So The Story Goes with Brian Chartrand

Drummer, singer, songwriter A.D. Adams stops by for a deep dive. Born in MI, his family soon relocates to D.C. He recalls the music that inspired him, how the Beatles on Ed Sullivan Show changed his world, touring the east coast in High School with his brother, unbelievable tales from the road including being the backing band for Chuck Berry as a 19 year old, transitioning to working behind the bo...

Oregon born Krystal Waters stops by for a chat. From singing around a campfire with her family as a child, to learning clarinet, to getting her first guitar at 19. Her decision to move to Phoenix and pursue music as a career with her band Wild Angels which is how she met her future husband Sturgis Waters. How the band evolved into a duo and started making a living performing around town. She share...

Yuma, Arizona's own Mike Ozuna stops by for a chat. This versatile guitar player shares his humble beginning figuring out single-line rock riffs with his brother, playing trumpet throughout school, and his decision to study music and pursue a double major in jazz performance and music education which he received from ASU. We talk about work/life/family balance and his philosophies about being a bu...

Mark Zubia has been playing in the Valley since the 80s. Growing up in a home that celebrated music, Mark quickly took to the guitar and started writing songs with his brother Lawrence at an early age. He shares stories of the Tempe scene in the 90s, and the journey of his band The Pistoleros that he started with his brother. He shares the ups and downs of getting signed to a major label deal. Mar...

Entrepreneur, music lover, retailer, and fourth generation Arizonan Patrick Burch stops by for a little chat. We talk about his love of piano, starting a band with Matthew Thornton in college in Texas, and opening Cave and Post, a "Gentleman's Mercantile" here in Phoenix. This spot is super cool and has everything I love: pearl snap western shirts, turquoise rings, cowboy boots and hats, and gorge...

First call trumpet player Kevin Tangney stops by for a visit. We talk about his formative years in Oregon, his first taste of music, and how he ended up in Arizona. We discuss his decision to get sober, join the army, going to war, and then leaving the trumpet to lead river trips in Moab, UT. Thankfully, he came back to the trumpet and has been busy ever since, not only playing music but working w...

Luthier, guitar player, singer, carpenter Bernie Lezotte stops by for a chat. He reminisces about growing up outside of Detroit and enjoying a heavy dose of rock and roll as a kid. We talk about the influence of KISS, Randy Rhodes and Judas Priest on an impressionable mind. His earliest memory of fixing his first guitar. His road to AZ and ultimately attending the Roberto Venn School of Luthiery....

Guitar player, composer, multi-instrumentalist and passionate flamenco music enthusiast Kristofer Hill stops by for a chat. We talk about the early years in New Jersey, scrumming around NYC as a teenager, his decision to attend ASU, his deep love of flamenco music, his time as co-owner of the legendary restaurant The Lucky Dragon, and his new project Rosetta Verde. This gentle, articulate soul has...

Arizona native Jeff Ocheltree stops by for a chat. This drummer turned producer, engineer, guitar player and singer shares his story and how his career has evolved from banging on pots and pans in the kitchen to full time working musician. He walks me through his love of gear, influences, process, his current performance rig, and he shares his latest release "I'm On Fire." This is one of the harde...

Hey friends, I'm going to be taking the month of December off from the podcast. Don't worry, lots of great conversations on the horizon. In the meantime, please dig into the 87 episodes from the past year and a half. Enjoy the holidays, and we will see you right back here in January 2023. Much love, Brian

Multi-instrumentalist Dr. Dan Puccio stops by for a chat. We talk about growing up in his father's music store in Corning, NY. His introduction to the saxophone, the guitar, and voice, the album he associates with vacuuming, his long and decorated educational career, including attending SUNY Potsdam, the University of Michigan in Ann Arbor, and ultimately ASU, not to mention jamming Chuck Berry tu...

Phoenix by way of Atlanta, singer/songwriter Marcus Rushmore stops by for a chat. He tells me why, for him, Omaha, Nebraska is where rock and roll started. He shares some of the Arizona bands that influenced him like Jimmy Eat World and the Format. We talk about how he came to the guitar, his decision to learn more about audio production, and he shares a new song by his new band Let Alone called "...

Brian DeMarco returns for a chat. In this episode, we discuss Brian's 2022 releases: "Recitations" and "Songs I Dreamt." "Recitations" is a big departure from his other work. Inspired by hip hop grooves and recitations of Richard Burton, he crafted a collection of songs that are moody, atmospheric, and super unique. Think spoken word with a groove. His second release this year, "Songs I Dreamt" is...

