Rock & Roll High School With Pete Ganbarg

As the voice, songwriter, and driving force behind REO Speedwagon, Kevin Cronin helped shape the sound of American arena rock in the late ’70s and ’80s. His soaring vocals and emotionally direct songwriting powered a string of radio staples including Keep On Loving You , Take It on the Run , Can’t Fight This Feeling , Roll with the Changes , and Time for Me to Fly. REO Speedwagon’s 1980 breakthrou...

To a generation of Americans, Suzi Quatro is best known as Leather Tuscadero on the 1970s sitcom  Happy Days  and for her 1979 smash duet with Chris Norman, “Stumblin’ In.” But long before she stepped onto a Hollywood soundstage or crossed over to American pop radio, Suzi Quatro had already detonated the rulebook. Emerging from Detroit in the early 1970s and breaking first in the UK and...

Noel Paul Stookey is a founding member of one of the most iconic trios of all time, the legendary folk group Peter, Paul and Mary . From helping ignite the 1960s folk revival to introducing the songs of Bob Dylan to a mass audience with their era-defining recording of “Blowin’ in the Wind,” and carrying anthems like “If I Had a Hammer” and “Puff, the Magic Dragon” into the cultural bloodstream, No...

Elliot Scheiner and Frank Filipetti are two of the most legendary recording studio figures of all time. As producers, engineers and mixers, they've worked on thousands of successful award-winning projects over the past 50+ years. Together with fellow studio legends George Massenburg, Chuck Ainlay, Jimmy Douglass, Niko Bolas and Sylvia Massey, Elliot and Frank run the Music Engineering and Technolo...

As a pioneering architect of British folk-rock and one of the most distinctive guitarists of his generation, Richard Thompson has spent more than five decades redefining musical storytelling. As a founding member of Fairport Convention, he helped shape a new sound that fused traditional British folk with rock instrumentation — effectively launching an entire genre — while his intricate guitar work...

As the iconic voice behind one of arena rock’s most enduring bands, Lou Gramm helped define the sound of late-’70s and ’80s rock radio. As the frontman of Foreigner, his powerful, unmistakable vocals drove a run of classic albums and singles including Cold as Ice , Hot Blooded , Juke Box Hero , Waiting for a Girl Like You , and I Want to Know What Love Is — songs that blended hard rock muscle with...

As one of the most respected guitarists and songwriters in American roots rock,  Warren Haynes  has helped carry the traditions of blues, soul, and Southern rock into the modern era. Best known for his work with  The Allman Brothers Band ,  Gov’t Mule , and  The Dead , Haynes has built a career defined by emotional depth, virtuosic playing, and a fearless commitment to liv...

As one of the most powerful and influential voices in American popular music,  Darlene Love  helped define the sound of early rock and soul while shaping the language of modern pop singing. Rising to prominence in the early 1960s, her unmistakable voice powered a string of era-defining recordings including  He’s a Rebel ,  The Boy I’m Gonna Marry ,  Da Doo Ron Ron , and th...

As the godfather of shock rock and one of the most enduring figures in American music, Alice Cooper helped redefine what a rock frontman could be. Blending hard rock, theatrical spectacle, and unforgettable hooks, he's delivered a run of iconic albums and singles including School’s Out , I’m Eighteen , No More Mr. Nice Guy , and Billion Dollar Babies . With a career spanning more than five decades...

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We were very saddened to hear of the passing of our former podcast guest Steve Cropper. Steve was one of the great guitarists and songwriters of all time and his key role in the Stax house band, Booker T & The MG's, helped create some of the most legendary music of the last 60+ years. In this newly re-edited episode, originally recorded in 2021 (shortly before Steve's 80th birthday), Steve tel...

As we get set to release a brand new season of Rock & Roll High School, we're releasing a newly re-edited version of our Season 2 interview with David Coverdale. David recently announced his retirement and we wish him well. In David's words: “After 50 plus years of an incredible journey with you with Deep Purple, Whitesnake, and Jimmy Page, the last few years have been very evident to me that...

In a newly re-edited version of this episode, originally from Season 3, we revisit our conversation with Justin Hayward. Known principally as the vocalist, lead guitarist and composer for the innovating and trail blazing band Moody Blues, Justin Hayward is an enduring talent that has helped to define the times in which he worked. Over the last forty-five years the band has sold over seventy millio...

