So The Story Goes with Brian Chartrand

Hailing from Longmeadow, MA, Peter Venti says hello. Having received proper exposure to music as a kid, after his three years of mandatory piano lessons, and exploring the bass guitar in college, this keys player/singer ends up in Arizona in the late 80s. He mucked it up in various bands such as Garage Mahal, The Unholy Alliance, The New Subterraineans, Black Sheep Choir, Suffering Bastards and ev...

Tempe, AZ native Singer/Songwriter Joey Gutos stops by for a chat; from the first time hearing Black Dog, to NSYNC dance routines, to finding his voice after a fateful performance of "Just What I Needed" by the Cars. We check out a tune by his old band Sunset Voodoo called "Sweet Release" and how he evolved into his new thing and his arrival as a full time performer in 2018. We also chat about how...

Tempe's own singer/songwriter Jake Greider stops by for a chat. From watching his pops play music in Irish pubs, to discovering hip hop in the early 90s, to "jumping in" the Little G mafia, to finding the drums. We connect on "Stairway to Heaven," Smashing Pumpkins, our common distaste for math, and our love of Jeff Buckley (he even busts out a little "Grace" on my acoustic guitar). We also check...

David Moroney, aka DJ Mitch Freedom, stops by for a chat. He hails from Grand Rapids, MI where in the early 90s, he was inspired by hip hop and techno but picked the Cello in 5th grade as his first instrument. We rap about ska music, grunge, and the Grateful Dead. After touring with his band Mission Orange after high school, he makes the decision to move to Phoenix in 2004 and finishes his degree...

Dennis Rowland, Detroit's own legendary jazz vocalist, calls me into the band room at Scottsdale Community College for a chat. He shares (and sings) his early musical memories, including his first 45, singing classical music in high school, shipping off to Kentucky State University for music, his first paid gig at Joe's Palm Room in Louisville, and landing the gig singing with the Count Basie Orch...

Matthew Thornton, lead singer and songwriter in Vinyl Station and reluctant "artist," returns to the podcast. He was my first guest on this podcast in April 2021 and we reminisce about that time and space which was, let's say, challenging. We talk about the early days of the pandemic and how we got things over and stayed sane. For a minute or two, the conversation goes off the rails a touch, sorry...

Singer/Songwriter, guitar player, and music critic Ed Masley stops by for a chat. Pittsburgh, PA born , son of a steel worker, Beatles influenced songwriter shares his early story; from getting in trouble in school, to convincing his folks to buy him a guitar, to getting inspired to study journalism at Temple University. He talks about his decision to move to AZ, his history with Bob Hoag at Flyin...

Ryan Cronin, singer/songwriter, guitar player, composer stops by for a chat. New Jersey born, egg roll lover, shares his story; from in utero exposure to the Grateful Dead, to watching Wizard of Oz synched to Dark Side of the Moon, to blasting Rage Against the Machine to get fired up in High School. We talk about our mutual love of Wes Anderson movies. He talks about his time at GCC and his decisi...

Singer/Songwriter, guitar player Austin Carthell stops by for a chat. He shares early memories singing harmonies with his family. What had been a hobby turned profession when in his late 20's he decides to ditch the corporate job and become a performer. He shares his musical journey, we talk tech, looping, gear, and why he uses backing tracks for some of his gigs. We connect on Amos Lee and then w...

Singer/songwriter Carrie Lynn Van Winkle stops by for a chat. She grew up in a deeply religious, yet highly musical family. She tried a number of instruments before getting a guitar from her dad with a cryptic post-it attached. She shares her first introduction to pop music (buckle up), her struggles as an unchallenged high school student, giving up her dream of attending Juilliard College, rebell...

Singer/songwriter, band leader, music festival creator, and former backup singer for Christina Aguilera, Candace Devine drives down the hill from Prescott to have a chat. She shares her deep CA roots, her early love of Judy Garland and musical theater which eventually leads to her studying music at San Fransisco State. Opportunities lead her back to LA where one fateful day she gets a call to audi...

Southbury, Connecticut's own Jeff Tuohy stops in for a chat. We rap about how we met over 20 years ago in Springfield, MA, and his early musical influences including Peter and the Wolf, Waylon and Willie, show tunes, and Michael Jackson. After college, he moves to New York to, initially, pursue acting but ultimately make music his main focus. We also rap about his latest album Hudson Delta; an ecl...

