Nikki Lerner + The Music of Nowhere Else

John Thompson November 21, 2022

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We knew that Over The Rhine’s Nowhere Else Festival was going to be something special. We’ve heard about the meals, the music, the songs being sung under a big tent in their wide Ohio backyard. And yes, we grew up seeing Over The Rhine play show after breathtaking show under a similar tent at the Cornerstone Festival in West Central Illinois. We knew it would be great. But we were still not prepared for just how wonderful two days of understated, organic, family-style music could be. A steady drizzle of rain couldn’t come close to dampening the spirits on that rural farm, and on this episode of the podcast, we do our best to take you there.

One of the hallmarks of Nowhere Else is that Karin and Linford of Over The Rhine always assemble a treasure trove of talent to accompany them for their “musical family reunion.” This cast – often comprised of fellow Americana (and Americana-adjacent) artists they have met out on the road – play concerts, participate in writer rounds, and offer creative workshops and seminars. While some will usually be relatively familiar to fans of this kind of music – and at least one will have earned “legend” status – there will always be at least a few that are relative unknowns. Though she has been a regular at Nowhere Else in recent years, we were not familiar with soul / gospel / r&b artist and full-time “culture coach” Nikki Lerner until shortly before the festival. But after we attended her morning session, called “Finding Your Voice Through Improv,” we knew she needed to join us on the podcast. I’m sure you will find her just as brilliant, insightful, hilarious, and soulful as we have.

Vance Gilbert leading a songwriting workshop on the morning of Day 2 of the Nowhere Else Festival (2022)

And Bruce has loaded up the Jukebox with records from ALL of the artists on this year’s Nowhere Else lineup. In addition to Nikki, you’ll hear tunes from Iris Dement, Carrie Newcomer, Hayes Carll, The Winetree, Courtney Marie Andrews, Carolina Story, John Fullbright; Wille Tea Taylor, Ben Sollee, Vance Gilbert, and of course, Over the Rhine.

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For more info about the Nowhere Else Festival (or to order tickets for Sept ’23) go to http://www.nowhereelsefestival.com/

Nikki Lerner Song List

Opening segment

Phil Keaggy & Rex Paul – Full Circle (True Tunes podcast theme version)

Nowhere Medley 1: Over the Rhine – Meet Me At the Edge of the World; The Winetree – Bottle Rockets; Courtney Marie Andrews – Thinkin’ On You; Hayes Carll – I Got a Gig; John Fullbright – Social Skills; Wille Tea Taylor – National Treasure

Nowhere Medley 2: Iris DeMent – There’s a Whole Lotta Heaven; Carrie Newcomer – Writing a Better Story; Carolina Story – Rich Man; Ben Sollee & Daniel Martin – A Few More Miles; Vance Gilbert – God Bless Everyone; Nikki Lerner – Life Is Good

Nikki Lerner – Tell Me (Live)

Set One

Nikki Lerner – Song Stories clip; Seasons (Live at Rockwood Music Hall); Selah; Choir soundcheck from Nikki’s church; Will You Dance; Human Too (instrumental); Shine; Never Gets Old (Live); Can We Start Over (Instrumental & Vocal); I Rise; Strength (Instrumental); Life Is Good (Instrumental)

Set Two

Nikki Lerner – Welcome to the New (Live); “Multicultural Minute – The Art of the Greeting;” Nepali Folk Music – Kathmandu; Curious; Singing workshop clips from Nowhere Else; Solomon’s Song (Instrumental & Vocal); “Culture Coach – 9 Reasons Diversity Efforts Fail In Organizations;” Let Me Say Goodbye (Instrumental); Human Too (Vocal)

Jukebox

Linford Detweiler – I Said Something Yesterday That I Liked; Iris DeMent – Let the Mystery Be; John Prine & Iris DeMent – In Spite of Ourselves (Sessions at W. 54^th); Carrie Newcomer – Room at the Table (Live), I Will Sing a New Song; Carolina Story – You Who Makes the Storm Break, See You When I See You; Willie Tea Taylor – Knuckleball Prime, Hummingbird; The Winetree – Willie Nelson Cassette; Vance Gilbert – Another Great Day Above Ground, Pie and Whiskey, House of Pain, Zombie Pattycake, Twice Struck; John Fullbright – Somebody Else’s Name, The Liar; Ben Sollee – The Vanishing Point, Bible Belt (Live); Courtney Marie Andrews – It Must Be Someone Else’s Fault, Older Now; Hayes Carll – In Alcohol’s Defense, She Left Me For Jesus; Linford Detweiler – Sunday Evening; Over the Rhine – Trouble (Live); Blue Heron (Drunkard’s Prayer Barn concert), Sacred Ground (Drunkard’s Prayer Barn concert), Meet Me at the Edge of the World (Live)

Soapbox

Nikki Lerner – Life Is Good (Instrumental & Vocal)

Closing

Phil Keaggy & Rex Paul – Full Circle (True Tunes podcast theme version)

(Easter egg – Wille Tea Taylor – Damn Good Dog)