Welcome! This is the official broadcast download site for Music City Roots, a weekly multi-act roots Americana radio show presented live before a lively audience at Liberty Hall in The Factory At Franklin, a great little southern town just at the edge of Music City. 


Launched in October 2009, MCR has become a trusted source for discovery and celebration of Americana music during its four and a half year run at the Loveless Cafe Barn. The show moved to The Factory in July 2014 for bigger, better facilities. Roots goes out live on WMOT/Roots Radio 89.5 FM serving Nashville and all of Middle Tennessee, while the two-hour edit available here goes to non-commercial radio stations around the country. 


Please call Craig at 615.438.8488 to ask questions about carrying Music City Roots. And enjoy these recent full shows.

Specializing in quality roots and Americana music since 1978.

World Circuit Records has made its reputation by producing some of the finest albums of the past three decades. The label’s prestigious roster includes the Grammy-winning Buena Vista Social Club and associated solo artists (including Ibrahim Ferrer, Rubén González, Omara Portuondo and Orlando ‘Cachaíto’ López), Malian blues pioneer and Grammy-winner Ali Farka Touré, Malian divas and social activists Oumou Sangaré and Fatoumata Diawara, master kora player Toumani Diabaté, the illustrious Orchestra Baobab, musical iconoclast Cheikh Lô, and Fela Kuti’s legendary drummer and co-creator of Afrobeat Tony Allen. 
 
With reissues and brand new releases coming soon, World Circuit continues to bring diverse, genre-defying music to a wider audience.

'The Jester',  a record by Alabaster DePlume and Daniel Inzani.

“Truth is often the jester”

Ten join pianist Daniel Inzani (The Mandibles, Count Bobo and the Bullion) and poet/singer/saxophonist Alabaster dePlume (Honeyfeet, Liz Green) in creating a wash of fugues, invocations and tunes. 

Employing unusual and cut-throat practices, analogue equipment was used to capture the creative expressions and communications of the 12-piece ensemble, live. Spontaneity, sincerity, and humour taking stubborn precedence, the characters of all involved have formed this delightful, unique and deeply moving piece of work. 

Theatrical spoken-word and song joining chorus, horns, strings, piano and percussion, this release is a rich and frighteningly varied gem for Debt Records of Manchester (Bridie Jackson and the Arbour, Walk, Louis Barabbas and the Bedlam 6, Honeyfeet)

The ensemble is comprised Dartington graduates and legends of the local scene, members of Count Bobo and the Bullion, the Mandibles (“evocative, idiosyncratic and even slightly absurd – Venue Magazine”) and Bert Miller and the Animal Folk. It features Sheelanagig’s Aaron Catlow, alongside the cellos of Beth Horton, Pepino’s Jessica Macdonald, Moulettes’ Hannah Miller, and a feast of creative performers from far and wide. 

As part of the project, a large collection of artists are producing images in response to the material, that will be presented online, and physically at the launch in Bristol. A crowd-funding campaign is being set up, to make the bold and uncommon move of paying the artists. 
Support the campaign here: www.pledgemusic.com/projects/thejesterproject

The record will be available on CD, Vinyl and download, on the 8th July, and will be accompanied by the following concerts, in celebration:

12th July 3MT Manchester
13th July 3MT Manchester
14th July Kazimir Liverpool
20th July Folk House Bristol



