What's The Reason For This Podcast

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What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E19 - Tom Hamilton Jr. - I'm Your Vampire Jan 07, 2026

Show notes

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay sit down with guitarist and songwriter Tom Hamilton Jr. to dive deep into his first-ever solo album under his own name, I’m Your Vampire 🩸🖤 — out January 23. This episode is all about the songs, the process, and the moment that pushed Tom to finally make this record. 🎸✨

After decades of collaboration across genre-defining projects, Tom opens up about why this album had to happen now. Written during a period of massive personal change — the end of Ghost Light, his father’s illness, and choosing not to outrun grief by staying on the road — I’m Your Vampire was created by sitting still, turning inward, and letting honesty lead the way. 🖤🧠

Tom breaks down: 📝 Writing songs as a way to process uncertainty, loss, and identity 🎧 Why this record needed to exist outside of any band name — no safety net, just truth 🎛️ Building the album with longtime collaborator Pete Tremont and locking in perspective with producer Alex Farrar (Asheville sessions = magic ✨) 💿 How 40+ songs became a tightly intentional tracklist 🎸 Balancing raw emotion with restraint, tone, and texture 🩸 Letting listeners bring their own meaning to the songs — without overexplaining the art

They also talk about how the album’s sound pulls from multiple worlds — hints of grunge, Americana, indie rock, and the melodic sensibility Tom is known for — while still standing firmly on songwriting first. Every choice, from sequencing to production, is rooted in intention and authenticity. 🔥🎶

This episode is a rare look at what it means to start over creatively, even after years of success — and why making the record you need to make matters more than comfort or momentum. 🌱⚡

🎧 Listen now wherever you get podcasts 📲 Pre-save I’m Your Vampire 🎟️ Catch Tom Hamilton Jr. on tour in 2026

#WhatsTheReasonForThis #TomHamiltonJr #ImYourVampire

What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E18 - Tonewood String Band Dec 30, 2025

Show notes

🎧 This episode of What’s the Reason for This? Kodi and Shay drop back into the dungeon with Tonewood String Band for a no-holds-barred, laugh-heavy, deeply honest conversation about what it really takes to make a debut full-length album — from crowdfunding stress 😅💸 to studio self-doubt 🧠😵‍💫 to finally holding the finished record in your hands 💿🙌.

Fresh off the release of Heart of the Pretender, the band reflects on a nearly two-year journey 🗓️🔥 that began with a Kickstarter, rolled through 60 hours in the studio ⏱️🎛️, and ended with a record they’re genuinely proud of — scars, growth, and all 💛🌱. The conversation pulls the curtain back on the realities of modern bluegrass bands trying to level up without losing themselves in the process. 🪕⚡

The band digs into: 🎶 Why they chose to crowdfund — and how much work actually goes into a Kickstarter 💪💵 🎛️ Recording at Swingfingers Studio with Aaron Youngberg — and why working with someone who speaks bluegrass makes all the difference 🎻🎚️ ⏱️ Tracking live in isolation with click tracks, layered takes, and producer Tyler Grant steering the ship 🚦🎧 🧠 The mental battle of studio perfectionism — self-doubt, breakthroughs, and learning when to trust the take 😤➡️😌 💿 How songs evolved in unexpected ways once recorded — including tracks that nearly didn’t make the album 😳✨ 📈 Why pre-saves, singles, playlists, and algorithms matter more than fans realize 🤖📲 — and how the “waterfall release” strategy actually works 🎤 The wild contrast between sold-out theaters 🎟️🔥 and nearly empty bar gigs 🍺😅 — and how the band stays grounded through both

The episode also shines a spotlight on the unsung hero behind Tonewood’s visual world 🌈🖌️: Silver — the band’s manager, merch wizard, and resident artist. She shares how the album artwork was inspired by the title track, Bob Dylan’s “Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts” ♠️❤️, and grew into a full playing-card theme across singles, posters, and merch — all screen-printed by hand 🖐️👕.

They also revisit the band’s Kickstarter cover-song rewards 🎁🎶, where fans funded the record by commissioning custom bluegrass versions of everything from Gordon Lightfoot 🌄 to Sly & The Family Stone 🕺💃 — essentially creating a second album while finishing the first. Absolute chaos. Absolute magic. ✨🪕

At its core, this episode is about commitment, community, and creative honesty 🌾🤝 — learning when to push harder 🚀, when to let go 🕊️, and how much independent music depends on fans showing up, buying merch 🛍️, pre-saving records 💾, and spreading the word 📢❤️.

