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Americana - Part Two

An exploration of the latest and sweetest reinventions of American roots music

Max Reinhardt explores the latest and sweetest reinventions of American roots music. The featured artists all sound compellingly fresh – and yet they have a powerful timelessness, evoking much of the richness of the past. Valerie June is now based in New York, but she is a southern girl with gospel, motown and blues in her blood. She has called her unique sound 'organic moonshine roots music'. Son Little is also a unique new voice on the Americana scene – a voice that stopped R'n'B legend Mavis Staples in her tracks. She said that when she heard him first "I just had to be still, his voice hit me like a lightning bolt".

Ellis Swan's other worldly reworked folk tales and murder ballads are unsettling, but incredibly seductive. Sierra Ferrell is inspired by popular songs from the 19th Century, many of which she picked up as she busked her way around the southern states. Finally, and in contrast to the previous solo singer-songwriters, the Darnell Boys are a band of brothers and others who cook up a deep dark storm of foot stomping bluegrass.

(Photo: Valerie June)

Available now

50 minutes

Last on

Sun 6 Mar 2016 20:06GMT

Music Played

  • Darnell Boys

    You Got the Devil

  • Darnell Boys

    WorkmanÂ’s Will

  • Ellis Swan

    Red Winged Blackbird

  • Ellis Swan

    Rose Connelly

  • Sierra Ferrell

    Little Bird

  • Sierra Ferrell

    Pretty Magic Spell

  • Son Little

    Your Love

  • Son Little

    O Mother

  • Valerie June

    Twined and Twisted

  • Valerie June

    WorkinÂ’ Woman Blues

Broadcasts

  • Sat 5 Mar 2016 14:06GMT
  • Sun 6 Mar 2016 20:06GMT

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