The Jayhawks
The Jayhawks artist page: interviews, features and/or performances archived at NPR Music
Studio Sessions


World Cafe
September 24, 2009
At the core of The Jayhawks' alt-country music is the combined talent of Gary Louris and Mark Olson. These guys seem to have it all: impeccable guitar lines, smooth harmonies and songwriting capabilities that rival just about any musician (or group of musicians) around.
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The pair first enjoyed popular and critical acclaim in the early '90s, when they crafted catchy alt-country songs with The Jayhawks. After a 10-year hiatus, Olson and Louris just reunited for Ready for the Flood, a mostly acoustic effort with an old-time bluegrass sound.
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As a founding member of The Jayhawks, Gary Louris co-wrote some of alt-country's finest albums with vocalist and guitarist Mark Olson. Louris strikes out on his own on Vagabonds, his first solo CD. Hear an interview and performance from WXPN.
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The Bryant Park Project
November 15, 2007
Before embarking on a solo career, Olson was a founding member of The Jayhawks. Since the band's demise in 1995, he's remained one of the most respected singer-songwriters in roots music. Hear Olson play songs from his most recent album, Salvation Blues.
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Weekend Edition Sunday
May 4, 2003
The Jayhawks were at the forefront of the modern "alt-country" sound. There first album, 1991's Hollywood Town Hall, is a favorite of music critics and a devoted fan base. Now the Jayhawks have a new album and a new passion for spreading the word. Hear full-length cuts from their live performance in NPR's Studio 4A.
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Interviews & Profiles


World Cafe
September 24, 2009
At the core of The Jayhawks' alt-country music is the combined talent of Gary Louris and Mark Olson. These guys seem to have it all: impeccable guitar lines, smooth harmonies and songwriting capabilities that rival just about any musician (or group of musicians) around.
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Weekend Edition Sunday
March 9, 2008
Long before the breakup of The Jayhawks, band co-founder Gary Louris dreamed about releasing a solo record. Louris cut Vagabonds with musicians culled from a weekly jam session in Los Angeles.
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Weekend Edition Sunday
July 9, 2006
The Jayhawks may have called it quits after two decades of pioneering alt-country music. But even as drummer and multi-dimensional musician Tim O'Reagan trots out a self-titled CD, he's joined by several Jayhawks alumni.
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Fresh Air from WHYY
July 10, 2003
Lead singer for the band the Jayhawks, Gary Louris. The Minneapolis band has seven albums to its credit — the latest is Rainy Day Music. The band is considered pioneers of the alternative-country movement, but have incorporated everything from pop to folk to rock and country. One reviewer in Rolling Stone writes of their new album, (it's) "all lilting vocals and gentle accoustic fireworks: The slow waltzing guitars and sweet, wrenching vocals of the mortality-obsessed 'Will I See You in Heaven' might seem melodramatic on any other record, but not here, because time rolling slowly away from us is the Jayhawks' main subject matter."
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Discover Songs


The pair first enjoyed popular and critical acclaim in the early '90s, when they crafted catchy alt-country songs with The Jayhawks. After a 10-year hiatus, Olson and Louris just reunited for Ready for the Flood, a mostly acoustic effort with an old-time bluegrass sound.
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All Songs Considered
December 23, 2003
The mail poured in from listeners telling us their picks for 2003's best CDs. There were a few ties and a number of albums we'd never heard of before. But in the end there were some clear winners. Below you'll find the ten most popular.
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