Music
Oliver Wood: Always Smilin’My first concert of 2021 was in June, seeing The Wood Brothers and Ryan Montbleau at an outdoor show at Shakori Hills. Right after that, I got to chat with Oliver Wood about his wonderful solo record, Always Smilin’. I love this record because it captures what I love most about Oliver’s musicianship: his generous, collaborative spirit. When you see Oliver in concert, he often comments on the role of the audience in creating a space for music to happen: the energy, the attentiveness, the response to musicians all contribute to the music itself. It was fun to talk with Oliver about how he opened up to more collaboration and connection during the pandemic, when many of us experienced isolation. One of the things that sticks with me from this chat is the idea of playfulness and how important it is for creativity. I hope you enjoy this latest episode of the podcast with Oliver Wood!Interview by Ken Templetonphoto credit Joshua Black Wilkins