Now Hear This Entertainment

NHTE 621 Manuel Grajeda Jan 07, 2026

He fronts the indie pop band Manuel The Band, a group that has earned rave reviews from the likes of Music Connection Magazine, Coachella Valley Weekly, and OC Weekly. They have a new song coming next month, having released four singles throughout 2025, and continued performing regularly throughout southern California, including the fabled Hotel Café in Hollywood – among numerous other venues and events – and they performed up in northern California at the Mountain Vibe Music Festival. The band has well over 57 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify, where their top five songs alone have a combined total of more than a million-and-a-half streams.

NHTE 620 Cheryl B Engelhardt Dec 31, 2025

Two-time GRAMMY-nominated composer and artist who is up for Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album at the February 1st ceremony in Los Angeles for the 68th annual GRAMMY Awards. Her story includes having successfully transitioned from being a pop artist and along the way she and her music have been featured in People magazine, South By Southwest, ABC Family, FORBES, Harper’s Bazaar, and more. Her first new age album hit number 1 on global Amazon, iTunes, and Bandcamp sales charts for weeks on end. She has even sung on stage with Sting and Pentatonix, and her Spotify profile has well over 43 thousand monthly listeners and her top five songs there have a combined total of more than 4.1 million streams.

NHTE 619 Carol Connors Dec 24, 2025

Singer, songwriter, guitar and piano player who has been nominated for a GRAMMY® Award for Best Audio Book, Narration, and Storytelling Recording for her memoir, “Elvis, Rocky, & Me,” and next year it will come out on film as a documentary. She is perhaps best known as the lead vocalist on the Teddy Bears’ single, “To Know Him Is To Love Him,” which was written by her bandmate, the legendary producer Phil Spector. Her best-known contribution as a songwriter is co-writing the song “Gonna Fly Now” for the 1976 movie Rocky, for which she shared an Academy Award nomination for Best Original Song. Also among her songwriting credits is the 1980 Billy Preston & Syreeta duet, “With You I’m Born Again,” which reached number four on the Billboard Hot 100. She also wrote and performed songs for several films and has a star on the Palm Springs Walk of Stars.

NHTE 618 Carrie Welling Dec 17, 2025

Singer, songwriter, guitar player who is wrapping up a very busy year being out on the road, having performed in 2025 in 23 states, plus Mexico and Belize. Along the way she released a new single, back in July, and now she is making an album from 2020 available in vinyl format. Last year she was the Americana / Folk / Female Vocalist of the Year at the Josie Awards, which came two months after releasing a ten-song album. Her top five songs on Spotify alone are approaching a combined total of 135 thousand streams.

NHTE 617 Tristan Tritt Dec 10, 2025

Singer, songwriter, guitar player who, in early October, released his third single of 2025. His music has drawn praise from American Songwriter and his top five songs on Spotify alone have a combined total of more than 300 thousand streams. He has gained attention on YouTube as well, with more than one-and-a-half million combined video views on that platform. Plus, he has more than 235 thousand followers on TikTok. He comes from significant music lineage, being the son of GRAMMY-winning country artist Travis Tritt. He also talks here about plans for new music in 2026.

NHTE 616 Will Kimbrough Dec 03, 2025

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, Americana Music Association “Instrumentalist of the Year,” and GRAMMY-nominated producer. He has gold records, and cuts on big albums from luminaries like Jimmy Buffett, Little Feat, Todd Snider, and Radney Foster. He is a member of Willie Sugarcapps, DADDY, and Emmylou Harris’ Red Dirt Boys. He works regularly with combat veterans and first responders as part of the Songwriting with Soldiers team, including having released a single with them back in May. He has more than ten thousand monthly listeners on Spotify, where his top five songs alone have a combined total of streams that is closing in on three quarters of a million.

NHTE 615 Marla Cannon-Goodman Nov 26, 2025

Nashville-based singer/songwriter interviewed on-location in Alabama at the 41st Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival. Her song, “The Fool,” was recorded by Lee Ann Womack and reached number 1 on the country charts. She has had cuts by everyone from Sammy Kershaw to Billy Currington to Blake Shelton to Eric Church, Kenny Chesney, George Strait, and many others. She reached number 1 status two more times, with “Ten Rounds with Jose Cuervo” by Tracy Byrd and “Cleaning This Gun” by Rodney Atkins. Her song “Same Devil,” which was recorded by Brandy Clark (and features Brandi Carlisle) was nominated for 2022 GRAMMY Performance American Roots Performance of the Year, and her name is also on the Willie Nelson/Merle Haggard duet album, “Django and Jimmie.”

NHTE 614 Shari Rowe Nov 19, 2025

Recording artist who just released a new single last Friday, which follows the release of another song seven weeks earlier. She is a busy performer, as evidenced by having done twenty shows last month alone. Highlights from the stage include having opened for the likes of Wynonna Judd, LeAnn Rimes, Diamond Rio, Maddie & Tae, and more, plus having done two international tours throughout Poland. She has been featured on national TV and radio, and is a Celebrity Ambassador for the Scott Foundation and the Red Note Foundation. Her top four songs on Spotify alone are approaching a combined total of one hundred thousand streams.

NHTE 613 James Norkawich Nov 12, 2025

Pianist, composer, producer, and arranger who last month released three full Christmas albums and has a fourth coming next month in the form of an audiobook. Under the banner of Studio 55, he also offers music production services, songwriting workshops, and record label services for aspiring musicians. He is a Hammond and Steinway Certified Artist and has also founded a non-profit called The Lighthouse Project, which he talks about here. His top five songs on Spotify alone have a combined total of almost 6.7 million streams and he was previously a guest on this show two years ago on Episode 510.

NHTE 612 Fred Mollin Nov 05, 2025

GRAMMY-nominated and Juno Award-winning producer and composer with a diverse career spanning various genres. He has worked with renowned artists such as Kris Kristofferson, Billy Joel, Michael McDonald, Vince Gill, Linda Ronstadt, Jackson Browne, B.B. King, Gloria Estefan, Johnny Mathis, Dan Hill, and many more. In celebration of his 60th anniversary as a musician and nearly 50th anniversary in the music industry, he has just released a book titled, “Unplugged: Stories and Secrets from a Life Making Records, Scoring Film, and Working with the Legends of Music,” which is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook, and, of course, as an audiobook, with him doing the narration. His Disney album work as producer/artist in the children's music realm has reached sales of over three million units and he is Disney's most successful instrumental lullaby album artist. He was the guest on this show on both Episode 412 and 474.

NHTE 611 Caitlin Mae Oct 29, 2025

Award-winning singer, songwriter, guitar player who released a new single at the beginning of this month. A song of hers that she released at the end of March is up for GRAMMY Consideration. She is a CMA member and has made multiple appearances at CMA Fest. She is based in Nashville, but earlier this month the Texas Sounds International Country Music Awards honored her with the title of Female Rising Star. She has performed at venues and events nationally and internationally, including a story she has about performing with Carrie Underwood. She has a combined social media following of approximately 100 thousand and her top five songs on Spotify alone have a combined total of approximately 300 thousand streams.

NHTE 610 Brice Long Oct 22, 2025

Singer, songwriter, guitar player who has had over 175 of his songs cut with artists such as Garth Brooks, George Strait, Chris Stapleton, Hank Williams Jr., Randy Houser, Josh Turner, Reba McEntire, Lainey Wilson, and more. He is releasing his first music project as an artist in 20 years, but his songwriting hits include #1 songs by Jon Pardi and by Gary Allan, while also garnering a CMA nomination for Song of the Year with a Randy Houser single. He is based in Nashville where he is signed to Sony Music Publishing. And, he is also the founder of The Back to Back Foundation, a nonprofit established to meet the needs of families in three Kentucky counties, primarily during the holiday season. Next month he will be performing at the FloraBama as part of the 41st annual Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival.

NHTE 609 Sian McMullen Oct 15, 2025

Los Angeles-based engineer, producer, and writer who has worked with top companies such as Atlantic Records, Sony Music, Interscope, and Spotify, as well as household names such as John Mayer and Gwen Stefani. She has done everything from play drums as she approached her teen years to, more recently, giveaways, raffles, seminars/workshops, and live stream reviews, and even sold her sound kits, and offer her services to help set up home studios, and she even offers remote video consultations.

NHTE 608 Austin Sexton Oct 08, 2025

Los Angeles-based writer, multi-instrumentalist, recording artist, and an RIAA Certified Platinum Producer. He is also one half of a record label called The Undefeated. He wrote & produced Charli D'Amelio’s debut single, “If You Ask Me To,” which landed national commercials and charted on Billboard Airplay and produced Kyle’s RIAA Certified Platinum “To The Moon.” He has produced and written for several hot 100 artists as well as helping run the studio where this interview was recorded. In addition, in early 2018 Gibson recognized his prowess with guitars and selected him as one of its brand ambassadors, as well as signing a deal with Native Instruments as one of their “Artists on the Rise.”

NHTE 607 Jeff Meegan and David Tobin Oct 01, 2025

An Emmy Award-winning vocalist and composer and a British Academy of Film and Television Arts (BAFTA) affiliated composer and orchestrator who, seven weeks ago, released an album that was recorded live at Abbey Road Studio 2. This new project is up for GRAMMY consideration for Best Large Jazz Ensemble Album. They have written more than a thousand works together for an enviable client list including BBC, HBO, Audio Network, ITV and Samuel Goldwin, among others. They have scored and composed for documentaries for film and TV, and their music has been used on every major network and streaming company around the globe. They most recently co-authored and mixed the score for Daughter Of The Bride with Academy award winner Marcia Gaye Harden and Aiden Quinn.

NHTE 606 Brett James Sep 24, 2025

This interview was just recorded 13 days ago, and tragically, Brett James is now no longer with us, following a plane crash six days ago – exactly one week after he participated for this episode. He was a GRAMMY Award-winning singer, songwriter, guitar player, producer, and publisher who had written an astounding 27 number 1 songs. He had more than 800 of his songs recorded by some of the biggest artists in the world, with his songs having appeared on albums with combined sales of over 110 million copies. He was named ASCAP's country songwriter of the year in 2006 and 2010, and Music Row Magazine’s Songwriter of the Year in 2015. He received more than 40 ASCAP hit song awards in country, pop, Latin and Christian genres. In 2020 he was elected to the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame. As a producer his credits included Taylor Swift, Jessica Simpson, Danielle Bradberry and Kip Moore. At the time of this interview, he had close to 19 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify, where his top five songs alone had combined for more than six million streams, and his official YouTube channel had over a half-a-million combined video views.

Celebrating 1000 Career Episodes Sep 17, 2025

A super special edition to celebrate the one thousandth episode hosted of Bruce Wawrzyniak’s podcasting career. In this special release, there are excerpts from all of the shows he has hosted over the years: Now Hear This Entertainment, Catholic Sports Radio, TASCAM Talkback, Capture Your Art, and the PBLA Podcast. Below are links for easy access to go hear any one or more of either the specific interviews featured here or just the podcast(s) in general. It took over eleven-and-a-half years to get to this point, but this is indeed a truly special milestone worth commemorating in this way.

NHTE 604 Ronnie Bowman Sep 10, 2025

Multi-award-winning singer, songwriter, guitar and bass player. Kenny Chesney, Brooks & Dunn as well as multiple bluegrass artists have brought his original songs to number 1. In addition, he has seen continued songwriting success with songs recorded by such artists as Wynona Judd, Jake Owen, Lee Ann Womack, Dan Seals, Don Williams and many others including three songs recorded on Chris Stapleton’s multi-platinum selling album “Traveller.” One single won the ACM award for “Song of the Year.” The album received the ACM and CMA award for “Album of the Year” as well as a Grammy award for “Country Album of the Year.” As an artist, the International Bluegrass Music Association has awarded him Male Vocalist of the Year, Song of the Year, Album of the Year, Gospel Performance and Recorded Event of the Year multiple times for each category. He’s also been awarded Songwriter of the Year from the association. As a vocalist, he has recorded with various artists including, Alan Jackson, Alison Krauss, Vince Gill, Ricky Skaggs, Lee Ann Womack, Chris Stapleton, and John Fogerty, among others.

NHTE 603 Gretchen Peters Sep 03, 2025

Singer, songwriter, guitar player who has been nominated for two GRAMMY Awards, a Golden Globe, and numerous other awards. Plus, she was inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame in 2014. She has accumulated accolades as a songwriter for artists as diverse as Etta James, Bonnie Raitt, The Neville Brothers, Patty Loveless, George Strait, Bryan Adams and Faith Hill. Her song “Independence Day,” recorded by Martina McBride, won a CMA Song of the Year award in 1995. As an artist, she even performed at Farm Aid in 1996, got radio airplay on the BBC, and performed three times at Glastonbury. She has over 2.2 million combined video views on her official YouTube channel and on Spotify – where she has over 116 thousand monthly listeners – her top five songs alone have gotten over 14.3 million streams on that platform alone.

NHTE 602 Jeska Forsyth Aug 27, 2025

Austin, Texas-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, model, actress, and even a painter and photographer! She is finishing up an album project while also navigating a Monday night open mic residency and numerous other initiatives. She is known for her performances with the Guy Forsyth Band, the Hot Nut Riveters, and the Honeysuckle Rage Riders. Among the various projects she’s involved with is the Harmony Sisters, which is a group for females that work within the Austin and surrounding areas music industry. She also serves as Community Leader for an organization called Austin Texas Musicians, consisting of musicians advocating for musicians on city, state, and federal policy and providing education and opportunities to improve their quality of life. She is also putting together Musician Market Days, which starts next month.

NHTE 601 Best Of, Volume 6 Aug 20, 2025

A "sampler platter," providing excerpts from 14 of the last hundred episodes of "Now Hear This Entertainment," giving a peek into just some of the many, many highlights from all the great guests who have been interviewed over that span.

NHTE 600 Ted Andre Aug 13, 2025

Hollywood-based guitar player, award-winning film producer, and one of the founders of the revolutionary new music streaming service that just launched, called Coda Music, which combines full social with music streaming. He has a great story about auditioning for the guitar spot in Ozzy Osbourne’s band and has played countless shows in renowned venues such as Whisky-A-Go-Go, The Roxy, The Troubadour, and The Viper Room. Over the years he has been a prolific session musician and producer, additionally working as a "ghost player" for top charting rock and metal bands, and he has recorded sessions in top L.A. studios.

NHTE 599 Tyra Madison Aug 06, 2025

Nashville-based singer-songwriter who, in June, put out a new music video that was added to CMT Music’s rotation and got featured on their fan-voted 12 Pack Countdown. That same month she not only made her CMA Fest debut but opened for The Band Perry, adding to a growing list of high-profile support slots that includes Brad Paisley, Maddie & Tae, Lonestar, Clint Black, and more. She is working towards a new release and her original music has landed on the likes of Spotify’s New Music Nashville and Apple Music’s Country Risers. She has over 12 million career streams, almost 790 thousand TikTok followers, and she has a combined total of more than 3.4 million video views on her official YouTube channel.

NHTE 598 Rebecca Trujillo Vest Jul 30, 2025

Singer, songwriter, guitar player, and producer. Performing under the artist name Osmunda Music, she just released a new single less than three weeks ago, having put out three new songs since April 25th now, in the leadup to an August 15th EP. Her influences and the music she releases have been described as spanning numerous genres and her original music has been submitted for several GRAMMY nominations. She is also a founding member and the lead singer of the band Space Babies, and in 2010 opened Earthstar Creation Center, a recording studio in Venice, California. More recently, along with two other artists, she established the nonprofit Pandion Music Foundation in 2022, to help independent music creators further their careers with free weekly online music industry workshops and a monthly newsletter.

NHTE 597 T.J. Troy Jul 23, 2025

Percussionist, composer, producer and Grammy Award-winning artist, multiple Grammy nominee, and the founder of the indie rock band Run Downhill, whose newest album just came out last Friday, after they put out two new singles two weeks apart. Not only has he performed alongside the likes of Pete Townshend, Billy Idol, and numerous other notable names in music, but he has performed at some of the most prestigious festivals of traditional and contemporary music worldwide. When he’s not touring, recording, or performing live onstage, he conducts masterclasses, creates online performance video works, and his original compositions continue to gather international acclaim. He even presented classes and workshops to students worldwide and has developed musical curriculum concepts for school-age children for use in the United States and China.

NHTE 596 Scarlett Taylor Jul 16, 2025

L.A.-based alternative pop singer songwriter who just released a music video for her single that came out last December. She has close to 70 thousand followers across Facebook, X, Instagram, and TikTok, and her top five songs on Spotify alone have gotten more than 180 thousand streams. Originally from Minneapolis, where she recorded and released four albums, since moving to Los Angeles seven years ago she has performed at notable venues on Sunset Boulevard in West Hollywood, the Whisky-A-Go-Go and The Rainbow. She is signed to Borderline Music and has more projects in the works, which she talks about during this interview.

NHTE 595 Frankie Raye Jul 09, 2025

Singer, songwriter, guitar player currently working towards her next single release. She is one of the busiest performers in this area, having averaged 334 bookings a year over 2021, 2022, and 2023. In the leadup to this interview she had back-to-back weeks of performing six out of seven days. She has performed at notable venues and events from the Hard Rock here in Tampa to The Bitter End in New York City to the House of Blues in Anaheim, California, where she also played at the massive NAMM Show. Plus, she has been featured at songwriters festivals along the way as well. Last September she started a “Songwriter Diaries” vlog series that she has been publishing on her YouTube channel and talks about during this interview. She was a guest on this show way back on Episode 279.

NHTE 594 Richard Rossi Jul 02, 2025

Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, guitar player, filmmaker, and author. He has written over a thousand songs and his first ever album reached best-seller status the first day it was released and reached No. 11 on Amazon's Top 100 list. In his early years, he and a friend performed their original folk rock songs on national TV on the 700 Club and in a CBS documentary. Their music was played on the radio, and they toured for several years. His 2021 film – based on a novel he wrote – made the finalized Oscar list for Best Picture, and five of his original songs were up for Best Song. His latest film has won 15 awards at film festivals and can be seen for free on Amazon. Some years ago, he also hosted a radio talk show.

NHTE 593 Jennifer Klein Jun 25, 2025

San Diego area singer, songwriter, guitar player who is going into the studio in Los Angeles this coming weekend to record two new original songs. She performs regularly in southern California and has played at notable venues – such as The Belly Up – and events – such as the big music festival in San Diego called KABOO. She is a voting member of the Recording Academy and recorded multiple full-length albums in Nashville. She has been featured in Guitar Girl Magazine and her top five songs on Spotify alone – including a single that she released late last year – have a combined total of more than 130 thousand streams.

NHTE 592 CARA Jun 18, 2025

Los Angeles-based singer-songwriter who just released a new single this past Friday and has a new album in the works. Her previous single reached number 2 on the Mediabase Top 40 Pop Independent Artist chart and even hit the Top 40 Pop chart. Plus, the track was also featured in SPIN, LA Weekly, and Rolling Stone UK. Five months ago, the music video for her previous single was released and is up to more than three-quarters-of-a-million views on YouTube. She previously had earned recognition with her remake of the Beastie Boys’ song "FIGHT," which was licensed by SONY ATV and received approval from both the Beastie Boys and producer Rick Rubin. Her version of "FIGHT" climbed the charts and earned her a spot as the #1 spun independent artist for four consecutive weeks on Mediabase. She has opened for high-profile artists such as Lil Jon, Mike Jones, and Soulja Boy. She has also been featured on television shows, including a live performance on Bravo TV’s ‘Watch What Happens Live,’ where she was both a guest and one of the first musical performers in the show’s history.

NHTE 591 Joe Salvatto Jun 11, 2025

He has made a career of 40-plus years in music on the non-performer side of the glass. His time in recording studios has included sessions involving some of the biggest names in music, from Billy Joel to John Lennon to Frank Sinatra. He built and designed a recording studio in Manhattan that he ended up owning, with an office inside there being home to the personal management company for the legendary Keith Richards. Another studio that he built was included in a cover story that Mix Magazine did on the ten best studios built in the world at the time. Present day he is Product Specialist for Equi=Tech.

NHTE 590 David Roush Jun 04, 2025

Composer, bassist, and one of two singers in the experimental rock band Ecce Shnak. Two weeks ago, the band released a four-song live EP, which follows a six-song EP they’d put out in early February. Plus, on April 10th they released a video that got over 166 thousand views on YouTube in its first seven weeks. This month they will be touring the west coast – seven states, eleven shows, fifteen days – with platinum-selling legends Spacehog and EMF. The band is working on a new full-length album and has amassed 2.6 million combined video views on their official YouTube channel.

NHTE 589 C.L. Turner May 28, 2025

Songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and founder of Austin, Texas-based Alt-Rock band Arctic Wave, who have been releasing lots of new music in the first months of this year. Having worked with a GRAMMY-winning producer, the band just last week released a new music video. He is also the founder of a nonprofit, serves on the board of a different nonprofit, and helps fund education programs through his church. The band’s top five songs on Spotify alone have a combined total of approximately 328 thousand streams and their official YouTube channel has well over 200 thousand combined video views.

NHTE 588 Harmoni Kelley May 21, 2025

Nationally touring bassist and vocalist currently performing with country superstar Kenny Chesney. She has over two decades of experience both on the road and in the studio and has worked with bands of all musical genres from rock to pop, blues, funk, bluegrass, country and Americana. She has toured with Hank Williams, Jr., Radney Foster, Bonnie Bishop, Holly Williams and Louise Mandrell. Splitting her time between her hometown of Austin, Texas, and Nashville when she’s not on the road with Kenny Chesney, she continues to tour and do session work with various artists around the country.

NHTE 587 Jim Fish May 14, 2025

Oklahoma City-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who was the original guitar player with the Henry Paul Band, the group named for the co-founder of The Outlaws. He and the Henry Paul Band opened for the likes of The Rolling Stones, ZZ Top, Peter Frampton, The Allman Brothers, Charlie Daniels, and more. He also was the original guitar player for the Byron Berline Band and, present day, plays on a new release from Dave Werewolf. He has played with countless artists and at a long line of venues and events and has met numerous other notable names in music throughout his career.

NHTE 586 Tara Beier May 07, 2025

Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, guitar and piano player who just last month released a brand-new album. Her prior album had been done with a three-time GRAMMY-nominated producer and was released on the same record label that has artists such as Moby, Duran Duran, and Yoko Ono on its roster. She has been featured by USA Today, Rolling Stone, Billboard, American Songwriter, Harpers Bazaar, Glamour, and more. Last November she even attended the Billboard Awards, which she talks about during this interview. She also talks here about surviving a near-death experience while giving birth to her twin boys. In addition to her music, she has launched Lovendar, a lavender-based fragrance line that is a nod to the healing journey behind her album. She has more than 425 thousand streams on her top five songs on Spotify alone.

NHTE 585 Bruce Sudano Apr 30, 2025

Calling in from Milan, Italy, a singer, songwriter, guitar player who has created songs for artists such as Michael Jackson, Dolly Parton, Reba McEntire, and his late wife of 30-plus years, GRAMMY Award-winning singer Donna Summer. Meanwhile, as a recording artist, he just released a new single at the beginning of this month, following a 2024 in which he released three singles, plus an album done with a two-time GRAMMY-winning producer. His résumé also includes having appeared on the iconic TV show “American Bandstand,” a single that hit #7 on the Billboard charts, and being in both Rolling Stone and Billboard. His official YouTube channel has a total of almost six million combined video views and his top five songs on Spotify alone – where he has close to twenty thousand monthly listeners – have a combined total of approximately a half-million streams.

NHTE 584 Angus Gill Apr 23, 2025

Recorded on location in Nashville with an award-winning singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer who moved to the United States last year after a long, highly successful music career in Australia. He came to America having had 16 number one hits, 17 Top 10 hits, and 43 Top 40 hits on Australian country radio. He is a Golden Guitar winner, had five Australian Billboard chart-topping albums, and is an Australian Grammy nominee. He has had over 100 songs cut by major label and independent artists, with over 50 singles. He also holds the distinction of being the youngest Australian male solo artist to perform on the Grand Ole Opry stage. Last month he released a side project, and he’s working on a documentary, both while not only writing a new album project but getting ready to tour internationally in 2025 in addition to shows here in the U.S.

NHTE 583 Kylie Sackley Apr 16, 2025

Recorded on-location in Nashville with a singer, songwriter, producer who has written songs for some of the biggest names in country music, ranging from Leann Rimes, to Faith Hill, Alan Jackson, Thompson Square, John Rich, Lee Brice, Jodee Messina, and Sam Hunt. Not only is she headed to Denmark this September to perform as part of Nashville Nights International, but, under that same umbrella, she will return to her home country of Australia to perform in October. She capped off 2024 with her second cut being her own publisher going number 1 on SiriusXM’s The Highway and over 30 million streams.

NHTE 582 Brandon Bing Apr 09, 2025

Recorded on-location in Nashville with a singer, songwriter, guitar player who released a single two months ago and has more new music in the works. He has continued to build an impressive resume, including performing at major festivals, sharing stages with country music heavyweights, and amassing millions of streams across digital platforms. His standout singles have landed on curated playlists, showcasing his ability to bridge the gap between tradition and evolution in country music. He has been seen at high profile events from the CMA Awards to the Daytona 500 and was even a guest on this show back in August 2022 on Episode 444.

NHTE 581 Jay Putty Apr 02, 2025

Singer, songwriter, guitar player who just released a new single less than two weeks ago after having put out another in early February. His music has charted in over 50 countries on iTunes, and he earned a spot at number 13 on SiriusXM’s The Pulse weekly countdown. His songs have spent 20 weeks in the Top 40 on Billboard’s Pop Airplay chart. He has also had major brand placements with the likes of Ralph Lauren, Busch Gardens, and DraftKings. His top five songs on Spotify alone have achieved a combined total of more than 2.1 million streams and along the way he saw a 112% boost in Shazams. Based in Nashville, he just performed at South By Southwest last month and has even been featured in People Magazine and Rolling Stone India.

NHTE 580 Whey Jennings Mar 26, 2025

Recording artist and country singer-songwriter who released an album last August that premiered at #10 on Apple iTunes Top 40 Country Albums Chart and was hailed by FOX News, Billboard, People Magazine, Forbes, Men’s Journal, and more. He is doing a nationwide tour this year with dates every month through and including November. He is also working on new music with some very notable names in songwriting. He has over a million streams on his top five songs on Spotify, where he has approximately 21 thousand monthly listeners, and his official YouTube channel has a combined total of eight-and-a-half million video views.

NHTE 579 JES Mar 19, 2025

Award-winning singer, songwriter, DJ, producer, and label owner who has had two Billboard #1 singles. She has received three GRAMMY nominations and has collected awards from the prestigious International Dance Music Awards, the International Songwriting Competition, and topped Billboard’s “Most Played Dance Songs of the Decade” chart (2000-2010). Her tours have touched the shores of six continents with landmark shows at international events such as the Beijing Summer Olympics. Last month she released a track that features a collab with Jerome Isma-Ae and on Spotify alone she not only has approximately 487 thousand monthly listeners, but more than 48.6 million streams on her top five songs alone. Plus, her official YouTube channel has a combined almost 4.5 million video views.

NHTE 578 Christie Lenee Mar 12, 2025

An award-winning singer, songwriter, fingerstyle guitar player. In 2017 she earned International Fingerstyle Guitar Championship honors and since then has been on stages with the likes of Melissa Etheridge, Christopher Cross, and numerous other notable names in music. She has been featured in Guitar Player magazine, Acoustic Guitar magazine, and among Guitar World magazine’s “Best Acoustic Guitarists in the World Right Now” in 2021. She is also a two-time finalist in the USA Songwriting Competition and was featured in the GRAMMY Museum’s virtual program streaming from Los Angeles. Her official YouTube channel has an amazing 1.7 million combined video views. This interview was recorded on-location at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, California, where she was chosen to perform.

NHTE 577 Lola Kristine Mar 05, 2025

Southern California-based singer, songwriter, and piano player who had a big year with releases in 2024, putting out an album last May, five singles, a Christmas song, and was featured on songs released by two other artists. She has worked with GRAMMY-award winning producers and artists, and one of the songs from her album last year was placed on an episode of Children Ruin Everything on the CW network. Additionally, she had a song selected as a finalist in the International Songwriting Competition, plus, she has gained recognition from legendary rockers such as Mick Fleetwood and Steven Tyler. In 2022, a live video of her performing went viral on TikTok, hitting 4.5M views and boosting her online presence.

NHTE 576 Ashtyn Barbaree Feb 26, 2025

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who released a new album this past October. Her live performances have been featured on National Public Radio, TEDx, and Zillow, and she has toured extensively throughout Europe. She was nominated for 2024 Acoustic Act of the Year and 2023 Americana Artist of the Year at the Arkansas Country Music Awards. She has also made her mark on regional TV and radio platforms. She is going back across the pond next month to do shows in London, the Netherlands, and Ireland. This interview was recorded live, on-location last month at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, California, where she was performing.

NHTE 575 Fox and Bones Feb 19, 2025

A folk duo that put out a ten-song album that was released last May and has a new single coming out next month. They have been reviewed by Parade Magazine and performed on international stages in addition to having earned first place at the 2023 Tucson Folk Festival songwriting contest and second place in the International Acoustic Music Awards, among other accolades. Amidst their rigorous tour schedule, the duo founded Portland’s Folk Festival. Their top five songs on Spotify have gotten more than 1.3 million streams on that platform alone. This interview was recorded live on-location in Anaheim, California, where they were performing at the NAMM Show.

NHTE 574 Jann Klose Feb 12, 2025

An award-winning pop singer-songwriter, who has released seven albums and two EPs. Singles from his most recent album Surrender (2023) have accumulated over five million streams across all platforms and charted on Top 40 radio in both the U.S. and South Africa. He has new singles that will probably come out this spring. He has performed as an actor and singer in touring companies of Broadway musicals as well as in made-for-TV movies, voice overs and commercials. He has opened for and collaborated with a wide range of artists including Pat Benatar, John Oates, Rosanne Cash, Les Paul, and many more. This interview was recorded live, on-location in Anaheim, California, at the NAMM Show.

NHTE 573 Brian Grilli Feb 05, 2025

On-location interview with a singer, songwriter, guitar player who just released a new album last month, on January 10th. At the end of October, he released a video for one of the songs that would end up on the album and it already has well over 41 thousand views on YouTube. He has an amazing story of getting out to southern California to perform at LAST year’s NAMM Show and in addition to performing at this year’s, he has shows coming up in late February on back-to-back nights in Georgia. He was on this show five years ago this month and has added two daughters to the mix since then, in addition to – on the music side – ventured into research and development with Vallhalla Amplification.

NHTE 572 Austin Hull Jan 29, 2025

Orlando-based producer, songwriter, mix engineer, and musical artist, who also runs a wildly successful YouTube channel called Make Pop Music, which has almost 220 thousand subscribers and a combined total of over 14.6 million video views. In addition to working with some of the top audio companies, he has worked with hundreds of artists spanning 39 countries and a variety of genres. He has written more than a thousand songs and has more than 36 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify, where his top five songs alone have gotten a combined total of close to 5.5 million streams. A new single is being planned for late February or early March release.

NHTE 571 Philip Bowen Jan 22, 2025

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who last year released four singles, was featured on six others, and is recording “a bunch of new stuff” this month. In 2023 he finished as a semi-finalist on season 18 of “America’s Got Talent” AND, that same year, beat out thousands of competitors to win TikTok’s Greatest Talent. Based in Detroit, he has performed at notable venues and events ranging from NPR’s Mountain Stage to being an Americanafest Spotlight Artist to the famed Bluebird Café in Nashville AND Whiskey Jam, among others. His top five songs on Spotify alone have been streamed close to 5.9 million times, he has one million followers on TikTok, and his official YouTube channel has a combined total of 4.5 million video views.

NHTE 570 John PayCheck Jan 15, 2025

A country singer-songwriter who released an album on November 1st and has four new music videos in the pipeline. He is a CMA member and was invited to perform last May at the Grand Ole Opry. His first single from his debut album had charted on Music Row and he has shared the stage with Confederate Railroad, Jamey Johnson, and other notable headliners. Born in Nashville but now living in Virginia, he is the son of a country music legend and began his musical journey as a roadie, learning the business while traveling with his father. In addition to music, he is also passionate about his country and still serves as a Reserve Army Officer in Europe.

NHTE 569 Chris SD Jan 08, 2025

A multi-Juno Award-winning songwriter and producer, he is the founder of Sundown Sessions Studios and the founder and CEO of SyncSongwriter, with five songs from two SyncSongwriter alumni artists having recently been featured in a Cannes Palme d’Or winning film. He has produced numerous hit songs for radio including gold and platinum records for several major-label artists. His credits include working with Blue Rodeo, plus working on albums by major artists like Kris Kristofferson and Bryan Adams, among others. There is a free, online, live event coming up this Sunday, January 12th, that he talks about during this conversation.

NHTE 568 Karen Kosowski Jan 01, 2025

A multi-instrumentalist, producer, and multi-genre songwriter who is signed to Sony Publishing. She produced the majority of Mickey Guyton’s three-time GRAMMY-nominated album “Remember Her Name” and is a co-writer on several of the album’s tracks. Based in Nashville, she arranged the instrumentation and choir, and played piano in the final performance of Mickey’s performance of the Star Spangled Banner at the Super Bowl in early 2022. She has also accompanied Mickey on stage for many special occasions, including performances on “The Tonight Show with Jimmy Fallon,” the 2021 American Music Awards, and the 2021 GRAMMY Awards. Her résumé includes writing, co-writing, or producer credits on a long list of songs that have charted and/or been Gold certified – including in the U.S., Canada, and Australia – and she has had several songs placed into major motion pictures.

NHTE 567 Mark Farner Dec 25, 2024

One of the founding members of the legendary band Grand Funk Railroad. A singer, songwriter, guitar player, in September he released a full album, and his American Band continues to tour, including a cruise that they will play on next March. He is a platinum recording artist 30 times over and even earned a Dove Award nomination. A music video for one of the songs on his new album got more than 25 thousand views in just the first four weeks alone of being on his official YouTube channel. On and off the stage he works tirelessly to honor our nation’s service personnel and Veterans wherever they are stationed.

NHTE 566 Steph Carse Dec 18, 2024

A six-time Emmy Award-winning recording artist, filmmaker, and television producer. Music-wise, he released a single in August and the official music video for it already has over 1.1 million views on YouTube. Based near Orlando, he has sold a half million albums and garnered a Juno Award nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year. He is currently directing and producing the movie “Undone,” which is based on a true story, and his 2023 movie musical “The True Miracle of Christmas” is now available on Amazon Prime Video. He is also the founder of the anti-bullying ministry Y i Count.

NHTE 565 JD Hinton Dec 11, 2024

Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and actor who was even a radio DJ. He just released a five-song EP on November 15th, his second EP release of the year, and he has more new music coming in 2025. He has performed at notable venues ranging from Rockwood Music Hall to the House of Blues to the Viper Room and even sang in Rome at the Vatican! His music resume also includes having composed music for Hollywood films, including a song that was sung by Celine Dion. With clearly a lot to say musically, his catalog includes an EP last year and three EPs in 2022.

NHTE 564 Ryan Robinette Dec 04, 2024

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who released an EP at the end of August. He has been on the iTunes Top 10 Country Charts AND had one of his songs hand-picked by the Global Head of Country at Spotify to be on their “New Boots” playlist, where it stayed for several months being streamed close to two million times. In 2016 his first official music video landed in the Top 10 on Vevo’s Country Charts for multiple weeks. He has played at numerous songwriters festivals and shared stages by himself and with his band alongside artists and writers such as Jake Owen, Thomas Rhett, Nelly, Daughtry, and more. The videos on his official YouTube channel have a combined total of more than 18 million views and his top five songs on Spotify alone have combined for more than 3.3 million streams.

NHTE 563 Charly Reynolds Nov 27, 2024

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who released an album on September 20th and followed it up with an official music video released at the end of October. One of the tracks from her new album was featured on two Spotify playlists and another on Apple Music. She also released an original Christmas song less than three weeks ago. She has opened for big names in country music such as Maddie & Tae, Walker Hayes, Lainey Wilson, and Elle King, and this past June she had multiple performances as part of CMA Fest. Her cover of the song “Neon Moon” was spotlighted on FOX TV’s The Resident and her official YouTube channel has a combined total of more than 4.1 million video views.

NHTE 562 Twinnie Nov 20, 2024

British country-pop sensation who just released a new album less than two weeks ago. The launch of that project came just six days after having performed at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum. She has already released three music videos for songs from her new album and her official YouTube channel overall has a combined total of more than 1.6 million video views. She has live shows on five consecutive days coming up at the end of November in the UK and had also performed in Nashville in September in conjunction with AmericanaFest. She is also a member of CMT’s 2024 “Next Women of Country” class AND is the co-founder of an initiative aimed at promoting mental health and well-being in the music industry. Before rising to country stardom, she performed as a backing singer and dancer for Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams. Plus, she has done acting work, including alongside household names like Glenn Close and Christian Slater in film and stage.

NHTE 561 Archie Beatz Nov 13, 2024

A composer, record producer, singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, recording & mix engineer, and YouTube personality. Currently based in northern California, he is a voting member of the Recording Academy and has composed music for T-Mobile, Covergirl, and even an NBA star. Plus, as lead composer, he scored an original series on the Zeus Network. He has partnered with a handful of audio brands on his YouTube channel, which is approaching a combined total of ten million video views. He also talks during this interview about a new recording project of his own that he has coming out in Spring 2025.

NHTE 560 Vail Johnson Nov 06, 2024

Singer, songwriter, bass player, and producer who has recorded and performed with numerous household names in music. He has worked in over 85 countries and is currently working on a new album. His music has been heard in film, television, radio, and albums, and he has lived in Los Angeles, been a part of numerous bands, and toured internationally, playing every major jazz festival around the world. Based in Nashville, he teaches a masterclass, while also still going out and performing a one-man show, and, his official YouTube channel has amassed a combined total of almost three-quarters-of-a-million combined video views. Among the countless celebrities he has performed with are Kenny G, Stevie Nicks, Herbie Hancock, George Benson, Michael Bolton, James Ingram, Steve Perry, Christopher Cross, Peabo Bryson, and more.

NHTE 559 Elles Bailey Oct 30, 2024

UK-based award-winning recording artist who just released a single at the start of this month after having put out her latest album, her fourth studio album, in early August. In late September she started a tour that goes through early December and includes shows throughout the UK as well as in the Netherlands and will conclude in Ireland. Tickets have just gone on sale for her spring tour that will see her perform next March and April in the UK and Germany. Her music has had success on Blues, Americana, Independent, and Album charts in addition to the awards that she has won.

NHTE 558 Doak Turner Oct 23, 2024

A songwriter and author who lived in Nashville for 15 years before moving to his current location. His book, “A Crazy Journey (And Finding My True Identity),” came out last December and captures his 40-plus years in various facets of the music industry and sports and entertainment, plus other areas of life, meeting and working with some of the most famous people. He wrote a country Christian song that went to No. 1 after he moved out of Nashville, where he had hosted 120 events for songwriters and the music industry at his home, 112 consecutive months from 2003-2012. He has had over a dozen songs recorded for artists' projects, including on Sirius XM and RFD TV.

