Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters

SUMMARY David Shaw, lead singer and one of the primary songwriters of the New Orleans-based band The Revivalists joins us to talk about the band's history, their three #1 Billboard singles, the times they opened for The Rolling Stones, and their new album, Pour it Out Into the Night. PART ONE Paul and Scott offer up opportunities for song critiques, co-writing, and a lot of other cool Patreon perk...

Summary: Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Graham Nash joins us to talk about CSN, his solo career, and his most recent album. Part One: Joe Biden and Donald Trump are the two oldest presidents in American history. And it looks like they might square off once again in a contest of the aged. But guess which rock stars are older than our oldest presidents? Scott and Paul hash it out, and you might be surpri...

SUMMARY: With nine Grammy nominations and a GMA Dove Award for Songwriter of the Year, Matt Maher is one of the leading songwriters in contemporary Christian music. He joins us for a wide-ranging conversation about creativity, collaboration, and and his evolving career.  PART ONE: Paul and Scott talk about the recent Ed Sheeran copyright infringement trial. PART TWO: Our in-depth conversation with...

Summary:  Why the heck are we having  comedian on Songcraft? Part One: Paul and Scott chat about comedy, fandom, and the great Willie Nelson Part Two: Our in-depth conversation with the very funny Dusty Slay About Dusty Slay: Comedian Dusty Slay hasn’t written a song that you’ve heard, but he’s written a lot of jokes, and a lot of those jokes are about songs. Growing up in a trailer park in Opelik...

SUMMARY Our guest is author, educator, and celebrated singer-songwriter Dar Williams who emerged from the vibrant mid-90’s Boston scene that included Patty Griffith, Melissa Ferrick, Throwing Muses, Vance Gilbert, and Jonatha Brooke. Dar has now recorded more than a dozen studio albums, and recently released the book How to Write a Song That Matters, which was born from the songwriting retreats sh...

Summary: Our guest is Chris Shiflett, Foo Fighters guitarist, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer, 12-time Grammy winner, and solo artist named "Americana's biggest rock star" by Rolling Stone .  Part One:  Scott & Paul talk about country crossover and why Halloween's no fun at the Duncan house Part Two:  Our in-depth interview with Chris Shiflett About Chris Shiflett: Best known for his work in Foo Fighter...

Brent Smith is known as one of the best voices in rock thanks to his work as the lead singer, primary lyricist, and contributing songwriter to the band Shinedown. Formed in Jacksonville, Florida, Shinedown has gone on to land 30 singles in the Top 5 on Billboard’s Mainstream Rock chart. With 18 of those songs reaching the top spot, the band holds the record for the most number one singles in the c...

We're joined by Grammy winner Robert De Leo, who is best known for his work in Stone Temple Pilots. Collaborating with lyricist and vocalist Scott Weiland, Robert wrote or co-wrote the music for many of the group’s classic songs, including “Plush,” “Creep,” “Wicked Garden,” “Vaseline,” “Interstate Love Song,” “Big Bang Baby,” “Down,” “Hollywood Bitch,” and “Between the Lines.” Outside of their mus...

SUMMARY: We chat with Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and Song of the Year Grammy nominee Mike Campbell, who's best known for his work with Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers, but is also a songwriter who co-wrote "Refugee," “Here Comes My Girl,” “You Got Lucky,” “Runnin’ Down a Dream,” “Stop Draggin’ My Heart Around," "Boys of Summer," “The Heart of the Matter," and many more. He chats about working with To...

PART ONE: We pay tribute to Songcraft friend and legendary songwriter Lamont Dozier, who passed away recently at the age of 81. In happier news, we discuss Paul's recent nomination for a GMA Dove Award for Songwriter of the year before diving into the Ringo Starr Instagram foot controversy.  PART TWO (14:39): We make an important announcement about the future of Songcraft, reveal the winner of our...

SUMMARY: Our guest on this episode is John Hall, founder of the band Orleans and co-writer of the group's enduring hits "Dance with Me" and "Still the One." He chats with us about how Janis Joplin launched his songwriting career, co-writing Steve Wariner's #1 country hit "You Can Dream of Me," and how he ended up serving two terms as a US Congressman before returning to music. PART ONE: Paul and S...

SUMMARY: We're joined by Northern Irish singer/songwriter and frequent Ed Sheeran collaborator Foy Vance, who chats about addiction, spirituality, and the creative process.  PART ONE: Inspired by Foy Vance's magnificent whiskers,  Scott and Paul go down the rabbit hole to discuss the greatest musical mustaches in history. Actually, the mustaches aren't musical in and of themselves, they're just at...

PART ONE: Paul and Scott chat about the canonical playlist that's part of every Independence Day fireworks display, the time Scott accidentally hit Lee Greenwood in the face with a water balloon, and how our Patreon supporters can get the chance to get their hands on one of the very first copies of Dave Alvin's forthcoming book New Highway .  PART TWO: Our in-depth interview with "Fourth of July"...

