The Old Spruce Sessions

RECAP: 10 Sessions for 10 Years of The Old Spruce Sessions

Brian Carroll — Tue, 05 May 2026 13:01:22 +0000

Just a few short weeks from now will mark a decade since I moved from the suburbs of Boston, working an office 9-5 just outside of Central Square and moonlighting as a songwriter & sitting in with friends bands multiple nights a week. While running this publication from a much more centralized point, embedded IN the scene, as opposed to a quiet rural town of just over 1,000 people in Central Vermont.

In that time things have waxed and waned fairly dramatically for me with Red Line Roots. I have a love / obligatory relationship to it that sometimes isn’t great for my mental health or my own needs to feel accepted by people/artists/community. I get a sudden urge to churn out articles because a bunch of wonderful records are sent my way then I don’t feel the compulsion for months at a time to write about anything. To film anything. To shoot anything music related. But, I think I am coming to terms with that being completely acceptable and ok. This is what is it and what I (and Ken) have energy for and putting any sort of positivity into the universe is a good thing at the end of the day.

Anyway, a happy side effect of that big move to a little town was the birth of the Old Spruce Sessions. A catalyst that flung me head first into my present love and dedication to filmmaking in Vermont. Dovetailing my passion for music and supporting musicians with a newfound obsession for moving pictures and making films. Old Spruce itself has featured about 65 different artists/groups (and collabs with music fests and others sees another 30+ artists). To say I am lucky to have had the opportunity to work with so many incredible artists is a vast understatement Over the years, things also have been a rollercoaster of productivity (big thanks to COVID), but I am getting back into finding my vision and wanting to continue highlighting those hyper local artists here in VT and friends who are passing through. I have to thank this series in a big way for fostering relationships that saw two of my favorite projects of all time this past year (unrelated to OSS or Red Line) and gave me 4 extremely collaborative and fulfilling years shooting sessions at Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots, cementing relationships with some of my favorite artists and heroes (*see note about 2 projects from last year).

I don’t know what the “magic number” is for how many sessions keeps us relevant or feeds my soul. Honestly, it could be one a year, that simply creates that connection with an artist in making something together that I am so constantly on the hunt to find and nurture. I am always learning something new, finding my footing, finding “the look” and “the vibe”, but in the end, doing anything for a decade feels like some sort of accomplishment or commitment or something. Now I am rambling.

Anyway, I guess this is all to say that I am eternally grateful to any artist who has ever taken the time to sit and play tunes in from my lenses and microphones and before I get too emotionally cheesy, here are 10 Sessions from 10 Years of Old Spruce Sessions that have stuck with me and I feel give a good wide brushstroke of what this decade has been…

Connor Millican “Dreams I’m Living In” – This was the session that started it all. We had lived in our new VT home for literally a couple weeks, barely unpacked before our friend Connor and his bandmates in Wise Old Moon swung through to play at Light Club Lamp Shop and crash with us. Connor and I were up relatively early the next morning, while the rest of the gents still slumbered, and were chatting over a strong cup of coffee. Before I moved up to VT I had shot a couple of videos for friends back in Boston, but nothing too serious, so I said to Connor, “when do you think these guys will get up? Want to go out to the dilapidated sugar house in the woods and film a song or two?” Connor eagerly obliged and this is what shook out from our caffeinated adventure.

Dan Blakeslee “Bandit” Another very early session. Those who know Dan, love Dan and I feel no different. Dan was swinging through on his way to Burlington as he has done a few times over the year since and we were thinking about where to shoot…something unique and quirky and the sun beating down made me think of the necessity of a cool breeze. What screams cool breeze in the Vermont summer sun? Water. So we trekked over to our neighbor Fritz’s pond, launched a canoe and started to film…and subsequently continue to be pulled into the bank (which, hopefully doesn’t show too much on camera!).

Billy Strings “Cocaine Blues” – The reason why most people end up on the Youtube channel (it has over 6 million views now). We shot this little one off session just before Billy and the band exploded. They were playing the showcase lounge at Higher Ground and Billy and I spent a bit of time before the show talking about his childhood, about community and music and then I pulled out a camera and asked if he would play something impromptu for me. He obliged and this video has been seen by countless folks, tab has been made of the performance and it gave me a truly special intimate moment with one of the greatest musicians of my lifetime.

