
Fiddler Patrick McGonigle and music journalist Emma John uncover bluegrass music one iconic record at a time in The Breakdown, a new limited series from The Bluegrass Situation. Peeling back the layers of a sometimes under appreciated genre, The Breakdown reveals the bizarre, compelling, and often completely mad stories from bluegrass players past and present.
| Publishes | Weekly | Episodes | 14 | Founded | 7 years ago |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Categories | MusicMusic CommentaryMusic History | ||||

In lieu of new episodes of The Breakdown, co-host Emma John introduces an episode of "Toy Heart", the most in-depth podcast about the origins of bluegrass ever created.
Hosted by CBC radio host Tom Power ("q") and distributed by BGS (The Bluegrass Si... more
The Seldom Scene's classic 1975 release "Live at the Cellar Door" is featured, and if ever there was a party of a bluegrass album, "Live at the Cellar Door" is it.
Patrick and Emma talk to original band members Tom Gray and Ben Eldridge to find out ... more
It's the movie that brought bluegrass to a new generation, and sent dozens of musical careers into the stratosphere. This week, Patrick and Emma dissect the soundtrack to O Brother Where Art Thou, with a little help from their friends Chris Thomas Ki... more
It's high, it's lonesome – it's The High Lonesome Sound. Unpacking Bill Monroe's bluegrass legacy through this 1966 compilation of Decca recordings is no small task – so Patrick and Emma have enlisted some high-profile help, including the legendary S... more
It was the album that nearly broke them – but instead, it made them. If you weren't in love with Alison Krauss and Union Station by the end of their third album, So Long So Wrong, you needed to check your pulse. Patrick and Emma find out the stressfu... more
Season 2 of The Breakdown Podcast continues with an in-depth exploration of Jim & Jesse's 1975 live album "The Jim & Jesse Show."
Bluegrass and Japan are like peanut butter & jelly – it might not seem the most obvious match up, but boy, does it work... more
Season 2 of The Breakdown Podcast has arrived! Fiddler Patrick McGonigle and music journalist Emma John uncover bluegrass music one iconic record at a time, premiering with an in-depth exploration of Dolly Parton's Grammy Award-winning Bluegrass albu... more
It’s a festively boozy week on The Breakdown – Emma’s been at the drinks cabinet and so, it seems, have the Punch Brothers. Is their wild and woozy Antifogmatic even a bluegrass record? We join Noam, Gabe and Critter in London to find the answer – th... more
I love the podcast and sorry it ended. It would be great if it could come back in some form.
I Love this series! I want more episodes! There are so many more albums you could do! Old and in the Way, a New Grass Revival album or two, The Bluegrass Album Band come to mind. PLEASE, make more! I’m dyin’!
Love the podcast
It’s a talk show ABOUT bluegrass recordings. They do a good job but if you don’t know the album you won’t have a clue. I disagree with something they say almost every episode. So now I listen for that😀. Keep going.
Very interesting, two knowledgable and witty two people talking about great music, love it!
I have so enjoyed this podcast! It's a wonderful window into some highly influential records that influenced the whole genre. I love the depth with which they dive into the recordings, making sure to touch on every track, and the insights that you get from the interviews with the performers is just amazing. So glad to've found this and can't wait to hear more and more!
I’ve listened to all of the podcasts and learned something new on each one.
My major complaint as echoed by other reviewers is with the recording levels. I can barely hear Emma, except for the Punch Brothers where she’s had some cocktails prior to recording.
Fix that and it’s perfect.
Thanks Jerry Douglas for the recommendation!
Who would have thought a Brit and a Canadian could create such an entertaining and informative insight into this great music genre! It’s a fantastic way in for people like me who enjoy bluegrass but don’t know where to start, lots of great chat, knowledge and interviews, really easy to listen to, Emma’s brine and Patrick’s hog-fat have created a ‘salty dog’ gem of a podcast! Sub. Scribed.
This is a great podcast for someone who is new to the nuances of bluegrass music. There are some very meaningful and in-depth conversations about some of the genre’s most influential albums. The only reason I’m not giving it 5 stars is because the audio mixing leaves something to be desired. It seems to me that the music clips are mixed much louder than the speaking, which can be annoying sometimes. As far as content is concerned, I love it and can’t wait for the next season!
Fantastic and informative podcast, ideal for people new to bluegrass and seasoned bluegrass fans alike. Lots of cool tid-bits from the artists themselves and really well researched historic context!
From a novice in bluegrass: an intro in conversational style that opens the door to an otherwise impenetrable genre of music for a Brit
Great podcast, love bluegrass music and I'm learning lots of new facts and stories about the history. Really good selection of albums and artists with good interviews! Subscribed
As a lifelong bluegrass lover, I was thrilled when I heard about the concept of this podcast. After listening to the first two episodes, I was extremely blown away! What Emma and Patrick have done is remarkable. Not only do they go in depth when talking about these records, but they’ve actually taken the time to interview people that were directly involved or connected so we can get their perspectives as well. Although I’ve heard most of the albums they’ve talked about thus far, I’ve always come... more
The interviews were fantastic in this episode. Thank you!
This is a great podcast, it has tons of interesting facts about each album, and historical and cultural analysis as well. Also interviews! Looking forward to more episodes.
How this podcast ranks in the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and YouTube charts.
Apple Podcasts | #105 |








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The Breakdown launched 7 years ago and published 14 episodes to date. You can find more information about this podcast including rankings, audience demographics and engagement in our podcast database.
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