Unabridged Interview: The Hillbilly Thomists

**Lee C. Camp** (0:02)
Hello, friends, Lee C. Camp here. You're listening to No Small Endeavor. This is our unabridged interview and recording session with The Hillbilly Thomists. It was a delightful time to have The Hillbilly Thomists. It's a bluegrass chart-topping band of Dominican friars. And it was a delight that morning in Nashville to see them pull up in a van and all climb out of the van in their habits and come on in and then be delighted about being in that particular studio where Will the Circle Be Unbroken was once recorded.
It was a lovely time. I've gotten to stay in touch with especially Father Thomas Joseph and just recently here had the opportunity to have dinner with him and an old friend of mine, Michael Sherwin, in Rome.
Lovely night, wandering around Rome, getting the Catholic friar commentary on Rome and having a delightful dinner and grateful for the good work that they do in the world. This was a wonderful interview and a great recording session. I love this music and I love their lyrics and I love the time we had together. Hope you enjoy it. Hey friends, Lee here. If you enjoy our conversations at the intersection of faith, purpose and living well, then I have the perfect podcast recommendation for you, With and For, hosted by Dr. Pam King. With and For's latest season brings together psychology and spiritual wisdom in a way that feels thoughtful, grounded, deeply human.
It's hosted by my friend Dr. Pam King, a developmental psychologist and ordained minister who offers practical guidance towards a life of thriving. I'd recommend starting with their episode featuring Parker J. Palmer, world-renowned writer, speaker, activist, Quaker elder, who focuses on issues in education, spirituality, and social change. A moving and instructive conversation. Can't recommend it enough. Also, check out With and For's special summer series of wisdom practices. Released each Monday, they're short exercises shared by guests that will become a toolkit for thriving. Consider them your experiment in becoming more fully alive. So go ahead, follow With and For hosted by Dr. Pam King wherever you're listening now.

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**Lee C. Camp** (3:07)
Somebody say a prayer for musicians or something.

**Thomas Joseph White** (3:10)
In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

**Lee C. Camp** (3:12)
Amen.

**Thomas Joseph White** (3:13)
Almighty God, we give you thanks to be in this great studio with these wonderful, kind people, in this place where, where the circle will be unbroken was recorded. And in the spirit of that, we ask you to bless us and bless our time together and give us grace and inspiration that the circle may be unbroken and that we may continue in that beautiful heritage of American folk music together. In the name of the Father, and the Son, and the Holy Spirit.

**Lee C. Camp** (3:37)
Amen. Amen. Thanks. Take us away.
The Hillbilly Thomas, welcome to Nashville. Thank you. Delightful to have you guys with us here. Great to be with you. Yeah, great to be here. So, Hillbilly Thomists, a band of friars of the Order of Preachers, Dominican's street name, I guess. Is Order of Preachers or Dominican's the street name for you guys?

**Timothy** (8:16)
Dominican's street name, yeah, but people on the street calls all kinds of names too. One time in New York City, there was a, I guess this was Father Peter's story, I'm standing from him, but people were whispering and they said, we were called nuns.
We could call you that. We're Dominican's nickname, but officially the order of preachers, yes.

**Lee C. Camp** (8:37)
So the, do you call your garb a habit? That's right. Yeah, okay. Which I guess got you the nuns, Monica.