What's The Reason For This Podcast

• What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E11 - Andy Thorn - Leftover Salmon

  🎙️ This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay sit down with one of the most beloved pickers in the jamgrass world — Andy Thorn of Leftover Salmon! 🎶You might know him as the banjo-slinging wizard who went viral for serenading a fox 🦊 outside his home in the Colorado hills… but there’s so much more to Andy’s story than that one magical moment.From his bluegrass roots in North Carolina 🎻 to earning a degree in jazz guitar 🎸 (because, yep — there wasn’t a banjo program back then), Andy’s path to becoming one of the most respected players in modern bluegrass is a story of grit, heart, and pure love of the music.He talks about: 🌄 What drew him out west to Colorado — and how the mountain scene and community completely changed his life. 🎸 The wild journey from playing small college jams to joining Leftover Salmon, one of the most iconic jamgrass bands ever. 🥁 What it’s like to go from bluegrass purity to plugged-in, full-band chaos with drums, keys, and amps turned to 11. 🦊 The day a curious fox wandered up mid-banjo session — and how that viral video became a global feel-good story during COVID. 👶 Being a full-time dad AND full-time touring musician (spoiler: no naps, lots of caffeine ☕). 🎧 Recording his latest solo album at home, surrounded by instruments, baby toys, and sunrise views — featuring friends like Tyler Grant, Greg Garrison, and Eric Deutsch of The Black Crowes. 🎶 Why “music should be fun” — and how bluegrass still feels like a tight-knit family of friends who just want to jam and lift each other up.The guys also dig into the evolution of Leftover Salmon, the Colorado bluegrass scene, and how the next generation — bands like The Fretliners, Arkansauce, and Tonewood String Band — are keeping the fire alive 🔥.Andy reflects on teaching at RockyGrass Academy, passing along his skills to the next wave of pickers, and what it means to see bluegrass finally becoming “cool” again with younger fans. 🙌It’s one of the most genuine, funny, and inspiring convos we’ve had yet — packed with stories from the road, dad-life humor, and a reminder that no matter how big the stage gets, it’s all about the music, the people, and the pick. 💙🎧 Stream “The Andy Thorn Episode” now on What’s the Reason for This? — available wherever you get your podcasts.👉 Hit play, laugh a little, and maybe even go pick up that old instrument again. Because as Andy says: “Music should be fun — that’s the whole point.” 🎵✨#WhatsTheReasonForThis #Podcast #AndyThorn #LeftoverSalmon #JamGrass #Bluegrass #ColoradoMusic #BillyStrings #Banjo #MusicPodcast #MusicianLife #PodcastCommunity #MusicLovers #FoxGuy #BanjoLife #BluegrassFamily #WTRFT

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• What's The Reason For This Podcast - Matt Mundy - Many Ways Home

  This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi sits down with the legendary Matt Mundy — the mandolin master whose innovative style helped shape the sound of the Aquarium Rescue Unit and the jamgrass movement that followed. From growing up in a bluegrass family in the deep South to jamming with icons like Béla Fleck, Sam Bush, and Oteil Burbridge, Matt takes us on a journey through decades of music, humility, and rediscovery.Matt opens up about being “born into bluegrass,” learning from his mom and uncle, and finding his own voice on the mandolin after realizing the fiddle just wasn’t for him. He shares stories from his early gigs, turning down high school homecoming for a gig that changed his life, and his wild ride with Bruce Hampton’s ARU—including van mishaps, chaotic tours, and the legendary live album that still inspires jam fans today.We dig into his decision to walk away from music at the height of his success, selling all his instruments, and how—ten years later—the spark to play came back stronger than ever. Now, Matt’s full circle moment shines through in his new album, “Many Ways Home”, featuring collaborations with longtime friends and family, including his mother Frances Mooney and drummer Jeff Sipe. It’s a record that blends bluegrass, jazz, and pure soul—just like his story.Whether you’re a diehard Widespread Panic fan, a bluegrass purist, or someone who just loves a good comeback story, this episode hits every note.🎧 Listen now to hear Matt’s reflections on fame, friendship, and finding joy in the music again. 📀 “Many Ways Home” is available everywhere you stream music.

