Only In The Green Room

Trumpet player and vocalist Jennifer Hartswick sits down with us in the green room at Jazz Fest to talk about her decades-long love affair with New Orleans — a city she calls "its own planet" — and the musical relationships that have shaped her career.  Jennifer recounts her first New Orleans gig at the Maple Leaf, an overnight set that ran from 3am to sunrise, and reflects on what it took to earn...

Singer-songwriter Kristin Diable joins Only In The Green Room at the New Orleans Jazz Museum during French Quarter Fest — and the conversation goes deep. We talk about what it really means to lose your creative voice, how traumatic experiences can freeze a songwriter's ability to be vulnerable, and what it took to come back from that and finish her long-awaited album Impossible Things — out now. K...

Recorded live at Bayou Boogaloo during Jazz Fest in New Orleans — two of our favorites in one green room. Eric Krasno (Soulive, Lettuce) and Wally Ingram (percussionist, collaborator extraordinaire) join us for a wide-ranging conversation as the golden-hour sun goes down over the bayou.  We get into the deep connection between the Grateful Dead world and New Orleans music, what it was like for Eri...

🎟 WIN PIT ACCESS + A SEAT AT OUR FESTIVAL INTERVIEW Buy tickets at highsierramusic.com and enter code GREEN at checkout. You’ll be automatically entered to win front-of-stage pit access for all shows + an exclusive seat at a live Only In The Green Room podcast interview at the festival. High Sierra Music Festival · July 2–5 · Grass Valley, CA 🎸 In this episode: — The New Orleans roots of High Sie...

🎧 Listen + full episode, transcript & more: https://onlyinthegreenroom.com/episodes/meels-interview  Only in the Green Room interviews Mill Valley-raised artist. "Meels" after her Sweetwater stage set, discussing her local upbringing and current life in Pasadena living with her 86-year-old grandmother - after five years in New York and attending NYU’s Clive Davis Institute.

🎧 Listen + backstage photos, transcript & more: https://onlyinthegreenroom.com/episodes/pink-talking-fish-interview A playful, lively, and informative conversation with all members of Pink Talking Fish (Eric Gould, Zack Burwick, Cal Kehoe, Richard James) moments before their recent performance at Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, CA. The boys delve into some of their favorite stories, inc...

🎧 Listen + backstage photos, transcript & more:  https://onlyinthegreenroom.com/episodes/steve-poltz-interview Backstage at Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, “Only in the Green Room” interviews singer-songwriter Steve Poltz, co-writer of Jewel’s multi-platinum “You Were Meant for Me,” as he tours promoting his new green-vinyl album Joy Ride.

🎧 Listen + backstage photos, transcript & more: https://onlyinthegreenroom.com/episodes/greg-loiacono-stingray-interview In this episode of Only in the Green Room , we sit down with Greg Loiacono & Stingray, a Bay Area super-group built on deep respect, serious groove, and a whole lot of joy. What started as a solo recording session for Greg Loiacano quickly turned into something much big...

🎧 Listen + backstage photos, transcript & more: https://onlyinthegreenroom.com/episodes/jon-chi-interview Marin County singer-songwriter, community and music collaborator Jon Chi joins “Only In The Green Room” as the first guest under the show’s new banner—recorded in the Sweetwater Music Hall Green Room before Jon played to a packed house for his birthday show at the iconic venue. In a conve...

🎧 Listen + backstage photos, transcript & more: https://onlyinthegreenroom.com/episodes/jonathan-mchugh-interview In this episode of Ta les From The Green Room , recorded backstage at the 2025 High Sierra Music Festival, the hosts sit down with veteran film producer, director, and music supervisor, Jonathan McHugh. Jonathan shares his experiences growing up in New Orleans, starting in college...

🎧 Listen + backstage photos, transcript & more: https://onlyinthegreenroom.com/episodes/karina-rykman-interview In this episode of Tales From The Green Room, recorded backstage at the 2025 High Sierra Music Festival, host Dennis Strazulo sits down with hardcore New Yorker and bad-ass bass player, Karina Rykman. Karina shares her experiences growing up in a highly intellectual family, her earl...

🎧 Listen + backstage photos, transcript & more: https://onlyinthegreenroom.com/episodes/amy-helm-interview Fresh from bri nging the spirit of the Midnight Ramble to the High Sierra Music Festival stage, Amy Helm sits down with the hosts for a moving and unflinching conversation about family, recovery, and carrying forward a legacy. Recorded backstage among the festival magic, this episode ble...

