Martin Anderson
Music Director & HostEschewing his mother’s taste for easy listening music early on, Martin Anderson was raised on his dad’s love for jazz, his brother’s Beatles/classic rock LP’s, and the bluegrass and Top 40 radio of the D.C. area. He began volunteering for the University of Delaware’s WXDR/WVUD eclectic overnight and morning mixes in 1989. Upon graduating with an American History degree, he moved to Eugene, Oregon, he spent the 90’s working in natural foods, environmental causes, and above all, public radio. He hosted various folk, world, Triple-A, and other shows at KLCC, and started a “Miles of Bluegrass” show at KRVM.
After two years working underwriting sales and various music and public affairs programs at KHSU in Arcata, CA, Martin joined WNCW in 2001 as your weekday morning host. He loves interviewing the many talented musicians who come to Studio B, stretching out with the many styles ‘NCW embraces, and reflecting listener requests, events of the day, and our beautiful Southern Appalachian landscape. As Music Director, he books our live sessions, and keeps in touch with the record labels and promoters that send us new music. When not at the station, he enjoys gardening, hiking, traveling, history, and raising his daughter on good music and more.
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It’s the 22nd album from John Darnielle and his band Mountain Goats, but this one is a sequel to their 2002 album All Hail West Texas. It’s the story of Jenny, her ranch house, the people for whom that house is a place of safety, and the west Texas town that is uncomfortable with it existence. Produced by Grammy-winning producer/engineer Trina Shoemaker.
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Dylan LeBlanc often finds himself flirting with the edge -- or “dancing on a razor,” as he calls it. A verdict vagabond since he was a little boy tossed between Texas, Louisiana and Alabama, LeBlanc thrives on the precipice, never staying in one place for too long. It is that nomadic spirit that drew him not only to a life as a touring musician, but also to the beast that titles his newest record: ‘Coyote.’ This is LeBlanc’s fifth studio album and his first full-length LP to be self-produced. Recorded at the iconic FAME Studios in Muscle Shoals, AL, it boasts an ensemble of world-renowned session players including Fred Eltringham (Ringo Starr and Sheryl Crow), pianist Jim "Moose" Brown (Bob Seger), and bassist Seth Kaufman (Floating Action from Black Mountain!). Though ‘Coyote’ covers familiar ground for LeBlanc, living on the edge of danger and its many consequences, the album is both semi-autobiographical and a concept album centered on the evocative character of Coyote, a man on the run in pursuit of an ever-elusive freedom from his past.
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Anyone who knows the Nashville downtown music scene can figure out that Daniel Donato’s career was literally raised there: he grew up busking on Broadway, before playing regular gigs at Robert’s Western World with the Don Kelly Band. His 2nd album is some Cosmic Country indeed. As No Depression writes in their review, “The vibes are high, the psych-rock is countrified, and the guitar-playing is swaggering and confident.” Get to know what might be considered WNCW’s next favorite new act!
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Warren Haynes is back in his hometown for his 32nd Christmas Jam, which will once again take over Asheville with Friday’s Pre-Jam, and Saturday’s Jam By Day events at Jack of the Wood, the Asheville Music Hall, and the One Stop. We have a hunch this year’s Pre-Jam gonna be a rocker. Who are we going to hear from? Tune in all evening to find out!
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Peak of the Week“I saw a literal manifestation of the sacred feminine, and had this profound sense that I was meant to embody it,” recalls celebrated singer-songwriter Lindsay Lou of a vision that helped inspire this new album. The loss of her grandmother, the end of her marriage, and the overwhelming turmoil of COVID lockdowns found the Nashville-based artist on a spiritual journey of self-knowledge and healing. Guests on here whom we recognize include Jerry Douglas, Phoebe Hunt, Kyle Tuttle, Melody Walker, & Joshua Rilko.
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A native of Morrison, Colorado, Jobi got a big boost to her music career in Asheville in 2019, when she won the annual NewSong Music Performance & Songwriting Competition that takes place at Citizen Vinyl. She then recorded her album Whiplash, which she released this year on the Yep Roc record label. This year she was also awarded the Newport Folk Festival John Prine Fellowship. She visits us on Thursday afternoon before heading back to Citizen Vinyl to take part in a show there. Jobi will join Michael Flynn of Slow Runner and AC Sapphire: Flynn and Sapphire are also NewSong grand prize winners.
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“Vintage country heart with a heartland rock soul.” That’s a good way to describe the foundation of Lydia’s music. Or as she said on her voicemail greeting for a while, ““Hi, this is Lydia Loveless, savior of cowpunk. Please leave a message and I will get back to you.” However you describe her, she’s spent a lot of time growing up on the harsh road of an indie touring musician. A survivor of all of the hardships that come with that, including the myriad challenges of the pandemic, she’s back with the appropriately titled Nothing’s Gonna Stand In My Way Again. We welcome their spirit and music here in Studio B, before they take the stage of Asheville’s Grey Eagle at 8pm on Wednesday.
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We fell in love with Samantha Fish’s powerhouse blues-rock sound when we heard her 2017 album Chills & Fever, and hosted our first Studio B session with that next year. Dayton boasts an extraordinary background that includes recording with the likes of Johnny Cash and Waylon Jennings, touring as a guitarist for the punk band X, and releasing a series of acclaimed solo albums. Produced by the legendary Jon Spencer of Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, their collaboration of this year, Death Wish Blues, is sure to be a Top 100 favorite among WNCW listeners. Their “Shake ‘Em On Down” tour (with Jon Spencer and Eric Johansen) plays the Bijou Theatre in Knoxville on Wednesday the 29th, and the Salvage Station in Asheville Friday.
