Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters

Three-time GRAMMY winner and musical omnivore Bruce Hornsby chats about his wide-ranging career, from pop to bluegrass to jazz!  PART ONE: Paul and Scott talk about their Instagram, a wild Genesis fact, and more.  PART TWO: Our in-depth conversation with Bruce Hornsby ABOUT BRUCE HORNSBY: Thirteen-time Grammy nominee and three-time winner Bruce Hornsby has built one of the most diverse, collaborat...

You might know Rachel Platten for the wildly successful "Fight Song," but she's in the middle of a renaissance that's bringing her artistry into a new era.  PART ONE: Paul and Scott  give their unfiltered responses to the new-ish 4-part Stax Records documentary streaming on Max. PART TWO: Our in-depth conversation with Rachel Platten. ABOUT RACHEL PLATTEN: Emmy Award-winning singer, songwriter, mu...

Nashville-based platinum-selling indie artist Judah Akers of Judah & the Lion goes deep on the five stages of grief and finding beauty in the midst of pain. PART ONE Paul and Scott dive deep on how Nashville has transformed into a very different kind of "Music City USA." PART TWO Our in-depth conversation with Judah Akers ABOUT JUDAH AKERS Judah Akers is best known as the lead singer, guitarist, a...

With an ACM Top New Female Vocalist win and nearly 20 Canadian Country Music Awards, the chart-topping Carolyn Dawn Johnson chats about everything from her songwriting successes to her artist career to her co-writing with Chris Stapleton. PART ONE Paul and Scott dive deep on their opinions about the recently-announced Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction class of 2024. PART TWO Our in-depth conversa...

Folkie Americana indie hero Drew Holcomb joins us to chat about the songwriting process and which of his songs he's not a fan of!  PART ONE Scott and Paul debrief the experience of recently seeing the 74-year-old Bruce Springsteen perform with the energy of a teenager PART TWO Our in-depth conversation with Drew Holcomb ABOUT DREW HOLCOMB Memphis native Drew Holcomb first broke through on the nati...

Grammy winners and astonishingly fabulous musicians Chris Thile, Sean Watkins, and Sara Watkins of Nickel Creek join us to chat about their fresh approach to songwriting on their most recent album, Celebrants.  PART ONE Paul and Scott chat about musical virtuosity, Beyonce, Ricky Skaggs, and the blending of musical genres.  PART TWO Our in-depth conversation with Nickel Creek ABOUT NICKEL CREEK GR...

Ninety-eight-year-old Songwriters Hall of Famer Alan Bergman chats with us about a wide-ranging career that started with Johnny Mercer and continues to today.  PART ONE Paul and Scott talk about the Abba Voyage virtual concert and scare themselves with the possibilities of digital technology.  PART TWO Our in-depth interview with Alan Bergman ABOUT ALAN BERGMAN Alan Bergman and his late wife Maril...

SUMMARY: Norah Jones joins us to chat about her new album Visions and the evolution of her songwriting since she took the world by storm in 2002. Afterward, stick around for a very special conversation with Tish Melton. The 18-year-old songwriter discusses her new Brandi-Carlile produced EP and more.  PART ONE: Paul and Scott reflect on Norah Jones's unique place in the musical world, the central...

Blackberry Smoke frontman and primary songwriter Charlie Starr goes deep on his music's Southern roots and wide-ranging appeal. PART ONE Paul and Scott talk Pearl Jam's new single, how travel defines fanhood, and why Blackberry Smoke are a force to be reckoned with when it comes to playing live.  PART TWO Our in-depth interview with Charlie Starr ABOUT CHARLIE STARR Charlie Starr is a guitarist, v...

90-year-old blues legend Bobby Rush joins us for a wide-ranging and revealing conversation about songwriting, music, life, and so much more! PART ONE: Scott and Paul chat about Scott's experiences at the Grammy awards, including running into Ted Danson, Jason Isbell, Verdine White, and others. Plus seeing the Killer Mike drama go down and getting soaked in the biggest storm in recent Los Angeles m...

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Duff McKagan, best known as a member of Guns N' Roses and Velvet Revolver, talks about writing songs with his legendary bandmates, a few of his various side projects, and his genre-spanning recent album, Lighthouse. PART ONE Scott and Paul shout out some Patreon supporters and reflect on the small handful of artists who, like Guns N' Roses, emerged on the scene and comple...

SUMMARY: Audley Freed founded the band Cry of Love before going on to become a well-known guitarist for the Black Crowes, the Dixie Chicks, Sheryl Crow, and many others. He sits down with Songcraft at his Nashville home to go deep on his own fandom, the kind of musician he tries to be, and how his riffs have kickstarted some great songs.  PART ONE: Paul and Scott geek out over the new Black Crowes...

