Your World of Creativity – Details, episodes & analysis

Welcome to a special episode of Your World of Creativity! This week, we’re bringing you a New Country Music Sampler featuring a selection of fresh tracks released over the summer from some incredibly talented independent singer-songwriters.

Summer can be a busy time, and it’s easy to miss new music. That’s why we’re thrilled to showcase these artists and their creative work, offering you a chance to discover some great songs that might have flown under your radar.

Featured Songs and Artists:

1.    Robert Ross, Canadian/Australian Country Chart-Topper, released “Mamma’s Song” on July 26. It’s from his upcoming sophomore album, “Better With Time.” We also feature a song from his debut album, “For You Girl.”

2.    Ohio Country Music Hall of Famer Richard Lynch released his highly anticipated new album, “Pulling Up the Covers,” on July 26. This collection is not just a covers album; it is a heartfelt journey through the songs that have defined country music and shaped Lynch’s own life and career. We feature Richard’s cover of the Barry Gibb-penned, Conway Twitty country hit, “Rest Your Love on Me.”

3.    Acclaimed songwriter and musician, Tim Tye and his project, Midnight Sky, released of the highly anticipated lyric video for their latest single, “Every Now and Then.” Following the success of their two Top 10 UK iTunes Country hits and two more Top 25 singles, Midnight Sky continues to captivate audiences with their unique blend of country and Americana.

4.    Eddy Mann, the acclaimed Christian folk rock music artist, released his latest single, “I’m Coming,” from his album, “Turn Up the Divine,” on June 7. This powerful new single underscores the themes of divine presence and unwavering faith, offering comfort and inspiration to listeners worldwide.

5.    Here's the new single from chart-topping, award-winning singer-songwriter, Jeremy Parsons. His innovative productions have won him critical acclaim and a place among today's most unique and exciting new country artists.

6.    Cliff & Susan, the dynamic married country music duo, released of their rendition of Van Morrison’s timeless classic, “Into the Mystic” on all major streaming platforms July 5. The song was recorded at the legendary FAME Recording Studios in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Their version captures the soulful essence of the original while injecting it with their signature country flair.

7.    Erin Enderlin is a force in the country music world, known for her storytelling and vocal prowess. Her accolades include multiple albums, performances at the Grand Ole Opry, and numerous awards from the ACMAs. Her recent songwriting credits include cuts by Willie Nelson and Trisha Yearwood. 

8.    Country artist Lady Redneck, known for her high-energy performances and fun, tongue-in-cheek songs, released her latest single on June 7 -- a cover of The Police’s iconic hit, “Every Breath You Take.”

Bonus Track

9. Renowned for his profound musical prowess and heartfelt melodies, Michael Zuzek is thrilled to release his new single, "Graystone," June 21. This track promises to be a captivating addition to the pop-rock genre, merging nostalgic influences with a fresh and invigorating sound. The track is from his upcoming 2024 album release, “Everest,” encapsulating the essence of the 60s and 70s while infusing it with contemporary vibrancy.

Special thanks to the artists for allowing us to share their music, and to their management for supporting our creative community, especially Michael at MTS Management Group.

We appreciate you for tuning in to Your World of Creativity! We hope you enjoy these fantastic new country tracks as much as we do. Be sure to follow and support these...

In this episode of Your World of Creativity, we dive into the minds behind the new book *Assembling Tomorrow: A Guide to Designing a Thriving Future*, co-authored by Scott Doorley and Carissa Carter, with illustrations by Armando Veve.

Scott and Armando discuss the collaborative process behind the book, which blends fiction, essays, and stunning visuals to address the role of design in an ever-changing world. The conversation touches on the challenges and opportunities posed by emerging technologies, the importance of creative partnerships, and the concept of thriving as a guiding principle for the future.

Key Takeaways:

1. Designing in an Unpredictable World: Scott emphasizes the need for flexibility and adaptability in design, especially in an era marked by rapid technological advancements and constant change.

2. Creative Collaboration: The unique partnership between Scott and Armando highlights the power of integrating design and illustration from the start, allowing for a fluid exchange of ideas that enriches both the visual and textual narratives.

3. The Role of Fiction in Design: Incorporating fictional elements into the book was crucial for exploring not just what is, but what could be, encouraging readers to think beyond the present.

4. Human Touch in a Technological World: Armando’s hand-drawn illustrations provide a necessary human element in a book that grapples with complex technological themes, striking a balance between the organic and the mechanical.

