Explore every episode of the podcast The Working Songwriter

This legendary folk songwriter stops by the show to discuss her techniques for sculpting melody, structuring the bridge of a song, and navigating the ever-shifting sands of the music business.

This episode was originally aired on August 20th, 2021.

Our guest this week is one of the godfathers of modern roots and Americana music. Originally from Toledo, Ohio, Gary Louris moved to Minneapolis as a young man in the 1970s and immersed himself in a Twin Cities music scene that punched way above its weight culturally. His group, The Jayhawks, would release a string of critically acclaimed and nationally beloved albums.

One of Louris’s main gifts is his ability to contribute to the music of a wide array of artists, including Counting Crows, John Hiatt, Lucinda Williams, Roger McGuinn, The Wallflowers, The Black Crowes, Nickel Creek and a host of others. As a member of the Jayhawks he’s appeared on The Late Show with David Letterman and Late Night With Conan O'Brien. He’s recorded for what sounds like an anthology of record labels: Twin/Tone, American Recordings, Rykodisc, Lost Highway, Thirty Tigers, Rounder, Sony and New West Records. Over the years he’s appeared at Farm Aid, Stagecoach, Hardly Strictly Bluegrass, and Wilco’s Sky Blue Sky festival.

AllMusic calls him “one of the premiere songwriters of his generation.” The Bluegrass Situation, our host network, has written about him as a “musical Swiss Army knife.” Pitchfork has written that he and Mark Olson, his musical partner in the Jayhawks, “sang like they were born joined at the throat.”

It’s an immense honor to have Gary on the show. I got a chance to catch up with him a few weeks ago to hear about his musical journey so far.

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This episode originally aired on April 15th, 2022

This songwriter has spent the last few decades building a devoted following with Hot Water Music and also with his own solo project. He discusses getting his start in the 1990s Florida Hardcore scene, getting his legendary Revival Tour off the ground, and some of his creative practices.

Our guest this week is one of Chicago’s favorite sons. Eric D. Johnson is the songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist behind Fruit Bats, which started in the late 1990s as a four-track recording project before growing into a full touring band. Over the years, Johnson has been a member of The Shins and played with Califone and Vetiver. Besides Fruit Bats, Johnson is also one-third of Bonny Light Horseman alongside Anaïs Mitchell and Josh Kaufman.

Fruit Bats have toured with acts including Modest Mouse, The Shins, Iron & Wine, My Morning Jacket, Son Volt, Ray LaMontagne and Guster. Bonny Light Horseman’s debut album earned two Grammy nominations in 2020 for Best Folk Album and Best American Roots Performance ("Deep in Love"). NPR described Fruit Bats as “sweetly flavored folk-pop.” Pitchfork wrote that Johnson has “got a good ear for a classic melody.” And Relix called him “a veteran of the contemporary folk-rock world” with an “instantly recognizable voice.”

I got a chance to catch up with Eric about his journey since our last talk!

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This episode was originally aired on April 8th, 2022.

Fresh on the heels of his latest album hitting #1 on the UK Charts, this journeyman songwriter and performer stops by the show to discuss his beginnings in Hardcore music, many years of touring, and writing methods.

Our guest this week on the Working Songwriter hails from a small mountain town in California, but his music has now made it across the world. Jay Buchanan got his start in the early 2000s with a solo project before joining ranks with a rock band and forming Rival Sons. Since 2008, that group has built a remarkable fanbase and beloved discography.

Rival Sons have shared stages with an astonishing list of artists including Black Sabbath, the Rolling Stones, AC/DC, Guns N’ Roses, Queens of the Stone Age, Metallica, and Lenny Kravitz. They’ve appeared on 'The Late Late Show with James Corden,' 'Jimmy Kimmel Live!,' 'Later... with Jools Holland,' and France’s 'Le Grand Journal.'

The band earned two GRAMMY nominations in 2020 for Best Rock Album – for 'Feral Roots' – and Best Rock Performance for “Too Bad.” 'The Guardian' called Buchanan “a revelation” and “a mesmerising presence throughout.” 'Revolver' called him “an undeniable vocal force," and 'Classic Rock' praised his 2026 solo debut, 'Weapons of Beauty,' as “a remarkable journey through soul music, country rock, southern gothic and gospel.” I got a chance to catch up with Jay a few weeks ago to hear about that solo album and about the rest of his musical journey so far.

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This episode was originally aired on June 18th, 2021.

After many years in celebrated roots music groups such as Po' Girl, Birds of Chicago, and Our Native Daughters, this songwriter has released a critically acclaimed debut album under her own name.

Our guest this week is Cody Diekhoff, better known as Chicago Farmer.

He grew up in the small farming community of Delavan, Illinois, before moving to Chicago in 2003. Over the past two decades, he has built a devoted following through relentless touring, first as a solo performer and more recently with his band, the Fieldnotes.

Along the way, he has shared stages with Robert Earl Keen, Todd Snider, Greg Brown, the Wood Brothers, Elizabeth Cook, Wayne Hancock, Greensky Bluegrass, Del McCoury and Gene Ween.

