Explore every episode of the podcast The Working Songwriter

Our guest today on the Working Songwriter hails from Oklahoma and is a foundational contributor to the uniquely American genre of Red Dirt music. Jason Boland released his first album, 'Pearl Snaps,' in 1998 and has been on the road ever since. Nightclub by nightclub, fan by fan, he's built a devoted national audience.

He's toured with Turnpike Troubadours, Cross Canadian Ragweed, Reckless Kelly, and a host of others. He's recorded for Thirty Tigers and Top Hat Records. He's appeared at Stagecoach, Luck Reunion, and the MusicFest at Steamboat. 'Texas Monthly' called him "equal parts poet, rebel, and road warrior" and 'Rolling Stone' declared his sound "unpolished, unsparing, and deeply human."

I got a chance a while back to catch up with Jason and hear about his musical journey so far.

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This episode originally aired on April 28th, 2017.  Erika Wennerstrom, the creative force behind Heartless Bastards, discusses growing up in Dayton Ohio, signing to Fat Possum Records, and her techniques for bringing a song to life.

This legendary British songwriter and producer went multi-platinum with his band Eurythmics before embarking on a career that has included collaborations with Bob Dylan, Mick Jagger, Tom Petty, and many others.

Listen to the first song of the new Joe Pug album.

Providence Rhode Island's greatest gift to rock and roll joins the show to discuss their years on the road and their knack for collaborating with one another over the course of years.

This musical project is the brainchild of musician Joe Bagale, who has built a sizeable following for his music via the pathway of the royalty free library on Youtube.

This native of the PNW has won the Telluride Troubadour award for songwriting and the prestigious Kerrville Folk Fest "New Folk" award.  She's been composing and recording critically acclaimed folk records for the last decade.

This Akron OH native got his start busking the streets of Europe before moving to Los Angeles and scoring his first record deal.  He's carved out a career as one of Americana's most beloved journeyman songwriters.

After starring in hit musicals like "Spring Awakening" and "American Idiot", this multi-faceted performer has struck out on a career as a singer-songwriter.

This peripatetic songwriter has collaborated with Rhett Miller, Gary Louris, Matthew sweet and many others, all while keeping her own artistic career rolling.

Wes Bayliss, one of the co-founders of this Nashville southern rock juggernaut, stops by the show to talk about the band's genesis and the loss of their co-founder Jason "Rowdy" Cope.

This duo from New England has been releasing anthemic and rousing folk music for over a decade.

Julia Steiner, the creative force behind this exciting young indie rock band, stops by the show to discuss the band's origins and their latest album.

The Bard of East Nashville passed away last week at the age of 59.  We are re-airing his episode of the podcast which was originally published in March of 2020.  

One of the founding members of this indelible American jam band stops by the show to discuss his early years, recording with Steve Berlin, and writing with a group.

The legendary troubadour who fronted bands like the Nerves and the Plimsouls, talks about his five decade career as a Grammy nominated singer-songwriter. 

Zack Feinberg, one of the creative forces behind this platinum selling rock band, stops by the show to talk creative process.

This blues guitarist from Kansas City is also an ace songwriter and performer.

This talented songwriter signed to Geffen Records as a senior in high school, and has headlined Red Rocks.

This native of Greece has been blazing his own path in American music after an auspicious meeting the soul music star Leon Bridges.

This homegrown Nashville artists has written for Morgan Wallen and Thomas Rhett, and now has a Gold Record of his own.

This artist has written songs for Amy Grant and the Pointer Sisters and has also worked as a session singer for Jewel and Freedy Johnston.

This Grammy nominated and chart-topping artist from Breaux Bridge, LA stops by the show to recall his ascent in music and entertainment.

The former member of Styx and writer of hits for Patty Smyth, Don Henley and Randy Travis stops by the show.

This singer songwriter grew up playing in a family band in Canada before moving to New Zealand and beginning a career of her own.  She has since shared the stage with Willie Nelson and Emmy Lou Harris, and built an audience all over the globe.

The lead guitarist and one of the contributing songwriters to this iconic heavy metal band stops by the show to discuss his time in the studio and on the road with the group.

This Canadian born troubadour has seen platinum success, toured with Shania Twain, and has hosted "Canada's Got Talent".

The Texas troubadour returns to our show to opine on owning a nightclub, running a studio, and producing his latest album "Yesterday's News" in Fort Worth.

This standard bearer of Nashville's music row stops by the show to discuss his many decades in songwriting, including writing hits for Elvis, Trisha Yearwood, Reba McEntire, and many others.

This troubadour and proud native of West Virginia stops by the show to talk about his rise to national prominence, balancing family and artistic obligations, and leaving one dream to pursue another.

This songwriting supergroup is composed of Sean McConnell, Garrison Starr, and the producer Peter Groenwald.

Dallas Green, the creative mastermind behind this platinum selling Canadian band, stops by the show to discuss his musical upbringing and his creative process.

Formerly of The Curse and The Loved Ones, this prolific songwriter who now helms his own eponymous project returns to the show to discuss his new album.

This young songwriter from Pennsylvania has toured with the likes of Mavis Staples, Gladys Knight, the Brothers Osborne and many others.  He stops by the show to talk about his musical journey so far.

This living legend of American music stops by the show to discuss three decades of inspired singing and songwriting.

This songwriter rose to prominence with the viral success of his single, "A Drop in the Ocean", and has navigated a flourishing career for the past two decades.

Stepping out into the spotlight after years on the road with his brother's band, Tim Hause stops by the show to discuss his new eponymous project

These modern rock stalwarts have sold over ten million records and find themselves regularly at the top of Billboard's rock charts.

This Pennsylvania native has written for Dierks Bentley and played in concert with Willie Nelson.  He stops by the show to discuss his unlikely path into the center of the modern music business.

This folk group led by two sisters has consistently blazed a trail for independent musicians over the last two decades.

The Memphis-based troubadour stops by the show to talk about his early inspiration and his years on the road.

The psychedelic songsmith, whose music has inspired the likes of REM and the Replacements, stops by the show to discuss his five decades in music.

This songsmith has 12 one hits to his name, along with 2 billion Spotify streams and counting.  

This folk supergroup is composed of Anais Mitchell (Hadestown), Eric D. Johnson (Fruit Bats), and Josh Kaufman (The National, Bob Weir, Josh Ritter).

The troubadour from Flint, Texas stops by the show to talk about his years on the road and in the writing room. 

Dave Simonett, the principal singer and songwriter with this hard-charging and lyrically precise bluegrass band, discusses their latest album which was produced by Jeff Tweedy of Wilco.

The musical partnership of Glen Hansard and Marketa Irglova has captivated worldwide audiences, even earning them an Academy Award in 2007 for the song "Falling Slowly".

This legendary songwriter has been penned hits for Pat Benatar, Tina Turner, Aerosmith, Rod Stewart, Heart, Bon Jovi and many others.

This American folk supergroup is composed of Drew Holcomb and the married duo behind Johnnyswim.

The lead singer and songwriter for Bumpin' Uglies, a lyrically focused reggae band from Maryland, stops by the show to discuss how he built his band into nationally touring success.