Episode 150: Rising Appalachia’s Leah Song

The multi-instrumentalist discusses the band’s amazing new album, Live From New Orleans At Preservation Hall, and more.

By Team JamBase Dec 1, 2022 • 11:04 am PST

Episode 150 of The JamBase Podcast, a partner of the Osiris Media Network, features an interview with Rising Appalachia‘s Leah Song. The singer-songwriter, multi-instrumental musician, who co-founded the band with her sister Chloe Smith, chatted with JamBase’s Scott Bernstein about the new Rising Appalachia album, Live From New Orleans At Preservation Hall, which is available now for streaming and download.

Leah and Chloe traveled to New Orleans in the wake of Hurricane Katrina to lend a hand as the city was rebuilt. What was originally supposed to be a short journey turned into a seven-year stay in the Big Easy as the pair fell in love with New Orleans. Song, who connected with Bernstein via video chat on Election Day as she was returning to her home in Georgia, discussed what New Orleans means to her. She also explained why she left after calling NOLA home for so long.

The musician and activist spoke about her appreciation for Preservation Hall, which hosted an audience-less Rising Appalachia livestream concert in 2021 featured on the just-released LP. Leah recalled the joy of performing and hanging in NOLA with Chloe and longtime bandmates David Brown, Biko Casini, Duncan Wickel and Arouna Diarra after the pandemic forced the group off the road. She also discussed the special guests who joined Rising Appalachia at Preservation Hall and how the band put the setlist together.

Song went on to talk returning to the road in 2022 and her Slow Music Movement project as well as touring via sailboat. Leah detailed the logistics of sailboat touring and the places around the world where she’d most like to perform. Talk then turned to the circumstances that led to Rising Appalachia’s surprise-released 2021 LP, The Lost Mystique Of Being In The Know.

Chloe recently shared on social media that she is pregnant. Leah revealed Chloe will take time off the road to focus on motherhood with fiddle player/guitar player and singer Lily Henley serving as her understudy. This way Smith can stay home without feeling the pressure of returning, while the rest of the band can stay creative.

This episode is sponsored by Soundscape VR. Soundscape VR concert performances are now available from jam scene favorites Goose and Pigeons Playing Ping Pong. They join Soundscape VR artists including Umphrey’s McGee, Dopapod, GRiZ, Evanescence, Guns n’ Roses guitarist Slash, and others. Visit www.soundscapeuniverse.com to learn more.

Hear Episode 150 of The JamBase Podcast via all major podcast services including Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Stitcher and Google Podcast.