Music Trails with Mark Lafond

Meet the talented, emerging new country cross- over artist Jessie Haines. Jessie shares her unconventional journey from growing up in New Jersey, having the 9-5 job, spouse, and a home in the suburbs to selling everything, traveling and living alone in a vintage airstream and landing in a new home in Nashville. Jessie talks about her soon to be released debut album The Phoenix which is a deeply personal chronicle of her experience.

On this episode of Music Trails we meet British Columbia native, and current Nashville TN resident Raquel Cole. Raquel shares her journey of growing up in Vernon British Columbia and the origins of her love of music at a very young age. Raquel talks about her recent appearance on the Stampede City Sessions series (Canadian version of Austin City limits), as well as her two recent released singles and music videos. Raquel gives us insight into song writing and her love of collaborating with other song writers. Listeners will get an update on all things The Woods (Nashville based band she is a member of) related.

On this episode of Music Trails we meet Sasha Dubyk. Sasha shares her journey from growing up in Philadelphia in a music family, learning piano from her pianist and music teacher dad touring and performing internationally with her Dad’s Klezmer band, majoring in Dance/Theater, and performing in numerous music theatre productions. She finds her way to Berklee College of Music in Boston where she earns a degree in music therapy and meets her Damn Tall Buildings  band mates. Sasha talks about learning to do things she may have previously not even thought about such as learning to play the upright bass, and songwriting. Sasha talks about her teaching at the Crown Heights Music school in Brooklyn that she and fellow  band mate and very soon husband to be Max Capistran (Season 1 Episode 9) operate together as well as an update on all things  Damn Tall Buildings related. I hope you enjoy

Music Trails a podcast dedicated to independent music artists their music, stories, and the people behind the scenes that support them. I chose the name Music Trails because just like no two walking, hiking or biking trails are alike the same holds true when it comes to the trails and journeys of our guests. In Season Three we return to interviewing  guests representing a variety of music genres, and interests. If you love music, enjoy being introduced to new artists that you might not other wise know about and enjoy learning about the independent music business this podcast may be for you. New episodes are currently in production, I encourage you to subscribe today and you will be notified when new episodes are released. Your host is Mark Lafond https://www.musictrails.info

Meet Kelly and Donna Mulhollan that make up the story telling-singer-songwriter folk duo Still On The Hill. Kelly and Donna as ambassadors of the Ozarks have a calling to help protect the environment and preserve the unique culture of the region.  We will be introduced to the stories of Ed Stiley, Denton Boze, and the preservation of a small Ozarkian community  Cane Hill, Arkansas. Kelly and Donna share their history of playing the Walnut Valley festival and their excitement to return again for the 50th anniversary.

Music Trails listeners our guest is Seth Bate author of the newly released Augus,t 2022 book Winfield’s Walnut Valley Festival. The book explains how the festival was launched in 1972 when a guitar maker, farmer, and businessman teamed up together to built their own festival from ground up which has made the town of Winfield Kansas an annual destination for acoustic musicians and music lovers from around the world. Seth shares his story of how he came to Winfield, got involved in the festival as a college student, as well as what inspired him to chronicle the Walnut Valley Festival’s history as part of its 50 year anniversary.

Meet Bing Futch a nationally solo touring artist. Bing is a multi-instrumentalist that utilizes an Appalachian Mountain Dulcimer, flute, ukulele, and sound looper in a unique way that celebrates traditional, and modern music. Bing shares a sampling of his diverse music, his recording process, as well as explains why the Walnut Valley Festival in Winfield, KS is so special to him.

Holly Gleason returns on this episode of Music Trails and continues to share her remarkable journey in the music business. Holly gives us a glimpse into her work in artist development as well as how she got involved as a song writer under the alias of Lady Goodman. Holly takes us through her song writing and recording experience.

Meet Holly Gleason in our two- part interview. Holly is a Nashville based award winning writer, and music critic who has written for Rolling Stone, Creem Spin, No Depression, LA Times, NY Times just to name a few. In part one of our interview we follow Holly’s early introduction to covering music artists in south Florida, including John Prine, and join up with Neil Young on his tour bus. We will then head west out to LA and check out the thriving music and comedy  scene there of the late 1980s.

Meet Kelly Hunt, Folk-Americana-Roots singer/songwriter. Kelly grew up in Memphis TN and was surrounded by a variety of different types of music in her family as well as being influenced by Memphis’s deep music roots from Blues, Elvis, Johnny Cash, and Sun records. Kelly shares with us her musical trail and the fact it wasn’t until she finished college and after trying a few other artistic outlets that she found music, chose her preferred instrument the banjo, and began to find her unique style of music and her voice. Kelly shares her song writing process, her upcoming sophomore album Ozark Symphony, and the camaraderie and support she has found in her new home of Kansas City.

