Surviving the Music Industry

Presented by Young Entertainment Professionals (www.yepnashville.com) and recorded at The Tracking Room (www.thetrackingroomstudio.com) in Nashville, TN. We have our first live show with an inside look at Creative Nation with the founders and early believers Beth and Luke Laird and Barry Dean. Creative Nation is a Nashville-based music company founded by Beth and Luke Laird that publishes and manages the careers of Barry Dean, Kassi Ashton, Lori McKenna, Muscadine Bloodline, Steve Moakler...

Side hustle, rock music, and moving on with David Nail and Digital Brains. Adam Shoenfeld, lead guitarist for Tim McGraw, revisits to talk about his bands newest release 3. The new EP features three heavy hitting tracks, the band is consists of three members, and all three members talk about why the side project. Adam, Corey, and Danny all have day jobs in or around music but this is the passion project. Be sure to check out the EP on iTunes and Spotify, follow the band...

Ups and downs, motivation, and songwriting with soul artist Samira Gibson and Drew Holcomb of Drew Holcomb and the Neighbors. Samira is a three-time Apollo Theater winner and has worked with artists like Chaka Khan, Mary J. Blige, Elle Varner, and Vic Mensa. Now stepping into her own solo career in soul music, Gibson's message is loud and clear. Positive and empowerment. Can that message be hard to maintain though? Is life a dark comedy or is it lessons of life? Stream #PWER and Already...

New music, a long career, and following the muse with Reeve Powers, formerly of Beach Weather, and Josh Rouse. Reeve Powers first talks moving on. But on good terms with his former bandmates. Since our conversation, Reeve has found a new direction from a rock sound to something along the lines of fuzzy pop. Give Reeve's new song, Vitamin D, a listen and follow him @rvpwrs. Then Josh Rouse comes to talk about his newest record, Love In The Modern Age. Josh is a veteran of art and he has...

Jennie Smythe, CEO of Girlilla Marketing, began her career in the mid-1990s working for Elektra Entertainment. The years of AC/DC, Metallica, Motley Crue, Staind, Deftones, and she was the receptionist. With a little time and foresight, she quickly made the play to move to YAHOO! Music as Director of Marketing and Promotion, spearheading their digital content. Which was unheard of at the time. Eventually, she made her move to Nashville to work for Warner Bros. Records’ New Media Department...

Mike Molinar is the GM of Big Machine Music (BMM), where he brings over twenty years of street smarts, creative experience, and entrepreneurial drive that's hard to think that anybody could match. Molinar oversees all aspects of BMM which was ranked Top 5 in Billboard’s 2017 Hot Country Publisher Corps and Top 10 Hot 100 Publishing Corps. BMM boasts fourteen No.1 hits and over twenty Top 20 singles since opening in mid-2012. BMM’s roster features artists and writers Brett Young, Luke Combs,...

Ancient drugs, songwriting and Texas music with Greyhounds and Mando Saenz. Greyhounds own Andrew and Anthony, pop in to talk about their newest record Cheyenne Valley Drive. This makes the bands 7th record and probably one of their rawest recording to date. They traveled to Memphis to cut songs like "No Other Woman" and "Credo" with producer Matt Ross-Spang in Sam Phillips Recording Services. The guys are no newbies in the business. After years with other bands, building their own studio in...

High energy bands, Riot Grrrl music, and new music in this episode. First we have two-thirds of Skating Polly, Kelli and Peyton. This Riot Grrrl influenced punk band takes us behind their newest record, The Make It All Show and some of their songs. We also dive into punk music and if the lyrics really come from an authentic place or is it just filler. Visit www.skatingpolly.com for tour dates and follow them @skatingpolly. Then I had Daniel Ellsworth swing by to give us a glimpse into...

There are people that think that they are creative, and then there are creatives like Drew Kennedy. Drew is a creative that creates, and not just music. This prose connoisseur has 8 albums to his name, a novel, and I'm sure binders of poetry. Armed with nothing but a can do attitude, Drew learned how to write and play songs all by himself. Years later, frequent trips from Texas to Nashville, and co-writes with other celebrated song-writers like Lori McKenna, Drew made an album that is for...

Longtime Eric Church collaborator and band member Jeff Hyde, and up and coming songwriter/front man for Green River Ordinance Josh Jenkins talk all things songwriting. Jeff is a member of Eric's infamous band and has co-written some of Eric's biggest hits. "Kill A Word", "Record Year", and "Springsteen" to name a few. Then he's also penned other songs for Bobby Bare, George Strait, Charlie Worsham, Luke Bryan, Nikki Lane, and more. In 2017, Jeff released a compilation of unreleased songs...

