Look who it is!

Southern Indiana country artist Hank Ruff joins Look Who It Is to talk about growing up around music, starting out with his dad’s band, and building his own path as an artist. Hank grew up in Bloomington, Indiana, playing mandolin, listening to bluegrass and old-school country, and eventually finding his own sound through 90s country, live shows, and original songs. In this episode, we talk about...

Kendall Eugene joins Look Who It Is for a conversation about how he got started in music, the long road through rock bands and worship music, losing everything in 2023, getting discovered by The Voice, and writing songs from real life. We also talk about Nashville writers rounds, building a music career while working a full-time job, and the stories behind songs like “Already Gone” and “Dust Bowl...

Brooke Lee joins Look Who It Is to talk about the years behind the big moments. From grinding late-night Broadway shifts in Nashville to landing a Chevy campaign that aired during the Olympic opening ceremony, Brooke shares what the outside world doesn’t always see. We also talk about her upcoming EP Desert Darling (out April 17), how the six-song project tells the story of her life from 19 to 25,...

In this episode of Look Who It Is, I sit down with Jesse DeGroot, co-founder and guitarist of Beneath The Hollow. We talk about what it really takes to keep a heavy band moving while balancing a full-time job, marriage, kids, touring, and constant writing. Jesse breaks down: • Why he went back and relearned guitar after nearly 20 years of playing • Studying music theory and how it changed his appr...

Classical and jazz-trained guitarist Michael Rye shares how he went from Suzuki violin lessons at age five to a lifetime of guitar. We talk about his all-instrumental album If These Hands Could Talk and why he wanted it to be 100% guitar with no vocals, overdubs, or studio tricks. Michael breaks down how he thinks about fingerstyle, session work in a remote-file world, and why reputation and refer...

Nashville guitarist and producer Derek Wells breaks down how modern records are really made. We talk demoitis, the creative freedom behind Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion sessions, how Nashville studio work actually functions, and how Derek balances being a guitarist, producer, and A&R executive. This episode dives into session workflows, creative burnout, saying no to the wrong projects, and the s...

Nashville singer songwriter Camryn Gardner talks going full time in music, the Broadway grind, writer rounds, co writing, and the story behind her song “Stages.” We also cover the reality of promoting and releasing music as an independent artist and what she is working on next.

Max from the Nashville indie rock band Felix Tandem talks about the gravestone origin of the band name, his “Max vs Felix” creative split, and the story behind their new 90s-inspired single “Hey Now” (out Dec 4).We get into his songwriting process, DIY touring, Nashville’s house-show scene, their first single “Shoplifter,” and his thoughts on AI music, Spotify, and making art without chasing the a...

Pop artist and actress Izabela Rose joins the Look Who It Is podcast to talk about her new single Tipsy Truth, how she wrote it with her family, why she calls it a medicine song, and what it means for this new era of her music. We get into growing up with Disney Channel, stepping into life as an independent artist, the pressure of doing it without a label, finding her sound in indie pop, writing f...

Echo Pilot joins me to talk about how the band came together in Nashville, how each member found their way into the lineup, and what goes into the collaborative way they write songs. We get into home-studio demos, avoiding demoitis, and what changes when they take the music to a producer for the actual record. They talk favorite songs to play live, the biggest shows they’ve played so far, the chao...

Travis Neal from Fraxures sits down to talk about chasing the dragon, what it took to stay alive in the music industry, and how his approach to writing and recording has changed over the years. He breaks down the new record, the Depeche Mode cover, his vocal style, the band’s in-house video work, and the long fight back from cancer that reshaped everything. This one goes deep into the mindset, the...

In this episode I'm talking with legendary songwriter Roger Springer , whose career spans more than three decades in country music. Roger shares his journey from Oklahoma honky-tonks to Nashville hitmaker, writing for artists like Mark Chesnutt , Jake Worthington , and Will Banister . He talks about loyalty, mentorship, and why real country music never truly goes away. From capturing melodies...

