Episodes

  • Connie Kaldor on the power of live music

    Connie Kaldor on the power of live music
    Mar 16 2026
    Connie Kaldor began her career in folk music as part of the Canadian wave alongside artists like Stan Rogers and Valdy. Armed with her enormous stage presence, her unforgettable melodies, and her emotional depth as a songwriter, she became a headline act on the festival circuit. She talks about touring with her family; what it’s like to cross the border from Canada into the United States in this day and age; and her 19th album, “Wide Open Spaces.” This is the first half of our conversation with Connie Kaldor.
    Show More Show Less
    33 mins
  • What Vance Gilbert has learned from cancer

    What Vance Gilbert has learned from cancer
    Mar 1 2026
    In part two of our conversation with Vance Gilbert, he discusses guitar techniques, plays a few songs, and talks about both the life lessons he’s learned from cancer, as well as how laughter has been a great medicine.
    Show More Show Less
    38 mins
  • Vance Gilbert on cancer, paying bills, and leaving space

    Vance Gilbert on cancer, paying bills, and leaving space
    Feb 6 2026
    We were honored to speak with the great Vance Gilbert, a master songwriter, performer, and teacher whom we have long admired. He’s funny as heck, and it’s common to see him headlining folk festivals around the country as he cracks up his audience, makes them think, and leaves them moved. We cover the full range of emotion in this poignant conversation about his recent struggles with cancer, his origins moving from a violent home to homelessness, and how he made the transition from a young powerhouse singer-songwriter from Boston into a folk elder who knows how to say more with […]
    Show More Show Less
    46 mins
  • James McMurtry never runs out of road

    James McMurtry never runs out of road
    Jan 21 2026
    For our Season 3 premiere, we are honored to present our interview with the great James McMurtry, the Texas songwriter who paints vivid portraits in song with sly and smart observations. In our conversation, we cover what motivates him to write; his memories of participating in the Kerrville Folk Festival song contest; his thoughts on international touring and his memories of Guy Clark. His most recent release is The Black Dog and the Wandering Boy.
    Show More Show Less
    45 mins
  • Season 3: And so it begins

    Season 3: And so it begins
    Jan 11 2026
    We’re back, and with a twist: We now have a video edition of this podcast as well! You can finally see us at our YouTube channel, @nathansronstadt. Or, stick to audio and hear us as nature intended. We’ve got some great guests this season. We can’t wait to share a few details with you.
    Show More Show Less
    2 mins
  • The Fire Within: Ronstadt Radio

    The Fire Within: Ronstadt Radio
    Nov 14 2025
    We continue Michael’s “Ronstadt Radio” series, beginning with “Riders In The Sky,” which contains a fiddle tune in the middle by Ronstadt Generations in 2012. John Ronstadt is back with Miles Davis’ “All Blues” with lyrics. We finish the set with a “The Fire Within” featuring Will Clipman on percussion and Michael on cello.
    Show More Show Less
    19 mins
  • Round Midnight: Ronstadt Radio

    Round Midnight: Ronstadt Radio
    Oct 31 2025
    We have three more fun tracks from the family vault! First up is Round Midnight sung by John Ronstadt in 1994 from the album Maiden Voyage. We then here my dad Michael J. Ronstadt lead on John Prine’s Paradise in 1998. The last one is Wildly Ethereal featuring Will Clipman on percussion.
    Show More Show Less
    21 mins
  • Papa Mike Ronstadt's "La Barca De Oro": Ronstadt Radio

    Papa Mike Ronstadt's "La Barca De Oro": Ronstadt Radio
    Oct 24 2025
    In Episode 3, we have three more tracks from the Ronstadt family. We start out with “My Walking Stick” performed by the Ronstadt cousins, which is a song by Irving Berlin. We next go into the beautiful Mexican song “La Barca De Oro” sung by Michael’s dad, which was a favorite song of his grandfather, Gilbert Ronstadt. (Papa Mike is backed by the full Ronstadt Generations band.) We finish up the set with Herbie Hancock’s “Maiden Voyage” performed by Round Midnight featuring John Ronstadt.
    Show More Show Less
    18 mins