Issue Articles — BackTalk
Dan Penn talks back
Dan Penn loves to sing. But more often than not, other singers are singing the songs he’s written. A master tunesmith, Penn created a poignant catalog of soul classics. He […]
Delfeayo Marsalis talks back
During these hard coronavirus times, Delfeayo Marsalis has founded Keep NOLA Music Alive. The nonprofit organization will benefit New Orleans musicians who, because their city’s music venues are closed during […]
Johnny Vidacovich talks back
With ’Bout Time, Johnny Vidacovich adds a career-defining album to his more than 100 recordings. ’Bout Time features the master drummer from New Orleans with his Astral Project bandmate of […]
Dave Pirner talks back
After residing in New Orleans for 17 years, Soul Asylum leader Dave Pirner moved back to Minneapolis in 2018. The Grammy-winning, platinum-selling creator of the 1990s hits “Runaway Train” and […]
John “Papa” Gros talks back
I interviewed John Gros for this piece on March 12. There was so much to talk about. He had a great new album, Central City, which he was going to […]
Emilio Castillo of Tower of Power talks back
This interview was conducted before Tower of Power’s April 22 performance at the House of Blues New Orleans was cancelled- ED. After 50 mighty years of making music, what does […]
Christone ‘‘Kingfish’’ Ingram talks back
A native of Clarksdale, Mississippi, Christone “Kingfish” Ingram comes from the land of Muddy Waters, Robert Johnson, John Lee Hooker and Skip James. Just turned 21, this young man with […]
Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph talks back
As eclectic as the New Orleans music scene is, it’s still hard to imagine an artist having a more diverse career than Anjelika “Jelly” Joseph, who, at the age of […]
Rhiannon Giddens talks back
In 2007, Rhiannon Giddens performed at the Folk Alliance International conference with the aspiring black string band Carolina Chocolate Drops. On January 25, 2020, following one Grammy Award, six Grammy […]
Jimmy “Duck” Holmes talks back
Mississippi’s Jimmy “Duck” Holmes is the keeper of the Bentonia blues tradition flame. He follows such earlier practitioners of the country-blues style as Skip James, Jack Owens and brothers Henry […]
