Troubled Men Podcast

The longtime harmonica player with Little Freddie King and perennial BJ's Bywater Lounge bartender first came to New Orleans as road manager for Ronnie Earl. His instant love for the city resulted in a Ninth Ward residency lasting 35 years and counting. Tonight he joins the Troubled Men where his fluency in dive bar vernacular sets him up for success. Topics include Dave Clements' birthday, a Bosc...

The fine artist and co-owner of the Ferrara Showman Gallery is also founder of the annual "No Dead Artists” international exhibition as well the "Guns In The Hands of Artists" series, incorporating decommissioned firearms into works of art. His latest project, "Hands Of Music," involves casting, 3D printing, and mounting sculptures of the hands of dozens of New Orleans musicians in playing positio...

Decorated journalists and authors Alison Fensterstock and Michael Tisserand have recently completed a fantastic biography on a beloved New Orleans cartoonist, illustrator, and music writer. The book, "Bunny Matthews: His Life, Art, and Obsessions," has just been published by the Historic New Orleans Collection. As creator of the iconic "Vic & Nat'ly" series, Bunny captured the dialect and cult...

The civil rights attorney, artist manager, and singer with the Valparaiso Men's Chorus and the Shitty Stones has been a tireless champion of the disabled community, having successfully litigated more than 500 cases under the Americans With Disabilities Act over the last 20 years. Discovering Hurray For The Riff Raff at a neighborhood dive opening slot, he shepherded the band through several record...

He’s a Grammy-nominated recording engineer and record producer for artists including Steel Pulse, Dr. John, Better Than Ezra, Irma Thomas, and Carlo Nuccio’s final “Clap Hands” record, and has worked at Fudge Recording, the Music Shed, and Marigny Studios over his decades in biz. A Navy combat veteran, Jacques joins the Troubled Men on Bastille Day as they man the barricades, well aware that the r...

The veteran singer, songwriter, and guitar player with Walking Wounded, the Stoney White Punks, and Killeen Foundry has released his latest solo record, "Sad Songs At Sunset, Chapter 1," and created a play incorporating the material that was recently staged at the AllWays Cabaret. A former itinerant child preacher, he spent years in the L.A. music biz rat race before relocating to New Orleans to t...

The decorated pedal steel guitarist and 25-year veteran of Jimmy Buffett's Coral Reefer band joins René and songwriter, singer, and guitar player Ned Henry in advance of the record release show for Ned's new album, "Make Your Own Weather.” Doyle is a living legend, having played and recorded with country music stars including George Jones, Johnny Paycheck, Roy Rogers, Chet Atkins, Lynn Anderson, C...

The drummer, songwriter, and singer with bands including Narcissy, the Bonapartes, the Low Amps, and the Abitals was also a member of the notorious Alex Chilton-produced group Soupchain. His association with record biz mastermind Carlo Ditta led to gigs backing the legendary John Sinclair. Now moonlighting at T Ray's Boudin and Cracklins, Anthony joins the Troubled Men to show them how the sausage...

The intrepid guitarist, songwriter, and singer with the Tin Men, the Valparaiso Men's Chorus, 007, Happy Talk, and Kings of the Small Time is also a veteran of such groups as Royal Fingerbowl, Michael Ward & Reward, the Geraniums, the Write Brothers, and the Glyn Styler band. He recently completed and released the posthumous album by dearly departed collaborator Carlo Nuccio, "Clap Hands." In...

The Grammy Award-winning saxophone player and composer with the New Orleans Nightcrawlers, Otra, Charlie and the Tropicales, and Muevelo with Margie Perez is also a professor of music at UNO. First stationed in town with the Marine Corps Band, then coming to prominence with the young lions of Quintology, he's played or recorded with Galactic, Nicholas Payton, the Temptations, Charlie Hunter, and G...

The award-winning singer, musician, and songwriter celebrates the release of her 7th album, "The Death of Cool," this week. Produced by Squirrel Nut Zippers' mastermind Jimbo Mathus and engineered by studio wiz Mike Napolitano, the record boasts contributions from esteemed collaborators including Eric "Roscoe" Ambel and the Zippers' own Dr. Sick. Having spent years sailing tall ships around the wo...

The stand-up comic, producer, writer, model, and podcast host is a veteran of the L.A. and New Orleans comedy scenes with a new series "Rosie Tran Presents" now available on Amazon Prime. In her comedy special on Peacock, "Saigon Honey," Rosie draws on her background growing up in New Orleans as a first generation Vietnamese-American. Tonight she laughs it up with the Troubled Men. Topics include...

