Raw Songwriting

Ohio born T Brodzinski was given a child-sized guitar in the 1st grade and took lessons for several years before taking up the trumpet and joining the school band. T was captivated by her father’s 8-track player, taking in the sounds of doo wop, Janice Joplin and Bob Dylan. But it wasn’t until she turned 30 that she wrote her first song, and then, after founding a women’s collaborative music night...

Ruby Ross grew up singing and harmonizing along to doo wop and the Beatles on long car rides with her parents. Growing up in central Virginia, she was exposed to Bluegrass, Old Time and Appalachian music, then started exploring world music at Wesleyan University. After touring with some eclectic singing groups, Ross dipped her toes in songwriting, spending some time in Boston’s open mic scene, the...

Raised in a small town in Maine, Lissa Schneckenburger began playing fiddle at the age of six, inspired by her parent's interest in folk music. In 2001 she graduated from the New England Conservatory of Music with a degree in Contemporary Improvisation. She has been writing, performing, and teaching music around the world ever since, from traditional New England dance tunes, to original songs...

Think Twice (Robby Layton and Teresa Penbrooke) return to discuss how they've developed their song "A Place To Lay Our Head" that they originally wrote for this podcast in episode 21 of season 2 . Check out more from Think Twice at https://www.heronshaunt.org/

Originally from Nebraska, Tim Ostdiek was inspired by his father’s passion for music, especially for the Beatles and Paul Simon. Tim picked up the guitar in middle school, started writing songs, and quickly progressed to doing open mics. Once he realized he could get paid to perform several nights a week, there was no turning back from the singer-songwriter lifestyle.  Now based in Colorado, Tim h...

In this episode, Dave hosts have the inaugural critique circle with returning guests Pamela Machala ( S2E14 ), Barry Osborne ( S2E5 ) and Jay Stott ( S2E3 ). In addition to giving feedback on four works in progress, they discuss the "right" way to have a critique circle, plus their best and worst critiques of the past. Join us for another raw and riveting episode! For more, check out: Pame...

In this excerpt from the upcoming Raw Songwriting Critique Circle (S4E4), Pamela Machala, Jay Stott, Barry Osborne and Dave discuss the a line from Pamela's song "Tell Mary Jane I Miss Her".

Born in Lubbock, Texas, Andy Eppler’s love of music began while watching his mother sing in church. Having been diagnosed with AD/HD, Andy had to work hard to overcome the challenges posed by traditional schooling, but he ultimately learned how to work in solitude on various projects, and once he graduated from South Plains College with a commercial music degree, there was no stopping him. Andy Ep...

In this preview of the upcoming Raw Songwriting Challenge (S4E3), Andy Eppler talks about listening for your song as though you've already written it.

In this episode, Dave hosts have the inaugural critique circle with returning guests Timmy Riordan ( S2E1 ), John Linn ( S3E4 ) and Terri Sunflower ( S1E2 ). In addition to giving feedback on four works in progress, they discuss the "right" way to have a critique circle, and how critiquing differs from workshopping or cowriting a song. Join us for another raw and riveting episode! For more...

In this excerpt from the upcoming Raw Songwriting Critique Circle (S4E2), Timmy Riordan, Terri Sunflower and Dave discuss the improvised bridge from John Linn's work in progress "Where You Belong".

H grew up singing and playing piano, having been pushed onto a church stage at 5 years. At 15, she started teaching herself to play guitar. After college, she followed a boyfriend to Oaxaca, Mexico, but left him when she was recruited to play in a band. After a couple years, she traveled back to the U.S. and performed in bars and restaurants– including a stint as a cabaret singing server– while pr...

On the upcoming Season 4 debut episode of the Raw Songwriting podcast, H, lead singer-songwriter for the duo Naked Dawn, talks about how writing in Spanish is different than writing in English.

