Women in Bluegrass, Songwriting & Each Machine — Carolyn Kendrick
Conversations with Musicians, with Leah Roseman
03/22/26
•63m
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Carolyn Kendrick is a fiddler, songwriter, and producer based in California.
I’m really looking forward to her upcoming podcast with Tristan Scroggins “Don’t Call Me Darlin’,” based on an archive of Women in Bluegrass newsletters. You’ll also be fascinated to learn about Carolyn’s project “Each Machine” and you’ll be hearing some of that music and about her research into the Satanic Panic. She also started a really cool initiative with her friend Isa Burke, the Gender Equity Audio Workshop. You’ll hear Carolyn’s tips on songwriting, how she remembers songs, and how she’s built balanced life in music.
Photo: Natalie Petersen
Timestamps:
(00:00) Intro
(01:46) Don’t Call Me Darlin’ podcast, Women in Bluegrass, Murphy Hicks Henry
(06:12) trailer Don’t Call Me Darlin’ (link in show notes)
(10:45) women in bluegrass
(14:34) Each Machine album and zine, satanic panic
( 18:09) audio clip "A Perfect World" Each Machine album linked in show notes, from poem by David Keig, research into satanism, clip of “Sugar and Spice”, interviewing Stephan Jones
(28:10) clip of “Leela” from Each Machine
(28:58) murder ballads, with clip of “Wind and Rain”
(30:57) upcoming new album, Gender Equity Audio Workshop with Isa Burke
(35:05) Berklee experience
(36:20) other episodes you’ll enjoy and ways to support this podcast
(37:08) Carolyn’s musical path
(45:25)clip of Silver Dagger from Tear Things Apart linked in show notes
(46:23) singing, different styles, memorizing songs, fiddle tunes
(50:34) love of Los Angeles, importance of being rooted in community
(54:42) love of making podcasts, Don’t Call Me Darlin’
(58:02) songwriting support group, creative outlets and prompts
Previous Episode
This episode is with one of the most inspiring people I’ve ever had the privilege to meet: the Grammy-winning producer, musician and author Ian Brennan who has traveled the world in search of countries and languages that are underrepresented. He has produced over fifty remarkable international records since 2009 across five continents with his wife the Italian-Rwandan filmmaker, photographer and author Marilena Delli Umuhoza.
In this Part 1 of a new series with Ian within this podcast, you’ll hear about the Tanzania Albinism Collective, Rwanda’s The Good Ones, the Zomba Prison Project in Malawi, Comorian and Africatown’s Ancestor Sounds, music of the descendants of the last slave ship in Mobile . Ian also has a fascinating personal story and is sought after for his work in empathy-based violence prevention.
The links for all the music you’ll hear are in the Show Notes
In the show notes you'll also find the link to sign up for my newsletter, where you'll get exclusive information about upcoming episodes, different ways to support this podcast and linked episodes, as well as the YouTube video and transcript.
Photo: Marilena Delli Umuhoza
(00:00) Intro
(02:48) book “Missing Music: Voices From Where The Dirt Road Ends”, Comoros
(09:00) Music: excerpt of track 1 Please Protect My Newborn Child from the Spirits from Comorian's album "We are an Island, but we're not alone”, recording in Comoros, Marilena Umuhoza Delli.
(14:51) Rwanda, The Good Ones, Marilena’s mother
(20:51) Music: excerpt The Good Ones album"Rwanda...You See Ghosts, I See Sky" track 9, "My Chubby Baby, Please Sleep( I will protect you from anything)”
(21:50) The Good Ones, Kinyarwanda language, Rwanda history
(29:06) dominance of English in media and songs
(33:09) Music: excerpt The Good Ones album “Rwanda...You See Ghosts, I See Sky” track 4 “Every Job Has Importance”
(34:05) dominance of English, nonverbal communication, Ian’s sister who had Down syndrome, working in psychiatric environments
(41:15) other linked episodes and ways to support this podcast
(42:02) violence prevention and anger management books and workshops, “Peace by Peace”
(47:32) efficiency in recording
(51:08) Zomba Prison Project
(51:08) Zomba Prison Project
(54:53) Music: clip from track 4 "All is loss" album Zomba Prison Project "I will not stop singing”)
(55:39) Zomba prison recording with clip of track 3 “I Will Never Stop Grieving For You, My Wife” from Zomba Prison Project album “I will not stop singing”
(01:00:44) how Ian records and produces
(01:02:50) Africatown, Mobile,Alabama trip, descendants of slaves on the Clotilda
(01:05:39) Clip of track 1 “Run if you can, don’t go down that road” from Ancestor Sounds
(01:07:04) history and music of Africatown, Ian’s life as a songwriter and guitarist, becoming a parent
(01:12:31) Music: clip of Track 8 Comorian "Bandits Are Doing Bad Deeds" from album "We are an island, but we’re not alone”)
(01:13:43) early career recording in the laundromat
(01:18:00) Tanzania Albanism Collective, Ukerewe island, Standing Voice
(01:22:22) Tanzania Albinism Collective, track 23 “Happiness”, album “White African Power”
(01:22:51)Standing Voice organization, dangers of albinism
Next Episode
You may know Scott Nygaard from his career as a guitarist in the bluegrass and acoustic scene for more than 30 years, his work as former editor and writer with Acoustic Guitar Magazine, or as one of the co-founders of Peghead Nation. You may not know his novel Evergreen, based on his transformative first year at Evergreen College in 1973. I love a coming of age story, and this is very much a tale musical growth and about the loss of innocence during a time of societal changes . We also explore Scott’s most recent album, Flown South which was recorded after a serious accident, when Scott had to relearn to play guitar.
You’ll also be hearing music from his wonderful album Rosco with the Swedish guitarist Roger Tallroth, best known as a founding member of Väsen. Another collaboration you’ll be hearing about is Crow Molly, which features mandolinist Joe K. Walsh (a previous guest of this podcast). Scott shared his experiences recording with Chris Thile, touring with Joan Baez, and his move to Chile. I really enjoyed this opportunity to hear Scott’s wise observations on what really matters in a creative and connected life well-lived.
take you to the video, Scott Nygaard, other episodes you'll love, podcast newsletter sign up (where you'll get exclusive information about upcoming guests), podcast merchandise and how you can buy me a coffee to support this podcast - as well as the video link and transcript.
(00:00) Intro
(02:20) novel Evergreen, bluegrass, old-time music, racism
(12:35) old-time fiddling
(16:36) Crow Molly band and album with clip of track 5 “Too Hungry”
(18:21) album with Roger Tollroth Rosco with clip of track 6 The Surly Seven
(24:01) more about collaborating with Roger Tollroth, clip of track 9 True North album Rosco
(26:07) challenges of touring, Crow Molly with clip of track 9 Haapavesi album Crow Molly
(29:13) editing and writing for Acoustic Guitar magazine
(31:49) role of flat-picking guitarist in bluegrass and old-time music
(34:00) other episodes you’ll love and ways to support this series!
(34:50) music education and Peghead Nation, bands and community
(41:33) learning to play again after accident, album Flown South with clip of Itutu
(49:20) learning Spanish, wife Claudia losing hearing, sign language
(58:07) Flown South clip of improv “Understanding Makes the Brain Lazy”
(59:46) Evergreen, community of musicians, Peghead Nation, Scott’s books, guitars
(01:11:45) Chris Thiele, Joan Baez
(01:22:51) musical curiosity and advice, Lena Jonsson
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