WTRFT S2E42 - Chicken Wire Empire

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi welcomes Wisconsin's own Chicken Wire Empire into the dungeon for a conversation packed with Midwest bluegrass, European tours, Grateful Dead jams, and why some of the best bands in the country are coming from places people never expect. 🪕🧀🔥

When people think of bluegrass, they usually think of Kentucky, Tennessee, or Colorado... but Chicken Wire Empire is here to remind everyone that Wisconsin has been quietly building one of the strongest bluegrass communities in the country for decades. 🌲🎶

This one starts with the Midwest roots...

🧀 How Wisconsin's bluegrass scene grew through festivals, logging camps, and generations of musicians 🏕️ Why growing up in a smaller scene creates lifelong friendships and stronger musical communities 🎻 Finding each other through local bars, festivals, jam sessions, and a whole lot of Midwest persistence 🤝 The unique bond that comes from being a bluegrass musician in the Midwest

But what makes Chicken Wire Empire so unique is the way every member brings a completely different musical background...

🎸 Traditional bluegrass, classical violin, classic country, electric blues, and jam bands all colliding into one sound 🎼 How classical training helped create richer arrangements and layered instrumentation 🌌 Drawing inspiration from David Grisman while still sounding unmistakably like Chicken Wire Empire 🔥 Why the band embraces both traditional bluegrass festivals and jamgrass crowds without trying to fit neatly into either world

Then the conversation turns to one of the coolest projects they've ever tackled...

🎶 Reimagining songs from The Big Wu and Chris Castino as bluegrass tunes during the pandemic 🎤 Working alongside Midwest legends including Adam Gruhl and Ryan Young of Trampled by Turtles 💿 Why honoring great songwriting matters more than simply covering songs 🤘 The creative challenge of making someone else's music truly your own

And somehow... things only get bigger from there.

✈️ Landing two European tours after initially thinking the first offer was a scam 🇩🇪 Playing festivals throughout Germany, Switzerland, and the Netherlands 🪕 Discovering passionate bluegrass communities halfway across the world 🌍 Why music has a way of bringing people together no matter what language they speak

The crew also gets into...

🎥 The story behind their documentary All It Takes 💰 How independent bands actually pay for albums, touring, and recording 👕 Why buying merch still makes the biggest difference for independent artists 🎵 Recording a brand-new collection of traditional-inspired songs set to release this fall