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• What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E9 - Jay Faires - Jerry Tone Store

  🎙️ Kodi flies solo this week for a deep-dive conversation with guitarist, gear wizard, and Jerry Tone Store founder Jay Faires — a man on a mission to decode the electric alchemy behind Jerry Garcia’s legendary sound. From growing up jamming bluegrass in Tennessee to reverse-engineering vintage amps and building a tone empire online, Jay’s story hits every note of obsession, discovery, and pure love of music.🎸 This episode explores the intersection of curiosity and creativity — how chasing tone can become its own form of art, and why the spirit of Jerry still hums in every note of the jam scene today.💬 Highlights include: ⚡ Jay’s childhood jam sessions with his taper dad — and how improvisation shaped his musical DNA. 🎶 The evolution from reluctant bluegrass picker to tone-obsessed guitarist and gear entrepreneur. 🧰 A crash course in the science of signal flow, the “buffer” that changed everything, and why Jerry’s quest for sonic perfection was pure wizardry. 🎛️ The inside story of Waldotronics — the unsung hero behind some of the most accurate Garcia tone recreations today. 🔥 The origin story of Jerry Tone Store: from pandemic tinkering to viral TikToks and a full-blown business built by passion. 🌈 Reflections on authenticity, artistic identity, and how finding “your sound” can reconnect you with the joy of playing. 💡 Plus: gear talk, tone talk, and the spiritual weirdness that happens when music, science, and soul all line up.🎧 Tune in for a journey through tone, tech, and timeless inspiration — from the Grateful Dead’s sonic legacy to the next generation of guitar dreamers keeping that fire alive.

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• What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E8 - Anthony DeCurtis - UPenn & Rolling Stone

  Kodi & Shay (well, just Kodi this week!) sit down with legendary rock critic and Lou Reed biographer Anthony DeCurtis for an electric conversation that spans decades of music history — from the British Invasion to bluegrass revival, jam bands, and what keeps great music timeless.🎸 This episode dives deep into how music shapes culture, community, and identity — and why open-mindedness might be the most rock ’n’ roll thing of all.💬 Highlights include: 🎤 Anthony’s firsthand memories of the Beatles’ arrival and the raw rebellion of the Rolling Stones. 🎶 Stories from Greenwich Village’s heyday — when magazine stands and record shops were gateways to discovery. 🌈 The Grateful Dead’s rise from free shows in Central Park to cultural icons — and how the “jam band” ethos built a whole new musical ecosystem. 🤘 A deep dive into Billy Strings’ genre-bending brilliance, authenticity, and how he’s redefining what bluegrass can be. 🏙️ Reflections on Bruce Springsteen’s Born to Run sessions — chaos, courage, and the beauty of creating without a rulebook. 🧠 From Plato to pop hooks — why music bypasses intellect and speaks straight to the soul. 💡 Anthony’s challenge to listeners: stay curious, stay open, and never stop finding new sounds that move you.🎧 Tune in for stories that bridge eras, genres, and generations — from Rolling Stone magazine to the jamgrass scene.

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• What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E7 Larry Keel - Pioneers

  Kodi & Shay sit down with Larry Keel — two-time Telluride Flatpicking Champion, bluegrass legend, and all-around mountain soul — for a deep dive into 🎸 roots, reinvention, and finding your center after 30+ years on the road.☕ The guys kick things off with a caffeine-fueled chat before diving into Larry’s Virginia upbringing — where a banjo-picking dad, a musical brother, and a tight-knit Appalachian community helped forge one of bluegrass’s most distinctive pickers.🎶 Larry opens up about: 🌄 How growing up in the mountains shaped his songwriting and worldview. 🎸 Crafting a unique sound that blends bluegrass, reggae, jazz, and psychedelic grooves — all without losing his soul. 🧠 The long road to “finding his own voice” after years of mimicking Tony Rice, and why individuality is everything in music. 💿 Writing with Tim O’Brien, Peter Rowan, and Jeremy Garrett (yep, that new Stringdusters track!), plus Del McCoury recording one of his songs now up for Grammy consideration. ❤️ His 30-year musical (and real-life) partnership with his wife, Jenny Keel — who learned bass just to play by his side. 🎸 The new duo album with John Stickley, featuring tributes to Jeff Austin and stripped-down, two-guitar magic.🌌 Larry also gets real about the grind of touring, the business behind the art, and how gardening, fishing, and staying centered keep him grounded in a noisy world.🎧 Highlights you don’t want to miss: 🎵 How he sneaks Bill Monroe licks into reggae tunes (because, why not?). 💬 The legacy of Jeff Austin and how his energy still inspires every note. 🔥 Electric Larry Land — his psychedelic, free-flowing side project that melts faces and opens minds. 🌱 The balance between hard work, heart work, and homegrown tomatoes.💬 “If something doesn’t grow, it dies,” Larry says — and after this conversation, you’ll understand how he’s kept his music thriving while helping evolve the entire jamgrass scene.🎧 Tune in for stories, laughs, and the kind of wisdom that only comes from a lifetime of picking, planting, and pushing musical boundaries.👉 Follow Larry at LarryKeel.com and stream the new Stickley & Keel album everywhere now — or better yet, buy the record, hit a show, and help keep this legend on the river. 🎣🎵

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