The Working Songwriter

Our guest this week is Erin McAnally, the daughter of legendary songwriter and guitarist Mac McAnally. Born in Muscle Shoals, Alabama, and raised in Nashville, Erin grew up surrounded by the music business. Over the years, she has worked in A&R, music publishing, and film and television scoring.  Alongside her husband and frequent collaborator Mick Utley, she co-wrote songs with Jimmy Buffett,...

This episode originally aired on April 1, 2022. The creative force behind Against Me!, describes founding the band, working with producer Butch Vig, and navigating the waters of the major label system in the late 2000s.

Recorded live at the Old Town School of Folk Music in Chicago, Joe Pug interviews beloved songwriter John Moreland. TWS Forum is an annual event that the podcast hosts in June. Listeners take in concerts by the headlining artists and then attend workshops from them during the day. This was the 2nd annual event. The headliners and dates for next year's Forum will be announced this month.

The iconic singer songwriter reflects on her last few decades at the vanguard of American folk music. This episode was originally aired on June 3rd, 2022.

Our guest this week is one of Louisville, Kentucky’s favorite sons. Jim James is a native Kentuckian who rose to prominence as the vocalist and creative force behind the celebrated rock group My Morning Jacket. “The Jacket,” as they are affectionately called by their fans, released their debut album The Tennessee Fire in 1999 and took the country by storm with their legendary live show. Since then...

This legendary folk songwriter stops by the show to discuss her techniques for sculpting melody, structuring the bridge of a song, and navigating the ever-shifting sands of the music business. This episode was originally aired on August 20th, 2021.

Our guest this week is one of the godfathers of modern roots and Americana music. Originally from Toledo, Ohio, Gary Louris moved to Minneapolis as a young man in the 1970s and immersed himself in a Twin Cities music scene that punched way above its weight culturally. His group, The Jayhawks, would release a string of critically acclaimed and nationally beloved albums. One of Louris’s main gifts i...

This episode originally aired on April 15th, 2022 This songwriter has spent the last few decades building a devoted following with Hot Water Music and also with his own solo project. He discusses getting his start in the 1990s Florida Hardcore scene, getting his legendary Revival Tour off the ground, and some of his creative practices.

Our guest this week is one of Chicago’s favorite sons. Eric D. Johnson is the songwriter, singer and multi-instrumentalist behind Fruit Bats, which started in the late 1990s as a four-track recording project before growing into a full touring band. Over the years, Johnson has been a member of The Shins and played with Califone and Vetiver. Besides Fruit Bats, Johnson is also one-third of Bonny Lig...

This episode was originally aired on April 8th, 2022. Fresh on the heels of his latest album hitting #1 on the UK Charts, this journeyman songwriter and performer stops by the show to discuss his beginnings in Hardcore music, many years of touring, and writing methods.

Our guest this week on the Working Songwriter hails from a small mountain town in California, but his music has now made it across the world. Jay Buchanan got his start in the early 2000s with a solo project before joining ranks with a rock band and forming Rival Sons. Since 2008, that group has built a remarkable fanbase and beloved discography. Rival Sons have shared stages with an astonishing l...

This episode was originally aired on June 18th, 2021. After many years in celebrated roots music groups such as Po' Girl, Birds of Chicago, and Our Native Daughters, this songwriter has released a critically acclaimed debut album under her own name.

Our guest this week is Cody Diekhoff, better known as Chicago Farmer. He grew up in the small farming community of Delavan, Illinois, before moving to Chicago in 2003. Over the past two decades, he has built a devoted following through relentless touring, first as a solo performer and more recently with his band, the Fieldnotes. Along the way, he has shared stages with Robert Earl Keen, Todd Snide...

This episode originally aired on November 5th, 2021. John Flansburgh, one of the founding members of this groundbreaking indie-rock institution, stops by the show to talk about his creative process and how his band has navigated the music business for the last four decades.

Our guests this week are Gabe Dixon and Mike Mattison of the Tedeschi Trucks Band, the Grammy-winning roots ensemble led by Susan Tedeschi and Derek Trucks. Formed in 2010, their debut album, Revelator , won the Grammy Award for Best Blues Album, and the group has since become one of the country’s premier live bands, selling out Madison Square Garden and playing more than twenty shows at Red Rocks...

This episode was originally published on March 5th, 2021. The renowned troubadour from Louisiana found his commercial success in music later in life; he reflects on the journey that brought him to that peak. Interested in sponsoring us?  Contact BGS: https://bit.ly/sponsorBGSpods  

This week on The Working Songwriter, we're thrilled to step out of our normal comfort zone by welcoming one of the country's most acclaimed young novelists. Originally from Mount Vernon, Ohio, author Stephen Markley now makes his home in Los Angeles. He attended Miami University (of Ohio) for his undergraduate degree before being accepted into the prestigious Iowa Writers Workshop.  Simon...

This episode originally aired on June 25th, 2021. Chris Carrabba, the auteur behind this legendary emo band, discusses the twists and turns of a career that has included Gold records, MTV music awards, and truly devoted fanbase.

Our guest this week was born in Birmingham, Alabama, but, just like Davey Crockett, got to Texas as soon as he could. Dale Watson began his musical career playing the clubs of Houston before decamping to Austin and becoming a fixture in the live music capital of the world. The music machine in Nashville never fully embraced Watson’s traditionalist combination of Western swing, rockabilly, and coun...

This Greenville, South Carolina native is a Grammy-nominated troubadour known for his tireless touring schedule. Originally aired on December 18th, 2020.

Our guest on the Working Songwriter this week hails originally from Boston, Massachusetts and now makes his home in Toronto. Joe Pernice got his musical start, though, in Northampton, MA. At the time, it was a hot bed of indie music creativity. His band the Scud Mountain Boys built a loyal following in the 1990s with a string of critically acclaimed releases. He’s recorded for Sub Pop, One Little...

This episode was originally aired on September 18th, 2020. The celebrated singer and songwriter describes her initial ascent to the top of the charts with her debut album and how she has been able to string together many interesting chapters of her career.

Our guest this week on the Working Songwriter hails from Canada and has spent over four decades writing hit songs. Eddie Schwartz got his start as a solo artist, but has found great success writing for and with other artists. His song "Hit Me With Your Best Shot" was recorded by Pat Benatar and became a certified platinum crossover hit. He went on to pen songs for Donna Summer, the Doobie...

The Kansas City bred songwriter tells the story of his journey toward his distinctive brand of indie rock. This episode originally aired on October 9, 2020.

Our guest this week on the Working Songwriter hails from my neck of the woods, Washington, D.C. Mary Chapin Carpenter got her start in the proto-Americana music scene of 1970s and '80s D.C. She broke out of that local circuit with her signing to Columbia Records; her debut album went quadruple platinum. She’s toured with Emmylou Harris, Shawn Colvin, and Rosanne Cash, she’s won five GRAMMY Awa...