Welcome to Episode 11 of Roots Music Rambler! Join us – hosts Francesca Folinazzo, who Jason calls “Frank,” and Jason Falls, who goes by “Falls” most of the time, as we explore the real roots of the music we love. On this episode, we’re joined by singer-songwriter Sara Jean Stevens. The Illinois-based artist has put in years of grind, playing in other people’s bands and other people’s music. She even did a European tour with Bleached, an L.A.-based punk band a few years back.  But she decided one day she had songs in her that needed to get out, so she started gigging with her own band, which morphed into a solo act backed by musicians and began to find her own voice and sound. Firmly planted in the Americana sound, Stevens writes songs she calls “dusty and warm” like the horse farm she grew up on.  Frank and Falls talked about her journey to cutting her first album, the new EP and eventual LP in the works, her career as a hair and makeup artist, her recent jaunt into being a muralist, and a lot more. Stevens is set to open for John Hiatt in the spring and is poised for a big year in 2024. Frank and Falls also reveal Roots Music Rambler’s new merch, now available at rootsmusicrambler.com/store, talk about their experience in bands and singing in public, and, of course, share some new albums and artists worth checking in in the Pickin’ the Grinnin’ segment of the show.  Falls swoons over his favorite new find in years - Proof of Life from Joy Oladokun.   Buckle up for The Hoe-Down and the Throw-Down! It’s a new episode of Roots Music Rambler. Notes and links: The Roots Music Rambler Store Chris Slater’s framed RMR 1st Edition Shirt Frank singing LaBamba Sara Jean Stevens Online Sara Jean Stevens YouTube Working Mother on Bandcamp Bleached on Spotify The Betty White mural in Oak Park (by Sara Jean Stevens) Dial Back Sound The Seratones The Creative Act by Rick Rubin Roots Music Rambler on Instagram Roots Music Rambler on TikTok Roots Music Rambler on Facebook Jason Falls on Instagram Francesca Folinazzo on Instagram Pickin’ the Grinnin’ Recommendations WFPK 2023 Countdown Results & Playlist Jason’s Americana Playlist on Spotify Weathervanes - Jason Isbell & The 400 Unit The Record - Boy Genius Rustin’ in the Rain - Tyler Childers Guts - Olivia Rodrigo Cousin - Wilco Hackney Diamonds - Rolling Stones First Two Pages of Frankenstein - The National Jason’s big recommendation: Joy Oladokun’s Proof of Life   Noah Kahan on Spotify Noah Kahan/Hozier Collaboration   The Land is Inhospitable and So Are We - Mitski And be sure to get your MuskOx premium flannel shirts just in time for fall. Use the code RAMBLER on checkout for a discount! - https://gomuskox.com/rambler Subscribe to Roots Music Rambler on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, GoodPods or wherever you get your podcasts. Theme Music: Sheepskin & Beeswax by Genticorum Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices