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    Music

    How We Heard It

    Veteran entertainment journalists, music columnists and longtime friends Wayne Bledsoe and Chuck Campbell host ”How We Heard It,” a breezy and sometimes offbeat take on how music and movies got to where they are today and where it’s all going.

    They break down who are the most promising Generation Z singers one minute and the next they debate who are the most overrated acts from the past. Sexy songs, soundtracks, controversies and weird movies find their way into the discussion, and they also weigh in with recommendations on who to hear and what to see in music and film from the past and present.

    Wayne and Chuck have more than 65 years of experience in professional journalism between them, but they don’t waste time indulging in scholarly breakdowns of their institutional knowledge. Instead, they share behind-the-scenes stories about their odd, funny, inspirational and embarrassing encounters with celebrities, managers, fans and readers. And they laugh at themselves and each other. A lot. Because being an entertainment journalist does that to you.

    An important third voice in the ”How We Heard It” podcast is engineer John Baker, himself a musician and producer who reins in Wayne and Chuck when they need it. John’s tastes are a little bit Wayne and a little bit Chuck, and he’s a friendly sort.

    Wayne’s primary role in his nearly four decades at the Knoxville News-Sentinel was his work as an entertainment writer and critic. He currently hosts ”The Six O’Clock Swerve” weekly radio show on WUTK, 90.3 FM in Knoxville, he’s a former Grammy nominee, and he’s an organizer of the annual concert series ”Waynestock: For the Love of Drew and Rylan.” He’s also an artist and unconventional garden writer – see more at www.waynebledsoe.com.

    Chuck started his career in journalism at the Daytona Beach News-Journal in Florida before joining the staff in Knoxville. He has reviewed more than 5,500 albums, and his column was distributed by the New York Times, Gannett, Cox News Service and the Scripps Howard News Service. He was an entertainment and travel editor in both Florida and Tennessee and a regional news planner for Gannett’s South Region.

    ”How We Heard It” is a Cozy Planet Productions podcast recorded at The Arbor Studio in Knoxville, Tennessee. Send requests, comments and suggestions to HowWeHeardIt@gmail.com

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    Copyright: © Copyright 2024 All rights reserved.

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    Latest Episodes:
    Music's greatest duets: when two is better than one Jul 26, 2025
    Show notes

    Great duets have surfaced throughout the history of popular music, evoking a magic that one voice simply can't convey by itself.

    Duets between Bruno Mars and Rose ("APT.") as well as Kendrick Lamar and SZA ("Luther") have commanded the top of the charts in the past year, and you'll turn up other smash duets no matter how far you go back in time - Lil Nas X and Billy Ray Cyrus (2019), Lady Gaga and Beyonce (2009), Nelly Furtado and Timbaland (2009), Brandy and Monica (1998), Michael and Janet Jackson (1995) ...

    Keep going and you'll find everything from Tom Petty and Stevie Nicks to Dolly Parton and Kenny Rogers to Elton John and Kiki Dee - even Frank and Tina Sinatra.

    This week the hosts of "How We Heard It" explore their favorite duets - by both the dream teams and the unlikely duos - and why they hit so well. And since these music vets can't resist throwing a dig now and then, they also look at the duets that underperformed and even some that flat out bombed.

    Not ever pairing is a match, you know.

    Music for travelers - and escapists! Jul 19, 2025
    Show notes

    It can be hard to understand how one song casts a spell on your soul when so many others pass you by. It could be the melody or overall construction of the song, or maybe it's the message of the lyrics that grabs you.

    But sometimes the magic is just a matter of location, location, location.

    If you've ever been captivated by a song when you were away from home, be it an overnighter in another city or a protracted international journey, chances are you were simply open to something new (or even hearing a familiar song in a new context).

    Many factors come into play. Does the destination matter or are you just getting away? Are you traveling with someone or going solo, and are you meeting others or keeping to yourself? You could be celebrating, relaxing or just doing your job, but regardless of your intention, the mere act of getting out of your routine can open your mind.

