Founder and ex-Outlaw guitarist/vocalist Chris Anderson leads his new band Once an Outlaw and talks to us about his roots in the blues, playing with Stevie Ray Vaughn's Double Trouble as his backup band, rumors of the death of rock, AI in music today and the importance of the human element in all art, and songwriting vs. performing.

MUSIC:

Old Friend

Born to Be Bad

Once an Outlaw (The Outlaws)

Danielia talks about growing up in New Jersey in a "Small White Town," retreating into a room with a guitar as a child to teach herself how to play, the trap of social media for young people , country music's first black superstar, and advice she's received from the musicians she's shared a stage with.

MUSIC: 

It's Only Life

Good Day

So Afraid of Losing You

Talking with Mike Francis, lead vocal and guitar for Soul Rebel Project. Mike remembers some of the reggae legends SRP has shared the stage with, why reggae became his chosen path, the music industry's cycles and business advice for musicians.

YOU CAN HELP: The island of Jamaica is reeling from the devastating damage caused by hurricane Melissa. There are several relief agencies actively helping Jamaicans, one of them is  The American Friends of Jamaica based in NYC (theaft.org) With US international relief funds at an all-time low, the help is needed urgently.

MUSIC:

Spark

Pure Love

Mellow Down

Austin guitarist/songwriter Jackie Venson tells us about: surviving the pandemic just as her promotional tour was supposed to start, reveals her songwriting process, why she switched from classical piano to blues guitar, and why she doesn't tour in the winter.

MUSIC:

Keep On

Rollin on

Destruct

Growing up in a blues-heavy neighborhood in Chicago, Toronzo Cannon started out playing reggae ("Jamaican Blues" he calls it,) but quickly moved into the inspirational music of his local blues heroes. His song writing topics are drawn from street life and his time driving a city bus, always putting the emphasis on the story and the lyrics and the true roots of the original "message music," the blues.

MUSIC: 

Can't Fix the World

The Preacher, The Politician The Pimp

Shut Up and Play

Black Uhuru founder Duckie Simpson has been in the pantheon of Reggae royalty since the 1970s, and he has seen a lot of life's joys and challenges. In this episode we hear about being brought up by Rastafarians as a child, finding his way in music, the brutal realities of the recording industry, and his positive way of seeing the future.

MUSIC:

Sinsemilla

What Is Life

New Day

Connecticut jam-rock band Residual Groove has the improvisational and technical chops to make each of their performances a musical journey. We sat down with drummer Adam Fink and keyboardist Kiran Edwards to find out what goes into their unique musical expeditions, and what drives them to keep creating.

Six-piece funk and soul band The Far Out have been playing together since they were kids growing up in Ipswich, Massachusetts. With influences as wide-ranging as Jimi Hendrix, Maceo Parker and Miles Davis, they put on a show that has become a favorite of audiences at The Cut.

MUSIC:

Packed to Go

Laurel

Funkadelic Gas

We're talking with 18-year old country rock phenom Gavin Marengi about his high school playing his first hit song at his hockey team's victories, learning music from his father (now his band's lead guitarist,) his approach to song writing, and the thrill of being on stage.

MUSIC:

Restless Legs

Southbound

Back to Boston 

We're talking with James Austin Johnson about his rough start in comedy in middle school, breaking into Saturday Night Live, developing his Donald Trump impression and wrestling with what it does to people.