Joe K. Walsh & Danny Barnes “You’re Gonna Make Me Lonesome When You Go” at GMBR…Shot during the first year of Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots, this cemented a relationship for 4 years of the festival between myself and the GMBR fam. Those early days were so beautiful and exciting and this feeling of tight togetherness encapsulated moments that I will forever be grateful for and this moment was one of the many. Joe and Danny in a dimly lit room, sunlight piercing the one window between them and this gorgeous rendition of a classic. I have heard many versions of this song and this one may still be my absolute favorite.

Maya de Vitry “The Key” – Maya and the fellas swung by the house and I had the brilliant idea to head up the hill to a beautiful field I thought would be the perfect backdrop for filming…that was until the gnats came out as the sun drifted slightly lower in the sky, but it didn’t stop Maya, Ethan and Jason from performing this beautiful take on Maya’s tune “The Key” off her latest release (at the time) “Adaptations” . They truly get the award for the “most resilient Old Spruce Session artists”. True pros…grinning and singing through the gnats in the field, packed up and they then headed on their way to the next stop on tour.

The Stash Band “Kill Everything”– The Award for “Best Dressed”. I headed up to Waterbury to catch Stash and the band at Zenbarn (which was kind of new at the time?) and headed through a labyrinth, through a kitchen and a secret door (?) in an office to a stairway that brought me up to where the fellas were hanging before the show in an apartment connected to the venue. Then, I was greeted by these fellas. It was like something out of aDavid Lynch film. Beautifully strange. To witness Stash and the band in any capacity, well, you know. Its an experience and the full body spandex suits were something…plus the performance and show later on that evening, top notch energy.

Lula Wiles “I’m Over You” – I had long been a fan of anything that Isa, Ellie and Mali did and was ecstatic to catch up with them before they were performing at Feast and Field in Barnard, VT for their weekly farmer’s market towards the tail end of the summer (OK, it was beginning of October, but we still had sun and not much chill in the air yet). We met at the Fermentory across the dirt road from the market, up a hill and inside this beautifully resonant room as the mid-afternoon sun provided a halo of light across the three artists as they sung. If you look up the word “sublime” in the dictionary I am pretty sure there is a photo of these 3 singing next to it.

Eli West “The Hearth” – I fell in love with Eli’s voice and songwriting upon the first time listening and when he was passing through Montpelier (which turned from a duo to a solo gig) I had to meet up with him and shoot in this historical and sparse space at the Old Meeting House Church just outside of Montpelier up in the hills. Eli fished a piece of paper with scratch marks and lyrics written across it and started to play a new, not quite finished yet tune that struck the moment brilliantly. Large meeting house windows casting light across the pews and Eli, lonesome in the space, playing to the emptiness. Moments like this don’t happen often, so I cherish them so very much.

Jake Klar “Rosy” – Jake was an early guest and a “more than once” collaborator with us. Stopping by a handful of times in the early days of OSS. Jake has a swagger and a coolness to delivery and writing. Driving up a rutted out dirt road, hiked up a meadowy hillside and played his song “Rosy” as he looked out past the spiked tops of the pines to the rolling hills beyond here in Corinth, Vermont. I am so grateful for those early days and to work with artists like Jake with this project.

Courtney Hartman “Inside Outside” – Vibiest sound in any session? Courtney was up in Vermont playing a solo show in an old church in Thetford just two towns over from me. I hadn’t seen her in a couple years and reached out to see if she wanted to shot something…she said yes and so day of, we ventured up to the loft where the church organ is located, found a quiet corner and Courtney beautifully played a duo of tunes to the reverberating empty space. The natural room sound captured by two directional small diaphragm condensers and her brilliant performance filling the quiet with a jubilant and poignant sound ahead of her show. Just the two of us in a huge space, but tucked away into a corner as cars rushed by outside the windows and rain pattered down on the pavement.