SUMMARY: Songwriters Hall of Famer JD Souther joins Scott and Paul for an in-depth interview to kick off the New Year!  PART ONE: Paul and Scott welcome two very special guests (ages 8 and 5) to help set the tone for the new year. Plus they reveal the clever message a listener sent in to win the Stax Christmas LP from the last episode.  PART TWO: Our in-depth conversation with JD Souther ABOUT JD...

SUMMARY In this very special holiday episode of Songcraft, we're taking it back to Christmas at Stax, featuring conversations with some of the luminaries of the storied Memphis label that dominated Southern soul music in the 1960s and 70s. You'll hear from Deanie Parker, William Bell, and Carla Thomas as we celebrate the season and close the book on another year at Songcraft.  PART ONE Paul and Sc...

SUMMARY: Two-time Grammy nominee and acclaimed singer-songwriter Peter Case joins Songcraft to talk about his wide-ranging career. PART ONE: Scott and Paul chat about instruments that are nearly as famous as their players.  PART TWO: Our in-depth interview with Peter Case ABOUT PETER CASE: Two-time Grammy nominee Peter Case made a name for himself in the pioneering California power pop trio The Ne...

SUMMARY: Bush front man Gavin Rossdale joins to chat about the band's first career-spanning compilation as he looks back on all the classic songs.  PART ONE: This is a long one that covers Scott's eyewitness account of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony, Paul's experience at U2's Sphere show, and the guys' thoughts on new music from the Rolling Stones and the Beatles.  PART TWO (28 mi...

SUMMARY: Grammy-nominated artist and songwriter Dave Barnes joins us to chat about his recording career, his hits for other artists, and his latest album that was inspired from an entire year listening to nothing but the Beatles PART ONE: Scott and Paul talk about concept albums and reveal their favorites PART TWO: Our in-depth conversation with Dave Barnes ABOUT DAVE BARNES: Nashville-based singe...

SUMMARY: Celebrated songwriter Natalie Merchant chats about her songwriting, from her days fronting 10,000 Maniacs up to her most recent album, Keep Your Courage.  PART ONE:  Were the Lilith Fair-era 1990s the best time for women in music? Scott and Paul discuss. PART TWO: Our in-depth conversation with the legendary Natalie Merchant ABOUT: Natalie Merchant launched her career as the lead vocalist...

Summary: Josh Ritter, named one of the "100 Greatest Living Songwriters" by Paste magazine, dives deep with Scott on the evolution of his songwriting and the boundaries he pushed on his most recent album.  Part One: Scott and Paul talk about politicians who play music. Because SOMEONE needs to talk about it!  Part Two: Scott's in-depth conversation with Josh Ritter About Josh Ritter: Named one of...

SUMMARY: You wanted the best, you got the best! Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Paul Stanley of KISS joins Songcraft to talk about his long and diverse career through the lens of his role as a songwriter. PART ONE: Paul and Scott talk about musicians who adopt personas, how KISS seems to have the best timing of any musical group of all time, and their respective frightening memories of the band. Then th...

SUMMARY Stax Records legend Deanie Parker talks about writing songs for Otis Redding, Albert King, William Bell, and Carla Thomas, dives deep on what made the Stax environment so special, and shines a light on the recently-released box sets of forgotten Stax songwriter demos.  PART ONE Scott and Paul discuss the wild story behind the monumental box set Written in Their Soul: The Stax Songwriter De...

SUMMARY: Zach Williams of The Lone Bellow chats about his songwriting development and the band's latest album, Love Songs for Losers PART ONE: Scott and Paul dive deep on the evolution of George Michael's "Careless Whisper" and the role that production plays in presenting a great song. PART TWO: Our in-depth conversation with Zach Williams of The Lone Bellow ABOUT ZACH WILLIAMS: Originally delving...

SUMMARY: Lake Street Dive's Rachael Price and composer/guitarist Vilray discuss their dynamic duo that preserves the spirit of the Great American Songbook with original music.   PART ONE: Scott tells a story about a bad demo that helped him learn an important lesson. Then Paul introduces a pop quiz to identify songs solely based on their drum intros. Scott does OK.  PART TWO: Scott's in-depth inte...

SUMMARY: We chat with Ashley Gorley who, with more #1 singles than any writer in any genre, is the reigning king of country music songwriters.  PART ONE: Paul and Scott discuss the state of contemporary country music, the way the genre has come to dominate the pop chart, and the rapidly-changing nature of what's the most popular song at any given moment. PART TWO: Our in-depth conversation with As...

SUMMARY: REO Speedwagon's Kevin Cronin sits down in person with Scott and Paul for an amazingly in-depth conversation about his career and his legendary songs "Roll with the Changes," "Time for Me to Fly," "Keep on Loving You," and "Can't Fight This Feeling," and more!  PART ONE:  Paul and Scott talk about the resurgence of Tracy Chapman's "Fast Car," the current historical invasion of the pop cha...