    On this week's "How We Heard It," your hosts talk about great (and not so great) traveling songs - the obvious ones that are specifically about going somewhere as well as more subtle songs that aren't directly about travel but have become associated with getting away from it all ... and even some songs that just happened to be in the right place at the right time.

    So pack your bags and come along. You don't even need a Real ID.

    These are the most underrated - and overrated - actors! Jul 12, 2025
    Show notes

    Ever wonder why you hardly ever see one actor who always lights up the screen while you can't get away from another one who always leaves you cold?

    So do we.

    This week, the hosts of "How We Heard It" look at a galaxy of stars - from the old guard like Tom Cruise, Nicole Kidman, Bradley Cooper and Sandra Bullock to new breakouts like Timothee Chalamet, Mikey Madison, Austin Butler and Jacob Elordi.

    Are we ready for some of these old stars to fade away? Are the new stars living up to the hype?

    This episode looks at actors who keep landing roles they don't deserve as well as some who seem underplayed. And it also takes a look at the baffling state of awards: You might be shocked by the big names who have never won an Oscar as well as some undercooked performers who have.

    What's the deal, Hollywood?

    Fantastic band names! (also: racy, gross and boring ones) Jul 05, 2025
    Show notes

    Our first impression of a new musical group often comes from their name, which can be creative or shocking or forgettable.

    We've all learned that a band's name typically doesn't reflect the kind of music they play - sometimes it's even the opposite of how you would expect them to sound. And over time, you'll come to love a great band with an unfortunate name or reject a blah group with a clever name.

    But that initial reaction can go a long way to helping (or preventing) a band to reach a potential audience. Does it make you laugh, turn you on, embarrass you or leave you underwhelmed?

    This week, "How We Heard It" explores the names of bands old and new (and all points in between) and how they caught your hosts' attention, for better and worse.

    They also look at bands that eventually changed their names ... because a name you and your friends think up as teenagers in a garage may have been a terrible idea.

    'Hold me closer, Tony Danza' and other misheard lyrics Jun 28, 2025
    Show notes

    Funny thing about lyrics: They aren't always what you think they are.

    Whether you hear them the wrong way or someone else heard them the wrong way and passed that misinterpretation on to you, you're often singing along to a different set of lyrics than your favorite singer.

    What's more, AI and other lyrics you find on Google get them wrong, too.

    But "How We Heard It" is here to help, whether you're wondering about the guy Jimi Hendrix is going to kiss, why there's a girl with colitis going by, how many times Madonna was touched and what's going on with all the Starbucks lovers, your hosts are setting the record straight (even though they still aren't quite sure about that Manfred Mann/Bruce Springsteen song).

    They also let you know when your artists aren't actually using the f-word and when they are but are pretending they aren't.

    And for what it's worth, there might not be a bathroom on the right.

    Surprises we've learned about you, and ourselves, in year one Jun 21, 2025
    Show notes

    We've made a full trip around the sun since "How We Heard It" debuted in June of 2024, so for episode No. 52 of the weekly show, your hosts are looking at what worked and what didn't - for the audiences and for themselves - in the first year.

    They recap what episodes drew the biggest audiences (some shows are more surprising than others) and where the audiences are coming from (some places are more surprising than others) as well as a look back at how the audience is getting to the podcast and how the social media channels vary from each other.

    Chuck, Wayne and John also share what they've learned about themselves and their friendships in the past year, and they reveal some regrets about what they've said and mistakes they've made and miscommunications they've had along the way.

    Worth noting: Wayne's going to try to stop saying "you know" all the time.

    P.S. If you know anyone in Wyoming, have them give us a listen. We're not sure anyone's actually out there ...

    Mixtapes?! What were we thinking? Jun 14, 2025
    Show notes

    Music fans have been making personal soundtracks for some 50 years, starting with the mixtape in the 1970s, then changing with technology to mixed discs in the 1990s (replacing cassette tapes with compact discs), then creating playlists in the 2000s for devices like iPods as well as streaming services like Spotify.