The Old Spruce Sessions – Skip Gorman & Mark Burds “Texas Bells / Coyote Howl”

Brian Carroll — Tue, 06 Jan 2026 21:12:26 +0000

It was a serene and mild May afternoon and I hopped in the Subaru, swung West before heading South to pick up my old buddy Mark to spend a few hours with mando/fiddle maestro and cowboy song legend Skip Gorman.

Skip is a wealth of music history and knowledge of old time & bluegrass music, nearly forgotten tunes and a hell of a storyteller and as authentic as they come.

We arrived at his old farmstead, a home that elicits imagery of yolked draft horses plowing fields and swaying vast swaths of corn held in place by miles of stone walls. Settling into the living room, I hung a single Golden Age Audio R1 ST stereo ribbon mic and this one take of “Texas Bell / Coyote Howl” poured out. Skip is known for the effortless blending of medleys, this one finding its way onto his recording of “favorite, rare old fiddle tunes from the hills and prairies” released last May.

We ended the evening trading stories and instruments, playing obscure tunes where Skip taught the melody on the spot (and I tried to hang on as best as I could). But, the moments like this are the ones I treasure the most.

The Old Spruce Sessions : Courtney Hartman “Inside Outside”

Brian Carroll — Tue, 16 Dec 2025 12:04:46 +0000

It was a rainy Tuesday evening when I rolled up and over dirt roads between pavement arteries joining the small hamlets and towns around my home in rural Vermont. I arrived at the Thetford Hill Church as the patter of rain beginning to speckle my windshield. Grabbing armfuls of gear bags, microphone stands and tripods I walked up a few steps and into a space to be greeted by a few familiar faces and soon after me came Courtney Hartman with her instruments in tow. We said our quick hellos and hugs before she got to setting up for the main event that evening and I ventured up into the organ loft above. A steep stairwell opened to an alarmingly narrow pathway with shin height barriers between the floor and the 30 foot drop to the pews below…a cautious dance with my arms full found me in a small nook with a large south facing window streaming with the October sky’s tears.

You would think at this point I would not longer be amazed as I am by the beauty that I am charmed with witnessing in these fleeting intimate moments with artists. But, nonetheless I continue to be awestruck about the feelings that come up as I am spending these quiet moments with artists with such beautiful souls and command of their craft.

Courtney’s prowess as a brilliant guitar player intertwining with the ethereal essence of her voice. Each note dancing around the cavernous, airy space around us, tucked in our tiny corner of the larger hall. Hauntingly beautiful and poignant, yet so relaxed and comforting.

I feel forever fortunate to continue to capture these moments with artists and document a time and place in the region’s roots and folk musical history. It’s these moments I continue to seek, yearn for and be so incredibly grateful to witness.

Courtney’s new record ‘With You’ is out now and available for purchase on her website store. Go get it.

Old Spruce Sessions: Andrew Brozek Featuring Eli Smith “Missouri Borderlands” (Joe Newberry)

Brian Carroll — Wed, 10 Dec 2025 19:39:43 +0000

As so many passing instances have it, a friend introduced me to a new friend and then solid foundations for music ensue. So was the case with this month’s Artist of the Month, Andrew Brozek. My longtime luthier pal mentioned a young singer and picker he was especially impressed by who had dropped a guitar off for some work. One thing led to another and pretty soon cameras were in tow, mics were being hung and we were in that very luthiery shop all together.

Andrew Brozek has a calmness to his playing, but his style and craftsmanship for playing and singing is anything but lackadaisical. His figners seem to effortlessly glide across the fretboard and his voice lifts and falls like waves lapping against a beach. Peaceful but full of power.

This take on Joe Newberry’s puts that one full display. Enjoy!

Throwback Session – Patrick James “Dirty Old Bedbug Blues”

Brian Carroll — Wed, 19 Nov 2025 07:50:00 +0000

It was 8 years ago now. My wife and I had only been up in our new Green Mountain home for a year and buddy Patrick came to visit and open for my band backing the great Jim Rooney at our local coffeehouse series in town.

