Traveling Creatures: live music from the series

Summary

Dolly Parton's America – "Traveling Creatures: Live Music from the Series"

Hosted by Jad Abumrad | Released: December 24, 2019

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Episode Overview

In this special holiday bonus episode, host Jad Abumrad shares some of the rich, live musical performances recorded during the making of the “Dolly Parton’s America” series. The episode highlights two young singer-songwriters—Nora Brown and Amethyst Kiah—whose interpretations and original songs provide fresh perspective on the enduring impact of Appalachian and roots music, a major thread in the Dollyverse.

This intimate session is less about Dolly herself and more about the wider world of music she inspires, serving as a bridge between traditional sound and current voices.

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Key Discussion Points & Musical Performances

Introduction: Setting the Tone (01:27–02:20)

• Jad Abumrad checks in with Nora Brown before she performs, underscoring the informal, cozy vibe of the session.
• He explains this is a bonus episode shared while the team edits their final chapter, as a “token of appreciation” to listeners.
• Jad praises the “incredible musicians” they’ve worked with and sets up a showcase for two performers.

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Nora Brown: Young Old Soul and the Banjo (02:20–08:33)

Background and Early Influences (02:20–03:20)

• Jad introduces Nora as a “very wise, very old soul who is actually only 14 years old…already well established in the old time music scene.”
• Quote (Jad, 02:20): “Nora is a very wise, very old soul who is actually only 14 years old, already well established in the old time music scene.”
• Nora explains how she learned music from “Shlomo Pesca,” who started her on ukulele at age 6 before his passing. She soon transitioned to banjo, learning from other respected musicians in Brooklyn.

Musical Performance: “The Very Day I’m Gone” (03:20–08:33)

• Jad describes the venue—St. Augustine Church in Brooklyn, with its “big domed ceilings”—providing a sense of place.
• Song: “The Very Day I’m Gone,” written by ballad singer A.D. Graham, learned via Anna and Elizabeth’s recording.
• Nora’s performance is raw and poignant, her youth merging with her mastery of tradition.
• Memorable moment (Jad, 08:33): “Oh my God, kills me. That is beautiful. Wow. Can I just give you a high five? That was just…” (Jad is audibly moved by her performance.)

Additional Notes

• Jad teases that Nora will reappear in the series, helping to create a scene from Dolly’s childhood.

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Amethyst Kiah: Original Song and Roots Power (08:33–12:38)

Introduction and Background (08:33–09:39)

• Jad introduces Amethyst as a key member of the acclaimed group Our Native Daughters (with Rhiannon Giddens, Allison Russell, and Leyla McCalla).
• She’s based in Johnson City, Tennessee, near Knoxville.
• Initially, Amethyst was set to perform a labor-organizing song for an episode segment that was eventually cut. Instead, she performs her own song, which deeply resonated with Jad.

Musical Performance: “Firewater” (09:39–12:38)

• Song: “Firewater,” an original by Amethyst Kiah. The lyrics explore struggle, melancholy, and the search for healing, using layered metaphors of spirits and “firewater” (alcohol).
• Quote (Amethyst, 09:52): “How many spirits does it take to lift a spirit? I don’t know, I don’t know. ’Cause I bought every spirit and I’m still laying here crying on the floor, on the floor, so can you just leave me be?”
• Amethyst’s voice is haunting and direct, her performance recorded at The Willow Tree Coffee House in Johnson City.

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Notable Quotes & Standout Moments

• Jad on Nora’s playing (08:33): “Oh my God, kills me. That is beautiful. Wow. Can I just give you a high five?”
• Amethyst Kiah, performing “Firewater” (09:52): “How many spirits does it take to lift a spirit? I don’t know, I don’t know. ’Cause I bought every spirit and I’m still laying here crying on the floor…so can you just leave me be?”
• Jad wraps up (12:38): Thanks are given to all the musicians and collaborators and to those who helped record and facilitate these sessions.

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Timestamps for Key Segments

• 01:27 – Jad’s intro and episode set-up
• 02:20 – Nora Brown introduction and background
• 05:09–08:33 – Nora Brown performs “The Very Day I’m Gone”
• 08:33 – Jad’s emotional response to performance
• 09:39–12:38 – Amethyst Kiah performs “Firewater”
• 12:38 – Credits and thanks; episode wrap-up

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Tone and Style

The episode is intimate, celebratory, and steeped in respect for heritage and new talent. Jad’s narration is warm, enthusiastic, and deeply appreciative of the musicians’ artistry.

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Final Thoughts

"Traveling Creatures: live music from the series" offers a heartfelt, behind-the-scenes look at the traditional roots that shape Dolly’s story—and the new voices carrying that heritage forward. Nora Brown and Amethyst Kiah’s performances remind us that musical traditions live on through each new generation, blending history with personal experience.

This episode is a treat for fans of folk and roots music, and a testament to the intergenerational power of storytelling in song.