5. Thriving as a Design Goal: The book’s focus on thriving—rather than simply improving or progressing—reflects a holistic approach to the future, where harmony, sustainability, and individual potential are paramount.

Pull-Out Quote:

“In an unpredictable world, the goal isn’t to get it perfect, but to create something that’s changeable, something you can shepherd and adapt as the world evolves.” – Scott Doorley

In this episode, we dive into the world of indie filmmaking with Rob Mabry, discussing his journey, challenges, and triumphs in creating his first feature film, "The Legend of El Chupacabra."

Rob's Website

@thechupacabramovie on Instagram

Rob on YouTube

1. **Blending Horror and Comedy:**

- Rob shares insights on balancing horror and comedy, noting their similar structures of anticipation and payoff.

- "Horror and comedy are about anticipation and payoff... jokes build up tension to a punchline, and horror builds tension to a scare."

2. **Character and Creature Development:**

- Emphasizes the importance of character-driven comedy and using real-life inspirations for character behaviors.

- "Good comedy is built out of character... I take a lot of inspiration from my daily life and the people I interact with."

- Discusses working with creature designer Sergio Gara for the Chupacabra costume, highlighting the blend of creativity and engineering.

3. **Production and Logistical Challenges:**

- Rob describes the complexities of indie filmmaking, from crowdfunding to logistical planning.

- "It's stressful... when you're an independent filmmaker, you're not just wearing the director hat; you're managing logistics, locations, and ensuring everyone is fed."

4. **Distribution Strategy:**

- Rob talks about the evolving landscape of film distribution, particularly for indie films, and the importance of physical media.

- "It's a challenging time for indie filmmakers to surface above the noise and get their film out there... taking advantage of social media is crucial."

5. **Creative Roots and Inspiration:**

- Reflects on his early passion for storytelling, from writing plays and comic books to filming with a Super 8 camera.

- "I was that kid always writing my own comic books, writing plays... and my dad, who owned a Super 8 film camera, let me borrow it once in a while."

Jude Warne, Rock Reviewer on Bob Dylan

This podcast welcomes Jude Warne, a rock biographer, music reviewer, and author. We discuss Bob Dylan's creativity in his book “The Philosophy of Modern Song” -- as well as the book “Folk Music of Bob Dylan: Biography in Seven Songs.”

Bob Dylan's book, The Philosophy of Modern Song, captures the mystery and creativity of his immense body of work with references to other famous songwriters. It showcases his creative voice as a critic, author, and biographer to discuss the writerly quality of other musicians' songs and their lives.

Jude says, “It highlighted for me a lot of the songwriters and songs that he touches on, he brings out their mystery or the mystery going on with the characters in each of the songs he talks about. So there's, the theme really is consistent in my opinion throughout the whole book.”

I replied, “It's exciting. And mystery is a nice word because how many people have tried to interpret a Bob Dylan song, and it's like how much meaning could we infuse in it? But often to look at it the other way and say, how does somebody like Bob Dylan interpret other people's songs?”

·     Bob’s creative, conversational tone has opened listeners' minds as he riffs and creates new stories for his songs that showcase his writing talent and insight.

·     Bob is an experienced music reviewer who notes the influence of older genres in modern songs, having charted on the Billboard charts since the 1950s and 60s.

·     Bob Dylan's selection of music speaks to artists of all eras, regardless of gender, race, or background, showing his unique creative vision and critical insight. Even though it may not seem like a “diverse” selection of artists to profile.

·     Through reflection on the works of great artists Bob Dylan questions if sacrificing one's personal identity is necessary to create strong and meaningful works.

·     We shared a laugh while envisioning Bob Dylan doing some real-life mundane tasks like sorting the photos used in the book, because of his persona of a philosophical approach to writing.

In the second half of the interview, we discussed a Bob Dylan biography on his creative journey through influences and contributions to history and culture, written by Rolling Stone critic and author Greil Marcus.

As we closed, Jude talked personally about her work as a creative critic, author, and biographer—and her secret dream to DJ in her own club where she can choose what songs to play.

We promised to keep the conversation going and check in periodically on new books and albums, especially ones that Jude reviews on platforms like The Vinyl District.

Jude is now working on a new book about a seventies rock artist which is set to be released in Fall of 2024.

My thanks to Larry Hughes at Simon & Schuster Publishing for an advanced introduction to the Bob Dylan "Philosophy of Modern Song" book.

