This episode of Across The Margin : The Podcast features an interview with Erin Osmon, a music journalist, critic, author and public speaker whose work has appeared in the New York Times, Washington Post, The Guardian, Rolling Stone, Pitchfork, Billboard, No Depression, and numerous other print and digital publications. She is also a monthly contributor to Uncut magazine. Her first book, Jason Molina: Riding with the Ghost — the focus of this episode — was published in 2017 and named a Best Music Book of the year by Pitchfork. Her book about John Prine’s landmark debut album was published by Bloomsbury’s 33 1/3 series. In Jason Molina: Riding with the Ghost, Erin presents a detailed, human account of the Rust Belt–born musician Jason Molina — a visionary, prolific, and at times cantankerous singer-songwriter with an autodidactic style that captivated his devoted fans. It details Molina’s personal trials and triumphs and reveals for the first time the true story of his last months and works. Offering unfettered access to the mind and artistry of Molina through exclusive interviews with family, friends, and collaborators, the book also explores the Midwest music underground and the development of Bloomington, Indiana–based label Secretly Canadian. As the first authorized and detailed account of this prolific songwriter and self-mythologizer, Riding with the Ghost provides readers with unparalleled insight into Molina’s tormented life and the fascinating Midwest musical underground that birthed him. In this episode host Michael Shields and Erin Osmon discuss how Molina’s deep ties and affinity to the state that birthed him (Ohio) shaped his life and influenced his career. They explore Molina’s surprising and varied musical influences, the comparison to singer-songwriter Will Oldham which shadowed Molina throughout his career, the birth of the timeless classic album that is Magnolia Electric Co., and so much more.

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