Mississippi country artist Dusty Crawford joins Look Who It Is to talk about how an injury ended his chance to play sports and led him to discover music. He shares how his first gig packed out a restaurant, what life’s like raising a son and six-month-old triplets, and his plan to release a new song every month leading up to a summer tour. Real stories, hard work, and a lot of heart from one of Mi...

Father Figures is made up of Daniel Martin, George Mhondera, and Jensen Reed. They talk about how their mini label approach gives artists full creative freedom, equal royalties, and a safe space to make authentic music. From studio laughs to serious insight about the industry, this episode shows why Father Figures might be the most genuine team in Nashville right now.

Lawrence Coleman III, better known as LC3, has lived the full spectrum of the musician’s life. From touring the country with bands like Greyscale, Eve to Adam, and Oogee Wawa, to battling addiction, to pivoting into livestreaming during COVID, his story is raw, real, and inspiring.

Ebony Nicole shares her journey from teaching kindergarten to chasing music full-time. We talk about how journaling turned into songwriting, losing songs in a studio fire, recording a live vinyl EP, and her dream of becoming a songwriter for other artists.

Devin Trout has built a career as both a touring and session guitarist based in Nashville. From his first gospel tours at fifteen to playing with artists like John Legend, Sam Smith, Gabby Barrett, Drake White, Breland, and now Chase Matthew, Devin has seen every side of the music world. In this conversation he shares how a Keith Urban DVD first inspired him, what life on the road is really like,...

In this episode of Look Who It Is , I sit down with Isaac and Ty of Radio Flower, an alt-rock band out of Indianapolis. We talk about how they met in high school, the evolution of their band names, finding their unique sound, the story behind their flower masks, and the balance between writing music and playing live shows. They also share fan stories, their goals for the future, and what’s next fo...

In this episode of Look Who It Is , I sit down with Caleb from the North Carolina folk Americanagrass band His & Hers. We talk about the journey he and his wife Sara have taken since starting the band in 2013, their latest live album Primavera Roadhouse, Volume 1 , and what it’s like playing stages from Merlefest to the Ramkat. Caleb shares stories from the road, what makes certain venues feel...

Texas country artist Matt Castillo joins me to talk about his journey in music. From picking up his first guitar and printing out Garth Brooks tabs, to building his band and chasing songs in Nashville, Matt shares the highs and lows of life in country music. We get into performing, songwriting, the grind of the road, and what success really means. This one’s full of grit, honesty, and inspiration...

Bluegrass artist Amanda Cook joins me to talk about her journey from playing with her dad’s band to leading her own powerhouse group. We get into what it was like making her Grand Ole Opry debut, how an obscure cover became her first #1 hit, the wild energy of festivals from Wisconsin to Australia, and the challenges of being a female artist in a male-dominated genre. Amanda also shares the moment...

Lyal Strickland joins me from his farm in the Ozarks where he balances raising cattle, family life, and a music career that’s gearing up for a 42–state tour. We talk about his years on the road, the personal loss that pulled him away from music, and what brought him back with a powerful new live album. Lyal shares why honesty drives his songwriting, how he sees the state of country and Americana t...

Texas country singer-songwriter Charlie McCabe joins me to talk about his journey from picking up a guitar during the pandemic to performing at iconic venues like Floore’s. We dive into his storytelling approach to songwriting, the value of co-writing, and the highs and lows of being an independent artist. Charlie shares favorite songs like Hard to Quit , his goals for the future, and why the reco...

Country artist Jake Binegar joins me to talk about his journey from learning guitar on his grandpa’s instrument to building a music career rooted in his small-town life. We cover his songwriting process, the story behind his heartfelt new single “Grass,” crazy road gig tales, balancing music with family, and his push to hit 10,000 monthly Spotify listeners.

Country artist Mikele Buck doesn’t fake a thing, no tracks, no autotune, no chasing trends. In this laid-back and unfiltered conversation, he shares his story, songwriting process, and why he’s chosen the hard road over the Nashville game. HrMFyCnOKcibhoRlTt8z