Jim Rooney has spent the past sixty years or so playing, writing, promoting, recording, and producing American folk music – both traditional and contemporary. He is, perhaps, best known these days as the record producer for Nanci Griffith, Iris Dement, John Prine, and many others – a body of work for which he was presented the Lifetime Achievement Award by the AMERICANA MUSIC ASSOCIATION in 2009.
He also has a Facebook page for current happenings. Feel free to “Like” it
These podcasts are installments broadcast by Royalton Community Radio in Vermont, a sort of companion soundtrack to Jim’s new memoir IN IT FOR THE LONG RUN, his third book about the history of this music.
Listen to Podcast #26 here
Program #26: Ripples from “Other Voices, Other Rooms”: Tom Paxton, Don Edwards. Out west with Ian Tyson, cowboy poet Paul Zarzyski. Austin heroes Bill & Bonnie Hearne w/ Nanci Griffith, Lyle Lovett.
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Listen to Podcast #27 here
Program #27: Continuing Bill & Bonnie Hearne w/Jerry Jeff Walker; Iris DeMent’s 2nd Album “My Life”; start of John Prine’s duets album w/ Iris DeMent, Melba Montgomery and Connie Smith; Nanci Griffith’s “Other Voices Too” album–a traveling hootenanny.
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Listen to Podcast #28 here
Program #28: Forerunner Music in the ’90s
Steve Gillette, Tim O’Brien, Tony Arata, Shawn Camp. Hits with Don Williams, Kathy Mattea, Patty Loveless,, etc.
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Listen to Podcast #29 here
Program #29: Over to Ireland in ’98 producing records with Sean Keane, The Lee Valley String Band. Continue recording John Prine duets album after several months hiatus due John’s neck cancer. Cuts with Iris Dement, Dolores Keane, Emmylou Harris, & Fiona Prine. “In Spite Of Ourselves” becomes one of John’s most popular albums.
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Listen to Podcast #30 here
Program #30: Writing songs with Forerunner writer Herb McCullough and form “Rooney’s Irregulars,” recording the album “My Own Ignorant Way.” Ian Tyson uses “Lord Lovell” melody for “Ross Knox.” Record new album “Looking For The Moon” with Tom Paxton. Record a gospel album “Lifeline” with Iris Dement.
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