[piano intro] - [Announcer] "Shaped by Sound" is made possible through support from Come Hear NC, a program of the North Carolina Arts Council within the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.

[gentle music] - [Crew Member] "Shaped by Sound."

[clapperboard clicks] - 13 North Carolina artists, their songs, their stories, this stage.

[lively music] [record scratching] [fast tempo folk music] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] ♪ Ho ♪ ♪ Lift, McCahir Og, your face ♪ ♪ Still brooding over the old disgrace ♪ ♪ That Black Fitzwilliam stormed your place ♪ ♪ Drove you to the Fern ♪ ♪ Gray said victory was sure ♪ ♪ And soon the Firebrand he'd secure ♪ ♪ Until he met at Glenmalure ♪ ♪ With Fiach MacHugh O'Byrne ♪ ♪ Curse and swear, Lord Kildare ♪ ♪ Fiach will do, what Fiach will dare ♪ ♪ Now Fitzwilliam have a care ♪ ♪ Fallen is your star low ♪ ♪ Up with halberd, out with sword ♪ ♪ On we'll go for by the lord ♪ ♪ Fiach MacHugh has given the word ♪ ♪ Follow me up to Carlow ♪ [fast tempo folk music] [fast tempo folk music continues] ♪ From Tassagart to Clonmore ♪ ♪ There flows a stream of Saxon gore ♪ ♪ O great is Rory Og Omore ♪ ♪ At sending the loons to Hades ♪ ♪ White is sick, Grey is fled ♪ ♪ And now for Black Fitzwilliams head ♪ ♪ We'll send it over dripping red ♪ ♪ To Queen Liza and her ladies ♪ ♪ Curse and swear, Lord Kildare ♪ ♪ Fiach will do, what Fiach will dare ♪ ♪ Now Fitzwilliam have a care ♪ ♪ Fallen is your star low ♪ ♪ Up with halberd, out with sword ♪ ♪ On we'll go for by the lord ♪ ♪ Fiach MacHugh has given the word ♪ ♪ Follow me up to Carlow ♪ [fast tempo folk music] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] ♪ See the swords of Glen Imayle ♪ ♪ They're flashing over the English pale ♪ ♪ See all the children of the Gael ♪ ♪ Beneath O'Byrne's banners ♪ ♪ Roosters of the fighting stock ♪ ♪ Would you let a Saxon cock ♪ ♪ Crow out upon, an Irish rock ♪ ♪ Fly up and teach him manners, ho ♪ ♪ Curse and swear, Lord Kildare ♪ ♪ Fiach will do, what Fiach will dare ♪ ♪ Now Fitzwilliam have a care ♪ ♪ Fallen is your star low ♪ ♪ Up with halberd, out with sword ♪ ♪ On we'll go for by the lord ♪ ♪ Fiach MacHugh has given the word ♪ ♪ Follow me up to Carlow ♪ [fast tempo folk music] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] ♪ Ho ♪ ♪ Curse and swear, Lord Kildare ♪ ♪ Fiach will do, what Fiach will dare ♪ ♪ Now Fitzwilliam have a care ♪ ♪ Fallen is your star low ♪ ♪ Up with halberd, out with sword ♪ ♪ On we'll go for by the lord ♪ ♪ Fiach MacHugh has given the word ♪ ♪ Follow me up to Carlow ♪ ♪ Curse and swear, Lord Kildare ♪ ♪ Fiach will do, what Fiach will dare ♪ ♪ Now Fitzwilliam have a care ♪ ♪ Fallen is your star low ♪ ♪ Up with halberd, out with sword ♪ ♪ On we'll go for by the lord ♪ ♪ Fiach MacHugh has given the word ♪ ♪ Follow me up to Carlow ♪ - Ben and Tucker from The Tan and Sober Gentlemen, thank you so much for being on the show today.

- Yeah, thanks for having us.

- Yeah, thanks- - I mean, we're- - Distinct pleasure.

- Yeah, well, we're excited to have you.

It's an interesting band name you have, like what led you to The Tan and Sober Gentlemen?

You said that you are neither of those things.

- Oh yeah.

None of the three.

- We didn't start that- - So, where did that come from?

