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Musician's Spotlight - Martha Scanlan 2024

Jon Neufeld and Martha Scanlan.
Courtesy Martha Scanlan.
Jon Neufeld and Martha Scanlan.

This is a two-part interview. Part two will begin after part one ends

Acclaimed singer songwriter Martha Scanlan is welcomed back to Musician's Spotlight to talk about her most recent recordings "Save It For Later" and "Last Stars First Light," both collaborations with her longtime musical partner Jon Neufeld.

The "Save It For Later" album is a compilation of covers by a wide range of artists including Guy Clark, Willie Nelson, Beyonce, Radiohead and English Beat to name a few. Scanlan first gained notoriety winning the prestigious Chris Austin songwriting contest at MerleFest and later as the singer for the Reeltime Travelers who were featured on the soundtrack for the Academy Award winning film "Cold Mountain."

Her first solo album featured production from Dirk Powell and contributions from Levon and Amy Helm. Her more recent collaborations with Neufeld have featured more experimental electric layers of sound which, though different from the more acoustic driven music in Scanlan's past music, still serve as a deep and resonant sonic bed that serves her evocative lyrics and earthy, ethereal vocals.

John Floridis, the host and producer of Musician's Spotlight, has been with Montana Public Radio since 1997. He has interviewed over 200 musicians during that time. He is also an independent recording and performing artist in his own right and a former registered music therapist.
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