Folk Roots Radio Episode 365: Kristine Schmitt & International Women’s Day

Welcome to the first of two very special hours of International Women’s Day programming on Folk Roots Radio. On this episode we feature a great interview with Toronto based vocalist and singer-songwriter Kristine Schmitt recorded at the 2017 Folk Music Ontario Conference alongside new music from Winona Wilde, Rosie & the Riveters, Gwyneth Glyn, Kyle Carey, Emily Mure, I’m With Her and Piper Hayes. It’s a great episode and definitely worth checking out. Check out the full playlist below.

Interview

Kristine Schmitt grew up singing musical harmony, and explored many different styles from country to rock to even punk before settling on a love of old time country, and country blues and jazz from the early part of the 20th Century. Kristine Schmitt’s first solo recording “Good Dirt” from 2016 features a collection of Kristine’s playful original songs and a wonderful rootsy sound. The album was produced by Chris Coole, with support from members of the Lonesome Ace Stringband, and Simone Schmidt (Fiver) on harmony vocals. Kristine Schmitt is currently performing as part of a duo with Jesse Corrigan, although she is also much in demand as a supporting vocalist with a big voice and great stage presence. Check out Kristine Schmitt online at kristineschmitt.com.

Show Notes

Notes about some of the new music on our radar that made it into Episode 365 of Folk Roots Radio.

Kyle Carey started out as a full-time waitress at famed Saratoga Springs NY coffee house Cafe Lena, before finding her feet as a singer-songwriter in her own right. Now known for her own gaelic Americana, Kyle travelled to Cape Breton and Skye in Scotland to further her Celtic music and Gaelic studies. Her third album “The Art Of Forgetting” was produced by Dirk Powell in Louisiana and blends together the celtic and gaelic influences with Appalachian folk. On this episode we play the beautiful acapella song “For Your Journey” which also features Rhiannon Giddens on vocals. A song of escape, “For Your Journey” was inspired by the Gospel of Matthew, the River Styx and the Underground Railroad. The album also features Liz Simmons on backing vocals, Sam Broussard on Guitar, John McCusker on fiddle, Mike McGoldrick on flute, Kai Welch on trumpet, James MacKintosh on percussion, Ron Janssen on octave mandolin and Gillebrìde MacMillan on male harmony vocals. Kyle Carey is online at kyleannecarey.com.

Welsh poet, writer and folk singer Gwyneth Glyn released her first solo album “Tro”, Welsh for ‘Turn’ in September 2017 on bendigedig, a new boutique label, from Arc Music and Theatr Mwldan in Wales. An artist with a passion for the Welsh language, Tro features a mix of original and traditional compositions with 10 songs in Welsh. The others like the track we play on this episode “Far Ago”, are in English. Senegal’s acclaimed kora player Seckou Keita and BBC Radio 2 Folk Award Winner Rowan Rheingans (banjo, bansitar and vocals) also play on the album. Visit Gwyneth Glyn online at gwynethglyn.com/en.

Named after the World War 2 feminist labour icon, Rosie the Riveter, Saskatoon SK’s Rosie and the Riveters are a study in contrasts – the red lipstick, curls, post war dress and their vintage harmonies and sassy choreographed stage show coupled with songs that are intended to question, provoke and inspire. A four piece at the time of their very well-received debut “Good Clean Fun”, they’re now a three piece featuring Farideh Olsen, Alexis Normand and Allyson Reigh. Their sophomore release, “Ms Behave” is due in April and sees the band taking more of a political bent this time around, reflecting the tumultuous times we’re living in, as the voices raised for true gender equality get louder every day. On this episode we play their single “Let ‘em Talk”. They’re on tour across Canada this spring. Check out Rosie & the Riveters online at rosieandtheriveters.com.

A 2017 Kerrville New Folk and the winner of Folk Music Ontario‘s Colleen Petersen Award, Winona Wilde never pulls her punches when it comes to songwriting. On this episode we play “Pincushion Soldier”, a song about post partum psychosis from her third album “Wasted Time” (2017, Rescue Dog Records). Winona Wilde is online at winonawilde.com.

And that’s all we have time for, this time around. Thanks to all the artists who share their music with us, and thank you for listening. We have a lot of great music and interviews to bring you on future shows. I hope you’ll join us!

Listen

You can listen to this episode again on Soundcloud by following the link below. You can also listen to episodes of Folk Roots Radio, on demand, via iTunes, Mixcloud, Stitcher and Tune-in Radio. (Click on the highlighted link to reach your chosen platform.)

Playlist

Nicolas & The Iceni (Theme)
Lucy She Rises (Demo)
Roll Right (Pre-release, self)

Kyle Carey
For Your Journey
The Art Of Forgetting (2017, River Boat Records)

Gwyneth Glyn
Far Ago
Tro (2017, bendigedig)

Piper Hayes
Save Some For Yourself
Piper & Carson (2017, Self) CDN

I’m With Her
Waitsfield
See You Around (2017, Rounder Records)

Kristine Schmitt
Hop On Awhile With Me
Good Dirt (2016, Self) CDN

Interview: Kristine Schmitt recorded at the 2017 Folk Music Ontario conference.

Kristine Schmitt
He Held Up His Hat (And He Kissed Her Behind It)
Good Dirt (2016, Self) CDN

Kristine Schmitt
Deep In The Darkest Evening
Good Dirt (2016, Self) CDN

Rosie & the Riveters
Let ’em Talk
Ms. Behave (2018, Self) CDN

Winona Wilde
Pincushion Soldier
Wasted Time (2017, Rescue Dog Records) CDN

Emily Mure
Waiting For Change
Worth (2017, Self)