The master drummer and percussionist with Bonerama, Lynn Drury, the Pimps of Joytime, and the Joe Krown Trio has also played with Anders Osborne, Tab Benoit, Karl Denson, and Ellis Marsalis. His recent kidney transplant, after over 10 years on dialysis, has given him a new lease on life and a long-overdue return to normalcy. With an intense festival season schedule looming, Eric finds some free ti...

The singer, guitar player, and songwriter with the Hawtsies, the Newborn Naturals, and Boogie Man Smash is also the founder and CEO of Full Tilt Records and a partner in the nightclub Chickie Wah Wah. Having grown up in a mobbed-up Youngstown, Ohio, with a Lou Reed/Velvet Underground obsession during the collapse of the steel industry, he's no stranger to the seedy side of life. Tonight Rob takes...

The Grammy Award-winning guitarist with Chubby Carrier and Tyron Benoit also played with departed local legends Michael Ward and Dino Kruse. Under the Choupic Sessions umbrella, he releases recordings from his long-running songwriting collective. Once a regular at Snake and Jake's, tonight Randy returns to the scene with the Troubled Men. For him, it's a definite step down. Topics include road con...

The award-winning burlesque performer, producer, and founding creative director of Fleur de Tease, Burgundy Burlesque, and Burlesque Ballroom cut her teeth in the ballet world, training with the Miami Ballet and the American Ballet Theater before moving to New Orleans and embracing the resurgent burlesque movement. With Trixie Minx Productions she has assembled a full roster of classic vaudeville...

The Honey Island Swamp Band singer, guitar and mandolin player, songwriter, and frontman spent years touring and recording with blue-eyed soul man Eric Lindell, appearing on the Conan O'Brien show along the way. His latest project, the RiverBenders with Jake Eckert, Myles Weeks, and Russ Broussard, takes a more acoustic, back-porch approach. Tonight Aaron, a former newspaper reporter, has the tabl...

The award-winning roots rock songwriter, singer, guitarist, and bandleader was also the founding singer and bass player in the hard-touring funk jam band Juice. Releasing a series of solo albums of original songs, he's maintained a close association with recording artist and record producer Anders Osborne, who also played on the "Bridges" record released in 2025. Recently returning to performance...

The drummer, vocalist, songwriter, and bandleader of Omari Neville and the Fuel is also the son of legendary singer and percussionist Cyril Neville of the Meters and the Neville Brothers. Growing up surrounded by the funk, soul, and R&B of the family band, he expanded his musical palette with a love for Nirvana, Led Zeppelin, and New York hip hop. Fresh off the Big Easy Cruise, Omari sails int...

The legendary songwriter, singer, guitarist, and author captured the spirit of a generation with her 1996 album "Diary Of A Mod Housewife," then chronicled her formative years in the NYC underground in her celebrated memoir, "Girl To City." The followup, "Girl To Country," covers her time as a single mother in the Nashville songwriting scene. Touring in support of the new book and her latest album...

The acclaimed drummer, percussionist, bandleader, and instructor has played with an astounding list of artists including Randy Brecker, John Scofield, Astrud Gilberto, Liza Minnelli, and Sammie Davis Jr. as well as New Orleans heroes James Booker, George Porter, Willie Tee, Earl Turbinton, and Wynton and Branford Marsalis. He's also played on dozens of soundtracks including the Oscar-winning score...

The award-winning singer, guitarist, and songwriter with the Neptunes, Thousand $ Car, the Rhodes Tavern Troubadours, King Soul, and FLACK started his first band with Steve Watson and Pete Gordon in middle school, and were packing D.C. clubs with underage kids throughout high school. Back in town to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the Kingpin, Jake joins René in the Feral Zone to discuss the lon...

The beloved songwriter, guitarist, singer, and bandleader of the Milwaukeeans and Tomorrow Sound has counted Joe Ely, Bonnie Raitt, Nick Lowe, and Pat McLaughlin among his long-time supporters and collaborators. With the release of his latest self-titled record, produced by Alex Hall, Paul joins René in the Feral Zone to discuss making the record and their shared history in the rock and roll circu...

The guitarist and singer with the Susan Cowsill band has also logged time with Amanda Shaw, Gal Holiday's Honky Tonk Revue, and Dirty Mouth, all while holding down a steady gig on Bourbon St. for the past decade. It's the final episode of the year, so Dave and the Troubled Men convene at the Christmas Club Lounge to contemplate the sacred and the profane. The Struggle Continues. Topics include Cha...

The world-renowned drummer, composer, and music instructor's resume includes stints playing with Jaco Pastorius, John Scofield, Gil Evans, Tania Maria, Herbie Mann, Bobby McFerrin, and David "Fathead" Newman. Teaching at New York's Drummers Collective, the University of New Orleans, and the Heritage School of Music, he has been a sought-after mentor for generations of the country's top drummers. W...