His album Flyover Country was recorded with members of the Band of Heathens. and 2026’s Homeaid, his first full-length release in six years. Flyover Country 

Elmore Magazine says he has “the novelist’s gift of building a suspenseful story to a surprising conclusion.”

No Depression declared: “If the Midwest is looking for a voice, the search is over.”

And the Chicago Tribune praised him for “some of the better roots songwriting in Chicago today.”

Cody is a very very old friend of mine. We were both coming up in the Chicago folk music scene 20 years ago. He’s one of my favorite modern artists. And he should have been on this podcast many years ago by now. I got a chance to catch up with him on the phone a few weeks ago to hear about his journey so far.

This episode originally aired on November 5th, 2021.

John Flansburgh, one of the founding members of this groundbreaking indie-rock institution, stops by the show to talk about his creative process and how his band has navigated the music business for the last four decades.

Our guests this week are Gabe Dixon and Mike Mattison of the Tedeschi Trucks Band, the Grammy-winning roots ensemble led by Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks.

Formed in 2010, their debut album, Revelator, won the Grammy Award for Best Blues Album, and the group has since become one of the country’s premier live bands, selling out Madison Square Garden and playing more than twenty shows at Red Rocks.

Mike Mattison has been working with Derek Trucks for more than two decades. He joined the Derek Trucks Band as lead vocalist in the early 2000s and became a founding member of the Tedeschi Trucks Band. He is also one of the group’s principal lyricists and co-wrote one of its best-known songs, “Midnight in Harlem.”

Keyboardist, singer and songwriter Gabe Dixon joined the Tedeschi Trucks Band in 2019. Before that, he led the Gabe Dixon Band and built a solo career of his own. Within Tedeschi Trucks Band, Dixon has become a key songwriter, vocalist and instrumentalist.

The band has appeared on Austin City Limits, The Late Show with Stephen Colbert and Jimmy Kimmel Live

NPR called the band “a deeply skilled and spirited ensemble,” while Rolling Stone has praised its “freewheeling, soulful sound.”

I got a chance to catch up with Gabe and Mike to hear about their musical journeys so far.

This episode was originally published on March 5th, 2021.

The renowned troubadour from Louisiana found his commercial success in music later in life; he reflects on the journey that brought him to that peak.

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This week on The Working Songwriter, we're thrilled to step out of our normal comfort zone by welcoming one of the country's most acclaimed young novelists. Originally from Mount Vernon, Ohio, author Stephen Markley now makes his home in Los Angeles. He attended Miami University (of Ohio) for his undergraduate degree before being accepted into the prestigious Iowa Writers Workshop. 

Simon & Schuster published his debut novel, 'Ohio,' in 2018. The book was widely praised for its unflinching portrait of post-9/11 rust-belt America. Then, in 2023, he returned with the massively popular novel, 'The Deluge,' a work of ficiton about climate change that 'The New York Times' named as one of its notable books. 'The NYT Book Review' also said that, "'The Deluge 'shows the range of its author's gifts: polyphonic narration, silken sentences and elaborate world-building."

Of the same book none other than Stephen King said, "[It is] simply put a modern classic. If you read it you'll never forget it." He also named it as the favorite book he had read the year that he read it.

Markley also works as a screenwriter in LA as a member of the writers room for the Hulu comedy series 'Only Murders in the Building,' which stars Martin Short, Steve Martin, and Selena Gomez. 

What a thrill it is to welcome onto the show such a profoundly talented artist who falls outside our normal realm of expertise... I think there's a lot for songwriters to learn on this cross-discipline episode of the podcast.

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This episode originally aired on June 25th, 2021.

Chris Carrabba, the auteur behind this legendary emo band, discusses the twists and turns of a career that has included Gold records, MTV music awards, and truly devoted fanbase.

Our guest this week was born in Birmingham, Alabama, but, just like Davey Crockett, got to Texas as soon as he could. Dale Watson began his musical career playing the clubs of Houston before decamping to Austin and becoming a fixture in the live music capital of the world. The music machine in Nashville never fully embraced Watson’s traditionalist combination of Western swing, rockabilly, and country, but he’s built a devoted cult following the world over on his own. It’s a style of music that he calls “Ameripolitan.”

Watson has toured with all the greats: Merle Haggard, Johnny Cash, Willie Nelson, and Kris Kristofferson. He’s appeared on The Late Show with David Lettermen, Jimmy Kimmel Live!, and of course Austin City Limits. He’s performed at Stagecoach, Bristol Rhythm & Roots, and a host of other festivals.

He was a 2005 Austin Music Hall of Fame inductee and he was awarded the title of Texas State Musician in 2007. He founded the Ameripolitan Music Awards in 2014. The Austin Chronicle calls him their “local honky tonk hero” and Saving Country Music says that “Dale Watson is all about keeping the honky tonk traditions alive.”

I got a chance to catch up with Watson a few months ago to hear about his musical journey so far.

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This Greenville, South Carolina native is a Grammy-nominated troubadour known for his tireless touring schedule. Originally aired on December 18th, 2020.

