstage Bistro Award. 2014 was Arnaldo's Manila debut, where he received Most Innovative Concert Artist in Manila Gawad Musika award. In 2016, Arnaldo was presented by the Filipino Community of Seattle with a Lifetime Achievement Award for promoting culture and the arts. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/07/2020.

345. Interview with Yvette Landry, Breaux Bridge, Louisiana (05:50)

Date:
2020-09-11
Main contributors:
Yvette Landry
Summary:
Yvette Landry (Breaux Bridge, Louisiana) Grammy-nominated musician, author, educator and interpreter Yvette Landry grew up in Breaux Bridge, Louisiana, deeply influenced by her Cajun culture and upbringing. After earning a master’s degree in education and developing a successful teaching career, she began performing widely, playing a variety of instruments in several Cajun bands as well as fronting her own, the Yvette Landry Band. Her debut award-winning album, Should Have Known, was released in 2010. The album was named by New Orleans’ Offbeat Magazine as Best Country/Folk Album of that year, while Landry herself received an award for Best Country/Folk Artist. She has served as a cultural ambassador on behalf of the Library of Congress to perform at the Festival of Traditional American Music and has performed at both the Library of Congress and the Kennedy Center. She is also a private homeschool teacher and teaches bass, guitar, accordion, and vocal lessons to students. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/11/2020.

346. Interview with Willi Carlisle, Izard County, Arkansas (05:42)

Date:
2020-09-04
Main contributors:
Willi Carlisle
Summary:
Willi Carlisle (Izard County, Arkansas) Willi Carlisle is a folksinger and writer from the Ozark hills. He performs internationally at places like the Kennedy Center and the Ozark Folk Center and has spent many years living in an intentional community near Fox, Arkansas. With years of collecting folklore and playing/calling square dances, Willi is a multi-faceted writer, performer and instrumentalist. He plays banjo, accordion, fiddle and guitar, and has toured extensively and performed with Dom Flemons, Mary Gauthier, Los Texmaniacs, Cory Branan, Carson McHone, and more. Willi prefers to perform songs for the oldest reasons: love, heartache, and joy. His albums, Too Nice to Mean Much and To Tell You the Truth have garnered critical success. Interviewed by Holly Hobbs, 09/04/2020.

347. Interview with Mollie O'Brien, Denver, Colorado (05:59)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Mollie O'Brien
Summary:
Mollie O’Brien (Denver, Colorado) Mollie O'Brien and her husband, guitarist Rich Moore, have for nearly forty years quietly made it their mission to find, mine, and reinvent other artists' songs. They are geniuses at the craft of interpretation in the way that great singers since the beginning of popular American music have made the songs of their era their own. As songwriters, they add their own tunes to the canon of American roots music they inhabit and show us they’re completely at home with their musical selves. A Grammy winner, Mollie has long been known as a singer who doesn’t recognize a lot of musical boundaries, and audiences love her fluid ability to make herself at home in any genre while never sacrificing the essence of the song she tackles. She is a singer at the very top of her game who is not afraid to take risks both vocally and in the material she chooses. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/06/2020.

348. Interview with Mike Reardon, Scottsdale, Arizona (05:23)

Date:
2020-09-15
Main contributors:
Mike Reardon
Summary:
Mike Reardon (Scottsdale, Arizona) Mike Reardon studied jazz at Berklee College of Music from the Fall of 1980 to the spring of 1982. He has played with many rock, jazz, punk, folk, and blues bands in the Boston, MA; Rapid City, SD; and now in the Phoenix, AZ, area. Mike teaches guitar, bass, and ukulele at Strum University in North Phoenix. He is currently the vocalist and lead guitarist with Coda Blue, a classic rock band, and also fronts the Neil Young tribute band Danger Bird. During the pandemic, Mike is making at-home videos with his students. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 09/15/2020

349. Interview with Orlando Pimentel, Milwaukee, Wisconsin (05:52)

Date:
2020-09-09
Main contributors:
Orlando Pimentel
Summary:
Orlando Pimentel (Milwaukee, Wisconsin) Born in Caracas, Venezuela, Orlando Pimentel began his musical training in Venezuela’s System of Youth Orchestras, also known as “El Sistema.” From 1989 to 2009, he was a member of the Simon Bolivar Symphony Orchestra and performed with such renowned conductors as Claudio Abbado, Sergiu Comissiona, Gustavo Dudamel, Judit Jaimes, and many others. In 1988, together with three other colleagues, he formed the Caracas Clarinet Quartet (1996 National Artist Award: Best Classical Ensemble), a chamber ensemble that has performed throughout Venezuela, as well as in China, Europe, South America, and the United States of America. Since he moved to Milwaukee, Wisconsin, in 2009, Orlando has performed regularly with the Madison Symphony Orchestra, Fox Valley Symphony, Racine Symphony, Kenosha Symphony, and Festival City Symphony Orchestra. He performs also with his wife, pianist Elena Abend, as part of the Elisio Ensemble. Orlando received his master’s degree in Clarinet Performance from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee studying under the tutelage of Todd Levy. Most currently, he has been appointed as Faculty of Clarinet at the Wisconsin Conservatory of Music. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 09/09/2020.

350. Interview with Rich Moore, Denver, Colorado (05:53)

Date:
2020-10-06
Main contributors:
Rich Moore
Summary:
Rich Moore (Denver, Colorado) Singer Mollie O’Brien and guitarist Rich Moore have steadfastly made it their mission to unlock the secrets of the diverse array of styles that comprise the canon of American roots music. Geniuses at interpretation and never sacrificing the essence of the songs they tackle, they are at home with their musical selves. They are unafraid of risk taking, authoritative in their performance, and at the very top of their game. And to top it all off, they’re fun. Rich, while known to produce some of the funniest onstage running commentary, is also a powerhouse guitar player who can keep up with O’Brien’s twists and turns from blues to traditional folk to jazz to rock and roll. He creates a band with just his guitar and, as a result, theirs is an equal partnership that showcases their talent for unlocking the secrets to a diverse array of songs in authoritative yet very fun and unusual arrangements. Interviewed by Raquel Paraíso, 10/06/2020.