Wayne Kirkpatrick transitioned from writing songs to writing musicals. His first, Something Rotten, became a Broadway hit nominated for ten Tony Awards, co-written with his brother Karey. Next came Mrs. Doubtfire, which played on Broadway before transferring to London's West End.

Along with his musicals, Wayne has earned a Grammy Song of the Year Award for Eric Clapton and Babyface's recording of "Change the World," and his songs have been recorded by over two hundred artists. We explore the mindset behind such lofty achievements and what has kept Wayne's creativity so vital and enduring.

From a Grammy Song of the Year to ten Tony Award nominations, Wayne Kirkpatrick embodies creativity.

A Hall of Fame songwriter with more than two hundred recorded songs — and a hit Broadway composer — Wayne’s résumé is long and deeply impressive.

In this episode, we look under the hood at what makes this lifelong creator so consistently inspired and productive. It’s clear that for Wayne, creativity isn’t just an occupation — it’s a way of life.

Todd Henry became a leading voice for creatives worldwide through bestselling books, a pioneering podcast, and talks to Fortune 500 companies. But first, he had to walk away from his dream of a music career in Nashville.

It takes courage to move on from a longstanding passion, to recognize that it might not be the best fit for your unique wiring. But there are usually indicators, as Todd points out, that lead to a better fitting dream, more aligned with who you are, with what lights you up.

Many people give up on creating a life fueled by curiosity and innate gifting, due to, as Todd says, a cul de sac. But cul de sacs are not dead ends, they're places to turn around and pursue unexplored possibilities.

Lolo is Logistics Manager for Post Malone's tour, her husband Dane plays lead guitar for Kane Brown. How do they make 18 years of marriage work with jobs that routinely create distance between them?

This episode is full of life hacks, marriage hacks, and insights into how two creative, enterprising people have learned to harmonize their passion for their work and their passion for each other; their dreams with the very real challenges of life on the road-apart from one another.

Lolo and Dane have found a way to endure time apart, and keep the center strong.

Nashville session players set the gold standard in musicianship, and bassist Tim Denbo is no exception.

In this episode, Tim unpacks the tools of his trade—from the Nashville Number System to classical notation—and reveals how he brings precision and artistry to every session, whether it's country, pop, or a Hollywood soundtrack. This is a deep dive into Nashville's elite recording world with a world-class musician who lives it every day.

Mo Tedder's co-songwriting sessions are not the norm. Her co-writers are trauma survivors.

Mo brings together her professional songwriting and therapy skills to write songs with people healing from trauma. Whether it's a room of two or fifty, she combines the insight of a therapist with the heart of a songwriter to give voice to her co-writers' life experiences. Will the songs win Grammys or top the charts? Maybe, maybe not. But the purpose and meaning behind these works of art are off the charts.

How many cellists can sight-read a Bach suite and invent a pop hook on the spot?

Matthew Nelson is that rare musician — classically trained, yet fluent in the Nashville number system. A go-to player for sessions and live work alike, he bridges notation and improvisation with ease. Whether you read dots or numbers, you’ll find deep insight and quiet mastery in this conversation.

Producer, engineer, and artist Michael Estok made the unconventional decision to leave Nashvil for a small town in Ohio, where he rebuilt not only his studio, but his life as a professional creative, as well as father and husband. The results have been impressive and life enriching.

The myth "I have to live in a music town to be a serious musician" has never been less true. Michael reveals how combining your strengths with your values can lead to new kinds of creative success.

Dr. Hector Qirko's life dismantles a persistent myth in music: that if you don't make all your income from music, you're not a real musician. The same could be said for most any creative pursuit.

Qirko does not consider himself a musical hobbyist or an amateur. A professional musician since his arrival in the United States decades ago, he has earned the respect of many in the roots, blues, and Americana world. From touring with Lonnie Brooks in the 1970s, to recording with RB Morris, to forming the Hector Qirko Band, and most recently to his Darwin Diego projects, Qirko has maintained a thriving musical career. He also worked with Lionel on the early TNN television series I-40 Paradise and Pickin' At The Paradise, where they recorded over 1,500 songs live.

Not only has Dr. Qirko's role as anthropology professor at the College of Charleston not diluted his musical creativity, it's actually enriched it. In this countercultural episode, it becomes clear that whatever being a professional musician entails, it does not hang on deriving an income from it. Fame and money may be the most common metrics associated with measuring creative success, but they are only two of many.

