Welcome back to Harmonics! While Beth is planning a brief hiatus from the show (at least regarding new episodes - you can still follow along with everything Harmonics via our newsletter and Instagram) she is sending us off with one new episode to hold us over. For this episode, Beth sits down with roots music favorite and Grammy nominee Amythyst Kiah.

Kiah tells the story of her life's musical journey, discusses the importance of claiming her space in the roots music world as a queer Black woman, and ponders religion, philosophy, and spiritual moments experienced through music. The pair also talk about mental health and the transformative power of therapy, feeling like an outside and the dangers of isolation, repressing feelings and toxic positivity, and wonder: do we each truly have a specific purpose in life?

This week, we're so excited to share with all of you a podcast that we love dearly. Salute the Songbird celebrates women in music and is hosted by rock & soul singer Maggie Rose. This episode features a conversation with acclaimed singer-songwriter Valerie June - one of our favorite musicians here at Harmonics.

Listen and subscribe to Salute The Songbird from Osiris Media wherever you get your podcasts. And check out Maggie’s new album, Have A Seat, out now!

It's been a long dark night... but we're rested and ready for a new day with the help of Ms. Dolly Parton and her inspirational lyrics, and spirit. If you tuned in for our episode with Hilary Jackendoff a while back, you're familiar with the practice of Yoga Nidra - in short, it's a guided meditation intending to bring us to a state of consciousness between waking and sleeping - and it makes for some serious relaxation and rejuvenation. Beth recently completed her Yoga Nidra teacher training, and who better to inspire her first meditation than Dolly?

Episode Art - Image from Dolly Parton's 'New Harvest... First Gathering"

Let's face it: times are pretty dark right now - but what else is new? Harmonics was born out of a love for music and its healing powers, and we are once again turning towards art to pull us through. Today, Beth is joined by Amy Reitnouer Jacobs - Executive Producer of Harmonics and owner of The Bluegrass Situation - who shares with us the fruits of her curatorial labor in the form of her top albums getting her through the summer: from heart-wrenching yet uplifting folk songs by Allison Russell, to the vibey, Don Henley-esque sounds of John Mayer's recent release, on through to '70s Japanese pop, and stopping everywhere in between.

Music featured in this episode:

Allison Russell, "All Of The Women"

Dante Elephante, "Find Somebody To Love"

Tony Joe White, "Boot Money"

Valerie June, "You And I"

John Mayer, "Last Train Home"

Yellow Magic Orchestra, "Behind the Mask"

Sara Watkins, "Moon River"

Listen to these songs and albums here: https://spoti.fi/3y1dDDg

Bistro Vibes GQ article: https://www.gq.com/story/introducing-bistro-vibes

For more music recs, visit https://thebluegrasssituation.com

Amy's Spotify: https://spoti.fi/3CZnwFg

Yoga Nidra teacher Hilary Jackendoff has written a meditation just for Harmonics listeners, providing us with an opportunity to access an embodied experience of undoing, effortlessness, and letting go. Through Yoga Nidra, we learn what it feels like to truly release everything that we're holding onto - physically, mentally, emotionally - so that we can know deep rest, reconnect to our own true nature, and feel at home and at ease within our own being. You can practice more free meditations from Hilary on Insight Timer (https://insighttimer.com/hilaryjackendoff) and be sure to follow along with her on Instagram (@meditationchick) (https://www.instagram.com/meditationchick/)

Join Beth as she talks with meditation teacher Hilary Jackendoff about the practice of Yoga Nidra - or yogic sleep - and the benefits to reap from its simplicity and the opportunities it provides for rest and connection. You can practice more free meditations from Hilary on Insight Timer (https://insighttimer.com/hilaryjackendoff) and be sure to follow along with her on Instagram (@meditationchick) (https://www.instagram.com/meditationchick/)