Follow Your Dream - Music And Much More!

Mark Lettieri is a 5x Grammy winning guitarist, composer and producer. He is a Master of instrumental music. He’s a member of Snarky Puppy and The Fearless Flyers, a Vulfpeck adjacent band, along with Cory Wong. He’s recorded with Eryka Badu. David Crpsbu. The Jacksons, 50 Cent and many others. And he’s released 9 albums as leader. My featured song is my reimagined version of The Kinks’ “You Reall...

Bonnie McKee is a Pop Star! She’s a Singer, Songwriter and Performer. She’s written 10 #1 Singles in the US or the UK which have sold over 30 million copies. She and Katy Perry have written mega-hits together including “California Gurls”, “Teenage Dream” and “Roar”. The latter was nominated for Song Of The Year. She’s also written hits for Britney Spears, Cher, Christina Aguilera, Kelly Clarkson,...

This is a TRIBUTE EPISODE for PETER YARROW - Peter of the iconic trio “Peter, Paul And Mary”. Peter passed away yesterday at age 86. Peter was a guest on this podcast in October 2022. Peter, Paul and Mary were a much beloved folk based group that had an incredible string of hits in the 1960s and beyond, including “Puff The Magic Dragon”, “If I Had A Hammer” “Lemon Tree” and “Leaving On A Jet Plane...

This is the WORLD PREMIERE of “THE RICH ONES ALL STARS”, the new extended version of my recent single, “The Rich Ones”. The new version features me and my band, Project Grand Slam, along with 8 World Class musicians who previously have been guests on this podcast. Here's the back story. A few months ago I released a single, “The Rich Ones”, featuring Randy Brecker of Blood Sweat & Tears fame on fl...

JoAnn Falletta is a Classical Music Superstar. She is a phenomenally accomplished lady. For 25 years she has been the Music Director and Conductor of the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. She was the first female conductor in the United States of a major symphony orchestra. She’s a Juilliard graduate. She studied with Leonard Bernstein. She’s a 2x Grammy winner. And that’s just scratching the surfac...

Jackie Ryan is an extraordinary jazz singer who the JazzTimes Magazine has called “one of the outstanding jazz vocalists of her generation”. She sings in different languages, styles and genres including Blues, Bebop, Bossa Nova, Samba and Bolero. She’s played with Clark Terry, John Mayer, Cyrus Chestnut and many others. She’s performed at Ronnie Scott’s in London, Jazz At Lincoln Center and the Te...

Andy Timmons is a renowned rock guitarist. He was a member of the glam metal band Danger Danger, and he’s an in-demand session player. He’s sold over a million records, he’s had two #1 videos, and he’s released seven solo albums. Along the way he was Olivia Newton-John’s musical director. And he’s played alongside Steve Vai, Joe Satriani, Mike Stern and Simon Phillips. My featured song is “Get Out...

As we close out the year 2024 I am airing once again this episode begging for an end to the gun violence and mass shootings that plague our country. In 2018, in the immediate aftermath of yet another senseless, hate driven mass shooting at the Tree Of Life synagogue in Pittsburgh, PA, I wrote “Tree Of Life”. It’s a somber, mournful plea to find “a better way” to deal with gun violence and mass sho...

WELCOME TO ‘60s JAMBOREE II - featuring the following stars: TOMMY JAMES - of Tommy James and the Shondells. Their string of hits included “Hanky Panky”, “Crimson And Clover” and “I Think We’re Alone Now”. GARY PUCKETT - of Gary Puckett and the Union Gap. Their hits included “Woman Woman” and “Young Girl”.  RICHIE FURAY - an original member of Buffalo Springfield, Poco and the Souther Hillman Fura...

WELCOME TO THE ‘60s JAMBOREE! Featuring the following stars: “COUSIN BRUCIE” MORROW - America’s most famous radio personality. He ruled the AM airways in the 1960s as the star of WABC in NYC. GARY LEWIS - of Gary Lewis and the Playboys. Gary and his band had 7 consecutive Top 10 hits starting with “The Diamond Ring”. GARY PUCKETT - of Gary Puckett and the Union Gap. Gary and his band hit the top o...

I started this podcast 3 ½ years ago in March 2020 during the depths of the pandemic. My first episode was a Welcome Episode introducing myself and the podcast. At that time I had only a basic concept for the show - to motivate and inspire others to follow their dream, just as I had followed my youthful music dream later in life.  Fast forward to today. I’ve published over 400 episodes to date, an...

Jimmy Fortune was a member of The Statler Brothers, one of the most famous country music groups, for 21 years. He wrote their hits “Elizabeth”, “Too Much On My Heart” and “My Only Love”. He went on to have a successful solo career. He’s called the “Amish Elvis” and he was inducted into the Country Music Hall Of Fame. My featured song is “Heaven”. Spotify link . ------------------------------------...

Eddie Barbash is a renowned saxophonist. He was a founding member of Stephen Colbert’s Late Show band and he’s currently a member of Cory Wong’s Wongnotes band. He’s featured on the Oscar and Grammy winning soundtrack of “Soul”. He’s headlined at the Newport, New Orleans and Umbria Jazz Festivals. He’s played with Chico Hamilton, Jon Batiste, Vulfpeck and Yo-Yo Ma. And he’s released four albums. M...