Patrick showed up with a drum machine and amps and all sorts of things as he was finding his new sound for his solo shows and had released his new record Tree of Life earlier that year. We decided to take things back to basics with just a Martin acoustic and his voice. And, in rural small town fashion, we found an old truck for him to plop down in front of and pick out this acoustic version of Dirty Old Bedbug Blues” from Tree of Life.

The hum of late summer was ever present in the atmosphere and after sampling a few guitars at a friend and bandmate’s luthiery shop, we say down and recorded this. Enjoy!

Patrick James is our November artist of the month. So, give him a follow on the old Instagram and check out his Bandcamp page to get his back catalogue or check out what’s next for this great songwriter.

Old Spruce Sessions: Andrew Brozek with Eli Smith “Shameful Use of Promise”

Brian Carroll — Fri, 14 Nov 2025 14:07:59 +0000

The time of year where leaves are still trying to cling to the trees and at the right time of day -while having to toss on an overcoat or barn jacket, where just a few hours ago you had on short sleeves- the sun is peeking through blinds and casting a jail bar pattern across the room. That’s when we stowed away to Corinth, Vermont luthier Dave Richard’s shop and filmed this one afternoon in Autumn.

A take on Montana songwriter Andrew Brozek‘s song “Shameful Use of Promise” off of his debut EP “Can’t You See I’m Happy?”. A collection that offers a raw and intimate take on six of Andrew’s original songs, presented as a well-recorded living room session. I was happy to try and capture one of those songs in a different, similarly raw and intimate way alongside his long time collaborator, mandolinist Eli Smith.

These are the moments I love to capture. Quiet moments, with jokes cracked between takes. Laughs and beautiful tunes shared without any sense of ego or agenda. Just documenting a moment in time with wonderful artists.

Six (and a half) Years of Spruce: The Old Spruce Sessions

Brian Carroll — Thu, 12 Jan 2023 17:24:42 +0000

Just over 6 and a half years ago I moved to a small town in Central Vermont. About a month after that a friend’s band came and crashed at our place between gigs in Boston and Burlington. We went out the night before to the gig at one of our (new) favorite venues, The Light Club Lamp Shop. We got up the next morning brewed a strong French Press of coffee. As we sat there catching up, the sun was peering through the hemlock and spruce outside in beautiful cascading rays and I said to my friend Connor “would you want to go out there and film something quick?” And, in that moment, The Old Spruce Sessions were born out of nothing.

What I pride myself on with the sessions (for better or worse) is its just me and some gear trying to capture a moment in time. The fleeting moment of a performance in a place that otherwise doesn’t see musical performances. Creating something unique with other creators. There isn’t a team of 5 camera operators and 2 audio engineers and a director, blah blah blah. Maybe its detrimental in the grand scheme of professionalism, but it allows these sessions to be fairly seamless and happen, well, pretty much anywhere from a green room before a gig to a canoe in the middle of a pond.

Things have changed in 6 years. Momentums and inspiration ebb and flow. I’ve refocused a little more on documentary film work. I’ve been lucky enough to film festival sessions for the three years of Green Mountain Bluegrass & Roots. Touring for artists came to a standstill for a good portion of the last 2+ years and visitors to our little piece of refuge here in the rolling valleys and woods slowed down. Still, I yearn for those times in some way and am nostalgic for coffee and pickin’ with friends after a gig the night before.

So, anyway, as 2022 has come to a close and 2023 is here, I am taking a look back at 6 (ish) years of sessions in strange places. I managed at picking out a handful of my favorites and the most unique to share with you all. While its incredibly hard to pick favorites like its hard to pick a favorite child, this is by no means an exhaustive list, here are 6 that are sticking with me in this moment.

Enjoy…and come make something with me soon.

Billy Strings “Cocaine Blues” (Let the Cocaine Be)” : Backstage in the green room at Higher Ground (Burlington, VT).