NHTE 557 Carlyle Griffin Oct 16, 2024

Recorded on-location at the Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival with this Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who two years ago this month won the Josie Music Award for Folk/Americana Single of the Year. Last year she signed with SmashFarm Management and performed in December 2023 as part of an event that featured Ashley McBryde and Thompson Square, among others. In addition to northwest Florida, she has been on the road of late, including eleven shows in South Carolina in August as well as having played in May down at the Key West Songwriters Festival. She released a single early this year and has another new song on the way.

NHTE 556 Robert LaRoche Oct 09, 2024

Massachusetts-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who began performing professionally at the age of just 15 years old. He is a co-founder of the band The Sighs, who were signed to Virgin Records and toured with such artists as The Gin Blossoms and The Spin Doctors. As a solo artist, last year he released a ten-song album, which he did with an Oscar-winning songwriter and producer. At the time of this episode’s release, he will be performing as part of a five-week tour all throughout Germany, after having performed in August in Los Angeles.

NHTE 555 Thompson Square Oct 02, 2024

A husband-wife duo that needs no introduction, thanks to having exploded onto the scene with the second single in 2010 from their self-titled debut album going multi-platinum. The Grammy-nominated duo has toured the world; won multiple ACM, ACA, CMA, and CMT awards; appeared on The Tonight Show, Jimmy Kimmel Live, NBC’s TODAY Show, and CBS This Morning, as well as numerous primetime TV specials and awards shows. Plus, they have earned No. 1 records in three countries. They are performing in the Florida panhandle this coming Sunday, October 6th, for the grand finale of the Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival.

NHTE 554 J Michael Harter Sep 25, 2024

Singer, songwriter, guitar player who has a brand new twelve-song album in the works. In 2024 he is celebrating 25 years since his move to Nashville, and he recently started a new record label and publishing company. He was the Texas Country Music Association’s 2021 Country Songwriter of the Year and has toured with Alan Jackson, Clint Black, and Dwight Yoakam and his top five songs on Spotify alone have a combined total of more than three quarters of a million streams. Back at the start of his career, his debut single spent 15 weeks on the Billboard Hot Country Songs chart, which was the first Top 40 hit for Broken Bow Records.

NHTE 553 Alexis Marrero Sep 18, 2024

Cleveland, Ohio-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who has released two singles so far this year, the latest being in mid-July, one week before performing at the famous Whisky-A-Go-Go in Hollywood, also performing at The Viper Room and the House of Blues while she was out west. She was also in Nashville in early June, performing in conjunction with CMA Fest. She will be back in both Hollywood and Nashville before this year is over and she will have one more song release this year in addition to having a music video coming out. Presently her YouTube channel has a combined total of more than 1.6 million video views, and her top five songs on Spotify alone have a combined total of close to three hundred thousand streams.

NHTE 552 Austin Forman Sep 11, 2024

Singer, songwriter, guitar player who has released four singles in 2024, the most recent of which came out on June 28th. Just over four years ago he had a song that went viral and landed him national attention, and present day he has 880 thousand followers on TikTok, where he has had multiple videos get one or more million views, plus a combined total of 2.7 million video views on his official YouTube channel, approximately 950 thousand streams on his top five songs on Spotify alone, and more than 45 thousand monthly listeners on that platform. Based in the Florida panhandle, he will be performing in three weeks at the Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival.

NHTE 551 Eric Hirshberg Sep 04, 2024

Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who has a new album coming out next week Friday, September 13th. He has been written about in the likes of PEOPLE Magazine and American Songwriter as well as interviewed on MSNBC. He has collaborated with GRAMMY nominee Aloe Blacc and he has also done a song featuring Dave Koz. The videos on his official YouTube channel have a combined total of more than 2.5 million views and a single that he released this past February has over 144 thousand streams on Spotify. He is a former CEO of Activision and Deutsch LA, where he led record-breaking launches for major franchises like Call of Duty and was named one of the 50 Most Creative People in Business by AdAge.

NHTE 550 Radhika Vekaria Aug 28, 2024

Los Angeles-based award-winning artist who has a new album that features two GRAMMY winners and two GRAMMY nominees coming out on August 30th. In just over two weeks she will be performing at Sages and Sciences with Deepak Chopra at Harvard, and at the end of next month at The Clive Davis Theater at the GRAMMY Museum. She has previously collaborated with the likes of Prince, Enrique Iglesias, and GRAMMY-nominated producer George Landress, among others. She has performed in Europe as well as here in the U.S. at South By Southwest. Her top five songs on Spotify alone have a combined total of over 2.6 million streams.

NHTE 549 Arwen Lewis Aug 21, 2024

A singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who released a new single in April. Based in the greater Los Angeles area, she has been reviewed by Rolling Stone Magazine and she has been in Music Connection magazine as well. She comes from very notable entertainment lineage, and she even hosts her own self-titled show with significant distribution. While she performs in and around the greater Los Angeles area – including notable venues such as The Viper Room and Hotel Café – she has even played in the music hotbed of Austin, Texas. She recently appeared in her first TV commercial and has close ties to a past guest from this show. She talks about live recordings currently being worked on as well as a Christmas collab she’s a part of.

NHTE 548 Rob McNelley Aug 14, 2024

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who just released a new single less than two weeks ago, following another that he had put out at the end of June, which was co-produced with a GRAMMY Award-winning producer, all in the lead up to the release of an EP. He is a four-time winner of the ACM’s “Guitarist of the Year” Award and been nominated for the CMA’s “Musician of the Year.” He is not only Bob Seger’s lead guitarist but has worked with a long list of hitmakers, from Lainey Wilson to Luke Combs to Carrie Underwood to Dolly Parton, Hank Williams, Jr., Lady Antebellum, and more. In 2025 he will hit 30 years of being in Nashville, where he gained recognition as a session guitarist, putting an emphasis this year on establishing himself as a solo artist.

NHTE 547 Jenna LaMaster Aug 07, 2024

Recorded on-location in Alabama at the 4th Lake Martin Songwriters Festival, this Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player has a new single coming out soon. She has written for and had major label cuts with other artists, and in 2020 signed her first publishing deal. At the end of this month she will open for Terri Clark at the Ryman Auditorium and in September and October she will open for Ian Munsick in Colorado, New Mexico, and Idaho. She has even performed at the legendary Bluebird Café in Nashville.

NHTE 546 Regan Stewart Jul 31, 2024

An interview recorded on-location in Alabama at the 4th Lake Martin Songwriters Festival, this guest is a Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who just put out a seven-song release less than three weeks ago. She has been featured by Rolling Stone, NPR, CMT, and more, and her music has gotten over 650 thousand streams on all platforms AND been featured on Spotify and Apple Music playlists. So far this year she had three songs featured in the film, “God’s Country Song” AND had a music video debut on CMT. She has performed at notable venues, including the famous Bluebird Café up in Music City.

NHTE 545 Matt Rogers Jul 24, 2024

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player, and CMA Member who has a new single coming out next week Friday, August 2nd. He has opened for some of country music’s hottest names, including Chris Stapleton, Walker Hayes, Jake Owen, Cole Swindell, Brothers Osborne, and more. Presently he is doing exactly that, playing live, with upcoming dates from Tennessee to Georgia to both Carolinas and even over in Denmark, plus the Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival in the Florida panhandle, followed by a date in Alabama. His top five songs on Spotify alone have a combined total of over one million streams, and similarly, he has a combined total of over 1.1 million video views on his official YouTube channel.
Send your questions or comments about this episode via https://featuredup.com/nhte

NHTE 544 Dan Miraldi Jul 17, 2024

New York City-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who released a new album last month. Over the past 15 years he has created an extensive body of work totaling eight full-length albums and eight EPs in his solo catalog alone. His music has been featured on SiriusXM and last year two of his songs were featured in the movie “Sid is Dead.” Along the way he has also not only been reviewed by Huff Post, but, his on-stage journey includes performances in England, Denmark, across the U.S., and, sharing a bill with acts ranging from Wang Chung to Nelly to Beatles offspring James McCartney, and more. He is also a two-time finalist in the prestigious John Lennon Songwriting Contest.
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NHTE 543 Marcos Lopez-Iglesias Jul 10, 2024

A singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, music director, and record producer who is releasing a full-length album at the end of summer and a video for the title track, featuring work by a GRAMMY-winning mix engineer who is also working on another album being recorded, which is likely to be a double album in 2025. He has performed internationally and with some very notable names in music. Through Gold Record Productions he has produced four artists with a singer that he is in a duo with. Together they did a music video that has over 100 thousand views on YouTube.
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NHTE 542 Gabby B Jul 03, 2024

Miami-based singer, songwriter, and recording artist who just released a new song this past Friday, marking already her fifth single release this year, working with a multi-GRAMMY Award-winning producer along the way. She is the co-owner of an independent music label called Muy Bueno and two years ago one of her songs hit #3 on the Portugal Pop Chart and Top 40 in Portugal All Genres Charts. Another song of hers, from the year before, hit Top 5 on iTunes pop charts and 15 overall in South Africa. Meanwhile, she has more than made her mark on social media, with more than 15-and-a-half million combined video views on her official YouTube channel and 3.7 million followers on TikTok alone.
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NHTE 541 Sarah Hester Ross Jun 26, 2024

Las Vegas-based singer, songwriter, piano player, and comedian who has a new comedy special that just came out two months ago on Apple TV, Amazon Prime, and YouTube. She was featured on “America’s Got Talent” and has been named “Best Comedian” by the Las Vegas Review Journal and “Best One Woman Show” by Las Vegas Weekly. She has performed across the country, from Los Angeles to Times Square in New York, and, of course, there in Las Vegas. She has built an amazing online following with 2.4 million on TikTok alone, plus almost 270 thousand on Instagram. Meanwhile, she has approximately 219 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify – where her top track has more than 25 million streams – and she has more than five million combined video views on her official YouTube channel.
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NHTE 540 Mark Parfitt Jun 19, 2024

A recording and mixing engineer who has worked with the likes of Justin Bieber, Snoop Dogg, Meghan Trainor, Poo Bear, and Kehlani, among others. Based in Los Angeles, his work has brought him all over the world and earned him multiple platinum records. He has not only worked with incredible talent in music but also run professional recording studios, worked for publishing companies, worked on shows for major television networks, worked on sports broadcast teams for ESPN, recorded hundreds of audiobooks, worked in live sound, and dabbled in just about every form of professional audio during his journey. He has been featured in Sound On Sound and Tape Op Magazine, among other industry publications.
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NHTE 539 David Arkwright Jun 12, 2024

A producer, songwriter, artist, and engineer who has worked on GRAMMY-nominated and platinum projects with a long list of artists including Nick Jonas, Bella Poarch, Benson Boone, Gucci Mane, Salem Ilese, and several others. Based in Los Angeles, he has been written about in major music media such as Billboard and Rolling Stone. Last year there were more than 233 million streams on Spotify alone of songs that he wrote.
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NHTE 538 Mike Avenaim Jun 05, 2024

A music director, producer, session drummer, composer, and mix engineer. He has worked with the likes of Scott Weiland, Bebe Rexha, Tori Kelly, Hailee Steinfeld, Nick Lachey, Disney, and many others. He has appeared on TV shows such as Good Morning America, The View, The Arsenio Hall Show, Late Night with Seth Meyers, and Last Call with Carson Daly. He has achieved multi-platinum success as a drummer and engineer as well as music directed multiple major label tours. And, he has composed, recorded and produced songs for feature films, movie trailers and TV shows.
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NHTE 537 Chris Bullinger May 29, 2024

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist whose latest single just came out two weeks ago, with an album coming in mid-August. To date, he has recorded five critically acclaimed albums. His 2022 album charted “Number 1 Added” on NACC Folk, as did his 12-song release at the end of last August. On the heels of THAT project, he amassed one hundred thousand monthly Spotify listeners and over two million cumulative views across Vevo and YouTube. In addition to being a poet, he also has had a career as an entrepreneur that he talks about here, including its impact on his music career.
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NHTE 536 Lucky Harmon May 22, 2024

Singer, songwriter, recording artist, and actor as well as being a voting member of the Recording Academy, who on Instagram alone has almost 900 thousand followers. On the music side, he has charted in the Billboard Top 40, the iTunes Top 200 dance charts and Top 100 charts, and had three GRAMMY Considerations. He has one song that features Lil Wayne, and he did a pop dance record with a former member of Destiny’s Child, plus he has a new single coming out in July. He attended the GRAMMY Awards in Los Angeles in February and will be at CMA Fest in Nashville next month. On the acting side, he is a SAG-AFTRA member, and his acting résumé includes films such as Fate of the Furious, Pitch Perfect 3, and Wonder Woman 1984, and TV work such as The Vampire Diaries, NYPD Blue, and more.
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NHTE 535 Muriel Anderson May 15, 2024

A composer, guitarist, and harp guitarist who is celebrating the release of her new CD and board game, just released last month. This follows previous innovative releases that were also not just audio only. Her new release is Top 3 on the folk charts and she has more than 27 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify, where her top five songs alone have a combined total of more than 3.1 million streams. She has equally amazing numbers on YouTube, where she has gotten a combined total of more than 2.2 million video views. She is performing extensively, including already being booked as far out as February of next year. This marks her third time on this show, having previously been on Episode 319 in March 2020 and Episode 211 in February 2018.
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NHTE 534 Rockie Lynne May 08, 2024

A recording artist who has toured the world, sold hundreds of thousands of records, and written songs recorded by superstars. Just under two weeks ago he released a new album and the same day a new documentary premiered on Amazon Prime, exploring his life story. His top two songs on Spotify alone have a combined total of over 859 thousand streams and he has shows coming up in central Florida and in North Carolina. He has performed on “Good Morning America,” Fox News, CMT, and more than a dozen appearances on the Grand Ole Opry. He had risen to fame with his debut single "Lipstick," which dominated the Billboard Country Singles Chart for ten weeks.

NHTE 533 Jim Wilson May 01, 2024

An award-winning composer and performer who has had several albums in the Billboard Top 20, two PBS specials, and his top five songs on Spotify alone have a combined total of over a million streams. Based in Los Angeles, he is a Lifetime Member of the Recording Academy, and has authored a book that just came out last month titled, “Tuned In: Memoirs of a Piano Man,” which has hit Number 1 on Amazon in multiple categories and gotten over 40 endorsements from A-list celebrities, including the likes of David Foster, Barry Manilow, Diane Warren, Martin Short, Ray Romano, and Ed Begley, Jr., among others.

NHTE 532 John Ellison Apr 24, 2024

He wrote the R&B standard, “Some Kind of Wonderful,” and is still today singing, writing songs, and playing guitar. He earned a GRAMMY nomination for Male Vocalist of the Year, and, he received no fewer than five BMI lifetime achievement awards, was inducted into the West Virginia Music Hall of Fame, is about to be inducted into the Rochester (New York) Music Hall of Fame, and received three Canadian Lifetime Achievement Awards. He has played with, written for, and performed alongside the likes of Nina Simone, James Brown, The Temptations, Wilson Pickett, Grand Funk Railroad, Huey Lewis & the News, Buddy Guy, Joss Stone, and more. In late January he released a 12-song album.

NHTE 531 Tracyan Martin Apr 17, 2024

Professional touring multi-instrumentalist currently performing in Las Vegas as Trombonist/Keytarist with Cirque du Soleil’s Mad Apple. She has performed on the GRAMMY Awards, “Good Morning America,” and “The Voice,” and over her career in music has worked with a variety of artists ranging from Musiq Soulchild to CeeLo Green to Fantasia and even Oprah Winfrey! She has also served as Music Director for Melanie Fiona and Janelle Monáe, and, she is a Roland artist and Ultimate Ears brand ambassador.

NHTE 530 Jeremy Parsons Apr 10, 2024

Singer, songwriter, guitar player who has performed throughout the U.S. and Europe. Highlights of the original music he has released include international hits on the iTunes charts, a Spotify editorial playlist, and the Top 40 Roots Music Report and IndieWorld Report. In addition, videos from two of his songs have been nominated and selected for numerous film festivals. His top five songs on Spotify alone have gotten a combined 1.2 million streams and a single that he released last August won Favorite Mainstream Single in the 2023 Independent Music Network Awards.

NHTE 529 Cliff and Susan Apr 03, 2024

Arkansas-based award-winning independent music duo who have toured internationally in over seven countries. They perform over two hundred shows per year, captivating audiences with their piano, fiddle, and guitar performances. They have a repertoire of over two thousand songs spanning multiple genres and just under two years ago opened for ZZ Top for an amphitheater show. Last October they released a twelve-song album that made it to No. 39 on the Apple US Country Album Chart. They also have co-founded a production company, an entertainers academy, and a music and arts festival.

NHTE 528 Russell Sutton Mar 27, 2024

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who is signed with Sony Music Publishing Nashville and Droptine Music Publishing. He earned chart success with his first No. 1 single “My Boy” by Elvie Shane as well as with cuts by Drew Green. His latest hit “Whiskey On You” by Nate Smith has topped the Canadian charts and reached No. 1 on Billboard’s Country Airplay. As a performer he has been on countless stages at a wide range of venues and events and will be performing later this year in Denmark.

NHTE 527 Emmy Jo Mar 20, 2024

New York City-based singer, songwriter, piano player who released her debut album just over three weeks ago and, fittingly, did an album release party at the popular music club called Pianos, there in The Big Apple. She has upcoming shows IN New York, March 28th and May 11th in the city and April 24th in Brooklyn. A music video for one of the songs from her new album was just released on February 23rd, and she currently has close to 66 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify, where her top track has over 1.2 million streams.

NHTE 526 Lee Tucker Mar 13, 2024

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who has had over 30 independent cuts. He was originally a drummer and toured the southeast before focusing his career on songwriting. He has performed all the way down in Key West, Florida, lots of shows here in Music City, out west in places like Arizona, and even overseas in Europe. He is also a business partner in Nashville Nights, which he talks about here. And his songs have been described as they, “will have you laughing then crying as he takes you on a rollercoaster ride of emotions.”

NHTE 525 Blue Foley Mar 06, 2024

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who is also the founder of Nashville Nights, which is discussed during this interview. He has written thousands of songs and had several publishing deals, and his story includes overcoming surgery on his vocal cords. He is a multiple GRAMMY-ACM-CMA-Golden Guitar and Dove-nominated songwriter and had 23 singles in the last year alone. During the month of May, he will be in Europe performing a number of shows in Denmark. He was previously a guest on this show back on Episode 434 almost two years ago, in June 2022.

NHTE 524 Drew Schroeder Feb 28, 2024

A content creator and keynote speaker who was a Las Vegas nightclub promoter for more than eleven years and now coaches musicians on how to establish themselves and make a career, saying, “All musicians know how to be creative, but not all know business and marketing.” He is also a practitioner in Positive Psychology, which he says is done so his clients don’t end up joining the 27 Club. Over the years he has been a part of events that have included the likes of Tiesto and Steve Aoki, among other notable names in entertainment. He even attended the Billboard Awards and tells that story during this interview.

NHTE 523 Jameel JProof Roberts Feb 21, 2024

L.A.-based multi GRAMMY nominee and multi-talented platinum-selling producer, songwriter, composer/arranger, educator, and instrumentalist. He co-produced and wrote “Good Kisser” for RandB singing sensation Usher, which climbed to No. 1 on the US R&B/Hip Hop charts and garnered his first nomination for Best R&B song at the 2015 Grammy Awards. His songwriting and arranging were also featured on the 2020 Grammy nominated Album of The Year, “Thank U, Next,” by Ariana Grande, and he is a voting member of the Recording Academy. He is a Los Angeles College of Music Songwriting and Music Business faculty member who has also worked with Lizzo and with H.E.R.

NHTE 522 Samantha Marie Feb 14, 2024

Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, guitar and piano player who just last month released a new music video that already has more than 6,500 views on YouTube. Last year she released an EP in November after having put out an EP in October, both following a deluxe 18-song album that she’d released in September after having put out a 14-song version of it in August. Her releases have drawn acclaim from various publications, and she has amassed more than 1.5 million streams for her top five songs on Spotify alone, where she currently has 74 thousand monthly listeners. She also is putting up really big numbers on TikTok, and, she is working on more new music this year, as she discusses here.

NHTE 521 Cassidy-Rae Feb 07, 2024

Australia-based multi-award-winning singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who has a new single coming out this Friday, February 9th. She achieved back-to-back number one iTunes charting singles and her singles have graced popular playlists like Spotify’s Fresh Country and Apple Music’s Today’s Country, to name just two. She has premiered on CMT and her success went global when country music star Thomas Rhett raised a glass celebrating the movement for one of her songs. She has over six thousand monthly listeners on Spotify, where her top five songs alone have a combined total of well over 800 thousand streams, and her official YouTube channel has a combined total of 2.1 million video views.

NHTE 520 Richard Lynch Jan 31, 2024

Ohio-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who, over the past four decades, has compiled a long list of country hits and chart-toppers on both domestic and international sales and radio airplay charts, including two Number 1 iTunes chart singles. He has been in Billboard magazine, on FOX TV, and has recorded popular duets with legendary artists like Ronnie McDowell and GRAMMY-winner Rhonda Vincent. He has been inducted into both the Indie Country Music Hall of Fame and the Ohio Country Music Hall of Fame. He is currently recording a new album, which he talks about during this interview.

NHTE 519 Tracielynn Jan 24, 2024

Nashville-based recording artist who has a new single coming in just over two weeks, and last November put out her rendition of the classic holiday song, “Have Yourself a Merry Little Christmas,” which followed the eight-song EP she’d released in August. On stage, she has opened for the likes of Morgan Wallen, Sara Evans, and Sam Hunt, among others, and she already has shows booked from February to July that will take her from Washington, DC, to Maryland to Florida to Virginia and New York. Between Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok alone she is closing in on a half-million followers, and she has gotten a combined total of over seven million video views on her official YouTube channel. She currently has 22 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify, where her top five songs alone have a combined 1.7 million-plus streams.

NHTE 518 Kristen Long Jan 17, 2024

Music director and producer, recording and performing artist, singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who has a new EP coming out this Friday, January 19th. She is also part of a duo act and the co-founder of Minx & Maestro Productions, which she talks about here. In addition, she has held the position of Specialist of Vocal Casting and Music Production with Royal Caribbean Entertainment after music and vocal directing for them for almost nine years. She is also the creator of The Journey: A New Indie Musical, and has been an active performer in bands, piano bar, and theater for over 20 years. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Vocal Performance from Berklee College of Music and a Master’s Degree in Music Production from Berklee Online, having graduated with a 4.0 GPA. She was the recipient of the award for Outstanding Graduate Student of the Class of 2022, as well as the iZotope Award, which honors innovation in music production.

NHTE 517 Peter Martin Jan 10, 2024

Composer and an acclaimed jazz pianist, and the founder of Open Studio, which is the world’s leading jazz education platform. His newest album was just released on December 1 and features his brand-new quartet. His touring career has taken him to six continents numerous times, and he played in the White House by invitation from President Obama several times. He performed on and arranged Dianne Reeves’ GRAMMY-winning release, “A Little Moonlight,” and appeared in George Clooney’s 2005 film “Good Night, and Good Luck,” as well as being the featured pianist and an arranger on the GRAMMY-winning soundtrack. He has also performed, toured, and recorded with names like Wynton Marsalis and Chris Botti, as well as the Berlin Philharmonic, Chicago Symphony Orchestra and the New York Philharmonic.

NHTE 516 Monsieur Minimal Jan 03, 2024

Athens, Greece-based singer, songwriter, guitar player, and composer who just released a remix single at the end of November. He is a working on a new album that he talks about here and has performed not only in his home country but in Turkey, France, Russia, Germany, Poland, and here in the U.S., including having at one point opened for Moby in Greece. He has also worked on soundtracks for TV spots and ads here in the U.S. as well as in Canada. He has gotten well over eleven million combined video views on his official YouTube channel and his Spotify numbers are most impressive as well. On that platform alone he has more than 52 thousand monthly listeners and his top song there has gotten more than 4.2 million streams.

NHTE 515 Nyan Feder Dec 27, 2023

Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who has released three singles this year, the latest of which came out on September 1st. Plus, he has another new song coming out next week Friday, January 5th. By the age of 12 he had co-headlined international guitar festivals in Mexico and toured around the U.S. After college he moved to Nashville where he continued to tour for other artists at the professional level for years until setting his sights on his own project. His background even includes having recorded with George Clinton.

NHTE 514 Jesslee Dec 20, 2023

Singer, songwriter, guitar player who just released a full album of twelve songs at the end of September. In the lead-up to it she had released four singles after having put out six last year. She appeared on Season 14 of “The Voice,” having gotten chair turns from both Blake Shelton and Kelly Clarkson, and since then has shared the stage alongside notable artists including Jason Aldean, Thomas Rhett, Dierks Bentley, Wynonna Judd, and countless others. Plus, she gives an exclusive here about a collab that she has done. Earlier this year she signed a record deal with ONErpm Music Label/Verge Records. Between October 9th and November 20th she released three official music videos that have a combined total of over 260 thousand views on her official YouTube channel, which itself has a combined total of over 1.5 million video views. And, her Spotify Wrapped numbers for 2023 included an amazing 2.2 million streams.

NHTE 513 Allie Colleen Dec 13, 2023

Recorded on-location in Nashville with a singer, songwriter, guitar player who just released a duet of “O Holy Night” with Jay Allen. She had also released two singles earlier in 2023 and her Spotify Wrapped numbers for this year show well over 900 thousand streams of her music on that platform alone. Just announced is that she will be part of country superstar Lee Brice’s tour in February and March. Early 2024 will also mark the release of a duet with another A-lister that she reveals during this interview. She has earned numerous accolades including being named Artist to Watch by People Country Magazine, New Artist to Watch 2023 by Holler Magazine, and Nashville Music Guide’s Artists to Watch 2023, among numerous others.

NHTE 512 Preston Morelock of Kickstand Jenny Dec 06, 2023

The founder of and guitarist for the alternative rock group Kickstand Jenny. In June the band released a ten-song album featuring some notable contributors, with one of the songs already having well over a hundred thousand streams on Spotify, where they have more than twenty thousand monthly listeners. On the live performance front, the band has shared the stage with notable headliners such as Slaughter, Living Colour, Sebastian Bach, and L.A. Guns. Last year the band signed with Spectra Music Group, and the videos on their official YouTube channel have a combined total of almost 1.7 million views.

NHTE 511 Eric Larsen Nov 29, 2023

Sacramento, California-based songwriter and guitar player, one half of the duo act The Cracker Brothers, and the CEO of Outer Marker Records. He is also Head of Marketing, Artist Relations and Sales for D.W. Fearn / Hazelrigg Industries, and in the past was Director of Marketing for TEAC America, which includes TASCAM. Listen as he talks about always being around music and having his eye on the next thing as well as the way he used the relationships he built over the years – creating music and working in the industry – to get the many opportunities discussed during this episode.

NHTE 510 James Norkawich Nov 22, 2023

A musician, producer, composer, arranger, and pianist who just released a 16-song Christmas album at the end of October. From that project alone, one song has over a million streams on Spotify, another has more than 1.6 million streams, and yet a third has 2.6 million. He has collaborated with artists ranging from Chicago to Spyro Gyra to Tower of Power. He also spent a number of years in radio – both on and off the air – as well as an online streaming platform, reaching a worldwide audience of six million listeners in a single year. He is the owner of record label Studio 55 and says that he makes music to inspire and unite.

NHTE 509 Lex Borrero Nov 15, 2023

Miami-based entertainment executive who is the mastermind behind some of music’s biggest producers, including the multi-platinum Monsters & Strangerz and Latin GRAMMY Award-winning and GRAMMY Award-nominated Tainy, with whom he – four years ago – co-founded NEON16, a media and entertainment company that was voted the number one Most Innovative Music Company in 2021 by Fast Company. My guest has been included in Billboard magazine’s “Latin Power Players” list this year and their “40 Under 40” in 2020. His first documentary series was the most-watched, non-scripted show in Latin America on Disney-plus and one of the four most-streamed series in the United States.

NHTE 508 Natalie Gauci Nov 08, 2023

Australia-based songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and internationally acclaimed, award-winning, Platinum and Gold selling artist who just released a new single at the end of September and is now releasing a music video for it. She has toured the UK and Europe including having had a residency in London. She has performed with Lionel Richie, among other notable names in music, and she won “Australian Idol” in 2007, was signed by Sony BMG Australia, plus she even made an appearance on “The Voice Australia.” She is also an author, a vocal coach, and the founder of “A Call to Wisdom,” a charity that helps people who have broken parts that require healing from sexual abuse, trauma, and domestic violence.

NHTE 507 Michael Rubin of King Falcon Nov 01, 2023

New York-based singer, songwriter, and the guitarist for the indie rock band, King Falcon. This past Friday they released an eleven-song, self-titled album, with mixing by a 12-time GRAMMY nominee. (A white vinyl version of the album will be released on December 1st.) On August 30th they’d released a music video for one of the songs from it, with that video already having gotten over 60 thousand views on YouTube. The band is currently touring, and in March and May of this year they’d released singles that are also off their new King Falcon album, with one of the songs peaking at number 5 on the Submodern Singles Chart. This guest has built a truly impressive collection of one-of-a-kind guitars, each with its own story, which he talks about here.

NHTE 506 Reese Warren Oct 25, 2023

California-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, dancer, and actress who just released her newest single last month. She does reveal during this interview, however, that there are four more new songs coming. She has performed at the GRAMMY Teen Concert, The Fashion Life Tour, and iHeartRadio 102.7 KISS-FM Concert at IPOP, plus she talks here about having performed at the NAMM Show this past April. Aside from her music career, she is also involved in voiceover acting and on-camera acting, being most well known for being the voice of MC Swag on “LOL House of Surprises” and for her role in “Love XO.” She currently has 146 THOUSAND followers on Instagram and is closing in on a half-million combined video views on her official YouTube channel.

NHTE 505 Keeana Kee Oct 18, 2023

New York City-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and fashion model who in June put out a 13-song collection of remixes, one week after having released a music video for one of her singles from last year. She has worked with some of the leading DJs, remixers, and producers in the world, and she is a member of ISINA, Inc., a music talent search and mentoring program involving some very notable names in music. She is originally from Latvia but moved to and started performing in the UK as a teenager before moving in 2016 to the U.S., and has built up a tremendous following, as evidenced by a combined total of more than two million video views on her official YouTube channel and more than a million streams on her top song on Spotify.

NHTE 504 ZZ Ward Oct 11, 2023

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, video director, and record label owner whose newest album was just released early last month. Previous successes include breaking into Billboard’s Top 40 with her debut release, and then hitting Number 1 on the Billboard Blues chart with her sophomore album. She even had one of her song’s featured in Pixar’s feature film “Cars 3.” All throughout this and next month she is on a tour that will see her do 14 shows throughout eight states. She has over 372 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify, where her top five songs have a combined total of more than 40 million streams. And, she has a combined total of more than 55 million video views on her official YouTube channel.

NHTE 503 Carla Patullo Oct 04, 2023

Los Angeles-based recording artist who has scored over 30 films and had over 100 songs placed in film and TV shows. A singer, composer and multi-instrumentalist, among her film scoring projects is “Maxine,” a just released Disney-plus film starring Margaret Cho. She is a voting member of the Recording Academy and a four-time Hollywood Music in Media Award Nominee. This past year, two of her film scores were presented at the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences Museum. She has her own recording studio, and her latest solo album is a nine-song release that came out on August 11th and is up for GRAMMY consideration for Best New Age, Ambient, or Chant Album.

NHTE 502 Claire Khodara and Ken Stacey Sep 27, 2023

They are currently working together as artist and producer on an upcoming new album and are up for consideration for the GRAMMYs next February. She has done everything from sing for popes to appearing on “American Idol” to founding her own production company. She has trained in Rome, lived in London and New York, and, of course, released her own original music, all in addition to being an activist. He was a guest on this show more than a year-and-a-half ago on Episode 422 and since then has continued working as a vocal coach with Kenny Loggins, Richard Marx, and more, and recently sang at a David Crosby tribute alongside some key members of the music world. His background ranges from work with household names ranging from Elton John to Michael Jackson to pop supergroup Ambrosia.

NHTE 501 Best Of Volume 5 Sep 20, 2023

The biggest episode ever. Clearly the guests have only gotten better and better as evidenced by how many from the last hundred episodes are featured in this look back at a good number of "Now Hear This Entertainment" episodes since NHTE 401 Best Of Volume 4. On this edition you'll hear everything from befriending actor John Malkovich to thinking a call from Kenny Loggins was a prank to meeting Kris Kristofferson in a back alley to meeting Michael Jackson to getting hired to play in Taylor Swift's band to performing in Las Vegas the night of a sibling's passing, and much, much (much) more. In total, there are 27 past guests you'll hear from, plus two more who are represented by way of their music being played.

NHTE 500 Kenny Wayne Shepherd Sep 13, 2023

A renowned guitarist and vocalist who has sold millions of albums. From 1995 on, he took seven singles into the Top 10, and holds the record for the longest-running album on the Billboard Blues Charts. He has been nominated for five GRAMMY Awards and has received two Billboard Music Awards, two Blues Music Awards, and two Orville H. Gibson Awards. In September 2008, Fender Musical Instruments Corp. released a Signature Series Stratocaster that he designed exclusively. In 2013 he, along with Stephen Stills and Barry Goldberg formed a band called The Rides. Throughout his career he has opened up for the likes of The Rolling Stones, Van Halen, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Aerosmith, Bob Dylan, and The Eagles. From television performances on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno to The Late Show with David Letterman to Jimmy Kimmel Live and Late Night with Jimmy Fallon to features in Rolling Stone, Vanity Fair, Maxim Magazine, Blender, Spin, USA Today and more, his musical career has been nothing short of phenomenal. He has a new album coming in November, with a new song coming each month between now and then.

NHTE 499 Ava Kolker Sep 06, 2023

Singer, songwriter, actress, and influencer who just put out a six-song EP in late June. The title track from that release reached number 11 on the iTunes charts and she has gotten airplay on iHeartRadio. She lives in Los Angeles and is known for her roles as Olive on Disney Channel’s “Sydney to the Max” and as Ava on Disney’s Emmy-nominated “Girl Meets World.” She has also appeared in multiple major feature films. She is a Sony Electronics audio ambassador and has amassed a tremendous following, including 4.3 million followers on TikTok, one million followers on Instagram, and a combined total of more than 4.2 million video views on her official YouTube channel.

NHTE 498 Stefan Benz Aug 30, 2023

Singer, songwriter, guitar player who has a new album coming out next week Friday, September 8th, which follows four singles that he has already released this year. Earlier this year he appeared on “American Idol,” and he has been hailed by Us Weekly as “One of the hottest young rising stars to watch in music right now.” Originally from South Africa, he recently became the youngest artist in the history of that country to have a number 1 hit. He has a combined total of more than 14 million video views on his official YouTube channel and between Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok alone he has a combined following of well over half a million.

NHTE 497 Jennifer Alvarado Aug 23, 2023

Award-winning singer, songwriter, guitar player who just last month put out a seven-song EP. She is also beginning work on a new album as well as a separate EP, both of which she talks about here. She regularly travels back and forth to Nashville and was named “One to Watch” by Nashville Songwriters Association International in Spring 2021 and Spring 2022. Earlier this month she took home the silver for “USA Entertainer of the Year” at the 2023 International Singer-Songwriters Association awards. Her top five songs on Spotify alone have a combined total of almost 440 thousand streams and she has more than 13 thousand monthly listeners on that platform.

NHTE 496 William Michael Morgan Aug 16, 2023

Singer, songwriter, guitar player whose newest single was just released five days ago. In April he was signed by ONErpm, which operates one of the world’s largest music distribution platforms and YouTube multi-channel networks. He has drawn praise from the New York Times, and his debut album back in 2016 opened in the Top 5 on Billboard’s Country Albums Chart and landed him on countless year-end best album lists, including Rolling Stone and iTunes. He had signed a major label deal at the age of just 19 and landed at Number 1 on Mediabase with the Gold certified, “I Met a Girl.” He was at CMA Fest this past June and has performed more than 50 times on the Grand Ole Opry, plus he was featured by the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum as a highlighted artist in the 2017 American Currents exhibit. That same year he joined Maren Morris and three others in being named New Faces of Country Music in conjunction with the annual Country Radio Seminar.

NHTE 495 Bridgette Tatum Aug 09, 2023

Award-winning, Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player, and producer who co-wrote Jason Aldean’s hit, “She’s Country,” which was the most played song on country radio across the U.S. in 2009 and held the number 1 position on the chart for two consecutive weeks and has had 181 million streams on Spotify alone. Her song “Loud” was selected as the official theme song for ACC football’s 2010 season. She has also had cuts with Randy Houser and George Clinton, among others, and, of course, as a recording artist, has released her own original music along the way as well. Meanwhile, she is vice president of SoNash Publishing and also serves on the board of The Charley Foundation, which she also talks about here.

NHTE 494 Townsend Aug 02, 2023

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who has a new single coming out this Friday, August 4th to begin a single each month through and including December for a total of five singles, which will culminate in an EP. She was invited to do one of the coveted performance slots at the NAMM Show in Anaheim, California, in April, and has partnerships with multiple companies in that space. As a mental health advocate, she is also the host of a weekly podcast, called, “You’re Not Alone.” And, she is also active as a speaker. She was previously a guest on this show approximately a year-and-a-half ago on Episode 417 in February 2022.

NHTE 493 Walter Kenul Jul 26, 2023

New York-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who is one of the founders of the eight-piece roots rock band, American Nomads. He has toured internationally as well as written and recorded multiple film soundtracks, plus he had a song chosen for a movie trailer and played on a French film. Early in his career he had founded another band, and, present day, American Nomads has a new single that was just released last month, plus they’ll be releasing a new album in September and another in January. The band’s music has received national radio play, reached number 6 on the Billboard Adult Contemporary chart, and passed the first round of GRAMMY nominations for one of their songs.

NHTE 492 Eric Alexandrakis Jul 19, 2023

A two-time GRAMMY-nominated classically trained musician and composer. Also a singer, songwriter, and producer, he has had two hit songs on the Adult Contemporary charts and a hit on the Billboard Indicator Chart. He has done work for brands ranging from NBC to MTV to the History Channel, the NBA, CBS, Nike, Pepsi, the Discovery Channel, and more. He has also worked with William Shatner, John Malkovich, David Lynch, and others. Plus, he has collaborated with and created content for the likes of Depeche Mode, Yoko Ono, Sean Lennon, Duran Duran, and many more. He is even a music industry contributor to Recording Magazine.

NHTE 491 Jeffrey Steele Jul 12, 2023

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist with over 65 million airplays of his songs. He has gotten three GRAMMY nominations as a writer and as a musician and earned a Golden Globe nomination as well. He has been inducted into the Nashville Songwriters Hall of Fame, is a two-time BMI Songwriter of the Year, and a three-time NSAI Songwriter of the Year. He was one of Billboard magazine’s top five writers eight years in a row. At one point he had over 500 songs cut in an eight-year period, by over 100 artists, with 95 singles released, off more than 75 gold and platinum records, with over 50 million records sold.

