Folk rockers The Mallett Brothers are back with a new album on April 4 called “Higher up in the Hills.” Luke and Will Mallett joined us on Roots Music Rambler this week to talk about the album, the first couple of singles from it, 15-years of making it in independent music without leaving their home state of Maine and more. 

The brothers who front the band are actually from folk music royalty. Their father, David Mallett, is a well-known folk singer who wrote “The Garden Song” popluarized by Pete Seeger, John Denver and others. We talked about growing up around their famous dad, his impact on their music, and collaborations with him over the years.

The Mallett Brothers also share the story behind another fun collaboration – with legendary keyboardist Chuck Leavell on his PBS series “America’s Forests with Chuck Leavell.” 

Falls also kicks off the episode with perhaps the most impassioned rant he’s ever embarked upon, pleading with people to stop complaining about cross-genre artists and the hate toward specific sub-genres of music. It’s worth the listen.

Frank and Falls also share their normal pickin’ the grinnin’ picks for the week.

Download the episode and subscribe at rootsmusicrambler.com or wherever you get your podcasts. 

Also be sure to help spread the love of the show with Roots Music Rambler’s new merch, now available at rootsmusicrambler.com/store. Authentic t-shirts, hats and stickers are now available. 

Buckle up for The Hoe-Down and the Throw-Down! It’s a new episode of Roots Music Rambler.

Notes and links: 

• Kendrick Lamar’s Super Bowl Halftime Show


• The Mallett Brothers online


• The Mallett Brothers on Spotify


• The Garden Song (written by David Mallett) by John Denver on The Muppett Show


• American Forests with Chuck Leavell on PBS


• Bourbon & Beyond lineup


• Sara Jean Stevens new EP Lovesick on Spotify


• The Roots Music Rambler Store


• Roots Music Rambler on Instagram


• 
  Roots Music Rambler on TikTok 


• Roots Music Rambler on Facebook


• Jason Falls on Instagram


• Francesca Folinazzo on Instagram

Pickin’ the Grinnin’ Recommendations

• Caleb Caudle


• Whiskeytown

Subscribe to Roots Music Rambler on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, GoodPods or wherever you get your podcasts.

Theme Music: Sheepskin & Beeswax by Genticorum; Audio production by Resonate Recordings. Copyright 2025 - Falls+Partners.

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