The Desert Vibe

Open mics can look small from the outside, but they’re where a music scene either survives or dies. We sit down and talk through what’s actually happening across Arizona right now as venues evolve, crowds change with the season, and more artists look for stages that feel welcoming, local, and real. We start with Walt Richardson’s Walk-In Wednesday and why the Tempe Center for the Arts works as mor...

A stage name can be a mask, or it can be a map. We’re joined by Phoenix singer-songwriter Amy Muñoz, who performs as Aurora Z, and she tells the real story behind the name: a brutal season of divorce, a return to old hobbies that wouldn’t stay small, and the moment music started to feel like home again. We talk about what it’s like to step onstage after years away, how fear shows up at open mic ni...

Tempe has a sound you can hear in the first few chords and it didn’t happen by accident. Glenn Gardner and Walt Richardson sit down with special guest Mark Zubia, a veteran Arizona singer-songwriter with a deep catalog and serious scene-building miles, to trace how a guitar-driven pop rock identity grew out of local rooms, late nights, and a community that acted more like a co-op than a competitio...

She didn’t just retire, she reinvented everything. Sue Schnitzer joins us to talk about what happens when you sell the house, load up a Prius, and build a real music life around open mics, festivals, and the kind of community you can only find by showing up night after night. Visit Her Website: https://sueschnitzermusic.com/ We get into the details that matter for singers and songwriters: how Sue...

A $99 guitar. Three deployments. One decision to keep passing the instrument forward and keep playing anyway. Songwriter Matthew Moyer joins us to talk about the real arc from Marine Corps service to building an Arizona singer-songwriter community that actually listens. We get into what music does as a stress reliever, why stage time matters more when the room is supportive, and how mentorship oft...

A dirt road in Tempe shouldn’t be one of the most reliable paying “venues” in town and yet it is. We sit down with Paul Kent, a devoted live music fan who helped create Gig At The Ditch, a neighborhood concert series that started as a pandemic survival idea and turned into a lasting community tradition. Paul walks us through how it began, why it evolved from multiple corners to one simple setup, a...

A blues record can be honest without being a costume, and that question of authenticity drives our conversation with William Stafford, the songwriter behind Window Business. He joins us to unpack why he resists being labeled “a blues guy” even when the music hits hard, and how chasing influences across decades can produce something that still feels modern. We get into the difference between genre...

A gold-painted toenail on a chain. A radio dial that sounded cooler in Phoenix than it ever did in LA. A career built on community, grit, and a love of the blues even when the label never quite fit. We’re joined by renowned Arizona singer-songwriter and performer Hans Olson to talk about his new book, Arizona Troubadour, and the real stories behind how the local music scene got rolling.  Visit his...

A great musician can walk into any room, listen for a minute, and make the whole place move. That’s the energy Les Paul Roque brings to Desert Vibe, and it’s why he proudly calls himself “the people’s piano player.” We talk about what that phrase really means: playing for everyone, staying open to every genre, and never hiding behind “just like the record” when creativity is available. Along the w...

Looping can feel like magic until it slips by a millisecond and the whole song collapses. We sit down with Bruce Bytes to get honest about what actually makes live looping work, especially when you’re building a sound in a small Arizona town without a steady band. He shares why he committed to the “one person band” path, how layering helped him learn faster, and what he wishes he knew before buyin...

We talk with Melissa Farley and Marshall Shore about building a joy-driven local morning show that elevates Arizona creators and small businesses. Then we pivot to what’s vibing in the desert with practical picks for Phoenix-area open mics and listening rooms.  Website: www. OnTheMorningShow.com RobatTV.com, @onthemorningshow @themelissafarley @hip_historian • turning traditional journalism skills...

Joey Gutos joins us to talk about songwriting that leans on emotion, character, and the desert places that keep him inspired. We also zoom out to the Arizona music community, from legendary venues to open mics that survive because people actually show up.  Website: https://www.instagram.com/joey_gutos/ • the story behind the rescued Mellow Mushroom painting and why patina matters  • early acting r...

We sit down with Arizona creator Deon Doughty to talk about living as a true multi-hyphenate and why making art is sometimes the only thing that keeps you steady. We also map out what’s happening across Arizona, from local comedy rooms to northern open mics that keep the music scene growing.  https://hiredeon.com/ • Deon's path from downtown Phoenix poetry into Tempe’s creative orbit  • Paint...

