ANNE LEIGHTON RETURNS (WITH MORE ROCK LEGENDS)

She's back! After an incredible conversation in Episode 90, newly minted "Honorary Derringer" Anne Leighton rejoins Team Derringer at the table for Part 2. As a veteran music publicist, artist representative, poet, and public speaker, Anne (of Leighton Media, Music Services, Motivation) has championed some of the most respected names in music.

In this episode, Anne pulls the curtain back even further, sharing insights and personal stories about three more artists from her rock and roll stable... including the namesake of this very podcast!

IN THIS EPISODE, YOU'LL HEAR:

DON’T MISS ANNE LEIGHTON’S FREE MUSIC & CATS SYMPOSIUM

Anne invites listeners to her two-day online symposium that explores the melodic and mysterious bond between musicians and cats. The event features segments on Jethro Tull, Renaissance, and Grand Funk Railroad’s cat rescue projects. Register for free at:

www.eventbrite.de/e/music-and-cats-online-symposium-tickets-1595714708649?aff=oddtdtcreator

PLAYLISTS

WHERE TO LISTEN & CONNECT

Thank you for listening to Derringer Discoveries! 

Ever wonder who helps legendary musicians share their stories with the world? In this episode, Team Derringer (Laura, Alton, and Paul) chats with the incredible Anne Leighton, a top-tier music publicist, artist representative, poet, and public speaker from NYC. Anne pulls back the curtain on her fascinating career and gives us the inside scoop on what it’s like to work with some of the biggest names in music. She also shares tales of writing for top music mags and the art -- and heart -- of championing artists from every corner of rock and pop. 

The group unpacks what a publicist actually does (think equal parts strategist, storyteller, and stubbornness), how long promoter-artist relationships can last, and why publicity is marathon work dressed up like a sprint. The hosts keep it snappy with playful banter and music snippets that prove the point.

Get ready for a walk through rock and roll history! Anne shares stories about her work with the iconic Jethro Tull and its flute-wielding frontman, Ian Anderson, the masterminds behind classics like "Aqualung" and the jaw-droppingly long 43-minute song, "Thick as a Brick." Then we groove to the 70s with tales of the band Orleans, who gave us the timeless hits "Dance with Me" and "Still the One." Plus, you'll hear some amazing trivia, like how Orleans' leader, John Hall, took a detour from music to serve in the U.S. Congress. We cap it off with the brilliant, Grammy-winning trio, The String Revolution, and discuss their stunning instrumental covers of hits like Michael Jackson's "Billy Jean" and Ozzy Osbourne's "Crazy Train."

This conversation was so good, we had to make it a two-parter! After accepting the title of Honorary Derringer, Anne agreed to come back in a few weeks to talk about three more amazing artists!

WHERE TO LISTEN & CONNECT

Thank you for listening to Derringer Discoveries! 

Dive into a legendary episode of Derringer Discoveries as Paul Derringer, Alton Derringer, and Dan Friedman (a.k.a. Dan Derringer) welcome the iconic Jim McCarty -- founding member and drummer of The Yardbirds and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame inductee -- to the show. This episode unearths gripping stories behind the band's evolution and their pivotal role in shaping rock history, with Jim sharing insider tales and reflecting on 62 years in the music world. If you love classic rock, music legends, and fascinating conversations, this episode is essential listening.

MEET JIM McCARTY: LIVING YARDBIRDS LEGEND

Jim McCarty has played with every Yardbirds lineup since 1963, and is the only constant member of the band. He shares stories from The Yardbirds’ formative years, the British music scene, and personal memories you won’t find anywhere else. Hear directly from the architect of the sound that launched legends like Eric Clapton, Jeff Beck, and Jimmy Page.

HIT COUNTDOWN: THE YARDBIRDS’ GREATEST SONGS

Enjoy a countdown of Jim’s Top 5 Yardbirds tracks:

EXCLUSIVE CONVERSATIONS & MUSIC HISTORY

Don’t miss Jim McCarty, a true rock original, sharing unforgettable stories and songs. Hit play for a music adventure!

WHERE TO LISTEN & CONNECT

Thank you for listening to Derringer Discoveries! 

Not a fork. Not a knife. Not a spork (though underrated). We’re talking Spoon -- the legendary indie rock band from Austin, Texas, that’s been stirring up perfect soundscapes since the early ’90s. With more than 1.3 million monthly listeners on Spotify, Spoon has slipped their sharp, stylish tracks onto the charts and even into movie soundtracks over their 30+ year career.