Owner and main talent buyer for Rebel Lounge, and 6th generation Arizonan, Stephen Chilton, aka Psyko Steve, stops by for a chat. We dive deep into his punk rock roots, from booking friends' bands at Modified Arts in Phoenix in 2000 to putting on his own festival downtown in 2022 called Zona Music Festival. He shares his experience working for Stateside Presents and Crescent Ballroom and promoting...

Guitar player, automotive journalist, and New York native, Jim Resnick stops by for a chat. We discuss early influential albums, sneaking out to jazz clubs in NYC as a young teenager, to attending the University of Hartford where he graduated with a degree in English all the while performing with various bands. After graduating, he bounces between coasts working as a writer and editor until he lan...

Singer/Songwriter, touring musician, writer, Tedtalk-er, and budding stand up comic (no joke) Stephen Kellogg shares his story. From the early days feeling inspired by Cat Stevens and Whitesnake, to writing lyrics in notebooks in grade school, to studying at UMASS Amherst where thankfully he brought a guitar with him and started to write songs, to working for Iron Horse Entertainment Group after c...

Minnesota's own Steve Gripp stops by for a chat. We talk early musical memories, he shares his one Prince story, the influence of Metallica, we compare music scenes in Minneapolis and Phoenix, and what led to his decision to leave MN and uproot to Phoenix. We talk about his philosophies of being a successful and in demand side man. He is also entering the world of a solo singer/guitar player and h...

Singer/Songwriter Shawn Johnson brings his son Xavier to the podcast. We rap about his rough and tumble early years in MA, his decision to move to AZ, early memories of Tempe in the mid 90s, open mic stories, making records, having fun (too much fun sometimes, "Bladder Busters" anyone?), living in Rocky Point, and surviving and overcoming a stroke in 2018. He even shares a new tune live in the stu...

Drummer, firearms aficionado, and former video game tester Joshua Santa Cruz stops by for a chat. We talk about being inspired by his uncle playing drums in church, to getting his own drum set, albums that inspired him, we share harmonica stories, and living downtown and attending Phoenix College. He shares his journey into becoming a professional drummer which included some work with WGI/DCI (Win...

From the suburbs of Detroit, MI to Tempe, AZ, I welcome Gannon (aka The Cannon) to the podcast. We talk about the influence of Michael Jackson's "Bad" album, learning on a practice pad, joining the school band, playing in punk bands, stopping over in Tempe while on his way to LA and never leaving. Starting his power trio "Thoughts," getting a regular gig in Tempe, and meeting Shawn Johnson with wh...

Quincy, IL native Ryan McKay stops by for a chat. This singer/songwriter, guitar player, and guitar teacher shares his journey. We talk influential albums, first bands, first gigs, and first instruments. He talks about his decision to pack his car with a cheap guitar and an amp and move to Phoenix and what he did to start over in a big city. He talks about his run with his band Crash Street Kids,...

Arizona's own troubadour and longtime band leader Tod Miller brings a nice bottle of wine and sits down for a chat. From a very early age, Tod was surrounded by music as his father was the leader of a local band. Although he didn't get serious about the acoustic guitar until his 20s, Tod has been a staple in the local music scene for decades and helped launch the careers of many. He's got some gre...

Oletha, KS born bass player and educator Ray Thiry stops by for a visit. From the early days being inspired to play the drums by his father, then upright bass, to that moment when he was 13 and picked up an electric bass for the first time and decided that was going to be his life. We talk about his move to Arizona and attending ASU and his decision to get a degree in Music Education. And now he w...

Singer/songwriter Kip Fox stops by for a chat. From growing up in quiet Napa, CA listening to his parents harmonizing Christian folk songs as he drifted off to sleep, to discovering Queen and Michael Jackson, to studying at Concordia University in Irvine, CA where he pursued becoming a worship leader focusing on contemporary music. After a short stint in Vegas making music and working part time as...

Born in the deep snow of Bellingham, WA, singer/songwriter Kurtis Adair stops by for a chat. We talk through early musical influences, growing up in Yuma, AZ, finding the drums, early work slinging guitar in a country band and his dive into the local Phoenix music scene. This young gun also shares his latest tune "Gin + Citrus" which indicates to me, he is going to have a nice little songwriting c...

Singer/Songwriter, Producer and Arizona native Dominick Provenzano stops by for a chat. From "Graceland" to Weird Al to the Beatles to Bob Dylan, Dominick enjoyed a healthy and diverse musical upbringing. We rap about songwriting, producing, recording, influences and he shares his new tune "My Heart is an Open Door" which he will be releasing in June 2023. This cat is quick to laugh and a super ea...