The Minnesota Music Note

At just 15 years old, Fiona Hayes is already doing what many musicians spend decades chasing—writing original music, playing multiple shows every month, recording with a producer, and building a loyal following in Minnesota's music scene. In this episode, Fiona shares how songwriting became a way to express emotions she couldn't always put into words, why her latest single I'm Losin...

What was it like playing the Twin Cities music scene before social media, streaming, and YouTube? Rick Vogelpohl has lived it all—from starting bands as a teenager in the late '70s to playing legendary venues, running live sound, working in recording studios, and helping shape Minnesota's local music community for nearly five decades. Rick Vogelpohl has worn just about every hat in music...

What does it actually take to build a successful cover band today? It's a lot more than learning songs. From backing tracks and in-ear monitors to finding the right people and creating a show audiences can't stop talking about, Sota Pop shares what really goes on behind the scenes. Sota Pop may only be a year old, but they've already gone from a brand-new project to playing casinos,...

What happens when chasing success nearly costs you your life? D.Santos shares the wake-up call that changed everything—and how it led him to discover his true purpose through music. From growing up in Brazil to building a new life in Minnesota, D.Santos has lived a journey filled with resilience, sacrifice, and purpose. In this episode, he opens up about surviving burnout, becoming a preschool tea...

What keeps someone playing music for over 30 years? It might not be what you think. In this episode of Minnesota Music Note, we sit down with Rob Carlson—musician, owner of The Shred Den, and member of multiple Minnesota metal bands—to talk about what it's really like building a life around music. Rob shares why the best part of being in a band isn't actually playing shows, how his wife...

What happens when you stop chasing fame and start chasing the joy of making music? In this episode, Wayne Zerr shares how a life built around passion—not popularity—led him to play in multiple bands, forge lifelong friendships, and find purpose both on and off the stage. From skateboarding the streets of San Diego to becoming one of Minnesota's most recognizable bass players, Wayne's jou...

What happens when a musician loses everything... walks away from music for 10 years... and decides to come back? Scott Zimmerman has lived through nearly every chapter of a musician's journey—from teaching himself guitar and building his own instruments, to playing major festivals, opening for legendary bands, surviving devastating setbacks, and stepping away from music entirely. Now, after a...

What does real dedication to music actually look like? For Eric Trombley, it meant teaching himself keyboards to better serve the band, driving four hours each way for gigs after moving out of state, and treating every performance—no matter the venue—as if it were an arena show. Eric shares the story behind his journey with Anthem, the lessons he learned from opening for Hairball, why professional...

What keeps someone playing guitar for over 40 years? For Tim Butler, it wasn't fame or fortune—it was a lifelong passion that carried him through life's toughest moments, led him to leave a 20-year desk job behind, and eventually become one of Minnesota's most respected guitar players. From learning every note of Sultans of Swing and Rush albums by ear to playing Rock Fest, collecti...

What would it take for you to walk away from a stable career and bet on your passion? In this episode of The Minnesota Music Note, we sit down with guitarist, educator, author, and entrepreneur Phil Olson to talk about the unexpected path that led him from the corporate world to building a thriving career teaching guitar. Phil shares stories from touring the Midwest, studying recording engineering...

What if one guitar could change someone's life? For Nathan Pehler, music has never just been about playing shows. After losing his father and battling addiction, he found a new purpose—giving away guitars to kids who needed hope, encouragement, and someone to believe in them. In this episode, Nathan shares the stories behind his Make A Riff project, why he believes Minnesota's undergroun...

What does it really take to pull off a music festival for 18,000 people—and why would hundreds of volunteers dedicate thousands of hours to make it happen? Most people show up for the music. They never see the months of planning, the last-minute chaos, the sleepless nights, or the incredible community that makes it all possible. In this episode of The Minnesota Music Note, I sat down with Michelle...

Can a karaoke competition really change your life? For Mikko Blaze, the answer is yes. What started as a love for singing led him from drag performances and karaoke competitions to becoming a World Karaoke Champion, performing on national television in Japan, sharing stages with incredible artists, and building a name for himself in Minnesota's music scene. In this episode, Mikko opens up abo...