NHTE 490 Clare Cunningham Jul 05, 2023

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who is releasing a new album just two days from now. Last year she was the Artist of the Year in the annual Josie Awards, and a few months ago made her Grand Ole Opry debut, plus last month she performed at CMA Fest. In 2021 she won awards for Songwriter of the Year and Vocalist of the Year. She has a whopping twelve nominations for the 2023 Josie Awards that will take place in October. She tours extensively and her upcoming shows calendar will see her perform in the likes of Minnesota, Missouri, Florida, and the 3rd Lake Martin Songwriters Festival late this month in Alabama. She is originally from Ireland and before coming to America was part of an all-female Swedish quintet. She released two albums and was signed to Warner Music Sweden.

NHTE 489 Adam Hood Jun 28, 2023

Alabama-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who just released a new single earlier this month, already his fourth new song of 2023. As a songwriter, he has had songs recorded by the likes of Miranda Lambert, Little Big Town, Kid Rock, Travis Tritt, Lee Ann Womack, and more. He has his own record label and last September released an album that hit number 10 on the Americana chart, plus he’ll be releasing another album this coming September. Last October he made his Grand Ole Opry debut and then made a return appearance four months ago. Between this recording and early November he will perform in Georgia, Texas, Colorado, South Carolina, Idaho, and at the 3rd Lake Martin Songwriters Festival in Alabama. His top five songs on Spotify have a combined 5.3 million streams and his official YouTube channel has a combined total of over 1.1 million video views.

NHTE 488 Rebecca Ray Jun 21, 2023

UK-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, vocal coach, mentor, YouTuber, and entertainer. A song that she performed on with a past guest from this show is currently at number six on the Billboard charts. Plus, another artist has released two other singles this year that she is on. She has been featured in FORBES and has become well known from her YouTube channel, which has 1.25 million subscribers and a combined total of almost 274 million video views. She is currently working on an EP and has developed a program called Vocal Athlete, which she talks about during this interview.

NHTE 487 Will Thompson Jun 14, 2023

A singer, songwriter, recording artist, and producer who, in March, released a new single that already has over 134 thousand streams on Spotify alone. He has more new music coming in the form of singles that will be compiled for an album release. He is a fifth-generation musician who has shared the stage with artists such as Sheryl Crow, Brandi Carlile, Death Cab for Cutie, and many others. He performs with his band in the Florida panhandle where they’ve been named the Best Band on the Emerald Coast by several publications. He also runs both a songwriters festival and a non-profit.

NHTE 486 Dave Isaacs Jun 07, 2023

He has been called “a musician’s musician.” He has become known as the “Nashville Guitar Guru” for his work as a teacher and coach to professional performers, hit songwriters, and the next generation of Nashville’s rising stars. Six months ago, he released an album of twelve instrumental tracks and now he’s getting ready to release an online guitar course series. In 2019 he put out a book called, “The Perpetual Beginner: A Musician’s Path to Lifelong Learning.” On the performance side he has rocked a muddy crowd at Woodstock and played the blues with Les Paul on a Manhattan nightclub stage.

NHTE 485 John Mlynczak May 31, 2023

He is not only a musician, but he is the new President & CEO of the National Association of Music Merchants (NAMM). Previously he served as Vice President of Music Education & Technology at Hal Leonard, and he is the immediate Past-President of the Technology Institute of Music Educators. He has taught online graduate courses at VanderCook College and served as Director of Education for PreSonus Audio. As a performer he had been playing first trumpet in the MetWinds in Boston and has enjoyed a long career of performing in symphony orchestras, pit orchestras, and top 40 bands.

NHTE 484 Duncan MacLeod May 24, 2023

A Los Angeles-based musician, filmmaker, writer, and podcaster. He was lead singer and autoharpist in a band called The Acres, which had a large following in Europe, Australia, and Latin America, and did a mix of bluegrass, hymns, and neo-folk. He still plays autoharp for guest appearances on albums, with his latest appearance being on an album by Omewenne. His film “La Lucha” was an official selection in the Reading, Pennsylvania, Mexican Film Festival. And, he has published five memoirs, with a sixth on the way.

NHTE 483 Ali Handal May 17, 2023

A singer, songwriter, guitar player who is also part of an all-female Aerosmith tribute band. She has toured Australia, Japan and beyond, and has gotten accolades from the likes of Guitar Player Magazine, American Songwriter Magazine, Guitar World, and Vintage Guitar Magazine. She is having success with both video and audio streaming to the tune of over 1.2 million video views on her YouTube channel and more than 13,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, plus, her songs have been featured in numerous films and hit TV shows. In addition, one of her albums charted on Billboard. She is also a published author and has even done backing vocals for Neil Young AND was a featured singer for Paul Williams. She and has a new album coming in the fall, which is being produced by a four-time GRAMMY Award-winning engineer and producer.

NHTE 482 AleMor May 10, 2023

A singer/songwriter who hails from Colombia, though she now lives in Miami. She was nominated for a Latin Grammy in 2021 for best singer-songwriter album, which was for her debut release. She has performed in New York, Florida, California, and the Bahamas and sings in four different languages. Her YouTube videos have over a quarter of a million views, and she is getting ready to release her second solo album this month. Back in 2019 she appeared on the on the Latin-American televised singing competition, “La Voz” (The Voice).

NHTE 481 Lucy & La Mer May 03, 2023

A singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who recently gave a TedX talk and has some songs coming out this summer, with hopes of doing some touring. She has over 30,000 monthly Spotify followers and one of her songs has been streamed over four million times. In addition, she has over a million views on her YouTube videos. Based in Los Angeles, she is a mental health advocate in the LGBTQ community. She has shared the stage with electronic artist Moby, among others. Plus, she has performed at LA Fashion Week, had her music featured by the LA Times and Huffington Post, and even performed for the mayor of Los Angeles. Her music has been heard on international commercials, with companies such as Disney and Dove using her songs in advertisements.

NHTE 480 Katie Ferrara Apr 26, 2023

A singer, songwriter, international performer from Los Angeles, who got her start busking on the streets in the LA area, but has also played festivals around the world, including South Korea, where she placed fifth in the 2022 Buskers World Cup. Her YouTube channel has amassed over 800,000 video views and she has released several albums as an unsigned independent artist, including two that were crowdfunded through her social media following. This episode was recorded on-location in Anaheim, California, at the NAMM Show, where she had just performed.

NHTE 479 Sean Giovanni Apr 19, 2023

He is a storyteller who is passionate about helping artists achieve their unique creative vision. He achieves this mission as a record producer, audio engineer, educator, and the owner of The Record Shop, a recording studio and multimedia production company in Nashville. He has worked with artists ranging from John Legend and Juicy J to Big & Rich and Tim McGraw to Zakk Wylde and The Wallflowers. He’s a frequent NAMM Presenter/Panelist and Recording Academy mentor who is passionate about sharing his story of entrepreneurship in the recording industry.

NHTE 478 Natasha Julian Apr 12, 2023

Los Angeles-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and international touring artist who is currently in the studio recording a new album. Her catalog includes an EP that she recorded with GRAMMY Award-winning producer Dom Morley – a past guest on this show – and her top five songs on Spotify have a combined total of close to three quarters of a million streams. Meanwhile, the content on her official YouTube channel has exceeded more than 1.5 million video views.

NHTE 477 Ash Taylor Apr 05, 2023

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who has a new single coming out as well as a video series. She is performing regularly in Music City as well as online and has even performed at the world famous Bluebird Café in Nashville. She has had endorsement deals with Recording King Guitars and LR Baggs and was recently featured as the Artist of the Month by Steve Clayton Custom Guitar Picks. She won an international songwriting award in 2021 and has had songs recorded by multiple artists. She was previously a guest on this show four-and-a-half years ago back on Episode 244.

NHTE 476 Shelly Peiken Mar 29, 2023

A multi-platinum, two-time GRAMMY-nominated songwriter who will be honored next month at the 11th annual She Rocks Awards in California. She has written for and with the likes of The Pretenders, Keith Urban, Britney Spears, Brandy, Selena Gomez, Demi Lovato, Celine Dion, Michelle Branch, Natasha Bedingfield, Bebe Rexha, and more. Her songs have appeared in hundreds of films and TV shows, including “Glee,” “Orange is the New Black,” “30 Rock,” among others. She is also an educator and is a founding member of the Songwriters of North America, advocating for creators’ rights. In addition, she is the author of a book titled, “Confessions of a Serial Songwriter.” Stick around for the really cool story that she tells about Carly Simon.

NHTE 475 Tierney Allen Mar 22, 2023

On-location in Las Vegas with a singer, multi-instrumentalist, tribute artist, content creator, influencer, and producer. She has been portraying Lady Gaga for 13 years, seven of which she has performed for the world-renowned tribute show, “Legends in Concert.” Most recently she has produced her own show, “Lady Winehouse,” which debuted early this year in what has been called the entertainment capital of the world. She has been featured by TIME Magazine, CBS News, Billboard.com, Access Hollywood, and Entertainment Tonight. And, she has amassed a TikTok following of more than 78 thousand and combined total of three million Likes on there.

NHTE 474 Fred Mollin Mar 15, 2023

He just last month released a 16-song children’s album, which includes three interactive bonus tracks. He is a record producer, film and TV composer, songwriter, arranger, musical director, and bandleader who splits his time between Music City and Los Angeles. On Spotify alone he has well over 213 thousand monthly listeners and his top five tracks on there have gotten a combined total of over 41 MILLION streams. Last year he produced a four-song EP for the legendary Johnny Mathis, who he has done work with in the past. In 2022 he also worked with Jackie Evancho and the record label he had then released her full-length album. He was previously a guest on this show in December 2021 on Episode 412. BE SURE TO LISTEN FOR THE OFFER HE MAKES AT THE END OF THIS INTERVIEW.

NHTE 473 Danny Seraphine Mar 08, 2023

A Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee, GRAMMY Award-winner, and the original drummer and co-founder of the legendary band Chicago. Critically acclaimed as an instrumentalist and a composer, Rolling Stone magazine has ranked “the father of jazz rock” as one of the top 100 drummers of all time. His storied career has also included producing, as well as working with a variety of Broadway musical and theatrical projects. In 2020, he received the Recording Academy Lifetime Achievement Award, and the former CEO of Guitar Center calls him one of the top five living drummers. He also published a memoir, titled, “Street Player: My Chicago Story,” and, he is still active today, performing with his band, the California Transit Authority.

NHTE 472 Aliyah Good Mar 01, 2023

Singer songwriter, guitar player who just released a new single less than two weeks ago and has an EP coming out in May. Just over four months ago she released a single whose music video premiered on CMT and features a notable collaborator. Already in her young career she has performed at notable venues such as the Hotel Café in Los Angeles, the Bitter End in New York City, and she has done shows in Nashville, where she spends her time when not in southeast Florida. In addition, she performed at an event in Europe that she discusses here, and she will be touring this summer. And, as a songwriter, she has already had cuts with other artists.

NHTE 471 Johnny Reed Feb 22, 2023

Based just south of Los Angeles, he is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who just released his eighth album at the end of January. He has gotten radio exposure from Mexico to Portugal to the UK to, of course, here in the U.S., and has an amazing story about being befriended early in his career by the road manager for The Beatles. In addition to all that he has done in music, he has worked on film projects including blockbusters “Titanic” and “King Kong.”

NHTE 470 Lightnin' Charlie Feb 15, 2023

The nine-year anniversary episode of the podcast, featuring an award-winning singer, songwriter, guitar player and author who released a single last month and has a new album coming out this Spring. He is in his 40th year of being a full-time independent artist, and his autobiography is called, “Off The Record - The Trials and Tribulations of a Travelin' Troubadour.” His music has gotten widespread airplay, including “Bluesville” on SiriusXM, and he has been voted “Favorite Musician in the Mountain South” several years in a row. Plus, he has been featured on many national television music showcases and documentaries.

NHTE 469 Michael McGlinn Feb 08, 2023

He spent ten years living and working in Nashville at the start of his music career. Now based in Kansas City, Missouri, he is a singer, composer, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and arranger who is in the process of releasing (beginning of March) a new album featuring 24 songs. In addition, he is working on a new body of work, plus he has a film production company (doing 70+ films a year), for which he has written and scored hundreds of short films and documentaries. He also wrote a book – endorsed by many GRAMMY Award-winning and nominated engineers – titled, “What the Pros Use,” which chronicles what the top engineers in New York, Los Angeles, Nashville, and Miami use to track 31 instruments, including the voice. And, he has given concerts all over the U.S. and abroad.

NHTE 468 Daniel Mock Feb 01, 2023

Alabama-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who has a tour starting next month. He has recently signed with Aurally Records, which is a Sony Music subsidiary label and is currently in the studio recording a new album. He has performed at numerous venues and events across Texas, Alabama, and Florida, including having opened for the likes of Craig Morgan, The Charlie Daniels Band, and many more. He is gaining lots of attention on TikTok, where he has 390 THOUSAND followers and 2.1 million likes. He even talks here about having auditioned for both “American Idol” and “The Voice.”

NHTE 467 Michelle Rose Jan 25, 2023

Minneapolis-based singer, songwriter, model, and actress who has a new single coming out in just over three weeks AND will be releasing a full album soon as well. Last year she released three singles as well as covers of two Christmas songs. One of her songs alone on Spotify has been streamed over 133 thousand times. She has planned and directed most of her own high-concept music videos, several of which have won multiple awards, and her YouTube channel has close to three-quarters-of-a-million combined video views. Away from the arts she has been very active in giving back, having donated over 2,500 volunteer hours to charities.
Enter by Jan. 31, 2023, to win a Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen audio interface: https://bit.ly/Focusrite_NHTE-Jan23

NHTE 466 Anton du Preez Jan 18, 2023

Seattle-based composer, singer, multi-instrumentalist, and songwriter who splits his time between the Pacific northwest and Los Angeles. His latest album – a ten-song release – came out last August, and almost one year ago to the day he had a 31-track release that was an original television soundtrack. He has a new album in production, targeted for release in late spring or early summer. A regular performer and recording artist, he also composes and produces for various projects, with his credits including a number of Lifetime films and singing for video games. He is a former member of the Seattle Symphony Chorale and works as a sessions artist for commercial music and soundtracks, having studied with two-time Emmy Award winning composer Hummie Mann.
Enter by Jan. 31, 2023, to win a Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen audio interface: https://bit.ly/Focusrite_NHTE-Jan23

NHTE 465 Dr Jaymz Jan 11, 2023

Originally from England but now based in Boston, he’s a podcaster, author, composer and producer who is the first missionary to become an EDM artist. In 2022 he put out a six-song EP, PLUS seven other singles and he’s targeting the middle of next month for his next release. As a minister he has preached to eighty thousand people and as a DJ Producer has performed to thousands more. On Spotify alone, his top five songs have been streamed over 680 thousand times. And the videos on his official YouTube channel have a combined total nearing a half-million views. Plus, one video released through Vevo on YouTube 16 months ago has more than 1.1 million views alone. He is touching lives everywhere through his music ministry as evidenced by his combined social media following of almost 112 thousand.
Enter by Jan. 31, 2023, to win a Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen audio interface: https://bit.ly/Focusrite_NHTE-Jan23

NHTE 464 Steve Cherubino Jan 04, 2023

A multi-instrumentalist whose punk/alternative band, Area 52, has been recording an EP that will be released very soon. They performed at a number of venues around the Tampa Bay area last summer and fall after having taken the stage in Orlando last May at Podfest Multimedia Expo. He is also the founder of DAW Junkie, a music production training website that has a companion YouTube channel. He is also a longtime podcaster, having first started with the “EDM Producer Podcast” and being largely credited for starting the podcast boom in Tampa Bay. He was a guest on this show way back in the first year of “Now Hear This Entertainment,” on Episode 31.
Enter by Jan. 31, 2023, to win a Scarlett 2i2 3rd Gen audio interface: https://bit.ly/Focusrite_NHTE-Jan23

NHTE 463 Oliver Sean Dec 28, 2022

Based in England, a musician, composer, record producer, and filmmaker who two months ago released a single that has had all kinds of success on the charts, not only in the UK but in the U.S. and elsewhere. There is a new music video coming in January for that song, plus he has an EP on the way in March as well as a live album in April or May. He has a combined total of almost three-quarters of a million video views on his official YouTube channel and his top five songs on Spotify alone have combined for approximately 128 thousand streams. He was a guest on this show way back in October of 2017 on Episode 192.

NHTE 462 Joey Stuckey Dec 21, 2022

Award-winning guitarist, songwriter, singer, composer, producer, radio and TV personality, music columnist, educator, and sound engineer. He was featured on a Christmas song that came out last month and was also featured on a single that was released in July. He is the subject of a mini-documentary that came out a year-and-a-half ago that talks about his blindness and other medical challenges and his perseverance in life and music. He recently toured the UK and will be releasing a new album in 2023. He also mentions here about owning a commercial recording facility and building a new space that will be ready around 2024. He was a guest on this show approximately three years ago, back on Episode 310.

NHTE 461 Gabriele Saro Dec 14, 2022

Venice, Italy-based award-winning artist and composer and candidate for GRAMMY nomination 2022 as a producer, non-classical. He has an extensive music catalogue, ranging from classical to new age to electronic, rock, and R&B. He is a winner of the UK Songwriting Contest and was Top 10 in two editions of the USA Songwriting Competition. His total of approximately 50 prizes made him the most awarded young composer in Italy. His music has been broadcast worldwide, including radio, TV, commercials, shows, and movies, and even on airlines and in medical centers.

NHTE 460 Carl Giammarese Dec 07, 2022

Singer, songwriter, guitar player best known to ‘60s music fans as founding guitarist/backing vocalist of The Buckinghams, a pop rock group that had seven national chart hits, 15 singles, and eight acclaimed albums, including the distinction of three singles on the national charts simultaneously. In 1967, Billboard proclaimed them "The Most Listened to Band in America.” While he continues to perform with The Buckinghams, present day he continues to write, record, and perform both with other artists as well as for his own projects.

NHTE 459 Asher Laub Nov 30, 2022

He began classical violin training at the age of just two years old and by age 13 had already performed with the Buffalo Philharmonic Orchestra. His expertise in improv across multiple genres has led him to a career as a soloist in demand, performing at venues from Madison Square Garden to Carnegie Hall to the Lincoln Center, the Jacob Javits Center and across four continents. He has been featured on PBS and has been booked to perform at special events for Google, Nickelodeon, National Geographic, and Citigroup, among others. He has an amazing story of overcoming having lost the strength to play his violin for a number of years to now performing as a DJ violinist. He has a combined total of more than 4.5 MILLION video views on his official YouTube channel and he has released five singles this year alone. One of his songs alone has approximately 400 THOUSAND streams on Spotify.

NHTE 458 Todd Barrow Nov 23, 2022

Dallas-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who three months ago released his third new single of 2022 after having put out six last year. He has won numerous awards and gotten extensive media coverage, and his music has gotten airplay not only in the U.S., but internationally as well. He is a member of the Country Music Association and has even done some acting too. On the stage, he has performed not only at venues and events throughout Texas, but earlier this month did a show in Oklahoma and last month played at the popular Commodore Grille in Nashville. He has even performed alongside musicians from Miranda Lambert’s band.

NHTE 457 Jessee Lee Nov 16, 2022

A singer, songwriter, guitar player who just released a single in July and is about to put out another new song. Plus, she has an EP that will be coming out at the start of 2023. She even has a Christmas song coming out as well. On Spotify she has an impressive eleven-and-a-half thousand monthly listeners. She has been building her music career between Nashville and Texas, including moving back and forth between the two, as she talks about here. Music is in her family, as her father is a GRAMMY-nominated hit songwriter.

NHTE 456 Caitlin Evanson Nov 09, 2022

A classically trained violinist who has traveled the world playing violin and guitar and singing background vocals behind multi-Grammy winning superstar Taylor Swift. Along the way she has appeared on television numerous times, from the Academy Awards to the GRAMMYs to “Saturday Night Live” to “Good Morning America,” the Oprah Winfrey Show, and more. She also plays mandolin and has also toured and recorded with Ringo Starr, and just recently came off the road from having been out with the Rolling Stones. She has even performed for the troops overseas as part of several USO Tours. In terms of her own original music, she has released five singles this year alone.

NHTE 455 Jessie Ritter Nov 02, 2022

Singer, songwriter, guitar player who splits her time between the Florida panhandle and up in Nashville. She released four singles in the first six months of this year and is about to drop one more song in conjunction with the release of a new album. Four years ago, after a four-month-long competition that featured more than 800 artists from around the country she was named the 2018 Nash Next champion, which earned her a record deal with Big Machine Label Group, home to the likes of Taylor Swift and Florida Georgia Line, among others. The video for a single she released in 2020 reached Number 1 on The Country Network’s Top 20 Countdown, and recently she paired with Country Road TV to create her own show, called “Camp The Country.”

NHTE 454 Michael McMillan Oct 26, 2022

A singer, songwriter, guitar player with over 30 years experience playing his music all over the world, including Brazil, USA, and his home country of Scotland, plus he has even played at the Mandalay Bay hotel on the famed Las Vegas ‘strip.’ His catalog goes back to 2007 and last year his album “Whisky” was nominated for Scottish Album of the Year, while his 2018 album “Cross Country” had been nominated for UK Country Radio Album of the Year, plus he is currently writing what will be his eighth album.

NHTE 453 Anne Buckle Oct 19, 2022

A singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who just put out a new single last month after having also released a new song in May, plus she has a new EP coming soon. She is a regular performer at the famed Bluebird Café in Nashville and has shared the stage with the late Charlie Daniels, opened for The Chicks, and performed on the stage of the Grand Ole Opry. One of her songs on Spotify alone has been streamed more than two-and-a-half million times and her new music video has approximately eleven thousand views on YouTube in its first month. She has written hundreds of songs in her career, including doing so for other artists as well.

NHTE 452 Frankie Scinta Oct 12, 2022

An entertainer who is a singer, multi-instrumentalist, impressionist, and comedian that has been the heart and soul of his show for over four decades and has been headlining his own show in Las Vegas for over 18 years. He also still performs on the road, having bookings this year alone in locations ranging from Cleveland to Buffalo to Paso Robles, California, to Rochester, New York, and more. He does a stage show that features big band and a 32-piece orchestra, plus he performs a live weekly show on Facebook. Listen for the amazing Garth Brooks story that he tells here, plus, he emotionally recounts performing the night that his brother/bandmate passed away. He was also the guest on this show way – way – back, eight years ago this month, on Episode 35.

NHTE 451 Teff Oct 05, 2022

She is an award-winning and GRAMMY-nominated bilingual audio engineer, singer, songwriter, guitar player, recording artist. Her top five songs on Spotify alone have amassed well over 200 thousand streams and she is currently working on a new album. As a singer, she has appeared in albums nominated for Latin GRAMMYs, and as an audio engineer she has worked on GRAMMY-nominated albums. Her hooky melodies and fun lyrics have gone beyond her career as an artist by writing songs for other Latin artists, and corporations like Disney. She is also a two-time Lennon Bus winner, and, has even worked with the likes of Universal, ESPN, Apple, and the University of Miami.

NHTE 450 Jeff Middleton Sep 28, 2022

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who released a new single last month. He was one of the writers on the 2018 Jason Aldean song featuring Miranda Lambert, called, “Drowns the Whiskey,” which spent multiple weeks at number one on country radio, was nominated for CMA Song of the Year, and sales-wise was certified multi-platinum. He is a regular at The Bluebird Café and The Listening Room in Nashville and even toured as a guitarist for Josh Thompson. He also had his own band, which was signed to Warner Music Nashville and toured for over five years.

NHTE 449 Proteins of Magic Sep 21, 2022

Kelly Sherrod is a vocalist and multi-instrumentalist who performs under the name Proteins of Magic. She is a multi-format artist who just over a year ago released her debut album, with three of the songs landing on New Zealand Alternative radio charts. Recently she played bass and toured across Europe and America with GRAMMY and Academy Award winner Ryan Bingham, which included performances on Jay Leno and Good Morning America. The official music video for one of the songs from her album last year has over 275 thousand views on her YouTube channel and she has received extensive press coverage. She is currently touring as a support act, with her own solo tour to follow, and her next recording project is in the works as well.

NHTE 448 David Hernandez Sep 14, 2022

A singer, songwriter, and actor who was a Top 12 finalist on Season 7 of “American Idol.” Since then, he has gone on to a single that reached the Top 100 of the Billboard Dance charts and the track being streamed more than a quarter of a million times on Spotify alone. Along the way he was invited to sing at the Inaugural Ball for President Barack Obama and has even done some acting, including a six-month residency in an Off-Broadway comedy a year ago. He has showcased his powerful vocals on popular TV talk shows such as The Ellen Show, The Today Show, MTV’s TRL, Access Hollywood, EXTRA, Entertainment Tonight, and many more. Most recently, he put out a seven-song release this past March.

NHTE 447 Nick DePirro Sep 07, 2022

A musician who plays guitar with the bands Night Verses and Headcave, with the former being signed to record labels in the U.S. and the UK and the latter having released a six-song EP earlier this year. He has also made his mark on Twitch, where he does live songwriting and streaming, and he has put out releases from those sessions, including a 20-song effort at the end of January. He is also a Blackstar Amplifiers artist and has built a social media following that includes over a quarter of a million combined video views on his official YouTube channel.

NHTE 446 Leah Turner Aug 31, 2022

A singer, songwriter, guitar player who was first discovered by GRAMMY Award-winning artist Kenny Loggins. She has partnered with multiple GRAMMY Award-winning producers Humberto Gatica and David Foster and has toured or shared the stage with country stars Brad Paisley, Kenny Chesney, Jake Owen, Rascal Flatts, Cole Swindell, and more. Her debut single quickly climbed to a Top 40 spot on the Billboard Country chart and accrued over three million streams on Spotify alone, a platform that she has almost 55 thousand monthly listeners on. Plus, the videos on her YouTube channel have combined for more than two million views.

NHTE 445 Terri Jo Box Aug 24, 2022

Nashville-based singer/songwriter who is signed to a publishing deal with Jonas Group Entertainment. She has written songs on four GRAMMY-nominated albums and has had her songs recorded by Miranda Lambert, Eric Church, Trisha Yearwood, Patty Loveless, Ashley McBryde, Trent Tomlinson, Cody Johnson, and still even more. She also owns, host and books Nashville’s most popular writers showcase, the Music Row Freakshow. Next month she will head to Denmark to perform as part of the Nashville Nights International Songwriters Festival.

NHTE 444 Brandon Bing Aug 17, 2022

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who just won the 2022 International Singer Songwriters Association’s Music Video of the Year. He had also been a finalist for three other ISSA awards. He has performed at CMA Fest as well as the Key West Songwriters Festival and will even be playing next month in Denmark. He has released three songs so far this year and has a new album coming next month and country music fans are listening to his music to the tune of more than 17 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify, where one of his songs alone has been streamed over a hundred thousand times. He is the owner and founder of Bangtail Whiskey and, music-wise, has a NASCAR connection that he talks about here, and is even a member of the Texas Country Music Association.

NHTE 443 BLKBOK and Rob Olsen Aug 10, 2022

A special two-guest, on-location episode, leading off with a musician who has been the lead pianist or musical director with artists including Rihanna, Justin Timberlake, Demi Lovato, and John Mayer. Endorsed by Yamaha, he is known for his explosive and immersive live music performances. By the time he was eight years old, he was an acclaimed piano prodigy, winning statewide accolades and college-level competitions. His debut album was just released in mid-June. The second guest is the Sales Director for Adam Hall North America, working closely in artist relations. He has played in bands as a guitarist for decades. He has even designed custom guitars for musicians, including Paul McCartney. His background extends to retail, wholesale, marketing, new product development and more. Since 2012 he has been with the Adam Hall Group, which is a more than 45-year old leading German manufacturer and distribution company that provides event technology solutions to business customers worldwide, including retailers, dealers, live event and retail companies, broadcast studios, and AV system integrators.

NHTE 442 Carl Verheyen Aug 03, 2022

He has been called “one of the Top 10 Guitar Players in the World” by Guitar Magazine. In his 50-plus years of playing the instrument, he has created a wildly successful, multi-faceted career. He is a critically acclaimed musician, vocalist, songwriter, arranger, producer and educator with 16 albums and two live DVDs released worldwide. He is commonly regarded as a guitar virtuoso capable of playing any style of music with remarkable mastery and conviction. He has been one of L.A.’s elite “first call” session players for the past 38 years, playing on hundreds of records, movie soundtracks, and television shows. He became a member of the British rock group Supertramp in 1985 and he has played to millions of enthusiastic fans in sold out arenas worldwide. He plays live regularly, including shows he’ll be doing in Europe in October and November, as discussed in this interview.

NHTE 441 The Christopher Brothers Jul 27, 2022

Members of an alternative pop-rock band from Los Angeles, their music videos have combined for over 6.7 million views on YouTube. They have played at well-known venues in southern California including the Whisky-a-Go-Go, The Roxy, and still play regularly at Downtown Disney in Anaheim. They have opened for the Plain White Ts and Drake Bell. They had a single debut at Number 7 on the Billboard Hot Single Sales Chart and were in the Top 20 of the group category on “The X Factor,” winning praise from Simon Cowell. Listen too for their song-a-month approach to releasing new music.

NHTE 440 Julian Kerins Jul 20, 2022

He is a singer, songwriter, and guitarist who is originally from New York. He has overcome two near-death experiences to become an award-winning front man who has an eight-octave range with the ability to hold notes for over a minute. His YouTube videos have amassed over five-and-a-half million views and he has had a song chart on the Top 20 in the Rock category (number 14, specifically) and he has charted on the Global Hot 100 (number 78). He has been seen on FOX, NBC, ABC, and the CW. He has performed at festivals that have included Machine Gun Kelly, Fall Out Boy, and Greta Van Vleet. He recently signed a licensing and publishing deal that will put his songs on television and in movies.

NHTE 439 Ada Pasternak Jul 13, 2022

A singer, songwriter multi-instrumentalist who has a new EP coming out next week and appeared on Hit Parader’s unsigned band competition show, "No Cover." She won Best Female Artist in the International Acoustic Music Awards earlier this year. She has performed at venues ranging from the Hotel Café in Los Angeles to Rockwood Music Hall and the Bitter End in New York. She also sang on a song that was used in a Netflix movie. Her YouTube channel has over 14,000 subscribers and she was awarded a full scholarship to Berklee College of Music as a violin virtuoso.

NHTE 438 Jenny Teator Jul 06, 2022

A singer, songwriter, and guitar player from Nashville, where she had a residency at BB King’s Blues Club. She has released six new songs this year alone. She has had one song featured on the HBO series, “The Hype,” and had placements on the longtime daytime drama “The Young and the Restless.” Her videos on YouTube have combined for over 400,000 views and she has played live to groups numbering from a few to thousands in venues across the country. She is self-described as “rock and roll with a hint of soul.”

NHTE 437 Karen Bella Jun 29, 2022

New York-based singer, songwriter, guitar and piano player. Before the pandemic she was playing 8-10 shows each week, including notable venues such as Rockwood Music Hall and the Bitter End. She was named a Sam Ash Music Store “Spotlight Artist” and just this year became a part of the Yamaha Guitar Ambassador Program. She released a 6-song EP on International Women’s Day last year to critical acclaim. (It spent two months on the Top 40 charts for The International Folk Alliance Folk DJ charts.) The engineer on it is a GRAMMY nominee. She also talks about a new recording project she’s working on.

NHTE 436 Victoria Vox Jun 22, 2022

She is an award-winning singer, songwriter, and ukulele player who has graced the cover of Ukulele Magazine twice. Her songs have seen both television and movie placements. She has performed internationally and has even opened for Jackson Browne, plus she teaches workshops for ukulele festivals and songwriting festivals. She appeared on the Tonight Show with Jay Leno, has ten albums under her belt, and her YouTube videos have a combined total of over 600,000 views.

NHTE 435 Benny Bassett Jun 15, 2022

Albuquerque, New Mexico-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who, in April, released his third EP, which has four songs and is actively being promoted during a jam-packed tour schedule this summer that takes him through eleven states over four months, which follow the same number of states he has already played in so far in 2022. This month he will hit his 500,00th mile driven on tour since starting in 2016. In his travels he has performed with the likes of Third Eye Blind, Sister Hazel, and Lifehouse, among others. In total he has played in 46 states and seven different countries.

NHTE 434 Blue Foley Jun 08, 2022

A two-time GRAMMY nominee in addition to having been nominated for a Dove Award for Song of the Year. A Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player, he also has an Academy of Country Music nomination and two CMA nominations. Plus, he was nominated for the 2019 Australia’s Golden Guitar Award for Best Traditional Country Album. His first single had been a top 20 hit with the band The Dirt Drifters on Warner Brothers Records. During his career he has had over 100 independent and major label cuts. He is also the organizer of the Nashville Nights event taking place in September in Denmark. He will also be a featured performer next month at the 2nd Lake Martin Songwriters Festival in Alabama.

NHTE 433 Johnny Bulford Jun 01, 2022

Florida-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who has had two Number 1 radio singles and has been awarded as a triple platinum selling songwriter. In 2008 on the famed Ryman stage, he was awarded first place in the Colgate Country Showdown, beating out 50 thousand artists from all over the United States. Present day, he performs live with his wife across a variety of locations, having played recently from Key West, Florida, up to Vermont and Maine, with upcoming dates in California and in late July at the 2nd Lake Martin Songwriters Festival. Plus, the two of them are extremely active live streaming on Twitch, where they have over 18 thousand followers. Meanwhile, all of their top five songs on Spotify have been streamed 35 thousand or more times each.

NHTE 432 Jamie O'Neal May 25, 2022

A platinum-selling singer songwriter who is a four-time GRAMMY nominee and an Academy of Country Music and Billboard Awards winner. She has appeared on The Tonight Show, David Letterman, and numerous other national TV shows. In addition to writing her own original music, she has written hits for the likes of Reba McEntire, Martina McBride, Leann Rimes, and more. She was also picked as Carrie Underwood’s duet partner for a song on CMT’s 100 Greatest Duets. She is performing extensively, both here in the U.S. and internationally.

NHTE 431 Scott Sean White May 18, 2022

Texas-based singer, songwriter, guitar and piano player whose debut album came out just over a year ago. He has a new single coming out this Friday, May 20th, and country superstar Cody Johnson put two of his songs on his new album. He is touring in full force, having started this month in Key West after having been in Georgia and, of course, Texas, the month before and New Mexico earlier this year. At the end of May he’ll be playing at the famous Bluebird Café in Nashville before heading on to Kentucky and Louisiana. Plus, in July, he’ll be a featured participant in the 2nd Lake Martin Songwriters Festival in Alabama.

NHTE 430 Lisa McClowry May 11, 2022

Las Vegas performer who is a singer, songwriter, vocal producer, and vocal & performance coach. She just released a new single in January and has written with a GRAMMY Award winner on her original music and co-wrote with another notable name on a song for a motion picture. Her voice has also been heard in popular jingles for commercials, and her voice was heard in a Rugrats movie by Universal Pictures. In Las Vegas she performs on “The Strip” six nights a week in the role of music icon Cher and will be doing so next month in Australia and on other 2022 dates in several U.S. cities.

NHTE 429 Dana Rexx May 04, 2022

Belgium-based singer, songwriter, performer, and podcast host whose latest release was a five-song EP that she put out last year, with two of the songs from that each gaining over one hundred thousand streams on Spotify. Last year she also wrote and submitted music for the Eurovision Song Contest, which has led to additional efforts she is making this year to again include that and other initiatives. She has enjoyed support from not only Belgian but international radio stations as well. Plus, she has gotten press coverage from all over, ranging from the U.S. to France to India to New Zealand to the UK.

NHTE 428 Chris Pelonis Apr 27, 2022

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, producer, and recording engineer who is also the founder of the independent record label Lost Coast Records. He also owns Lost Chord Guitars, which includes a music venue and a boutique guitar shop. He even is the founder of a company that does speaker systems. Throughout his career he has performed or worked with everyone from actor and recording artist Jeff Bridges to Disney to Third Eye Blind, Michael McDonald, and more. He is currently working on a solo record of his own.

NHTE 427 Peach Martine Apr 20, 2022

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, actress, and film composer who just released a new single less than two weeks ago and also has an album coming out later this year. In 2019 she appeared on Season 17 of “American Idol,” and she has also toured with High School Nation. She has 1.1 million followers on TikTok and over 100,000 monthly listeners on Spotify, where her top five songs have a combined total of over three million streams. On top of all that, the videos on her official YouTube channel have gotten a combined total of 1.1 million views.

NHTE 426 Alan Chapell Apr 13, 2022

A singer, songwriter, piano player whose music has gotten more than a million-and-a-half streams. As recently as two months ago he has been opening for the Gin Blossoms and has also been invited to plays with the likes of Everclear, Lisa Loeb, 38 Special, and more. He has not only performed throughout the U.S. but in international locations such as Nicaragua and Croatia. He has gotten acclaim from a number of publications, including Huffington Post, and has had Jerry Harrison from Talking Heads as a producer on his music. He has a new album on the way, which will be his sixth.

NHTE 425 Joe Lamond Apr 06, 2022

The president and CEO of NAMM, the National Association of Music Merchants, which is a global not-for-profit trade association representing more than ten thousand manufacturers and retailers of musical instruments, professional sound, and live event production products. Their massive annual trade show is coming up at the beginning of June in Anaheim, the proceeds from which they reinvest into grants, scholarships, scientific research, industry promotions, and public and government relations programs. Well-versed across the business, he is also a musician himself and was a touring manager and even an installer.

NHTE 424 Alyssa Jacey Mar 30, 2022

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player and percussionist who has a new single coming out this Friday, April 1st, after having just released another new song earlier this month. She has been crowdfunding towards what will be her tenth album and along the way has launched what she calls an ‘inspirational career coaching’ business that is not just for musicians. She continues to perform regularly, not only in Music City but as far away as San Diego and Hawaii, among other locations. She has also sung up and down the aisles and over the p.a. on 24 – and counting – Southwest Airlines flights. She has been a guest on this show twice before, way back on Episode 52 as well as the second ever episode of NHTE.

NHTE 423 Vincent Connor Mar 23, 2022

Miami-based singer, director, and producer who has performed and directed in over 40 productions throughout the United States, United Kingdom, Asia, Europe, and Latin America. His latest project is as a member of the group EleMenTrio, which has its debut shows next month. He is also the co-creator of Mad Hatter – The Musical. Plus, he has served in roles ranging from Artistic Director for the Vienna Summer Music Festival, General Director at Opera Orlando, and Assistant Director at Opera in the Ozarks, among others.

NHTE 422 Ken Stacey Part 2 Mar 16, 2022

When combined with the first part of the interview, this truly constitutes what could be called a masterclass. Continuing from last week’s conversation packed with content gold, hear this time about an A-lister that he is coaching, his time working on “American Idol” – including a Scotty McCreery story – plus he talks about what is at the root of performers getting stage fright, plus he shares about some of the artists he’s working with. All this from a vocalist, songwriter, guitar player, producer, vocal arranger, artist mentor, and vocal coach. He was the lead vocalist and acoustic guitarist from 2006-2008 and 2013-2020 for five-time-GRAMMY-nominated pop supergroup Ambrosia. He has been a member of the Elton John Band and the Michael Jackson “This Is It” band. He also worked as a Vocal & Performance Coach, Vocal Arranger/Producer and First Line Judge on seasons 10 and 11 of “American Idol.” As a session vocalist, he has sung on many major records, commercials, and motion picture and television soundtracks.