Transcript

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[Jad Abumrad]

How are your hands?

[Nora Brown]

They're a little cold, but I can out.

[Jad Abumrad]

Hey everybody, it's Jad. Dolly Parton's America. We are currently editing the final episode of the series. It will drop a week from today. In the meantime, I want to wish you all a very happy holidays. And as a holiday offering, in a token of our appreciation for listening to the series Spreading the Word, I want to share with you a little more music that we gathered along the way. I mean we were super lucky on this project. We got to work with some incredible musicians who performed some Dali songs for us, shared with us some of their own work. In this bonus ep, you're here two different performers, singer songwriters, starting with the musician Nora Brown.

[Nora Brown]

This is a fretless fan joke, okay?

[Jad Abumrad]

Nora is a very wise, very old soul who is actually only 14 years old, already well established in the old time music scene. Already has an album. We'll link to it from our website. We recorded her at this beautiful church in Brooklyn called St. Augustine Church. Really big domed ceilings and we sat sort of right in front of the altar and she got out her banjo and played us a song. How did you even learn to play this?

[Nora Brown]

Well, I started with this man named Shlomo Pesca.

[Jad Abumrad]

Okay.

[Nora Brown]

And he was based out of Brooklyn. And he. He started teaching me old time music when I was 6. But not on the banjo. On the ukulele.

[Jad Abumrad]

Oh, wow.

[Nora Brown]

And then he. He passed away. And then I started learning banjo from. I just began to learn the banjo before he died, but I didn't really get much time learning from him. So then I started learning from him. Some other people around.

[Jad Abumrad]

Wow. The song she played for us is called the Very Day I'm Gone, which was written by the late ballad singer A.D. graham. Nora first heard it off an album of 80 Graham songs performed on that record by the duet Anna and Elizabeth. Here's Nora's version. I just can't stop playing the song. Sa.

[Nora Brown (singing)]

You will hear my song. You will hear the song.

[Jad Abumrad]

That if.

[Nora Brown (singing)]

My honey says so. Oh, I roll no more. I'll sidetrack my engine and go home. Yes, I'll sidetrack my engine and yes, I sidetrack my Internet. And if my mama leaves I'll go back home again. Cause I'm a rambling woman God knows. Cause I'm a rambling woman Gone. Yes, you're here. In the WhistleShow 100 miles. Yes, you're here. The wisdom. Cause I'm a rambling woman God knows.

[Jad Abumrad]

Oh my God kills me. That is beautiful. Wow. Can I just give you a high five? That was just. You'll hear more of Nora in the next episode. She assisted us in creating a scene from Dolly's childhood. Next musician that we want to play for you is a woman named Amethyst Kia, who's based in Johnson City, Tennessee, not too far from Knoxville. Amethyst recently collaborated with Rhiannon Giddens, Alison Russell, and Layla McCalla. They formed the group Our Native Daughters and just released an album called Songs of Our Native Daughters. Critically acclaimed album. And we initially contacted Amethyst and asked her if she'd be willing to play an old mine workers labor organizing song from West Virginia that told the story of some of the violence that occurred in those labor camps. We didn't end up using that song because we cut the whole scene from episode seven. But in the course of things, Amethyst ended up performing an original song of hers that, like the last one from Nora, just stuck so deep in my head.

[Amethyst Kia]

This song is called Firewater. Melancholy always seem to work for me Wistful and uncertain all my dream starters Forms into shapes that never leave Strange in weary they all seem. I'm a ghost in the hall I hang in the room Everywhere I go in pending doom how many spirits does it take to lift a spirit I don't know I don't know Cause I bought every spirit and I'm still laying here crying on the floor on the floor so can you just leave me be? Being drenched in fire water won't save.

[Jad Abumrad]

Me.

[Amethyst Kia]

I'll forsake the path of filth Fleet can you just leave me be Pensive stairs are the only crowns I've ever gleaned so in the dark I find the answers that I need City lights are the only stars I ever see how many nights until I finally can breathe how many spirits does it take to lift a spirit I don't know I don't know Cause I bought every spirit and I'm still laying here crying on the floor on the floor so can you just leave me be? Being drenched in fire water won't save.

[Jad Abumrad]

Me.

[Amethyst Kia]

How for sick the path of filth feed can you just leave can you just leave can you just leave.

[Jad Abumrad]

Me that was Amethyst Kia performing the song Firewater at the Willow Tree Coffee House in Johnson City. Thanks to Terry Doer for lending us that space to record in. And thank you to James Napoli for recording. And thanks to Justin Hiltner, bluegrass player from our first bonus EP who really connected us to Nora and Amethyst. And thanks also to Sam Gleaves for doing the research and performing that mining song, really bringing it to light for all of us. You can find out more about Amethyst and Nora on our website, dollypartnersamerica.org we will be back in one week with the final episode. In the meantime, happy holidays everybody.

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