🎧 Tune in for the laughs 😂, stay for the real talk 🎙️, and remember: support the bands in the trenches — that’s where the magic lives. ✨🪕

What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E17 - Jingle Jam Dec 19, 2025

Show notes

🎧 This episode of What’s the Reason for This? is a little different — and a whole lot festive. Kodi and Shay coming to you from the dungeon to discuss a recent session from the newly christened Dungeon West to break down everything you need to know about the 4th Annual Jingle Jam, one of Colorado’s most beloved end-of-year bluegrass traditions. 🎄🪕✨

After some legendary technical difficulties (including a lost-but-not-forgotten all-time-great interview), the hosts regroup to make sure the mission stays front and center: raising money, celebrating community, and getting everyone to this show before it sells out. 🎟️🔥

The episode dives into what makes Jingle Jam so special — a scene-wide Christmas party packed with 40–50 musicians, zero repeat sets, deep-cut holiday songs, and nonstop collaborations. Taking place Saturday, December 20th at Roots Music Project in Boulder, the event brings together members of bands like Stillhouse Junkies, Deer Creek Sharpshooters, Mighty Holler, Jake Legg, Tonewood, Liver Down the River, and many more, with special guest appearances from Pete Wernick (Hot Rize) and other scene favorites. 🎶🤝

Most importantly, 100% of ticket sales benefit Sister Carmen, a Boulder County nonprofit providing food, resources, and dignity to families and individuals in need. Last year alone, Jingle Jam raised over $8,000, and this year aims to do even more. 💛💪

Kodi and Shay also highlight the fun chaos that defines the night — from audience-thrown “snowballs” (yes, pom-poms) ❄️😂 to outrageous holiday outfits, surprise sit-ins, and the reminder to support the venue by buying drinks and tipping bartenders. The episode closes by encouraging listeners to not only attend this year, but to get involved next year through volunteering, donating, or helping expand the event’s impact. 🌈🙌

🎧 Stick around to the end of the episode for a Jingle Jam Session featuring three holiday songs that will absolutely put you in the spirit. This one is about music, generosity, and showing up for your community — exactly what the season is supposed to be about. 🎄💛

What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E16 - Scotty Stoughton - Bonfire Entertainment Dec 16, 2025

Show notes

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay sit down in the dungeon with one of the most influential architects of Colorado’s music culture — Scotty Stoughton of Bonfire Entertainment. 🌲🔥 The man behind WinterWonderGrass, Baja WonderGrass, Small Town for the Cause, river trips, and some of the most meaningful gatherings in modern roots music joins us for a deep, inspiring, wide-ranging conversation. whats-the-reason-for-thiss-stud…

What starts as classic dungeon energy quickly turns into a masterclass on vision, community, risk-taking, and following your heart — from grilled-cheese-slinging Deadhead kid to festival builder, river guide, and global connector. 🌎💛

Scotty opens up about: 🎶 Growing up on Dead Tour → hand drums → freestyling → sharing stages with Les Claypool, Sam Bush, and Mark Vann 🔥 Touring in the wild 90s and realizing kindness + intention can change an entire show’s energy 🏔️ Founding events like WinterWonderGrass, Snowball, and Camp Out for the Cause — and how each taught him to build culture, not just festivals 🧡 Why empathy, respect, and human connection are non-negotiable in his company ethos 🛠️ The REAL work: town councils, decibel limits, zip-tie battles, waste cleanup, pushback, and learning to stay grounded through it 🎤 Supporting emerging artists — and why some of your favorite bands got their first big moment on his side stages 🌊 Paddleboarding the Grand Canyon, discovering “river time,” and how the River WonderGrass trips became spiritual medicine during COVID 🇲🇽 How falling in love with Baja, its culture, and its healing environment led to Baja WonderGrass — not a resort event, but a community-rooted adventure 💚 Travel, discomfort, purpose, legacy, and why he believes we were never meant to be cogs in a machine

At its core, this episode is about building spaces where people feel good — whether it’s 5,000 people in Steamboat, 500 on a beach in Baja, or 25 in a canyon sharing music at sunrise. It’s about showing up with heart, lifting up the folks coming behind you, and remembering that community is the whole point. 🌈🤝

🎧 Tap in now wherever you listen to podcasts. It’s inspiring, grounding, hilarious, and a reminder that the magic of this scene is something we all build together. 🫶✨