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- We got our start at a dearly departed Irish pub in Raleigh, North Carolina called the Tir na nOg.

Got started as a pickup band sorta.

- Mm.

- Was going up there, figuring out how to play Irish music.

And the lady who ran it, our band's godmother, Annie Britton-Nice, put me together as fiddler, and was like, "Hey, the band today didn't show up.

Why don't you go play on Friday?"

And so, we played and she called us The Tan and Sober Gentlemen, 'cause at that point, we were none of the three.

- That was great.

Yeah.

- And the gig went well.

[Tucker and James laughing] She's like, "Okay, come back, do it next week."

So, we came back [Tucker clears throat] and did it next week and then we were a band, and that was our name.

- Yeah, name stuck.

- Yeah.

Wow.

So, shout-out to her - Yeah.

- making that happen.

And that's a really fun name.

As The Tan and Sober Gentlemen, how would you describe the music that you all play?

- It comes from traditional music, but it ain't traditional in the presentation of it, We're trying to re-blend the North Carolinian and the Irish elements, right?

- Mm-hmm.

- They've been separated for however many centuries, but we're trying to bring 'em back together a little bit.

And if you've ever been to like a good house party in the Western half of our state and you've got like people dancing and drinking and packing together, you've got like - Mm-hmm.

- a really hot jam going on in the corner, playing the [indistinct] at 150 beats per minute.

And like, it's that energy - Mm.

- that we're trying to capture and put on stage.

- Mm-hmm.

[fast tempo folk music] ♪ Good evening, all my jolly lads, I'm glad to find you well ♪ ♪ If you'll gather all around me, now, the story I will tell ♪ ♪ For I've got a situation and begorrah and begob ♪ ♪ I can whisper all the weekly wage of nineteen bob ♪ ♪ 'Tis twelve months come October ♪ ♪ Since I left me native home ♪ ♪ After helping them Killarney boys ♪ ♪ To bring the harvest down ♪ ♪ But now I wear the gansey and around me waist a belt ♪ ♪ I'm the gaffer of the squad that makes the hot asphalt ♪ ♪ Well, we laid it in a hollows and we laid it in the flat ♪ ♪ And if it doesn't last forever ♪ ♪ Sure I swear, I'll eat me hat ♪ ♪ Well, I've wandered up and down the world ♪ ♪ And sure I never felt ♪ ♪ Any surface that was equal to the hot asphalt, ta ♪ [fast tempo folk music] [fast tempo folk music continues] ♪ The other night a copper comes and he says to me, McGuire ♪ ♪ Would you kindly let me light me pipe down ♪ ♪ At your boiler fire ♪ ♪ Well, he planks himself right down in front ♪ ♪ With hobnails up, till late ♪ ♪ And says I, me decent man ♪ ♪ You'd better go and find your bait ♪ ♪ He ups and yells, I'm down on you ♪ ♪ I'm up to all yer pranks ♪ ♪ Don't I know you for a traitor from the Tipperary ranks ♪ ♪ Boys, I hit straight from the shoulder ♪ ♪ And I gave him such a belt ♪ ♪ That I knocked him into the boiler full of hot asphalt ♪ ♪ Well, we laid it in a hollows and we laid it in the flat ♪ ♪ And if it doesn't last forever ♪ ♪ Sure I swear, I'll eat me hat ♪ ♪ Well, I've wandered up and down the world ♪ ♪ And sure I never felt ♪ ♪ Any surface that was equal to the hot asphalt, ta ♪ [fast tempo folk music] [fast tempo folk music continues] ♪ We quickly pulled him out again ♪ ♪ And we threw him in the tub ♪ ♪ And with soap and warm water we began to rub and scrub ♪ ♪ But devil the thing, it hardened ♪ ♪ And it turned him hard as stone ♪ ♪ And with every other rub ♪ ♪ Sure you could hear the copper groan ♪ ♪ I'm thinking, says O'Reilly ♪ ♪ That he's lookin' like old Nick ♪ ♪ And he burn me if I am not inclined ♪ ♪ To claim him with my pick ♪ ♪ Says I, it would be easier to boil him till he melts ♪ ♪ And to stir him nice and easy in the hot asphalt ♪ ♪ Well, we laid it in a hollows and we laid it in the flat ♪ ♪ And if it doesn't last forever ♪ ♪ Sure I swear, I'll eat me hat ♪ ♪ Well, I've wandered up and down the world ♪ ♪ And sure I never felt ♪ ♪ Any surface that was equal to the hot asphalt ♪ [fast tempo folk music] [fast tempo folk music continues] ♪ You may talk about yer sailor lads ♪ ♪ Ballad singers and the rest ♪ ♪ Your shoemakers and your tailors ♪ ♪ But we please the ladies best ♪ ♪ The only ones who know the way their flinty hearts to melt ♪ ♪ Are the lads around the boiler making the hot asphalt ♪ ♪ Well, we laid it in a hollows and we laid it in the flat ♪ ♪ And if it doesn't last forever ♪ ♪ Sure I swear, I'll eat me hat ♪ ♪ Well, I've wandered up and down the world ♪ ♪ And sure I never felt ♪ ♪ Any surface that was equal to the hot asphalt, ta ♪ - You all go to Ireland and like play these songs.

