Sunday Supper: Now and Then

In a monthly column, former "Sunday Supper" host John Platt writes about a new folk release he likes — and reflects on a past "Sunday Supper" session.

Emily Scott Robinson is one of those singers with a beautiful voice and five albums to her name — the most recent of which is Appalachia, released in January on Oh Boy.

Robinson, who lives in the mountains of Colorado, just played The Loft at City Winery on April 4, bringing Appalachia to New York. The album stays true to Robinson's North Carolina roots, though it was recorded in the Hudson Valley at Dreamland Studios with producer Josh Kaufman (Josh Ritter, Bob Weir, and more).

The album's title track, "Appalachia," follows in the aftermath of Hurricane Helene. The song's video presents Emily on guitar and vocals. It's straightforward, who could ask for more?

That direct quality is what drew Jody Whelan, John Prine's son and Oh Boy's managing partner, to Robinson's music — both 2022's Built on Bone and 2021's American Siren, were released on that storied label.

Speaking of Prine, the documentary "You Got Gold: A Celebration of John Prine," recorded in Nashville in 2022, is a celebration of a magnificent tribute that includes Bonnie Raitt, Lucinda Williams, Lyle Lovett, Brandi Carlile, and Jason Isbell. It will be screened at Montclair Film in Montclair, New Jersey on April 11. That screening will be followed by an evening of Prine songs, with Ted Leo, Laura Cantrell, Carolann Solebello, Lesley Mendelson, and Sam Robbins performing — and I'll be the emcee.

The "Then" part of April's "Sunday Supper: Now and Then" feature brings us to Eric Andersen, who was first brought to Greenwich Village by the great Tom Paxton. Andersen has since lived in New York, getting to know artists from Phil Ochs to Lou Reed. He lived in Woodstock between 1975 and 1983, then moved to Norway, and now resides in the Netherlands with his wife of twenty years, Inge Andersen.

Eric will be back at The Bitter End for a pair of concerts. On April 26, Eric joins one of Richard Barone's "Village Nights," including an onstage interview with journalist Anthony DeCurtis, followed by a live performance on April 27, highlighting 2025's Dance of Love and Death, Eric's first album of new songs since 2003, as well as older material. Steve Addabbo, who produced Dance of Love and Death, also joins Anderson.

Back in 2018 for "Sunday Supper" at WFUV, I had the privilege of recording Anderson with Addabbo and percussionist Cheryl Praschker for live versions of "Thirsty Boots" and "Blue River." (You can listen to that session in the player above.) At the age of 83, Anderson remains one of the great singer-songwriters — with equally great stories.