After navigating six record labels and the demanding tour circuit, singer/songwriter/entrepreneur Savannah Conley brings a battle-tested perspective to today's fractured music landscape.

Savannah Conley, singer/songwriter/entrepreneur, is reexamining what it means to be an artist in TikTok's bite-sized content economy.

Her experience with rigorous touring, being on six record labels, as well as patriarchal hierarchies and fractured revenue streams give her a vantage point yielding sharp insights into how streaming economics, social media algorithms, and industry consolidation are reshaping what it means to make a living as an artist.

• Off The Charts video version: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi-P8hoFrPjIIT-_myycOhauz9gRxVJMm

• Follow Savannah Conley on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/savannah.conley/p/CpdwA92OOIo/?img_index=1

• Listen to Off The Charts: https://feeds.captivate.fm/off-the-charts/

• Follow Lionel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lionelcartwright

• Follow Lionel on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LionelCartwrightMusic/

Grammy winner and Country Music Hall of Fame inductee Charlie McCoy is one of a small group of musicians that transformed Nashville from the home of the Grand Ole Opry to a global recording hub.

His genre transcending discography reads like a Who's Who of American popular music, including epic recordings with Roy Orbison, Johnny Cash, Bob Dylan, Paul Simon, George Jones and hundreds more.

But Charlie's story is more than a window into a golden era of recording. It underscores a passion for music making that transcends format, genre, and era.

In this episode of Off The Charts, session legend Charlie McCoy and Lionel Cartwright discuss Charlie's almost mythical career as a session musician. Charlie shares in depth experiences from legendary sessions, the importance of recognizing opportunities, retaining a love for music making in the long run.

Links (optional):

• All things Charlie: https://www.charliemccoy.com/
• Check out the Off The Charts video versions: http://bit.ly/4prSAWg
• Find more episodes at https://feeds.captivate.fm/off-the-charts
• Follow Lionel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lionelcartwright
• Follow Lionel on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LionelCartwrightMusic/

What if creative success isn’t just about fame or money? What myths keep us from fully embracing our creative potential?

Off The Charts explores these questions through conversations with artists, musicians, writers, and other creative voices — as well as reflections from host Lionel Cartwright, a lifelong recording artist, songwriter, composer, and music director.

By looking beyond metrics of popularity and sales, the show uncovers fresh perspectives on what a creative life can look like. Each episode is designed to encourage you to trust and engage your own creativity — wherever and however it’s expressed.

1. The "Blue Suede Shoes" tragedy and the car crash that changed history.
2. Carl's ability to laugh at career dips and industry trends.

• Follow Lionel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lionelcartwright

• Check out the video episodes of Off The Charts

They say never meet your heroes — and that may be true more often than not. But a surprise encounter I had with Stevie Wonder left a mark I’ve never forgotten. It didn’t happen in a glamorous setting, and I was just a 21-year-old musician with no claim to fame. Yet this musical icon imparted something that remains a check and a reminder to this day.

🔗 Links & Resources

• Follow Lionel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lionelcartwright

• Follow Lionel on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LionelCartwrightMusic/

📺 Watch the full playlist: https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi-P8hoFrPjIIT-_myycOhauz9gRxVJMm&si=uHXQSQjjjbS89ZPT

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Cellist Cara Fox and her recording-engineer husband, Jared, have built something rare in today’s music world—a true one-stop shop for artists who want the sound of a real string section on their records.

From their Nashville studio, Fox Den Strings arranges, records, and delivers living, breathing string parts for artists around the globe. Whether it’s pop, country, classical, or folk, Cara and Jared blend top-tier musicianship with expert engineering to make world-class strings accessible to creators from Nashville to Tokyo.

In this conversation, Cara—an in-demand cellist, mother, and partner—shares how she and Jared navigate their creative roles, their marriage, and the day-to-day realities of raising two young boys. It’s a thoughtful look at sustaining artistry and family, one project at a time.

