Americana Curious

Andrew Sa | Who Gets to Belong in Americana Music?

Andrew Sa grew up obsessed with Patsy Cline. Today, he’s challenging one of country music’s oldest assumptions: who gets to belong. The Chicago country artist’s debut al

Neil Young Called Me: The Remarkable Story of Chris Pierce

Chris Pierce was playing a corporate gig in a dark corner where nobody was listening when his phone rang. The caller represented Neil Young, and Neil wanted Chris to open

Newport Folk Festival - What REALLY Happens

Newport Folk Festival is famous for the unexpected. You never quite know who might walk onstage. This year, Dave Matthews made his first-ever Newport appearance, joining

Twin Fin | How Hawaii Created One of Americana's Fastest-Rising Bands

How does a band from Hawaii become one of Americana's fastest-rising groups? In this episode of Americana Curious, Ben Fanning sits down backstage with Twin Fin just bef

How Phillip Phillips Found Success Beyond American Idol

What happens after you've already achieved the dream? Phillip Phillips captured America's heart by winning American Idol, releasing "Home"—the biggest-selling winner's s

Where Does Live Music Still Feel Personal?

Do bigger venues create bigger experiences—or do they take us further away from the music? In this episode of Americana Curious, Ben Fanning and Zach Schultz debate whet

Hiss Golden Messenger | How MC Taylor Found His Voice

How does an artist find a voice that feels unmistakably their own—and write songs that hold both hope and heartbreak at the same time? In this episode of Americana Curio

Reckless Kelly: They Rejected Nashville to Build a 30-Year Indie Career | Willy Braun

How does an independent band stay true to its roots, resist industry pressure, and survive for over three decades? In this episode of Americana Curious, hosts Ben Fannin

Mason Jennings: Turning Down Rick Rubin, Battling Agoraphobia, and Chasing Truth Over Fame

What happens when a musician completely rejects the corporate machine? In this episode of Americana Curious, Ben Fanning and Zach Schultz sit down with singer-songwriter

What Bruce Springsteen Teaches About Leadership, Community, and the E Street Band | Andy Freed

What can leaders learn from Bruce Springsteen? A lot more than you might think. In this special crossover episode from the Lead the Team podcast, Ben sits down with And

Bella White: The Rising Americana Voice You Need to Hear

Some artists sound polished. Some artists sound real. The rare ones give you both. I caught up with backstage at the Charleston Pour House right before she took the stag

Winyah (Right Before They Blew Up)

Winyah had 3 songs. Then they got the call to play Bonnaroo. No album. Just a deadline. So they did what most people won’t: They locked in. Slept on couches. Finis

TAJ MAHAL Influenced Bob Marley (And Why Music Feels Different Today)

What does Taj Mahal understand about music… that most artists still miss today? How did his approach to sound end up influencing Bob Marley? What does it actually mean

John-Robert: Dropped by His Label While Delivering Pizza…Then Everything Changed

What happens when your dream falls apart… right in the middle of a pizza shift? John-Robert was closing at work when he got the call… he’d been dropped by his label. M

MORGXN:Nashville Said No, He Said YES!

MORGXN, the Americana artist who just redefined what the Heartland means, joins Ben and Zach on Americana Curious for a conversation that you'll never forget. Early in h

The Songs that Shaped Us (Lore of Americana Curious)

Some songs don’t just play; They mark seasons of your life. And you don’t realize it until years later. These are the Americana songs that shaped who we (Ben and Zach)

Al Nicol: Masculinity, Mortality & Groove

There are voices that impress you. And then there are voices that feel like they’ve been EARNED. Al Nicol’s voice carries the high lonesome ache of Bill Monroe, the raw

Emily Scott Robinson (Songs That Outlast Us)

Emily Scott Robinson isn’t chasing hits....She’s writing for your funeral. It's not dark...It's called powerful depth! In our conversation, Emily shares with us that sh

The Band of Heathens Went Platinum While Staying Independent (How They Did It)

20 YEARS. 0 LABELS. 1 PLATINUM RECORD. 💿🔥 Most bands don’t make it past year five. They call it the “Valley of Death” because 95% of indie artists don’t make it out ali

Best Americana Music of 2025

Ben and Zach pull back the curtain on the albums that defined the last year and the artists poised to explode in 2026. From hard-working storytellers out of North Caroli