Come Together Podcast

Recorded as the country approached its 250th birthday, this episode brings together the two people most responsible for building Braver Angels Music — the songwriting community inside Braver Angels dedicated to using music as a bridge across the political divide. John Carroll is a Nashville-based singer-songwriter and Co-Director of Braver Angels Music. He spent years playing small bars across Ten...

Recorded live at Analog Nashville as part of the TEDxNashville Mixtape collaboration with the  — this episode brings two of Nashville's most beloved figures to the Come Together Music stage for an evening that was equal parts joyful, vulnerable, and deeply human. Scott Hamilton is an Olympic gold medalist, four-time World Champion figure skater, cancer survivor, bestselling author, and one of Nash...

What does a former Baltimore County Police Chief listen to on the drive home after 9 days straight on the job during a city in crisis? And what song kept a Special Forces-trained Air Force Colonel grounded through a civil war evacuation in Libya? In this live episode recorded at the Tomorrow City USA Conference, Shaka Mitchell sits down with two extraordinary leaders — Melissa Hyatt and Jerad Warr...

What songs shape well known artists and bring them together? In this live, "Mixtape" episode of the Come Together Music Project, hosted by TEDx Nashville, host Shaka Mitchell sits down with Rock & Roll Hall of Fame legend John Oates and rising country artist MŌRIAH for a powerful conversation about music, memory, identity, creativity, and hope. Together, they share deeply personal stories connecte...

In this episode of the Come Together Music Project, host Shaka Mitchell sits down with West Palm Beach Mayor Keith James and Chad Sourbeer of the First Responders Children's Foundation for a powerful conversation about music, identity, and legacy. 👉 Learn more or support the Come Together Music Project: www.cometogethermusic.org   Here's the playlist : 1. Choosin' Texas, Ella Langley 2. One Natio...

On this episode of the Come Together Music podcast, Shaka Mitchell interviews Jason Caplan and Gilbert Smith. Jason an entrepreneur, musician, and founder of the Universal Language Room. Gilbert, aka, Chili G, is a rapper who also works in higher education administration.  Jason and Gilbert were asked to pick songs from their youth, that reminded them of a hero or mentor, that got them through a d...

Part 2 of the conversation between Hon. Freddie O'Connell and Devon Gilfillian at the TEDx Nashville Mixtape event on January 7, 2026. We asked them for a song that they associate with community. Once again, the song selections were GREAT!

The Come Together Music Project and TEDx Nashville partnered to host the first ever Mixtape event. We asked the Hon. Freddie O'Connell and Grammy-award nominated artist Devon Gilfillian to bring their song selections to the following questions: 1. If you were a DJ - what song would you play to get everyone on the dance floor? 2. What is a song that takes you back to middle school? 3. What is a son...

The co-hosts of the ⁠ Music|Life|Social ⁠ podcast join Shaka to talk about songs that instantly give them energy, unexpected favorites, and songs about loss.

The Come Together Music Project was glad to sit down with two friends who formed bonds despite their differing beliefs.   Matt Hawkins is the Executive Vice President for ⁠IRF Secretariat⁠ , an interfaith nonprofit working to secure religious freedom around the world. J.T. Pinna is the executive director of ⁠Muslims for Muslims International⁠ , a group committed to advocacy for the Muslim communit...

Shaka is joined by the hosts of the "We Made It Political" podcast. It's a show where Lauren Hall and Lura Forcum talk together and with guests about what political science, psychology, and parenting has taught them about making politics better for everyone. On this episode they choose songs that remind them of best friends, parenting, and protests. It's a great conversation full of surprises.

Shaka is joined by Dr. Tania Israel and Elizabeth Scharpf of the Ready to Be Strong podcast. They share: music from a college dinner party, songs about personal heroes, and songs about community. This episode covers everything from Buffy the Vampire Slayer to the Boss. Oh, and LOTS of content for Swifties! Link to the playlist HERE .

Aspen Civil Society Fellows, Dhani Jones and Jorge Lima, join Shaka to discuss songs that remind us of places, songs that speak to our personal leadership styles, and finally music that encourages strengthening community bonds. Songs reviewed and reacted to:  Ain't No Mountain High Enough - Marvin Gaye, Tammi Terrell I Love This Bar - Toby Keith Danza Kuduro - Don Omar, Lucenzo River - Leon Bridge...

This season of the Come Together podcast features guests from Nashville, sitting down to find common ground through music. Episode 1 features Juvenile Court Judge Sheila Calloway and CEO of the Beacon Center, Justin Owen . This unlikely pair discusses where they grew up, what a constitutes a "hard day" at work, and the topic of justice. 

On this episode Shaka is joined by two friends who, at birth were separated by roughly 4,000 miles. Jonathan Worsley, an Englishman and the Associate Pastor at Edgefield Church in Nashville, Tennessee. Joining him is Dr. Theon Hill, a professor of communications at Wheaton College in Chicago. They'll come together as they discuss a parent, hope, and the all-important, "walkup song." We hope you en...

On part two of this episode, host Shaka Mitchell continues the conversation with Will Snowden and Dr. Vaughn May. The talk more about COVID, and America - in all her glory and with all her faults.

On this episode, host Shaka Mitchell is joined by Will Snowden and Dr. Vaughn May.  Will  is a lawyer, true Renaissance man, and the Director of Vera Institute for Justice's Louisiana office. Vaughn is a  professor  of political science at Belmont University in Nashville, TN. After talking about songs that get the party started in their respective homes, they discuss hobbies, COVID, and America -...

On this episode of the Come Together podcast Shaka talks to three guests about songs that remind them of summertime, home, and growing old. We get to hear from  Molly Moore , a mom and transcontinental traveler, Lizzette Gonzales Reynolds, an education policy  guru , and Yesha Yadav, a  law professor  based in Nashville.

Now introducing the Come Together podcast where we use music to find common ground.