After over 25 years in a music business that continues to be unforgiving and narrow for women, Yvonne Ellis has survived and flourished, making her mark and commanding the deepest respect and affection from all the clients she has been involved with. Over the decades Yvonne has worked with an incredible spectrum of artists and musicians – from high profile popstars, through to local young strugglers looking to inch their way into a milieu fraught with obstacles and difficulties. Yvonne ’ s knowledge of so many different kinds of music, married to her technological expertise fuels her formidable versatility. She approaches the art and craft of production with all the attributes of a great musician – and after so many years she has gained total command as a producer and engineer of the highest quality. She retains a robust sense of musical community and remains a loyal servant to the many muses and arts that she collaborates with. She is indeed a polymath of the mixing desk, both in the studio and ‘ Live ’ . The sounds and sonics she helps create are true and pure and of a quality that few can match. Whether she is producing or mixing, Yvonne is able to bring out the greatest musicality that is possible from the artist and their work. Yvonne ’ s journey through the years in the music business has also made her a great psychologist and musical social worker; both are invaluable qualities in these psychologically difficult times. If you work with Yvonne you are likely to grow as a human being as well as a musician. The sad truth is that the music business should be full of Yvonne Ellis ’ 50 years into its life, but great and maverick talent tends to be marginalised rather than championed, especially if you ’ re a woman. We should always celebrate such precious human resources and recognise their efforts and dedication beyond the call of duty. We need Yvonne Ellis so badly. Her humanity and talent always shine through and as a colleague and friend for over 25 years I ’ m very honoured to know her and to have worked with someone so consistently special.
Elliot Rashman (Simply Red manager 1984-1998)

My record in Yvonne’s hands was like water finding its level. She got it..She got me. When Yvonne works it seems to me she enters the track and works from the inside out, in the process, revealing the core, the beating heart of the song. This was what I was looking for. Her mixing is visceral; an act of creativity and, at times, of revelation. Her unobtrusive manner masks a creative alchemist, firing on all pistons bringing the song to its best conclusion. She’s also extends her alchemy to some of the meanest Mojitos I did ever taste…..
Briana Corrigan



"A pedigree type of production, right deh soh!"
Ras Kwame - DJ, 1Xtra

"I have known and worked with Yvonne for 20 years. She makes sound like no other, nuff said."
D.zire(Jamiroquai,Gorillaz)

"Yvonnes experience in the world of sound has always been a great inspiration to me. how she can take away a few frequencies here and add a few frequencies there and then all of a sudden you can hear everything clearly is a constant mystery!
she has an attention to detail par none and is willing to spend the time and effort to create the most perfect result.
yvonne has been a great teacher to me and has made me feel more confident in producing my own music and using studio equipment."
Stuart McCallum - Guitarist/composer. (Cinematic Orchestra)

"Yvonne Ellis is one of Britain's finest. She has the Midas touch. An absolute joy to work with"
Stuart Zender - Mark Ronson/Jamiroquai/Stevie Wonder/D'Angelo

I've known & worked with Yvonne over the last 23 years. she is constantly evolving as a producer and sound engineer. always a rich, big sound. What sets Yvonne apart is her 20+ years of experience and her female sensibility .whether producing, mixing or doing live sound. why are there not more high calibre women out there?
Sylvan Richardson JR. (Simply Red)

"Vee is without question the best producer/engineer I've worked with. Only thing is, if sun is out you start to wonder 'weh da producer deh?' Yeah man, check da garden! Peace.
Myke Wilson - Dust Junkies/Texas/Lamb


When we decided to rerecord the drums on our nearly complete album, I insisted on using my favourite drummer, Mikey Wilson. Mikey insisted on using Vee Ellis to record him and that is where I met Vee, in her cellar. At the time, I was stationed in The Lake District with the band recording, and commuted to Vee’s for 3 days. She never missed a take, was exceptionally patient with me (when I came ill-prepared) and was very relaxed and confident throughout.

But here’s the thing……Each night when I arrived back at the cottage, the musicians, who included international legendary players such as Stuart Zender (Jamiroquai, Mark Ronson, Stevie Wonder, D’Angelo) and Kwame Yeboah (Michael Jackson, Stevie Wonder, Hugh Maskela) were freaking out. “Who recorded that?” they begged to know, “Yvonne Ellis”, I replied, “In her cellar!”


The previous drums had been recorded at the famous Livingstone studios in London with 3 engineers and were awful in comparison. Vee proves that if you have aspirations to compete in the pompous male muso world, it’s not enough be as good as them, you have to be much much better ……and Yvonne Ellis is so much better


Eddy Cantor, Singer Songwriter (The Sanderson Pitch)




You have influenced me more than you could EVER know! "I have known Yvonne since the mid 80's. I have toured with Yvonne, been a member of her band, she has engineered live sound on numerous band projects, she has demonstrated complicated computer software to me, taken phone calls at all hours of the night, played me her studio projects and explained the production techniques that she has implemented,.........I could go on. Yvonne is a true spirit who understands that music is a GIFT and she has always stayed humble and shared that love with all who wished to share it with her.........A TRUE MENTOR."