- Mm-hmm.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- So, like, what is that like to be from the United States, North Carolina specifically, go across the ocean until where this really came from and play this sort of music?

- [Ben] It's incredible.

- Yeah.

- Yeah.

- It was so much fun.

- Yeah.

- Remember the first time we went over there, I was pretty nervous about playing Irish music - We were, yeah.

[laughs] - for the Irish, right?

- Right.

- And I remember playing our bluegrass songs and some girl's like, - Mm-hmm.

- "Do guys know "Dirty Old Town"?"

- Yeah.

- I'm like, yeah, and we played.

And once they figured out we knew all the old Irish songs, that's all they wanted to hear.

They had the whole streets - Oh, you were in then.

- singing along.

- Yeah.

- Yeah, yeah, yeah.

- Yeah.

- We did every, it was funny, 'cause we're like, our old lead singer, William, who's long hair, really tall, little gangly, and like, is he got the one microphone singing into that out of a little speaker.

People are hanging through the window and he's shoving the microphone into whoever's soloing.

- Oh wow.

- Yeah.

[Tucker laughing] It's just like, it was very, it's one of the, it's funny, 'cause as a punk and metalhead, that was the most punk thing we've done at the time.

And it was hilarious.

- I think the reason why we go over, well, or at least part of it, is that we play Irish songs, but we do not play them in an Irish way.

- Mm.

- Mm.

Yeah.

- [Ben] We play them like we're from North Carolina.

- Right.

- Right.

- And that's what they're attracted to as well.

- Yeah, yeah.

- Yeah.

Because we're not pretending to be anything other than who we are.

- [Group] Yeah.

- You'll go to shows and it's entertainment.

- Right.

- But there's always, there's some, an element of separation, and like, and as someone who, when I go to a show, like I'm a metalhead, - Mm.

- so I love the mosh pit.

I love shows that are theatrical and I love things that are like in your face and you're just like, oh my gosh, right?

- Yeah.

- And then, I've been to shows where like, I've been really disappointed because there was no audience engagement.

- Yeah.

- And you know, 'cause if I wanted to just go and see someone and have an intimate setting with the listening to music, that's great.

I'll do that.

But if it's one of those things where I want to see a band perform live, - Mm-hmm.

- and it's basically them playing exactly what's on the album, to such an extent that it's like, oh, I could just listen to this at home.

- [James] Mm-hmm.

- Like, you don't want to, that doesn't really do it.

Right?

- Right.

Like, where's that extra sauce?

- Right.

- Yeah.

- And it's like, and you're paying to go see these people, right?

So, it's like, it's part of that element of like, hey, we are not just musicians, we're entertainers and performers.

- Yeah.

- And that's something that is very important to us because it's like, we're just regular people.

