I'm particularly excited about this one: KC Cafe Radio, an Internet station based in Kansas City, will start running current and past episodes of the "Songs and Stories" podcast beginning this Saturday, March 6th. Shows will air Saturdays at 9:00 am and repeat on Sundays at 6:00 pm (eastern time).

Of course, anyone with even a passing interest on my web site here knows that you can always download any episode of the podcast from the main page (or from iTunes). But since this effort was started to help promote other artists (admittedly with a bit of it trickling my way), this is a very cool opportunity for these interviews and artists to be heard by a whole new audience.

John Dutton, KC Cafe's Operations Manager, recently interviewed me about both the podcast and my newest CD, "Dogspeed". You can read highlights from our chat on KC Cafe's main page or just listen to the whole conversation right here: KC Cafe Interview with Michael Gaither

KC Cafe is a grass-rootsy type station comprised of other musicians and radio folk, and some very kind souls who just appreciate music. Their focus is totally on the independent artist, so picking up the podcast for rebroadcast (I made a rhyme...heh) is a great fit. (By the way, if you're an independent artist, click here to submit your music for airplay on KC Cafe Radio.)

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In "Songs and Stories" #82, we talked to Houston Jones about their latest release and why they love working with bay area producer Cookie Marenco. In these next two episodes, we talk with Cookie herself. She's worked with events as varied as The Monterey Jazz Festival and The Telluride Bluegrass Festival, spent many years with Windham Hill Records (where she perfected her knack for recording acoustic instruments), and has worked on five Grammy-nominated records. Cookie was an early adopter of many digital recording advancements including hard disk recording (back in the early '80s) and posting music on the Internet for download (back in the days of dialup).

These days, she works exclusively on two-inch analog tape and has successfully marketed her artist's music as high-quality wav files (not compressed MP3s) through her Blue Coast Records web site. Whether you're an artist who might be interested in recording with Cookie (you can contact her through her OTR Studios web site), an engineering student who might like to learn from her (see otrstudios.com/interns) or just a listener who appreciates well-recorded music, there's something of interest for everyone in these next two episodes.

In episode #83, Cookie talks about her history in the music industry, why she never left analog tape, and why she loves working with acoustic artists. This episode includes two examples of Cookie's work: A cover of Warren Zevon's "Mutineer" recorded by Jenna Mammina and Matt Rallings and "Make It Rain", the title track to the new release from Keith Greeninger and Dayan Kai. (Not uncoincidentally, Keith and Dayan will be the guests on the next episodes of "Songs and Stories.") Subcribe to this in iTunes or sign up for my mailing list to find out when the interview is available. Click the red podcast button below to hear Songs and Stories #83 (time = 33:40, size = 30.9 mb)

Episode #84 is an audio tour of Cookie's Belmont, California studio. I've learned to just hit RECORD as soon as I start talking to someone, which I have to admit was a very good idea in this case. With the tour, we get even more insight into Cookie's approach to music, recording, and her engineering intern program. Click the red podcast button below to hear Songs and Stories #84 (time = 29:00, size = 26.6 mb)

Editorial correction: In these two episodes, I mistakenly referred to the Cookie's intern program as "otrstudios.com/intern". The correct address is "otrstudios.com/interns" (with an "s").

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I chatted with Travis Jones and Chris Kee, who make up two fifths of our bay area's own Houston Jones, way back in episodes #31 and #32 of this podcast. With a new record out, we figured this was a good excuse to both get together again AND drag the whole band along for this follow-up episode. In this interview recorded after a recent appearance on KPIG radio, we chat about the evolution of the new project, "Jericho Road", discuss the different song styles of Travis and Chris (and how they complement each other), hear what it's like working with producer Cookie Marenco, and we find out why award-winning guitar player Glenn Houston will probably never play a banjo on a Houston Jones CD.

This episode also includes previews of the songs "Still Waters", "Jericho Road", and "Ornithopathy" off the new record.

Note: Cookie Marenco will be guest on the next two episodes of "Songs and Stories". Subcribe to this in iTunes or sign up for my mailing list to find out when the interview is available.

Click the red podcast button below to hear Songs and Stories #82 (time = 38:44, size = 35.5 mb)

This episode SHOULD just play from a new browser window. If not, right click the MP3 file and save it to your desktop. Play the file after it's completely downloaded, and it should work fine. (If you still have trouble, let me know.)

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I'm sitting here happily listening to Day Two of a projected weeklong-plus deluge of rain here on the west coast. And might I add I couldn't be happier. (Not a big year for rain so far, and we really need it.) With that in mind, here's a replay of a couple of recent things from my end: An interview from Nevada City, CA with KVMR's Wesley Robertson on his Saturday show "Rockin' and Stompin' ", which includes live performances of my songs "After a Good Rain", "Roselle", and "Gettin' to My Glory Days" off my Dogspeed record, along with the new Facebook song "Unsuperpokeable". Wesley's a fellow music geek, a great supporter of my music, and also a fan of "Songs and Stories, so we'll talk a bit about how this little podcast got started and what's in the queue for upcoming episodes.

KVMR's Wesley Robertson

I was up in Wesley's area to promote a show I was doing later that night at Evangeline's Cafe in Colfax, CA. (Vange is also a KVMR DJ and a huge supporter of independent music.) I was backed by Ken Rabiroff on lead guitar and was joined by the kind of crowd I'd like to bottle up and take with me to every show. This episode includes a live take on "Entertaining An Angel" from my first CD and a cover of Warren Zevon's "My Ride's Here"

Click the red podcast button below to hear Songs and Stories #81 (time = 46:26, size = 46.81 mb)

This episode SHOULD just play from a new browser window. If not, right click the MP3 file and save it to your desktop. Play the file after it's completely downloaded, and it should work fine. (If you still have trouble, let me know.)