NHTE 422 Ken Stacey Part 1 Mar 09, 2022

A vocalist, songwriter, guitar player, producer, vocal arranger, artist mentor, and vocal coach. He was the lead vocalist and acoustic guitarist from 2006-2008 and 2013-2020 for five-time-GRAMMY-nominated pop supergroup Ambrosia. He has been a member of the Elton John Band and the Michael Jackson “This Is It” band. He also worked as a Vocal & Performance Coach, Vocal Arranger/Producer and First Line Judge on seasons 10 and 11 of “American Idol.” As a session vocalist, he has sung on many major records, commercials, and motion picture and television soundtracks.

NHTE 421 Mark Herndon Mar 02, 2022

A Country Music Hall of Fame drummer who performed with the legendary group Alabama for nearly three decades. He was part of the ceremony when Alabama received a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and continues to play, produce, and record. He is the author of a book titled, “The High Road: Memories From a Long Trip,” which is described as an intimate collection of personal memoirs spotlighting the highlights and lowlights of his life journey and music career.

NHTE 420 Svavar Knutur Feb 23, 2022

Based in Iceland, he is a singer, songwriter, guitar player who last year released three singles and a 15-song album. In recent years he has extensively toured Australia, the U.S., Canada, the UK, and Europe, playing over one hundred live concerts per year. He has been written about by the German edition of Rolling Stone as well as a notable magazine in Australia. He has been releasing original music since 2009 and has almost 36 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify and more than three-quarters of a million combined video views on his official YouTube channel. Along the way, at one point his band participated in the final 5 competition on BBC World Service’s Next Big Thing, playing for millions of viewers and listeners all over the world.

NHTE 419 Bill Champlin Feb 16, 2022

A multi-GRAMMY Award-winning singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who spent 28 years as a member of Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band Chicago. He has performed around the world and has a musical career that goes all the way back to a band he formed in 1961. Along the way he has worked with everyone from Patti LaBelle to Elton John, Donna Summer, Neil Diamond, and Kenny Rogers, among many others. He continues to write, record, and perform, having released a 14-song album last year.

NHTE 418 Marty Ray Feb 09, 2022

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who has over one point five million social media followers across Facebook, YouTube, TikTok, Instagram, and Twitter, PLUS he has 27 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify. He appeared on YouTube’s show “Best Cover Ever” (with Ludacris and Flo Rida). He has performed with artists ranging from Vanilla Ice to 38 Special AND he also is the host of a podcast.

NHTE 417 Townsend Feb 02, 2022

She just released a brand-new single less than a week ago, which follows a five-song EP that she had put out in mid-November. An Arkansas-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, she had also released four singles in 2021. She has opened for chart-topping artists and has a number of endorsements, which she talks about here. She has performed there in Arkansas as well as in Florida, Iowa, Virginia, Carolina, and even at the Cartagena International Guitar Festival down in Colombia. She is also the host of a podcast aimed at increasing awareness, spreading love, and encouraging people to feel less alone.

NHTE 416 Zack Greenburg Jan 26, 2022

He spent ten years as a FORBES senior editor and now covers the business of music at Substack, where he is writing a twice-weekly newsletter and serializing his fifth book, We Are All Musicians Now. He has been a source for the BBC, NPR, and 60 Minutes, and a speaker at South By Southwest, the global tech event CES, plus TEDx, Princeton and Harvard. Steve Forbes said of this guest, “There is no keener, more knowledgeable and scintillating observer of the modern cultural scene.” He was previously a guest on this show two years ago on Episode 325.

NHTE 415 Don Carr Jan 19, 2022

He toured as the lead guitarist for the legendary Oak Ridge Boys for 23 years while maintaining a busy recording schedule in Nashville. He has made hundreds of TV appearances, played thousands of live performances nationally and abroad – including three performances at the White House – and has shared the stage with everyone from Lou Rawls and James Brown to Merle Haggard and Tim McGraw. He currently works at Sweetwater as the guitarist for the recording studio and also creates written and video content for their website and social media channels.

NHTE 414 Carly Jo Jackson Jan 12, 2022

Austin-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who just released a brand new single the day after Christmas and is releasing a music video for it. She had also put out a new song last June and is performing regularly around the Austin area. In 2019 she released an EP that featured vocals from Michael McDonald, who she has opened for along with Kenny Loggins and Dennis Quaid. She also caught the attention of actor Jeff Bridges, who has featured her online as a result. She was previously a guest on this show back in the summer of 2018 on Episode 236.

NHTE 413 Jonathan Cummings Jan 05, 2022

A singer, songwriter, guitar player, and drummer based in southeast Florida. Having also lived in Los Angeles, he has had the distinction of working with many greats in rock, pop, and jazz, including Barry Manilow. Plus, he is currently part of the national touring production “Mercury: The Story of Queen’s Front Man.” He has also performed in national touring productions such as “Broadway Music on Tour” and “The Music of Andrew Lloyd Weber,” plus he is the creator of “The Troubadour’s Journey.” He has also been a music educator since the 1980s in California, Tennessee, and in Florida.

NHTE 412 Fred Mollin Dec 29, 2021

A record producer, film and TV composer, songwriter, arranger, musical director, and bandleader. He first came into international prominence as a record producer in the late ‘70s, producing numerous albums and singles, including the GRAMMY-nominated "Sometimes When We Touch" by Dan Hill. He also worked on two GRAMMY-nominated Johnny Mathis albums. Growing a reputation as a duet producer, he has spent the past five years producing duets with such artists as Billy Joel, Willie Nelson, Vince Gill, Natalie Cole, Gloria Estefan, and more. As an artist he released a 15-song album this past March and his top five songs on Spotify have a combined 22 MILLION streams! His projects include “Disney’s Lullaby Album,” which went gold, and more than 30 album projects for Disney over the last 20 years. He had been Vice President of A&R for Walt Disney Records in 2007 and 2008.

NHTE 411 Drew Smith Dec 22, 2021

A vocalist and award-winning songwriter who just released a new single at the end of October. Based in Nashville, he is the owner of Gray Sound Recording Services, and is a producer, senior mixing engineer, and the creator of the Before You Record Course™. His work has been recorded in many countries and by the legendary Merle Haggard, plus Randy Houser, and many others. In his early career he toured coast to coast for several years and has shared the stage with the likes of Lady A, Lee Brice, Big & Rich, and more. Listen too as he talks about achieving RIAA gold record status.

NHTE 410 Mary Sarah Dec 15, 2021

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who earlier this year put out a new song and is currently working on a new album. She is a part of five specials done by media and lifestyle outlet Country Rebel and last month did a string of performances across the Alabama-Florida border as part of the 37th Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival, with another show coming up on December 21st in Houston. Her official YouTube channel has over one million combined video views and she has more than 16 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify. She was a guest on this show close to four years ago, way back on Episode 135.

NHTE 409 Chad Jeffers Dec 08, 2021

He has been Carrie Underwood’s guitar player for the last 14 years. He has also performed with the likes of Keith Urban, Kenny Loggins, and Jamie O’Neal. He also plays dobro and pedal steel and is a producer as well. At one point he had formed an acoustic country/bluegrass band that signed a deal with RCA Records and released a single that reached number 25 on Billboard’s country music chart. He authored a book called, “25 Notes for the Successful Musician” and two years ago released an intro course into the careers of music. He has also been an adjunct professor at Belmont University.

NHTE 408 Chapel Hart Dec 01, 2021

A trio who released a twelve-song album at the end of August, with one of the songs featuring a recent NHTE guest. They had also released a ten-song album exactly two years earlier. This episode was recorded at the 37th Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival in Alabama where they did multiple shows. Plus, they’d also have performances coming up in Tennessee and Texas and had recently performed in South Carolina, Ohio, Mississippi, Missouri, Georgia, Kansas, Louisiana and more. They were named Mississippi’s Songwriters of the Year and this year were inducted into CMT’s Next Women of Country Class of 2021. The three vocalists are Danica Hart - known for her work on the GRAMMY-nominated "Spyboy" album - along with her sister Devynn Hart and their cousin Trea Swindle.

NHTE 407 Teea Goans Nov 24, 2021

She just released a full album in mid-September that includes a song featuring Vince Gill. A singer, songwriter, recording artist, she has performed at legendary venues such as the Grand Ole Opry and the Bluebird Café, to name just two. Her music catalog goes back to 2010 and she has been featured on SiriusXM Radio. She has more than three quarters of a million combined video views on her official YouTube channel and well over a hundred thousand followers on her Facebook page.

NHTE 406 Ricky Duran Nov 17, 2021

The runner-up on Season 17 of “The Voice,” he is a singer, songwriter, guitar, and piano player. His latest single was just released in mid-September and is his fourth new song of 2021. He has a new album coming out in late January. At the end of 2020 he put out a song that charted at Number 1 on iTunes. His songs have been highlighted by the likes of People.com, Forbes, and CMT, among others. Since his time on national television, he has also headlined sold out shows in Austin and in the northeast.

NHTE 405 Bill Schnee Nov 10, 2021

An internationally renowned producer, engineer, and mix master who has over 125 gold and platinum records and 50 top twenty singles. He has worked on dozens of Grammy nominated and winning albums, and has been personally nominated eleven times for The Best Engineered Album category, winning twice. He also has won an Emmy Award for Best Sound Mixing for a Variety Special and a Dove Award. Earlier this year he put out a book called, “Chairman at the Board: Recording the Soundtrack of a Generation.”

NHTE 404 Justin Biltonen Nov 03, 2021

A singer, songwriter, guitar and bass player whose latest single came out in September, marking the latest release in his solo work after having become known for touring globally and recording as a member of the alt-rock band 3 Doors Down. Their 2016 song “Us And The Night” peaked at No. 2 on Billboard’s Rock Chart and was the first major release he both wrote and played on in-studio. In 2018 he made his terrestrial radio debut. He also talks here about having been featured on Paramount Network's reality series "Ink Master" and some acting that he has done (two movies).

NHTE 403 Bo Baskoro Oct 27, 2021

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who put out a new single a couple weeks ago and has an EP coming out at the end of next week. He has performed as far away as London and has even traveled to exotic locations such as Iceland and Bali. He has more than 25 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify and his music catalogue goes back to 2014. He has done extensive work with Maxwell House, plus he ran an IndieGoGo campaign to help fund his new recording project. Hear him also talk about all that he does on Twitch, plus, meeting his father for the first time ever – in Indonesia!

NHTE 402 Evvie McKinney Oct 20, 2021

The Season 1 winner of FOX’s “The Four: Battle for Stardom.” A singer, songwriter, recording artist with Motown Gospel/Capitol CMG, she has over 215 THOUSAND monthly listeners on Spotify and her YouTube channel has a combined seven million-plus video views. She has toured the U.S. extensively, as well as performed in the UK, Germany, Spain, and Portugal, and has a single that at the time of this interview was #4 at Gospel radio, a song from an EP she put out back in late February. In 2018 she had been named one of iHeartRadio’s “On the Verge Artists.”

NHTE 401 Best Of Volume 4 Oct 13, 2021

A journey back through the last 100 episodes of this show, bringing you selected audio clips from various guests, interviews, episodes following the milestone 400th episode last week. This special edition of NHTE is a great way to be reminded of installments of the podcast that you loved, or to hear some that you might have missed and will want to go back to. It's also a celebration of the latest landmark in the show's now more than seven-and-a-half year history and an opportunity to acknowledge ALL the great guests and continue expressing gratitude for everyone who listens and subscribes.

NHTE 400 Mickie James Oct 06, 2021

A recording artist, singer, songwriter, entertainer who added to her music catalog with a single earlier this year for which there was later a remix released. Last year, on Christmas Day, she had put out an album featuring eleven songs. Her discography goes back as far as a full-length album from 2013 called, “Somebody’s Gonna Pay,” which is fitting given her other career in entertainment, running parallel to doing music, that being in professional wrestling. In addition, she is also part of a YouTube show called GAW TV.

NHTE 399 Emma Zinck Sep 29, 2021

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who released a single at the beginning of this year. She just returned from performing in Denmark, which came approximately one month after having been a featured participant in the Lake Martin Songwriters Festival in Alabama. Five years ago she moved to Nashville and now performs regularly on Broadway in Music City. She is currently in the studio with a GRAMMY Award-winning producer, who she talks about here. And, she has been writing with hitmakers of the likes of Trent Tomlinson, among others. Plus, she has been consulting with Tim McGraw’s marketing and management company.

NHTE 398 Kensie Coppin Sep 22, 2021

She just won Artist of the Year for CMA of Texas as this episode was being released. A singer, songwriter, guitar player who has a brand new, full-length album in the works, she has already gotten a top ten song in Belgium. She's from Texas, lives in Nashville, and performed three times at the Lake Martin Songwriters Festival last month in Alabama, where this interview was recorded. Ten days after this interview she would be performing at Freedom Jam St. Louis 2021. Plus, this month she was performing internationally. She has even gotten aligned with a clothing sponsor, as noted on this episode. Three years ago she was the guest on Episode 247 of this show.

NHTE 397 Chad Wilson Sep 15, 2021

A singer, songwriter, guitar player from Alabama who these days lives in Nashville. His list of accolades and awards includes Top 10 national songwriter recognition by Taylor Guitars and HoriPro Entertainment Group, songs recorded by over 40 country music artists, Billboard charting releases, and most recently, a No. 1 country song in Belgium. In addition, four days before this interview was recorded, he opened up for Martina McBride in Montgomery, Alabama, which was his first stadium show. He is currently nominated for three 2021 Josie Music Awards and was previously a guest on this show three years ago back on Episode 246.

NHTE 396 Keep Music Alive founders Sep 08, 2021

The co-founders of Keep Music Alive, whose mission is to promote the value of music. To help support their mission they have also founded Kids Music Day, which is coming up in a few weeks, on October 1st, AND they have founded Teach Music Week, which happens in March. They are also co-authors of a book series called, “88 Ways Music Can Change Your Life.” He is a lifelong musician and songwriter. She is a beginner percussionist and has recently started on the ukulele too.

NHTE 395 Schuyler Fisk Sep 01, 2021

Singer, songwriter, guitar player, and actress whose newest single was released in July. At one point in her career, she was signed to Universal Records, and she has performed in locations such as Japan, Nashville, as well as at South By Southwest and even the famous Hotel Café in Los Angeles. She also even toured with Sheryl Crow. At the start of her music career her debut album climbed to #1 on the iTunes Singer/Songwriter Chart and nowadays she has more than 51 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify alone. She has a new album due out this Fall.

NHTE 394 Audra McLaughlin Aug 25, 2021

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who was on this show just under two years ago and has continued her momentum. Just under two months ago she put out her second single of 2021. Last year she signed a publishing deal with Jimmy Mattingly and Johnny Garcia, and she is a spokesperson for renowned vocal coach Kati Henricks’ new masterclass series. The groundwork is being laid for her to tour in the UK next year.

NHTE 393 Dallas Remington Aug 18, 2021

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist whose latest single was released in late May. A song that she released last year won two awards and has more than 650 thousand streams on Spotify. She has opened for Montgomery Gentry and a number of other notable names. She is a member of the Country Music Association and BMI, among other music organizations. She has a handful of endorsements, and she does extensive volunteer work. She has performed in Tennessee, where she's based, as well as in Kentucky, Indiana, and Missouri.

NHTE 392 Dr Danielle Archer Aug 11, 2021

The founder, CEO, and Director of Artist Support for The Artist Minds, which provides awareness, education, and action to promote the well being and longevity of the lives of music industry professionals. A multi-state licensed mental health therapist, coach, consultant and advocate, she has over 12 years of clinical experience and specialty training in trauma, grief, self-harm, eating disorders, mindfulness, co-dependency, anxiety, depression and conflict resolution.

NHTE 391 Jamie Gale Aug 04, 2021

He has been called “the preeminent authority on the guitar.” He is an experienced artist, retailer, gallerist, curator, distributor, manufacturer, consultant, and public speaker. Last year, in the midst of the pandemic, he curated a boutique guitar showcase, touring 15 cities in eight countries. Among the many hats he wears, he is also a consultant to NAMM – the largest musical instrument trade organization in the world.

NHTE 390 State of the Music Recording Industry Jul 28, 2021

After no in-person gatherings last summer, 2020, or this past January, there certainly has to be some curiosity as to what things look like on the other side of a worldwide pandemic that kept people around the globe locked inside, including musicians who suddenly had no gigs, no venues to go to, and certainly a monumental challenge of "can I continue to sustain a career in this industry." Not to mention, with so many businesses impacted by what we all went through, how did they alter their operations to keep going.
In this special episode that features audio recorded on-location at the Summer NAMM Show in Nashville just under two weeks ago, views are presented on the state of the music recording industry, including insights from Joe Lamond, the President and CEO of the National Association of Music Merchants as well as guests that he welcomed on-stage during the opening session, representing manufacturers, merchants, etc., and you'll hear from an artist who gave his perspective on coming through the pandemic.

NHTE 389 Jerry Jean Jul 21, 2021

Award-winning songwriter, singer, producer, and musician based in New York who just released a new single last month after having put out a four-song EP in January. He has worked with GRAMMY, Tony, and Emmy-Award winning artists and winners of “The Voice.” He has performed in venues as varied as Carnegie Hall, Jazz at Lincoln Center, MTV Unplugged, Late Night with Jimmy Fallon, the United Nations, and The Bitter End. Plus, he has performed with artists spanning Florence + The Machine to Boyz II Men. He is also the founder of Vocal Artist House, which he talks about here, and was previously a guest on this show four years ago, back on Episode 181.

NHTE 388 Melissa B Jul 14, 2021

New York-based singer, songwriter, philanthropist, author, and GRAMMY member. She is a Billboard-charted artist and was also nominated for the Josie Music Awards for “Best Female Artist of the Year” for independent artists. Plus, she is an activist with a non-profit of hers that she talks about in this interview. Her official YouTube channel has a combined total of well over 850 thousand video views. And, one of her songs has more than 1.1 million streams and another has over 800 thousand on Spotify, where she has over 21 thousand monthly listeners. Her latest single was released in late February. She even tells here how she got the opportunity to do a commercial with Samsung, for which she was the creative director. She also details an opportunity she got to speak at Google (NYC).

NHTE 387 Joshua Rich and Kari Kraakevik Jul 07, 2021

They perform and record in Colorado as a duo called Take Two, having just released an album in the second half of April, with new songs already written towards a follow-up project. He is a pianist, composer, and vocalist who has created and released over 30 CDs of original music. And, he has been on this show before, well over three years ago on Episode 207. She is a composer, performer, and teacher, and is the owner and founder of Boulder Music and Reel Kids. All of her large scale musical compositions (some over 60 performers) were successfully and completely funded with grants, donations and commissions. And, it is said that she found that her niche in the composition world was to not have a “niche,” but rather never limit herself or others.

NHTE 386 Blake Morgan Jun 30, 2021

With a new album currently being mixed, he is a recording artist, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who is also the founder and owner of the global company ECR Music Group. He is also an activist with iRespectMusic and was the guest on Episode 208 of this show. In the three-plus years since then there has been about 130 thousand miles of touring and about 15 records with as many artists. Billboard Magazine said he has, “a voice that was made to be heard on the radio… inspired songwriting and passionate performances.”

NHTE 385 Adam Warner Jun 23, 2021

Singer, songwriter, guitar player who released an album earlier this year and recently scored his first #1 video on The Country Network. He has toured the United States, opening for headliners such as Lee Brice, Jamey Johnson, and Jerrod Niemann, among others. A song of his that featured Trace Adkins was awarded the 2019 Country Music Song of the Year at the Independent Music Awards in New York City. He also co-wrote another song that became used at the NFL’s Tennessee Titans’ home games as the “welcome” song to opposing teams. Plus, he and his band were selected from over ten thousand bands to compete in the Hard Rock worldwide “Battle of the Bands” competition in 2019, finishing as one of the twelve finalists from around the globe.

NHTE 384 Steve Ouimette Jun 16, 2021

Composer, artist, and producer who does work with video game and media/entertainment companies. He has released dozens of albums of original production library music that have seen tens of thousands of placements since 2009. He’s a regular music contributor for the CBS Television show, “Let’s Make a Deal,” and last year was commissioned by the Marquee Sports Network to compose, arrange, and record the official theme for the Chicago Cubs. His YouTube channel has over 8,800 subscribers and a combined total of more than three-quarters-of-a-million video views.

NHTE 383 Cameron DuBois Jun 09, 2021

Alabama-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who has put out two new singles this year and has more new music on the way. The pandemic being in the rearview mirror she is definitely back performing, with eleven live show dates in June and eleven more in July, with a booking even as far out as December already. On her recordings she has been working with two of the industry’s top songwriters and producers, who she names in this interview. She has performed at numerous venues and events, ranging from opening for Luke Combs, Easton Corbin, and Thompson Square, among others, to playing at BB King’s. She will also be hosting her first charity golf tournament real soon.

NHTE 382 Sammy Sadler Jun 02, 2021

A recording artist with an amazing comeback story of perseverance and getting back up each time he has been knocked down throughout a music career that began in the late 1980s. Present day he is about to release a new album next week Friday – on June 11th – after having released the first single from it in mid-March. There is also a tour currently being planned for him. He’s also the author of a book called, “A Hit with a Bullet: A True Story of Corruption, Greed, and the Real Murder on Music Row.”

NHTE 381 David Franz May 26, 2021

A music business entrepreneur, producer, engineer, multi-instrumentalist, performer, and educator. He's releasing his first solo album in September and is the founder of the record label Underground Sun and co-founder of Underground Sol record label. He writes, produces and engineers music for a wide range of artists across numerous genres, with his music having been heard in prime-time TV shows, multi-million dollar movies, and advertisements for Fortune 500 companies. He also hosts a monthly music-based live stream variety show and docu-series, and a Web series about music production and music business. He is the author of Producing in the Home Studio with Pro Tools (the first book about using Pro Tools) and has written other books, articles, and online courses for Berklee Online and Lynda.com (now LinkedIn Learning) about Pro Tools and music production. His passion for music and education has led him to become the Content Manager for Audio+Music for Lynda.com and LinkedIn.

NHTE 380 Presley Tennant May 19, 2021

A singer, songwriter, guitar player who just released a new single last month, after having put one out in mid-January. She appeared on Season 16 of “The Voice,” earning a spot on Team Kelly. Plus, she has opened up and shared the stage with some of the most respected country artists in the industry, from Tim McGraw to John Michael Montgomery and many more. She is also a proud ambassador of the S.O.S. Foundation, which she talks about in this interview. And, she began her career as part of a girl group that allowed her to perform for The Jacksons and Kelly Rowland.

NHTE 379 Savannah Rae May 12, 2021

A singer, songwriter, guitar player who has just released a new single – with a video for it on the way. She has made appearances on the American Music Awards and on NBC’s The Voice, along with being a brand ambassador for a handful of different brands, a couple of which she talks about here. She has performed on the main stage at the Texas State Fair, where she opened for Jason Aldean. At one point she was even the first unsigned artist to be featured in the Roland Studio Sessions (presented by the Roland Piano Company), performing with her full band. She has more new music planned for this year as well.

NHTE 378 Luke Potter HECKYL May 05, 2021

UK-based singer, songwriter, guitar player, and producer who has started a new artist project, under which he is now releasing music under the stage name Heckyl. The debut single under this new persona was released in late March and the next song comes out two days after this episode is released. In his previous solo work, he had put out a song whose video already has close to twelve thousand views on YouTube in just three months. And he co-wrote a song that another artist released last year, with presently more than 400 thousand streams on Spotify. He was previously a guest on this show more than five years ago, way back on Episode 98.

NHTE 377 Dave Hamilton of The Happy Curmudgeons Apr 28, 2021

The founder of the Americana band the Happy Curmudgeons, he is a singer, songwriter, and guitar player. The band has over 1.5 million streams on Spotify and last year they won the W.A.M. (We Are The Music Makers) Music Award for Best Song in the Americana/Folk category. The rights to one of their songs were bought by Hallmark to use for one of their shows. The band is currently working on their next album, with a notable producer. In addition to there in Michigan, the Happy Curmudgeons have also been booked for shows in the likes of Ohio and Indiana. Their YouTube channel has 13 thousand subscribers and one video with almost 225 thousand views on it in approximately 18 months.

NHTE 376 Alannah McCready Apr 21, 2021

A singer/songwriter whose latest single came out at the end of February. She has been releasing music since 2014 and is releasing a five-song EP later this year. After growing up in Minnesota she moved to New York before relocating to Music City, although she has performed elsewhere too, including South By Southwest, CMA Fest, and the famed Eddie’s Attic in Atlanta. All this comes after having quite a career as a student-athlete and then working in sports!

NHTE 375 Fiona Silver and Brian Duke Apr 14, 2021

She is a singer, songwriter, producer, and guitar player who has toured with four-time GRAMMY winner Gary Clark, Jr. She has gotten airplay on SiriusXM, performed with Carlos Santana, and accompanied Gwen Stefani for NBC’s New Year’s Eve special and “Christmas in Rockefeller Center” special. She also counts Ronnie Spector among her personal mentors. He is a drummer who has toured nationwide and internationally. Since the pandemic he has been the in-house drum tech AND has been playing on sessions at a studio in Connecticut. He also operates a home studio, is an educator, and last fall started his own shop, called Music Box Vintage.

NHTE 374 Megan Morrison Apr 07, 2021

Named “Best Solo Musician of 2019” by the Miami New Times, she is a singer, songwriter, guitar player, actor, and model who will be releasing a new album soon. Her background includes studying classical voice performance and pursuing a Broadway musical theater career before turning her focus to original rock and electronic music. In addition to her talents as a musician, she has honed her skills as a professional fire dancer and has even made appearances fire dancing in music videos for some notable names, including Pitbull.

NHTE 373 Gedina Mar 31, 2021

A singer/songwriter who has just put out a new two-track release after having released two singles in the second half of last year, plus she is releasing a new album real soon. Based in the Los Angeles area, she has also launched her own record label. Soon after moving to L.A. after college she landed a blind audition on season three of NBC’s “The Voice.” She is also fierce advocate for female empowerment and is both a martial arts instructor and a surfer. In the case of the latter, it’s fitting to mention that she calls her genre of music Mermaid Pop.

NHTE 372 Peter Link Mar 24, 2021

A composer, producer, stage director, and performer with over 150 albums to his credit, spanning a 40-year career. He has a million-selling record to his credit, was nominated twice for a Tony Award on Broadway, and is a winner of the New York Theater Critics Drama Desk Award. He has had great success in film scoring, Broadway musicals, pop music, gospel, television, and he has even written ballets for the Joffrey Ballet. He even had a regular role on television on a daytime drama. Late last year he also launched a podcast, plus he is CEO and Co-Owner of Watchfire Music.

NHTE 371 Shane Martin Mar 17, 2021

Minnesota-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist whose latest release was a seven-song album last September. Despite the pandemic, he has still been very active playing live shows, in 2021 alone including multiple dates in Wisconsin, North Dakota, and there in Minnesota, plus many more upcoming, including a booking as far out as early August already. Whether as a solo artist or with his band, he has routinely performed over 200 shows per year, including some of the top country music festivals in the U.S. Along the way they’ve performed at events that have also included the likes of Lee Brice, Ronnie Milsap, Jerrod Niemann, Easton Corbin, and more. Last year he and his band even started a tribute featuring the music of the legendary band Alabama.

NHTE 370 Manny Blu Mar 10, 2021

A hockey player turned MMA fighter turned music performer. Relocated from Montreal to Nashville, he's a recording artist and guitar player who released a bunch of music in 2020 and has this year launched a bi-weekly live performance YouTube series that is getting a lot of attention, plus there's more new music on the way this year. In 2020, as an artist, he surpassed a combined one million streams across all streaming platforms. He has coined the term ‘country punk,’ for the sub-genre that he considers his music to fall in. He put out his sophomore EP this past November, with some notable Music Row songwriters working on that project.

NHTE 369 Tiffany Ashton Mar 03, 2021

A voting member of the Recording Academy, she is a is a singer, songwriter, guitar player who has performed at CMA Fest and is a Hollywood Music in Media award winner. She also was the Nashville Universe Awards 2018 “Rising Star” and, more recently, put out a brand new single at the end of January that got featured on both CMT and Spotify upon its release. Plus, she has more new music coming this year. Three music videos that she released from five to twelve months ago have each gotten from 4800 to 8800 views on her official YouTube channel. She has even performed at the Viper Room in Hollywood and at Opryland Resort in Nashville.

NHTE 368 Songsbury Feb 24, 2021

Toronto-based singer, songwriter, guitar & piano player, and producer who just received his first gold record. He has had many notable collaborations in addition to his own catalogue of music. He has also composed music for film projects and at one point in his career even was the front man for a rock band. He is currently recording new music, which will be released during 2021, and is also opening a new recording studio this year. He also spent four years living in Los Angeles.

NHTE 367 Mauve Feb 17, 2021

Toronto-based singer/songwriter who has just released a new single and wants to work towards making a new EP or album this summer (2021). Her music has gotten more than 700 thousand streams on Spotify. In addition, the videos on her official YouTube channel have gotten a combined total of more than 1.4 million views. One of her songs won the InterContinental Music Award for “Best of North America Pop,” and, she was nominated for Best New Artist at the Niagara Music Awards. Some of her live appearances include a performance at Youth Day Global, a headlined performance at the 2020 Toronto Music Expo, and a featured panelist at the 2020 Canadian Music Expo.

NHTE 366 Paul Loeb Feb 10, 2021

He has been a musician his whole life and has DJ’ed professionally for 13 years. He currently runs No Ego Records, a label that helps musicians and content makers through cheaper licensing of their songs. Plus, he is the CEO of DropTrack, a platform that helps record labels, independent artists, and producers organize and promote their music.

NHTE 365 Medical Interruption Feb 03, 2021

The podcast takes an unplanned turn this week, as the host describes first-hand the experience that has taken place over the last six days. The show must go on, however this episode is not, unfortunately, what we're used to. Give it a listen nonetheless to see where things went and will go next, as well as some suggested related activity during this time, plus a very notable stat you might have missed if you didn't hear last week's episode.

NHTE 364 Jason Davis Jan 27, 2021

An entertainment industry executive with a broad range of titles including award-winning songwriter, award-winning author, independent record label president, executive TV producer, entertainment consultant, former Senior VP of A&R for Dolly Parton's management company, and a serial entrepreneur. He has also secured record deal offers with CEOs from the largest music companies in the world, including Capitol Records, Sony, Interscope, Island / Def Jam, Epic, Atlantic, and RCA. He wrote a #1 Billboard hit and was even nominated for a Latin music award.

NHTE 363 Tim Zach Jan 20, 2021

Singer, songwriter, guitar player who fronts a band called Whiskey Bent, which will celebrate its eleven-year anniversary in March. He was previously a guest on this show way back on Episode 118 in May 2016. Since that time, he and his band have opened for several national acts, including Jake Owen, Sawyer Brown, and Jimmie Allen. This spring and summer they are already booked for fairs and festivals that will see them on the bill with the likes of Luke Combs, Toby Keith, Diamond Rio, Trent Tomlinson, and more.

NHTE 362 Andrea Jan 13, 2021

Based in Macedonia, a singer, songwriter, guitar, and piano player who three weeks ago released a music video that already has 664 THOUSAND views on YouTube. Her debut release was the feature of a premier in a prestigious UK music blog AND has been played on over 100 radio stations around the world. She has been recording new music with an eye toward releasing this year. Her music has been streamed nearly four million times on TikTok and the videos on her YouTube channel have gotten a combined total of more than one million views.

NHTE 361 Dilan Jay Jan 06, 2021

A singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who is also an actor, producer, entrepreneur, and author. He has written and published one book, three scripts, seven albums, and more than a thousand songs. He has had a hit on the U.S. Billboard charts and a #1 on MTV’s Most Popular Music Videos. One of his songs is approaching a quarter of a million streams on Spotify. He has traveled to 40 countries and performed for thousands, and the videos on his official YouTube channel have gotten a combined total of well over two-and-a-half million views. He recently formed a new band and they have five new songs coming out in 2021.

NHTE 360 Dom Morley Dec 30, 2020

A GRAMMY Award-winning producer and mixer, he engineered on Amy Winehouse’s number one “Back to Black” album and singles for Adele and Morrissey, among others. He also mixed Sting’s “Live at Durham Cathedral” and worked with The Police on the pre-production for their world tour. Based in the UK, he is also the founder of The Mix Consultancy, which is talked about during this interview.

NHTE 359 Jen Lilley Dec 23, 2020

An actress, singer, producer, and advocate who even has her own podcast. Late last month she released a holiday song, just two months after having put out a new album. She is extremely active with different humanitarian projects, as talked about here, including an initiative for the holidays. She even talks about giving 100 percent of her music profit to charity but also a unique way that she got her music out in conjunction with a sweepstakes. She has been on two daytime dramas as well as in movies seen on The Hallmark Channel.

NHTE 358 Shelby Lee Lowe Dec 16, 2020

Singer, songwriter, guitar player who just put out new music two months ago. He has also been working on more new music to be released next year. Despite the pandemic he has still been and is performing, including dates in Tennessee, Virginia, Florida, and Alabama. He had started off 2020 with shows in Texas, New Mexico, Minnesota, and Indiana. He has approximately 13 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify and previously appeared on this show in the summer of 2017, on Episode 183.

NHTE 357 Maxine Linehan Dec 09, 2020

Internationally acclaimed singer, songwriter, producer, and actress who just last month released a holiday album that features a list of renowned collaborators with GRAMMY credentials. She has performed worldwide, from the Lincoln Center in New York all the way to Paris. Born and raised in Ireland, she has drawn praise from the New York Times, USA Today, the Huffington Post, and Billboard, among others. She also talks here about the destination recording studio she is a part of, plus, her interpretation of songbooks of varied artists ranging from Petula Clark to Barbra Streisand to U2.

NHTE 356 Franki Love Dec 02, 2020

An award-winning singer, songwriter, piano player who is in the midst of a new album release. She was mentored by GRAMMY Award winner Phil Ramone and has worked with a GRAMMY Award-winning producer. Her live shows have seen her perform not only in the U.S. from New York to L.A., but internationally too, including the Cannes Film Festival. She also composes and performs music for TV, movies, and video games. And, she has had multiple successful crowdfunding campaigns for album projects. She even has her own independent record label.

NHTE 355 Northcote Nov 25, 2020

Western Canadian singer, songwriter, guitar player whose new album was just released last month. He has performed more than 500 live shows, touring from small clubs, to beautiful churches and alternative spaces, to some of the biggest concert halls in the world. His videos have gotten a combined total of more than a half-million views on his official YouTube channel, and he currently has more than 22 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify. His story ranges from dropping out of seminary school to overcoming addiction and depression.

NHTE 354 Ana Cristina Cash Nov 18, 2020

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who released two singles last month after having put out an album in April. She has also done work as a co-writer with a band that has gotten two nominations for Latin GRAMMYs. And for her own work, she is on the preliminary ballot in several categories. Last year she made her Grand Ole Opry debut, performing her own original songs. She has also made several appearances in television and film, and was first signed by Sony Music at age 16!

NHTE 353 REYNA Nov 11, 2020

A sister duo with both singing, playing guitar, and writing their original 80s-electro-infused pop songs. They just released a brand new single, and a music video to go with it. They have recently become members of the Recording Academy and have been featured in publications such as Billboard and American Songwriter. Their music has garnered more than four-and-a-half million streams on Spotify and they have opened for Death Cab for Cutie, among others, and performed at South By Southwest, among other festivals. They also beat out over two thousand bands nationwide in Project: Aloft Star to win a tour with Aloft Hotels and a single track deal with Capitol Records. They had first gotten picked up by Sony BMG when they were just 16 years old.

NHTE 352 RT Valine Nov 04, 2020

Oklahoma-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who released a TWENTY song album at the beginning of September. He actually has two other releases on iTunes that have THIRTY songs each. He has worked on many films and TV shows, having just finished contributing music to the film "Sound of Freedom." He also does engineering and production and has partnered with TASCAM over the last couple years. (He also thanks Dan Wistrom, who played steel on both songs heard on this episode as well as much of the new album.)

NHTE 351 Bailey James Oct 28, 2020

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who has just released a new single and a music video for it. She has now released five singles over the course of this year after having put out four in 2019. She has had over a quarter of a million combined streams just on Spotify and has more than 180 thousand followers across her social media platforms. She has appeared and performed at legendary venues and events including the famous Bluebird Café in Nashville as well as the CMA Music Festival. While she is actively pursuing her solo career, she also recently joined The Highway Women group. She is also very active as a spokesperson with The Jason Foundation.

NHTE 350 Cliff Goldmacher Oct 21, 2020

A GRAMMY-recognized songwriter, music producer, and educator, plus he has even done TEDx talks on songwriting. He has built a catalog of over a thousand songs and has gotten cuts by major label artists across genres from country, pop, and jazz, to classical crossover. Last month he put out a new book called, “The Reason for the Rhymes: Mastering the Seven Essential Skills of Innovation by Learning to Write Songs.”

NHTE 349 Casey Kearney Oct 14, 2020

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who just released an album on October 2nd. She had also released an album early last year and put out an EP in 2016. She has gotten airplay on SiriusXM and has performed at notable venues and events around the country, from Las Vegas to the Bluebird Café in Nashville, songwriters festivals, and more. She is also the founder and president of the not-for-profit organization, “Bands of 30A.” And, she co-authored a children's book.

NHTE 348 Asiah Million Oct 07, 2020

A Grammy-nominated songwriter who has just put out a new book, called, “Dreams, Love, and Music Lifestyle Revised: The Soundtrack of My Life,” which follows the book she had put out in 2015. Along with the book, she is also releasing an album of songs that correlate to the chapter titles. At the beginning of her career she signed with Mecca Don/Elektra Entertainment Group and eventually performed on Soul Train and Show Time at the Apollo. She has worked and collaborated with Sean Diddy Combs, among other notable names, including having collaborated on a Mary J. Blige song. In addition to performing, she also does vocal coaching.

NHTE 347 Lisa Marie Smith Sep 30, 2020

She has held the distinction of the youngest headlining singer to perform on “The Strip” and has been praised by Robin Leach as “Las Vegas favorite.” Plus, she was among MyVEGAS Magazine’s “Top 100 Women of Influence in Las Vegas.” She has headlined multiple shows on the Las Vegas “Strip,” been a lead vocalist in the supper club inside the Bellagio, also runs a corporate band, and even owns her own vocal studio. In late 2018 she released an EP and is still signed to that record label. She also has overcome two extreme physical injuries and is deeply involved with a non-profit called Positively Arts.

NHTE 346 Dane Reis Sep 23, 2020

Based in Las Vegas, a singer, dancer, actor, and the host of a daily podcast. He has performed in nine shows on the Las Vegas Strip, in addition to having performed in Australia, Italy, Germany, Canada, and New York City. Plus, he has sung as a featured soloist with renowned symphony orchestras. He has also been on radio and TV.