Songwriting is a tricky business. Especially when Nashville's songwriting has shifted stylistically within the past decade. The art of country songwriting exists through Chris Hennessee and Paul Bogart. Chris is a songwriter, musician that plays in Jamey Johnson's band, and now stepping into the spotlight. Creating and writing the music that he loves. We talk about his music, what led him to Nashville, and his newest record Ramble and all the surprise appearances. Visit...

Kelleigh Bannen and Andrea Zonn have two things in common. Country music and struggles. Kelleigh is a songwriter/artist from Nashville, TN and the story teller behind the podcast ,This Nashville Life. Kelleigh and I chat about discovering music outside her recitals and acapella group (imagine Pitch Perfect but less sexy), what led her down her own path as an artist, and life after disappointments. She has reason to celebrate because Kelleigh just released new music and you should play it...

Winner of NPR Music's 2016 Tiny Desk Series, Gaelynn Lea passed through Nashville to have a conversation in Zac Brown's music studio Southern Ground. Since 2016 Gaelynn's life changed dramatically from teaching violin lessons to recording and writing her original music. We start with what it's like discovering her voice and instrument, the people that crash into your life that leaves a positive impact, and maneuvering the landscape of her new found career. Gaelynn also gives some insight to...

It hasn't been that long ago since The Voice, Season 7 aired with Taylor Phelan. Since then Taylor has been on the road, writing new material, and releasing his EP, 1 Of 2 in 2017. Now he's celebrating the release of 2 Of 2. Discover some of our awkward exchanges with celebrities, how to separate literary from realism in songs, and what music is for Taylor. Visit www.taylorphelan.com for everything Taylor and follow him @taylorphelan. Also, Exile is celebrating 55 years as a band. The oldest...

Steve Moakler represents the future of American songwriting. He's known to capture the spirit of blue collar workers, underdogs, and the little wins of life. Whether it be love songs, party songs, or truth songs. Armed with philosophical ideals and a passion for relatable truth. Other veterans like Luke Laird, Travis Meadows, and Barry Dean for example all hail him as a co-writer and an equal in the songwriting room. Besides his own music he's also penned songs for many artists like Dierks...

Producer, songwriter, label owner, and artist is only the short list of how to describe Femke Weidema. Not to many people will learn a different language, move to a different country, and tackle becoming head of her own label. Femke is taking all that she's learned from Paul Simon, Hans Zimmer, and even Pete Anderson and giving sage advice to her artists and giving them a place to distribute music. To learn more about Femke's label visit LV Music and follow her @femkesongs. Paul McDonald is...

Country music artist and songwriter, Brandy Clark, has a natural ability to tell the truth. Whether it be a song that portrays her dark comedic sensibilities, or in conversation. We discuss life before music and finding her tribe, telling the truth in music even when it's the most difficult, and how she penned some of the most empathetic songs in modern country music. Visit www.brandyclarkmusic.com for music and tour dates. Then follow her @thebrandyclark.

Recorded at The Ryman, Genevieve and Marc from Company of Thieves let me invade their green room to talk about their newest projects, and what happened in their 5 year hiatus when things seemed to be going good for the band. Visit www.companyofthievesmusic.com for all things of the band. Also, there's a clip of Daniel Ellsworth sharing the details of Daniel Ellsworth + The Great Lakes' newest records. Daniel also shares his thoughts on music streaming and and it's challenges for artists....

Tyminski is a member of Union Station, a world renowned bluegrass artist and musician, and has lent his voice on major tracks including "The Man of Constant Sorrow" from the Coen brothers' film "O Brother, Where Art Thou...", and Avicii's "Hey Brother". We take a look at his early career, chat about life after "The Man of Constant Sorrow", and we take a look behind the songs of his newest project, Southern Gothic. Download & stream Southern Gothic on your favorite platform. Visit...

Phil Madeira is a member of Emmylou Harris' Red Dirt Boys, and the brains behind an Americana classic Mercyland. We chat touring with Phil Keaggy, cult living, and his newest release, Providence. You can download Phil's music on all streaming platforms and you can keep up with him @philmadeira. Visit www.philmadeira.com for dates and all things Phil. Also, Sam Lewis' record, Loversity was recently released. We revisit the conversation we had with Sam on the idea of the album and he talks...