Middle Class Rock Star

Philip Bowen is not just a great musician and songwriter, he's also a skilled business person. With a social media following in the millions and session credits including Noah Kahn, Bowen recently gave up his full time job to support his family with full time music. From Google Overview: "Philip Bowen is a singer-songwriter and multi-instrumentalist from West Virginia whose music is inspired by hi...

In this episode, singer-songwriter Abigayle Oakley shares her journey through evolving her artist name, navigating the music industry as an independent artist, and balancing content creation with artistry. We discuss the impact of technology like AI, strategies for remote collaboration, and her recent successes, including winning the Kerrville Folk Festival. As of the airing of this episode, Oakle...

In this episode, Andy Sydow interviews Nikki Gauthier, the artistic and creative director at the Acorn Center for the Performing Arts. They discuss the importance of community building through music, the unique role of the Acorn Theater in fostering local talent, and Nikki's journey from education to the arts. The conversation also delves into the challenges and strategies of booking in the music...

Jackson Emmer returns to Middle Class Rock Star (previously featured on episode 112) to discuss his latest album, 'Battle Hymn of the Early Riser' - exploring themes of parenting, songwriting, and the balance between family life and touring. He shares insights into his creative process, the importance of co-writing, and the emotional impact of music. The discussion also touches on promotion strate...

This episode was done in front of an audience as a part of a panel at SWRFA (Southwest Regional Folk Alliance) conference in Austin, TX. This week, I sit down with legendary Texas singer-songwriter Bob Livingston — founding member of The Lost Gonzo Band and a central figure in the Austin “Cosmic Cowboy” movement. Bob shares vivid stories from his decades on the road with Jerry Jeff Walker, Michael...

This episode stemmed from Andy’s viral video about the difference between a gig and a show, which sparked a wider conversation about how musicians define success and stand out in today’s music industry. In this engaging 48-minute conversation, Andy Sydow and Johnny Fiaconni dig into the realities of the modern music industry. They explore the balance between cover gigs and original shows, the role...

This week, I chat with Nashville’s own Zach Allen - a multi‑Grammy-winning recording engineer, producer, and mix engineer whose credits span Americana, blues, rock, country, and beyond. With nearly 20 years in the music industry, Zach brings a rare blend of technical mastery, creative sensitivity, and a studio presence that helps artists realize their vision. Some highlights of our conversation i...

This week, I’m joined by bluegrass virtuoso Martin Gilmore - a powerhouse songwriter and performer who’s had a banner year, taking home top honors at the Kerrville, Telluride Troubadour, and Folks Fest songwriting contests. In this episode, we dig into: • The impacts of entering and winning songwriting contests • The impact of Billy Strings on the bluegrass and Americana world • How Spotify has re...

Music has a way of attaching itself to moments in our lives. A song can instantly transport us back to a place, a person, or a feeling — becoming part of our own personal soundtrack. In this special episode, I reflect on how Ozzy Osbourne’s “Crazy Train” became permanently linked in my memory not just to Ozzy, but to Colorado Rockies legend Larry Walker. When Walker stepped to the plate at Coors F...

On this weeks episode of Middle Class Rock Star, I sit down with Colorado-based bassist, songwriter, and producer Ace Engfer, who just released his new solo album, Time Drifts Away (June 6). Ace has spent years holding down the low end in the Colorado music scene as a longtime member of Grant Farm, and touring with acts like Madeline Hawthorne (Montana) and Kind-Hearted Strangers (Nashville). But...

Travis McNamara was last week's guest as well. I split this conversation up into two episodes because most of the first half of the conversation was about Travis' new album and his career as a touring artist and front-person. The second half delves into a topic that piques the interest of almost every creative on the planet... crowdfunding. Travis is the founder of Arthouse Consulting, where he us...

My guest this week is singer-songwriter and performer, Travis McNamara. His music bridges on several different styles, but if you're looking for a common thread, start with bluegrass. McNamara, the longtime front-person for CO based, Trout Streak Revival, spent his covid time like many of us, writing and creating. "Moon Calendar" (2023) is McNamara's first plunge into the solo artist world. He is...

My guest this week is Lauren Frihauf. "A rising star in the music industry whose talent was featured in NPR Music's 2022 Tiny Desk 'Top Shelf' and showcased her vocal prowess on Season 19 of NBC's "The Voice," where she impressed on Teams Gwen and Legend, making it to the Knockout Rounds. In 2021, when her promising neo-soul duo project came to a halt before its album, “The Latona EP”, was release...

