Belleville, Illinois native Jay Farrar is the leader of the band Son Volt, an alt-country group formed in 1994 after the break-up of Uncle Tupelo.
Earlier this month Farrar, with his band Son Volt, released Honky Tonk (Rounder Records), a more acoustic-based sound which recalls the classic Bakersfield honky tonk music.
The new album also features Farrar’s foray into playing the pedal steel guitar, which he learned while playing with the St. Louis band, Colonel Ford.
Also, this month, Farrar released a memoir, Falling Cars and Junkyard Dogs. It’s a collection of autobiographical vignettes which includes his recollections of growing up and his experiences as a traveling musician for more than two decades.
Host Steve Potter talked with Farrar about his new album and memoir. Farrar also performed live, exclusive versions of Down the Highway and Wild Side, off the new album.