🎧 Listen + backstage photos, transcript & more: https://onlyinthegreenroom.com/episodes/chaparelle-interview In this episode of Tales From the Green Room, the hosts welcome Chaparelle, the Texas-based pop, folk and classic-country band created by Zella Day , Jesse Woods , and Beau Bedford . The trio discuss their unique musical lane, inspired by a blend of romance, personal experiences, and a...

🎧 Listen + backstage photos, transcript & more: https://onlyinthegreenroom.com/episodes/andy-frasco-interview

🎧 Listen + backstage photos, transcript & more:  https://onlyinthegreenroom.com/episodes/joe-marcinek-interview In this episode, The Green Room presents their conversations with Joe Marcinek and Jeremy Hoenig recorded before their respective performances during Jazz Fest 2025 in New Orleans – featuring two  musicians swimming in the same music circles in the San Francisco Bay Area and nationa...

🎧 Listen + backstage photos, transcript & more: https://onlyinthegreenroom.com/episodes/sunshine-garcia-becker-interview In this episode, hosts Dennis Strazulo and Tami Larson explore the journey of Sunshine Garcia Becker (Furthur, Sunshine Garcia Band) on her mission to curate an all-female Grateful Dead tribute band, with the purpose of expanding the involvement of women as key players in t...

🎧 Listen + backstage photos, transcript & more: https://onlyinthegreenroom.com/episodes/danny-luehring-interview In this episode of Tales From The Green Room -  mixed with joyous reflection, levity, and emotion - drummer extraordinaire Danny Luehring discusses the origins and evolution of Danny's Live Dead , a weekly Grateful Dead show hosted by him every Wednesday at Peri’s Tavern in Fairfax...

🎧 Listen + backstage photos, transcript & more:  https://onlyinthegreenroom.com/episodes/zachary-richard-interview In this episode  the hosts engage in an enlightening conversation - and history lesson -  with singer-songwriter, Cajun culture activists, and International recording artist, Zachary Richard . Richard first reflects on his deep ties with Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, CA ...

🎧 Listen + backstage photos, transcript & more: https://onlyinthegreenroom.com/episodes/holly-bowling-interview Super-creative, virtuoso pianist , Holly Bowling joins the show in the first-ever podcast recorded in The Green Room at Garcia’s Chicago . Holly shares the etiology of her genre-crossing and improvisational style in between her two incredible debut appearances at this spectacular ve...

🎧 Listen + backstage photos, transcript & more: https://onlyinthegreenroom.com/episodes/river-jake-eckert-interview In this engaging episode restaurateur, music promoter, and local legend  Chris 'Shaggy' Davis welcomes Tales From The Green Room and  listeners to  Day 2 of the 10th annual NOLA Crawfish Festival, a celebration that marries New Orleans' rich musical heritage with its vibrant cul...

🎧 Listen + backstage photos, transcript & more: https://onlyinthegreenroom.com/episodes/wally-ingram-interview Join hosts Tami Larson and Dennis Strazulo as they dive into the vibrant atmosphere of JazzFest 2025 , with this episode recorded at The Broadside in New Orleans during the 1 0th Annual Crawfish Festival . In this episode, the first of several generated from JazzFest, the focus is on...

🎧 Listen + backstage photos, transcript & more: In this episode of 'Tales from the Green Room,' we welcome the band Spafford in the green room at Sweetwater Music Hall in Mill Valley, CA to discuss their origins, musical influences, and journey. The conversation covers the genesis of their unique band name, evolving from 'Officious Tortfeasor' to 'Spafford,' inspired by a close friend. Member...

🎧 Listen + backstage photos, transcript & more: https://onlyinthegreenroom.com/episodes/tommy-castro-interview Tales From The Green Room redux!  In Mount Tam Media's first drop of it's “one from the vault” series of never released episodes -recorded during Sweetwater Music Hall's 50th Anniversary celebration in Nov. 2022 -  host Dennis Strazulo sits down with legendary blues musician, Tommy C...

🎧 Listen + backstage photos, transcript & more: https://onlyinthegreenroom.com/episodes/sam-grisman-interview In this episode of "Tales From The Green Room" Sam Grisman Project mainstays Max Flansburg and Chris English visit with hosts Dennis Strazulo and Tami Larson backstage at Terrapin Crossroads' Sunday Day Dream Vol. 4 in San Rafael, CA. 

🎧 Listen + backstage photos, transcript & more: https://onlyinthegreenroom.com/episodes/reed-mathis-interview In an insightful discussion on the "Tales from the Green Room" podcast, Reed Mathis provides host Dennis Strazulo and listeners with a detailed preview of his upcoming podcast series “The Gifts of Improvising” which debuts January 29, 2025 on the Osiris Media Podcast Network.