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Dorian Michael is one of those "guitar player's players" types of musicians who's equally at ease alternating a Travis-style finger picking tune with Celtic, bluegrass, or blues numbers all in the same set. In this phone interview, Dorian talks about his folk and blues influences, how he uses familiar songs styles to pull an audience in, and why he only sings when he plays the blues.

For you folks lucky enough to be local (that would be Watsonville), you can see Dorian do just that when he and mandolin player Kenny Blackwell play at Jansen Music on Friday January 29th in a special in-store concert presented by Jansen Music and The Canyon Acoustic Society. For reservations, contact Jansen Music by phone at 831-724-4798 or The Canyon Acoustic Society by email.

(For more info on Dorian's music background, check out his instructional books and DVDs available here on his web site.)

Click the red podcast button below to hear Songs and Stories #80 (time = 40:21, size = 37.0 mb)

This episode SHOULD just play from a new browser window. If not, right click the MP3 file and save it to your desktop. Play the file after it's completely downloaded, and it should work fine. (If you still have trouble, let me know.)

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Looking for a few not-so-overplayed Christmas tunes? Head over to the Music page. I've posted live cuts of "Entertaining an Angel", "The Grinch", and "I Shall Be Released".

(Click image for more pics.)

We played these at a recent stealthy little fundraiser. Feel free to download and pass 'em around. And happy holidays.

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FAR-West is the western branch of Folk Alliance, a non-profit organization that promotes education and support for traditional and contemporary folk music. Each fall, the FAR-West ("Folk Alliance Region West") conference is held, providing a few days of workshops, showcases, and a chance to network a bit with (and be inspired by) other folks who play, perform, present, or just support what we all do.

This year, FAR-West was held at the Hyatt in Irvine CA, and I gotta say the hotel staff were mighty patient with us folkies taking over a nice hotel. There was a high-priced charity auction taking place in the lobby the night I arrived. I must say that when I walked past the 30-somethings in their black tie best, they just looked jealous at me, my uke, and my cooler packed with snacks for the weekend. (Okay, maybe not. Let's just say we clashed a bit. But they were very polite)

So the conference: Great workshops. Reconnecting with folks I know well or only knew casually. And a chance to play. A lot. My favorite part of the weekend was the late night "gorilla" (I still can't spell "guerilla") showcases held from 10:30 pm to 2:30 am Friday and Saturday nights. These took place in plain ole hotel rooms on the fourth floor. I co-hosted a room with Maggie McKaig and Greg Kitchel and played in both our room, as well as rooms hosted by Steve Key, Rachel Sedacca, Mother Hen Productions, and the bay area folks from The Acoustic Vortex.

This episode of "Songs and Stories" is an audio tour, taking you in and out of a few rooms, while stopping in the hallways to ask a few folks "What was the funnest thing about FAR-West?" It includes performance snippets from Cindy Kalmenson, Mokai, Anna Laube, Aztec Two-Step, Dana Hubbard, James Hurley, and Jeannie Willets. Interviews include chats with Maggie McKaig, Jay Howlett, Dana Hubbard, Laura Zucker, and Walter Strauss.

Click the red podcast button below to hear Songs and Stories #79 (time = 42:39, size = 39.2 mb)

This episode SHOULD just play from a new browser window. If not, right click the MP3 file and save it to your desktop. Play the file after it's completely downloaded, and it should work fine. (If you still have trouble, let me know.)

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Many musicians have day jobs and side work that allow us to pay the bills (and allow us to keep being musicians). And it's pretty much the norm for bands to have their own t-shirts available as merchandise along with their CDs and such. Mark Miracle of Sawmill Road - west coast folk might have caught them last Spring at the Strawberry Music Festival - took it one step farther and developed Grassware.com, a site that sells bluegrass-related apparel. He also proves that the words "bluegrass" and "bling" are not mutually exclusive.

I first became a Grassware customer years ago when I picked up one of their "Eat Sleep Pick" shirts - which I still proudly wear. (The things are American made and hold up really well.) Grassware sports just a few key bluegrassy designs such as "MONROE" (all caps intentional), a graphic of the RCA Victor 78 "Mule Skinner Blues", or my personal favorite, "Banjo Hero", printed with the "Guitar Hero" font. (And when folks ask, "Hey, can you play the banjo?" I proudly proclaim, "No, I can PRETEND to play the banjo".)

The Banjo Hero T-shirt

New this year (and just in time for Christmas) is Grassware's line of "bluegrass bling", customizable charms that can be suited to your favorite player (or fan).

Bluegrass Bling

And speaking of December 25th, Grassware is running a Christmas special through the end of the month. Buy any two t-shirts and get a third for free. (They also fold down into a compact little package, perfectly suited to stuff the stocking of the bluegrasser on your list.) More info is at Grassware.com.

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Way back in the early days of this web site, doing a search on "Michael Gaither" brought up pages showing a deadbeat dad in Indiana, or a tire salesman in North Carolina. So much for a unique first and last name.

Four years later, though, and accompanied by two CDs, an active playing schedule, and a ridiculous amount of time spent working here on the web site and podcast, Google's much kinder to me. A random search this afternoon popped up a link to a visit with one of my very favorite people on one of my very favorite stations when I was on KVMR's "Rockin' and Stompin' with Wesley Robertson" up in Nevada City, CA a few weeks back:

Rockin' and Stompin' - 11/14/09 (link to mp3 file)

Welsley's on every Saturday afternoon from 2-4 pm. I've been up that way a few times. On this particular visit, despite two music geeks trading stories about new CDs and artists, I still managed to fit in a handful of songs ("After a Good Rain", "Roselle", "Unsuperpokeable", and "Gettin' to My Glory Days".)

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