NHTE 345 Amritha Shakti Sep 16, 2020

Melbourne, Australia-based singer/songwriter who is a classically trained vocalist that was born in India and studied in the United States. She released a new single last month and is releasing an EP this year. Plus, she released a new music video in July and has another one in the pipeline as well. She has performed at multiple venues in New York City, and, her music has gotten airplay on BBC Radio.

NHTE 344 Transit Soul Sep 09, 2020

An acoustic duo who released a new single earlier this year, there might also be an EP from them before year's end. Between the two of them they have a number 1 song in Norway, film credits, and songs playing on radio stations all over the world. As a duo they have performed from South Carolina to as far west as California and even down in the Virgin Islands, among other locations. They are both classically trained musicians who each play more than one instrument, and, they live and tour in a converted sprinter van. Plus, they have done a video series documenting their traveling and performing.

NHTE 343 Mike DelGuidice Sep 02, 2020

Singer, songwriter, guitar and piano player who continues to perform with Grammy Award winner and Rock & Roll Hall of Famer Billy Joel. At the beginning of June he released a new single and has a new album on the way. He was a guest on this show just over three-and-a-half years ago, back on Episode 150, and among his work since then has been a single that will be on his upcoming album that has a music video featuring actor Kevin James. He also continues to perform with his Billy Joel tribute band, called, Big Shot.

NHTE 342 Samantha Leigh Aug 26, 2020

Singer, songwriter, dancer who just last month released a new single and a video to go with it featuring an acoustic performance of the song. Late last year she had put out a six-song EP. She is currently a nominee for four different awards in Creative Loafing’s 30th “Best of the Bay” awards. She was the guest on this show way back on Episode 67 and since then has continued to perform not only at various venues and events, but even on cruise ships!

NHTE 341 Liz Longley Aug 19, 2020

Just last Friday she put out a double release, two singles. A singer, songwriter, guitar and piano player, she already this summer released music that drew praise from the likes of Billboard and Forbes. There is a full album coming next month and she has been busy this year with releasing singles. She had a tremendously successful Kickstarter campaign, which we talk about during this interview. She has more than ten thousand followers on Spotify, where she is currently getting more than 67 thousand monthly listeners. On July 31 she released a new lyric video, which got more than 1,300 views on YouTube in its first twelve days. She was the guest way back on Episode 14 of this show.

NHTE 340 Shannon LaBrie Aug 12, 2020

Singer, songwriter, guitar and piano player whose new album will be out next month. She got signed to a publishing deal a year ago and her music has been recognized by the likes of Rolling Stone, CMT, and NPR, and, has gotten placed in films and TV shows. She also co-wrote a song that was on a Grammy-nominated album. On Spotify she has over 27 thousand monthly listeners, and two of her songs on there have gotten more than a million streams each. For her latest single she, just over six weeks ago, released a music video done with a director who has also done the same with Cage The Elephant, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and Jack White, among others.

NHTE 339 Gary Wertz Aug 05, 2020

He records and releases under the artist name GRW (pronounced GROW) and is a songwriter, performer, and producer who has just completed his twelfth album, due to be released later this year, although the first single from it was released on June 20th. His musical journey has taken him from New York to San Francisco and now to Music City, along the way working with a variety of artists, including Jane Wiedlen from The Go-Go’s, among many others. He has performed at the famous Bluebird Café in Nashville and has his own studio there.

NHTE 338 Jack Forman Jul 29, 2020

The president of BiCoastal Productions, a New York City-based concert and theatrical booking agency. He had attended Columbia College in Chicago with a focus in Arts, Entertainment & Media Management, after which he was recruited to ICM Partners’ New York City branch in the Urban Concerts department, and would later join BiCoastal Productions, being promoted to company president last month.

NHTE 337 Casely Jul 22, 2020

Miami-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who has released a number of singles this year, the latest of them being less than two weeks ago (July 10th). The official lyric video for it got over five thousand views in the first six days on YouTube. He has done collaborations with Pitbull, Lil Jon, and Flo Rida, and was previously signed to Epic Records under Sony Music’s umbrella. He has been featured by the likes of CNN, MTV, and BET. He currently has over 20 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify and has a new album coming out in November.

NHTE 336 Iveta and Simone Jul 15, 2020

An award-winning female vocal duo in New Zealand who are releasing their latest single next week Friday, July 24th, after having already released new singles this year on May 29th and April 3rd. A video for one of those songs was released just over a month ago and already has more than 8600 views on YouTube. The two of them were individual artists and songwriters before coming together as an act that has performed at numerous venues and events. Meanwhile, they have successfully pivoted during the pandemic to maintain an online presence of a different kind. (NOTE: On the bonus content recorded for Patreon after this podcast interview, Iveta and Simone made a big announcement that is only teased here, near the end, on NHTE 336!)

NHTE 335 Maggie Szabo Jul 08, 2020

Canadian singer, songwriter, piano player now based in Hollywood who released a new single last month, a video for it last week, and has a remix of the song coming out this Friday (July 10) - and more new music coming out this year! She has landed multiple sync placements across the likes of NBC, Netflix, Disney, and the E! network. Some of her premiers/interviews include Billboard, Huffington Post, and Perez Hilton. She has close to 400 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify, where she had 8.4 million streams of her music in 2019.

NHTE 334 Bryan Lanning Jul 01, 2020

In January he released an EP that got over 60 thousand streams on Spotify in the first month alone. A singer, songwriter based one hour north of San Diego, he is about to release a full album, which will have twelve songs and come out on July 3rd. Last year there were a million-and-a-half streams of his music on Spotify alone. Along with his wife and kids he also has a family YouTube channel that has over five million subscribers and close to four BILLION views. Meanwhile, his latest music video has already gotten almost 135 thousand views in the first month alone.

NHTE 333 Terry Barber Jun 24, 2020

An internationally acclaimed vocalist, actor, songwriter, and producer who is a voting member of the GRAMMYs. On June 5th he released a video that got more than 125 THOUSAND views on Facebook alone in the first twelve-and-a-half days. He has toured with Grammy-winning Chanticleer and was hailed as the jewel in their crown. He is known for his extreme range – stylistically between Sam Smith and Pavarotti – and has done everything from being a solo vocalist with the London Philharmonic to doing lead vocals on an international club hit remix with DJ Tracy Young, which appeared on an album with Madonna, Chaka Khan, and Cyndi Lauper.

NHTE 332 Noah Guthrie Jun 17, 2020

He has performed nationally and internationally, including opening for artists from Selena Gomez and Ed Sheeran to Dwight Yoakam and Willie Nelson. He has also performed on NBC’s Today Show and The Tonight Show, ABC’s Dancing With the Stars, and he was even a semi-finalist on Season 13 of “America’s Got Talent.” Based in South Carolina, he is a singer, songwriter, guitar player who has a new single coming out next month. His music catalog is extensive going back to 2014, having first garnered attention by covering chart-topping artists and posting them online, which landed him a role on the hit TV show, “Glee.” It has also led to him having over a half-million subscribers to his YouTube channel.

NHTE 331 Mike Burke Jun 10, 2020

With a new EP just released two weeks ago, this singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist has performed in notable venues such as The Bitter End and Rockwood Music Hall in New York as well as the Hotel Café in Los Angeles. He has even performed in France. He had more than 53 thousand streams of his music last year on Spotify – despite not putting out any new releases in 2019! Now living in Nashville, he grew up in Boston, and has also lived in New York, Los Angeles, and Orlando.

NHTE 330 Marc Scibilia Jun 03, 2020

With song placements already this year in Samsung and Cadillac commercials, he is a Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar and piano player who has gotten tens of millions of streams on Spotify, with well over a half-million monthly listeners on that platform. He has done national headlining tours and has opened for the likes of the Zac Brown Band, Gavin DeGraw, and James Bay. He has appeared on “The Today Show” and on the MTV Europe Music Awards. Plus he has had songs in national ads and Super Bowl commercials. Already in 2020 he has released an EP and several singles.

NHTE 329 Liddy Clark May 27, 2020

L.A.-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who's originally from Florida but also spends plenty of time in Nashville. She has opened for Chris Stapleton, Scotty McCreery, Jake Owen, and Joe Nichols, and has performed at some highly respected events and venues, including the Country Music Hall of Fame in Nashville and at the Hotel Café in Los Angeles. Along the way she has also gotten support from Radio Disney and she was an iHeartRadio Digital Artist of the Month and has performed at the iHeartRadio Live Sessions in New York City. Last year she had almost 200 thousand streams of her music on Spotify.

NHTE 328 Laura Pieri May 20, 2020

A singer and actress who just released a new single two months ago and video for it as well. Grammy Award-winning Cory Rooney, executive producer and producer for Jennifer Lopez, who has also produced for artists such as Mariah Carey, Beyoncé, & Mark Anthony, has marked her as his next artist for development. She starred on Season 3 of Snapchat Original’s hit show, “Endless,” and has a social media following of over a half-million. Several of her videos have gone viral on TikTok and her new single is a popular sound for users on there to create videos for. She even recently created a new filter for Instagram based on the cover of her latest single.

NHTE 327 Twin Kennedy May 13, 2020

Identical twin sisters who hail from western Canada. They have a new EP coming out in a few months digitally (although available now in physical units) and they have a song that was recently featured on CMT and is currently playing on SiriusXM. They have amassed three Canadian Country Music Association Award nominations, 13 British Columbia Country Music Association nominations, two Vancouver Island Music awards, two John Lennon Songwriting Award wins, and the 2019 Independent Music Award for Best Holiday Song. They were guests on this show back on Episode 142.

NHTE 326 Cambree Lovesy May 06, 2020

A British Columbia-based singer, songwriter, guitar and piano player who has gotten airplay on country radio in Canada. She has performed at notable venues and events, and has even traveled to Nashville to record new music that is coming soon. She is using her platform as an entertainer to be a role model for strength, confidence, and authentic self-expression. She also talks about using the down time of the pandemic for writing a song for front line workers - and an opportunity that came from that!

NHTE 325 Zack Greenburg Apr 29, 2020

The senior editor of media and entertainment at Forbes. He is the author of four books, including his newest, which was just released last month and is called, “A-List Angels: How a Band of Actors, Artists, and Athletes Hacked Silicon Valley.” His writing has also appeared in the likes of the New York Times, the Washington Post, Vanity Fair, and Billboard, to name just a few. And he has even been a speaker at South By Southwest and done a TEDx talk.

NHTE 324 Moriah Formica Apr 22, 2020

She made it to the Top 20 on Season 13 of “The Voice” and had a stint on “American Idol” last year. A singer, songwriter, guitar player who is just releasing a new single, she put out three new songs last year and has more new music planned for 2020. She has opened for Joan Jett, among others, and was also chosen to perform at the Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim, California.

NHTE 323 Dyl Apr 15, 2020

A recording artist and entrepreneur known for his platinum hit single, “Jordan Belfort” and accompanying tour where he performed 50-plus shows across the U.S. and Europe. The song reached number 25 on the Billboard charts and the official music video for it has more than 36.5 million views. As of 2020 the rapper/hip-hop artist has more than one million monthly listeners and over 200 million streams worldwide. Based in Philadelphia, he just released a brand new official music video for the song “Bad Hair," and has a new song coming out nine days after the release of this episode. He also has an independent boutique label that he's developing independent artist services for, including distribution.

NHTE 322 Adrianna Foster Apr 08, 2020

Miami-based singer, songwriter, speaker, and the founder of the #REBIRTH Movement. She has been singing professionally for 20 years and was a contestant on NBC Telemundo’s American Spanish-language singing competition, “La Voz.” She has also shared the stage with some Latin music legends, two of which have called her “the voice of Mexico.” She has created concerts that she calls “FOSTER Nights.” She is originally from Mexico and her music has been sung on the show “Latin American Idol” and her songs have been featured in Latin American soap operas. She has 16 thousand subscribers to her YouTube channel, where she has gotten more than 6.2 million views for her videos, and last year she had one million streams on Spotify alone. She is getting set to release another Spanish language album but is planning to record another English language album this year too!

NHTE 321 Josh Gallagher Apr 01, 2020

Garth Brooks had said about him, “This kid, as soon as he opens his mouth — you believe him.” A Nashville-based singer, songwriter, and guitar player originally from Pennsylvania, he walked away from a college baseball scholarship to pursue music and ended up in the top four on Season 11 of "The Voice." He has over a million streams on Spotify and the video for his song “Boots Like Mine” spent four weeks at Number 1 on the CMT Music 12 pack.

NHTE 320 Dauzat St Marie Mar 25, 2020

Singer songwriter duo who relocated from Louisiana to Los Angeles. They are currently putting the finishing touches on their second album which is due out later this year. Separately, they have played with Kelly Osbourne and Pat Benatar and this summer they are scheduled to tour with Rick Springfield and Chicago. They also got music into the “SAW” horror film series. There is also talk here of the serious health scare that Heather had to endure and its impact on their duo project.

NHTE 319 Muriel Anderson Mar 18, 2020

One of the world’s foremost fingerstyle guitarists and harp-guitarists. Her new project is an international cookbook with a CD containing a tune for each recipe. She has released more than a dozen instrumental CDs and eight instructional DVDs and has also published articles in numerous guitar magazines. Her YouTube channel has gotten approximately 1.2 million views. She is also the founder of the Music for Life Alliance charity.

NHTE 318 Kash'd Out Mar 11, 2020

They have two singles on Spotify that have amassed more than a million listens and their YouTube videos have over a million views. A reggae band out of Orlando, Florida, that got signed by LAW Records and reached Number 2 on the Billboard and iTunes reggae charts, they released their second album last August and followed this interview with a cross-country tour covering approximately a dozen states in America, and dates still upcoming at events from Florida to California. They have also gotten airplay on SiriusXM.

NHTE 317 Shaun Martin Mar 04, 2020

A multiple Grammy-winning keyboardist from Texas, he works in a variety of styles from instrumental jazz to gospel to hip-hop and R&B. He emerged in the 1990s by building his reputation as a session player and his willingness and ability to be a subtle part of each band. He performs with the jazz fusion phenomenon, Snarky Puppy, as well as a new trio project he has put together called Three-O. He has also worked with Erykah Badu, Timbaland, Kirk Franklin, and Chaka Khan.

NHTE 316 Alisan Porter Feb 26, 2020

The winner of Season 10 of "The Voice," last year she released her third album. She is a singer, songwriter, dancer, and actress originally from Massachusetts, now living in Los Angeles. As a child, she was the title character in the movie, “Curly Sue,” and has also been in other movies including “Parenthood” and “Meet Dave.” She has also had television roles on "Pee Wee’s Playhouse" and "Family Ties."

NHTE 315 Wordsmith Feb 19, 2020

A musician, rapper, and entrepreneur who hails from Baltimore, Maryland. He makes clean, purposeful, hip-hop music with a strong motivational message and also has his own independent label. He is a voting member of the Grammys and has partnerships with Netflix, ESPN, NFL Network, and WWE, his songs having appeared in TV and movies. He is also planning a foundation to work with the homeless in Baltimore.

NHTE 314 Judd Hoos Feb 12, 2020

An indie rock band that hails from Black Hills, South Dakota, they played 120 dates last year, including headlining at Sturgis. They’ve opened for the likes of Third Eye Blind, Uncle Cracker, and Puddle of Mud. They have amassed more than half a million streams on Spotify alone and had their album chart on the iTunes rock charts. They have 13 new songs ready to record.

NHTE 313 Whitney Tai Feb 05, 2020

Singer and songwriter of emotive dream pop who is originally from New York but now lives in Los Angeles. She was named one of the top 100 unsigned artists by Music Connection Magazine. A clip from one of her videos has been heavily featured at Hard Rock Cafes all over the world. Her first album resulted in her voice being in the same conversation as artists like Annie Lennox and Sarah McLachlan and her second studio album is just months from being released.

NHTE 312 Brian Grilli Jan 29, 2020

Singer, songwriter, guitar player originally from Illinois, now living in Virginia. He is a Navy Veteran and Boot Campaign Veteran Ambassador who has written a song for the TV show, "Sons of Anarchy." He has opened for notable artists including Cheap Trick, 38 Special, and Florida Georgia Line. His most recent album has made a handful of Billboard charts, including No. 11 in country album sales and he talks here about his next album, which he is working on. He blends traditional country and Americana music with southern rock and rock 'n' roll to bring you a new but familiar sound.

NHTE 311 Analise Hoveyda Jan 22, 2020

A singer, dancer, and actress who last year released two singles, one of which was released on All Star Music/Sony/Red and produced by PJ Bianco, who discovered and developed the Jonas Brothers. She is currently working on new music. And, she was also in the Disney movie, “A Wrinkle in Time,” starring Oprah Winfrey and Reese Witherspoon. She was also in a short film last year that starred Eric Roberts.

NHTE 310 Joey Stuckey Jan 15, 2020

An award-winning guitarist, songwriter, singer, composer, producer, and sound engineer who has been blind since a brain tumor as an infant. He also runs a studio and is a voting member of the GRAMMYs. He is very active as a touring musician, having started off 2020 with a show at the famed Whisky-A-Go-Go in Hollywood. In the last quarter of 2019 alone he performed in Washington DC, Georgia, New York, South Carolina, Tennessee, and California. He has opened for or worked with numerous major musical acts. Last October he released a five-song holiday EP called, “A Santa That Plays Guitar.”

NHTE 309 Sam Woolf Jan 08, 2020

He gained national recognition in 2014 when he was in the top five on Season 13 of “American Idol.” That same year he released his debut EP, working with a Grammy Award winning producer. He has also worked with a Grammy nominated engineer and he has co-headlined an event with the Doobie Brothers, War, and Jefferson Starship. A singer, songwriter, guitar player who just relocated to Los Angeles, he also had one of his original songs debut at the Sundance Film Festival. He's performing next week at the Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim and hopes to release a new song each month this year.

NHTE 308 Death Angel Jan 01, 2020

The band has a song that is up for a GRAMMY in the Best Metal Performance category. They are signed to Nuclear Blast Records and released an album in May 2019 and a music video in November, and next month they will do seven shows in nine days in Europe, performing in Denmark, Sweden, Norway, Finland, and Germany. They have a rabid, worldwide following with a combined total of almost 800 thousand across their social media platforms. This is the second NHTE appearance for Death Angel, having previously been on Episode 163. This interview features songwriter and lead vocalist Mark Osegueda and songwriter, lead guitar player, and band founder, Rob Cavestany.

NHTE 307 Mudbone Dec 25, 2019

Calling himself a music historian, he is a Nashville-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist. He has had two Top 75 Americana Music Association charting records and is currently recording a blues album to be released in Spring of next year. He has toured for more than 15 years, including last month and this month in the likes of Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Alabama, Florida, and Tennessee, and on February 1st he’ll even be playing up in New York. He has opened for the likes of Blake Shelton, Jamey Johnson, Kid Rock, and many more. And, he has an impressive list of endorsements.

NHTE 306 Christina Christian Dec 18, 2019

Based in the Florida panhandle, she's a singer, songwriter, and guitar player. Plus, she and her husband have a record label and produce music events. She is very active performing, doing shows in December alone in Alabama, Louisiana, Texas, and Tennessee. Earlier this year she traveled to New York where she was a nominee for Best Country Song at the Independent Music Awards. She has even been featured in the Mississippi Songwriters Festival as well as headlining in Chicago. She also performs as part of the Last Honkytonk Music Series, and also talks about a book that she is writing.

NHTE 305 Sean Gasaway Dec 11, 2019

Singer, songwriter, guitar player, publisher, and producer who has had songs played on “The Today Show” on NBC as well as on FOX Sports. Based in Nashville, he holds major publishing deals in every country in the world, garnering over 120 songs cut, including four Number One songs on the Americana and Independent charts, six Top 40 on Billboard and Independent charts, and songs in major movies and documentaries. He is currently recording his fourth studio album, set for release next year. And, he has and is currently writing, performing, producing, and touring with artists that include 3 Doors Down, Cowboy Troy, Mickie James, and many more.

NHTE 304 Colleen Lloy Dec 04, 2019

She has opened for the likes of George Jones, Tanya Tucker, Lee Greenwood, Billy Ray Cyrus, and more. Plus, she has performed with Mick Fleetwood. She also once had the opportunity to interview the legendary B.B. King. More recently she has been in the studio recording new music and is also a part of the Last Honkytonk Music Series, both of which are talked about in this interview. A singer, songwriter, guitar player, she has performed at the famous Bluebird Café in Nashville and just a couple weeks ago did a number of performances during the 35th Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival on the Alabama/Florida border.

NHTE 303 Angela Predhomme Nov 27, 2019

Based outside of Detroit, a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer who released a new album in September. Her music has been heard in major retail chains, in film, and on TV, such as the popular Hallmark movie, “Christmas on Honeysuckle Lane” and Lifetime’s hit show “Dance Moms” and TLC’s “Here Comes Honey Boo Boo.” This year she has performed in Pennsylvania, Illinois, Michigan, and California. She is a voting member of the Recording Academy, and last month she released a new music video.

NHTE 302 Striking Matches Nov 20, 2019

Blues-pop duo based in Nashville who released an EP earlier this year, three singles since then, and have more new music coming out. They both write, sing, and play guitar, and they had NINE songs on the TV show “Nashville” and a song on "Gray's Anatomy." The last two weeks of October they performed ten shows in Europe, one month after having done ten shows in the UK, where they had also done three shows in June and July. They have been all over the U.S. this year as well and have more live dates coming up in early December. They have over 125 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify and have performed routinely at the likes of the Bluebird Cafe and the Grand Ole Opry.

NHTE 301 Best Of Volume 3 Nov 13, 2019

A look back at just some of the highlights from the show's third hundred episodes. Clips are played from an assortment of the guest interviews done between episodes 201 and 300 to celebrate the latest milestone as well as to give listeners a sampling of just some of what was aired over that span.

NHTE 300 Daxx Nielsen Nov 06, 2019

The drummer for Rock and Roll Hall of Fame band Cheap Trick, having performed more than one thousand shows with them and recorded three critically acclaimed albums. He also co-wrote and drummed on the score for the Oscar Award-winning documentary, “Undefeated.” He even performed with Brandi Carlile for a couple years. Over the last few years he also drummed two nights with Eddie Vedder, drummed for The Fab Faux as well as a stint on "Late Night with Seth Meyers," and recorded with numerous projects.

NHTE 299 Mikel Paris Oct 30, 2019

Singer, songwriter, musician, and filmmaker who is making a long overdue return to this show, having been a guest way back on Episode 30 in August 2014. He is the creator of “Tune Trek,” a travel and music show that has aired on PBS. He also performs with the band O.A.R., although he does solo shows as well. To that end, this episode contains talk about his House Trek events too.

NHTE 298 Audra McLaughlin Oct 23, 2019

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who is actively performing there in Music City and is writing music to prepare for her next release. She put out an EP earlier this year and is passionate about using her platform to inspire students to believe in themselves and be inspired by her own story. She was on Team Blake on Season 6 of “The Voice,” and in addition to there in Tennessee has also performed in the likes of Pennsylvania, Delaware, Florida, and Nevada.

NHTE 297 Braiden Sunshine Oct 16, 2019

He came into the public conscience four years ago as a semi-finalist on “The Voice.” A singer, songwriter, guitar player based in Connecticut, he has opened for the likes of Blues Traveler and Huey Lewis. He had a song on the iTunes Top 50 and is working on a new EP (possibly full album). He also performs with CDN - a male a cappella group at UConn.

NHTE 296 Julia Lima Oct 09, 2019

Now based in L.A., she has also lived in Las Vegas and New York. She is a Russian-American singer, songwriter, and voice teacher who has been cited by the New York Times, been published in magazines, and has collaborated with various brands. Her music is a crossover that blends classical and opera with pop, jazz, and Latin. She released a single in September and had put out two singles last year as well. She's aiming to release more new music in January or February.

NHTE 295 Eileen Carey Oct 02, 2019

Singer who reached the top of the New Music Weekly radio charts this past Spring, and, she was their AC/Hot AC Breakthrough Artist of 2019. Based in California, last month she traveled to Music City to headline the Nashville Sync Summit. Her newest music video garnered over 49 thousand views in the first two-and-a-half months. She has been recording new music and hopes to release a new single at the end of this month.

NHTE 294 Chloe Collins Sep 25, 2019

She has a new single out, the third single she has released this year. She had a song on the 100th episode of the TV show, “Nashville” and she was a finalist in New York for Nash Next 2018, which spans 61 radio stations across 28 states. She moved from New York to Nashville a year ago. The singer, songwriter, guitar player's music has achieved placement on Spotify curated playlists. And she is extremely active performing in Music City.

NHTE 293 Don Miggs Sep 18, 2019

Bi-coastal singer, songwriter, and guitar player, who has a music publishing company, recording studios in Tampa and L.A., a weekly radio show, co-authored a book that was released this past February, and is even involved in film and fashion. Music-wise, he just completed a score for a new movie, writing a few of the songs with Billy Corgan from Smashing Pumpkins. He has also had multiple song placements on the Food Network. And he has shared the stage with the likes of John Fogerty and Paul Anka, and has even written with artists from Boyz II Men to Plain White Ts to Candlebox.

NHTE 292 Hannah Anders Sep 11, 2019

Singer, songwriter, and guitar player who lives in Nashville. She had a feature with Sirius XM and will be returning as the headliner at KIX Country Fest in Daytona Beach, Florida. She toured the UK and Ireland as the headliner of the Rednecks and Rhinestone Festival. She was chosen to perform on the main stage at Summer NAMM 2019 and had also performed at this year's CMA Fest. She also has a vocal studio and does voice coaching, having coached people on "The Voice," Disney, and Nickelodeon. Last year she was a USO Featured Artist of the Month.

NHTE 291 Shannon Lauren Callihan Sep 04, 2019

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, and guitar player who has a single out that got more than 50,000 streams in the first two weeks. Another new song is on the way. She played a sold out show in New York at Rockwood Music Hall. Shannon mixes elements of neo-soul with the melodies of R&B into a fresh sound all her own.

NHTE 290 Grace Askew Aug 28, 2019

Rolling Stone magazine deemed her the number one most robbed contestant on season four of "The Voice." She is currently in the midst of a two-year songwriting challenge, which had started off as a song-a-day for one year. Based in Memphis, she is a singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist. Her new album is releasing two days after this interview comes out.

NHTE 289 Emily Wolfe Aug 21, 2019

In the last seven months this Austin, Texas-based singer, songwriter, guitar player shared the stage with Peter Frampton and Billy Gibbons at the Winter NAMM Show, released her first album, and had three performances at South by Southwest. She has two songs on Spotify with well over one million streams each. She has been touring the U.S. extensively.

NHTE 288 Carl Wockner Aug 14, 2019

Australian guitarist, songwriter, and acoustic live looping artist now living in Nashville. In 2015, he became the only Australian artist to ever win Top Honors at the International Acoustic Music Awards and the following year he and his family moved to Nashville. Between multiple headliner performances at festivals and touring, he is rumored to be one of the busiest musicians in Nashville. He is becoming well known by his signature “dreads and red glasses.”

NHTE 287 Justin Johnson Aug 07, 2019

A multi-instrumentalist, known best for his guitar skills. His original music has been licensed to Dodge Motor Co, Ken Burns, the Discovery Channel, Animal Planet, PBS, and more. Guitar World magazine says he is a “must-see act” and he has been praised by Bootsy Collins for his funk. Widely seen online due to his having come up with a shovel guitar, he has a combined social media following that tops one million. He is also the founder of Roots Music School in Nashville.

NHTE 286 Frontier Jul 31, 2019

A four-piece rock band from Kentucky that includes two brothers and a cousin. Their latest album was produced by a multi-platinum producer who has also produced for the likes of Sheryl Crow and Tom Petty. Frontier has shared the stage with the likes of Montgomery Gentry, Restless Heart, and Kevin Richardson & Brian Littrell of the Backstreet Boys. Frontier was also selected to play on the Avid stage at the 2019 Summer NAMM Show in Nashville, where this episode was recorded. The band has released two albums and is hoping to get in the studio and record some new music soon.

NHTE 285 Ben Cesare Jul 24, 2019

Singer, songwriter, guitar player who relocated to Nashville from Boston. Last month he had five performances as part of CMA Fest and his debut EP has accumulated over 400,000 streams on Spotify. He gives us the exclusive with his new song that will be released at the end of next week (on August 2nd), to be followed by an international radio tour. He and his band were chosen to perform at both the Winter NAMM Show in California this past January and the Summer NAMM Show in Nashville last week. Also, he has opened for the likes of Darius Rucker, Kellie Pickler, 38 Special, and Phil Vassar.

NHTE 284 Cole Fredrick of Undecided Future Jul 17, 2019

The guitar player and a singer in the band Undecided Future. The band won the 2019 Young Entertainers Award. In 2017 they had won Best.Cover.Ever with mega-artist Jason Derulo and performed a song with him and exclusive video on YouTube. They are regulars on the Main Stage at Downtown Disney in Anaheim, California, and have also played notable venues and events such as the House of Blues, The Viper Room, and the Winter NAMM Show. The band has gotten radio airplay both throughout the U.S. and internationally, and is ranked #1 in their area on ReverbNation. On the heels of their 2018 release with him, the band is working on a second album with Dem Jointz, who produced a Chris Brown song.

NHTE 283 Eva Gardner Jul 10, 2019

The bass player on tour with P!NK, Eva just released an EP of her own last month. Eva is also the first female artist to have a signature bass with Fender. She has also toured with the likes of Gwen Stefani, Cher, Moby, and Veruca Salt. She did this interview from Germany, where the tour currently was playing, but lives in the greater Los Angeles area. Listen to hear how she ever got the gig in the first place - playing bass on tour with P!NK, which she has done for twelve years now.

NHTE 282 Veronica Fusaro Jul 03, 2019

Switzerland-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who has recently released a new video and has an EP coming out in September. Last year she played 136 shows and 2019 is very active touring-wise as well. Her current schedule of live shows has her performing everywhere from there in Switzerland to the UK, Liechtenstein, Belgium, and Germany. Last year she had even been invited to the Winter Olympics in South Korea. Two days after this interview she performed at the famous Glastonbury Festival.

NHTE 281 Chris Richardson Jun 26, 2019

Appeared on “American Idol” and finished in the top five (2007), which resulted in him participating in the “American Idols” tour. A singer/songwriter, in 2010 he was signed to Cash Money Records, whose current artist roster includes the likes of Drake and Nicki Minaj, among others. Nowadays he has his own record label and his own publishing company. He's hoping to release new music this summer.

NHTE 280 Grace Pettis Jun 19, 2019

Austin, Texas-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who earlier this year signed a multi-year co-publishing deal with BMG Music. Last September she released an acoustic EP of original songs but she is also part of a trio whose debut EP was reviewed by Rolling Stone. Both she, as a solo artist, and her trio – which is called Nobody’s Girl – were selected as an official performer for South By Southwest. She also was awarded a full scholarship by the Buddy Holly Educational Foundation.

NHTE 279 Frankie Raye Jun 12, 2019

Singer, songwriter, guitar player whose new album was recently released. She has been on TV, radio, and podcasts talking about it and her new songs have been getting aired in the U.S. and Canada. She is extremely active performing live shows. This month alone she has 31 bookings (keeping in mind that June has 30 days). She has performed at the NAMM Show in California as well as at various venues in Louisiana and in more than 30 cities in Florida.

NHTE 278 Chris Mitchell Jun 05, 2019

Jazz musician based in Texas, currently on a year-long world tour that started in the Netherlands in January and in the second half of 2019 – amidst various U.S. dates – goes to Japan, Finland, Thailand, Australia, Canada, the UK, France, and Germany. Although he occasionally plays guitar, he is a saxophonist who has released three albums, plus he has released a couple singles, including one this past Christmas.

NHTE 277 Hannah Wicklund May 29, 2019

She fronts a rock band that has performed more than 2,500 shows. A singer, songwriter, guitar player, she has more than 100 thousand monthly listeners on Spotify. She has just released a new video and to say she is on tour is putting it mildly, with 17 shows in the 30 days of June alone, plus European dates later this year, including two shows with some really big names. She has been getting radio airplay in the UK and has been featured in Guitar World magazine. Her band have already been billed alongside the likes of Jefferson Starship, Kansas, the Marshall Tucker Band, Cage The Elephant, Alanis Morissette, and more. She has been writing new music, which she hopes to record late this year.

NHTE 276 Nelson Montana May 22, 2019

Multi-instrumentalist and an arranger, composer, vocalist, and music producer, in addition to being an author/journalist. Based in New York City, he has also done some acting. His newest projects include having re-done an album from the 1960s by The Shaggs, plus he also wrote and edited a chapter in a book that’s coming out soon about the music business. He’s also planning a book of his own. He was a guest on this show four years ago on Episode 72.

NHTE 275 Peyton Gilliland May 15, 2019

Northern Alabama-based singer/songwriter whose latest single was just released two months ago, following two others that she’d put out last November and last August. The latter of those was a finalist in the John Lennon International Songwriters Competition. She has an EP in the coming months and a bigtime musician has been producing her, and another highly respected individual will be doing the mixing. Two of her songs have been included on the Walgreens store playlist.

NHTE 274 Aubryn May 08, 2019

Having just sang at the Grand Ole Opry, this Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player makes a return to the show after having been a guest on NHTE Episode 58. She has been hosting a weekly online web concert for more than six years and has recently started doing other livestreaming on Twitch and Periscope. She is heading out on the road this summer to tour with another singer/songwriter from Nashville. And, she has another tour with someone else immediately after that as well.

NHTE 273 Holly Tucker May 01, 2019

Based in Waco, a singer, songwriter, guitar player whose current single was released in mid-February and is placing on all of the charts in Texas. She has more new music planned in the form of another single and then an EP. She also talks about a crowdfunding campaign she'll be launching. She is a two-time Texas female vocalist of the year. She was Top 6 on Season 4 of “The Voice,” having been on Team Blake. She has played well over 600 venues throughout Texas, Oklahoma, New Mexico, California, and Louisiana. She is also extremely involved in charitable and community efforts.

NHTE 272 Whitney Doucet Apr 24, 2019

Singer/songwriter who has just released a new single and has two more new songs in the pipeline for release real soon. She has been very active performing live, in different configurations – all the way up to a six-piece band – and continues to perform the national anthem at very high profile sporting events. She was the guest on this show just over four years ago, back on Episode 59.

NHTE 271 Chelsea Jyles Apr 17, 2019

Australian singer, songwriter, guitar player who has a new single out. She released an EP at the beginning of this year after having put one out last year as well. She toured Europe this past December and has even performed U.S. at the famed Hotel Café in Los Angeles. She has found success on YouTube as well, with close to five thousand subscribers and almost a quarter of a million video views. For artists recording on your own, listen for the shortcuts Chelsea gives for treating the room you record in.

NHTE 270 Recording Academy - MusiCares and Advocacy Apr 10, 2019

A special episode highlighting two significant initiatives under the Recording Academy umbrella, speaking to anyone who's involved with some facet of the music business, which is very wide ranging, as the first guest details. Debbie Carroll checks in from Nashville to speak on behalf of MusiCares, which provides a safety net of critical assistance for music people in times of need. Then, Daryl Friedman calls in from Washington, DC to talk about Advocacy, the Recording Academy's voice in our nation's capital for music makers. Hear how this all pertains to and can benefit you, regardless of your role and whether you're a Recording Academy member or not.

NHTE 269 Alan Gogoll Apr 03, 2019

Australian solo acoustic guitarist and composer most known for his two-handed “bell harmonics” techniques. He is in the tens of millions in terms of streams on various music platforms and hundreds of millions in video views, with the latter featuring a camera rig inside his guitar. He has been offered a tour at the end of the year throughout Japan, has also performed in Taiwan, and was calling in from France for this interview. Listen to him talk about making a living off of Spotify too.

NHTE 268 Arbour Season Mar 27, 2019

Their having recently released a four-song EP isn't all that's new with this duo since they were last on the show (Episode 140). They have since changed their group name, become parents, and one of them has taken on a role booking for college gigs. And they're still doing it all while living and touring entirely out of an RV.

NHTE 267 Paralandra Mar 20, 2019

Paralandra has opened for Alice In Chains, Soundgarden, and Dokken. The band's Paul and Casandra Carson talk in this live, on-location interview about having performed at South By Southwest and signing last year with Legend Recordings, subsequently releasing the EP “Ascension.” Their 2016 song, “All Fall Down” debuted, hitting No. 1 on the Billboard Heatseekers chart. Three days after this episode of NHTE was recorded they performed at the fabled Whisky-A-Go-Go.

NHTE 266 PhonyPPL Mar 13, 2019

The New York Times called them “forward-thinking.” NPR called them “brilliant,” and Rolling Stone placed their first album among the year’s 15 greatest. They have received praise from Childish Gambino, among others, and they’ve appeared on Jimmy Kimmel and have performed with Erykah Badu, among others. In the week leading up to this interview they performed in Tokyo, Seoul, and Berlin. On March 2 they started their latest residency at the Blue Note in New York.

NHTE 265 Derek Anthony Mar 06, 2019

Texas-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who has gotten radio airplay and has performed over 120 shows a year for the last eight years, including some very notable locations. He has opened for the likes of Clint Black, JoDee Messina, Kansas, and many others. Hear him talk about connecting the Dallas Cowboys with one of his songs as well as having started his own record label (and why). He also mentions that he goes back and forth to Nashville to record and to network.

NHTE 264 Andrew Cassara Feb 27, 2019

Canadian singer, songwriter, guitar player (Ottawa, Ontario) who has performed internationally – and that doesn’t just mean Canada. When he was 16 years old he became a social media sensation and eventually amassed over 250 thousand followers on Twitter, plus he was ranked Number 1 on ReverbNation in Canada. His newest single (heard at the end of this episode) was added by Spotify having added it to the 2019 Hits Viral Playlist. He's aiming for a new album release by late 2019.

NHTE 263 Jessica Meuse Feb 20, 2019

Singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, who was on “The Voice” AND “American Idol.” Her album released last August has gained over three million streams, and she has also had success with honors on the video side. She will be performing in no fewer than nine different states and has also performed on the Vans Warped Tour.

NHTE 262 Natalie Gelman Feb 13, 2019

She opened for Bon Jovi and played in the UK since her last appearance on NHTE. A California-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who performed at the Winter 2019 NAMM Show and has a new full-length album on the way, likely this year, with the project mastered by Bernie Grundman ("Thriller," "Tapestry," "Jagged Little Pill"). She talks about live streaming (particularly LiveMe) and about wineries being a resource for subsidizing your tour.

NHTE 261 Brennley Brown Feb 06, 2019

Recording in Nashville the week that this episode is being released, she's a singer, songwriter, guitar player who performed at the 2019 Winter NAMM Show in late January. She was in the Top 20 of Season 11 of “America’s Got Talent” AND she finished in sixth place on Season 12 of “The Voice.” Plus she has performed at CMA Fest each of the last two years. She is also a voice-over actor, having done work for the likes of Disney and Nickelodeon, plus a Dreamworks series she's currently working on that's coming soon to Netflix.

