Loudon Wainwright III is a witty, engaging storyteller, whether acting or in his main gig as a singer/songwriter. Stephen Holden of the New York Times says Wainwright wrings more human truth out of his contradictions than any other songwriter of his generation.

Loudon enjoyed setting his songwriting aside to celebrate his favorites from the Great American Songbook on his new release, “I’d Rather Lead A Band,” an upbeat, swinging collaboration with Vince Giordano and the Nighthawks, whom he’s collaborated with previously on the soundtracks of Boardwalk Empire, The Aviator and other projects.

This was my first pandemic interview and as my good luck would have it, I discovered Loudon lives close to my home in Sag Harbor, NY across the water on Shelter Island. We recorded in his front yard at an appropriate social distance. At one point we were interrupted by his cats meowing away, but we carried on and finished up when a UPS man stepped into our conversation with a delivery.