[fast tempo folk music] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] ♪ I've got a love that holds my hand ♪ ♪ 'Cause I'm a hard working man ♪ ♪ I've got a love that smiles so bright ♪ ♪ It makes me never want to fight ♪ ♪ But now I'm home ♪ ♪ And I feel so damn alone ♪ ♪ I smoke and drink and drink my woes away ♪ ♪ Now I'm fine 'cause I've gone away ♪ ♪ And this happiness ain't happening today ♪ ♪ This happiness ain't happening today ♪ [fast tempo folk music] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] ♪ Well, I've got a place in a wild band ♪ ♪ Playing all across this land ♪ ♪ We laugh and love and dance so much ♪ ♪ Sometimes this life is such a rush ♪ ♪ But now I'm home ♪ ♪ And I feel so damn alone ♪ ♪ I smoke and drink and drink my woes away ♪ ♪ Now I'm fine, I've gone away ♪ ♪ And this happiness ain't happening today ♪ ♪ This happiness ain't happening today ♪ [fast tempo folk music] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] ♪ I've got friends and family still ♪ ♪ They are like my fire, they always will ♪ ♪ That fire ♪ [Tucker singing indistinctly] ♪ I hope it burns long after I'm gone ♪ ♪ But now I'm home ♪ ♪ And I feel so damn alone ♪ ♪ I smoke and drink and drink my woes away ♪ ♪ Now I'm fine ♪ ♪ I've gone away ♪ ♪ Gone away ♪ ♪ And this happiness ain't happening today ♪ ♪ This happiness ain't happening today ♪ ♪ This happiness ain't happening today ♪ [fast tempo folk music] - How are you both shaped by sound?

- My dad would take me all over the place, really.

He'd take me up to Eastern Kentucky a bit, play with people like Jean Ritchie and Lee Sexton, but mostly, it was around here going up to the Mount Airy Fiddlers' Convention, - Mm.

- which is about a fine example of American culture is I believe there is out there.

- Mm.

Mm-hmm.

- So, I grew up hearing bands like Kickin Grass and Two Dollar Pistols - Mm-hmm.

- and all the wonderful bands of the triangle scene - Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

- that make the middle part of the state sound.

And I'm like a distinct product of all of that.

Like Dexter Romweber.

- Yeah.

- Folks like that, - Yeah.

- that I grew up and soaked into me.

And that's the music that I make.

And that's what comes - Yeah.

- out of my fingers now.

- Mm.

His dad plays bass too, so, you know, perfect.

- Yeah.

- This rebelling against my parents thing did not go well.

[Tucker and James laughing] - Oh man.

- Yeah, what about you, Tucker?

- Well, let's see.

I mean, music has always been a part of my life.

You grew up singing hymns and then mandolin and banjo.

Like on my ma's side, the banjo that's in the wall there is my great granddad's, - Mm.

- granddaddy Allison, he was born in 1900.

And he played clawhammer.

And you can see on that thing, if you see him in on it, it is worn down to where it's like where he was playing the hell out of it.

I guess I'm shaped by the sound and how music has affected me as a person and brought me to where I am is basically like, it really changed me as a person to understand that like, you are basically the people you surround yourself with.

I am much more proud of the person I am today because of music that has shaped me and the band that I'm in.

And it's taken a lot to learn that.

- Yeah.

- And I think that's kind of, just the, and at the end of the day, no matter what you play or do, that's what matters.

♪ Don't you worry ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ I'll be fine ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ I go through more than this ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ All the time ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ I can't remember ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ Through the shine ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ And I go through more than this ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ All the time ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ And sometimes I raise my head and I look at the sun ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ And I think of all the thing I could have done ♪ ♪ I could have done ♪ ♪ But don't you worry ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ I'll be fine ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ I go through more than this ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ All the time ♪ - Come on, Tucker.

[gentle folk music] [gentle folk music continues] [gentle folk music continues] [gentle folk music continues] ♪ Yeah, there's a reason ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ I'm sitting here ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ And trying to make it all ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ A little less clear ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ And I've been here ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ for near 'bout a year ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ I can't seem to move past ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ The whisky and beer ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ And sometimes I bow my head and I pray to the Son ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ And I ask Him to forgive the things I've done ♪ ♪ The things I've done ♪ ♪ But don't you worry ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ Yeah, I'll be fine ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ I go through more than this ♪ [gentle folk music] ♪ All the time ♪ [gentle folk music] - You said this phrase, the importance of keeping one foot in the dirt.

- Mm-hmm.