NHTE 260 Kerry Marshall Jan 30, 2019

Guitarist and producer who has been featured in Guitar Player magazine and has appeared on "Good Morning America." He is a voting member of the Recording Academy. Nicknamed "2Smooth," he has played at very notable venues around the U.S. and has toured internationally. He also is an Army veteran, having served our country to include two deployments to Iraq. He hopes to have his newest release out this year.

NHTE 259 Aaron Haugland Jan 23, 2019

Fort Lauderdale-based singer, songwriter, guitar player whose new album is expected to be released in March. He is the creator of what he calls beach-infused country music. Recently he became the Artist Relations Chair Holder on the Board of Directors for the Trop Rock Music Association and is already eyeing up a performance in November at the TRMA’s Award Show in Key West. On top of all this he works in the corporate world of pro audio sales, keeping him on the front line with all the latest recording gear.

NHTE 258 Hope Cassity Jan 16, 2019

Nashville-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who was on this show way back on Episode 13, which was recorded in 2014, when we talked about the publishing deal she had just signed, the new album she was releasing, and the tour of Alaska she was about to go on, plus it was mentioned then that she had performed at CMA Fest. This time, around, unfortunately, she is speaking from the perspective of an individual who has been battling cancer for a year now and how that has impacted not only her music career but her life.

NHTE 257 Mick Mahan Jan 09, 2019

Best known for being the bass player for Pat Benatar well over 20 years, including touring and recording. He also worked as an arranger on Prince’s “Under the Cherry Moon” and served in the same capacity with Bobby Caldwell. His touring/recording credits are a virtual who’s who in music, ranging from David Foster to Sheryl Crow to Martina McBride, John Fogerty, and many, many more. And, if all his music endeavors aren’t enough, he is even the owner of a pizzeria!

NHTE 256 Jessica Lynn Jan 02, 2019

Singer, songwriter, guitar player who just announced her third TV special that she will be filming next month. Just in the last two years alone she has not only released more new music but had significant success at radio, including charting a couple of her songs. She also toured Europe, including opening for ZZ Top. And she has done music videos that on YouTube alone have gotten hundreds of thousands of views. She's working on nationwide tour dates for 2019 and has started building an international tour as well.

NHTE 255 Heather Russell Dec 26, 2018

Canadian singer, songwriter, piano player who is signed to Gladiator Records. She released a full album in August featuring 13 songs, in the R and B genre. Early on she had been discovered by Simon Cowell and moved with her family to Los Angeles under a major record deal, although she has since moved back east. She has gotten a wide array of press coverage and is a Yamaha-endorsed artist.

NHTE 254 The Hots - Foxie Kelly and Ronnie Simmons Dec 19, 2018

Formed in Australia, now based in Los Angeles, and just released a new EP last month. They have had three radio Number 1s within three weeks here in the U.S. since releasing the single as well as been added to rotation across more than 50 radio stations across the U.S. and Canada. Their music video (including the trailer) got over 300 thousand views in the first three weeks between Facebook, YouTube, and Instagram combined. They were nominated as one of Music Connections magazine L.A.’s top 100 unsigned bands of 2018. Among others, Ronnie worked with Richie Ramone (from The Ramones) and he talks about opening up for Motley Crue on their farewell tour.

NHTE 253 Michael Sticka Dec 12, 2018

The Executive Director of the Grammy Museum, which has just a few days ago (December 8) celebrated its tenth anniversary. They are a nonprofit and the official foundation for the Recording Academy. The Museum explores and celebrates the enduring legacies of all forms of music, the creative process, the art and technology of the recording process, and the history of the GRAMMY Awards. And, impressively, they have hosted nearly 30 thousand students for tours and workshops as part of their education programs.

NHTE 252 Jeff Dane Dec 05, 2018

The lead singer of Billboard Top 20 and three-time ACM-nominated country act The Lost Trailers. The band was founded in 2000 and just released a six-song EP in September, entitled, “Between Stages,” which was done by an award-winning producer in Nashville. The band is on the Grade One View Music record label. All this and he might sit for the bar exam in 2019.

NHTE 251 Lana Love Nov 28, 2018

Singer, songwriter, piano player, and dancer who has worked with the likes of Disney, Warner Brothers, Marvel, Nickelodeon, HBO, Discovery Channel, and many more. She has performed in Times Square and Las Vegas, and has performed/dance captained several national and international tours in over 20 countries. She has worked with several award-winning producers who’ve worked with the likes of Britney Spears, Christina Aguilera, and P!NK, among others. She has accumulated over 100 thousand streams across numerous platforms. She released a number of singles this year and will be releasing more new music at the end of February. She was also asked to write a movie musical for Amazon.

NHTE 250 Robert Eibach Nov 21, 2018

Billboard-charting record producer, EDM Remixer, DJ, and multi-instrumentalist who has worked on Grammy-winning and nominated albums. This year alone he has had four Number 1 songs. He also hosts celebrity TV shows for the 24K Music Network. His success has come while working across various genres of music over the years. He also has a great story of moving across the country to L.A. and how he then rose up to where he is today.

NHTE 249 Michael Pressman Nov 14, 2018

Two-time Emmy Award-winning director and producer who was also nominated for a third. He has produced and directed numerous network series, including multiple episodes of the Emmy Award-winning series Law and Order SVU as well as Blue Bloods. He distinguished himself early in his career with the popular classic series Picket Fences and Chicago Hope. Most recently, he directed the final two hours of the Emmy-nominated TV mini-series Law and Order True Crime: The Menendez Murders, starring Edie Falco and Heather Graham. He is currently directing a play entitled FINKS, which runs for six weeks over November and December in Venice, California.

NHTE 248 Chris Donohue Nov 07, 2018

Bassist, producer, music supervisor, and platinum-selling songwriter who has recorded and/or performed with a most impressive list of top name artists ranging from Dave Matthews to Ben Folds to Robert Plant, Maren Morris, Tom Jones, the Indigo Girls, and many (many) more. The night of this interview he was playing with Emmylou Harris, who he'd performed with one night earlier in a different city. His performances and original music have been heard on various film and television projects for clients including the ABC and USA networks, Burger King, and General Motors, among others.

NHTE 247 Kensie Coppin Oct 31, 2018

She has had two Top 40 songs on the Texas charts and multiple “Female Vocalist of the Year” nominations, and been a finalist in many songwriting competitions. A singer, songwriter, guitar player, she has performed in the likes of Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Nashville, West Virginia, and, Florida. Her six-song self-titled debut EP was released two years ago. She has a publishing deal and is recording a new EP.

NHTE 246 Wilson Brothers Band Oct 24, 2018

Brothers who live in Nashville and perform in a country band, although they each did have their own solo careers. They have written songs that have been cut by twelve other artists. Their debut single debuted at #1 on the CMT 12 Pack Countdown and their music has been streamed by the millions. They were also named one of five “Rising Acts” by CMT. They released an album early this year.

NHTE 245 Michael Peterson Oct 17, 2018

A million-selling, Grammy-nominated country music artist whose songs have hit #1 on the charts five times. Amazingly, he has had his songs recorded by Hall of Famers and Grammy winners in five different genres, including Travis Tritt, Timothy Schmitt of The Eagles, and more. He has also been a contributing author for eight books. And, he received the prestigious Bob Hope “Spirit of Hope” medal from the USO following his eleven tours and over 150 performances for Service men and women deployed to Iraq, Afghanistan, and South Korea. He is a singer, songwriter, guitar player with over 2500 performances in 19 countries during a 30-plus-year career.

NHTE 244 Ashley Taylor Oct 10, 2018

Her debut EP is scheduled for release January 18th, yet she already has a combined social media following of approximately 55 thousand. Three singles from her EP have already been released, and this year alone she has done lots of performing in lots of locations – not only in Nashville, but, California, Ohio, Virginia, Alabama. A singer, songwriter, guitar player, she has also appeared in several episodes of the hit TV show, “Nashville.” And she has garnered a lot of honors, plus, she has an impressive list of sponsors too!

NHTE 243 Dave Jenkins Oct 03, 2018

An original member of the popular band Pablo Cruise, which sold several million albums and still continues touring today. A singer, songwriter, guitar player, Dave Jenkins has also performed with Southern Pacific and, more recently, with the American Classic Hit Makers. He has recorded with many music industry greats, such as Jefferson Starship, Huey Lewis, and The Doobie Brothers, to name just a few.

NHTE 242 Jaime Kyle Sep 26, 2018

Having written or co-written hit songs for the likes of Faith Hill and Heart, among others, she's a singer, songwriter, guitar player whose songs and/or recorded performances represent an accumulated sales of an amazing 19 million CDs. She was the first female rock singer/songwriter to be signed to a major record deal that came out of Nashville and over the years has performed and recorded with the likes of Richard Marx, Amy Grant, Ozzy Osbourne, and more. She is sometimes seen performing with the American Classic Hit Makers, and she has a new single coming out, first in Australia with a #1 artist there.

NHTE 241 Jeff Strametz Sep 19, 2018

A singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, plus he is the president and CEO of Boulder Creek Musical Instruments. The company does guitars, basses, and ukuleles and has a very impressive artist roster. He performs regularly and this year earned Best Band honors in the Gilroy Dispatch’s 2018 Best Of. They also had the distinction of being called by Ingrid Croce to play a Jim Croce Celebration of Life for a dear friend of hers and Jim’s that had passed away. He has years of experience performing as a solo act, in a duo or band as well as as a headliner and an opener, in the case of the latter having done so for the likes of Pablo Cruise, among others.

NHTE 240 Taylor X Sep 12, 2018

A singer, songwriter, recording artist in the electro pop genre, she also has an extensive background in dance, and, her music videos play in fitness gyms around the country. Plus she has also gotten radio airplay. She was the Pop/Contemporary Entertainer of the Year at last year’s Josie Awards, which is the largest independent artist award show globally. She released a full album two years ago followed by three singles last year and three more earlier this year. She is also a voting member of the Recording Academy for the Grammys.

NHTE 239 Shelly Liebowitz Sep 05, 2018

Record executive, producer, promoter, and manager who is currently the CEO of SRI Label Group. He has worked with artists ranging from Sammy Davis Jr. to John Lennon. And, he has licensed recordings worldwide, and works as a consultant to several major music labels. Last year he put out a hardcover book called, “Doing it on the Downbeat.”

NHTE 238 Mark Schulman Aug 29, 2018

Drummer touring with P!NK (currently in Australia), he has also performed over the years with the likes of Sheryl Crow, Stevie Nicks, Cher, Foreigner, Destiny’s Child, and many others. He is the recipient of numerous gold and platinum discs and has appeared on shows ranging from The Grammys to The Late Show to The Tonight Show to Conan O’Brien, Jon Stewart, American Idol, The X Factor, and more. He is also a music producer, audio engineer, and studio co-owner. He is one of the world’s most sought after drum clinicians. He also does one-on-one coaching and mentoring AND is a keynote speaker. Plus, he wrote the book, “Conquering Life’s Stage Fright: Three Steps to Top Performance.”

NHTE 237 Rick and Nancy Monsipapa Aug 22, 2018

It's called the music BUSINESS, which means that if you are a singer, songwriter, recording artist, musician, entertainer of any kind, there IS an element of sales involved in what you're doing. On this episode, sales trainers Rick and Nancy Monsipapa give tips for selling your music, getting bookings, finding sponsors or endorsement deals, branding yourself -- essentially, better positioning yourself to get more opportunities. The two of them have a combined 40-plus years of sales experience, and put an emphasis on working with entrepreneurs. They co-wrote a book called "Nail The Sale" and host a weekly podcast by the same name. As sales trainers, they work with individuals one-on-one or in group settings with companies to improve sales efforts.

NHTE 236 Carly Jo Jackson Aug 15, 2018

A singer/songwriter who plays guitar and ukulele, she has appeared on “America’s Got Talent,” gotten gear endorsements, and even had one of her original songs used in a TV commercial. She has performed everywhere from the Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim this past January to the prestigious 30A Songwriters Festival in the Florida panhandle, to a San Francisco 49ers game, and even in our nation’s capital. More recently she performed at Summerfest in Milwaukee. She has performed well over 800 shows since 2010. She is currently ranked number one in Miami on ReverbNation in her genre.

NHTE 235 Magnolia Wind Aug 08, 2018

A duo act who prides themselves on playing every instrument you hear - no loops or tracks - they have a unique story about essentially living on the road in their RV. Chris plays guitar and drums and has performed with and for a list of artists that includes Lee Brice, while Kristen (bass and lead vocals) had a solo career that included performing at the Bluebird Cafe, among other venues. They've had 80 thousand-plus streams on Spotify and a video that got more than 100 thousand plays on YouTube in one week! Among other topics in this interview, they discuss new music they're working on for release next year.

NHTE 234 Chase Walker Aug 01, 2018

Currently working on an EP for release before the end of 2018 with an album release likely for 2019, this singer, songwriter, guitarist has been highlighted in Guitar World Magazine ("next blues hero"), Guitar Player Magazine, and UltimateGuitar.com ("the next big thing"). His second album debuted at number 16 on the iTunes Blues music chart and received two International Independent Music Awards nominations. It produced a Number 1 single and three top ten singles on the Roots Music Radio Charts. He made a brief appearance on "The Voice" in 2016 and has a number of endorsement deals.

NHTE 233 Megan Davies Jul 25, 2018

Although based in Nashville, this singer, songwriter, guitar player has become internationally known thanks to her huge success on YouTube. She has also gotten a tremendous following on Spotify while playing all around the country, including multiple House of Blues locations, The Mint (Los Angeles), Rockwood Music Hall (New York), The Fillmore (San Francisco), plus SXSW in Austin earlier this year. She has also gotten airplay on SiriusXM. She released an EP last year and is releasing singles this year.

NHTE 232 Gigi Rich Jul 18, 2018

Now L.A.-based singer, songwriter, piano player who was on Team Gwen Stefani in season seven of "The Voice." Originally from New Jersey, she has performed everywhere from New York to Nashville to Dallas to Las Vegas and at notable venues including The Mint (L.A.), New York's Rockwood Music Hall and The Bitter End, plus even The Apollo Theater. Her debut EP was released last year and she has new music that will come out later this year.

NHTE 231 Amy Keys Jul 11, 2018

She has sung with some of the biggest names in music, from Phil Collins to Ringo Starr, Barbra Streisand, Stevie Wonder, Sting, and many, many more. She has even sung for a Super Bowl commercial that won an Emmy. She is also a writer, producer, and actor, and served as a representative on the Governor’s Board of the National Recording Academy (Grammys) and is a member of its Advocacy Board. Along the way she has also made numerous television appearances.

NHTE 230 Beebs Jul 04, 2018

Singer, songwriter, guitar player currently out on the Warped Tour. She recently hosted the livestream for the California Roots Festival. And she has also been in the studio these days and hopes to release a new single by this Fall. She had released her first solo EP in June 2016. Her other project, Beebs and Her Money Makers, has released five albums and spent the last seven years touring.

NHTE 229 Kris James Jun 27, 2018

Singer/songwriter currently rolling out a single that marks the debut of his solo career after having been a member of the pop trio The Scheme. He has gotten distribution for the song through Universal Music UK and worked with a very notable producer for the song. There are already remixes of the song by some notable DJs. He will be doing a national radio tour in July. (NOTE: He was on this show just over two years ago, in April of 2016 on Episode 116.)

NHTE 228 Nina Lee Jun 20, 2018

A singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist who last November put out a five-song EP. Also last year she was a semi-finalist in the International Songwriting Competition. Three months ago she did a soft launch via YouTube of a new single. She recently played the Montauk Music Festival and also a sold out show at Rockwood Music Hall and recently performed at iHeart Radio's Dunkin Donuts Iced Coffee Lounge. Already in her young career she has performed at famed music venue The Bitter End as well, and been featured in the Huffington Post.

NHTE 227 Steven Malcolm Jun 13, 2018

A multiple Dove Awards nominee, just last week he released his second project in The Second City four-part series, "The Second City Part 2," with Part 1 having been released in late January. He has had a song receive national recognition from NBA on ESPN, plus another single was featured on Spotify’s “New Music Friday” and VH1’s “Black Ink Crew.” He was a featured artist on two high-profile tours last year, “2017 Winter Jam Tour” and Sadie Robertson’s “Live Original Tour.” On his YouTube channel his videos have gained a combined total of over 2.1 million views.

NHTE 226 Diamond Dixie Jun 06, 2018

Sister duo currently working on new music that they hope to release next year. They continue performing all around Florida - including playing some very notable venues and events (performed at the House of Blues three times last year) - while also going back and forth to Nashville. The girls have been extremely successful building their following, to the tune of a combined 340 thousand on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram. For the second straight week we have a sister duo that has been on NHTE before, as Diamond Dixie previously appeared on this show way back on Episode 63.

NHTE 225 Rhythm Rampage May 30, 2018

A sister duo who have a single being released to country radio. They have played over a thousand shows in 20 states. Already this year they have performed in Colorado, Arizona, and California, plus they will be doing an appearance in Nashville in about a week-and-a-half at CMA Fest. They also will be releasing a new EP soon. The girls each sing, play guitar, and write. They previously appeared on this show way back on Episode 25 when they were known as The Redheads.

NHTE 224 Reneda Cross May 23, 2018

The founder of the Pensacola Beach Songwriters Festival, which will celebrate its tenth such event in October. The festival is five days long and features close to 100 songwriters who over the years have come from places like Nashville, as far away as L.A., and even some from right there in Pensacola, Florida. Writers of songs that have become Number One hits have participated in the annual event, which also features community outreach aspects that are talked about in this interview. She also speaks to individuals who think they want to put on a songwriters festival, songwriters who wonder how to get to perform at such an event, and fans who think they know what a songwriters festival might be.

NHTE 223 Sass Jordan May 16, 2018

She has sold over a million records worldwide and won various awards, including Billboard and Juno, and has been called “one of the pioneers of female fronted rock." A singer/songwriter, she has toured and/or worked with an impressive list that ranges from Aerosmith to Alice Cooper to Cheap Trick to Van Halen, Carlos Santana, and Joe Cocker. She was also a feature actor in the episodic TV show “Sisters” and from 2003-2008 starred as one of the four judges on the hugely popular television series, “Canadian Idol.”

NHTE 222 Scott Page May 09, 2018

A saxophonist/guitarist for the likes of Supertramp, Pink Floyd, and Toto, among others, he actually plays several other instruments and sings too. He is also the CEO, President, and Co-Founder of Ignited Network - his fourth startup company - and is an invited guest lecturer (having taught at USC) and panelist at numerous new media conferences and university symposium, and was named one of “The Top 100 Multimedia Producers” by Multimedia Magazine. Scott also produced the world's first interactive cartoon. He also talks about having performed in the last year in places like the Canary Islands, Italy, Lebanon, and China.

NHTE 221 David Longoria May 02, 2018

An award-winning singer, composer, trumpeter, and producer who won Best EDM Song at the 2016 Hollywood Music in Media Awards, although he performs what he considers a sub-genre called TDM – Trumpet Dance Music. He has a multi-decade résumé of work with artists from different eras and has created a movement called “We Are One.” He once played with Dizzy Gillespie and has performed at venues and events ranging from LA Fashion Week to Carnegie Hall to the White House to the Hollywood Palladium and even in Las Vegas. He had a song that became the first recording on the Billboard Dance Music chart by a trumpeter since Herb Alpert more than three decades earlier. He has even played for legendary pop and rock artists including Foreigner, James Brown, and Marvin Gaye.

NHTE 220 Alex G Apr 25, 2018

A singer/songwriter with 1.5 million YouTube subscribers, she released a 14-song album last year and then five months later put out the first in a four-part EP series. She talks about how headlining a tour was different – a learning experience – from being an opening act, and why she doesn’t have immediate plans to get back on the road. Originally from Colorado, she also discusses why she left L.A. to move to Nashville as well as why she could be considered an advocate.

NHTE 219 Chase Miller with Nicky Barot Apr 18, 2018

A return appearance to the show for this California-based country singer, songwriter, guitar player, who this time was joined by his producer (and lead guitar player), who were on-location at the 2018 Winter NAMM Show in Anaheim. At the time of the interview they were working toward the release of a single, expected to be followed by another, and targeting a likely full album release by the end of 2018, and the conversation continued to talk of a mini-tour to support the single(s). Miller also talks about working with publishing companies, plus his diverse influences, and, doing all this while planning for a wedding this November.

NHTE 218 Justin Emord Apr 11, 2018

The bass player from Love and a .38, who had a video for one of their songs featured by Universal Studios on a 40-foot screen at City Walk. The band has gone throughout the southwest and up and down the west coast of the U.S., plus they've performed at SXSW too. Working with the band towards a new EP at the time of this interview, Justin also talks about advocacy work that he has done through the NAMM Foundation both in Sacramento as well as at the federal level in Washington, D.C. He also talks about their being entirely indie/DIY, including landing an impressive list of sponsors.

NHTE 217 Preston Reed Apr 04, 2018

A fingerstyle guitarist known for a two-handed playing style and compositional approach that integrates the percussive potential of the guitar body. One of the greatest and most influential guitarists in the world, he has been captivating audiences globally for almost three decades. To-date, he has recorded seventeen albums and is working on his next, which he hopes to release later this year or in early 2019. In 2000 he moved to Scotland, where he puts on his own week-long workshops, which have been attended by many over the years, including Ed Sheeran.

NHTE 216 Chandler Juliet Mar 28, 2018

With a seven-song EP on target for release this summer, award-winning singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist Chandler Juliet is on a path being paved by success stories. Her debut EP in 2015 was featured through a sold out CD release party at Boardner’s in Hollywood. She has also performed at noted Hollywood venues such as The Troubador, The Viper Room, and Whisky-A-Go-Go. More recently, working with producer/songwriter Dean Dinning (Toad the Wet Sprocket) and Mikal Blue (Colbie Caillat, OneRepublic, Five for Fighting), the first single from the upcoming EP was nominated for three 2017 Indie Music Channel Awards and took home the award for Best Indie Pop Recording.

NHTE 215 Emily Faith Mar 21, 2018

A singer, songwriter, guitar player who lives in Oklahoma but has also performed in places like Texas, California, and Nashville, she became a featured artist on Radio Disney. She recorded an EP under the direction of producer Ken Caillat, best known for his work with Fleetwood Mac. Emily was named the Oklahoma and North American Country Music Association's Vocalist and Entertainer of the Year for five consecutive years. She opened shows for Marty Stuart, Sawyer Brown, and Bryan White, and even performed for President George W. Bush. One of her music videos gained almost 300 thousand views on YouTube in just ten months.

NHTE 214 Dixie Jade Mar 14, 2018

A duo, both originally from California but reconnected in Nashville, they are working on a new EP hoped to be released in the Spring. They have written hundreds of songs together and toured across the nation and have opened for the likes of Thompson Square, Love and Theft, and Daryle Singeltary as well as performed at the Bluebird Cafe in Nashville and (twice) at the Key West Songwriters Festival. They talk about the successful (overfunded) Kickstarter that they'd done for their debut EP and the unique approach they took to recording it (at Warner Studios, to boot).

NHTE 213 Caroline Dare Mar 07, 2018

Recognized by Nashville Songwriters Association International as "One to Watch" (for being a songwriter on the rise), already in her young career she has performed at the likes of Downtown Disney (Orlando, FL), The Bluebird Cafe (Nashville, TN), Eddie's Attic (Atlanta, GA), and The Coca Cola 600 Speed Street Festival (Charlotte, NC). She has recorded two EPs working with Nashville producer, songwriter, recording artist Greg Bates, whose Music City debut landed him in the Billboard Top 5 with his Big Machine Label Group release "Did It For The Girl." An ASCAP songwriter and already a CMA member, Dare is sponsored by MAC Cosmetics and she is involved with many charitable events.

NHTE 212 Mean Mary Feb 28, 2018

She plays eleven different instruments and is a seasoned performer and headliner of over 4000 festivals and concerts. She tells an amazing tale about being in a car accident such that she hit the windshield and the visor hit her throat and one of her vocal chords was paralyzed and they weren't sure it was ever going to move again. ("I'm a walking miracle," she says.) She is going to Europe later this year to tour, having just released her latest album, "Blazing." She produces music for herself and other artists, produces shows and videos, and is co-writing a novel trilogy about the music world. A true nomad, she talks during this interview about being born in Alabama and moving to Minnesota and California (now lives in Nashville).

NHTE 211 Muriel Anderson Feb 21, 2018

The first woman to have won the National Fingerstyle Guitar Championship, she is a guitarist and harp guitarist who has performed with the likes of Les Paul, Chet Atkins, Earl Klugh, and more. She has released more than a dozen solo albums, instructional CDs, and DVDs. Her music can be heard in Woody Allen's film, "Vicky Cristina Barcelona." Her album "Heartstrings" accompanied astronauts on the space shuttle Discovery and her CD "Nightlight Daylight" was chosen as one of the top 10 CDs of the decade by Guitar Player Magazine.

NHTE 210 Joey DeFrancesco Feb 14, 2018

2018 Grammy nominee for Best Jazz Instrumental Album (his fourth Grammy nomination). He has recorded and/or toured with Ray Charles, Better Midler, Diana Krall, George Benson, David Sanborn, and many others. He played 200-plus nights a year throughout the course of his career. He was inducted in the inaugural class of the Hammond Organ Hall of Fame and two years later was put on the Philadelphia Music Walk of Fame. He got his first record deal at age 16 with Columbia Records and at 17 became one of the two youngest players ever recruited for a Miles Davis ensemble.

NHTE 209 James Kennedy Feb 07, 2018

Songwriter, producer, and performer based in Wales (UK) who has been referred to by BBC Radio 1 as “Warped Genius.” He is also the owner of Konic Records and is in the band Kyshera. He has written and produced three Kyshera albums and three solo albums. He has performed hundreds of shows in many different countries. His latest solo album was a Top 50 Best Seller on Amazon.

NHTE 208 Blake Morgan Jan 31, 2018

A recording artist, multi-instrumentalist, and record producer who has drawn accolades from The New York Times, Billboard Magazine, the Washington Post, and more. His current run at New York City’s Rockwood Music Hall has now sold out for two and a half years, performing alongside Grammy-nominated and Grammy-winning special guests. He has also headlined around the globe, doing 100 concerts across 50,000 miles of touring on both sides of the Atlantic this past year alone. He is also the founder and owner of the global company ECR Music Group and he started the iRespectMusic movement. He also talks about a recent article that went viral about a closed-door artists-only meeting he was in at Spotify.

NHTE 207 Joshua Rich Jan 24, 2018

A Washington, DC-based pianist, composer, and vocalist who last August signed a multi-album contract with SRI Jazz. He has worked with Grammy and Oscar-winning composer/performers Marvin Hamlisch and Randy Newman. He has released more than a dozen CDs and his music has been featured in movies and TV shows. Plus, his songs have been performed by stars of “Orange is the New Black” and “My Big Fat Greek Wedding.” He has appeared at thousands of venues, including the Kennedy Center.

NHTE 206 April Diamond Jan 17, 2018

Working towards a new album, this L.A.-based recording artist's dance track debuted at the start of this month at Number 47 on the Billboard dance chart and the following week climbed to Number 40. She has released a video for it that has gotten almost 83 thousand views in just over a month on YouTube. She has another song that is the theme song for a new, but yet-to-be-released movie. She has been featured in a PBS TV special and has performed and directed musicals, recitals, professional concerts and television shows, plus she is a vocal coach. She also talks on this interview about a reality series that she does once a year.

NHTE 205 Roy Orbison, Jr. Jan 10, 2018

The son of a rock and roll legend, Roy Jr. is a musician, producer, music publisher, and author. Plus, he also hosts a podcast. He talks extensively about his father's storied career and how he and others are working to preserve and carry on his legacy through a number of projects, including recordings, a museum, two plays, two movies, and a musical.

NHTE 204 Nicholas Wells Jan 03, 2018

A singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist whose latest release, a six-song EP entitled “Now and Then,” came out a few months ago and followed two full album releases and another EP. His original music has even aired on the SyFy network. And, he has worked with many notable artists, including having performed backup vocals for Adele at Radio City Music Hall in New York in November 2015, a performance that was later televised by NBC. He also played piano in a recent Five For Fighting Christmas special. Plus, as a musical director and producer he performed with and directed Scarborough, a band featuring front man Joe Scarborough from MSNBC, including performing with that band on “The Late Show with Stephen Colbert” and ABC’s “The View.” During this interview he gives great insights regarding Spotify as well as performing via live streaming services.

NHTE 203 Best Of Volume 2 Dec 27, 2017

As the last episode of 2017 being released and having just passed the milestone 200th episode a couple weeks ago, we pause to look back on some of the highlights from the second hundred episodes of “Now Hear This Entertainment.” This episode includes clips from some of the episodes released between the last “Best Of” episode (number 101) and now and is great for someone who might have just recently discovered our show as well as the regular listeners who might have missed an episode or simply want to enjoy a refresher.

NHTE 202 Beth Marie Anderson Dec 20, 2017

A finalist in this year’s Canadian Songwriting Competition, this singer, songwriter, guitar player twice was the only Canadian picked to be an emerging artist inside the CMA Fan Fair in Nashville. She has had several of her songs cut by artists all over North America, including Grand Ole Opry performer Sherry Lynn. Anderson has recorded three albums in Nashville and performed at the famed Bluebird Café there. She has recently released a Christmas album that features a Grammy-winning team of musicians.

NHTE 201 George Millar Dec 13, 2017

The Irish Rovers founder, lead vocalist, guitar player, and songwriter. Fifty years ago the band had a breakout hit with their second album The Unicorn, and returned to the charts 15 more times with other songs. They recently were named one of Ireland’s greatest exports, being so honored at The Irish Emigration Museum. Their latest release, The Unicorn: The Continuing Story, pays appropriate tribute on its golden anniversary, with new recordings, plus the sequel to the The Unicorn song. They’ve traveled the world, as far as the Arctic Circle, Japan, and Germany, and regular tours to Australia, New Zealand, Canada, and the U.S., and two years ago their “50 Years” triple CD broke tour sales records.

NHTE 200 Jim Florentine Dec 06, 2017

He appears regularly on stages around the country doing standup comedy, having even opened for Slayer, Megadeath, and Anthrax. He has appeared on shows ranging from Jimmy Kimmel to Howard Stern. He has released CDs and DVDs and has a book due out in February called “Everybody is Awful (Except You).” He hosts a podcast called “Comedy Metal Midgets” and was a host on “That Metal Show” on VH1.

NHTE 199 Victoria Fatu Nov 29, 2017

A singer and concert pianist who was born in Azerbaijan and has performed in countries from North America to Asia to Europe, having even done a solo recital performance at Carnegie Hall in New York. She has earned a long list of honors and distinctions over the years, including an Excellence Prize from the President of the Russian Federation in back-to-back years. She released a single in late June, releasing another new single in a couple weeks. She is currently working as a professor of piano at West Virginia State University, where a video of her that went viral was shot, with her spontaneously singing Justin Bieber during one of her classes.

NHTE 198 Cooper Phillip Nov 22, 2017

California-based singer/songwriter with an amazing story of being born and growing up in Russia before moving to New York as a teenager and then Los Angeles. She had studied classical piano and theory, harp, ballet and voice. She even overcame less than desirable sleeping arrangements in the Big Apple when she first came to the U.S. Currently working toward a new EP to start off 2018, her debut EP had been called, “Walk A Mile.” Her success includes a lyric video that in one year has totaled approximately 130 thousand views on her official YouTube channel.

NHTE 197 Marty Dread Nov 15, 2017

Hawaii-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who has been releasing new music for 22 years, including 17 albums, and has a new release that he's hoping to have out by the start of 2018. He performs throughout the Hawaiian Islands, the U.S., and around the world. He both opened for and appeared on stage with Willie Nelson, and in recording studios he has worked with the likes of Michael McDonald and Kris Kristofferson, among many, many others. He has even earned four Hoku Award nominations, which is Hawaii’s version of the Grammys. Plus, he was also honored with the Ghandi and Martin Luther King Peace Hero Award. During this interview he also tells of how he got a Number One song in Tahiti.

NHTE 196 Chad Cromwell Nov 08, 2017

Drummer on the current Joe Walsh tour. His career has included similar work with the likes of Neil Young and Mark Knopfler. Plus he has played with the likes of Bonnie Raitt, Jackson Browne, Peter Frampton, Lady Antebellum, and many, many more. He has even been nominated for the Academy of Country Music Award for Drummer of the Year. He also does work as a producer.

NHTE 195 Geissie Torres Nov 01, 2017

A singer, songwriter, and entertainer, who is releasing a new single this month and working towards an EP. She is a regular performer at Mango’s Tropical Cafe (2500 capacity) in Orlando, entertaining audiences in two shows each night. But, she has also performed extensively away from there, including not only outside Florida but even televised performances as well, notably in Mexico for “Va Por Ti” on Univision. And it should be noted that she also is a bi-lingual singer as well.

NHTE 194 Cody Joe Hodges Oct 25, 2017

Texas-based singer, songwriter, guitar player who has spent time in Nashville as well as in the U.S. Army – including performing! He has gotten radio airplay and has had at least five different singles land on various music charts, while performing at everything from live music venues to fairs & festivals, professional sporting events, and private events. He has an upcoming tour/radio tour, going from Alabama to Virginia, and another next month going from Austin, Texas to New Mexico, Arizona, and Colorado.

NHTE 193 Kathryn Hoxie Oct 18, 2017

A singer, songwriter, vocal character actor, author, illustrator, and public speaker. She is also the Chief Operating Officer of What’s Hot In Hip Hop. She performed at South By Southwest this and last year. In August 2015 she released her first full-length album and is currently working on a new EP, having released singles in between. She is a voting member of the Grammys and also talks during this interview about three different crowdfunding campaigns she has undertaken.

NHTE 192 Oliver Sean Oct 11, 2017

A former MTV VJ based in England, he is a singer, songwriter, guitar player who recently released his fourth studio album, which landed on the iTunes Best Selling Pre-Orders list. An MTV Europe Music Awards nominee, Rolling Stone magazine said, “It’s like The Eagles have hired Jack Johnson for some lessons on lightening up.” One year ago VH1 released one of his music videos and the BBC have already picked up one of his songs for rotation. He is touring in England and will soon be performing in the Americas. He is a filmmaker too, making - for himself and others - music videos that have been featured on MTV and VH1. Plus, he is a voting member of the Grammy Awards and also has a weekly podcast with significant distribution.

NHTE 191 Christian Swain Oct 04, 2017

The founder and host of The Rock N Roll Archaeology Project, which consists of six different podcasts, all surrounding the rock genre. He also has an exciting announcement about a new podcast project in addition to all of those. He himself is a musician, handling lead vocals and guitar in a classic rock band called Tinman, and talks about their upcoming CD release. In his early years his band headlined in the big music venues on the Sunset Strip in Hollywood.

NHTE 190 Laura Wright Sep 27, 2017

Las Vegas singer, songwriter, dancer, and actress. She previously released a full-length album and then put out a five-song Christmas EP last December. Now she is working on a new album. She was a semi-finalist on season five of “American Idol.” She does a solo guest entertainer show on a wide variety of cruise lines, performs in Las Vegas with a group called The Moonshiners and also as a guest entertainer in a group called Divas3. Plus she is a featured singer in “Vegas! The Show” at Planet Hollywood.

NHTE 189 William Crighton Sep 20, 2017

An Australian singer/songwriter who is currently recording his second record for Universal Music, working with producer Matt Sherrod. Last October, Rolling Stone said he, “breathes fresh and strikingly vivid life into the umbrous bush of traditional Australian balladry.” This year he has performed on both coasts of Canada and put out a 7-inch vinyl release and digital single. He has also performed with The Beach Boys and The Temptations.

NHTE 188 Charlie Midnight Sep 13, 2017

A producer, lecturer, author, mentor, and songwriter who has worked with some of the biggest names in the business, ranging from Barbra Streisand to Hillary Duff to The Doobie Brothers to Cher, James Brown, and many more. He has earned Grammy and Golden Globe nominations and he has been involved in the writing, conceptualization and production of albums throughout his career that have sold in excess of 50 million copies. As a performer he had gotten signed to a major record label.

NHTE 187 Dinorah Zamora Sep 06, 2017

Recorded on-location in San Diego with a Mexican born singer/songwriter who has performed internationally and is working towards an EP release. Already in her young career she has been involved in charitable works, and, she has worked with Carlos Santana’s former guitar teacher. At the time of the interview she was ranked Number 1 on ReverbNation for her genre in San Diego. She also talks about filming in China for her music video, which got over 16 thousand views in its first two months.

NHTE 186 Glenn McCoy Aug 30, 2017

An illustrator, animator, cartoonist, and children’s book author, whose work includes the syndicated comic strips The Duplex and The Flying McCoys. His nationally syndicated editorial cartoons have been reprinted in the New York Times, USA Today, and Newsweek, and appear frequently on CNN. He also works for many of the top magazines, greeting card companies, and publishing houses in the country. His clients range from Playboy to Parade and he has designed and written for several TV and feature animation studios including Dreamworks, 20th Century Fox, and Walt Disney TV, among others.

NHTE 185 Rose Cora Perry Aug 23, 2017

A Canadian singer, songwriter, and guitar player who was interviewed on-location in Nashville at the Summer NAMM Show, she is also a photography model and hosted two popular TV programs up in her hometown. Last year she released a solo album, but also formed a high energy powerhouse duo. This year she was named the #1 Rock Artist for her area by ReverbNation. She even had a starring role in a theatre production of “Legally Blonde” and also published a blog that achieved worldwide syndication.

NHTE 184 Derek Norsworthy Aug 16, 2017

A Mississippi-based singer, songwriter, and guitar player who was interviewed on-location in Nashville at the Summer NAMM Show, he has opened for major acts including Blake Shelton, Miranda Lambert, Eric Church, Thompson Square, Brantley Gilbert, Charlie Daniels, 3 Doors Down, and Alabama. He has penned numerous film scores, including on PBS and the CW Television Network. Plus, he had a song featured on a Netflix original series. He is a USO Ambassador Representative and is the founder of the Roots Foundation. He has been working with Grammy award winning producer Skidd Mills towards a new EP.

NHTE 183 Shelby Lee Lowe Aug 09, 2017

Recorded on-location in Nashville at the Summer NAMM Show with singer, songwriter, guitar player Shelby Lee Lowe, who released a self-titled album last November. He has opened for major acts such as Charlie Daniels, Cowboy Troy, Sister Hazel, and Confederate Railroad, among others. Last year he secured representation with the same agency that has Garth Brooks and Jason Aldean as clients. Among other live shows, he has played events for the Atlanta Braves and for NASCAR at the Bristol Motor Speedway as well as at CMA Fest. Two years ago he signed with Banner Music as a staff songwriter.

NHTE 182 Bryce Hitchcock Aug 02, 2017

On-location in Nashville with this singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and actress! This past February she put out an album entitled, “I Wonder.” Last year she’d put out an EP that had a bonus track co-written and produced by Tom Petersson of Cheap Trick. Approximately a year-and-a-half ago a single for the holidays that she had released got airplay on thousands of stations worldwide. She has written songs for TV and film, including having had a song placed on the Canadian TV show “Debra.” She has a handful of sponsors and last year performed up and down the east coast of the U.S. as well as in Ireland.

