How bird songs inspired Phil Cook's album 'Appalachia Borealis'

WBUR | By Here & Now Newsroom

Published December 3, 2025 at 12:02 PM EST

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Musician Phil Cook has collaborated with a diverse range of musicians and bands, including Waxahatchee, Jess Williamson, The Blind Boys of Alabama, Megafaun, and Bon Iver.

When he found himself living alone in the North Carolina woods, he returned to the piano, his first instrument, working through loss, grief, and the promise of new possibilities.

Here & Now‘s Scott Tong talks to Cook about the album and how a mockingbird’s song inspired it.

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This article was originally published on WBUR.org.