We sit down with singer-songwriter Eric Douglas to trace how he went from New York City to building a life and a catalog in Arizona, and why the desert changed what he writes about. We also dig into what makes a song connect, how he records at home, and how open mics and festivals keep the local music community alive.  His Website: ericdouglasmusic.com • moving from New York to Arizona and letting...

We sit down with Tempe music mainstay Amy Hansen to talk about how a truly welcoming open mic works, why the local scene feels like a musician co-op, and how community support turns into real action.  Amy's Website: https://www.facebook.com/ebonysbud • Amy’s path from Chicago to Arizona and into the Tempe music scene  • Unity Through Community and why nonprofits matter for local art  • Native...

We sit down with Diana Lee Messana to trace the real path from a Glendale music store to major stages, studio sessions, and a life built around performance. We also map out where live music is vibing across Arizona right now, from Jerome and Bisbee to Flagstaff and Prescott. Website: https://www.facebook.com/diana.lee.5872682 • her first recordings and how format changes shape a career • favorite...

We sit down with Justin Olson, aka PTNA, to talk about the leap from writing songs in private to sharing them on real stages and letting people see what the music is really made of. We also tour the Arizona live music map with venue picks and open mic nights across Sedona, Queen Creek, Tucson, Show Low, and Tempe.  Listen to Justin Olson "PTNA": http://Ptna.bandcamp.com • first open mic...

We catch up with blues guitarist Chuck Hall as he looks back on decades in the Arizona music scene and talks through a bold, open-ended move to Bend, Oregon. We also share fresh live music intel across the state, from an all-arts open stage in Casa Grande to festival news up in Flagstaff.  WEBSITE:  https://www.facebook.com/chuckhallmusic.page • Chuck’s first leap into Arizona and how jam nights t...

We talk with Tempe Mayor Corey Woods about how a personal decision to put down roots turns into long-term public service and a hands-on approach to community building. We also dig into why live music and entertainment are not a luxury in Tempe, but part of the city’s identity, economy, and future.  https://www.linkedin.com/in/corey-woods-29817169/ • Corey’s path to Tempe through ASU and why he sta...

We sit down with Blaise Lantana as she closes out a long run at KJZZ, tracing how a working musician became a trusted jazz voice for Arizona. We talk honestly about loneliness, sobriety, creative drive, and what it means to step into a new chapter after a life spent serving listeners and local music.  Website: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=1196271322 • retiring as music director and on-a...

We catch up with Laura Joy to compare what it really feels like to build a music life in Phoenix and Los Angeles, from getting paid solo gigs to finding your people in a huge scene. We also dig into her percussive acoustic style, the extra pressure women face in the industry, and why DIY infrastructure can be the smartest path forward. Website: www.laurajoymusic.com • comparing Phoenix and LA for...

We sit down with Arizona violinist Tim Sadow and dig into how he becomes the rare kind of musician who can jump genres, find the right part, and make a band feel bigger without getting in the way. Along the way, we talk Arizona community, live music authenticity in an AI era, and the choices that separate playing a lot from playing what matters.  Tim's Website: www.timsadow.com • Tim’s early...

We sit down with singer and arts leader Sandra Bassett to trace how a business mindset can protect a creative life and expand opportunity across a whole community. We dig into fair pay, authentic performance, and why the arts are not background noise but real economic power in Arizona.  Website: www.thesandrabassett.com • negotiating a business major while keeping music central  • leaving corporat...

We talk with guitarist and songwriter Hannes Guevara about friendship, craft, and the quiet skills that make a musician indispensable onstage. The conversation moves from global life stories to concrete songwriting systems, plus the Tempe and Phoenix live music community that keeps pulling great players together.  Website: HannesK.com • Seeing economics and music as the same search for patterns  •...

We sit down with Tucson artist Maria Montanini to talk about raising six kids while building a real music business. She shares how pain shaped her songwriting, why discipline matters more than hype, and what authenticity looks like in a filtered industry.  Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/embed/artist/5HEzzeNekWSleEuqLQyTYj?utm_source=generator • balancing single motherhood with gigs and rehearsa...