Morse Code Podcast with Korby Lenker

Korby talks with Canadian singer-songwriter Donovan Woods about his new album Squander Your Gifts, the deliberate restraint in his songwriting, growing up around reticent men, the reluctant narrator, words-first writing process, Paul Simon and Bob Dylan, leaving small-town Ontario to be an actor in Toronto, the Canadian grant system, why he won't learn production or improve at guitar, the specialist vs. generalist path, James McMurtry, recovery and uniting your two halves, divorce, co-parenting, conflict as the source of language, poetry, and Seamus Heaney. Donovan performs "I Talk About You" live on acoustic guitar.


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Korby talks with Travis Book and Andy Hall of The Infamous Stringdusters about their 20-year history, the new 20-song album, the shift from searching to coming home in their sound, being elder statesmen of progressive bluegrass, IBMA and the bluegrass support system, the democratic process of running a five-person band, self-promotion, the business side of music, the Black Keys documentary, basic decency on a tour bus, cover songs and context, Travis on fatherhood and sacrifice, honoring a calling versus chasing a dream, and the Telluride Troubadour contest. The full 5 peice band performs "Working Man Blues" live.


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Korby Lenker talks with singer-songwriter and Zac Brown Band member Caroline Jones about her new album Good Omen, growing up in Connecticut and discovering country music at the Bluebird, the tension between privilege and credibility, the craft of collaboration, Nashville session players, finding her co-writing tribe, the pursuit of instrumental mastery, flat-picking, Zac Brown as a "people collector," releasing her first major label record, navigating motherhood and touring, and the moral courage behind "No Tellin'." Caroline performs "No Tellin'" live on acoustic guitar.


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Korby talks with singer-songwriter Bre Kennedy about her new album The Alchemist, nearly quitting music, caregiving for her grandmother, reconnecting with her estranged mother, the song she wrote with Lori McKenna that started it all, Brandi Carlile's influence, letting go of metrics, and what it means to choose light when the industry won't choose it for you. Bre performs "Before I Have a Daughter" live on acoustic guitar.


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Craig Shelburne is a Nashville-based music journalist, author, and festival producer. He grew up in rural Nebraska, moved to Nashville in 1994, and spent 13 years at CMT where he launched the influential roots music blog CMT Edge. He's written for Rolling Stone, the Bluegrass Situation, MusicRow, the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, and many other outlets. Craig currently serves as festival producer for AmericanaFest, programming the nighttime showcases for the Americana Music Association. His first book, 100 Years of Grand Ole Opry: A Celebration of the Artists, the Fans, and the Home of Country Music, was published in April 2025. His next book, Killin' Time: My Life and Music—a memoir co-written with Clint Black—arrives May 19, 2026.
In This Episode:
Writing 100 years of Opry history in 18 months with historian Brenda Colladay
The decision to tell the real story—setbacks, bad calls, and all
Discovering the complete audio of James Brown's 1979 Opry performance
Growing up on TNN in Nebraska and moving to Nashville at 19
13 years at CMT and the launch of CMT Edge
The art of the seven-minute interview: asking questions artists actually want to answer
Programming AmericanaFest: 1,500 submissions, 200 slots, and the philosophy of fit
Writing Clint Black's memoir on the tour bus
Why no two Opry shows have ever been the same
Links
100 Years of Grand Ole Opry
Americana Music Association
The Bluegrass Situation


Get full access to Morse Code with Korby Lenker at korby.substack.com/subscribe