Our guest on the Working Songwriter this week hails originally from Boston, Massachusetts and now makes his home in Toronto. Joe Pernice got his musical start, though, in Northampton, MA. At the time, it was a hot bed of indie music creativity. His band the Scud Mountain Boys built a loyal following in the 1990s with a string of critically acclaimed releases. He’s recorded for Sub Pop, One Little Indian, Team Love, and New West Records.

Over the years Pernice has collaborated with a variety of blue-chip songwriters such as Aimee Mann, Neko Case, Norman Blake (of Teenage Fanclub), Jimmy Webb, Rodney Crowell, and Jim White. He’s also a man of many talents; his novel It Feels So Good When I Stop was published by Penguin Books in 2009. NPR calls him “a workhorse of a songwriter who delivers hard truths with the softest of whispers.” Brooklyn Vegan declared, “Few songwriters today imbue frustration and anguish into the sweetest of melodies as Joe Pernice.”

I got a chance to catch up with him a few months ago to hear about his musical journey so far.

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This episode was originally aired on September 18th, 2020.

The celebrated singer and songwriter describes her initial ascent to the top of the charts with her debut album and how she has been able to string together many interesting chapters of her career.

Our guest this week on the Working Songwriter hails from Canada and has spent over four decades writing hit songs. Eddie Schwartz got his start as a solo artist, but has found great success writing for and with other artists. His song "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" was recorded by Pat Benatar and became a certified platinum crossover hit. He went on to pen songs for Donna Summer, the Doobie Brothers, the Pointer Sisters, and many others. 

As a former president of the Songwriters Association of Canada and North American and a president of the International Council of Music Creators, Schwartz has been a tireless advocate for songwriters. He's received multiple BMI, SOCAN, and JUNO Awards. In 2012, he was awarded the Order of Canada, one of the country's highest civilian honors. 

I got a chance to catch up with Mr. Schwartz a few months ago to hear about his musical journey so far. 

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The Kansas City bred songwriter tells the story of his journey toward his distinctive brand of indie rock.

This episode originally aired on October 9, 2020.

Our guest this week on the Working Songwriter hails from my neck of the woods, Washington, D.C. Mary Chapin Carpenter got her start in the proto-Americana music scene of 1970s and '80s D.C. She broke out of that local circuit with her signing to Columbia Records; her debut album went quadruple platinum.

She’s toured with Emmylou Harris, Shawn Colvin, and Rosanne Cash, she’s won five GRAMMY Awards, two CMA Awards, and two Academy of Country Music Awards. Her song, “Shut Up and Kiss Me,” went to the top of the country radio charts. Chapin Carpenter has appeared on the Late Night with David Letterman and Rolling Stone calls her "one of the most grounded, sentient songwriters of her generation." NPR has said that she’s “a singular voice in country and folk” and the New York Times praises her “intelligent, literate songwriting with emotional depth.”

Simply put, she’s an all-timer. I got a chance to catch up with her earlier this year and hear about her musical journey so far.

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This episode was originally aired on August 14th, 2020.

This troubadour based in Portland OR has carved out a national audience for his heartfelt, wry folk songs. He speaks about crafting his shows, keeping them fresh night to night, and recording albums in an unconventional way.

Our guest on the Working Songwriter this week hails from Augusta, Georgia, but has made his professional bones in Music City, USA. Charles Kelley was one of the founding members of Lady Antebellum – now known as Lady A – and is one of the group’s principal songwriters. Their crossover hit, “Need You Now,” became one of the defining songs of the 2010s.

Lady A have sold over 18 million albums, won 7 GRAMMY awards, and their songs have been streamed over 5 billion times. Along the way Charles has also released a pair of solo albums, including last year’s Songs for a New Moon. He’s recorded for Capitol Records Nashville and Big Machine and he’s toured with Luke Bryan, Tim McGraw, Keith Urban and many others. He’s also appeared on The Tonight Show and The Late Show with David Letterman.

Rolling Stone has said that Lady A’s “vocal harmonies helped redefine country radio in the 2010s” and Billboard calls them “one of Nashville’s most successful songwriting teams.” I got a chance to catch up with Charles a few months ago to hear about his musical journey so far.

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This episode originally aired on November 30th, 2018.

The acclaimed songwriter from Phoenix talks about touring as a backup musician, producing her own breakout album, and her love of the road.

Our guest this week on the Working Songwriter resides in Los Angeles, but spent many of his formative years in St. Louis, Missouri. Ricky Montgomery first built an audience on Vine in his early twenties before releasing his self-titled debut album in 2016. That bedroom pop album was a cult favorite until 2020, when several of its songs exploded on TikTok, leading to a deal with Warner Records.

Montgomery's singles, “Line Without a Hook” and “Mr. Loverman,” are RIAA-certified platinum and, all told, his catalog has collected more than a billion streams worldwide. That grassroots support has led to headlining tours with stops at the Wiltern in Los Angeles, Iriving Plaza in New York City, and the Pageant in St. Louis, to name just a few.

This interview was recorded nearly 18 months ago and has been delayed due to a snafu on my end, but I’m so glad we get to hear it now. I think you’ll very much enjoy hearing about Ricky’s musical journey through his own words.

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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.