Creative Evolution

In Episode 14 of Creative Evolution, host Josi J sits down with veteran frontman Evan Thor of Thor and the Rains, a power trio out of Knoxville, Tennessee that has been delivering wildly eclectic live performances for over 20 years. Evan Thor is not your typical musician. A US Air Force veteran, self-taught guitarist, and Doctor of Business Administration, Thor picked up the guitar at 20, was sele...

Three months in. Thirteen episodes deep. And the blueprint is becoming impossible to ignore. In Episode 13 of Creative Evolution, independent music and creative business podcast host Josi J delivers the May Evolution Report, Dispatch No. 3. This month we are stepping back from individual guest interviews to distill the absolute best lessons from Episodes 10, 11, and 12 into one powerful episode. P...

In Episode 12 of Creative Evolution, host Josi J sits down with Dwight Wilson (aka "The Oneder") guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, church music director, father of five, and lead guitarist of Josie J and Dessert. Dwight's story is a masterclass in what it looks like to build a long-term creative career without burning out, burning bridges, or giving up. Dwight started in church, picking up drums b...

In Episode 12 of Creative Evolution, host Josi J sits down with Dwight Wilson (aka "The Oneder") guitarist, multi-instrumentalist, church music director, father of five, and lead guitarist of Josie J and Dessert. Dwight's story is a masterclass in what it looks like to build a long-term creative career without burning out, burning bridges, or giving up. Dwight started in church, picking up drums b...

Meet Chris Marshall. East Texas native. Knoxville-based multi-instrumentalist. Author of the book The Lighthouse and the Machine . Full-time independent professional musician who pays his bills entirely through his creative ventures. And the mastermind behind some of the most successful open mics, jams, and artist showcases in East Tennessee. In Episode 11 of Creative Evolution, Chris shares his p...

Meet Chris Marshall. East Texas native. Knoxville-based multi-instrumentalist. Author of the book The Lighthouse and the Machine . Full-time independent professional musician who pays his bills entirely through his creative ventures. And the mastermind behind some of the most successful open mics, jams, and artist showcases in East Tennessee. In Episode 11 of Creative Evolution, Chris shares his p...

What happens when a 6'8" former police officer clotheslines a man in a white mink coat and a three foot afro wig with Christmas lights on a concrete floor outside a wrestling ring in Wartburg, Tennessee? You get the origin story of Big N Funky Productions and one of the greatest creative partnerships in East Tennessee history. In Episode 10 of Creative Evolution, host Josi J welcomes back Big Luke...

What happens when a 6'8" former police officer clotheslines a man in a white mink coat and a three foot afro wig with Christmas lights on a concrete floor outside a wrestling ring in Wartburg, Tennessee? You get the origin story of Big N Funky Productions, and one of the greatest creative partnerships in East Tennessee history. In Episode 10 of Creative Evolution, host Josi J welcomes back Big Luk...

This month we are stepping back from individual guest interviews and doing something different. We are distilling the absolute best blueprints from our April guests into one powerful episode and diving deep into one of the most critical business concepts for any independent artist: your Unique Selling Proposition. In this episode we revisit: Episode 8: Doing It on Your Own Terms with Vinnie Vineya...

This month we are stepping back from individual guest interviews and doing something different. We are distilling the absolute best blueprints from our April guests into one powerful episode and diving deep into one of the most critical business concepts for any independent artist: your Unique Selling Proposition. In this episode we revisit: Episode 8: Doing It on Your Own Terms with Vinnie Vineya...

Named "possibly the most interesting man in East Tennessee," Vinnie Vineyard (aka Funkmaster V) is a true creative multi-hyphenate. From touring as a musician and taking bumps as a pro-wrestling "heel" to starring in true crime TV and launching Big and Funky Productions, Vinnie has built a relentlessly independent career entirely on his own terms. In this episode, Vinnie shares his unfiltered blue...

Please note: This is the interview-only cut of the episode. To hear our featured local music sweeps, please check out the Full Broadcast version! Named "possibly the most interesting man in East Tennessee," Vinnie Vineyard (aka Funkmaster V) is a true creative multi-hyphenate. From touring as a musician and taking bumps as a pro-wrestling "heel" to starring in true crime TV and launching Big and F...

