Episodes

Jenn Franklin is an indie artist that everyone needs to hear. Simply put, Jenn is one of the best indie songwriters and vocalists I have come across since I have been hosting Journey to the Stage. With a powerful voice trained in Rock bands, Jenn can bring a great sense of strength to a song. Along with that potency, Jenn has spent considerable time behind the piano crafting songs that are filled with vulnerability and contemplation, sung with a quiet passion. With her vocal ability paired with ...

Peter, Paul and Mary, the iconic folk trio of the 1960s, achieved remarkable success and left an indelible mark on the American music landscape and social conscience. With their rich and unforgettable harmonies and lyrics that led the charge for societal change, they became the voice of a generation, producing timeless hits like "Blowin' in the Wind" and "Leaving on a Jet Plane." Their influence extended beyond music, contributing significantly to the Civil Rights and Anti-War movements of the e...

Over the last 20+ years, Emmy Award winning composer Bear McCreary has created a beautiful, powerful and impressive body of work that spans across media forms. With sprawling musical diversity, Bear has composed for video games, television and film, becoming one of the most sought-after composers in Hollywood. Bear's credits include "The Lord of the Rings: Rings of Power," "The Walking Dead," "Battlestar Galactica (2004)," "Agents of SHIELD," and countless more. In this in-depth interview, Bea...

In this exclusive one-on-one interview with Dirty Loops bassist extraordinaire, Henrik Linder, we cover a lot of musical terrain. Henrik and I chat about his development as a musician who started on piano at age 4 through today as Henrik has become known for his great skill and innovation on the bass. Our conversation was filled with Dirty Loops history, working with Cory Wong, tour life, the writing process in the band and we do a breakdown of the band's latest single, "Run Away," something tha...

This may be the debut album of the Staudt Brothers, but these Texas gents are musical veterans. Their new album, "Livewire Priest," is filled with songs that are road tested and built on a foundation of memorable hooks, gritty guitars, powerhouse vocals, and a rhythm section that is taking no prisoners. Produced by fellow-Texans Zack Kibodeaux, Greg Essington and Kyle Smith of Blue Water Highway, "Livewire Priest" is stirring up some Texas dust and is an album that needs to be heard. This chat ...

Jonathan Dinklage is a world class violinist and violist who has recorded and toured with some of the biggest and most talented artists of our time- with names like David Bowie, Michael Jackson, Lady Gaga and many more. His dream gig was being invited to tour with RUSH as part of the band's string ensemble for their Clockwork Angels tour. We chat about being the lead violinist on Broadway's HAMILTON and explore the origin story of Jonathan, including being raised in a home that launched Jonathan...

Salt of the Sound have been making some of the most beautiful music I've come across in the last several years. The husband and wife duo, Ben and Anita Tatlow, continue to create music for prayer, contemplation, worship and meditation. In this conversation that is near to my heart, Anita shares about the musical and life journey they have been on. Touched by a period of heartache and uncertainty, some of the most personal and hope-filled music The Salt of the Sound has made, finds itself on the...

In this final segment of my extensive conversation with singer/songwriter Steve Wynn, we spend time talking about The Baseball Project, Steve's upcoming memoir (coming in August 2024), his upcoming solo album (also releasing in August 2024) and the shear power of early Dream Syndicate live performances (and much more!). One thing that has become crystal clear to me since Steve and I spent nearly two hours in conversation in February of 2024, and the relistening to that chat as I edit, is that S...

The Dream Syndicate is one of the few bands that have been a part of starting a new movement in the Rock world. With equal doses of The Velvet Underground, Black Flag, Neil Young and Bob Dylan, The Dream Syndicate helped create what would later be known as Alternative Rock. In this two part conversation, Steve Wynn and I track his personal musical journey, through his first band at 9 years old, all the way through his next solo album coming out this year. Steve and I dig into his earliest music...

Emmaline is an artist who can take a song decades old and bring it to life with her magic touch in arranging and sultry vocal delivery. Beyond adding a fresh coat of paint to the great songs of a bygone era, Emmaline writes songs that are fresh and exciting, yet are laced and graced with the feeling of musical nostalgia; songs that will put in a Jazz club of days gone by. In this delightful conversation, Emmaline and I chat about her musical journey and the joys of rearranging songs to create n...

There are some bands that when you hear them for the first time, they just stop you in your tracks and draw you in. That's what happened the first time I heard Shannon Clark and the Sugar. I was honored to be joined by Shannon Clark, the bands vocalist and principle songwriter, for a great chat about music, struggle, and life. Shannon and I talk a bit about the band's history and how personal loss caused this family musical group to walk away from music for a while. With great stories to tell a...

Malcolm Guite is truly a delight to speak with, which made interviewing him a thing of beauty. In this second and final segment, Malcolm and I converse about the film adaptations of the Lord of the Rings and Hobbit books, Malcolm shares one of his own beautiful sonnets, and much, much more. I hope those who listen will find this insightful and encouraging. If you have not listened to Part 1, you can find that episode on the platform you are listening on now. My interview with Malcolm and the s...