Lawrence Stewart (musician)


Yvonne has the ability to reach inside an artist help them find their truth and produce gold every time
Yvonne Shelton - singer/songwriter

Everyone Knows D'Alchemiss oversees the right space for the magic to happen, does it without much fuss and takes care of the technical business without the artist havin to leave their precious dreamworld. Perfect. It's all in the name!
John Ellis - Keyboard player/composer (Cinematic orchestra)

To describe the brilliant and multi-faceted talents of D' Alchemiss (Yvonne Ellis), is such a gift. This one is easy. She has a tool box that ranges from live sound engineering for one of the greatest touring bands in recent contemporary music history, who's sound live was infamous for it's perfection. She is a musician with a rich childhood history in composing that began with her father, an arranger/composer for the BBC. She is a recording engineer whose work speaks for itself. She is a Producer (with the likes of Corinne Bailey Rae in her fold), who is not only seen as brilliantly "out of the box" creative, but also she is known as a heart connected friend to artists and one who understands the creative vision and process. This is no small aspect of great record production.
I've known D' Alchemiss for half my life now, and I am honored to know this woman of "sound art" and look to work with her on new projects in the immediate future. She recently produced a track with me, for a new film project here in the states and her work actually took my music into something much more profound, appropriately playful and joyfully surprising. It is an honor and a gift to know her and write about her to all concerned.
no'a Daniel winter Lazerus

for those who dont know about this pioneering diva, she is , always will be, ahead of most of us ! she was feeling p-funk before most of us understood it !! her producer/engineering skills are legendary in this town, shes given a helping hand to anyone who is anyone in this town...

Barrington Stewart (singer/writer/musician)


"As a performer and writer ideas flow with more urgency when touched by her aura, she has the ability to find that one artist, sound or instrument that captures a moment of magic.

Her encyclopaedic knowledge of and boundless passion for music, allow her to work on a depth and breadth of genres that few others could rival.

Finding a bass-line to support creativity, adding a rhythm of experience-informed discipline and blending melodies to inspire. That is her alchemy.

She is the role model that budding female producers, sound engineers have been searching for.

Mark Thompson (actor/poet/singer)




'A truly inspirational mother of art and its creators'
'Yvonne nurtures the space for an artist to work in silently and unbeknown to the other artists involved till the art is ready."
"You just know that if Yvonne Ellis is involved the project is stamped with a mark of quality."

Kirsty Almeida (singer/songwriter)


"Golden ears"
(Steve Miller-producer/writer Subatomic UK)

Yvonne Ellis is the "Rosie The Riveter" of the music industry! She is such an inspiration for women "behind the boards."
Tavi Fields (artist/producer)

D'Alchemiss embodies true sonic alchemy . As an artist,.she naturally inspires people to look within themselves for their true expression ..As an engineer, she nurtures and caresses sounds ..she has a rare talent that allows every new mix she approaches to be a blank canvas, a work in it..s own right, treated as an individual piece of music with a unique spirit, a spirit that D..Alchemiss connects with , evokes it..s essence and brings fully into this world to stunning effect..that, to me, is the essence of D'Alchemiss...
Tim Soya-producer, writer, multi-instrumentalist

" I really enjoyed working with Yvonne on "Season's Change" for my first album. She is a calm presence in the studio , really patient and with great ideas."

