Americana Podcast: The 51st State is a platform dedicated to sharing and expanding on the Americana genre's roots, reach, and definition. Each episode is told from the point of view of the musicians that have dedicated their lives to it. Robert Earl Keen, Americana pioneer and host, interviews musicians, exploring their unique histories, creative processes, successes, failures, and everything in between.
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On this episode of Americana Podcast: The 51st State, host Robert Earl Keen welcomes acclaimed singer-songwriter, actor, and Academy Award winner Ryan Bingham for a conversation recorded at the legendary Continental Club in Austin, Texas. Before Hollywood recognition and Yellowstone fame, Bingham's life was shaped by the realities of the American West—rodeo circuits, ranch work, and years spent…
On this episode of Americana Podcast: The 51st State , Robert Earl Keen sits down with Matt Pittman to explore the rhythm, tradition, and storytelling behind barbecue. Born and raised in Texas, Pittman built Meat Church from humble backyard beginnings into a widely followed brand known for its seasonings, classes, and YouTube channel. What started as trial and error became a craft rooted in…
In this episode of Americana Podcast: The 51st State, Robert Earl Keen sits down with Billy Strings to talk about learning to play, the craft of songwriting, and the evolving world of Americana music. Born William Apostol and raised in rural Michigan, Billy Strings grew up surrounded by bluegrass. By the time he was a teenager, his blistering flatpicking had already earned him a reputation as a…
In this episode of Americana Podcast: The 51st State, we listen for a different kind of music. Not the kind that starts on a stage. The kind built into process. The low hum of a sewing machine. The steady rhythm of hands at work. The quiet beat of something being made with intention. The story begins in Tupelo, Mississippi, a town forever tied to music. Gospel, blues, and early rock and roll left…
In this episode of Americana Podcast: The 51st State , host Robert Earl Keen sits down with one of the most quietly influential voices in American songwriting: James McMurtry . For decades, McMurtry has carved out a singular space where songs are more than melodies. His writing is built on gritty character studies, moral landscapes, and moments of hard-won clarity—stories that feel lived in,…
Today’s episode is a rerun, and we bring it to you with a heaviness that is hard to put into words. When we learned of Todd’s passing on November 14th, it felt as if something vibrant had suddenly drained from the world, as if a familiar warm light we’d always counted on had quietly dissipated into the ether, leaving us in a cold sadness which we may never shake. Revisiting this conversation now…
In part two of Americana Podcast: The 51st State , host Robert Earl Keen continues his conversation with Terry and Jo Harvey Allen—two legendary Texas-born artists whose creativity has spanned generations, mediums, and continents. From a childhood friendship in Lubbock to a coin toss that took them west, Terry and Jo Harvey’s story unfolds like a piece of living Americana—filled with grit, luck,…
In this episode of Americana Podcast: The 51st State, host Robert Earl Keen sits down with two of Texas’s most revered creative forces—Terry and Jo Harvey Allen. A true artistic duo, their work stretches across music, theater, film, literature, and visual art, each piece carrying the unmistakable edge of West Texas grit and imagination. Terry Allen, celebrated as both a groundbreaking songwriter…
In this episode of Americana Podcast: The 51st State, host Robert Earl Keen heads into the heart of Red Dirt country with none other than Evan Felker, frontman of the Turnpike Troubadours and one of the most compelling songwriters in modern Americana. From the dusty backroads of Oklahoma to the national stage, Felker has built a legacy rooted in grit, grace, and lyrical honesty. His songs, shaped…
In this special episode of Americana Podcast, host Robert Earl Keen takes listeners on a journey from the heart of Nashville to the sun-soaked streets of Los Angeles, exploring the rich history and evolving future of Americana and Country music. His guest is Shooter Jennings, an outlaw by birth and a tastemaker by trade, who has carved out a unique role in shaping the genre's direction. As the son…