Never heard of them? Even better -- this is your perfect crash course in Spoonology™. Already a devoted fan? Fantastic -- you’ll finally get to hear us wrestle with the eternal mystery: why on earth did founding frontman Britt Daniel name the band after, yes, a piece of silverware? Spoiler: the answer comes from an iconic ’70s song, and we’re serving up a tasty snippet.

To guide us through the Spooniverse, Team Derringer (Laura, Alton, and Paul) are joined by our good pal Dan Friedman -- a Durham-based musician, eco-warrior, and mastermind behind The Music and Planet Project. Dan brings his indie chops and environmental wisdom to the table as we dish out the very best of Spoon.

So pull up a chair, grab your beverage of choice, and let’s talk Spoon—because this isn’t just a band. It’s a lifestyle.

WANT TO JOIN THE SHOW?

Be a Special Guest

Want to be a Special Guest like Dan? All you need is enthusiasm and a love for Derringer Discoveries! (Plus, subscribing to our newsletter and listening regularly helps!)

Be a Featured Music Artist

To be featured as a Musical Artist on Derringer Discoveries, you'll need 10,000+ monthly listeners on Spotify.

How to Get Involved

INFO & SHOW NOTES: www.derringerdiscoveries.com/088

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST: SPOON INSPIRED

This episode features a Spotify playlist celebrating songs from the episode, plus other global artists who inspire us. If you're an artist inspired by this episode, send us a Spotify link to your song - if it fits the format and is a solid track, we’ll add it to the playlist (as long as you're a regular Derringer Discoveries listener!).

FOLLOW US & STAY CONNECTED

Thank you for listening to Derringer Discoveries! 

ALICE COOPER, the Godfather of Shock Rock returns! In this riff-soaked episode, Team Derringer welcomes lifelong Alice Cooper fangirl Kathy Derringer to trace the Godfather of Shock Rock from his Phoenix-area origins through his chart-smashing heyday.

IN THIS EPISODE

JOIN US

Whether you grew up touring amusement parks of horror or you’re new to the madness, crank up the volume and join us.

INFO AND EPISODE: www.derringerdiscoveries.com/087

WEBSITE: www.derringerdiscoveries.com

NEWSLETTER: www.derringerdiscoveries.com/subscribe

The theme song for Derringer Discoveries is Your Sister's Room by Ho Jo Fro.

If you enjoyed this episode, please "Follow" our podcast and tell others about Derringer Discoveries. Find all Derringer Discoveries episodes on our website: www.derringerdiscoveries.com/episodes.

You can also follow us on social media: Instagram, Facebook, Threads, BlueSky, and X and you can keep up with all things Derringer by signing up for our newsletter. 

Thank you for listening to Derringer Discoveries!

IN THIS EPISODE

Get ready to celebrate the Piano Man’s incredible legacy! As Billy Joel faces treatment for normal pressure hydrocephalus (NPH), Team Derringer jumps in with heart and humor. We’re thrilled to welcome 22-year-old singer-songwriter and pianist Max Weinman from Phoenix, Arizona, who not only looks like a young Billy but brings fresh insights into Joel’s music. Max reveals how he fell for Joel’s tunes, and surprises with deep cuts as his favorite Billy Joel tunes - no chart-toppers here! Then we flip the spotlight: Laura, Paul, and Alton each pick a track from Max’s 2024 debut album for him to unpack.

Visit our website to see if you think Max looks like a young Billy Joel.  Let us know what you think!

EPISODE SEGMENTS

WANT TO JOIN THE SHOW?

Be a Special Guest

Want to be a Special Guest like Max? All you need is enthusiasm and a love for Derringer Discoveries! (Plus, subscribing to our newsletter and listening regularly helps!)

Be a Featured Music Artist

To be featured as a Musical Artist on Derringer Discoveries, you'll need 10,000+ monthly listeners on Spotify.

How to Get Involved

INFO & SHOW NOTES: www.derringerdiscoveries.com/085

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST: BILLY JOEL INSPIRED

This episode features a Spotify playlist celebrating songs from the episode, plus other global artists who inspire us. If you're an artist inspired by this episode, send us a Spotify link to your song - if it fits the format and is a solid track, we’ll add it to the playlist (as long as you're a regular Derringer Discoveries listener!).

