Over the course of his 30-year career and countless number of performances, singer/songwriter Robert Earl Keen has grown accustomed to standing onstage behind the mic. On April 30, Robert Earl will finally get to sit behind the mic as the host of the new project, Americana Podcast: The 51st State.

The new podcast is dedicated to sharing and expanding the roots, reach and definition of the Americana genre. Each episode is told from the point of view of the artists who have dedicated their lives to Americana music.

“Our mission is reflected in the title,” says Robert Earl. “We want to define and expand the Americana music genre. Let’s unify the musical styles of folk, blues, bluegrass, country, string band, garage band rock into a powerful collectible under the same umbrella. Let’s make Americana, as Shakespeare said, ‘familiar in his mouth as household words.’ That is our mission. That is our goal.”

Scheduled to premiere on April 30, the first season will kick off with two episodes featuring guests Jamestown Revival and Lucero. The first season of the show will profile six artists, with new episodes releasing each month.