What happens when nobody ever tells you no? Meet Luke Walker. Former police officer. Pro wrestler. Independent filmmaker on his fourth movie. Full time musician playing 300 shows a year in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. And at 6'8", one of the most fiercely original creative minds we have ever had in the Hot Seat. In Episode 7 of Creative Evolution, Big Luke shares his blueprint for building a resilient,...

What happens when nobody ever tells you no? Meet Luke Walker. Former police officer. Pro wrestler. Independent filmmaker on his fourth movie. Full time musician playing 300 shows a year in Gatlinburg, Tennessee. And at 6'8", one of the most fiercely original creative minds we have ever had in the Hot Seat. In Episode 7 of Creative Evolution, Big Luke shares his blueprint for building a resilient,...

Whether you are a musician, a comedian, or any kind of creative, the hustle is universal. In Episode 6, comedian, actress, content creator, and East Tennessee's #1 Host and MC Nicole Starnes shares her unfiltered blueprint for building a creative career from nothing. We cover her entire journey: from an accidental five-minute hosting gig in Knoxville to touring the country with Darren Knight and R...

Whether you are a musician, a comedian, or any kind of creative, the hustle is universal. In Episode 6, comedian, actress, content creator, and East Tennessee's #1 Host and MC Nicole Starnes shares her unfiltered blueprint for building a creative career from nothing. We cover her entire journey: from an accidental five-minute hosting gig in Knoxville to touring the country with Darren Knight and R...

Want to step out of the background? In Episode 5, Sammy T and the Sunny D frontman Sam Travis shares how to beat your insecurities and lead with authenticity. In this interview-only cut, we sit down with Sam to discuss his journey from playing bass at Disneyland as a teenager to fronting his own neo-soul project right here in Knoxville, Tennessee, and everything he learned along the way. After fiv...

Want to step out of the background? In Episode 5, Sammy T and the Sunny D frontman Sam Travis shares how to beat your insecurities and lead with authenticity. From playing bass at Disneyland as a teenager to navigating frustrating social media algorithms as the social media manager at ProMotion LLC, Sam has seen the music industry from every angle — the back of the stage, behind the computer scree...

Short on time? This version is packed with just the business strategies and interviews. If you want to hear the incredible local artists we featured this month, check out the 'Full Broadcast' version of this episode, or listen to our official Month One Spotify Playlist! https://open.spotify.com/playlist/2iaDZgefX9WFmoIF5blqZg?si=80c94142a5474004 In this Dispatch, we revisit: Episode 1: Professiona...

The March Evolution Report — Dispatch No. 1 We're looking back at the themes, lessons, and conversations from Month One, distilling the absolute best advice from our first three episodes. In this Dispatch, we revisit: Episode 1: Professional Humility and the Art of Mastery with Frank Sheadrick Jr Episode 2: The Symbiotic Stage: Music Management and Marketing with James Gilley Episode 3: Discoverin...

In Episode 3 of Creative Evolution , I sit down right in the living room sanctuary of the incredible Becki Grace: a phenomenal local musician, certified therapist, and the host of Local Honey on Radio KCM. We dive deep into the beautiful, messy, and sometimes heartbreaking reality of being a creative. Becki opens her heart and gets incredibly vulnerable about navigating the profound grief of losin...

⚠️ TW: Mental health struggles, addiction, and suicide. Listener discretion is advised. In the second episode of Creative Evolution , host Josi J sits down with James Gilley, founder and CEO of the Knoxville-based entertainment marketing agency, ProMotion LLC. James breaks down the business of booking shows, the importance of setting clear expectations through "radical honesty," and why venues and...

In today's digital age, streaming changes everything. The big question isn't "What next?" It's "How do we keep our skills sharp and stay successful for the long haul?" In the premiere episode of Creative Evolution , host Josi J sits down with Full Sail Alumnus, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and music director Frank Sheadrick Jr.. Frank gets real about the harsh realities of the music business,...