FOLLOW US & STAY CONNECTED

Thank you for listening to Derringer Discoveries! 

IN THIS EPISODE

What connects a 1969 cartoon band, a Grammy-winning lip-sync scandal, a Disney star's evolution, and Spotify's latest million-streaming mystery? Join Team Derringer (Paul, Laura, and Alton) as they unravel the fascinating thread linking The Archies' bubblegum pop deception, Milli Vanilli's manufactured vocals, Sabrina Carpenter's carefully crafted career transformation, and The Velvet Sundown—the AI-generated "band" that fooled over a million listeners and sparked a media hoax within a hoax.

YOUR VOICE MATTERS!

After listening, share your thoughts with us! Do you think AI music should be labeled? Can algorithms create art with soul? How do we protect human artists while embracing innovation? Send us your clean, thoughtful feedback—your comments could be featured in our next episode!

Let us know what you think!

INFO & SHOW NOTES: www.derringerdiscoveries.com/085

WANT TO JOIN THE SHOW?

Be a Special Guest

Want to be a Special Guest? All you need is enthusiasm and a love for Derringer Discoveries! (Plus, subscribing to our newsletter and listening regularly helps!)

Be a Featured Music Artist

To be featured as a Musical Artist on Derringer Discoveries, you'll need 10,000+ monthly listeners on Spotify.

How to Get Involved

FOLLOW US & STAY CONNECTED

Thank you for listening to Derringer Discoveries! 

EPISODE OVERVIEW

If you don't immediately recognize the name Damiano David, you need to stick around, because he is clearly on the rise. In 2015, he was playing the streets of Rome, Italy before his band Måneskin became an international sensation. With three major albums selling millions of downloads since 2017, Måneskin now has over 20 million monthly listeners on Spotify, ranking among the Top 500 recording artists in the world—not just in Italy, but globally.

Now, without breaking up the band, Damiano David launched his solo career in May 2025 with his debut album, and he's rapidly making history. Prior to its release, his solo work had 7 million monthly listeners—but since May 2025, that number has skyrocketed to 12 million monthly listeners. That’s a 5 million listener increase in just one month—an achievement few artists can claim.

SPECIAL GUEST: CAMILLA PASSANI

In this episode, our special guest is Camilla Passani, a long-time listener of Derringer Discoveries and a recording artist from Rome who, back in 2016, played an open mic night with Damiano. She tells Team Derringer about that fateful night, and she shares her three favorite songs, so far, by the mega-superstar while we play snippets. We also play snippets of songs by Camilla who is finally an Honorary Derringer after listening to our podcast for more than three years.

WANT TO JOIN THE SHOW?

Be a Special Guest

Want to be a Special Guest like Camilla? All you need is enthusiasm and a love for Derringer Discoveries! (Plus, subscribing to our newsletter and listening regularly helps!)

Be a Featured Music Artist

To be featured as a Musical Artist on Derringer Discoveries, you'll need 10,000+ monthly listeners on Spotify.

How to Get Involved:

INFO & SHOW NOTES: www.derringerdiscoveries.com/084

SPOTIFY PLAYLIST: DAMIANO DAVID INSPIRED

This episode features a Spotify playlist celebrating songs from the episode, plus other global artists who inspire us. If you're an artist inspired by this episode, send us a Spotify link to your song - if it fits the format and is a solid track, we’ll add it to the playlist (as long as you're a regular Derringer Discoveries listener!).

FOLLOW US & STAY CONNECTED

Thank you for listening to Derringer Discoveries! 🎶

ABOUT THE EPISODE

Join Derringer Discoveries hosts Paul, Laura, and Alton in this exciting episode where they are joined by the talented Canadian musician Kevin Franco, who records under the name of The Muster Point Project. In this episode, we shine a spotlight on Kevin’s song “I’ve Heard It All,” a musical treasure trove filled with dozens of references to Canadian artists and their iconic songs who have shaped Canada’s musical identity over the years!

HIGHLIGHTS

JOIN US

Don't miss out on the fun—listen to our latest podcast episode and uncover the hidden gems of Canadian music! And for all you music aficionados, be sure to check out the show notes for the complete lyrics to “I’ve Heard It All.” We've also included links to all the Canadian artists mentioned in Kevin’s song (we think!), so you can explore their amazing work.