#WhatsTheReasonForThis #BonfireEntertainment #WinterWonderGrass

What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E15 - Deer Creek Sharp Shooters Dec 09, 2025

Show notes

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and co-host Shay hang in the dungeon with the absolute rip-roaring bluegrass crew Deer Creek Sharpshooters — fresh off their basement session and rolling deep into Colorado’s picking scene. 🪕🔥

What starts as classic dungeon chaos quickly turns into a real-deal origin story: how a group of lifelong friends from the Mid-Atlantic turned a post-high-school bluegrass obsession into a no-guitar, all-gas band that’s now carving out a name in the Front Range circuit. 🏔️🎶

The Sharpshooters open up about: 🏡 Growing up together back East (Maryland/Virginia/Philly energy) and catching the bluegrass bug AFTER high school — proof it’s never too late to start pickin’ 🎧 Their gateway bands: Trampled by Turtles, Old Crow, Yonder, Jeff Austin vibes — the stuff that lit the fuse 🌴 The Charleston era where it clicked: “we can actually be a band that plays venues” 🪕 Instrument origin chaos: mandolin “dibs,” banjo arm-wrestle decisions, dobro awakenings, and upright bass leap-of-faith madness 🎻 How Kay joined after an Irish-music background + moving to CO — and jumped into bluegrass headfirst 🎼 Their writing process: someone brings 80% of a song, the band builds the rest, arranging parts + solos together 📲 The grind of being artists and content creators — splitting up band “business roles” (booking, merch, marketing, accounting) so they can keep making music 💿 What’s next: building funding for a new album, plus a plan to start dropping live recordings that capture who they really are 🎪 Upcoming moves: Dec 19, 2025 at Globe Hall with Mighty Holler + Foggy Memory Boys, opening for Magoo at Bluebird in April, and festival runs like WinterWonderGrass, Palisade Bluegrass Bash, and more

At its core, this episode is about community + commitment — the late-night festival picks, the fans who show up early for the “small names,” the merch tables that keep bands alive, and the kind of friendship that lets a group keep evolving without losing the spark. 🌈🤝

🎧 Tap in now wherever you listen to podcasts. It’s loud, hilarious, heartfelt, and a reminder that bluegrass is a family sport. 🪕💛

#WhatsTheReasonForThis #DeerCreekSharpshooters #Bluegrass

What's The Reason For This Podcast - Alana Rocklin - Sound Tribe Sector 9 (STS9) Dec 04, 2025

Show notes

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi heads back into the dungeon with guest co-host Dave and very special guest Alana Rocklin — bassist of Sound Tribe Sector Nine (STS9) — for a deep-dive into the band’s first studio record in nearly a decade, Human Dream, and the wild full-circle journey that took Alana from fan to family. 🎶✨

From opening STS9’s first-ever Chicago show in 2001 🤯 to joining the band full-time in 2014, this conversation travels through origin stories, jazz discipline, improvisation philosophy, studio wizardry, touring realities in 2025, and why supporting live music matters now more than ever. Expect nerdy gear talk, big feelings, and a whole lot of love for the scene. 🙌❤️

🎸 Meeting STS9 in 2001 when her band (then “All Rectangle”) opened for them, the instant connection, and becoming the first non-STS9 artist released on 1320 Records.

🚐 Touring the old-school way — six-week runs in a car/van during the MapQuest era — forging friendships that eventually led her deeper into the STS9 orbit.

🎓 Her jazz + improvisation foundation at the University of Michigan, how mentor Rodney Whitaker drilled the “2 & 4 metronome” method into her practice, and how it shaped her internal clock as the band’s rhythmic backbone.

💿 Cross-genre session work, including recording bass for major hip-hop records (like Rick Ross’ Maybach Music 4) from her Nashville studio with charts, producer notes, and precision.

🌈 Joining STS9 after Murph’s departure — the weight of stepping into a legacy, the six-week cram where she learned the top 50 tunes, and building confidence through festival sets before the massive Red Rocks initiation.

🧪 How STS9 writes in real time — debuting songs live (sometimes learned minutes before stage time), letting crowds shape the music, then refining the ideas in the studio.

💫 Why Human Dream became 19 tracks — a double-album born from COVID delays, evolving ideas, and a refusal to rush the creative process.