In a newly re-edited version of our Season 2 finale, we're joined by award-winning singer, songwriter, musician, producer, innovator and Eurythmics co-founder Dave Stewart. Newly inducted into both the Songwriters and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame, Dave talks about how he learned to play guitar while recovering from a soccer injury as a child, living and working with Annie Lennox at the start of the...

As a key architect of the Eagles’ classic sound and the band's lead guitarist from 1974 - 2001, Don Felder co-wrote and performed on some of rock’s most enduring anthems, including “Hotel California,” “Victim of Love,” and “Those Shoes.” His signature guitar work helped propel the band to worldwide superstardom and earned multiple Grammy Awards. His latest album, The Vault 1975-2025 Fifty Years Of...

Legendary songwriter Carole Bayer Sager joins us to reflect on a remarkable career that includes co-writing timeless hits like “Nobody Does It Better,” “That’s What Friends Are For,” and “Arthur’s Theme.” A Grammy, Oscar, and Tony winner, Carole shares stories of her collaborations - both personally and professionally - with legends like Burt Bacharach and Marvin Hamlisch—as well as her friendship...

You may not know Russ Ballard's name but you certainly know his voice and his songs. From fronting Argent and singing lead on Hold Your Head Up as well as writing and singing lead on “God Gave Rock and Roll to You,” to writing chart-toppers like “New York Groove,” “You Can Do Magic,” “W inning ” “I Know There’s Something Going On ” and “Since You Been Gone,” Russ has left fingerprints on decades o...

Melissa Manchester is celebrating over 50 years in music and recently joined us in person to discuss her long, successful career. From winning a Grammy in 1982 to having massive hits with classics like “Midnight Blue,”“Don’t Cry Out Loud,” and “You Should Hear How She Talks About You,” Melissa's career is still reaching new heights with the release of her latest album RE:VIEW as well as a new stag...

Stan Lynch is a founding member and longtime drummer of Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, a band he played in for close to 20 years. Inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Stan's also written and produced for The Eagles, Don Henley and John Mellencamp. His new band, a collaboration with Texas singer songwriter Jon Christopher Davis, is The Speaker Wars who've just released their debut al...

Our guest this week is a legendary singer songwriter and musician -powerhouse frontman of Grand Funk Railroad: Mark Farner. As one of the original driving forces behind the band, —Mark is the the voice of anthems like “We’re an American Band” and the epic “I’m Your Captain (Closer to Home),” which he also wrote. Other Grand Funk hits include Bad Time/Some Kind Of Wonderful and their #1 c...

Little Anthony helped define the sound of early rock and soul—and at the age of 84 years old, he's still going strong. In this revealing conversation, Anthony takes us through his extraordinary life and career—from doo-wop beginnings with The Imperials to stories of his best friends Frankie Lymon and Teddy Randzzo. From Vegas residencies to his Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction, hear firsthan...

Jim Peterik wrote the book on songwriting. Literally. He's the co-author of Songwriting For Dummies, now in its 2nd edition.   More famously — he’s also the author of some of the best known songs of the last 50 years, including “Eye Of The Tiger,” which Jim co-wrote with Frankie Sullivan, for their band Survivor. Jim and Frankie co-wrote 6 more Top 20 hits for Survivor before J...

On this episode of Rock & Roll High School, John Hall—founding member of Orleans, No Nukes pioneer, and former U.S. Congressman—shares the stories behind hits like “Dance with Me” and “Still the One,” his journey from rock stardom to Washington, and his fight for clean energy. Hall reflects on working alongside legends like Janis Joplin, Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Bruce Springsteen, and Gra...

In this special episode of  Rock & Roll High School , we sit down with the incomparable  William Bell , a true icon of soul music and one of the original architects of the legendary Stax Records sound. From writing timeless classics like  "You Don’t Miss Your Water"  and "Born Under a Bad Sign" , to mentoring generations of musicians and winning a Grammy decades into his ca...

For over 50 years, Danny "Kootch" Kortchmar has been rock music's secret weapon. As a guitarist and songwriter, he's collaborated with everyone from James Taylor, Carole King, and Jackson Browne to Jon Bon Jovi and Don Henley. Songs he's written include "All She Wants To Do Is Dance," "Somebody's Baby," "Dirty Laundry," and "Sunset Grill." His work as part of the sideman-supergroup The Immediate F...