Dave regathered some of his best guests from last year to play and talk about the best songs they've written in 2021. It's a freewheelin' celebration of songwriting! For more music, check out: Bill Nash at http://putsiecat.com/ Trey Roque at https://www.treyroque.com/ Roger Heathers at https://rogerheathers.bandcamp.com/ Timmy Riordan at https://timmyr.com/ Barry Osborne at https://www...

Dave is joined by returning guests Teresa Storch & Peter Lacis, and John Linn, as well as first-timer Valerie Bhat. They talk about writing songs that risk offending people, ask if a song can be too sad, and how to keep track of unfinished song ideas. Plus, they debut four new Christmas tunes! It's another raw and riveting discussion about song craft! For more music, check out: https://ter...

Roger Heathers returns with updates on "Ouija Board," his Challenge song from episode 22 of season 2, as well as an overview of his new album "Y2K". It's another raw and riveting discussion about song craft! For more music, check out https://music.youtube.com/channel/UCMWT-STlMV6__aqrLNXWw8A

Though Micki Balder’s been dabbling with music her whole life, it wasn't until 2018 when a friendship's moment of truth unveiled itself in the middle of a Denver coffee shop. She walked home, wrote a song, and has been writing ever since, now a regular at local music venues around her Colorado home. Micki writes from a place of vulnerable storytelling, with people and relationships at the...

The driving force behind Parry Adams' music is her voice; her tender tone warms her candid manner, trading in harsh observations for sincerity and introspection. Her raw writing style combined with her soulful sound, deliver a strong shot of honesty. Parry Adams may not always tell you what you want to hear, but we know you’re going to want to hear this. Just be careful if you’re asking for br...

Dave catches up with Vicki Pompea, one of his guests from Episode 15 of Season 2, to hear her talk about a new song she's recently written and what other musical adventures she's been having. Along the way, they talk about writing outside of your usual style, using mentors to support your writing, and the positive energy of Steve Poltz. It's another raw and riveting discussion about so...

Born into a musical family, John Linn was exposed to the sounds of the Weavers, the Kingston Trio, Woody Guthrie and other folk music royalty playing around the family piano. At the age of 19, he picked up a guitar, but it wasn’t until his early 30s when he started writing songs. After easing into the open mic scene in Massachusetts, he was encouraged by a guitar teacher to take his music more ser...

Dave catches up with Nichole Wagner, his guest from Season 2, Episode 7, to hear her talk about two songs she's recently written, and what other projects she's currently working on. Along the way, they talk about using the cut-up technique to write lyrics, having a co-writer to help guide you through your song, and how to clear obstacles that keep you from writing. It's another raw and...

In this special Halloween Roundtable, Dave challenged Jay Stott, Dan Harris, Teri Sunflower and Brian Claflin to write some songs for that season when the lines between the living and the dead are blurred. Hear songs about coffins, ghost children, learning the date of your death, and all the saints you'd ever care about... and more! It's another raw and riveting discussion about songwritin...

Eric Richard Stone has been creating Americana music since well before it was labeled as such. Raised in a musical family of professional classical musicians in Philadelphia and Rockport, Maine, he tried Cello, then was lured away by the ways of folk after hearing James Taylor, Jim Croce, Joni Mitchell, and Tom Rush. Eric wrote his first song in 1975 and never stopped. In 1983 he recorded his firs...

When he was just 18 in a Liverpool pub, Trey Roque was approached to be a bassist in a rock & roll covers band. Soon, he had formed a pretentious prog rock band, then a heavy metal unit, but soon learned the ways of jazz at Penny Lane. A bout with tendinitis prompted Trey to take up the guitar and try taking his turgid teenage poetry and turn into rap-rock and irish-folk. Now he lives in Pragu...

After growing up in a musical family, UK-based  songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer Roger Heathers started releasing music independently when he was 19. Over the last 9 years, he’s released upwards of 20 albums while also co-hosting The Weekly Song Podcast with Declan Kitchener. He’s just released the collection “Swear Jar”, compiling many of his latest songs written for his podcast. R...