Kathleen Edwards has been releasing records for over 20 years on labels such as Rounder and Dualtone, she is critically acclaimed by NPR, The New York Times, The New Yorker, and Rolling Stone, and has worked with Jason Isbell, Bon Iver, John Doe, Marren Morris. We talk to Kathleen about winning the lottery, quitting as an ego reset, why musicians are the bottom of the food chain, finishing on a positive, and a whole lot more.

UMAW (the United Musicians and Allied Workers) is a labor organization that 'Aims to organize music workers to fight for a more just music industry and to join with other workers in the struggle for a better society.' Their campaigns include Fair Pay at SXSW, #MyMerch (raising awareness of venues taking an unfair cut), Justice at Spotify, and probably most prominently, The Living Wage For Musicians Act sponsored by Rep Rashida Tlaib in the US Congress currently. We talk with a representative from UMAW - Damon Krukowski (a working musician, and a founder of late 80's indie rocker band Galaxie 500) about who UMAW is, what they are fighting for, and how we can all join the fight.

Chely Wright has sold over 1.5 million records with 90s country anthems like "Single White Female" and "Shut Up and Drive," she released her landmark autobiography, "Like Me" in 2010, becoming the first mainstream country star to come out, and forcing open conversations about LGBTQ identity, after a 10 year absence she returned to The Opry in 2019, released another book 'My Moment' in 2022, and has since pivoted to the corporate world where she is now an SVP. We talk with Chely about this pivot and giving ourselves permission to innovate, consulting your 90 year old self, Ellen's brutally honest advice on losing it all when Chely first came out, manifesting vs reality and a whole lot more.

Jim Keller started in the music industry as part of Tommy Tutone, writing the hit '867-5309/Jenny', then the bands career sank and he left performing, landing as an assistant and then manager for Phillip Glass, Nico Muhly, Ravi Shankar, and others, before 'retiring' and returning to making music by hosting jam sessions with members of The Black Crowes, Levon Helm's band, The Beach Boys, The Wallflowers, The Lumineers, and more. We talk to Jim about the realities of 'crashing and burning', the business and creative divide, the power of honesty, knowing your role, showing up, and a whole lot more.

Max Wanger is an LA-based photographer who has shot the likes of Taylor Swift, Mandy Moore, Blake Mills, Glen Hansard, Madison Cunningham and past guests of ours Lucius, The Watson Twins, and The Milk Carton Kids, as well as Conde Nast Traveler, Virgin Records, Vans, Nike and many many more. We talk to Max about listening to the lull, doing jobs that pay the bills while protecting play and soul in the work, imposter syndrome, admitting what you don’t know, and how vulnerability deepens community, the long arc of following what makes you happy, and so much more.

Raye Zaragoza has released 4+ records all independently, toured as Tigerlily in the Broadway touring version of Peter Pan (updated for indigenous representation by Native American playwright Larissa FastHorse), wrote the music for the Netflix series 'Spirit Rangers', and has placed songs in a substantial number of TV shows from Greys Anatomy to Station 19. We talk to Raye about the toxic hustle narrative in music and how to unlearn it, listening to your intuition vs. listening to the industry, decentralizing how you identify as an artist, running a successful and supportive Patreon community, and so much more.

Kris Delmhorst has released 12+ records independently and via Signature Sounds, has written/performed and recorded with Mary Gauthier, Lori McKenna, Grant Lee Phillips, Peter Wolf (lead singer of J. Geils Band), and more, is critically acclaimed by The Boston Globe, LA Times, Pop Matters, and all your favorite songwriters, and has written for tv & film, as well as countless festivals all over the world. We talk with Kris about creative cycles, retreating, and the necessity of disappearing to make real art, trusting your career through slow seasons, motherhood versus touring, sustaining a two-songwriter household, reframing art as a service rather than ego, and so much more.

Will Hoge has released 13+ albums both independently and on major labels (Atlantic), has been nominated for Grammy, ACM, and CMA awards, and has toured with NEEDTOBREATHE, Jason Isbell, Lisa Loeb, Sugarland, Michelle Branch and others. We talk to Will about the emotional and professional fallout of writing politically charged songs, the role of parenting in shaping artistic courage and empathy, the difference between surviving the industry and making meaningful art, burnout, staying human, and a whole lot more.

Malin Pettersen is a Norwegian singer-songwriter and Spellemannprisen winner (Norwegian Grammy), who has released multiple solo records as well as records with her band, Lucky Lips, has toured extensively throughout Europe and America, and has been acclaimed by Rolling Stone, Forbes, No Depression, Paste and even Iris Dement is a fan. We talk with Malin about the illusion of success, cultural duality between Norway and America, the Norwegian government's support for artists, embracing uncertainty, doubt, and struggle, and so much more.

Jillian Jacqueline has released 4+ records/EPs on both major and independent labels, she started performing at 8 years old, had a charting song at 12 (with Billy Dean and Suzie Bogguss), has worked with Vince Gill, Suzy Bogguss, Richard Marx, Keith Urban, and Shane McAnally, played the Grand Ole Opry, and toured all over the world. We talk to Jillian about redefining success, industry expectations, motherhood and artistry, maintaining integrity, building community, challenging your identity, and a whole lot more.

