The Other 22 Hours

Caitlyn Smith is a singer and songwriter who has released 3 records via Sony and is now releasing music independently, she has a publishing deal with Universal (UMPG) and her songs have been recorded by Garth Brooks, Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers, Meghan Trainor, John Legend, Miley Cirus, Avicii, Lady A, Rascal Flatts, and Chris Isaak amongst others, and she has been nominated or won a Critics Cho...

Wilder Woods is the solo project of Bear Rinehart, the lead singer of multi-plantinum, Grammy-nominated, Billboard award winning, multiple Dove award-winning mega rock band NEEDTOBREATHE. We chat with Bear about how his prolific creative output forced his hand on starting Wilder Woods, juggling not only creating but performing with 2 drastically different projects, setting goals and intentions, kn...

Daren Thomas Magee - Real Fun, Wow! - is an illustrator, muralist, and designer based in Ojai California, who has used social media as a creative tool to grow a following (370,000 on instagram currently) and launch a company built on his artwork - selling prints, apparel and housewares of all kinds, and has grown to include multiple employees and collaborations with companies as far reaching as ti...

Laurie Berkner has released 15 best-selling records, has performed everywhere from The White House to Carnegie Hall and The Today Show, authored children's books based on her songs, written music and lyrics for 3 different off-Broadway shows, and is one of today's most prominent artist's for kids. We talk to Laurie about her transition from rock bands and 'adult' music, to writ...

Denison Witmer is a singer/songwriter and woodworking from Lancaster PA and longtime collaborator of Sufjan Stevens, who has been releasing records for 20+ years acclaimed by the likes of NPR and Stereogum, and ran a recording studio in Brooklyn before returning to PA. We talk to Denison about the value of creative documentation, leaving behind the external stimulation of the city (Brooklyn) and h...

Valerie June is a Grammy-nominated singer/songwriter whose music has been praised by Pitchfork, Rolling Stone, The New Yorker, NPR, and Bob Dylan himself (who is a self-proclaimed fan). She has performed with John Prine, Norah Jones, Booker T. Jones, Robert Plant, Meshell Ndegeocello, Dave Matthews, Angelique Kidjo, Willie Nelson, Brandi Carlile, and Elvis Costello, written books of poetry and on...

Marla Frazee is an illustrator and author who is a 3x Caldecott Honors recipient (for distinguished American picture book for children), the Boston Globe Horn Book Award, is a NY Times Bestseller, she illustrated Hillary Clinton's children's book ("It Takes a Village"), and her own book "The Boss Baby" was the basis for the Oscar-nominated animated film of the same name (ma...

Rosanne Cash is a 4-time Grammy-winning member of the Songwriters Hall of Fame, who has released over a dozen albums and published 5 books, has had her (prose) writing featured in the likes of Oxford American, The New York Times, and The Atlantic, was the 2020 recipient of the Edward MacDowell Medal for outstanding contributions to American culture, and holds an honorary doctorate from Berklee Col...

Tift Merritt is a Grammy-nominated singer-songwriter and practitioner-in-residence at the Franklin Humanities Institute and Duke University, she has released records via Lost Highway, Fantasy Records, and Yep Roc Records, performed with Joan Baez and Kris Kristofferson, and had a (pre-podcast type) show on Marfa Public Radio about the artistic process and integrity, called The Spark. We talk with...

Courtney Hartman is a singer-songwriter and guitarist, formerly of the Grammy nominated bluegrass band Della Mae who now performs and releases solo records featuring collaborations with Bill Frisell, Anais Mitchell, Sam Amidon and an entire record of duets with a past guest of ours, Robert Ellis. We talk with Courtney about her very intentional regrounding and reaffirmation of her commitment to ma...

Fancy Hagood started his career as a writer in Nashville before because 'discovered' by Scooter Braun, signing to Republic Records, releasing 2 singles - one of which cracked the Billboard top 30 - and then he was dropped by his label, agent, and manager, almost all on the same call. He has been featured on The Today Show, Fallon, and performed with Meghan Trainor, Kacey Musgraves, Ariana...

Maggie Smith is NY Times bestselling (her memoir “You Could Make This Place Beautiful”), numerous award-winning poet and author who has been considered one of the first viral poets after her 2016 poem "Good Bones" was read in the hit CBS show 'Madam President', as well as by Meryl Streep at the Academy of American Poets gala. As our first non-musical guest, we seize the opportunity...