PART ONE: It's mailbag time! What are you saying about us? PART TWO: Scott and Paul's in-depth interview with Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer Bob Morrison ABOUT BOB MORRISON: After an artist career recording for the Columbia, Barnaby, Capitol, and Monument labels, Bob Morrison hit the #1 spot on the country charts as a songwriter with Kenny Rogers’ recording of “You Decorated My Life.” Also a...

SUMMARY: Our guest is Grammy winner Kristian Bush, best known as one half of the country duo Sugarland. He chats about a career that has earned him six BMI awards, five ACM awards, and five CMA Vocal Duo of the Year honors, as well as about his ambitious new solo project, which will include four albums in one year that will present a total of 52 songs. PART ONE: Paul and Scott talk celebrity softb...

PART ONE: Paul and Scott reflect on returning to large-scale concerts, and talk about their recent experiences seeing Paul McCartney and Pearl Jam. PART TWO:  Our in-depth conversation with Ann Wilson ABOUT ANN WILSON: Four-time Grammy nominee and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Ann Wilson is best known as the lead singer and co-songwriter for the band Heart, which she and her sister Nancy formed in 197...

SUMMARY: Our guest is seven-time Grammy nominee and 1997 Best New Artist Grammy winner Paula Cole. She joins us to chat about her early work with Peter Gabriel, her monster hits “Where Have all the Cowboys Gone” and “I Don’t Want to Wait,” her work as an instructor for the Berklee College of Music, and her ongoing musical development, including her latest album, American Quilt .   PART ONE: Paul a...

SUMMARY: Our guest is Richard Thompson, a  three-time Grammy nominee who has earned lifetime achievement honors from the Americana Music Association and the BBC Awards. Named one of the top 20 guitarists of all time by Rolling Stone magazine, Thompson is a highly revered musician and songwriter whose music has been covered by Elvis Costello, Robert Plant, REM, Emmylou Harris, and many others. Algo...

SUMMARY Our guest is critically-acclaimed singer/songwriter Paul Thorn, who has carved out an independent career from his home base in Tupelo, Mississippi, that has earned him legions of dedicated fans. His latest release is a highly personal album titled Never Too Late to Call.  PART ONE Paul and Scott chat about the Grammy Awards, somehow find a way to make it all about them, and figure out that...

PART ONE: Paul and Scott talk about Pearl Snap Studios, contrabassoons, penny whistles, and bagpipes.  PART TWO: The guys remember Foo Fighters drummer Taylor Hawkins, who recently passed away, chat about Taylor's previous gig playing for Alanis Morissette, and talk about why Debbie Gibson deserves serious respect.  PART THREE: Our in-depth conversation with Debbie Gibson ABOUT DEBBIE GIBSON: You...

SUMMARY: Our guest is Jerry Cantrell, the founder, lead guitarist, co-lead vocalist, and primary songwriter of Alice in Chains. The nine-time Grammy nominee has written more than 20 Top 10 hits on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart, has sold more than 30 million albums worldwide, and was named one of the “100 Greatest Guitarists of All Time” by Guitar World magazine. His latest solo release is th...

SUMMARY: Our guest on this episode is Roland Orzabal of Tears for Fears. Known for such classics as “Everybody Wants to Rule the World,” “Shout,” “Head Over Heels,” “Mad World,” and “Sowing the Seeds of Love,” the group has a brand new album, The Tipping Point , and is embarking on a major world tour.  PART ONE: Scott and Paul read listener emails and set the record straight on their opinion of th...

SUMMARY: Our guest is nine-time Grammy nominee and two-time winner Janis Ian, who is best known for her classics “Society’s Child” and “At Seventeen,” both of which were inducted into the Grammy Hall of Fame. She joins us to chat about her long career and her latest studio album, The Light at the End of the Line. PART ONE: Scott and Paul talk about "We Don't Talk About Bruno" and the changing defi...

SUMMARY: Our guest on this episode of Songcraft is Natalie Hemby, a six-time Grammy nominee and two-time winner who has earned five CMA Song of the Year nominations and was named Music Row magazine’s 2021 Female Songwriter of the Year. Her songs have been recorded by Kacey Musgraves, Alicia Keys, Lady Gaga, Maren Morris, Ed Sheeran, Sheryl Crow, Dierks Bentley, Eli Young Band, Kelly Clarkson, Chri...

SUMMARY On this episode of Songcraft we’re joined by three-time Grammy nominee and two-time Americana Music Awards nominee Allison Russell. She’ll discuss her debut solo album, Outside Child , her long journey in the music industry leading to this moment, and her escape from childhood trauma to find resilience, joy, and healing through the art of music.  PART ONE Paul and Scott discuss the worst s...