Flyte are the British duo of songwriters Will Taylor and Nicolas Hill, who started creating together in grade school before signing to a major label (Island Records), leaving that for indie labels (Nettwerk), working with producers such as Glyn Johns, and collaborating with the likes of The Staves, Laura Marling, and Madison Cunningham. We talk with them about a lot of the inner workings of their songwriting practice and approach to record making, classic British emotional repression, coping, creative confusion, commodification, and a whole lot more.

Lera Lynn has released 8+ records, written and recorded songs for True Detective (HBO) with T-Bone Burnett and Rosanne Cash (as well as being cast as a character), played Late Night with David Letterman, toured extensively nationally and internationally, and has been praised by NPR, Rolling Stone, Nylon, and other outlets. We go deep with Lera on learning and setting your own boundaries with yourself and with the industry, lived experiences with the impact and bias against women and mothers by the music industry, losing your sense of purpose and finding it again, enjoying yourself, and more.

Yancey Strickler is a writer and entrepreneur that co-founded Kickstarter (and was CEO for 3 years), Metalabel, The Creative Independent, and A-Corp (Artist Corporations). Essentially, each of these ventures exist to equip creative people with capabilities, knowledge, and tools that make them more powerful. We cover the different facets of this at length, especially his concept of, and push to create Artist Corporations, the systemic exploitation of artists, how DSPs trade convenience for meaning and depth, platform boycotts, "winning" in it's purest sense, and a whole lot more.

Josh Radnor is an actor, director, writer, singer/songwriter best known as Ted Mosby from the TV show 'How I Met Your Mother'. In addition to 9 seasons of the hit show, he has written and directed multiple films, appeared on Broadway, released multiple solo records of original music, and has a duo with Australian singer/songwriter Ben Lee. We talk to Josh about giving yourself permission to believe in yourself, checking your internal weather and seasons, ayahuasca, the complications and complexities of fame, undervaluing ease, and a whole lot more.

AJR are a multi-platinum trio of brothers who started busking in NYC in 2005, and have gone on to release 10 records/EPs (mostly independently, with only 1 major label release), rack up 8+ platinum singles (some multi) and 1 platinum record, nominations for Billboard, iHeartRadio, and American Music Awards, and tours selling out places such as Madison Square Garden and the Hollywood Bowl. We talk with Jack and Ryan about vulnerability as strength, being able to laugh at yourself, failing quickly and moving on, staying fresh and agile creatively, connecting on a human granular level, surviving the comment section, and a whole lot more.

Dave Hause's spans 30+ years, from Philly-based punk and hardcore bands (like Paint it Black and The Loved Ones) to his solo career, dozens of records and world-wide touring, and starting his own label with his brother called Blood Harmony Records. We talk with Dave about the blue collar work of a creative career, showing up and doing the work, the role and power of anticipation in a creative career, breathing, and a whole lot more.

Hayes Carll is a Grammy nominated songwriter from Texas, who has appeared on everything from The Tonight Show to Austin City Limits, is championed by The New York Times, Pitchfork and NPR, and has had his songs covered by Kenny Chesney, Lee Ann Womack, Brothers Osborne, Kelly Willis, and the Hard Working Americans. We talk with Hayes about morning routines and self-care on the road, breaking your audience's stereotypes of a former you, journaling, and divesting from outcomes.

Tami Neilson is a New Zealand-based artist who grew up in a family band, before releasing her own music independently - which has garnered acclaimed by Rolling Stone, No Depression, Mojo, and the Guardian, featured duets with Willie Nelson (and tours with him and Dylan), as well as a New Zealand Music Award for Producer of the Year (one of just 3 women to ever win the award, in any category). We have a wide-ranging, and deeply vulnerable conversation about brain injuries and health scares, the astounding resilience of artists, finding your champions, gate keepers, bucking stereotypes, and a whole lot more.

The Mammals (Ruth Ungar and Mike Merenda, who also have a project called Mike & Ruthy) are a band from the Woodstock area with deep roots in the folk scene and traditions of the area, have worked with Arlo Guthrie, and Pete Seeger (amongst others), are critically acclaimed by LA Times, No Depression, NPR, PopMatters, and run the roots music festival called The Hoot. We talk with them about gratitude for the ability to create art and music, having faith in the low moments, being links in the (musical) chain, square dancing, and a whole lot more.

Dan Reeder is a singer-songwriter and painter originally from Louisiana, who has lived in Germany for decades, released critically acclaimed records via John Prine's Oh Boy Records (as one of the first artists signed to the label, at almost 50 years old), and is somewhat of a cult folk-hero. Dan has toured very infrequently over his 20+ year music career, and we talk about why and his feelings about the concept of touring in general, his approach to staying creative musically and in his visual art, the connections he sees between painting and recording songs, we get an inside look at synths that he is currently building, and a whole lot more.