Get to the Roots Extras

This full uncut episode features Mike from Mighty Mike Video Games St Pete located at 5980 66th St. N., St. Petersburg, FL. They are open 11-7 Sundays, Tuesday-Thursday, and 10-8PM on Fridays and Saturdays. They are closed on Mondays. (I even left in the part I said I would cut out!)    Mike shares interesting stories about traveling the country in search of video games, visiting ALL the video gam...

Host Stef is 'kidnapped' during an April Fools episode, and guest host Long Paws Pompadour commandeers Get to the Roots Extras with quirky humor, philosophical asides, and a love of train songs. Pompadour dispenses oddball but earnest advice—on public speaking, hygiene, taxes, and enjoying life—while celebrating local culture and Florida’s charms.

What up home skillets? I stopped letting AI write these descriptions, though professional... they don't accurately represent the energy of these episodes. Within this one, I pontificate on the idea Stephen Pressfield has in "The War of Art" and where I still find myself finding resistance cropping up all these years after reading Pressfield's book(s) for the first time(s).    Although I can't be t...

I talk about my show I did in remembrance of Roy Book Binder, the show the Florida Folk Show did in tribute to Roy Book Binder, struggles as a creator that many of us face, and a tangent about opossums     

Recapping the 2/18 Get to the Roots show on RSP in which I feature both Linda Horrell of Now and Then on RSP and Fiona Frensche of Women of Song on RSP. Both are DJs second and singer-songwriters / musicians first!    Two amazing women here in Tampa Bay each with a wide range of songs, some even folk enough for Get to the Roots!

Get to the Roots Stef celebrates finishing a 49-minute Radio St. Pete slideshow and reflects on overcoming lifelong procrastination and self-sabotage. This episode is a personal look at the relief of completing work, the joy of sharing creative projects, and the motivation to keep creating. She talks about the fear related to procrastination.  Although there is an updated version, the original tex...

Reviewing my 2/11 radio show Get to the Roots, something we do every week on the Extras podcast channel. We like to get some extra words in about how much I love these different musicians. Big hearts and shout outs to June Bunch and her music. 

Make sure you practice even when creating feels slow. It's hard to give an audience anything with the over abundance of content available out there in the world. It's good to get to deliberate practice -- aka practicing the hard things -- in order to level up your skills. Back when I was very passionate about becoming a full time writer, I practiced my craft extensively. Now that I'm past that, it...

Is AI music real music? No. AI is a tool that musicians or other artists can use to improve their art or publications, but it should not be the final product

Get to the Roots Stef explains why she joined the American Federation of Musicians, what protections and community it offers, and how it supports working musicians. She also discusses union flaws—favoritism, corruption, and challenges for women—shares personal anecdotes, and encourages finding community and small practical steps that help creatives succeed.    Are you musically inclined? Join our...

A Huge THANK YOUUUU to Lisa Leitl for speaking so candidly with me about her release SNOWFALL and her journey from performing covers, becoming an independent artist, and her deep emotional connection to singing and songwriting. I’m so excited to share her interview with you all so you too can benefit from her experience and her positive energy!   Listen to “SNOWFALL” on Spotify: https://open.spoti...

Get to the Roots Stef responds to negative comments and 'Negative Nancys,' reflects on years of making content since 2008, and urges creators to keep putting work out there instead of quitting or arguing in the comments. The episode also features music highlights from local acts (Sunset Bridge Band, Urban Gypsies of Florida, Ronny Elliott), talk about GarageBand and copyright issues, and teases an...

Explore the Five Whys technique; 5 Whys technique was created by Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of Toyota Industries. Dig into root causes of problems, using personal examples and relating this to the prevalence of singer-songwriters asking "Why" in their songs. Didn't even dig much into the music, as so many songs start with the word "why." This short episode mixes practical self-inquiry with musica...