Malcolm Guite is a man of many facets. He is a poet with a deep appreciation for the classical form and higher realms of language. Equal parts songwriter, author, ordained priest in the Church of England, avid reader and academic, Malcolm brings these beautiful colors into one of the most fascinating conversations I have had on my podcast. Malcolm and I cover a wide range of topics with one of the highlights of this first installment being a reading he does from The Fellowship of the Ring. The ...

Veteran singer-songwriter Maia Sharp proves once again that she has great songcrafting and storytelling skills with her latest album, "Reckless Thoughts." Maia has written for artists like Trisha Yearwood, Bonnie Raitt and Cher. I first became familiar with Maia's work when she teamed up with Buddy Mondlock to help write and record an album ("Everything Waits to Be Noticed") with legendary vocalist, Art Garfunkel. Maia and I had a great chat about her journey, the twists and turns and struggles...

In this special episode, Sally Stevens and Ron Hicklin give us insight into the creative world of James Horner like very few can. Ron and Sally began working with James in the early 80s as studio vocalists and vocal contractors and their voices can be heard on so many Horner scores like Glory, Apollo 13, Sneakers, Jumanji, Casper, Red Heat, and many more. The stories my guests tell, paint an intimate picture of what it was like to spend countless hours in the studio with James, his work ethic, ...

Beth Bombara is a wonderfully gifted singer, songwriter, musician and storyteller. While she has drawn comparisons to Aimee Mann and Jewel, she brings her unique voice that paints her songs with authenticity and warmth. Those traits shine brightly in and through the conversation we shared on a Fall afternoon. Along with chatting about her journey as an artist and musician, we dive into her latest album, "It All Goes Up," which is one of the best albums I came across in 2023. We play my favorite...

In 2008 Denny Tedesco took the world of music storytelling by storm with the release of the multi-award winning film, "The Wrecking Crew." That hit film told the story of a group of elite studio musicians in Los Angeles that played on countless smash hit songs and albums for every huge artist you can name. As the son of Tommy Tedesco, who is the most recorded session player in history and was part of The Wrecking Crew, Denny had a birds eye view into that world, which helped him tell that story....

Singer-songwriter, Robin Taylor Zander, son of Cheap Trick vocalist, Robin Zander, took advantage of the instruments he grew up around by learning to play a variety of them. Spending summers on the road with his dad and soaking in the sonics of Rock from his earliest days helped form RTZ into a songwriter with an exceptional sense of melody and songcrafting. As a touring member of Cheap Trick, where he has filled in on drums, bass, and lead guitar as the need arose, RTZ has become an integral pa...

In this final segment of my in-depth conversation with the Queen of Bass Guitar, Carol Kaye, we chat about her work with Motown, which was kept very quiet and we examine some of Carol's most iconic bass lines and how they were created. Carol talks about how her intro to "Wichita Lineman" was an accident in some respects. I get Carol's thoughts about what it was like to work the biggest artists and producers, names like Quincy Jones, Brian Wilson, Phil Spector and others. As one of the last remai...

Carol Kaye is a towering musical legend who's considered to be one of the most prolific bassists in Rock and Pop music history. With over 10,000 recording sessions under her belt, and an integral part of The Wrecking Crew studio musicians, Carol recorded with them all- The Beach Boys, Glen Campbell, Frank Sinatra, The Righteous Brothers, Simon & Garfunkel (to name a few), and helped give birth to Rock n Roll by playing on songs like "La Bamba" and "Donna" by Ritchie Valens. In the Spring of 202...

Very few people had the distinct pleasure of singing with the King of Rock n' Roll, Elvis Presley, but both of my guests DID! Ron Hicklin and Sally Stevens are two living legends in the vocal world. Many have heard of "The Wrecking Crew" studio musicians who played on endless smash hits on some of the greatest music ever made. Sally and Ron, and their respective team of vocalists are the equivalent to that famous group of musicians. Listen in as Ron and Sally answer the question: What was it li...

In this concluding portion of my in-depth conversation with legendary guitarist and artist, Phil Keaggy, we cover a wide range of topics. We talk about what makes his playing style unique, what it was like to meet and play music with Paul McCartney, and what Phil prefers these days to being on the road. The conversation moves to things like when Phil feels most creative, what advice would he would share with his younger self, and the joy of collaboration, and much much more. Phil plays two beau...

This UpClose and Personal conversation with legendary guitarist, singer, songwriter and producer, Phil Keaggy, is truly one of the greatest I've had since starting Journey to the Stage. Phil has won 7 GMA Dove Awards and has been nominated for multiple Grammys. Our chat is filled with laughs and wonderful storytelling by one of my great musical heroes. We cover lots of ground in Part 1 of this extensive deep dive into the events that have helped shape Phil, both as a man, and as an artist. With ...

Florence Dore and I sat for a great conversation about her journey as a singer, songwriter, author and professor. Florence's latest album, "Highways and Rocketships" is a delightful blend of Rock, Americana and Folk. The songs are wonderfully crafted, filled with melodic hooks, superb musical performances, and Florence's lovely voice and creative lyrics. With production and creative assistance by original dB and current Steve Earl band drummer, husband Will Rigsby, this album was destined to be ...