NHTE 181 Jerry Jean Jul 26, 2017

New York-based singer, songwriter, producer, and musician whose debut full-length album was released in February after having previously released three EPs. The music video for the title track from his newest release got over one million views on Facebook and the new album was mixed and mastered by some of the biggest names in the business. Each of his three EPs had made news either on the iTunes chart or awards-wise.

NHTE 180 Tina Perez Jul 19, 2017

A singer/songwriter who also performs in the shows at Mango’s Tropical Café in Orlando (2500 capacity venue). She did an EP in 2015, has also released four mixtapes, and is working toward a new EP (or possibly full album). Her background includes having performed in Carnegie Hall in New York City as well as having sung alongside Michael Crawford, of “Phantom of the Opera” fame. Her talents even extend to being a vocal producer and engineer.

NHTE 179 Cat Ridgeway Jul 12, 2017

A singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist, NPR said that she, “taps into the tradition of American songwriting.” She has worked with several notable producers, including Greg Rike (producer of Deep Purple and the Backstreet Boys) and most recently Ben Cooper (co-writer of Ricky Skaggs’ Grammy Award winning album, “Mosaic”). Her seven-song release in 2015 came via an overfunded crowdfunding campaign. She just returned from traveling internationally and in late July will head to Memphis to record her latest single.

NHTE 178 Victoria Canal Jul 05, 2017

Currently in London, she’s a singer/songwriter who has overcome a significant physical challenge and plays guitar and piano. Her independently released debut EP garnered over two million plays on Spotify and charted at #6 on Billboard’s “Next Big Sound.” She has toured the southeast of the U.S. twice and is #1 on ReverbNation in the Netherlands, and #96 globally. This coming Fall she’ll be attending NYU Clive Davis Institute of Recorded Music while simultaneously working on new material. She was also a two-time full-scholarship winner of Berklee College of Music's Summer Performance Program.

NHTE 177 Mai Tatro Jun 28, 2017

A singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist who released her debut single last year and is currently working toward an EP release. She performs all over central Florida and has gotten radio airplay. Plus, she works with a charity called, “Kids Rock the Nation.” And she has started building a foundation of sponsors. Not covered during the interview but worth noting is that she was also an accomplished figure skater!

NHTE 176 Bonnie Paul Jun 21, 2017

A singer/songwriter who is a voting Grammy member and co-wrote the song “Childhood Sweethearts” with Randy Travis. She toured with Johnny Rodriguez as a kid and worked with some of the biggest names in country music, such as Waylon Jennings, Tom T. Hall, and Mickey Newbury. She grew up in a show biz family and was a child actress and still acts today. She even has a romantic comedy playing on Amazon.

NHTE 175 Katie Belle Jun 14, 2017

A singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist whose new music video got over 12 thousand views in the first week alone and is working toward a new EP. She has won multiple female country artist awards, plus, one of her original songs was chosen for a bullying awareness charity, which led to her headlining the Teen Nation Tour. Although she’s based in Atlanta, she does travel to Nashville regularly, having started doing so at the age of just ten years old! She is also quite accomplished in modeling as well, having been on the Spring 2017 cover of Teen Fashion Magazine, appeared at New York Fashion Week, walked at New Orleans Fashion Week, Miami Beach Week, and more.

NHTE 174 Marc Ensign Jun 07, 2017

For ten years up in New York he played bass in the Tony Award-winning Broadway show, “Rent.” He also recorded with Grammy Award-winning artist R. Kelly, along with others. He even had a successful writing career, having written instructional books for Mel Bay Publications and articles for Bass Player Magazine. He had graduated from Berklee College of Music with a degree in music performance. He has a book called, “Unbreakable: The Secret to Getting Anything and Everything You’ve Ever Wanted” and is also the host of a brand new podcast called, “Be A Dick.”

NHTE 173 Ryan Kairalla May 31, 2017

A lawyer, writer, podcaster, and teacher. He has a book called, “Break the Business: Declaring Your Independence and Achieving True Success in the Music Industry.” The audiobook version of that is being released two days after this interview comes out. He also hosts the Break the Business Podcast and has represented chart-topping hitmakers and up-and-coming musicians alike. Although he’s not a professional musician, for fun he does play guitar and ukulele.

NHTE 172 Nicole Medoro May 24, 2017

A singer, songwriter, and professional dancer who just won the first ever Dunkin Donuts Cold Brew Jams jingle competition. Based in New York, she has been on national television, ranging from the likes of “The Tonight Show,” to “Saturday Night Live,” the Macy’s Fall Fashion Show, and America’s Got Talent. She has performed alongside internationally acclaimed artists such as Madonna, Nicki Minaj, and Ariana Grande, to name just a few. She’s planning to release a new single this summer and is working on her next EP. Nicole performed on Broadway and was also a dancer for the NBA’s Brooklyn Nets.

NHTE 171 Heather Jeanette May 17, 2017

A singer/songwriter who just released a new single, she plays guitar and piano. Her songwriting and production credits include Selena Gomez, Kelly Clarkson, and Jason Derulo, among others. She is signed to a publishing deal and has also been a performer and co-writer on music heard on A&E Television’s “Born This Way.” Among other topics, she talks about recording in Nashville despite living in Los Angeles, and a new music video that she’ll be shooting this month.

NHTE 170 Carl Fischer May 10, 2017

Billy Joel’s trumpet player for more than a decade now, he also plays flugelhorn, trombone, and saxophone. Carl has also been a featured soloist with Diana Ross. And, he has been the Music Director for Blood, Sweat, & Tears, recorded with Mariah Carey and for national TV commercials. He also is a band leader of two groups of his own. As he mentions during this interview, he is currently working on material for his next solo project.

NHTE 169 Buck Johnson May 03, 2017

Aerosmith’s touring keyboard player, he is a singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist, and producer who does southern soulful rock/country in his original music, including an album released last year. He has also toured and recorded with such notable artists as The Doobie Brothers, Tal Bachman, John Waite, and Shawn Mullins, among others. As a songwriter he co-wrote the international hit single for Carlos Santana “Just Feel Better” and has had numerous songs in TV shows and in major film releases.

NHTE 168 Makenna and Brock Apr 26, 2017

A country duo that splits their time between Missouri and Nashville, their first single went to the Top 40 on the Music Row charts and they’re now writing and recording toward a new project. They were Top 12 Finalists on The X-Factor in the first season of that show. They have been featured in national publications ranging from Rolling Stone to People Magazine, and the Washington Post, among others. They have also been featured on CBS.com, CNN.com, and MTV.com. They have opened for the likes of Sheryl Crow, Uncle Kracker, and Cowboy Troy, among others.

NHTE 167 Aileen Quinn and the Leapin Lizards Apr 19, 2017

Best known as having been “Annie” in the 1982 motion picture of the same name, Aileen Quinn – along with her band, the Leapin’ Lizards – performed and then sat down for this interview during the Winter 2017 NAMM show in California. While she does talk about having played the little orphan on the big screen when she was nine years old, Quinn talks about rockabilly music and how her band formed, and they contribute to the interview as well. She also talks about where her career took her after “Annie” but before this band and compares theater life to being in a band.

NHTE 166 Karen Waldrup AND Whitherward Apr 12, 2017

Karen Waldrup and then folk/Americana duo Whitherward each performed and then sat down for these interviews during the Winter 2017 NAMM show in California. Country singer/songwriter Waldrup was making her third appearance on NHTE and talked about having added saxophone to her music, plus a full-length album she successfully crowdfunded, targeted for a summer 2017 release. Ashley E. Norton and Edward Williams talk about three endorsements that they (Whitherward) got while at the NAMM Show. They also talk about a new album, living on the road (literally), and having played over 250 shows last year and probably more than that in 2017. Ashley also refers back to her NHTE Episode 6 interview and talks about the record deal she’d just signed then and how it never turned into anything!

NHTE 165 Brian Fitzy AND Mark Wood Apr 05, 2017

Brian Fitzy and then Mark Wood each performed and then sat down for these interviews during the Winter 2017 NAMM show in California. Fitzy is a multi-instrumentalist, vocalist, producer, and composer who is releasing a new album. He has performed at venues ranging from Madison Square Garden in New York to the Staples Center in Los Angeles, plus, as talked about during this interview, he appeared with the Foo Fighters on the 50th Grammy Awards. He talks about his extensive use of looping technology too. Mark Wood is a recording artist, performer, producer, inventor, Emmy-winning composer, and music education advocate. He has been called the “Les Paul of the violin world, did TV broadcast music for the Winter Olympics and Tour de France, appeared alongside Lenny Kravitz, Celine Dion, and Kanye West, and toured with Billy Joel, Paul McCartney, Steven Tyler, and Roger Daltry. Plus, he has played at Carnegie Hall, Madison Square Garden, and Shea Stadium, and also talks on this interview about the Mark Wood Rock Orchestra Camp & Festival.

NHTE 164 Natalie Gelman AND Josh Logan Mar 29, 2017

Natalie Gelman and then Josh Logan each performed and then sat down for these interviews during the Winter 2017 NAMM show in California. Gelman talks about getting started by playing on the street in Times Square and then down in the subway as well as pretending to be 21 to play in the clubs. A singer/songwriter based in California, she also talks about a new music video as well as a European tour she did and an album release she’ll be doing this year. Josh Logan was on “The Voice” in 2013, finishing in the top 12, after having been top 15 on “Rockstar: Supernova” in 2006. He recently released an EP and talks about it, as well as staying fresh by moving around, his deep-rooted admiration of and influence by Stevie Wonder, and even his thoughts on music streaming services.

NHTE 163 Peter Thom AND Death Angel Mar 22, 2017

Peter Thom performed and then was immediately interviewed and three members of Death Angel sat down for a Q&A as well during the Winter 2017 NAMM show in California. Peter Thom was promoting and doing a live demo of LoopTunes, which he developed (released last June). Originally from Germany and classically trained on piano, he started making music when he was seven years old and recording when he was 14. On their portion of this NHTE episode, three of the five members of Death Angel talk about – among other topics – the 30-year anniversary of their first album, their discography, advice for up-and-comers, and their interest in vinyl. The band has opened for the likes of Metallica, Megadeath, and Slayer, among others.

NHTE 162 Jordan Rudess AND Vinnie and the Hooligans Mar 15, 2017

Jordan Rudess performed and then was immediately interviewed and Vinnie & the Hooligans sat down for a Q&A as well during the Winter 2017 NAMM show in California. Rudess has been the keyboard player in platinum-selling Grammy-nominated prog rock band Dream Theater for 19 years now. While he does talk about the band during this interview, he was also promoting and doing a live demo of the GeoShred app from moForte and Wizdom Music. (Rudess founded the latter.) He also talks about his influences. On their portion of this NHTE episode, two of the four members of Vinnie & the Hooligans talk about their latest EP, the band’s history and songwriting process, the following they’ve built up, and what’s ahead for the rest of 2017. Plus, of course, we give the listeners a taste of the band’s original music.

NHTE 161 Brian Scoggin AND Keith Charley Mar 08, 2017

Brian Scoggin sat down for a Q&A and Keith Charley performed and then was immediately interviewed as well during the Winter 2017 NAMM show in California. Scoggin has been the drummer for Casting Crowns for the last eight years now and talks about how he had gotten that opportunity as well as thoughts from the stage, gear he’s using, and the band’s current tour and newest album. Keith Charley is a California-based jazz guitar player preparing for the release of a ten-song solo CD and then a tour to support it – all while being an audio systems manager at Sony (for the Playstation). He talks about his influences as well as the differences being a musician now versus when he was young and starting out.

NHTE 160 Rick Allen, Robert Dudzic, Ric Viers AND Dave Pensado Mar 01, 2017

Ric Viers, Rick Allen, and Robert Dudzic, and then Dave Pensado all sat down for these two interviews during the Winter 2017 NAMM show in California. Viers, Allen, and Dudzic are among the leading sound designers in the industry and talk here about their work and favorite projects. Viers wrote the Sound Effects Bible and his location credits include hundreds of productions for nearly every major TV network, Universal Studios, Dateline, Good Morning America, Disney, and many others. Allen has received gold and platinum records from major labels for editing and remixing, and earned Addy Awards and Clio certificates. Dudzic is a producer, engineer, and studio musician who has spent the last 15 years designing and composing music and sound effects and has created several libraries of music and effects heard regularly on radio, TV, and in the theater. Pensado is a Grammy Award-winning mix engineer who has worked with some of the biggest names in the business, including Michael Jackson, Kelly Clarkson, Elton John, and Christina Aguilera, among countless others. He also has “Pensado’s Place,” a weekly YouTube show that has run for five years with over 210 episodes, an audience in over 150 countries, and monthly viewers between 550 and 700 thousand.

NHTE 159 Jessica Jolia AND Malynda Hale Feb 22, 2017

Jessica Jolia and then Malynda Hale each performed and then sat down for these interviews during the Winter 2017 NAMM show in California. Both are singer/songwriters based in that state. Jolia had a song placed in the film “Sister Code” and on Spotify’s “Fresh Finds Top Tracks of 2016 Playlist.” She is recording a new album, slated for release in July, and is also touring the country with Eric Benet and Johnny Gill. Jessica tells a funny story about something no one knows about her. Malynda Hale won Best Female Vocalist at the 2016 Hollywood Music in Media Awards. She is also an actress and is a SAG member, having even done national commercials and a Lifetime movie. She also co-hosted “The Vampire Diaries” after-show and was the main host for “The Walking Dead” after-show. She mentions having even done modeling and voiceover work. On top of all that she’s working on a new five-song EP for release this summer.

NHTE 158 Chalise Zolezzi AND Citizen Shade Feb 15, 2017

Chalise Zolezzi sat down for a Q&A and then Citizen Shade performed and then was immediately interviewed as well during the Winter 2017 NAMM show in California. Chalise Zolezzi is the Director of Public Relations and Social Media for NAMM and talks about the Show, the Foundation, and various awards, plus the NAMM Day of Service. Citizen Shade – songwriters Will Howard (vocals and percussion) and David Lezcano (piano/keyboards) – has just released a new single and also did a Lukas Graham cover that has 3.2 million views on YouTube. The duo has drawn comparisons to John Legend (Will) and alternative pop bands such as Bastille. Among other topics, they talk about having performed at the Greensboro Coliseum.

NHTE 157 Laura Dickinson AND Phantasmic Ghost Hunters Feb 08, 2017

Laura Dickinson performed and then was immediately interviewed, and the Phantasmic Ghost Hunters sat down for a Q&A as well during the Winter 2017 NAMM show in California. Laura Dickinson has three songs on the Grammy ballot this year, has been working with Michael Bublé, has opened for Tony Bennett and Lyle Lovett, and has done work on the films “Rogue One” and “Sing.” She has worked for eleven years with Disney TV Animation, including on “Phineas and Ferb.” The Phantasmic Ghost Hunters, Gavin Kelly and Paula Purcell, were until now seen on YouTube, but have just signed an exclusive deal with Amazon. They investigate the most haunted, abandoned asylums, sanitariums, and mental hospitals. They have also released an app called the PGH Tracker to see ghosts and photos.

NHTE 156 Hazelrigg Bros AND Jessica Lynn Feb 01, 2017

The Hazelrigg Brothers and singer/songwriter Jessica Lynn performed and then sat down for these interviews during the Winter 2017 NAMM show in California. The Hazelrigg Brothers – Geoff and George – have a new album out but also have an electronics company, just acquired another, and even talk here about their love of aviation. Jessica Lynn has toured nationally and internationally, including opening for Loretta Lynn and Phil Vassar, among others. She has two specials airing on PBS and, along with her band, will be opening for ZZ Top this summer.

NHTE 155 Halie Loren Jan 25, 2017

A singer/songwriter who has released eight albums, the last of which was featured on the Grammy ballot. Her music has found success internationally, with her first jazz CD being in the Top 5 on Amazon Japan’s jazz chart, along with the likes of releases by Norah Jones and Diana Krall. Also outside the U.S., she is scheduled to perform in March in Haiti. She is also the host of a new TV music series.

NHTE 154 Eileen Carey Jan 18, 2017

She is releasing a new single at the end of February or beginning of March and a new album will be done by early Spring. (She records in both Nashville and L.A.) Named the Country Breakthrough Artist of the Year 2016 by the New Music Weekly, CBS LA called her one of Los Angeles’s Top 10 Female Musicians, and she has won twice at the Los Angeles Music Awards. She has been the artist ambassador for the beauty salon chain Supercuts and even performed in films like “Hoffa,” “Basic Instinct,” and the original “Batman” film, along with advertising campaigns like her role in one of Ray Charles’ Diet Pepsi commercials. She also talks about her “Music Mom” website.

NHTE 153 Isaiah Grass Jan 11, 2017

Presently working on his second album, he is a singer/songwriter who is ranked #1 on the Chicago ReverbNation Pop Charts. He has performed at the likes of the House of Blues, Hard Rock Café, Six Flags, and other notable venues and events. He has built up a huge following, with over 300 thousand followers combined on his social media and three million views on his YouTube channel. In 2010 he had been signed to a modeling agency and his music career was launched one year later.

NHTE 152 Mella Barnes Jan 04, 2017

Singer/songwriter who has also authored a book that was featured in a Huffington Post piece. She also does voiceover work and is an avid blogger. Plus, she is a regular contributor for a lifestyle publication for women called Eydis Magazine. She is also the co-founder of Brain Stamp Music, based in Metro Detroit and Nashville. In 2015 she released an 11-song album called “Zebra Stone” and is planning to release a new album this year (2017).

NHTE 151 Jenifer Brening Dec 28, 2016

The first Germany-based guest on the show, this singer/songwriter released a single in October and then put out a 14-song album last month. She traveled to California last month as a nominee at the 2016 Hollywood Music in Media Awards. She is under the international record company KHB Music and will be on German national television on January 12th. Included in this interview is talk of her having filmed a music video at a popular but eerie location in Berlin.

NHTE 150 Mike DelGuidice Dec 21, 2016

Billy Joel’s guitar player/background vocalist on tour, he also continues with his successful Big Shot tribute band that got him to his spot with the “piano man.” In addition to touring with and playing with his own tribute band, he also performs shows doing only his original music. A singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, his original song “Ordinary Guy” has been picked up as the theme song for the CBS sitcom “Kevin Can Wait.” He was recently featured in Rolling Stone magazine and has also gotten coverage in national media such as “The Today Show” on NBC.

NHTE 149 Viktoria Tocca Dec 14, 2016

Sweden-based award-winning singer/songwriter who has had success in her home country as well as in the U.S. and China. In addition to the recordings she has put out, she has also performed in major roles in the theater. In November she traveled to Los Angeles as a nominee in the 2016 Hollywood Music in Media Awards.

NHTE 148 Zach Seabaugh Dec 07, 2016

A just-turned 18 years old singer/songwriter who plays guitar, having released his first EP in June and held the number three spot on the iTunes Country Album chart. When he was 16 years old he was a semi-finalist on Season 9 of “The Voice,” being mentored by Blake Shelton. He will be starring in a musical early next year.

NHTE 147 Brielle Von Hugel Nov 30, 2016

Singer/songwriter who released another single last week and has been touring with Post Modern Jukebox. She was one of the Top 12 girls’ semi-finalists on Season 11 of “American Idol.” She is signed to Freedom Records, her YouTube videos have amassed over two million views, and she has received attention from the likes of Billboard.com, RyanSeacrest.com, and Hollywood Gossip. She is working on a new release targeted for Spring.

NHTE 146 Barbara Cloyd Nov 23, 2016

Nashville-based songwriter, teacher, and host of the Monday Open Mic at the famous Bluebird Café in Music City. She co-wrote the song, “I Guess You Had to be There,” which was a hit for Lorrie Morgan. She also does workshops and one-on-one sessions. This interview was recorded on-location in Alabama, where she was one of over 200 songwriters performing at the 32nd Frank Brown International Songwriters Festival.

NHTE 145 Russell Foisy with Kham Loraamm Nov 16, 2016

A singer/songwriter who performs in a duo and brought his duo partner with him for this interview. The former just completed recording his newest project and he is currently ranked number two on ReverbNation for his area. His colleague, a multi-instrumentalist, is in the process of recording an EP (his second). They recorded this interview the day before the release party for Foisy’s new CD.

NHTE 144 Mark McConville Nov 09, 2016

An actor, improviser, musician, and podcaster, he currently performs in several different improv and comedy groups in Los Angeles. He is also a contributor to the Superego podcast. Music-wise he is a singer, guitarist, and pedal steel guitar player. He performs with an L.A.-based bluegrass band called The Dust Bowl Cavaliers. They got approached to do an album in the popular Pickin’ On series. And, the band just got hired to do an episode of “American Crime” (ABC). CORRECTION: The Joel Schumacher story referred to in this interview was from Episode 137 (Marco Argiro), not Episode 141 (Fly By Midnight).

NHTE 143 Jason Snell Nov 02, 2016

The host of a weekly pop culture podcast called The Incomparable, which is the flagship of the Incomparable Radio Network, which features various podcasts. The Incomparable Radio Network has built up a couple hundred episodes! He is also part of Upgrade, which is essentially the official Six Colors podcast. Plus, he is the co-host of TV Talk Machine, with his co-host being the chief TV critic at the Hollywood Reporter. Also a co-host of a podcast called Liftoff, Jason had written for Macworld for many years.

NHTE 142 Twin Kennedy Oct 26, 2016

Identical twin sisters, Carli Kennedy plays guitar and Julie plays violin, while they both sing and write songs. They recently were the grand prize winner in the John Lennon Songwriting Contest and have had nine BCCMA award nominations since 2012. The country duo has performed during the likes of Canadian Music Week, the Live at Heart Festival in Sweden, the Winter Olympics in Vancouver, as well as Florida’s Listening Room Festival. They had a video get played on CMT in Canada, got their first Canadian Country Music Award nomination last year, and Julie was nominated for Fiddle Player of the Year (this year). They even talk about visiting 60 radio stations across Canada to do promo.

NHTE 141 Fly By Midnight Oct 19, 2016

This retro pop duo recently opened for Third Eye Blind and has performed at notable venues such as the Hotel Café in L.A. and The Bitter End in New York, plus other locations up and down the east coast from New York to Florida. Two weeks prior to this interview they released a video that in that time had already gotten more than 31 thousand views on their YouTube channel, which has over 150 THOUSAND subscribers. They have both written for artists on “American Idol,” “The Voice,” and “X Factor,” and one of them (Justin Bryte) was on MTV’s “Dream Bigger.”

NHTE 140 Shane and Emily Oct 12, 2016

Duo who spends extensive time on the road – including living in an RV – but also play at Disney twice a week and they’ve played at Busch Gardens too. They’re working on their second album and talk about topics ranging from their first house concert to recording in Nashville, performing at colleges and universities, thoughts on Open Mic nights, and what it’s like to perform with your spouse.

NHTE 139 Shevonne Philidor Oct 05, 2016

From “America’s Got Talent” in 2011 to the final season of “American Idol” in 2016 – after auditioning for the latter show six times – this Tampa, Florida-based singer, songwriter, guitar player just released her album at the end of last week, having self-produced the ten-song CD. Among other venues, she performs regularly with her band at the Seminole Hard Rock Hotel & Casino and also is a DJ (did an NHL party) and model (did a Nike ad). Plus, she even did the design work for the cover of her CD.

NHTE 138 Glen Schubert Sep 28, 2016

The Founder of Instruments of Change, which aims to profoundly impact the lives of disadvantaged children through the gifts of musical instrument donation. They have also done events that have featured some of the artists that have been interviewed on our show. An entrepreneur, Glen, himself, plays guitar and piano and a number of other instruments, albeit recreationally.

NHTE 137 Marco Argiro of The Killing Floor Sep 21, 2016

A member of the rock, alternative, indie, British-American band The Killing Floor, playing bass and providing lead vocals. The band last month released a four-song EP entitled, “Tongue Tied,” having previously done a full, 11-song, self-titled album prior to that. The band showcased at this year’s SXSW and also played in Las Vegas for the Vans Warped Tour. They will perform at Indie Week Europe in Manchester, UK, in October as winners of Indie Week Canada, where they received First Place Best Band honors at the Toronto festival. The band shot their first music video with legendary Hollywood director Joel Schumacher, for a song that was featured in MTV programs.

NHTE 136 Lynn Easterly Sep 14, 2016

A country singer who has won several independent music awards including "Independent Music Artist of The Year," "Female Vocalist of The Year," and "Entertainer of The Year." She has released a couple singles this year and has a new album in the works. She also released a new video a few months ago too.

NHTE 135 Mary Sarah Sep 07, 2016

Having finished fifth on “The Voice” this year (Season 10), she then made her Grand Ole Opry debut two weeks later. A singer, songwriter, and guitar player, she put out an album in 2014 called “Bridges,” featuring performances with some of the biggest names in the business, and then followed it up with an eight-song release last year. She had actually released her first album at age 14 and is now working on material for another new album.

NHTE 134 Lily Lambert Aug 31, 2016

Born in England, she went to New York on vacation and never went home, later moving to California before settling in Arizona, where she now resides and does theater in addition to her music. She was the International Music and Entertainment Association’s 2015 Folk Artist of the Year, had their Folk Album of the Year the previous year, and earned three other notable awards in 2015. Among other topics, she discusses how one of her music videos got shown at the New York City Independent Film Festival and other similar events.

NHTE 133 Dylan Addington Aug 24, 2016

This newlywed from Pueblo, Colorado, grew up in California and then spent his teen years in New Mexico, where his father is a prominent musician. Dylan is a distant cousin of Maybelle Addington Carter, mother-in-law of Johnny Cash. A singer, songwriter, guitar player, Dylan is getting radio airplay and recently had the number 1 song on SoundCloud’s New and Hot charts for Folk and Singer-Songwriter music. Following a five-year hiatus he has emerged – in May – with his new album, called, “Lost My Way,” has started a record label, and is already working on a new album.

NHTE 132 Lionel Lodge Aug 17, 2016

Born in Scotland, lived in Canada, now resides in Austria, but also lived in Spain and has spent time in the Ukraine. This singer, songwriter, and guitar player released his 12th album this May, plus he has written lyrics and music for numerous other releases. He creates music that spans numerous genres, from rock to Cajun to Celtic to blues and even folk. In addition to there in Austria, he still does perform in Canada and has been in music for approximately 35 years.

NHTE 131 Macy Medford Aug 10, 2016

A singer/songwriter who, at 19 years old, has already signed with InPlay Records and is currently working on new music. Originally from Houston but now in Nashville, she actually released her first album when she was 14 years old and had been on a national Disney Channel commercial when she was 12. She opened for Kidz Bop at the House of Blues in Dallas and Houston and at age 14 was nominated for Pop Artist of the Year at the Los Angeles Music Awards AND filmed her first music video out there at an old home of Marilyn Monroe’s.

NHTE 130 Doug Shea Aug 03, 2016

A Christian singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist whose new album was just released at the end of May and was backed by a successful Kickstarter campaign. In just the first month of being on YouTube, a video for one of the songs from that album got close to 16 thousand views. Based in Texas, south of Houston, he used to play in a secular band that toured the U.S. and opened for Lifehouse and Creed, among others. He talks about having successfully overcome addictions, depression, and mental illness.

NHTE 129 Tony Michaelides Jul 27, 2016

The author of the book “The Insights Collection – Insights From the Engine Room,” he now resides in Florida but worked for many, many years in the UK, with clients that ranged from REM to The Police to Bob Marley, Matchbox Twenty, Elvis Costello, and Peter Gabriel, among many others. His career spanned more than 30 years and even included being asked to serve as the publicist for David Bowie’s “Earthling” tour. He inspires audiences all over the world as a speaker.

NHTE 128 Tony Clarke Jul 20, 2016

UK-based singer, songwriter, guitar player whose fifth album came out earlier this year, with his sixth already targeted for late 2016 or early 2017 release following a trip he’ll make to Australia later this year. He disbanded his group and re-joined the day-to-day working life before a life event four years ago caused him to write and record again, and he hasn’t put the guitar down since. He also talks about why he’s re-recording some of his earlier material as well as his longing to go back to Nashville.

NHTE 127 Eve Selis Jul 13, 2016

She recently released her ninth studio album. She has independently sold over 60 THOUSAND CDs, has performed live on CNBC, ESPN, and BBC Radio, has her music in four independent films, and headlines at least six major charity fundraisers a year. She is a seven-time San Diego Music Award Winner and has performed at major venues ranging from Abbey Road Studios in England to the House of Blues in Hollywood to The Bitter End in New York, and even the Bluebird Café in Nashville. She is playing 12 shows in 17 days in the UK in July.

NHTE 126 Jackie Venson Jul 06, 2016

Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist who, in addition to a few singles, has released two EPs, and a full-length album, and another – a ten-song, live recording – is scheduled for release on September 18th. She is currently ranked #1 on ReverbNation for her genre in Austin. She has toured Europe and is playing extensively in Texas throughout this month before heading to shows in Arizona and California in early August. She talks about her years attending Berklee College of Music, transitioning from (losing her interest in) playing classical piano to becoming a guitarist.

NHTE 125 DeDe Wedekind Jun 29, 2016

2016 Best New Female Artist of the Year at the Indie Music Channel Awards. Last year she won Song of the Year at the International Music & Entertainment Awards and the year before she won two Album of the Year awards and one Song of the Year. She released her fourth album in February, has performed in notable locations such as the House of Blues in New Orleans and at South by Southwest, and performs regularly in Panama. She is getting radio airplay in the U.S., Canada, and the UK.

NHTE 124 Stacy Burk Jun 22, 2016

He walked away from a record deal with Warner Bros. and felt regret from doing so. He has worked with a big-time producer and also got a very recognizable name for one of his videos. His new album is called “Overdrive” and just came out two months ago. A singer, songwriter, and guitar player based in Texas, he has a new video coming at the end of the summer.

NHTE 123 Windy Wagner Jun 15, 2016

One of the singers on Joe Walsh’s current tour, she talks in this interview about a song of hers written years ago that has been placed on an ABC-TV show, plus she references getting hired to sing on a Kelly Clarkson record and – on a related note – gives her opinion of singing competition reality shows. She also talks about vocal health, having sung on tour with K.D. Lang, life on the road away from loved ones, and more.

NHTE 122 Joe Vitale Jun 08, 2016

The drummer on the current Joe Walsh tour, he is a veteran musician and drummer whose career has spanned over 40 years of touring, recording, songwriting, and producing with legendary and Rock and Roll Hall of Fame artists. Along with vocals, he also plays percussion, keyboards and flute. The list of who he has recorded and toured with is a virtual who’s who in music history. He has had TV and film placements, co-produced albums, released three solo albums, and there is a book about him.

NHTE 121 Leondro Jun 01, 2016

Toronto-based songwriter and hip hop and rap artist who has a new EP coming soon and just released a new video. He talks about overcoming a troubled past and rallying behind it, gives advice on collaborating, and tells of the work he did with the Easter Seals and their telethon. He also looks back at the role that a gift at age five played in pointing him towards a music career.

NHTE 120 Miu May 25, 2016

Haitian singer/songwriter working on a new video that will be out in June, her 14-song CD, “Unexpected,” came out in late 2014 and she’s working on her next release. Multi-lingual, she participated in an international competition that resulted in a single with American artist T-Pain. She has collaborated with various arrangers from locations ranging from St. Lucia to Puerto Rico, Tanzania, the United States, and, of course, Haiti, and also published a book of poems in French and plans on writing again.

NHTE 119 Carl Lindquist May 18, 2016

Checking in from London, this singer/songwriter released an EP in 2012 and is working on his first full-length solo album. Plus, this year he is also releasing his second album with the French/Swedish band Coexistence. He is also a musical theater performer and just came back from a European tour with the official production of Jesus Christ Superstar.

NHTE 118 Tim Zach May 11, 2016

Singer/songwriter who plays guitar and fronts a band called Whiskey Bent that opened for Lynyrd Skynyrd in January. He was a successful contestant in the 2009 “Colgate Country Showdown,” eventually being named the “Best New Country Act in Nebraska.” He and his band have played alongside national acts such as Rodney Atkins and Trent Tomlinson, to name just two. They play on the fair and festival circuit and have put out a couple releases, while he released a solo project last November that was recorded in Nashville.

NHTE 117 David Serero May 04, 2016

Originally from Paris, this international opera and Broadway singer, actor, producer, and recording artist has a performance coming up at Carnegie Hall. Also an arranger, jazz pianist, and songwriter, he has performed in some of the biggest and most revered venues around the world, ranging from Times Square in New York to Wembley Stadium in London. His latest album was released last November and was entirely composed, performed, arranged, and produced by himself. He has extensive credits on IMDB and was evenly recently invited by AOL to an event with Pharrell Williams.

NHTE 116 Kris James of The Scheme Apr 27, 2016

One-third of the pop trio The Scheme. The video for their first track got close to 400 thousand views on YouTube and another currently has over 100 thousand views so far. They are a truly international act, with members being made up of two Brits and one American, being based in London and Berlin, and having spent time here in the U.S. ABC Family picked up one of their songs and they’re working on new music, with a projected (EP) release date of late July.

NHTE 115 Gypsy Soul Apr 20, 2016

This duo has released 13 CDs. Their newest, “True,” was just released last month and earned praise from the legendary Aaron Neville. They have gotten radio airplay and TV and film placements and won numerous awards, plus they have been on the Grammy ballot. They are planning to go to the Netherlands in September and maybe France, Germany, and England while they’re in Europe. They teach a number of music business courses at colleges. Based in Oregon, she’s Canadian, he’s British.

NHTE 114 Rick Cipes Apr 13, 2016

Singer/songwriter who plays guitar and heads up indie-rock band The Agreeables, whose music is on radio station playlists ranging from Boston to Indiana to San Francisco. He has performed in the Los Angeles area, written two rock musicals, and produced, directed, and wrote a couple independent films. Plus, he is a former writer for such publications as the L.A. Times, Playboy, and ESPN Magazine, including having interviewed Dave Chappelle.

NHTE 113 Eden Vaning Apr 06, 2016

She has performed with Led Zeppelin, Ray Charles, George Benson, Luciano Pavarotti, and numerous other big names in music over her long career. A renowned violinist, she has performed with eleven orchestras across the U.S. and has taught at major universities. She has published 30 authoritative books and is an avid composer and has 14 more books that she’s in the process of writing. She has performed at Carnegie Hall and been featured in the New York Daily News.

NHTE 112 Julie Moriva Mar 30, 2016

A songwriter and workshops presenter who has also written a memoir and completed a sitcom pilot based loosely on her life. Among her many writing credits is music done with and for last year’s runner-up on “The Voice,” Meghan Linsey, who she also recently became the manager for. She is also a high-demand wardrobe stylist to artists, actors and other professionals and has been hired by many national brands. She also works as a production coordinator on film and video shoots.

NHTE 111 Ross Coppley Mar 23, 2016

A singer/songwriter who plays guitar, over the last three years he has averaged between 80 and 100 shows a year. He has opened for the likes of Luke Bryan, Randy Houser, and Brantley Gilbert, among others. He did an eight-song release in 2013, released singles in February and August of last year, and is working on new music now.

NHTE 110 Meghan Linsey Mar 16, 2016

The runner-up last season on “The Voice.” Following that run her EP ‘Believer’ debuted at Number 6 on the iTunes Pop Chart. She also charted a Number 1 on the Billboard Christian chart with her rendition of “Amazing Grace.” Her resume also includes several nominations, including CMA, CMT, and even the Teen Choice Awards. She has been written about by national media including Rolling Stone magazine. In this interview she also talks about her involvement with charities and a new product line.

NHTE 109 Christina Gaudet Mar 09, 2016

A singer, songwriter, producer, and actor who was submitted as a first-round Grammy ballot artist and was accepted. She has a hearty discography, with eleven releases over a ten-year period, and is presently producing, writing, arranging, and recording her next album. She has been in Broadway and off-Broadway productions and is a SAG and AFTRA member, with a number of TV and film credits. She has toured through Europe and the Americas as well as in Japan.

NHTE 108 Matt Bednarsky Mar 02, 2016

Singer/songwriter who lives in Nashville but is touring the world this year. His latest album, entitled, “Two,” was released last year. He has opened for the likes of Joan Armatrading and American Idol Season 9 runner-up Crystal Bowersox and has 2.5 million cumulative views on YouTube. He was named the 2015 Concerts In Your Home Artist of the Year.

NHTE 107 David Feder Feb 24, 2016

A songwriter and an internationally renowned guitarist who performs regularly, including having played in Europe and Mexico and at acoustic guitar festivals. Jimmy Buffet once joined David and his band on stage to play together. His music has been heard on radio, TV, and in films worldwide. His albums have crossed different genres, from Latin Jazz to funk and blues to Hillbilly Flamenco. He has also produced, gives lessons, has a studio, and is the director of a not-for-profit organization created to help young artists through grants and workshops.

NHTE 106 Danny Brooks Feb 17, 2016

Currently on a three-and-a-half month tour and having released a new album last year, the Texas-based singer, songwriter, multi-instrumentalist originally from Canada has now put out eleven CDs and has recently written his second and third books, which are ready for publishing. In-studio this time, he previously appeared on Episode 19 of our show, telling of his amazing recovery from a long battle with drugs and alcohol.

NHTE 105 Samantha Johnson Feb 10, 2016

A participant on “America’s Got Talent” season 10, she’s projecting to release her debut EP next month and has been working on it with Americo Barbosa, who has been out with Pharrell Williams and Rihanna. Samantha is also an actress and toured ten countries as a member of the cast of “Thriller Live” and will be performing in the role of Rizzo in “Grease” this summer in Massachusetts. Plus, she will appear in an independent film this year, also singing the theme song to the movie.

NHTE 104 Matt Sherrod Feb 03, 2016

The drummer for Crowded House, he has been active in the music industry as a musician, songwriter, and producer for more than 20 years, having collaborated with artists such as Beck and Macy Gray, among others. He has appeared on shows ranging from “Saturday Night Live,” to “Jay Leno,” “Jimmy Fallon,” “Conan O’Brien,” and “Jimmy Kimmel” and has performed at festivals such as Coachella, Bonnaroo, and Glastonbury. Last year he opened Bone Yard Recordings, a studio in the hills northwest of downtown Nashville. Among other topics, he comments during this interview on the recent passing of David Bowie and Glenn Frey.

NHTE 103 Ned Ginsburg Jan 27, 2016

A composer and orchestrator who has worked with some of the biggest names in show business including Liza Minnelli and Bernadette Peters, plus Warner Bros. films, ABC-TV, The Disney Channel, and The Academy Awards Show, among numerous others. He developed a lecture that has been delivered in major cities and also talks in this interview about musicals he’s currently writing.

NHTE 102 Marc Alan Barnette Jan 20, 2016

He has written over 3,000 songs and had just performed – again – at the famous Bluebird Café in Nashville a couple nights prior to this interview. He has worked with and performed with some big names in country music, including Frankie Ballard and 2015 runner-up on “The Voice,” Meghan Linsey. His previous appearance on our show (Episode 12) is one of – if not THE – most popular episodes of NHTE.

