Explore every episode of the podcast The Working Songwriter

This episode was originally aired on June 29th, 2018

One of Nashville's favorite daughters, by way of Jacksonville Texas, discusses arriving for writing appointments with children in tow, finding song inspiration in everyday conversation, and dealing with the success of an international crossover hit.

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This episode originally aired on December 29th, 2017.  The Ohio native discusses her passion for classic country, capturing the vitality of live performance on a record, and her habit of constantly collecting material for writing.

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.

Our guest this week on the Working Songwriter originally hails from Virginia, but made his bones in the bustling hip-hop scene of Atlanta. Yung Lan began producing tracks on his laptop as a novice with no ties to the formal music business. Signing a modest publishing deal got him in the room with some hip hop luminaries, and he seized the opportunity. His first success came when one of his songs made it onto Fetty Wap's self-titled album, which went platinum. He has since gone on to work with Nicki Minaj, Lil Wayne, Kevin Gates, and many others.

Yung Lan's work on Morgan Wallen's song "Cowgirls" won him a BMI Country Award. All told, his songs placed with different artists have amassed over 6 billion streams and he's contributed to 30 albums with RIAA certifications. I got a chance to catch up with Yung Lan a few months back to hear about his musical journey so far.

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This episode originally aired November 29, 2019.

This native of Wildwood Florida is known for her critically acclaimed albums, her XM radio show, and her frequent appearances at the Grand Ole Opry. She breaks down the early years of her career and persevering through difficult times to make art.

This episode originally aired on August 31, 2018.

The Tulsa troubadour describes his transition from hardcore music to folk, how to put on a compelling live show solo, and staying inspired even when the creative process is painful.

Our guest this week on The Working Songwriter hails from The Woodlands, Texas. Hayes Carll is a singer, songwriter, and storyteller whose sharp wit and plainspoken poetry first broke through with his 2002 debut, 'Flowers & Liquor.' That was followed by 2008's 'Trouble in Mind,' which delivered the hit "She Left Me for Jesus" and cemented his place among the genre's most distinctive voices. Carll has toured with artists like Old Crow Medicine Show, Todd Snider, and Alison Krauss and his songs have been covered by Miranda Lambert, Lee Ann Womack, and Kenny Chesney. He's recorded for Lost Highway, Dualtone, and Thirty Tigers and he's performed on stages from Newport Folk Festival to Austin City Limits and the Grand Ole Opry.

'Rolling Stone' praises his work for its "razor-sharp wit and lived-in warmth," while NPR notes his "keen eye for the human condition wrapped in disarming charm." 'American Songwriter' calls him "one of Americana's most reliable truth-tellers."

Our show's most frequent guest pops by to discuss his latest album "We're Only Human" and finding a creative voice that's more true to himself.

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This episode originally aired on September 27, 2019.

The Nashville via New Jersey vocalist and songwriter discusses the turn of the century anti-folk scene in NYC, her major label debut being derailed by legendary producer Rick Rubin, and sobriety.

Our guest this week hails from Tobias, Nebraska, a town of about 100 people. Evan Bartels is a singer-songwriter who with his 2017 debut, 'The Devil, God & Me,' burst onto the national scene. More recently, Bartels has expanded his audience with the release of his EP, 'To Make You Cry,' recorded after relocating to Nashville and reflecting on a period of personal upheaval and renewal. 

Bartels has toured with American Aquarium, The White Buffalo, and John Moreland; he records for MCA/Universal; and he's performed at Mile of Music, AmericanaFest, and the C2C Festival. 'No Depression' calls him "a haunting new presence in Americana," while Americana Highways praises his "unvarnished, soul-bearing songwriting." 'Glide Magazine' notes his "ability to turn bruised experience into stark, resonant beauty." 

I caught up with Evan Bartels a few months ago for The Working Songwriter to hear about his musical journey so far.

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The Texas music icon passed away this week.  Ten years ago he was the inaugural guest of this podcast.  It was so gracious of him to sit down for a show that was just starting.  He was always generous with his time and attention to younger artists.  Another devastating loss for American music.  This episode originally aired on February 26, 2016.

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.

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.  

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.

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.

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 English musician was one of the defining voices of synth-pop throughout the 1980s and has built a remarkable career as a songwriter spanning four decades.

This prolific songwriter has fronted projects such as The Hush Sound, Gold Motel, and Springtime Carnivore.  She has just written a memoir entitled "The Lost Voice" published by Harper Collins, that explores her struggle after losing her singing voice to a health condition.