🎶 Favorite Human Dream stories including: • Strange Games — reinvented after a sample didn’t clear, showing how limitations spark better art. • Big Basin — tied to the wildfire that destroyed her home, making the studio version deeply personal. • It’s All Right / Lives of Symphony & Unity — a live mutation turned studio favorite with vocals from longtime friend Maureen Murphy.

🎤 The legendary 2016 choir shows (Alpharetta + Red Rocks) with huge covers like “Under Pressure” and “Get Lucky,” and why STS9 uses covers sparingly so they land as true events.

🤝 A near-collab with Billy Strings, derailed by a hurricane but still destined to happen — proof of the joy in genre-crossing without rules.

📣 Why studio albums matter even with endless live recordings: they’re a clean entry point for new fans and a definitive snapshot of who the band is right now.

This episode is a wide-angle look at what it means to step inside a legacy — honoring the past, trusting the process, and fighting for the future of live music with your whole heart. 🌀🔥

🎧 Stream now wherever you get your podcasts — and turn up Human Dream loud. Sometimes the reason is simple: keep showing up for the music and each other. 💛

What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E13 - Drunken Hearts Nov 25, 2025

Show notes

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi drops back into the dungeon with Colorado’s roots-rock homies Drunken Hearts — fresh off a live basement session and riding a big wave into their next chapter. 🎶🍻

From mountain-town beginnings in Vail 🏔️ to surviving lineup shifts, loss, and the post-COVID rebuild 💥, this convo gets real about how a band keeps becoming itself over and over again. There are laughs, some heavy heart, and a whole lot of love for the road and the songs that carry it. 🙌❤️

Drunken Hearts opens up about: 🎸 How the band started 15 years ago as a ski-town trio — and why the early days felt like a “powder keg” of southern rock energy 🕊️ Honoring founding drummer Ted Wells, whose passing in 2014 changed everything — and how his spirit still threads through the music 🎹 The wild, last-minute story of Tyler joining on keys in 2020 and instantly becoming essential to their sound 🎶 Writing songs in phone notes while driving, letting inspiration hit when it hits 🚗📱 🤝 Collaborating with Nashville hit-maker Dave Pahanish — including the surprise gift of a new unrecorded song, “Sacred Ground” 🔥 Their brand-new single “The Other Side” (feat. Bonnie Sims of Big Richard), recorded on the 10-year anniversary of Ted’s passing — a full-circle moment that still gives chills 🎪 What’s next: a stacked Denver show Dec 6 at Cervantes’ Other Side with Tyler Grant’s Electric Farm + Jake Legg, plus more CO winter dates 💿 The 2026 mission: record a new album, go bigger, go deeper, and keep building this thing the right way

This episode is all about growth without forgetting the roots — the grief, the grit, the road miles, and the kind of brotherhood that keeps a band swinging through every season. 🌾⚡

🎧 Stream it now wherever you listen to podcasts! Real talk, road stories, new music, and a reminder that sometimes the reason is just… don’t stop playing. 💛

#WhatsTheReasonForThis #DrunkenHearts #ColoradoMusic #RootsRock #Americana #JamScene #NewSingle #TheOtherSide #Cervantes #DenverMusic #IndependentMusic #Songwriting #BandLife #HomiesHelpingHomies #MusicPodcast #BasementSessions #GoodVibesOnly

What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E12 - Clint Dodson - All Jammed Up Nov 14, 2025

Show notes

🎧 This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi sits down with the man behind one of the hottest podcasts in the jam scene — Clint Dodson of All Jammed Up! 🎶🔥

From Billy Strings runs and Hulaween chaos 🎸🌀 to media passes, imposter syndrome, and the art of staying authentic,this convo dives deep into the grind, the growth, and the gratitude behind building something real. 🙌

Clint opens up about: 🎙️ Turning a passion for live music into a full-blown podcast movement ☕ Editing episodes at Starbucks between shows (dedication level: MAX) 🎪 The friendships and community that make the jam scene magic 🍺 Brewing his own All Jammed Up Beer with One World Brewing in Asheville 💫 And finding balance, purpose, and love alongside his partner-in-crime, Chloe 💖

This episode is all about chasing the dream without losing the why — the laughs, the burnout, the breakthroughs, and the moments that make it all worth it.

