What do you think is the legacy of its huge success? Oh brother, where art thou? What does that mean for you, and for roots music in general? Henley Regatta
I don’t think many people realized how much I liked that kind of old mountain music until they heard it in the movie. I’m proud to have brought Ralph Stanley’s music to millions more people while he was still alive. This was the first time I was credited as a co-producer, and the soundtrack was like my record collection coming to life. We really clicked with the Coen brothers. Joel asked me if I’d like to do a cameo in the movie. We were on the road, so I had to sleep two hours after the show and catch a midnight flight to Mississippi. We arrived at dawn and the shoot was at 10am. I thought, “I’m going to look awful,” but they put me in the makeup chair and made the bags under my eyes look even worse. I guess they wanted a real tired look.
At what point in your life Appalachia Does your Southern California persona, where you were born, show up in you? Douglas Davis 55
I was adopted and raised in Southern California, but my parents are from North Carolina. When I was about 8 or 9 years old, I wanted an acoustic guitar and would lock myself in my room singing Carter Family songs. It just seemed so natural and I was drawn to the guitar for some reason. Then, after I graduated high school, I heard the guitar and had an epiphany. [bluegrass musicians] Stanley BrothersI listen to electronic music all the time, but it’s too loud for me to play – I don’t like loud noises, whether it’s a vacuum cleaner or a hair dryer.
You and David Rawlings You have great chemistry together. Do you have a favorite musical duo? PCWeez
When we saw [US roots duo] Norman and Nancy Blake They realized they could provide entertainment for the whole night. [1930s] Through recording, I learned that to fill a big space as a duo, you have to use all the techniques, musically and texturally. The Stanley Brothers are a big influence. When I sing old songs, someone points out that I sound like Ralph, but I don’t realize it.
Which David Rawlings album, Gillian Welch albumor a joint album? Every album seems like a collaboration. Alp dx795
I love that people are noticing that everything we do is a collaboration. We write, arrange and record songs together in our living room. We each sing one song at a time until we decide we prefer one of our voices, whether it’s because of the key or because we’re trying to tell the story as well as possible. There’s a song on the new album called “Hashtag,” and the inspiration for it came the day I woke up and saw the hashtag #GuyClark pop up on my phone. I knew it meant Guy had passed away. We worked on that song for a long time, but we felt that having Dave sing it would convey the story and the emotion better.
When you and David play live there is usually a little box on the table between you two. What’s in that box? The Vienna Walzer
This box was made in the ’40s or ’50s, and we’ve been touring with it for over 25 years. It has four little drawers in which I keep everything I need for the show: guitar picks, capos, harmonicas, strings, wire cutters, string winders, tuners, a little notepad to write my set list, Sharpies, pencils, compass, nail clippers. I’ve used everything in the box. Once, a strap on my dress snapped onstage. I knew I had a safety pin, so I turned my back to the audience and reached into the box to get it out.
In Melbourne, Scenic Railway Rollercoaster at Luna Park Before playing the encore. Was this excitement one of the best parts of the performance? Bobski
It was actually a break between two sets. I think it was Dave who suggested we go on a rollercoaster, so we had to run there through an amusement park. I was in a long dress and cowboy boots. We both burst out laughing, and then we had to go back to the original set. Most of our songs are sad, so the hardest part was trying to hold back the laughter.
What happened in the end? [Led Zeppelin’s] John Paul Jones Are you going to be in a touring band for a while? Sinn 007
When I met JPJ Marfest Music Festival In North Carolina. John had a mandolin backstage with his wife Moe. Stupidly, John didn’t get invited to the After Hours jam, so we put them in the back of the Cadillac and drove to the theater and spent the whole night together, even though we’d just met, playing Monroe Brothers and Stanley Brothers songs. He’s just so open and warm and loves music and is such an amazing guy! The next time we toured in the UK, he sat with us and basically played with us the whole time, and did the whole tour in the US. He traveled in his Cadillac. I said, “John, would you like a peanut butter and jelly sandwich?” and he said he wanted one, and I made one and we drove down the road together. It’s a precious memory. We love him.
Your surprise Radiohead cover [Black Star] is one of my favorite cover versions ever. Anything else? Herd of horses
We don’t release covers often, but we always play Neil Young, Grateful Dead, and Bob Dylan songs at our live shows. One time we just released a cover of the Dylan song “Billy” on a DVD, but someone in the Dylan world must have heard it, because for years our version of “Billy” was Bob’s walk-on music. That song definitely made me smile. One year we [Jefferson Airplane’s] White Rabbit [Woodstock activist] Wave GravyAt a birthday party in Berkeley, I was nervous about playing at this bastion of psychedelia, but when I came offstage, the woman at the side of the stage was glowing. She was a mountain girl. [former Merry Prankster]So, I felt like our version was sanctified by the Pranksters.
I was very happy to see your performance. Hammersmith Apollo In 2011, rumours circulated that then British Prime Minister David Cameron was in the audience with his wife. Were you aware of this and did it influence your performance? Seagoat
I heard whispers, but I don’t know if these people are coming. When we were doing the sound check I thought, “This place looks posh.” I thought it was a well-dressed cleaner in a suit dusting the seats, but it was actually a Secret Service guard cleaning the theatre in preparation for Prime Minister David Cameron’s visit. I’m not that political, but he sent me a note saying he loved the show. I would have been more nervous if I’d heard David Gilmour was coming… I think other artists would be more nervous.
You and Dave would never say you’re into fashion, but you both have great fashion sense. Show clothes (Gunne Sax Dress, Nudie A visually complete suitDo you choose your outfits to match your songs? How do you choose your outfits for tours? Jess 286
Nobody has ever asked me about my outfits. We are part of a tradition of wearing good clothes. We never think about fashion, but style is there for us to express ourselves and let people understand who we are. Functionality is very important to us. I play guitar, so you rarely see me wearing big, puffy sleeves. Rubber soles don’t hit the floor like leather soles do, and I can’t stand guitar buttons because they make so much noise you can hear them through the microphone. Dave had a really nice shirt in the movie Down from the Mountain, but the buttons were really loud. You can hear them in the movie.
your [2001] Song: “Everything is Free”Written between Napster File Sharing The times have become the modern standard, Phoebe Bridgers, Courtney Barnett and Father John MistyHow do you feel about this song and its emotions in 2024? Verulamium Park Ranger
This song was kind of lying dormant and has grown in strength over the years. It’s sad that it’s still relevant today. This song was born in a moment where what I thought was going to be my life and career just fell apart. I felt really threatened and somehow I turned it into a threat. The threat was that if I don’t allow musicians to make a living playing music, there will be no opportunity for music to be heard. I’m not going to stop playing music, but if I can’t make a living off it, then I will stop playing outside of my living room.