- Can you explain that to us a little bit?

What does that mean?

- Yeah.

This music comes from somewhere, right?

- Mm-hmm.

- Yeah.

- And a lot of the stuff we play comes from where we're from.

- Yeah.

- And I think there is value in being from and existing in the community that produce the music that you play.

- Mm-hmm.

Yeah.

- But the only way this tradition survives is if you keep people, bringing people into it, Keep teaching kids - Mm-hmm.

- how to play.

- Yeah.

- And have it be a place where those kids want to be, right?

- Yeah.

- Yeah, just keep, I mean, I guess the simplest way to put it is just keep it real.

- I love it.

Well, thank you all so much for being on our show.

- Yeah.

- Thanks for having us.

- Seriously.

- It's so much fun to have you all.

And again, I'm ready for the mosh pits.

[Tucker and Ben laughing] - Let's go.

♪ Whoa, there was an old woman who had a little pig ♪ ♪ Mm-Hmm ♪ ♪ Whoa, there was an old woman who had a little pig ♪ ♪ It didn't cost much 'cause he wasn't very big ♪ ♪ Mm-hmm ♪ ♪ This little pig caused lots of harm ♪ ♪ Mm-hmm ♪ ♪ This little pig caused lots of harm ♪ ♪ Making muddy trucks all around the pond ♪ ♪ Mm-hmm ♪ ♪ Little pig died for the want of breath ♪ ♪ Mm-hmm ♪ ♪ Little pig died for the want of breath ♪ ♪ Isn't that a dreadful death ♪ ♪ Mm-hmm ♪ ♪ Old woman moaned and groaned and cried ♪ ♪ Mm-hmm ♪ ♪ Old woman moaned and groaned and cried ♪ ♪ Then she laid right down and died ♪ ♪ Mm-hmm ♪ ♪ The old man died on account of grief ♪ ♪ Mm-hmm ♪ ♪ Old man died on account of grief ♪ ♪ Isn't that a great relief ♪ ♪ Mm-hmm ♪ ♪ There they are all upon the shelf ♪ ♪ Mm-hmm ♪ ♪ There they are all upon the shelf ♪ ♪ If you want to hear more, you can sing it for yourself ♪ ♪ Mm-hmm ♪ ♪ On the banks of the river where the willows hang down ♪ [fast tempo folk music] ♪ And the wild birds all warble with a low moaning sound ♪ [fast tempo folk music] ♪ Down in the hollow where the waters run cold ♪ [fast tempo folk music] ♪ There I first listened to the lies that you told ♪ [fast tempo folk music] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] ♪ I lie on my bed and I see your sweet face ♪ [fast tempo folk music] ♪ The past I remember time cannot erase ♪ [fast tempo folk music] ♪ The letter you wrote me it was written in shame ♪ [fast tempo folk music] ♪ I know that your conscience still echoes my name ♪ [fast tempo folk music] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] ♪ The nights are so long now ♪ [fast tempo folk music] ♪ And sorrow runs deep ♪ [fast tempo folk music] ♪ And nothing is worse than a night without sleep ♪ [fast tempo folk music] ♪ I'll walk out alone and look at the sky ♪ [fast tempo folk music] ♪ Too empty to sing, too lonesome to cry ♪ [fast tempo folk music] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] ♪ If the ladies were blackbirds ♪ [fast tempo folk music] ♪ And the ladies were thrushes ♪ [fast tempo folk music] ♪ I'd lie there for hours in the chilly cold marshes ♪ ♪ If the ladies were squirrels with high bushy tails ♪ ♪ I'd fill up my shotgun with rock salt and nails ♪ [fast tempo folk music] ♪ I'd load up my shotgun with rock salt and nails ♪ [fast tempo folk music] [no audio] - [James] Thanks for joining us on "Shaped by Sound".

If you'd like to hear more of our discussion from today, you can find it over on our website, pbsnc.org/ShapedbySound, or you can find it on the PBS app.

[fast tempo folk music] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] [fast tempo folk music continues] - [Announcer] "Shaped by Sound" is made possible through support from Come Hear NC, a program of the North Carolina Arts Council within the North Carolina Department of Natural and Cultural Resources.