    Typically, these homemade collections are just a way to put favorite and/or related songs together for consumption at particular times, such as parties, workouts, vacations or relaxation. And sometimes they're made for sharing - with friends or colleagues or a crush you're trying to impress.

    The hosts of "How We Heard It" have certainly made more than their share mixtapes, mixed discs and/or playlists over the years, and in this episode they explain themselves - their themes, their intentions and what worked and what didn't - and why they would have hated each other's creations.

    They also talk about sharing their mixes, walking the line between creating something others want to hear and creating something nobody wants to hear. (Spoiler alert: Read the room.)

    These blockbuster albums were unlike any other Jun 07, 2025
    Show notes

    The music industry has always had its megastars akin to today's super-performers like Taylor Swift, Drake and Morgan Wallen.

    However, there was a glorious decade from the early 1980s into the 1990s when the planets aligned and money gushed out to a select few artists who commandeered the industry. Major record labels, commercial radio, and MTV conspired to create a consumer hunger for physical products - vinyl, cassette and CD albums and singles, readily available at record stores and department stores at every mall and shopping center.

    The artists behind these albums were mostly in their 20s and 30s, "video friendly" and talented enough (with the help of the right production teams) to churn out catchy hooks for their blockbuster albums, which could spawn enough carefully timed singles that could keep the artist near the top of the sales charts for two or three years at a time, often overlapping with their next album release.

    Were these the best artists in the history of popular music? Not really. But their timing was phenomenal.

    These days commercial radio is just a hint of what it once was, MTV doesn't even play music videos and consumers can simply stream everything they want to hear without having to buy anything.

    On this episode of "How We Heard It," your hosts explain what led up to the music industry's glory days and how artists like Michael Jackson, Bruce Springsteen, Madonna and Whitney Houston cashed in. And they talk about how Taylor Swift and others are still finding their way.

    Album covers inspire, shock and tease May 31, 2025
    Show notes

    You don't get a second chance to make a first impression, so over the years music artists have relied on the visual cues of their album covers to help sell their product.

    Sexy photos, dramatic images, optical illusions, striking colors and eye-catching fonts have all been used to grab attention, titillate and intrigue.

    Album covers were vital in the vinyl heyday, but as consumers turned more and more to CDs and tapes, designers had to adapt to smaller canvases. And as the world migrated to digital consumption, an "album cover" became nothing more than a thumbnail image on your phone.

    Still, vinyl has rebounded to a degree and every music release, regardless of format, still has some kind of visual attachment to generate interest, so the "album cover" lives on.

    On this episode of "How We Heard It," veteran music critics Chuck Campbell and Wayne Bledsoe and musician/engineer John Baker guide you through the best and worst album covers, talking about the iconic art - plus their personal favorites - from the Beatles to today.

    They also bust up long-believed myths about some album covers, talk about banned covers and answer important questions like "whose butt is that?," "what's in his pocket?" and "why does she look insane?"

    Cheaters! These songs about them have us shook May 24, 2025
    Show notes

    Why do cheaters cheat?

    Seems like there are as many reasons as there are songs about cheaters. They cheat simply because they're tempted or because they want revenge or because they're lonely or because they don't care or because they want a thrill or because they're addicted to sex or because they're drunk.

    There are likewise numerous responses to being cheated on. Many are devastated or infuriated or sink into denial. But some see it as an opportunity - to leave someone they were over anyway or to retaliate by also cheating or maybe to cash in financially.

    And sometimes a cheating incident will prompt a couple to open their relationship ... for better or worse.

    This week, the "How We Heard It" hosts dive into an ocean of cheating songs told from the perspectives of the cheaters as well as those who were cheated on and even those who are the other man or other woman.

    From modern songs to songs from the earliest days of popular music, these cuts range from enlightening to bitter and from prickly to comforting. So buckle in while your hosts get to the bottom of things.

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