This week on eTown, we feature two acts that are veteran stalwarts of the music world. From Nashville comes The Del McCoury Band, one of the premier groups in bluegrass, featuring multiple generations of the McCoury family. Ann Savoy joins us from Eunice, Louisiana, and performs songs from her latest album, Another Heart, a collection of autobiographical remnants from her life.

Even among the greats, Del McCoury stands apart. A living link to bluegrass’s earliest days, he’s carried the sound from hillbilly honkytonks and the Grand Ole Opry to late-night TV and Bonnaroo stages. Discovered by Bill Monroe in 1963, Del learned straight from the Father of Bluegrass and went on to lead one of the genre’s most decorated bands, earning multiple Grammys and ten IBMA Entertainer of the Year awards. With sons Ronnie and Rob, he continues to champion tradition while embracing collaboration — from Phish to Preservation Hall Jazz Band. Six decades in, there’s still only one constant in bluegrass: Del.

Ann Savoy is a cultural treasure — musician, author, producer, and documentarian of Cajun music’s beating heart. Her 2024 Smithsonian Folkways release Another Heart celebrates the diverse sounds she’s long championed, from Cajun to jazz. A Grammy-nominated artist and collaborator with Linda Ronstadt, Savoy has performed worldwide with the Magnolia Sisters, Savoy Family Band, and Sleepless Knights. Her book Cajun Music: A Reflection of a People remains the definitive chronicle of Louisiana’s musical soul.