Today we talk sonic branding with Jeanna Isham of Dreamr Productions

Jeanna creates, consults, and educates on the power of sound in marketing.

She is founder and sonic branding composer and started the company back in 2009. Her career in music and marketing has been a 20-year journey in the making. She is well versed in the art of traditional music composition as well as being a thought leader, author, and speaker in the sound in the marketing and advertising industry.

Website: https://www.soundinmarketing.com

YouTube: https://www.iheart.com/podcast/269-sound-in-marketing-47922539/episode/sonic-branding-for-the-small-business-108455421/

This is a special BONUS, LIVE episode with my guest, Anita Sonya

Sonya is a highly respected live streaming coach and consultant, and the founder of LivePodcast Media. Her passion lies in helping business owners, entrepreneurs, digital creators, and professionals transform their businesses through live streaming.

LINKED IN: https://www.linkedin.com/in/livepodcastmedia/

YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCly3HVYidu0_6uPa4opqvZg

FACEBOOK: https://www.facebook.com/livepodcastmedia/

INSTAGRAM: @livepodcastmedia

WEBSITE: https://anitasonya.com

Sonya has organized multiple international summits, supported by leading brands such as Blubrry, Ecamm Network, Wave.video, and Restream. These events have brought together top expert speakers from diverse industries to share their knowledge and expertise.

If you're looking to transform your business through live streaming, Sonya is the partner you've been searching for. With her vast knowledge, experience, and unparalleled passion for helping others, she is the perfect choice to help you take your business to the next level.

Don't miss the opportunity to work with her and attend the upcoming Bali LivePodcast Summit, scheduled for September 19-24, 2023.

Today's guest is Henning Svoren of Ocean Sound Recording in Giske, Norway.

https://www.oceansound.no

Henning is a Norwegian music producer and engineer, who has been part of running the recording studio Ocean Sound on the island of Giske in Norway since 2009.

He says, “My responsibilities are pretty wide from developing the business and studio itself to working on the songs and actual music through mixing, recording and producing. In my spare time I like to go hiking or skiing in the mountains and fjords around here.”

Here are some of the key topics we discuss:

·     Henning believes that the natural surroundings of an island contribute to the creative process. For example, he learned Peter Gabriel's studio was designed with creativity in mind, as the flowing water outside provides inspiration.

·     As the owner of the studio, he explains how the studio was built and how it is different from other studios in New York and London.

·     Why the artists are drawn to the studio's setting and equipment. They have kept up with the latest technology by installing a Dolby Atmos system in their studio.

·     Henning describes how their music is influenced by the environment, ranging in styles which include sixties pop, German hip-hop, jazz, and even meditation sounds.

·     “We had one of my favorite Norwegian bands called Motorcycle which I've been a fan of since I was a kid. I was finally asked to work with them as an engineer a couple of years ago. Their guitar player lives in Trondheim, a Norwegian city. He decided that he is not going to bring any guitars or any pedals or anything. He's just going to use what's in the studio because the different instruments will inspire him to play something different than a normal would. So we also try to have a few weird instruments lying around, like strategically placed around the studio. So if you get stuck with a song you're working on, why don't you try this weird Indian thing?”

·     The role of the Engineer. Musicians need an engineer to do more than push the buttons and make them sound great. They need someone who is not close to the project with fresh ears to help contribute to the creative process. The studio and engineer can help the band capture their musical vision.

·     The challenge of finding the balance between wanting to be popular and wanting to be unique. Ocean Sound wants to help create new tastes in music and that helps decide what sort of projects they would like to work on.

As we closed, Henning added, “I'm touched by your enthusiasm, both for the music-making process and for our studio.”

Copyright 2025 Mark Stinson

Mary Gauthier, The Healing Power of Songwriting

Today's guest is Grammy-nominated folk/Americana/country singer-songwriter Mary Gauthier.

We discuss her experiences in:

• the healing power of writing
• working with veterans
• songwriting groups
• obstacles in the process
• tours and life on the road
• What's ahead for music and life

Learn more about Mary, her music, her book, and upcoming tours dates at:

Mary's Website

For marketers, creating a powerful connection with consumers is key — and audio plays an important role in that connection.

Audio branding and radio expert Paul Suchman has dedicated his career to honing audio into the perfect tool of engagement for brands large and small. We recently had the chance to sit down with Paul to discuss what it takes to create powerful audio brand experiences, as well as how you can get started leveraging sound in your own marketing efforts.