Get to the Roots Stef reflects on the overwhelming surge of daily uploads and how hard it is for musicians and creators to be noticed. She recounts this week’s Radio St. Pete playlist—featuring Mama Gina, Laura Lanero, the Anderson Brothers—and a theme of female angst balanced with happier tracks. Stef shares candid thoughts on engaging listeners both in person and online, the struggle of creative...

Stef dives into authenticity, creator anxiety, and the struggle to promote past work, sharing candid stories from her radio show and podcast. She spotlights local musicians like Cassie Jean and the Fireflies, Sarah Mae Gunn, highlights TikTok artists who create multiple videos to promote the same work, and urges creators to fight both front‑end and back‑end resistance. Short, funny, and encouragin...

Get to the Roots Extras host Stef shares the alarming 2025 Pinellas County traffic numbers—13,135 total crashes, dozens of fatalities, and thousands injured—while sharing personal near-miss stories and observations about red-light running, hit-and-runs, street racing, and e-bike risks in St. Pete. She spotlights IONTB as a timely local source, considers root causes of reckless driving, and urges c...

Wondering if you should move to St. Petersburg, Florida for a music project? It depends. The city offers abundant live venues, strong busking and festival opportunities, and a good scene for Trop Rock and live performers, with many available collaborators. Downsides include higher-than-average rent and housing costs, hot and humid summers, local competition and artistic gatekeeping, political and...

Host Stef walks through the St. Petersburg Beacon’s Year in Review, mixing local headlines — from restored bait shops and new clubs to stadium work and community events — with a personal, funny anecdote about an awkward Q&A at a speaker event that highlights gentrification and local eccentricities. The episode captures the city’s changing character, memorable local stories, and small-town mome...

Get to the Roots Extras host Stef reacts to and summarizes the week’s top TikTok — an unsettling AI video about an orange cat, a donkey and an alpaca — and shares updates from the local music scene. Stef announces a new music video she edited for Fiona Frensche and her love of Frensche's release: Sylvie. She speaks on promoting friends’ music, and reflects on how hard it is for local artists to br...

On Get to the Roots Extras, host Stef checks out the History Facts Article showing an example of a mid to late 1800's school test  — answering old-school geography, math, language, history and science questions while reacting with humor and curiosity. Along the way she reflects on how education and accepted knowledge have changed, shares historical facts from the quiz, and invites listeners to joi...

In this episode of Get to the Roots Extras, Stef speaks with her cowriter Crazy Grandpa about their first release: "We Didn't Start the Fire 2," a sequel / cover of Billy Joel's 1980's hit.    Covering this song has been a dream of Crazy Grandpa's and we made it a reality. He performs a few verses of the song off the cuff and we ask listeners to check out the finished version, as well as share the...

Stef walks listeners through her annual Christmas radio show on Radio St. Pete, highlighting local holiday tracks, humorous songs, and personal memories that shape her approach to the season. The episode features mentions of local artists, special drops, a call for jokes, and teases the radio debut of a collaborative song with Jérôme Savoie aka Crazy Grandpa.   The song about a Martian and Gorilla...

Get to the Roots Stef dives into the surprising history of "Jingle Bells," revealing its origins as a 19th-century drinking song, forgotten verses, and odd lyrics like "bells on bobtail." She shares fun anecdotes, playground parodies like "Jingle Bells, Batman Smells," and her disdain for Christmas.  Tune in for a witty, irreverent deep-dive with laughs, historical facts, and a radio show update f...

This episode features an interview with musical artist A B3ing, exploring the meaning behind her name and her genre-fluid approach to songwriting, with audio clips from tracks like "Between the Here and Now" and "Dream Serum." A B3ing shares philosophical intent, the challenges of marketing music across styles, her experience in music creation, and the themes of presence and becoming that shape he...

In this illuminating episode of Get to the Roots Extras, join our host as they welcome the exceptionally talented Jérôme Savoie, a multi-instrumentalist and professional vocalist from Quebec, Canada. Jérôme shares his journey in the music world, his passion for songwriting, and the challenges he faced releasing music over the years. Experience the unique sound of his long-anticipated release, 'Enc...