Singer/Songwriter Betsy Ganz and multi-instrumentalist Jon Rauhouse join me for a chat. Betsy and Jon are in a band called The Sunpunchers. While Besty has been playing for most of her life, she took a break to pursue a career and start a family and is finally returning to music. Jon, maybe best known for his work on the pedal steel and touring with Neko Case, is a bit of an Arizona legend. We tal...

Multi-instrumentalist Johnny Zapp joins me at the Womack for a chat. We talk about his musical journey, what brought him to Tempe in the mid 90s, his songwriting process, and his influences from Led Zeppelin and Cheap Trick. We also talk about his new album "More Rock and Roll Less Assholes" and his track "Wheels." For more information on Johnny please visit: https://www.johnnyzapp.com/

Legendary Singer/Songwriter Alice Tatum stops by for a chat. Alice grew up in Mesa, Arizona, and started singing at an early age. We talk influences, early tours, rock and roll bands, starting a family and being a mom, memories of the Phoenix music scene, and we talk about her new album and she shares a track called "The Ladder." For more information on Alice and her upcoming performances, go to h...

I am joined by Brant Gasparek the head distiller for SanTan Spirits and Bradford Faris cocktail master and GM of the Womack Cocktail Lounge & Bar for a little chat/tasting. We talk about the awesome spirits that Brant and SanTan are making, we talk brewing and the distilling process, we talk music, first concerts, we laugh, and we taste. It's a beautiful thing. For more information on SanTan,...

Longtime KWSS radio personality and "Scene Mom" Dani Cutler zooms by for a chat. We talk about her early love of the Viola, her short stint at ASU, starting a family, getting into podcasting way before it was ubiquitous, her voice work, and ultimately landing a gig at KWSS. She also recently became Head of A&R for The Recording Artist. She is a true music fan and lover and supporter of AZ's di...

Bass player, singer, rapper, producer, first call side man, and composer Will Gaines comes off the road and stops by for a chat. We talk about the early years in Cleveland, his dad's influence on his musicality, his decision to move to Phoenix, his now legendary residence at the Black Forest Mill, his solo/side man work, and ultimately the original music he makes with his brother Lamar and their b...

Piano man, singer, composerCarl Herrgesell stops by and shares his story. While he was born in upstate New York, he spent many years right here in AZ before moving to Nashville for a spell after graduating from ASU. He's been working with Kenny Loggins on and off for over 20 years and has toured all the world. He has some great stories to tell. For more information please visit www.facebook.com/ca...

Visual artist Randall Hedden stops by for a chat. We talk about his humble beginnings drawing cartoons in grade school, to his invite to speed paint on America's Got Talent. I am a fan of his art; his work hangs proudly in my house, and now you get to hear that sweet, southern drawl yourself. Randall has a story. Listen up. For more information please visit https://www.facebook.com/randallheddenfi...

Three drummers walk into a bar: one is from Cleveland, one from Jersey, and the other from Phoenix. Join me, Mike Florio, Buddy Banks, and Dan Tomlinson for a little chat around the kitchen table. We talk about origin stories, inspirations new and old, ever changing technology, preferred gear and everything in between. Each one of these cats has an incredible story to tell. Enjoy.

Born and raised in Casa Grande, AZ, Kendall joins me for a chat. Kendall does many things; he started on drums in church, moved to the bass, and ultimately the electric guitar which he played with J.Lo on huge stages around the globe. We dig into the early years, various inspirations, how he got that huge gig with J.Lo, and what he's up to now. This cat is modest, but extremely talented. Dig in fr...

Shane Alexander, L.A. based singer/songwriter, producer, and studio owner, zooms by for a little chat about his musical origins, including his year at MI and subsequent years grinding his axe on the Strip. We rap about our shared love of Jar of Flies, how he stayed creative during the pandemic and I share a clip of his tune "Feels Like the End." We also talk about his beautiful home studio Buddhal...

South Boston's own Jack Maxwell joins me for a lively zoom chat. Jack is an actor, passionate music lover, host of History channel's Booze Traveler, and all around sweetheart. We rap about his early years in the Boston projects, his years in Phoenix, his time in Vegas as a young man pursuing acting, and moving to LA to follow his dreams. We also rap about how we met, his new pilot, overcoming canc...