Tune in, sing along, and celebrate the vibrant world of Canadian music with us!

LYRICS, LINKS, AND MORE: www.derringerdiscoveries.com/083

Visit us at our website: www.derringerdiscoveries.com

The theme song for Derringer Discoveries is Your Sister's Room by Ho Jo Fro.

If you enjoyed this episode, please "Follow" our podcast and tell others about Derringer Discoveries. Find all Derringer Discoveries episodes on our website: www.derringerdiscoveries.com/episodes.

You can also follow us on social media: Instagram, Facebook, Threads, BlueSky, and X and you can keep up with all things Derringer by signing up for our newsletter. 

Thank you for listening to Derringer Discoveries!

What is a troubadour? In its simplest definition, it's a poet who puts verse to music. The focus is on the lyrical content and the music is there to serve the storyline.

In present day vernacular, the term "troubadour" is usually replaced by the catch-all category "singer-songwriter."

Some troubadours are simply singers, perhaps accompanied by a guitar, interpreting another poet's songs. While other troubadours are also poets, writing and singing their own lyrics.

Regardless, a troubadour's job is to connect with the listener by bringing the song's story to life. And, after it's over, to make the listener want to hear it again and again on repeat. Because each listen reveals more of the message, it can take a thousand listens to truly know the troubadour's tale.

We are Team Derringer (Laura, Alton, and Paul) of Derringer Discoveries. In this episode, we are joined by songwriter Marv Conan of Brooklyn, New York. When you listen, you will hear that Marv is proud to be from Brooklyn and not just from NYC; although, for his voiceover at the end, we somehow got him to say NYC.

Marv Conan recently released a song called Judy Joan & Buffy that he wrote about three troubadours who each got their respective starts in the early 1960s, two from Greenwich Village in the U.S. and one arguably from Canada. Listen to the episode to learn more about the Canada controversy.

As you will hear, these three troubadours helped Marv to make it through the 1960s after Marv was drafted into the U.S. Army. Marv listened to the troubadours on repeat, back in the day of vinyl records. Recently, he decided to write the song Judy Joan & Buffy to honor these three troubadours who meant so much to him in his youth.

The three troubadours are Judy Collins, Joan Baez, and Buffy Sainte-Marie. Join Team Derringer as we talk with Marv and hear snippets of his song Judy Joan & Buffy sung by UK's Victoria BeeBee who toured with Steve Harley & Cockney Rebel.

We also talk about the three troubadours while Marv picks two songs from each to remind us why Judy, Joan, and Buffy are legendary and worthy of re-discovery.

Do you want to be a Featured Artist on Derringer Discoveries? You'll need 10,000+ monthly listeners on Spotify. But if you want to be a Special Guest, like Marv Conan, all you need is a bucket of enthusiasm and a love for Derringer Discoveries (yep, you need to be a subscriber - it's free - and a regular listener!).

If you want to be a Special Guest, drop us a line at [email protected] and let us know which major artist you want us to feature, along with your Top 5 favorite songs by that artist. It's best if you pick an artist who is back in the news, so that we can make the episode relevant to the present. Write to us, and we promise to respond! 

If you have 10,000 or more monthly listeners on Spotify and want to be featured on a Derringer Discoveries episode, send us an email and include a link to your music to: [email protected].

INFO and SHOW NOTES: www.derringerdiscoveries.com/082

This episode features the Spotify playlist Troubadours, which includes songs from the episode, plus other troubadours and singer-songwriters who inspire us, such as Jesse Welles, Luna Keller, Matt Saxton, Martin Kerr, and Folk B*tch Trio. If you are a recording artist inspired by troubadours, send us a Spotify link to your song. If it reasonably fits the format and is a solid song, we'll include it on the Troubadours playlist, as long as you listen to Derringer Discoveries on a regular basis.

Visit us at our website: www.derringerdiscoveries.com

The theme song for Derringer Discoveries is Your Sister's Room by Ho Jo Fro.

If you enjoyed this episode, please "Follow" our podcast and tell others about Derringer Discoveries. Find all Derringer Discoveries episodes on our website: www.derringerdiscoveries.com/episodes.

You can also follow us on social media: Instagram, Facebook, Threads, and X and you can keep up with all things Derringer by signing up for our newsletter. We appreciate every listener! 

Thank you for listening to Derringer Discoveries!