Corinne Bailey Rae

"D'Alchemiss - she's Soooo got it" "D'Miss kicked on the track for my film here in LA, so out of the box, we're still spinnin' with it'.
Daniel Lazerus - composer, producer, engineer

Producer, live sound engineer, songwriter, flautist and bass player. such a creative talent. Always a pleasure to work with
D'Alchemiss is a light where ever she works
smutty, and a bad influence on the kids ;)
I have had the pleasure of working with D'alchemis many a time and believe, she is ALL a dat.
D'Alchemis is heavy weight
I had the pleasure of working with D'Alchemiss for several years as she was our live sound engineer with the Dust Junkys. Brilliant sound and great times. Professional and fun.
Check out the bass on her sound man

Steve Ojay - bass player


Recording with Vee was the most relaxing environment I've ever worked in, which brought the best playing out of us and with her engineering mastery I can't wait to hear the results!
Everything I've heard her do proves that she a run t'ings!!
Kenji Fenton (musician)

I had the pleasure of working with Yvonne Ellis on 4 recordings as part of the Arts Council Funded "Manchester Sessions". As project manager I found Yvonne to be at all times in control, calm and helpful. Her vast experience in both production and engineering meant that all problems that arose where smoothly and quickly rectified. It was great for me also to work with another woman in the field and Yvonne brought personality as well as creativity to the project.
Genevieve Lamb
Touch Productions (LPL)


There aren't many women in the music business that i look up to as I'm already 5' 9'' and a pretty tough cookie but I've got to give Yvonne credit. She has empowered herself and also has enough creative energy to pass onto others she comes into contact with. She does this without flap and is serious about getting the most out of any session. Working with her is always a pleasure, never a chore.
Audrey Mattis - Audrey Mattis Chorale/ PALM Arts CEO

“ Yvonne’s vast knowledge, creativity and passion for music make her a joy to work with. She also has a wonderful, relaxed manner which puts everyone at ease and makes a project run smoothly, which is very important. As a female performer it’s refreshing to work with a producer and engineer who is not male and I’m sure Yvonne is an inspiration to other ladies who wish to excel in what is still such a male dominated area within the music industry”
Zoe Chiotis-singer/songwriter

Yvonne is brilliant to work with. She has a wealth of experience, great ears, a deep understanding of music and musicians and could probably get an amazing drum sound out of a cardboard box and dustbin lid! She also brings an amazing sense of calm to any session or live show allowing musicians to totally relax as they know they're sound is in safe hands.
Matt Owens - bass player

D'Alchemiss - if ever a mix needed the Midas touch well here are hands and ears and soul that bring life to music... any music. Hand over your sound in trust and what you receive in return is pure magik
x (Andy Hay) Drummer/composer

Lovely D'Alchemiss (a.k.a. the great polisher)... from the "Gallery" to "Glastonbury".....just like Nat Cole EVERYONE stands back in admiration when Yvonne steps up to the plate
Put that in your industry and smoke it.{:o)
George Borowski - singer/songwriter

THE Lady Of Sound Talented, wonderful and inspirational
Rowetta - Singer/songwriter

No fuss, no drama...just great results!
Basil Clarke (singer/songwriter)

Yvonne Ellis is one of the few female producer/engineers in the business that you can honestly say is as good as any male producer. She is extremely experienced and is totally reliable and professional, which are the reasons I keep going back to working with her.

Simon Goffe - Heavyweight management, Brownswood Recordings


Working with Yvonne on recorded and live projects is exciting, rewarding and minimum fuss! As a female producer, collaborator and sound engineer, Yvonne cultivates a warm, creative and relaxed atmosphere that has really helped to bring out the best in me as a musician. She is particularly adept at drawing out more from her collaborators when they start to feel that they "hit the wall" creatively. She as a light good- humoured approach but a professional attitude that continues to create inspiring projects around her.
Tom Briggs-Davies

I have known Yvonne for many years, as leading member Manchester's music community. I moved to Manchester from Nottingham in 1986 and was based there for eight years, studying at University, and subsequently working in music there. Yvonne, is well-known as a very experienced sound engineer in her own right. She has done front-of-house engineering on international tours, with numerous groups including Simply Red, 10CC, and the Dust Junkies. She also has worked in production, music programming and facilitation of local music projects in the city of Manchester. Lately I've seen her as a force and a facilitator in the grass-roots music scene.
She is important to the continuity of certain musical projects, who without her support would have probably floundered. She helps with the social cohesion, and she brings groups people together who can collaborate on music projects with the recording and performance dimension as a future goal. She manages to balance her busy working life, with that of a single mother.
She is in all regards a positive role model.
Kevin Davy (musician)


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