Audacy is a production company specializing in creating narrative audio content for brands, agencies, and networks. "We're always looking for new ways to push the boundaries of storytelling through sound," Paul says. "It's really exciting because there are so many different components that go into producing great audio – sound design, music composition, voice direction – all of these things come together to make something special. But I think the most important thing is finding a way to tell a story that resonates with listeners. That's the key to success."

It's truly an art form, and there are endless possibilities that come with creating audio content. You never know what kind of stories you're going to uncover and how they'll be received by your audience. That's what makes it so exciting!

"At Audacy we pride ourselves on having some of the best producers in the industry – people who understand how important storytelling is and know how to craft something special out of their work. Our team works hard to ensure that the audio content we create accurately reflects our brand and its values," Paul says.

Since Audacy rebranded from Entercom, the team has been working diligently to uphold the mission behind it. "We've worked on creating memorable audio content that resonates with our audience and is in line with our brand identity. We want people to feel like they're connected to us, whether through a podcast or a radio show, and recognize the work that goes into making this content," Paul described. "We are continuously pushing ourselves to create something new and innovative while staying true to who Audacy is as a company – a conglomeration of many different audio brands coming together under one roof. It's an ongoing process, but we believe it's the best way to keep our partners and advertisers engaged and looking forward to what comes next. We strive to maintain a level of transparency when it comes to how we are creating, distributing, and marketing our content so that everyone involved has an understanding of where their investments are going."

"We also want to make sure that our team is supported in any way possible – with the right tools, resources, guidance, etc. Our goal is for everyone who interacts with Audacy's brand experience to feel good about what they're getting out of it so that they keep coming back again and again. We believe this is how businesses can not only survive but thrive in today's competitive audio landscape," Paul says.

To accomplish this, Paul says they focus on creating a comprehensive experience from the moment our partners decide to advertise with us. Audacy offers detailed insights into our listener base and track their engagement with our content so that they have an accurate understanding of how their campaigns are performing.

We also strive to provide regular updates throughout the entire process – from initial strategy meetings before the campaign even launches, to analyzing metrics after it is completed – in order to give everyone involved a clear picture of what has been achieved and where there is still room for improvement.

At Audacy, we understand that brand experience matters and are committed to delivering unparalleled support and service to...

Today, we're stamping our creative passports in one of my favorite capital cities of the world, Copenhagen, Denmark, and my guest Salome Trambach

• Salome describes her favorite hidden coffee spot in Copenhagen, which is in a park behind a university. (Landbohøjskolen Garden. In the garden you will find the cozy Væksthuset café where the barista brewed coffee is so good that the place has won the University Post prize for the University of Copenhagen’s best coffee shop.)
• She talks about the leadership and guidance that is provided to help people start their own businesses. We discuss the idea of moving from founder to leader and what that means for creative people. People often found their own businesses because they feel compelled to break free from the corporate environment.
• Taking small steps that could be big is an important part of life. The person needs to be passionate about their project and have a good reason for starting it in order for people to want to listen.
• Founders should make contingency plans, but not let the fear of the worst-case scenario paralyze them.
• Salome shares her model and her opinion on leadership development and personal development. She says leaders need to understand themselves in order to be effective. Self-awareness and self-mastery lead to trust in oneself, which is necessary to start a business and garner a higher price. It starts with self-worth.
• Salome was Born in Paris, and grew up in Copenhagen; her bio says that she is half French and half Moroccan. Speaks four languages and loves to travel. Learned a love of dance in Ghana. All these things feed her creative spirit. She tells us how she is inspired by nature and the things she has experienced while traveling. She recommends integrating new experiences into your daily life to increase creativity.

Salome 's Website

Salomé Trambach offers years of extraordinary success in a series of high-level roles at top-tier companies that include HybridLedelse.dk, Mentoring Club, LifeX, Softbank's Emerge Accelerator, China Experience, PriceWaterHouseCoopers Mexico, P.20, Gaia Solar, Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Denmark, Coloplast, JOY 94.9, and AIESEC Denmark. Salomé is one of the members of the Board of Directors at Movinn (Real Estate) and a Senior Leadership Consultant at Safe2Great (Leadership Consultancy). Salomé is a certified Safe2Great Practitioner with a focus on Culture Assessment, Growth Mindset & Psychological Safety. Salomé’s invaluable expertise and broad business experience have powered a history of developing successful process improvements that drive productivity, reliability, and client satisfaction.

@salometrambach on Instagram

Copyright 2025 Mark Stinson