🎧 Stream it now wherever you listen to podcasts! It’s real talk, good vibes, and a reminder that we’re all just out here trying to find our reason. 🌈✨

#WhatsTheReasonForThis #AllJammedUp #ClintDodson #PodcastLife #JamScene #BillyStrings #Hulaween #AshevilleMusic #LeftoverSalmon #Bluegrass #JamGrass #MusicPodcast #HomiesHelpingHomies #Authenticity #GoodVibesOnly

What's The Reason For This Podcast S2E11 - Andy Thorn - Leftover Salmon Nov 07, 2025

Show notes

🎙️ This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi and Shay sit down with one of the most beloved pickers in the jamgrass world — Andy Thorn of Leftover Salmon! 🎶

You might know him as the banjo-slinging wizard who went viral for serenading a fox 🦊 outside his home in the Colorado hills… but there’s so much more to Andy’s story than that one magical moment.

From his bluegrass roots in North Carolina 🎻 to earning a degree in jazz guitar 🎸 (because, yep — there wasn’t a banjo program back then), Andy’s path to becoming one of the most respected players in modern bluegrass is a story of grit, heart, and pure love of the music.

He talks about: 🌄 What drew him out west to Colorado — and how the mountain scene and community completely changed his life. 🎸 The wild journey from playing small college jams to joining Leftover Salmon, one of the most iconic jamgrass bands ever. 🥁 What it’s like to go from bluegrass purity to plugged-in, full-band chaos with drums, keys, and amps turned to 11. 🦊 The day a curious fox wandered up mid-banjo session — and how that viral video became a global feel-good story during COVID. 👶 Being a full-time dad AND full-time touring musician (spoiler: no naps, lots of caffeine ☕). 🎧 Recording his latest solo album at home, surrounded by instruments, baby toys, and sunrise views — featuring friends like Tyler Grant, Greg Garrison, and Eric Deutsch of The Black Crowes. 🎶 Why “music should be fun” — and how bluegrass still feels like a tight-knit family of friends who just want to jam and lift each other up.

The guys also dig into the evolution of Leftover Salmon, the Colorado bluegrass scene, and how the next generation — bands like The Fretliners, Arkansauce, and Tonewood String Band — are keeping the fire alive 🔥.

Andy reflects on teaching at RockyGrass Academy, passing along his skills to the next wave of pickers, and what it means to see bluegrass finally becoming “cool” again with younger fans. 🙌

It’s one of the most genuine, funny, and inspiring convos we’ve had yet — packed with stories from the road, dad-life humor, and a reminder that no matter how big the stage gets, it’s all about the music, the people, and the pick. 💙

🎧 Stream “The Andy Thorn Episode” now on What’s the Reason for This? — available wherever you get your podcasts.

👉 Hit play, laugh a little, and maybe even go pick up that old instrument again. Because as Andy says: “Music should be fun — that’s the whole point.” 🎵✨

#WhatsTheReasonForThis #Podcast #AndyThorn #LeftoverSalmon #JamGrass #Bluegrass #ColoradoMusic #BillyStrings #Banjo #MusicPodcast #MusicianLife #PodcastCommunity #MusicLovers #FoxGuy #BanjoLife #BluegrassFamily #WTRFT

What's The Reason For This Podcast - Matt Mundy - Many Ways Home Nov 04, 2025

Show notes

This week on What’s the Reason for This?, Kodi sits down with the legendary Matt Mundy — the mandolin master whose innovative style helped shape the sound of the Aquarium Rescue Unit and the jamgrass movement that followed. From growing up in a bluegrass family in the deep South to jamming with icons like Béla Fleck, Sam Bush, and Oteil Burbridge, Matt takes us on a journey through decades of music, humility, and rediscovery.

Matt opens up about being “born into bluegrass,” learning from his mom and uncle, and finding his own voice on the mandolin after realizing the fiddle just wasn’t for him. He shares stories from his early gigs, turning down high school homecoming for a gig that changed his life, and his wild ride with Bruce Hampton’s ARU—including van mishaps, chaotic tours, and the legendary live album that still inspires jam fans today.

We dig into his decision to walk away from music at the height of his success, selling all his instruments, and how—ten years later—the spark to play came back stronger than ever. Now, Matt’s full circle moment shines through in his new album, “Many Ways Home”, featuring collaborations with longtime friends and family, including his mother Frances Mooney and drummer Jeff Sipe. It’s a record that blends bluegrass, jazz, and pure soul—just like his story.

Whether you’re a diehard Widespread Panic fan, a bluegrass purist, or someone who just loves a good comeback story, this episode hits every note.

🎧 Listen now to hear Matt’s reflections on fame, friendship, and finding joy in the music again. 📀 “Many Ways Home” is available everywhere you stream music.

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