Meet Tracy Walton, a man of many talents including author, teacher, multi instrumentalist, singer/songwriter, performing/ recording artist, and recording studio owner/operator of On Deck Recording Studio. Tracy shares his recording process and approach as well as an update on recent recording projects. We talk about his perspective on the recent Beatle’s Get Back documentary as well as his experience with the popular Belle of the Fall folk duo and his most recent solo album Small Town America.

This podcast is about independent music artists, their music, stories, lessons learned as well as about the people behind the scenes that make the independent music scene possible.

Meet the Grammy- award winning progressive bluegrass band The Infamous Stringdusters! Two of the founding members Andy Hall, and Chris "Panda" Pandolfi talk about the upcoming release of their 13th album A Tribute to Flatt and Scruggs as well as their Grammy- nominated 2022 album Into the Fray. We discuss the importance of touring, the advantages of having their own Americana Vibes recording label, as well as what makes for a great cover song.

New Orleans has its fair share of musical ambassadors; but few are more rooted in the Crescent City than John “Papa” Gros. Born and raised in the city, Papa Gros melds funk, rock, jazz, and blues to deliver a sound that is both innovative and unmistakably New Orleans. Papa launched his career as a solo performer in the early 1990s, quickly gaining attention from marquee artists such as George Porter Jr. and Snooks Eaglin, both of whom brought him on board as a supporting musician. In this episode of Music Trails Papa shares how and when his musical journey started, the influence that many of New Orleans's most icon artists have  had on him, leading the successful Papa Grows Funk band' to finding his way back to writing, playing and recording music that best represents who he is as an artist maintaining his deep New Orleans's roots.

On this episode of Music Trails we meet the talented singer, song writer, music festival promoter Opal Agafia. Opal’s trail is embedded in the Ozark Mountains of Arkansas where she developed a love of music at a young age but lacked the self -confidence and a plan to share with others. While finishing high school and starting college she discovered she and her mom shared an interest, and talent in writing which resulted in a song writing collaboration. With original songs in hand Opal developed a receptive audience which of course has grown over the years with the release of multiple recordings and touring with her accomplished band. Opal is also a successful music festival  promoter and talks about her upcoming Ozark Soul Music Festival  which shares the name of her brand of music. 

On this episode of Music Trails you'll be introduced  to Christine Havrilla. Christine originally from Philadelphia, is a musician, performer, singer songwriter who’s musical career has spanned the last 20 years, including 13 albums, 3 EPs and playing a variety of venues, stages large, small, music festivals, to living rooms.  When seeing Christine live it might be as a solo act, a duo with long time collaborator Coleen Clark, or with her full band Christine Havrilla and the Gypsy Fuzz. Which ever version or venue your guaranteed to get her best each and every night. Christine will talk about her new EP and single California Nights, her current, and future projects, as well as her personal journey that has shaped her artistry.

On this episode of Music Trails we meet one of Nashville’s best and well know Honky Tonk musicians David Graham. David shares his story which starts with realizing at a very young age, after first hearing Elvis’s Heat Break Hotel he knew all he wanted was to be was a "Rock Star".  David will give us his insight into life in Nashville, from the changing demographics, to the local music scene. David’s blue collar, hard working live performances are memorable ranging from his residency at Layla's Honky Tonk in Nashville, to national and international audiences.

In our last episode of the season we will hear from present and past artists that have loved performing at Winfield. These are guests that were unable to be interviewed but had an interest in participating in this project. Our guests in this episode submitted audio files of them answering submitted questions. We will hear from Dave Firestine a founder of the famed Carp Camp. Mike and Katie West of Truckstop Honeymoon a Pecan Grove campground favorite check in from their current home in Wales. 2021 Battle of the Bands winner Pretend Friend's Grant Boesen checks in following their second consecutive year of playing on the main stages. We will also hear from fan favorite and Ireland's Socks in the Frying Pan's Aodan Coyne.

In this episode of Music Trails we meet Tommy Emmanuel, maybe the best guitarist on the planet, certainly your host’s favorite. Tommy will share part of his music trail which started as a youth in Australia, playing and touring in the family band, reaching out to his boyhood idol Chet Atkins and having the life changing opportunity of meeting and studying under him as a young man. Tommy talks about his Guitar Camp which at the time of this interview is just kicking off in Nashville, meeting and collaborating with the great Mike Dawes, and shares his unique song writing and performance techniques. Tommy closes the episode reminiscing about his Walnut Valley Festival debut, and introduces us to his popular song Fuel.

Meet Beppe Gambetta Italian born guitarist, singer-songwriter, author, and researcher. Beppe introduces us to his unique music, how a young man in Genoa Italy develops a love for American roots music specifically flat picking, his new soon to be published book, and his love for the Walnut Valley Festival.