So great to see Drew's post about this!! I came across this video yesterday, quite unexpectedly, while listening to a YouTube thing of Willis Alan Ramsey singing "Goodbye Old Missoula." What a find! I was captivated. I've always loved listening to Shelby Foote, and this interview was exceptional.
I've read his biography and most of his novels, as well as two of the shorter volumes (Vicksburg and Gettysburg) of CW history taken from his longer works. In this interview I was struck in particular by his description of his writing process--by hand, with a dip pen, no rewriting or editing since he was able to compose slowly and methodically--as well as what he had to say about the Great Compromise that (then, when he was speaking about it in the 1990s) allowed Northerners and Southerners to respect and care for each other. Things have changed. As he foresaw, violating the Compromise only stirred up bitterness and hatred.
Nice post, Drew!