John McCutcheon, Musician discusses career longevity, songwriting tips, and latest album

Send a textBy any normal measure, John McCutcheon, at age seventy-two, should beretired. He’s punched the clock in the international folk music world for overa half century. He’s been a respected archivist of Appalachian music. Hewas in the forefront of popularizing the hammer dulcimer and is considereda world master on the instrument. He helped revolutionize children’s andfamily music with five consecutive Grammy-nominated albums. He co-founded and led the fastest-growing Local in the Musicians Union. Hissongwriting is hailed around the globe and his instruction books introducedthousands to the joys of their own music making. He recorded andreleased tribute albums to Woody Guthrie, labor musician Joe Hill, and hisfriend and mentor, Pete Seeger. He even starred in a one-manmusical, Joe Hill's Last Will, which toured nationally and internationally.And he has consistently been one of the most popular touring musicians inthe folk world. Yes, by any normal standard, he could proudly hang up thebanjo and retire.But John McCutcheon is just getting started.“I feel as though I’m finally getting the hang of doing my job well.”During the pandemic, when a lot of the music world shut down,McCutcheon wrote and released three recordings of new material. Heproved that Zoom could be used for good as well as for evil by forgingonline songwriting partnerships with a half dozen fellow writers, not theleast of whom was the iconic Tom Paxton. They even released a jointalbum, Together, which not only won critical raves but was dubbed “thebest album I’ve ever done, period.” by Grammy Lifetime Award winnerPaxton.And, just when you think he can’t surprise you anymore, he drops album#45: Field of Stars (release date: Janary 10, 2025), a stunning collectionof original and cowritten songs people are calling “the best of his career.”Field of Stars was supposed to be recorded and released in 2020.Musicians were hired, studio dates booked. And then came COVID. So,the songs where shelved until it was safe to go into a small windowlessspace with some of your best mates. But then came the explosion ofwriting that John produced during the lockdown. Three albums in threeyears, each seemingly better than the last. After tackling theMcCutcheon/Paxton project, he was ready to take the long-delayed 2020album down from the shelf and get back to work on it. But times hadchanged....Field of Stars is not only his 45thalbum in a 52-year career, it just may be his best yet. Support the showVisit www.creativepeacemeal.com to leave a review, fan voicemail, and more!Insta @creative_peacemeal_podcastFB @creativepeacemealpodRedbubble CPPodcast.redbubble.comCreative Peacemeal READING list here Donate to AhHa!Broadway here! Donate to New Normal Rep here! Interested in the Self-Care Institute with Dr. Ami Kunimura? Click here Interested in Corrie Legge's content planner? Click here to order!