Kate Griffin

My guest on this episode is Kate Griffin, a talented English multi-instrumentalist, singer, composer, photographer and visual artist. Known for her innovative clawhammer banjo playing, evocative singing and genre-blurring musical adventures, Kate is a founder member of acclaimed folk-roots band Mishra, which performs in various guises from duo to six-piece. She was formerly a member of folk trio The Magpies, and has an ongoing duo collaboration with Mozambique multi-instrumentalist Matchume Zango.

In our chat we discuss how Kate came to folk and roots music, how Mishra went from bluegrass covers band (her words, not mine!) to global folk collective, and about how Kate likes to push the boundaries of banjo playing in her efforts to stretch her own creativity. We also talk about some of her experiences as a woman on the UK folk scene, and her love of nature and the outdoors, which helps to recharge her creative batteries. Kate also mentioned her educational work and playing for children at organisations like Concerteenies and Little Puddle People. This was a really enjoyable conversation – it’s always a pleasure talking to Kate, such a thoughtful, creative person, and a real Renaissance Woman!

Podcast theme music ("The Old Ways - instrumental") was written by Maria Wallace and features Jay Bradberry (fiddle), Mike Giverin (mandolin), Lucille Williams (double bass) and Phil Stott (guitar). Copyright © and ℗ 2025 Maria Wallace. All rights reserved. This episode also features some excerpts of Kate Griffin’s music, with her permission: clips of “Rise” and “Reel to Reel” from Mishra’s album Reclaim, and of “If We Listen” from Kate Griffin & Matchume Zango’s album “Tchopo”. Copyright © and ℗ Kate Griffin, all rights reserved.

Website links:

https://www.kategriffincreative.com/

https://www.mishramusic.co.uk/

Listen to and buy Kate’s music at

https://mishramusic.bandcamp.com/

https://kategriffin.bandcamp.com/

Follow Kate Griffin and Mishra on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/kate.griffn

https://www.instagram.com/mishra.music/

https://www.instagram.com/griffinandcollier/

https://www.instagram.com/griffin.zango/

https://www.facebook.com/mishraband

https://www.youtube.com/@mishra_music

Mishra duo – official video of If We Listen:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3f_UMSxzwB4

Milholo by Kate Griffin and Matchume Zango

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sXTSxqrhBuc

The Manchester Rambler being performed up on Kinder Scout:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiTNmoqfYD4

Making Tracks music exchange programme:

https://makingtracksmusic.org/

Welcome to my conversation with Melody Walker, a brilliant songwriter, singer and musician from California. Melody’s star is in the ascendant as an in-demand co-writer in Nashville, Tennessee, and she recently won a Grammy Award! Melody is a remarkable singer and performer with lots of interesting projects on the go, including the band BERTHA – Grateful Drag, which is causing quite the sensation. I’ve known Melody for a number of years and previously worked with her bluegrass-roots band Front Country. So it’s been fascinating to see Melody’s career blossom and develop. It was great to catch up with her for this interview, where we chatted about all these topics, as well as the value of building community in music, in all sorts of ways.

Womenfolk is a new podcast telling the stories of women working in roots music. Maria Wallace (True North Music) hosts in depth interviews with female musicians, songwriters, creatives and organizers. Please subscribe to the podcast and share the episode far and wide!

Links:

https://www.melodywalker.com/

https://www.gratefuldrag.com/

https://www.frontcountryband.com/

Follow Melody Walker and BERTHA: Grateful Drag on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/melodywritessongs/

https://www.instagram.com/gratefuldrag/

Listen to and buy Melody’s music:

https://frontcountry.bandcamp.com

https://melodywalker.bandcamp.com

BERTHA: Grateful Drag performance videos:

https://www.youtube.com/@GratefulDrag

For Nashville visitors/residents: Writer’s Kitchen every Tuesday at Jane’s Hideaway:

https://www.instagram.com/writerskitchenround

https://www.janeshideaway.com/music.html

Check out Melody’s most celebrated co-writes:

American Dreaming (Sierra Ferrell):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=V8e9nbsq-18

Crooked Tree (Molly Tuttle):

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_8lDUvDMoqQ

The podcast theme music ("The Old Ways - instrumental") was written by Maria Wallace and features Jay Bradberry (fiddle), Mike Giverin (mandolin), Lucille Williams (double bass) and Phil Stott (guitar). Copyright © and ℗ 2025 Maria Wallace. All rights reserved. This episode also features music clips from “Family Band” by Melody Walker and “Sake of The Sound” by Front Country, both written by Melody Walker. These were independent releases and the excerpts have been used with Melody Walker’s permission as the songwriter and owner of the publishing.

Welcome to Womenfolk, and my delightful conversation with Hannah Read, an acclaimed Scottish fiddle player, singer, songwriter and guitarist currently living in California. I first met Hannah around 10 years ago (the house concert we discussed was actually in December 2015!) and have always been blown away by her wide-ranging talent, her beautiful music and her zest for life. This conversation was recorded in late February 2025, and is published as Episode 2 of Womenfolk (the trailer was Episode 1).

Womenfolk is a new podcast telling the stories of women working in roots music, on stage and behind the scenes. Maria Wallace (True North Music) hosts in depth interviews with female musicians, songwriters, creatives and organizers. Please subscribe to the podcast and share the episode far and wide!

The theme music ("The Old Ways - instrumental") was written by Maria Wallace and features Jay Bradberry (fiddle), Mike Giverin (mandolin), Lucille Williams (double bass) and Phil Stott (guitar). Copyright © and ℗ 2025 Maria Wallace. All rights reserved. This episode also features some music clips from Hannah Read’s album The Fungi Sessions Vol 1, with her permission. Copyright © and ℗ 2023 Hannah Read.

Links:

https://www.hannahread.com/

http://isleofeigg.org/

Follow Womenfolk on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/womenfolkpod/

https://www.facebook.com/womenfolkpod

Follow Hannah Read on social media:

https://www.instagram.com/hanread/

https://www.facebook.com/hannahreadmusic

Listen to and buy Hannah’s music at

https://hannahread.bandcamp.com/music

Hannah Read official video for Silverphae from The Fungi Sessions Vol. 1:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qs6YXirGXA0

Hannah Read & Michael Starkey perform their version of Anaïs Mitchell’s Shenandoah:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=biaQbyVU6Xw

Hannah Read performing with Julien Baker & TORRES on The Daily Show on US TV recently

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8HuGF4ac0E

A version of the tune about the session scene on the Isle of Eigg, Wes & Maggie’s Ceilidh Croft

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gQbtIYjm07s