From pretending a tennis racket was a guitar as a kid to becoming a staple of Minnesota's rock scene, Jason Farruggia has spent decades living and breathing music. As a founding member of Menace, a guitarist in KOBB, and a member of StiphBizkit, Jason has spent decades entertaining crowds and helping shape Minnesota's rock scene. In this episode, Jason shares stories from 25 years with M...

What does it actually take to build a music festival from the ground up? In this episode, I sat down with Jena Burkman, General Manager of Mid Summer Music Fest, to pull back the curtain on one of Minnesota's fastest-growing rock festivals. Jena shares how a simple idea between friends evolved into a multi-day event featuring national acts, thousands of attendees, and over 1,300 campsites. Th...

How does one musician create 13 different bands, write rock operas about giant mutant chickens, release music under multiple identities, and still find new ways to stay creative after nearly 60 years of making music? In this episode, I sat down with Craig Hecht, a Minnesota musician, songwriter, producer, and lifelong creative force whose journey has taken him from packed clubs with the Express Ba...

What happens when you stop waiting for the "perfect time" and decide to go all in on your dream? In this episode of The Minnesota Music Note, Aly shares her journey from singing in her grandma's kitchen as a little girl to becoming a working musician playing multiple shows a week across Minnesota and Wisconsin.  With a growing catalog of original music, a packed performance schedule...

Think running a recording studio was always part of the plan? Think again. This week on The Minnesota Music Note, we sit down with Will Maravelas — musician, studio owner, gear addict, content creator, and the man behind 1459 Studios. What started as a side project that was never supposed to succeed somehow turned into one of Minnesota's most respected recording studios. From discovering Stev...

What does it take to keep a metal band alive when every show starts with a 3-4 hour drive? In this episode of The Minnesota Music Note, Will sits down with the members of Slag, a thrash metal band proving that passion, persistence, and a love for heavy music can overcome just about any obstacle. From growing up in small-town Minnesota to building a name in the state's underground metal scene,...

Ever wonder what it takes to stay passionate about music after decades of gigs, bands, rehearsals, and changing trends? In Episode 37 of The Minnesota Music Note, Wally Borgan joins us for a raw, honest, and entertaining conversation about his journey through Minnesota's metal scene, from playing basement parties as a teenager to performing in tribute bands, creating wild metal versions of po...

What happens when a lifelong musician combines creativity, technology, business, and pure obsession into one project? This episode with Alain Nisam is an inside look at how Shredding Flannel became one of the most unique and ambitious live music projects in Minnesota. How do you turn a local band into a scalable music machine without losing the passion that started it all? From singing in the Metr...

What does it actually take to step into the shoes of bands like Tool, A Perfect Circle, and Alice in Chains… and make fans believe it? In this episode of The Minnesota Music Note, we sit down with James Flagg — the powerhouse vocalist and musician behind Minnesota tribute bands Mad Alice, 10,000 Days, and Stone and Echo. From learning drums on couch cushions as a kid to fronting some of the Midwes...

What started as a simple idea at Ziggy’s has now become one of the most exciting music communities in Minnesota. In this episode of The Minnesota Music Note, we sit down with John Sonnek to talk about the incredible rise of the Twin Cities All Stars jams, the musicians who found their confidence on stage for the very first time, and how a weekly jam session turned into a movement that’s connecting...

In this new episode of The Minnesota Music Note, we sit down with Minneapolis musician and songwriter Scottie Miller while he’s touring Australia with Grammy-winning artist Ruthie Foster. From starting piano lessons at six years old to studying at Berklee College of Music, touring with Bo Diddley, and building a successful independent music career, Scottie shares the full story behind his musical...

In this episode of Minnesota Music Note, we sit down with Minnesota sound engineer and live audio tech Rick Dobbelmann, one of the key people behind some of the biggest tribute bands and live shows in the local scene. Born and raised in Saint Paul, Rick shares how he first got into audio through car stereos and basement band rehearsals before stepping away from music for nearly 18 years to build a...