Missy Raines is a Bluegrass and Americana Star. She’s a singer, songwriter and celebrated Bassist. She’s won 14 International Bluegrass Music Awards and her album “Royal Traveler” was nominated for a Grammy. Her new album “Highlander” features songs about her upbringing in West Virginia. My featured song is “Stockbridge Fanfare” from the album East Side Sessions by my band, Project Grand Slam.. Sp...

Robby Johnson is a Country Music Star and Singer-Songwriter. Born in Canada, he had many jobs including factory work before he settled in Nashville. Now he’s got a bunch of hits, a million social media followers, and millions of YouTube Views and Streams. He’s performed on the Late Show with David Letterman and been profiled in USA Today, Rolling Stone Country and TV Guide. My featured song is “Co...

Adam Golka is a Polish-American Acclaimed Classical Pianist and Beethoven expert. He first performed all of Beethoven’s Piano Sonatas when he was 18 years old, and he recently performed the complete cycle of Beethoven’s 32 Sonatas accompanied by 32 short films that he created. He’s given recitals in Japan, Amsterdam, Paris, Berlin, New York and elsewhere and performed with many symphony orchestras...

Christian McBride is a Musical Superstar. He’s a renowned Bassist, Composer, Arranger and 8x Grammy Winner. His playing covers Jazz, R&B, Pop, Hip Hop and Classical. He’s performed or recorded with just about everyone including Freddie Hubbard, McCoy Tyner, Herbie Hancock, Pat Metheny, Chick Corea, Paul McCartney and James Brown. He leads several bands and he’s the Artistic Director of the Newport...

John Santos is a 7x Grammy nominated Latin percussionist. He’s one of the world’s foremost exponents of Afro-Latin music. He’s performed or recorded with Carlos Santana, Dizzy Gillespie, Tito Puente, Eddie Palmieri, Paquito D’Rivera, The Buenavista Social Club, Billy Cobham, Regina Carter and Arturo Sandoval among many others. My featured song is “It Don’t Matter” from the album East Side Sessions...

Jeff Fasano is a Celebrity Photographer. His work includes actors like Terrance Howard, James Earl Jones, Kevin Bacon and Kiefer Sutherland, and musicians like David Crosby, Steven Van Zandt, Sheryl Crow, Jewel and The Blind Boys Of Alabama. And it was only after he turned 40 that he gave up his day job to follow his dream and become a professional photographer! My featured song is “Miles Behind”...

Anat Cohen is an acclaimed jazz clarinetist, saxophonist and band leader. She’s performed at the Newport, Montreal and North Sea Jazz festivals. She’s been voted Clarinetist and Multi-Reedist Of The Year multiple times. She’s won the DownBeat readers poll. Hailed as a “Master” by the New York Times. And she’s been nominated for several Grammys. My featured song is “Heat 2007” from the album Play b...

Bobby Tomberlin is one of the greatest songwriters in the history of country music. He’s written one hit after another for just about everyone in country music including Willie Nelson, Dolly Parton, Faith Hill, Kenny Rogers, Blake Shelton and Diamond Rio. And even Barbra Streisand. And he’s collaborated with Vince Gill, Hank Williams, Jr. and Phil Everly. He’s been nominated for Grammys, CMA and A...

Andy Hedges is a Texas Cowboy - singer, storyteller, poet and guitarist. He plays authentic Cowboy songs. He’s performed at the Grand Ole Opry and Carnegie Hall. And with artists like Ramblin’ Jack Elliott. And he hosts a podcast called Cowboy Crossroads. My featured song is “The Pardners” from the album East Side Sessions by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotify link . -----------------------------...

Erini is a traditional Greek singer who combines classic Greek music with other genres including jazz, pop and classical. She toured for three years with Cirque Du Soleil. She’s collaborated with Danilo Perez and Nella among others. And she’s a professor of music at Berklee College of Music. My featured song is “Ma Petite Fleur” from the album Made In New York by my band Project Grand Slam. Spotif...

THIS IS SUMMIT WEEK! Three Summits featuring some of the best Saxophonists, Bassists and Drummers. Today is DRUM SUMMIT with: Peter Erskine, a 2x Grammy winner and a 10x Best Jazz Drummer winner. He’s played with Weather Report, Stan Kenton, Maynard Ferguson, Joni Mitchell, Steely Dan and many others. Danny Gottlieb, an all-star drummer who has played with Pat Metheny, the Mahavishnu Orchestra, Ga...

THIS IS SUMMIT WEEK! Three Summits featuring some of the world's best Saxophonists, Bassists and Drummers. Today is BASS SUMMIT with: Ron Carter, the Maestro. He’s probably the most revered bassist of all time and certainly the most recorded jazz bassist. He’s a 3x Grammy winner. He was a member of Miles Davis’s groundbreaking quintet in the 1960s. He’s played with just about everyone and won nume...