Links & Resources

• Follow Fox Den Strings:

• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/foxdenstrings/

• Hear Fox Den Strings:

• Apple Music: https://music.apple.com/us/playlist/fox-den-strings/pl.u-NpXm9RmI9dRx5

• Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/54FyBjMQfAqlX4i98YDtNY?si=ffd05ccce83d48f0

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• Follow Lionel:

• Follow Lionel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lionelcartwright

• Follow Lionel on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LionelCartwrightMusic/

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📺 Watch the full playlist:

• https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi-P8hoFrPjIIT-_myycOhauz9gRxVJMm&si=uHXQSQjjjbS89ZPT

One Grammy Song of the Year, ten Tony Award nominations, and over two hundred recorded songs by artists we all know and love.

But underneath Songwriter Hall of Fame member Wayne Kirkpatrick’s impressive résumé is a mindset that’s a true masterclass in long-haul creativity. In this episode, Wayne gives us a peek under the hood at the values and habits that have kept his songwriter engine running for decades.

What’s especially compelling is how he deals with obstacles. Like water, Wayne finds ways to flow around what might stop other creatives in their tracks.

This re-release of Part One is the beginning of a rich, two-part conversation that feels like sitting in on a masterclass—not just in songwriting, but in the creative life itself.

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• Chapters

00:00 - Intro

02:06 - How did you get into music?

12:28 - 70’s singer songwriters

20:27 - Personal vs commercial

27:56 - Change The World

41:14 - How do you cowrite?

46:37 - Music or lyrics first?

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• Links & Resources

• Connect with Wayne Kirkpatrick:

• Connect with Wayne on Twitter: @TheJunkBunk

• Connect with Wayne on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/wayne.kirkpatrick.7

• Connect with Lionel Cartwright:

• Listen to Off The Charts: https://feeds.captivate.fm/off-the-ch...

• Follow Lionel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lionelcartwright

• Follow Lionel on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LionelCartwrightMusic/

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• Watch the full playlist: https://bit.ly/4ihSL3f

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• Support the Show

If you enjoyed this conversation, please like, comment, and subscribe for more episodes exploring what creative success really means.

Eric Fortaleza moved to Nashville from Sydney Australia. Instead of waiting for his big break, he built a live showcase for songwriters and musicians which has already become legendary.

Every Tuesday night at Analog in the Hutton Hotel, rising songwriters take the stage with the world-class Pitch Meeting band bringing their songs to life. It’s Nashville’s first real “songwriter pitch night,” where a songwriter’s vision meets some of the town’s finest musicianship.

Eric's story is a testament to a bias of action, a musician with an entrepreneurial bent who builds things rather than waiting for something to magically happen.

If you can't make Pitch Meeting live, follow Eric and check out the excerpts on all social media platforms listed below:

Instagram.com/soohungry

Instagram.com/pitchmeeting

facebook.com/EricFortalezaMusic

twitter.com/ericfortaleza

youtube.com/pitchmeeting

www.pitchmusic.org

Follow Lionel on Social Media:

Instagram.com/lionelcartwright

https://www.facebook.com/LionelCartwrightMusic/

This episode on YouTube:

https://youtu.be/8jUPClo5rkw

How do you turn a 70s novelty hit into a 40-year NPR legacy? Larry Groce is the ultimate "Serial Creator."

👇 Full Chapters & The Life Lesson Start Below! Click "Show More" 👇

From the Top 10 success of "Junk Food Junkie" to founding the institution that is Mountain Stage, Larry has navigated the music industry on his own terms. In this episode, we discuss why he walked away from the LA "hit machine" for West Virginia, and how he has sustained a creative fire for over 50 years.

⏱️ Chapters

00:00:00 - Start

00:01:44 - Inspiration and instinct

00:05:38 - Hit economy vs. DIY

00:11:14 - Mass appeal vs. unique voices

00:19:27 - Waiting to be discovered

00:26:21 - Creating Mountain Stage

00:33:14 - Being an organizer and an artist

00:40:27 - Marietta the Musical - One Vote

00:57:03 - Not getting discouraged

00:58:10 - Keeping the well from running dry

01:02:56 - West Virginia

#mountainstage #larrygroce

🔗 Links & Resources

All things Larry Groce: https://quarrierstreetrecords.com

• Follow Lionel on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lionelcartwright

• Follow Lionel on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LionelCartwrightMusic/

📺 Watch the full playlist:

https://youtube.com/playlist?list=PLi-P8hoFrPjIIT-_myycOhauz9gRxVJMm&si=bgErQdKYs5_OssuB