Originally hailing from the Pacific Northwest, this promising young songwriter played as a sideman in many other bands before stepping into the spotlight with his own records.  He's toured with Courtney Marie Andrews, Erin Rae, and many others.

Originally hailing from the Pacific Northwest, this promising young songwriter played as a sideman in many other bands before stepping into the spotlight with his own records.  He's toured with Courtney Marie Andrews, Erin Rae, and many others.

Derek Sanders is the creative force behind this highly influential emo band that has been blazing a trail in American music for the last two decades.

This up and coming songwriter has toured with Troye Sivan and Yungblud, along with recording for Warner Brothers and Fearless Records.

Adam Turla is the creative force behind this beloved band from Bloomington, IN who have been touring their distinctive blend of gothic Americana for over two decades.

This songwriter has been at the vanguard of indie rock for three decades, best known for his projects Cursive and The Good Life.

This Grammy award winning instrumentalist is considered the contemporary master of the dobro.  He's played with everyone from Ray Charles to Billy Strings over the course of his decades long career.

This journeyman songwriter has written for Hoottie & the Blowfish, Lee Brice, Josh Turner, Craig Morgan and many others.  He has stepped into the spotlight with an album of his own entitled "Cowboy Things".

Zack Fischmann is a musician who makes outsider folk music under the name Marmalade Mountain, but he has also built a music marketing consulting company that is supremely useful to independent artists.

This Grammy nominated singer-songwriter has worked with luminaries such as Jackson Browne, The Who and The Grateful Dead's Bob Weir, all the while maintaining her fruitful solo career.

This Grammy award winning producer, songwriter, and author joins the show to discuss his lengthy career that has included collaborations with The Civil Wars, Chris Cornell, and the Lone Bellow.

A weekend of intensive songwriting workshops, podcasts, and concerts at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, IL May 23-25, 2025.  Tickets available now.  Visit joepugmusic.com/tour for more details!

Josh Ostrander is the creative force behind this beloved indie rock band.  They've toured with Spoon, Muse, and Vance Joy.  And their tunes have racked up tens of millions of downloads on Spotify.

This native of Mississippi has written for Darius Rucker and Kane Brown, and toured with Carrie Underwood, Old Dominion and many others.  His songs have amassed nearly 300 million streams on Spotify and his latest single features country heavyweight Thomas Rhett.

This award winning South African songwriter has crafted an indelible career over decades with his bands All Night Radio and Big Sky, along with his acclaimed solo work.

Shara Nova is the creative force behind this hugely influential indie pop solo project.  She as worked with Sufjan Stevens, David Byrne, and Laurie Anderson.

This journeyman roots music artist has toured with Steve Earle, Adam Duritz and many others.  He's recorded for Universal Music and Vanguard Records.  And he's become one of the torch bearers for American songwriting over the last 25 years.

This group from Portland, Oregon tours the country with a novel blend of American roots music that features show-stopping vocal harmonies.

This legendary songwriter has toured with Lucinda Williams and Alejandro Escovedo, and collaborated with Warren Zevon.

This celebrated songwriter stops by the show to discuss her years touring with Dolly Parton, singing with Kenny Chesney, and releasing albums that were mainstays on country radio.

One of the founders of this legendary Austin band, Miles Zuniga, stops by the show to talk about their chart-topping hit songs, and the musical legacy that continues with their new album "Sonic Ranch".

Mike Harmeier is the leader of this beloved Texas country music band that's been traveling the country and releasing records for nearly 18 years.  They've appeared at ACL, Stagecoach, and the Grand Ole Opry.

The founder of this profoundly influential group talks about their early days in Los Angeles, touring with REM and U2, and his recently published memoir.

Diego Garcia is the guitar virtuoso and creative force behind this project that has toured the world, garnering acclaim and awards.

This artist is on the third decade of a career that his included collaborations with Indigo Girls, John Mayer, Gregg Allman, KT Tunstall, and many others.

This songwriter and multi-instrumentalist has toured with Regina Spektor, of Montreal, and many others.  He's recorded for Joyful Noise records and has built a largely grassroots following all over the globe.

Nicholas Carpenter is the creative force behind this band that hails from Alaska, which has toured with FINNEAS and Tyler Chiders, and recorded for Island Records.

This troubadour was a founding member of the legendary British folk group, Fairport Convention, and has gone on to have solo recording career that has spanned six decades.

This songwriter from Nebraska has toured with Ron Pope and Tallest Man on Earth, in addition to recording for Fantasy Records.