This is by far the most popular session on the channel (by a long shot). This was filmed right before Billy completely exploded. Jarrod Walker had just joined the band for this run and Billy Failing and Royal were already in the fold as members. Billy and I sat down in the green room for an interview and I asked if we could film something as well. He didn’t want to play something from the new record. Those tunes really were buttressed by the arrangements of the full band and pedals, so he opted for this take on a classic. The comments section is a pretty fun read ranging from “this is horrible camera operating” to “I like to watch this video when I am on shrooms….like right now”. To this day, Billy remains an incredibly kind and available artist to his fans and for that we will ever be appreciative.

Mile Twelve “Sunny Side of Town” : The Boiler Room at Mass Moca during Freshgrass Festival.

Just like with the Old Spruce Sessions, Mile Twelve and its members have undergone changes. Fiddler Brownyn Keith-Hynes is now part of ever popular and growing Molly Tuttle’s band. The core of Mile Twelve continues to grow in their own popularity, as well. Back during Freshgrass in 2016, I was wandering the grounds of Mass MoCa I stumbled upon “the boiler room”. With its rusted colors and snaking pipes running straight up to towering heights. It just seemed like a cool spot and the band was all about it. As we filmed a crowd began to develop, and grow, and then grow some more. At one point Evan Murphy joked “you guys liked that song? Well, here it is again” as we went for another take for B-roll…none of which was needed because the band nailed it in one take.

Laura Wolf “Circles” : An outbuilding / carriage barn in Corinth, Vermont

Certainly a first with loops and the need for a power source (or battery operated amp). Brooklyn based cellist, songwriter, guitar player Laura Wolf strolled on through Corinth on a stormy day and we braved the elements out into a field and sought shelter in an old tractor shed/horse carriage barn to film this episode of The Old Spruce Sessions. There was a natural blue-grey light to the day that just bled atmosphere and vibe.

Eli West “The Hearth” : Old Meeting House Church just outside of Montpelier, Vermont

There are just some people who you feel an immediate connection to and appreciation for their existence in the world. Eli West is one of those humans and artists. I met up with Eli before he was playing at an old meeting house up in the hills above Montpelier. There was a slight chill in the air. The heating hadn’t quite warmed the room he was performing in. Lined with pews and light casting its afternoon rays through the tall panes. Eli grabbed a sheet of paper from a case with verses scrawled on it. Some cross throughs of phrasings and lines on the page here and there. A tune in progress and a capturing of process. His gourd banjo echoing through the shadows of the empty room as he say there in the dim light and played. An absolute treasure to be able to capture.

Lily Henley “Duermite Mi Alma” : The Chandler Center for the Arts in Randolph, VT

I have been lucky to shoot a few sessions on the stage at the Chandler in Randolph. This particular one was during a rather special evening. The Vermont String Summit, where a selection of musicians, who all just happened to be friends, get together for a long weekend retreat, write songs, share songs and it culminated in this evening of songs and celebration. A beautiful tribute. Lily and I snuck away in the big room and her voice and light picked guitar rang out and filled the cavernous space in a deeply moving fashion. Playing for no one but the chairs in such a large space could feel cold and daunting, but Lily commanded that room and filled it with light.

Dan Blakeslee “The Bandit”: : A friend’s backyard pond here in Corinth, Vermont

Come on, it had to make the short list. One of the New England folk music communities most treasured artists, in a canoe on a pond in Vermont. There are a million things I would not do differently about this editing and shooting, but certainly not the fact that I got to spend a beautiful summer afternoon in a canoe with one of the most beautiful souls on the planet. It was one of the first sessions shot for the Old Spruce Sessions. Our old friend, Dan, was all about hopping on the water and pickin’…I think there was even a joke about using a guitar as a paddle at some point. We had a lot of fun trying to steer this thing around while the wind rustled the leaves and make it seem “natural”.

Thanks for watching…here’s to another 100 of theses things.

Elise Leavy (The Old Spruce Sessions)

Brian Carroll — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 13:27:07 +0000

Allison de Groot & Tatiana Hargreaves (GMBR presents OSS)

Brian Carroll — Thu, 14 Feb 2019 13:18:25 +0000

Prateek “Emma” (The Old Spruce Sessions)

Brian Carroll — Fri, 03 Aug 2018 13:03:58 +0000