Basic Folk Podcast: Kris Delmhorst

New England Folk Queen Kris Delmhorst has released her new record Long Day In The Milky Way into a very weird world. In our conversation, she mentioned performing songs from a new album night after night on tour really allows her to grow close to the album and get to know the songs really well. It will be interesting to see what effect that will have on her in the future since this album will not get the same treatment due to the pandemic.

Raised in Brooklyn, Kris was a huge music fan: she taped the weekly top 40, read Rolling Stone cover to cover, and had Harry Chapin’s sister as a grade school teacher (she played the kids The Beatles’ “Help” vs Harry’s “Cats in the Cradle”.) She studied classical cello and talks about her complicated relationship with classical music presently. Kris worked on a farm in Maine and found her love of playing music with friends and creating community. These days, she thrives on weaving together her close friendships with her music. On her new record, she centers the music on the harmonies performed by herself, Rose Polenzani, Rose Cousins and Annie Lynch. She says, “I was thinking about the variations in a handwoven cloth, or in a forest.” Which is hard to expand on, but really, when you hear the record, woven fabric is what comes to mind!

We also talk about how she met her husband, songwriter Jeffrey Foucault. It’s fun talking to Kris! I loved hearing how much of a music geek she was as a kid. She loved pop music so much that in 2011, she made a Cars covers album.

Check out the new record and enjoy Kris!