S8:6 EP113: Not A Hillbilly Nihilist; A Hillbilly Thomist: Interview with Fr. Justin Bolger, O.P.

The Hillbilly Thomists are a band of friars of the Order of Preachers (Dominicans). After playing music together for several years, they released their debut album (The Hillbilly Thomists) in 2017, which reached #3 on the Billboard bluegrass chart and mostly consisted in bluegrass standards and Americana favorites.

Since then, the friars in the band have been doing what Dominican friars do: contemplating, studying, and preaching. Their most recent album, Marigold, released in July 2024.

Katie was joined on the podcast by band member, Fr. Justin Bolger O.P. Fr. Justin hails from a family of seven and grew up in Maryland. He studied business at the University of Baltimore and earned a Masters in Philosophical Studies from Mt. St. Mary’s University in Emmitsburg, MD. He was also a singer/songwriter and recording artist with his sister Margaret. He is now the Associate Chaplain of the University for the Catholic Community at Brown University.

Katie had such a great time talking to Fr. Justin. He is very gracious, funny, introspective, and clearly has a true love for the music he is playing. We hear about some of the background behind some favorite Thomist tunes and what it’s like for the brothers to all play together. We also discuss the many deep, compelling themes to be found in traditional music and how their band offers the culture a serious, but joyful, contemplation both of the Last Things and the True things. Thanks so much to Fr. Justin for coming on.

Go check out their music, and see them on tour if you can!

Visit: https://www.hillbillythomists.com/

Stream The Hillbilly Thomists on Spotify, iTunes, wherever you download your music.

Upcoming shows: https://www.hillbillythomists.com/tour

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