JD McPherson is a singer-songwriter and guitar player who's put out records on Decca, Rounder and New West, toured or collaborated with Dan Auerbach, Nick Lowe, and Lucius, is the guitar player for Robert Plant & Allison Krauss, as well as opening the shows with his own band, and is the producer of the recently-announced Jessica Simpson (comeback?) record.. We talk to JD about all modes of...

The War and Treaty are a Grammy nominated duo who have released 6 records and EPs, starting out with independent releases before moving on to Rounder and now Mercury/Universal Nashville. They are the first black duo to be nominated for duo of the year at both the CMA's and the ACM's, where they've also performed, as well as performing and/or collaborating with the likes of Zach Bryan,...

This is the 4th and final episode of our thematic mini-series, and this week we are looking at the ways some of our Patreon's favorite guests have found to balance their family lives and their creative lives - from reevaluating what a meaningful approach looks like as your family grows, or juggling family life while both parents are creatives (ala Robert Ellis), to touring with kids and unders...

This is episode 3 of our mini-series of conversations compiled around a different theme each episode. This week we look at all things self doubt: from imposter syndrome, to score keeping, doubt hiding behind a need for outside validation, or just classic doubt in your abilities, we touch on all of it with Madame Gandhi, Langhorne Slim, and Guster's Ryan Miller. You can find a link to our full...

This is episode 2 of our mini-series of conversations compiled around a different theme each episode. This week we dive into the business of DIY, and stories of different artists that have built successful, sustainable careers outside of the major label, stereotypical "right" career path. We hear from Jesse Boykins III talk about leaving and standing up to Def Jam Records and Universal Pub...

This is episode 1 of a mini-series centered around a different theme each episode. This week we explore failure in it's many forms: enduring it, embracing it, overcoming it, learning from it - all from three different Grammy-nominated artist: Rodney Crowell, Madi Diaz, and Aaron Lee Tasjan - in that order. You can find a link to our full conversations with each of them below, and playlists of...

Chuck Prophet has put out 17+ solo records, 10 records with his former rock band Green on Red, and has worked with Bruce Springsteen, Kim Richey, Kelly Willis, Alejandro Escovedo, and Tony Visconti, appeared on many late night shows, toured with Lucinda Williams, and more. We chat with Chuck about transitioning from being in a band to having a solo career, San Fransisco as inspiration, how major s...

James Vincent McMorrow is a platinum-selling, billions-streaming singer-songwriter who has released records independently and via labels such as Nettwork and Columbia, work with Paul Epworth, Kenny Beats, Lil Silva, had his vocals featured on songs by Drake, and Kygo, in Game of Thrones, and numerous festivals. He also took 7 years off from touring to be with his growing family and recalibrate his...

Liz Longley has released 10+ records both independently and with labels such as Rounder Records, raised $150,000 on Kickstarter (the 4th most largest campaign by an independent artist at the time) to buy her finished album back from her former label, and has been critically acclaimed by Billboard, Newsweek, and Pop Matters. We talk to Liz about creators having the power in the music industry, tour...

Tommy Emmanuel is a legendary acoustic guitar player from Australia, where he has received some of the nation's highest honors, won Grammy, ARIA, and IBMA awards (amongst others), released 27+ records on labels such as Sony and Columbia, and began touring at the age of 6. We talk to Tommy about his endless enthusiasm and drive to experiment that has kept him inspired and learning through his a...

Caroline Spence has released 5 records independently and via Rounder Records, has written and/or recorded with Emmylou Harris, Lori McKenna, Matt Berninger (The National), and Sarah Jarosz, and toured with Mary Chapin Carpenter, John Moreland, Tyler Childers, and American Aquarium. We talk to Caroline about being in relationship with your creativity, awareness of, and moving beyond defining yourse...

Becca Stevens is a Grammy-nominated singer songwriter who has released 6+ records of her own music, as well as collaborating with the likes of David Crosby, Jacob Collier, Laura Mvula, Brad Mehldau, Michael McDonald, Snarky Puppy, as well has having a roll in the Broadway show "Illinoise" based on the music of Sufjan Stevens. We talk with Becca about the nitty gritty of touring with an inf...

Brandy Clark is a Grammy winning artist and songwriter, who has had her songs recorded by Sheryl Crow, Miranda Lambert, Kacey Musgraves, Billy Currington, Darius Rucker and more, and co-wrote the music for Tony-winning Broadway show Shucked with Shane McNally. We talk to Brandy about battling self doubt even when it reemerges after you've started seeing success, finding the right community tha...