This episode of the Four Potatoes podcast is about the biggest dance craze of the 1920s that you've never heard of.

Episode 3: You Say You Want a  Revolution

When you think of Texas fiddling, you probably think Western Swing or contest style fiddling. But there’s a traditional Texas fiddle style that came before them. Howard Rains is on a quest to revive the old tunes and style. This is episode 4 of the Four Potatoes Podcast. To hear them all, visit: www.fourpotatoes.org

Texas Songcatcher, Pt. 1

Howard Rains meets a fiddler from Nacogdoches, Texas who still plays the old style Texas fiddle. This is episode 5 of the Four Potatoes Podcast. To hear them all, visit: http://www.fourpotatoes.org

Texas Songcatcher, Part 2

Every summer hundreds of thousands of purple martins roost for the night in just a handful of trees right in the heart of Austin, Texas. They spend a few weeks getting ready for the long migration to South America. This year, they've chosen trees next to a Jack in the Box and a busy street. Some nights, hundreds of humans set up lawn chairs and watch the spectacle of the swirling cloud of gathering birds. I captured a few of the sounds and conversations on a typical night.

Field Recording of Purple Martins - July 2014

An old time fiddler talks about his grandfather and time travel.

Ol' Squealer (Episode 1, Four Potatoes Podcast)

Every Wednesday night, the Austin Barn Dancers meet for a good old fashioned contra dance to live music from the Local On Call Orchestra (a.k.a. LOCO) at the Hancock Recreation Center. I recorded this at the November 14, 2012 dance. I moved to Austin in 1995 and within a year had discovered the contra dance scene. I fell in love with the dance, learned how to call the dances, and fell in love with my wife on the dance floor. The dance has become a central part of my life, just like Austin.

Austin Barn Dancers

When she was a kid, Sharon Isaac loved hearing her grandmother play the banjo. This is Maggie Isaac’s story, but it’s also the story of Sharon’s quest to reconnect with her past.

marcairhart

Popular tracks