NHTE 101 Best Of Jan 13, 2016

Clips from some of the show’s first 100 episodes are replayed, highlighting fun stories, special moments, emotional memories, anecdotes… A good sampling of the NHTE interviews, this episode is also a great introduction to those who are just hearing the show for the first time. Episode 101 reflects the diversity of the guests too.

NHTE 100 Lindsay McCaul Jan 06, 2016

National touring and recording artist, Christian singer/songwriter who plays guitar and has toured with some of the biggest names in Christian music. The interview was done just after she had made a big personal announcement, which she talks about during this episode, along with music plans for 2016 and a look back at a significant business lesson from 2015. Chosen specifically for this milestone episode for the show, Lindsay had previously been interviewed on Episode 11, which had on numerous other episodes been referred to as “my favorite episode” by NHTE host Bruce Wawrzyniak.

NHTE 99 Andy Kushner Dec 30, 2015

Singer/songwriter turned entertainment business owner in the Washington, DC, area but with an international footprint. Previously working a day job in the corporate world and being pitched by one of the most successful and highly respected publishing companies in Nashville at the time, he now has an entertainment design company that has been featured in the likes of the Washington Post and whose top act is internationally known, having played the opening of a stadium in Mexico, at the Bellagio in Las Vegas, and very recently in Singapore. He talks about walking away from the Nashville opportunity as well as the ins and outs of his current endeavors.

NHTE 98 Luke Potter Dec 23, 2015

UK-based singer/songwriter who plays guitar. He has gotten radio airplay on both coasts here in the United States, with video rotation at Hard Rock Cafes around the world. He has performed in the U.S., notably at the House of Blues in Orlando. He released a single approximately two months ago after having released another in June of this year and has another coming out in January. He has been writing in London and Sweden. He released a four-song EP two years ago and a full-length album late last year.

NHTE 97 Karyn Williams Dec 16, 2015

Singer/songwriter whose new album just came out two months ago. Her previous release had a single that spent more than 30 weeks on the charts. In 2012 she was chosen as one of Billboard Magazine’s “Best Bets.” She recently wrapped up the filming of her first movie, which is set for release in 2016. One year ago this month she made her Grand Ole Opry debut at the historic Ryman Auditorium. She also added her vocals to the newly released Third Day album, singing a duet with Mac Powell.

NHTE 96 Karoline Dec 09, 2015

A teenage singer/songwriter whose brand new EP is already her third release. The new music – and a video for one of the songs – came out of Nashville (she lives in South Carolina). She was a Nashville Universe nominee for Female Artist of the Year and had a single nominated for Song of the Year. She is a member of Tunes for Tots and has also been a part of the Teen Nation Tour. She also talks about going on stage with Amy Grant at age 3.

NHTE 95 Chloe Collins Dec 02, 2015

15-year old NYC-based singer/songwriter who two months ago released an EP that was recorded in Nashville. She has written over 80 songs and, in her young career, has already performed at notable venues The Bitter End (NY), Bluebird Café (Nashville), and House of Blues (New Orleans). She has already gotten national and international radio airplay and her songs have been used in network TV shows and in national advertising campaigns. She also talks about attending an online academy while doing music.

NHTE 94 Barbara Kiss Nov 25, 2015

This Budapest, Hungary-based singer/songwriter has gotten international radio airplay from major U.S. metropolitan stations from New York to Los Angeles to Chicago as well as in Japan and Brazil. The first European guest on “Now Hear This Entertainment,” she was the Akademia Music Awards winner for “Best Pop EP.” A couple months ago she performed at what is believed to be one of, if not the biggest festival in Europe. This past summer she released a single, following up on her EP release from last year.

NHTE 93 Jared Dylan Nov 18, 2015

He has a video on MTV.com and was on “The Voice” in Season 3. A singer/songwriter who plays guitar, he released a single earlier this year after having done a five-song EP in 2012. SEVEN of his songs were licensed to television shows like “Kourtney and Kim take Miami,” “Bad Ink,” and “MTV Road Rules Challenge.” He also talks about a partnership he’s starting up with a major property, performing at SXSW, and having been a past winner in the BMI Foundation’s annual John Lennon Scholarship program.

NHTE 92 Jonny Diaz Nov 11, 2015

National touring and recording artist/singer-songwriter who plays guitar and just put out a new EP, “Everything is Changing,” his seventh release. He is scheduled in December to do eleven shows in 18 days in seven different states and has toured with some household names in Christian music. Away from music, he and his wife opened a group training fitness facility in Nashville in late 2014 and earlier this year they were blessed with the gift of their first child, all of which he talks about during this interview, plus some thoughts on baseball.

NHTE 91 Kelly Manu Nov 04, 2015

A Canadian singer/songwriter who has put out seven albums and says that #8 is “in the works.” She performed last year in the UK, has earned several honors, and tells how and why she’s making her videos in Mexico. Kelly also talks about having overcome what was diagnosed as life-threatening cancer that developed following a car accident.

NHTE 90 Alyse Black Oct 28, 2015

A singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist whose new album is going into mixing and mastering, with hopes to release a single in the next month or two. She had several songs placed in movies and TV shows, and has toured the country playing over 700 clubs, theaters, festivals, TV shows, and radio stations. Among other topics, she discusses a four-month tour she’s planning for early next year, a recent endorsement deal that she got, and, being a mother and wife while being a touring artist.

NHTE 89 Chase Miller Oct 21, 2015

Talking about his new EP, which comes out two days after this episode is released, this southern California singer/songwriter used GoFundMe for the project and shares his experiences with using that platform. He also discusses shows that he’ll be doing in December and January, airplay that he’s getting on FM stations around the U.S., and endorsement opportunities that he’s getting, plus having gotten a Bachelor’s Degree in Music Business as well as publishing deals that he got early in his career.

NHTE 88 Karen Waldrup Oct 14, 2015

The Nashville-based singer/songwriter talks about having played live music all summer long, including 12 shows over three weeks across Ireland. She also discusses her new EP, which features a song whose video is on CMT. She gives her view of playing a new song live for the first time, working on a jingle for an NFL team, and more.

NHTE 87 Chelsea Crites Oct 07, 2015

A singer/songwriter who is signed with Shoreline Records and was a house singer at the popular Tootsie’s in Nashville. She is working on a new album (planning to release new music in early 2016) to follow 2014’s debut EP. Writing songs since age seven, she talks about having juggled being a student with being a singer, how she got signed by a record label, and her recent trip to Halifax, Nova Scotia, for Canadian Country Music Week, which included performing for multiple showcases.

NHTE 86 Roger Fisher Sep 30, 2015

The founding guitarist of Rock & Roll Hall of Fame band Heart. He talks about his just released album “Rog & The Tribe Live 1,” a music instruction series called “Beyond Guitar” that he’s coming out with, and a book that he and his brother are writing that will talk about Heart “from a perspective that nobody has heard” that “is going to be a really good, revealing book.” He also introduces a four-album package entitled “One Vision,” the first of which is called, “All Told.”

NHTE 85 Jillian Speer Sep 23, 2015

Working with a Grammy Award-winning producer she released an EP early this year but will put out a full-length album by the end of 2015, although she’s already getting played on about 70 college radio stations across the country. She talks about having walked away from two million-dollar deals and not regretting it for a second. Early in her career a self-released album of hers had great success that led to song placements on TV’s “Party of Five” and in an HBO film. Plus she played major festivals and even opened for Jewel.

NHTE 84 John Garza Sep 16, 2015

A Grammy Award winner who has played alongside the likes of Carlos Santana, among others. He talks about having gotten to play in stadiums, a completed “body of work that should be out very soon," and extensive involvement with charities. The L.A. Times said he “has the earnest inflections of singers like Scott Weiland of Stone Temple Pilots,” with his star quality compared to Jim Morrison and Roger Daltrey.

NHTE 83 Mark Andrew Sep 09, 2015

A singer/songwriter who was on “The Voice” in 2013 and “American Idol” this year, in the latter case making it to the Top 16, which means he was among the Top 8 males. (He talks about his experiences with reality TV.) He is presently in the studio finishing up two brand new singles and talks about his upcoming crowdfunding campaign toward a new album. He released a self-titled CD in late 2011 and a single in 2013. He is a guitarist and plays live shows with a band based in Minnesota.

NHTE 82 Danen Kane Sep 02, 2015

Has self-booked more than 2,000 shows nationwide, gotten radio play on a major national station out of L.A., plus the Associated Press even picked up an interview he did. He has opened for national Christian artists such as Building 429, Chris August, and The Afters. His album release earlier this year is just the latest in a line of CDs that includes one done live.

NHTE 81 Russell Foisy Aug 26, 2015

Presently in the studio recording his next album, he talks about the prior release as well as it having been an Akademia Award Winner for Best Alternative Rock Album. He has a song currently being played on FM radio all over the world. And, another song of his is now #2 on the Independent Music Network Mainstream Charts. He tells how he achieved that exposure. For other musicians, Russell gives out recommendations on resources that have worked for him.

NHTE 80 Matt Hines Aug 19, 2015

A singer/songwriter who plays guitar and piano, he released an EP early this year that he went to Nashville to record. He talks during this interview about the crowdfunding campaign he ran in the lead up to the EP. Plus, he discusses performing on the fairs and festivals circuit. At the time of this interview he was ranked #1 on ReverbNation in his area for his genre. He also talks about juggling being a husband, father, and school music teacher while trying to further his career as a recording artist.

NHTE 79 Natalie Jean Aug 12, 2015

She has been on the Grammy ballot and released a new album the week this interview was recorded, which was one year after having released a self-titled album. In just the last two months alone she has gotten an array of nominations. She performs extensively in the mid-Atlantic states and has even authored a book in addition to being a songwriter.

NHTE 78 Mike E. Winfield Aug 05, 2015

He has been on NBC’s “The Office,” plus “The Late Show with David Letterman,” Comedy Central, Showtime, MTV2, “The Arsenio Hall Show,” and much more. He is working on a one-hour special to be filmed and talks about possible distribution of it, plus he touches on a movie he will be in, as well as getting started in comedy (himself and advice for others). Mike also talks about his office when he’s on the road as well as what he listens for in reviewing his own performances.

NHTE 77 Chuck Murphy Jul 29, 2015

A singer, songwriter, and producer who also talks about branding and licensing, as well as big results he achieved through social media. He has a solo EP coming out next month but also plays with a band. He has written and produced music for several independent movies. He has worked with many notable entertainers, including the likes of Orleans and Robbie Dupree.

NHTE 76 Jordan Allena Jul 22, 2015

She performed as part of the recent CMA Music Festival in Nashville, where she now lives, although she has also lived and performed in L.A. and Las Vegas. A singer/songwriter, she is working on her second EP, has already gotten a cut, and has performed with the likes of Florida Georgia Line and Josh Thompson. Also accomplished in dance, she has done so for a Miley Cyrus clothing line TV commercial, a Justin Bieber video, and a Britney Spears video game. Plus she teaches dance.

NHTE 75 Ann Burstyn Jul 15, 2015

The lead vocalist for Dream Aria, ranked number one on the overall ReverbNation charts. The band has released three CDs, is working on new music, and has a video in heavy rotation on DirecTV. She talks about performing with her childhood idol, Glenn Hughes, formerly of Deep Purple, and about many influences that have resulted in Dream Aria’s wide ranging sound. She also advocates for vocal health and lists the long line of musicians in her family.

NHTE 74 Windy Wagner Jul 08, 2015

She sang on more than 600 songs for the hit FOX television show “Glee” and sings on Rod Stewart’s new upcoming album as well as Richie Sambora and Orianthi’s upcoming release as well as Ringo Starr’s new “Postcards From Paradise” album. She has been a background vocalist on “Jimmy Kimmel,” “The Tonight Show,” and for the likes of live performances by Elton John, James Taylor, and K.D. Lang. She just got a cut with Britney Spears, after having released a new single and accompanying video last month.

NHTE 73 Lachi Jul 01, 2015

A singer/songwriter who plays piano and last week had a new EP come out (released through Trend Def/Sony Music). She also has a novel coming out, late this month or early next month, entitled “The Ivory Staff.” Her music has been featured on “Oprah” and CBS Radio. Earlier this year she had three songs placed on national television, including on “Bad Girls Club” and “Total Divas.” She has recorded and performed in L.A. and New York and once even opened for Patti LaBelle. She has also performed at SXSW.

NHTE 72 Nelson Montana Jun 24, 2015

He plays ELEVEN different instruments, has released four CDs, and has played with everyone from Grammy Award winner Nile Rodgers to Bo Diddly, Chuck Berry, The Drifters, and Ben Vereen, among many (many) others. He has over 250 videos on YouTube and appeared on the Daytime Dramas "All My Children" and “Guiding Light” from 1999 to 2005 and has written for several magazines, with more than 300 articles published.

NHTE 71 Maggie Rose Jun 17, 2015

This 2015 CMA Fest performer had a song that cracked the top 60 on Billboard’s Country Airplay chart and has been streamed more than 1.6 million times on Spotify. She had a video that debuted at Number 1 on Great American Country’s Top 20 Countdown. On this episode we get the exclusive on songs she hasn’t even released yet, playing two of her new tracks as she works toward an EP release later this year, which is being done in both L.A. and Nashville. She talks about re-branding herself, a recent performance with Luke Bryan, Lee Brice, and Randy Houser, as well as work she’s doing as a producer.

NHTE 70 Tim Halperin Jun 10, 2015

On Season 10 of “American Idol” he was one of the top 12 males, out of a field of more than 115 thousand. He has gone on to tour and perform before thousands of fans, appearing with some of the music industry’s biggest artists, including The Fray, Kelly Clarkson, Blake Shelton, The Jonas Brothers, and LeAnn Rimes. He had two songs on MTV’s “The Real World” and had a music video that Jimmy Kimmel tweeted. He talks about his new album, new video, being an extra on the TV show “Nashville,” what his email pitches to venues look like, and we get an exclusive – the premier of his song, “Dance.”

NHTE 69 Victor Wainwright Jun 03, 2015

A two-time Pinetop Perkins Piano Player of the Year, the Memphis-based singer/songwriter talks about his brand new album, he talks of the recent passing of B.B. King and how the two of them – while playing on the same bills together – shared a love of flying planes, and Wainwright tells of the formula that allows him to play three times as many shows a year. All that plus other insights from this maker of blues, roots music, and boogie woogie.

NHTE 68 Sarah Kroger May 27, 2015

A Christian singer/songwriter who plays piano, has released two EPs, and performed at World Youth Day in Brazil and a Christian Music Festival in Italy, in addition to numerous youth conferences and parish & youth events across the United States. She gives part of her faith testimony, talks about her publishing deal and a trip to Africa, and comments on making peace with having to acknowledge the business component of her music ministry.

NHTE 67 Samantha Leigh May 20, 2015

She sang with Paul McCartney less than a month after having opened for Josh Turner. She has also sung backup for Mary J Blige and Josh Groban. A songwriter, she has an EP coming out this year. She performed in Las Vegas a week before this interview and then in Chicago a week after recording this episode. Samantha has been a performer at Busch Gardens theme park and sung in bands that have opened for the likes of Rick Springfield and Brandie Carlisle. She has been singing professionally for almost eleven years and plays guitar and is learning ukulele.

NHTE 66 Damon Fowler May 13, 2015

A blues artist and multi-instrumentalist, he has toured with B.B. King and Johnny Winter and released a number of CDs. He talks about performing with Southern Hospitality, who has gone to Norway, Slovakia, and Holland, and that they’ll be going to Canada and Switzerland this year (in addition to U.S. dates). Damon also discusses up-and-comers making a decision of whether or not to go out on the road. Plus he describes the balance between being a husband/father and a touring performer.

NHTE 65 Sari Max May 06, 2015

She did over 6,000 professional performances from age 15 onward, including performing for Madonna. Among the vast media coverage she has received over the years are features on the Lifetime and ABC television networks and in the New York Times. She wrote a full-length musical and was at one point named the top children’s entertainer in New York. She has done private and semi-private teaching of voice, piano, and songwriting. A workshop designer and leader, artist, and artist in residence, she talks – among other topics – about her CD, “Noisy Joy to the Bonehouse Blues.”

NHTE 64 Clark Nowlin Apr 29, 2015

A multi-instrumentalist and producer, some of his notable performances include opening for Blake Shelton, Kelly Clarkson, The Fray, and The Jonas Brothers. He has engineered, edited, and produced four albums for artists that have been released on iTunes. His credits also include film scoring the SXSW 1st place-winning film. He has performed at major venues across the U.S. and counts Jason Castro, of “American Idol” fame, among his clients.

NHTE 63 Diamond Dixie Apr 22, 2015

Sisters Gabriela & Bianca LeDuc – singers, songwriters, and multi-instrumentalists – talk about recording, writing, and performing in Nashville, trying out for “America’s Got Talent,” working up to an eventual EP, their new single and its music video, a show later this year in conjunction with a Brad Paisley concert, their experience attending NAMM, their numerous live shows throughout Florida, and working with a live show producer that has worked with, among others, Taylor Swift and The Band Perry.

NHTE 62 Alayna Apr 15, 2015

The Music City-based singer-songwriter is working on a new EP and talks about her successful crowdfunding campaign for it – including the months she spent planning it and two fraudulent donors she encountered along the way. A multi-instrumentalist, she also discusses promoting a CD release party in Nashville, Skype-ing with fans, and more.

NHTE 61 Sena Ehrhardt Apr 08, 2015

A blues singer/songwriter, she talks about her third album, her European and U.S. touring, her record deal, spending time with Johnny Winter, performing her own shows versus at festivals, opening for B.B. King, a brush with the law while filming a music video, and what she feels is “the toughest part about the business.”

NHTE 60 Laila Berzins Apr 01, 2015

A voice-over artist, professional singer, jingle writer, and copywriter, she talks about how Robin Williams inspired her to get into voice-over as well as recognizing this as and the challenge of running a small business on your own. She also tells of being headed for her very first album. Hear about her move to Los Angeles as well as why she is such a proponent of learning improv. Unlike other episodes of NHTE that feature two original songs by the guest, an e-learning song and a gaming demo are the bookends around this interview.

NHTE 59 Whitney Doucet Mar 25, 2015

A singer/songwriter who sang on-stage with Keith Urban during one of his concerts, she has won titles as Female Vocalist New Country, Traditional Country and Gospel as well as Female Entertainer of the Year. Based in Boston, she has performed throughout the New England area and hopes to be recording her first EP in a couple months in New York. She also talks about her experiences auditioning for various reality shows.

NHTE 58 Aubryn Mar 18, 2015

A singer/songwriter working toward the release of her debut album, she lives and plays in Nashville but has also already done shows in a handful of other states. Plus, the days after this episode launched she was to play an unofficial SXSW showcase in Austin, Texas. This episode launched on the day her crowdfunding campaign started, which she talks about, in addition to her weekly online show that she hosts. As always, there are two songs played by this episode’s guest, who talks about them both.

NHTE 57 Ron Modell Mar 11, 2015

Trumpeter, music educator, author, and now funny-man Ron Modell talks about his good friend Quincy Jones as well as working with the likes of Phil Collins and countless other big names, plus his book, his advocacy for music education, doing stand-up comedy, plus advice for aspiring musicians.

NHTE 56 Dominick Pages Mar 04, 2015

Engineer, producer, mentor, songwriter, performer Dominick Pages makes a return to the show to talk about a new show his studio is launching – an online concert series that’s a cross between house concerts and the show “Daryl’s House.” Plus he talks about a big show upcoming for his band and gives tips for up-and-coming musicians as well as insights on which guitars he’s playing and hardware & software he’s using in the studio.

NHTE 55 Roy Yokelson Feb 25, 2015

An Emmy Award-winning sound designer, recording engineer, and producer with extensive credits on IMDB, he talks about working on numerous Woody Allen films, as well as his experiences with the likes of Julia Roberts, Goldie Hawn, and Christopher Plummer, among others. He will be a speaker at next month’s “VO Atlanta” event and gives advice to those pursuing voice-over work. Since he is also a SAG-AFTRA approved audio book producer, he touches a bit on that media as well.

NHTE 54 Roger Jaeger Feb 18, 2015

Having moved to Nashville twice but lived in India for one year between those moves, this singer/songwriter talks about the musical instrument he learned in the Asian country, his new single, his successful crowdfunding campaign, plus his hiring of a booking agent resulting in shows coming up in Nashville, North Carolina, Georgia, and Oklahoma, and other aspects of his rejuvenated career.

NHTE 53 Amanda Page Cornett Feb 11, 2015

Singer/songwriter who has had a song placed on a national TV show and also appeared – singing – in a movie that starred Vivica A. Fox. She talks about the album she’s working on, filming her music video at the home of the Florida Gators, co-writing a song with the world-renowned cartoon artist for the nationally syndicated comic “Nancy,” plus her goals for 2015.

NHTE 52 Alyssa Jacey Feb 04, 2015

Fresh off her 31-show, 24-city tour last Fall in support of her “Destined” album, singer/songwriter Alyssa Jacey is interviewed one day after making a huge announcement. She talks about her big news plus the new song she’s recording, co-hosting “Balcony TV,” last year’s shows and release (which included players from Taylor Swift, The Band Perry, and LeAnn Rimes), and much more.

NHTE 51 Daniel B Marshall Jan 28, 2015

He plays over 250 shows a year, produces, writes, has released two CDs, and does music full-time between Tampa and Nashville. As he was leaving college he played guitar for Nick Carter from the Backstreet Boys. Daniel started playing in clubs when he was 16 and talks about a moment he shared with Celine Dion, taking care of your body and voice too, and his opinion of social media and approach to Twitter.

NHTE 50 Lindsay Bruce Jan 21, 2015

A 2014 participant on “The Voice” who also got to sing with Keith Urban during one of his concerts, this singer/songwriter just released an EP last month and splits her time between the San Francisco area and Nashville. She also talks about being interviewed by MLB.com and plans she’s laying out for 2015, plus, of course, working with both Shakira and Miranda Lambert, and more.

NHTE 49 Mark Goujon Jan 14, 2015

He served in Iraq doing counter-IED missions (Improvised Explosive Device), losing three team members in six months and an entire EOD team (Explosive Ordinance Disposal). Now Mark Goujon is a songwriter who released two songs last year, both of which had unique stories around them. He also talks about media coverage he has gotten, adapting poetry into songs, how he got connected to Nashville, and more.

NHTE 48 Susan Golden Jan 07, 2015

Founder of the global event, Universal Music Day, and author of “ABZs of Musical Instruments.” She also discusses how she claimed her singing voice (after thinking she was tone deaf) and how people can get involved with Universal Music Day, plus she talks about an Oprah Winfrey event she was invited to and a podcast of her own that she hopes to start.

NHTE 47 Ty Rodriguez Dec 31, 2014

Gasparilla Music Festival Executive Director Ty Rodriguez talks about the two-day annual event, including how bands are chosen for it (plus dos and don’ts), lessons learned, being a fan, and a number of artists he has seen in concert more than 50 times each, including one who was his escape from New York following the 9/11 attacks.

NHTE 46 Alayna Dec 24, 2014

The “Most Promising Female Songwriter 2013” as awarded by Tennessee Songwriters Association International talks about performing online, using crowdfunding, embracing marketing and social media, giving away songs for free, her two songs played during this episode, leaving Pennsylvania for Nashville, and more.

NHTE 45 Maddy Rodriguez Dec 17, 2014

A 21-year old Canadian singer/songwriter who had a song placed on the TV show "Army Wives." Another of her songs won at the 8th annual International Acoustic Music Awards in the Country category, and she was the youngest ever artist/songwriter to win the overall grand prize at the IAMA. She has a new EP coming out in February.

NHTE 44 Sunny Sweeney Dec 10, 2014

Opening for Miranda Lambert in 2015 on select dates during the Certified Platinum Tour, Sunny Sweeney released her third album in August. One of the songs has already had major success on SiriusXM. A singer/songwriter from Austin, Texas, she was nominated for Best New Female Vocalist at last year’s Academy of Country Music Awards and has performed at the Grand Ole Opry more than 40 times. Two videos on her YouTube channel have combined for almost four million views. Among other topics, she talks about the music scene not only in Austin, but in Europe, where she has played multiple times.

NHTE 43 Lara Wisdom Dec 03, 2014

With a new EP slated for release early next year, this singer/songwriter plays guitar and piano and has opened for the likes of Montgomery Gentry, Rascal Flatts, Mary Chapin Carpenter, and Patty Loveless. Lara previously released two albums and, although based in Nashville, has played in locations ranging from there in Tennessee, of course, to Kansas, Nebraska, Texas, Iowa, Missouri, and Colorado. Hear why she says, “For women in country music it’s a tough, tough, tough business.”

NHTE 42 Karen Waldrup Nov 26, 2014

This Nashville-based singer/songwriter has made two appearances on Bravo TV, played at the NFL Experience at the Super Bowl in early 2013, released four albums, performed internationally, makes an exclusive announcement about a new item she will be releasing, and talks about her new single, whose music video premiered on CMT.com.

NHTE 41 CJ Watson Nov 19, 2014

A Nashville-based singer/songwriter that has written approximately seven THOUSAND songs, he makes an exclusive announcement about his current group, Asteria Lux. CJ has performed at the famed Ryman Auditorium and the Bluebird Café, and was part of the first rock band ever to tour China. He also wrote a book on songwriting, has had TV and film placements, and his music has been featured in the Rockband video game.

NHTE 40 Misty Loggins Nov 12, 2014

This Nashville-based singer/songwriter is a two-time CMA “Emerging Artist” who will again be at Fan Fair. She has performed in venues across the U.S. and Europe and has sung background vocals on stage for stars from Gloria Gaynor to Taylor Swift. On this episode of NHTE she even makes an exclusive announcement regarding a new product launch accompanied by a song download.

NHTE 39 Ellie Holcomb Part 2 Nov 05, 2014

Continuing the conversation with the 2014 Dove Awards New Artist of the Year. She talks about her dad co-producing her album, burning copies from her computer then putting CDs in brown paper bags with stickers, a song written by her husband for their nieces and nephews ending up getting placement in “Parenthood,” a crowdfunding campaign that raised 150% more than its goal, and much more.

NHTE 39 Ellie Holcomb Part 1 Oct 29, 2014

The 2014 Dove Awards New Artist of the Year, this Nashville-based singer/songwriter is one of only two independent artists to have won the honor. Earlier this year her debut album hit No. 2 its first week on the Christian chart and No. 1 in the Christian genre on iTunes and at Amazon in its first week out. She previously released two EPs that hit #1 on the iTunes Christian/Gospel charts. She even talks about quitting her day job to pursue music full time, plus starting a family in the midst of all the music endeavors.

NHTE 38 JR Byrd Oct 22, 2014

A Texas-based singer/songwriter, he has played everywhere from traditional music venues to house concerts to online. He talks about his music, how he plans his tours, giving away free music on social media, his concept album that he’s writing with an eye on it eventually becoming a musical, and more.

NHTE 37 Brian Lee/Suede Austin Oct 15, 2014

A singer/songwriter who plays guitar and sings in the popular Texas band Suede Austin, he talks about that group’s success, including opening for George Lopez at the Nokia Theatre in L.A. and playing at Radio City Music Hall and in Las Vegas. He also discusses his solo work including having played multiple times at South By Southwest and his next release.

NHTE 36 Scarlett Rabe Oct 08, 2014

A California-based singer/songwriter, her lyric video got voted onto MTV and she has over 1.3 million Likes on her Facebook page. When she was just ten years old she was teaching piano to approximately 25 students. She talks about the label she is signed with, her latest single, her previous releases, and how growing up as the oldest of eight children with no TV in the house and not being allowed to listen to the likes of the Rolling Stones or The Beatles shaped the songwriter – and the person – she has become.

NHTE 35 Frankie Scinta Oct 01, 2014

A longtime headliner in Las Vegas, including at two casinos on ‘the strip,’ he sings and plays many instruments from piano to banjo. He talks about Wayne Newton and others coming to see the show, getting his start at a former NFL player’s sports bar, performing on cruise ships, the element of improv, advice for young entertainers, working alongside his brother every night, and a deep respect for those who made Las Vegas what it is today.

NHTE 34 Roxanna Sep 24, 2014

An American Airlines music spotlight in August, Toronto-based singer/songwriter Roxanna talks on the heels of her debut release, “Exotica,” which features Chris Botti and was produced by Mark Portmann, whose credits include Christina Aguilera, Josh Groban, and Celine Dion, among others. Roxanna also tells of getting a well-known actor for one of her music videos, how being a nurse led to her music career, and her upcoming PBS special.

NHTE 33 Sarah Donner Sep 17, 2014

Singer/songwriter Sarah Donner quit her day job last December, released her sixth album this Spring, has her own record label, tours, has a “sleepy kitten” video that went viral on YouTube (to the tune of almost one million views), is writing a musical, will have her first public art show later this year (in her home state of New Jersey), teaches guitar and voice, and has taught songwriting to kids at an arts camp for the last five years.

NHTE 32 Srinivas Rao Sep 10, 2014

The author of the Wall Street Journal best seller “The Art of Being Unmistakable,” Srinivas Rao checks in from San Diego, where he manages to surf almost every day to balance his workload. He has been interviewed by Glenn Beck, who called Srini’s book “one of the most important pieces of writing I have seen in quite some time.” We also talk about his “Unmistakable Creative Podcast,” which has surpassed 500 episodes and had guests ranging from Seth Godin to bank robbers to artists.

NHTE 31 Steve Cherubino Sep 03, 2014

Steve Cherubino plays guitar, drums, and keyboards, but is an Electronic Dance Music (EDM) producer, who also hosts a podcast highlighting that genre. He talks about how he creates his music, the Ultra Music Festival in Miami, guests he’s getting on his show – including a Grammy nominee – plus his respect for the likes of Hardwell, Skrillex, and Avicii.

NHTE 30 Mikel Paris Aug 27, 2014

You’ve seen him on tour with O.A.R. and he has also played with Pink, Train, and Jewel. New York-based singer/songwriter Mikel Paris also does extensive solo work and has developed the art of guitar drumming. He has also created TuneTrek, a travel and music show that he’ll be pitching to networks soon. He also talks about the time that he spent with Broadway’s Stomp.

NHTE 29 Karlee Perez Aug 20, 2014

SPECIAL EDITION – Former WWE Diva (“Maxine”), actress, and model Karlee Perez talks about the acting work she’s now getting, lessons learned from her time spent in the WWE, who there helped and continues to support her, and leaving WWE to start a new career. She also covers her charity work, a nutrition-based business endeavor, her thoughts on the passing of Robin Williams, and much more.

NHTE 28 Melissa Joiner Aug 13, 2014

This Alabama-based singer/songwriter had shows five days in a row and will have played 22 shows in the month of August alone. She was ranked #1 on ReverbNation for her genre in her area, and hosted and helped create the largest songwriting competition in the Gulf Coast at the famed FloraBama. She will be recording later this month and also talks about having first started out in opera, although she quickly built up a big following in more mainstream genres.

NHTE 27 Chrissy Chase Aug 06, 2014

Singer/songwriter Chrissy Chase has had approximately 30 songs placed on Nickelodeon, including a season finale of iCarly. She talks about getting and keeping that deal, forming her own publishing company, her songwriting process, experiences in New York and Nashville, the new projects she’s working toward releasing, and more.

NHTE 26 Rachel Pearl Jul 30, 2014

Back in Nashville after recording her new single out in L.A., singer/songwriter Rachel Pearl talks about playing recently at the NAMM show with the bassist for Paul Simon, her take on entering contests, ukulele in her family, and, her connection to the first Woodstock.

NHTE 25 The Redheads Jul 23, 2014

Called “a country version of the rock duo Heart” by the keyboard player for Shenandoah, sisters Britta and Brooke Dodgen came to the studio for this episode after having just returned from playing the Americana Music Fest in the Florida Keys. In their ten years as The Redheads they’ve played in countless locations ranging from Six Flags in Chicago to the Roxy Theatre in Denver. Currently based in Orlando, they have also lived in Nashville, Denver, Georgia, and South Carolina, and talk here about having to learn a new music market every time they move. Brooke also talks about the healing power of music after having been trampled by her horse and Britta talks about the conversion from having been an opera singer.

NHTE 24 Johnny Garcia Jul 16, 2014

The guitar player for Garth Brooks since 2000 and for Trisha Yearwood since 1991, he owns two publishing companies on Music Row, is also a songwriter, and has a long list of production credits. This episode is a MUST LISTEN, as he covers everything from touring to publishing to songwriting, studio sessions, trying to get songs cut, and breaking into the business.

NHTE 23 Amy Petty Jul 09, 2014

The Detroit-based singer/songwriter talks about the blog she wrote having gone viral, her soon-to-be-released fourth CD, performing at Carnegie Hall, getting her music into an award-winning documentary, and more.

NHTE 22 Julianna Zobrist Jul 02, 2014

Christian recording artist and songwriter Julianna Zobrist discusses the new music she’s working on, the book she co-wrote with her husband, and managing time between L.A., Nashville, and Tampa, where her two children and Major League Baseball playing husband is.

NHTE 21 State Line Drive Jun 25, 2014

Having already opened for national Christian recording artist Kutless, this young band based on the Kansas-Missouri border is now taking on country music and playing shows in cities all the way up as far as into Washington State. Twin brothers Mason and Micah Marrs discuss highlights, lessons they’ve already learned, and the new release they’re working towards.

NHTE 20 Ryan Weaver Jun 18, 2014

An adoptee who grew up in a family of eleven in Florida, this singer/songwriter was a U.S. Black Hawk helicopter pilot in Iraq and has gone on to a career in country music in Nashville highlighted by playing at the recent CMA Fest and opening for the likes of George Jones, Blake Shelton, Craig Morgan, Montgomery Gentry, and Trace Adkins.

NHTE 19 Danny Brooks Jun 11, 2014

Texas-based singer/songwriter who has overcome drug and alcohol addictions and quintuple bypass surgery to release 10 CDs, a book, and get song placement on an ABC Family show and SiriusXM, and now he’s developing a reality TV show. He talks about all this plus playing at the House of Blues in New Orleans during Mardi Gras, and more.

NHTE 18 Sonny Rock Jun 04, 2014

Blues Hall of Famer, drummer, and radio show host who has played behind artists ranging from Bryan Adams to members of The Who, Kiss, Aerosmith, Red Hot Chili Peppers, and more, and recorded with members of The Cult and Heart, among others.

NHTE 17 Bruce Barker May 28, 2014

With 30 years in the radio business, this episode’s guest provides do’s & don’ts for up-and-coming artists (and even shares a marketing highlight), all while telling first-hand dealings with the likes of Rush, Sammy Hagar, David Lee Roth, Kiss, Garth Brooks, and even MLB and NHL players.

NHTE 16 RB Stone May 21, 2014

He has performed in 32 countries, gets radio airplay, has released 16 albums, and is a veteran blues man who sings, songwrites, and plays guitar and harmonica. The conversation brings out some of his highlights as well as some lessons learned from being in the business and on the road so long.

NHTE 15 Recap Show May 14, 2014

What qualifies this guy to host this podcast every week and speak to the music business? What are his credentials and who are all these guests that he has been talking to over the first 14 episodes? The Now Hear This president creates a teaching opportunity from this episode’s scheduled guest canceling at the last minute and also answers the questions posed in this paragraph and uses his insights and experience to give out several tips along the way. (NOTE: opening song is by Shawna P, closing song is by Lindsay McCaul)

NHTE 14 Liz Longley May 07, 2014

Her music has been heard on two ABC-TV shows and another on the CW, as well as on SiriusXM. John Mayer called her music, “Gorgeous. Simply gorgeous.” She has shared the stage with Paula Cole and Shawn Colvin, to name just two. She talks about all that, plus attending Berklee College of Music, moving to Nashville, the dramatic shift in her songwriting craft over the last month, and much more.

NHTE 13 Hope Cassity Apr 30, 2014

A singer/songwriter who has just signed a publishing deal and is about to release her newest album as well as go on a long tour in Alaska. Among her countless live shows, she has played at CMA Fest.

NHTE 12 Marc Alan Barnette Apr 23, 2014

A writer of almost 3,000 songs, he is a member of the Alabama Music Hall of Fame, and, as a performer, opened for the likes of the Charlie Daniels Band, Tanya Tucker, Patty Loveless, and Restless Heart. A longtime Nashville resident, he has worked with Frankie Ballard – who just had a song go to #1 – as well as Steel Magnolia and The Kinleys. Great lessons for up-and-comers on this episode!

NHTE 11 Lindsay McCaul Apr 16, 2014

Currently on tour with Brandon Heath and Mandisa, she has previously toured with Casting Crowns and Matthew West. Her song “Take My Hand” was featured in an episode of “Say Yes to the Dress” on TLC. Her new album is close to being released. She talks about all this as well as how she was led to it from what line of work she thought she was supposed to go into.

NHTE 10 June McHugh Apr 09, 2014

A highly insightful look at the music business, primarily from the standpoint of a publisher who had an office on Music Row in Nashville for many years and also used to perform. Her company had cuts with George Strait, Jason Aldean, Josh Thompson, and Randy Travis.

NHTE 9 Melissa Brethauer Apr 02, 2014

The 24-year old singer/songwriter talks about playing on the Las Vegas 'strip' at age 21, plus, performing in front of John Legend and John Rich, as well as her songwriting craft, her upcoming album, plus moving to a major music market.

NHTE 8 Dominick Pages Mar 26, 2014

Producer, performer, engineer, mentor, songwriter, and owner/operator of Crystal Blue Sound Studios near Tampa where the podcast is recorded every week. This interview digs deep into approach, preparation, mindset, and both the recording and performance environments.

NHTE 7 Dave McCormick Mar 19, 2014

This West Virginia-based singer/songwriter opened for Merle Haggard at the Ryman Theater (home of the Grand Ol’ Opry), had a publishing deal in Nashville, has written over 500 songs, and plays four different instruments.

NHTE 6 Ashley E Norton Mar 12, 2014

Just signed to Desert Sol Records and playing at South By Southwest (SXSW) this week in Texas, a Nashville-based singer/songwriter who hosts writers’ nights in Music City but also plays solo, in a duo, and in a band. Her music is on iHeartRadio and Spotify, among others.

NHTE 5 Kate Callahan Mar 05, 2014

Winner of “Best singer-songwriter 2013” at the Connecticut Music Awards, a nominee for Best Songwriter in New England 2014, and the Greater Hartford Arts Council’s 2014 featured musical artist. An amazing success story after having overcome two major traumas in her life.

NHTE 4 Nancy Moran Feb 26, 2014

Songwriter, performer, mentor, author, and speaker Nancy Moran has released four solo albums and for eight years was part of a group that performed throughout the U.S.

NHTE 3 Shannon Magrane Feb 17, 2014

Singer who finished eleventh on “American Idol” in 2012 yet is still only 18 years old now.

NHTE 2 Alyssa Jacey Feb 17, 2014

Nashville-based singer/songwriter who has opened for Bruno Mars and was nominated for “Best Live Country Performer” in the 2013 Nashville Independent Music Awards.

NHTE 1 Shawna P Feb 17, 2014

Debut episode with 2013 “The Voice” participant Shawna P, who made it to the top 32 on the show, out of more than 50 thousand that initially auditioned.

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