Here at Southern Songs and Stories, we take some liberties from time to time with what we put forward as songs and stories that fall under the umbrella of the American South. After all, we have featured a band from England (The Ruen Brothers), an artist from Idaho (Eilen Jewell), and several artists out of the sui generis state of Texas (Shinyribs, Joshua Ray Walker, The Deer), for starters. Add to that list the second group from Colorado profiled here (Yonder Mountain String Band being the first), as we bring Durango trio Stillhouse Junkies to the series.

Although all these artists are not from or living in the South (Texas notwithstanding), they all share a musical heritage that has direct connections to the region and its outsized music culture. Stillhouse Junkies is right in line here, with their members playing a style of music taking directly from forms so closely associated with the South, namely bluegrass, blues and country. With that in mind, and knowing that Southern hospitality is a hallmark of the region, we welcome Alissa Wolf, Fred Kozak and Cody Tinnin with open arms to this episode, which features conversation touching on topics ranging from uncommon trio configuration to how that trio format can sound as full as it does on record and at their live performance at the Albino Skunk Music Festival, where we spoke after their set. The band points out the advantages of being from a relatively small city in Colorado and hints at future collaborations, as well as giving us insight into life on the road, and we feature excerpts of music from their Albino Skunk set, which includes new songs that are slated for release later in 2024.

Stillhouse Junkies perform at the Albino Skunk Music Festival in Greer, SC 10/06/23
Photo: John Gillespie Photography

Songs heard in this episode:

“Up River” by Stillhouse Junkies, from Albino Skunk Music Festival

“Colorado Bound” by Stillhouse Junkies at Albino Skunk Music Festival 10-06-23, excerpt

“Johnny Mac” by Stillhouse Junkies at Albino Skunk Music Festival 10-06-23

“Whiskey Prison” by Stillhouse Junkies at Albino Skunk Festival 10-06-23

Thank you for visiting us and giving this podcast a listen! This series is a part of the lineup of both public radio WNCW and Osiris Media, with all of the Osiris shows available here. You can also hear new episodes on Bluegrass Planet Radio here. Thanks to everyone at the Albino Skunk Music Festival; many of the great people at Albino Skunk made this episode possible, and you can listen to more episodes on this series on artists who played there, like Shinyribs, Darrell Scott, Miko Marks and Eilen Jewell. Thanks to Corrie Askew for producing the radio adaptations of this series on public radio WNCW, and to Joshua Meng, who wrote and performed our theme songs.

Southern Songs and Stories is currently ranked #13 in Southern podcasts here on feedspot.com, and moved up to a top 2.5% globally ranked podcast by Listen Notes, which makes us smile.

This is Southern Songs and Stories: the music of the South and the artists who make it. - Joe Kendrick

Artist stereotypes do not apply

How many times have parents cringed when their children fell in love with a musician? Let's be honest, the world has looked askance at artists of all stripes (with notable exceptions) for most of our history. Musicians tend to be thought of as people who may be great at their art but who are nonetheless pretty bad at life skills like paying bills, getting to work on time, and sticking with the missus.

Aaron turns all those stereotypes on their head; he is not only a fantastic songwriter and musician, but he also runs his own construction business and is a devoted family man living a stone's throw from where he grew up in the western NC mountains. He is as meticulous and intense about his guitar and ballads as he is about his green built homes and raising his two girls.

As you'll see in our pilot episode, Aaron does both life and art exceptionally well. The folks around him are a big part of that.