No. 352 May/June 2025

On the Cover: Jason Isbell

AG senior editor Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers sits down with singer-songwriter Jason Isbell, who goes deep on the craft of songwriting and the making of Foxes in the Snow, his first fully solo acoustic record.

In other features, we profile five Rising Americana stars—Presley Haile, Kapali Long, Jobi Riccio, Presley Barker, and Lizzie No—who are honoring tradition while shaping new acoustic sounds; guitarist, educator, and author Arlen Roth, who reflects on a lifetime of making and teaching music; and blues guitarist/historian Sue Foley, whose recent release, One Guitar Woman, honors the women who helped shape guitar history.  

In the Lessons department, Jane Miller teaches some simple exercises to help connect your hands and mind before you play; Jeffrey Pepper Rodgers shows how to combine chords and melody to create more interesting accompaniment; Mimi Fox explores guitaristic ways to shape and reshape simple tunes; and Jontavious Willis leads a Weekly Workout that will expand your E-blues vocabulary. 

Songs to play include “Foxes in the Snow,” the lighthearted, hybrid-picked title track from Jason Isbell’s new album; a flatpicking arrangement of the popular and challenging traditional tune “Fisher’s Hornpipe”; a campfire-friendly version of Jimmie Rodgers’ “Waiting for a Train”; and Morgan Harris’ non-traditional reimagination of the haunting song “Chilly Winds.”

Plus, Mac Randall chats with acoustic amplification innovator Lloyd Baggs as his company,L.R. Baggs, marks 50 years and Baggs returns to his lutherie roots; Doug Young checks out the Baggs AEG-1 acoustic-electric guitar; Emile Menasché test drives MusicNomad’s pro-grade Precision Tools; AG’s resident gear expert, Martin Keith, underlines the importance of finding the right repairperson for your guitar; a review of Cameron Knowler’s dynamic new album CRK; and more!