Sometimes Folk

North Carolinians Sarah and Austin McCombie -- aka Chatham Rabbits -- have a new album and a new PBS series. Produced by WUNC -- and available everywhere on PBS Passport -- the series follows the Rabbits as they take their new five-piece string band on the road throughout their home state, playing shows and hanging with some of North Carolina's many great folk and bluegrass musicians.

Fun fact: the couple met at a Mandolin Orange show at Carrborro's Cats Cradle when Sarah was on stage playing banjo with the opening band.

Also this morning, Brother Bill previews upcoming local live music with Todd Snider and Didar Singh Khalsa.

This morning we presented tracks featuring exciting new musical collaborations between American and Scottish artists: Orcadian Kris Drever and Rachel Baimans' cover of Eliza Gilkyson's "Hard Times In Babylon"; Heidi Talbot and Lousiana-based Dirk Powell with "Empty Promise Land"; and Brooklyn-based Hannah Read (fiddle) and Michael Starkey (banjo), who met at an Appalachian old-time musical session in Edinburgh.

Also today: new tracks from Kate Rusby with Ladysmith Black Mambazo, The Unthanks, Peter Rowan, Nashville Honeymoon, and more!

In the past few months, live music is a thing again as musicians are out touring like it is 2019! This morning, we played tracks from Lowell Levinger (aka Banana, formerly of the Youngbloods) and Tony Furtado, both of whom appeared in local venues this past weekend. And Tim O'Brien (pictured here with musical and life partner Jan Fabricius) -- who brings us the opening music for The Folk Brothers each week -- will appear at the Auburn State Theater on April 30. Also on today's show: new tracks from Lyle Lovett, Joan Shelley, Pauline Scanline, Sam Shackleton, and more!

This morning, we played Dublin-based Lankum's rendition of the song "Salonika." Although not traditional -- its authorship is unknown -- it was a popular dance hall song in Cork during World War 1. The Munster Fusiliers were attached to British forces stationed in Thessaloniki, Greece. Wives of the Irish soldiers received a stipend. Young Irishmen who didn't join up were called "slackers" -- there certainly wasn't much love for the British army at the time -- but their families suffered financially. The song went out of fashion for decades, but was repopularized by groups like The Dubliners and The Clancy Brothers during the '60s folk revival. Singer Jimmy Crowley says "it's a tremendous song, because it gives insights into the lives of Irish women during WW1."