I first met The Wildwoods at The Zoo Bar in Lincoln, NE back when they were just getting started at 14 and 15 years old. I was roughly 21 and on one of my first (if not very first) tours. We've stayed in touch, played shows together, and run into each other at hotel lobby bars at music conferences. Their sound goes beyond acoustic instruments and in-tune harmonies, they're poets with high-level mu...

My guest this week is Shane Smith of Shane Smith & The Saints. This show is a rerun of episode 109, which was released on January 25, 2023. It was great getting to catch up with Shane just a few weeks after my band (modestly titled, Andy Sydow) got to open for his band at a sold out Ogden Theatre in Denver. We first met back in 2018 when I got to do an opening slot for Shane Smith & The Saints at...

"Raised on Vancouver Island, Canada, Zachary is an internationally recognized award-winning actor, musician and writer. Best known for his performances as Buddy Holly, Zach was coined a “dead ringer for dead singers” by the Victoria Times Colonist for his portrayal of the legendary rock 'n' roller as well as Hank Williams, Elvis Presley, Carl Perkins, Jerry Lee Lewis and Phil Ochs. In 2018, Zachar...

"With a quarter million miles under her belt and counting, North Carolina native Emily Scott Robinson travels the dusty highways of America's wild country, capturing the stories of the people she meets and expertly crafting them into songs. Robinson received critical acclaim for her debut album Traveling Mercies-- Rolling Stone named it one of the “40 Best Country and Americana Albums of 2019.” In...

Susan Gibson has a wealth of knowledge in her decades-long songwriting career. She penned "Wide Open Spaces" which was recorded and made into a mega-hit by The Chicks in 1998. She now travels around in her cargo van performing at venues, house concerts, and songwriter festivals. All the while, she educates other writers and judges song competitions. Though she spends lots of time on the road, Texa...

Colorado based artist and label head Austin Ash Lemon joins me on this week's Middle Class Rock Star. In our conversation, we chat about the origin story of his indie label, Needlejuice Records, as well as Lemon's brand new record, "Backstage" which is released under the artist name, The Odd Ditties. Quoting from Needlejuice Records' website: "Needlejuice Records is an independent record label spe...

In this episode, I chat with Seattle, WA based singer/songwriter, Racyne Parker about what it's like moving to a new music scene and how much location is a factor in the age of social media. We also discuss different release strategies, the validation of song contests, and what the future might hold. If you enjoy the podcast, please let others know, subscribe, or write a review! IF YOU'D LIKE TO S...

This is part 4 of a 4 part series chatting with entertainment/music attorney, Adam Barraza. Adam works at Axley Attorneys in Wisconsin, but is also licensed to practice in Tennessee. He flew out to my studio in Nashville and we talked about a number of current hot button issues in the music industry. In this final segment, I ask Adam about the role of music lawyers and when an indie artists might...

This is part 3 of a 4 part series chatting with entertainment/music attorney, Adam Barraza. Adam works at Axley Attorneys in Wisconsin, but is also licensed to practice in Tennessee. He flew out to my studio in Nashville and we talked about a number of current hot button issues in the music industry. In this third part, we talk about lawsuits involving generative AI in music and actually play thro...

Hey folks, Adam here. I have a slight elaboration on the copyright infringement damages issue: Andy’s hypothetical asked the question whether he could file suit for infringement of a song before it was registered with the Copyright Office. His hypothetical did not include the publication/infringement timeline, but I just wanted to clarify that if a work is already published at the time of infringe...

This is part 1 of a 4 part series chatting with entertainment/music attorney, Adam Barraza. Adam works at Axley Attorneys in Wisconsin, but is also licensed to practice in Tennessee. He flew out to my studio in Nashville and we talked about a number of current hot button issues in the music industry. This first part is an introduction to Adam where he talks about his musical upbringing and how he...

Matt the Electrician is Matthew Sever, a quirky, sincere folk/pop singer songwriter based in Austin, TX. He has self-released 11 studio albums, and 2 live CDs since 1998. His most recent release, “The Ocean Knocked Me Down” came out on February 2nd, 2024. (matttheelectrician.com) I first became aware of Matt in college when a friend of mine was playing his clawhammer banjo cover of "Osaka In The R...