This episode features a special co-created playlist, brought to you by Page Burkum and Jack Torrey of The Cactus Blossoms, who have been gifting us modern classics that blend Americana, folk, country, and early rock ‘n’ roll for well over a decade. Based out of Minneapolis, the land of great bands, brothers Jack and Page, along with their band, have released multiple studio albums, each to widespread critical acclaim. No Depression said of their latest album, Every Time I Think About You, “the pair seems to approach their craft with a classicist’s ear, always finding the cleanest words to fill up their harmonies.” Make sure to check out Every Time I Think About You wherever you get your music and follow The Cactus Blossoms on your social media of choice to find when they're playing a city near you!

Playlist Track Listing:

1. “Every Night” by Paul McCartney
2. “Waiting For My Child” by The Consolers
3. “Lately I’ve Let Things Slide” by Nick Lowe
4. “Lean on Me” by Harry Nilsson
5. “Lighten Up & Try” by Erin Rae
6. “Sanza Zomi Na Mibale” by Docteur Nico & Orchestre African Fiesta
7. “Deep Blue Day” by Brian Eno
8. “The Wind” by Laura Nyro & LaBelle
9. “Death of the Party” by Dean Johnson
10. “How Long” by Skip James
11. “Take Me Home Jesus” by Link Wray
12. “With My Face On The Floor” by Emitt Rhodes
13. “Travelin’ Light” by J.J. Cale
14. “You Made A Believer Out Of Me” by Ruby Andrews
15. “Key West (Philosopher Pirate)” by Bob Dylan

For the Sake of the Song Intro/Outro Music: "Gun" by The Maness Brothers @TheManessBrothers

It's the one-year anniversary of the podcast! And to celebrate the occasion, this special episode features a very special guest: musician, artist, my boyfriend, and unofficial producer-behind-the-scenes - Jake Maness!

Jake is most well-known as the drummer and singer in the blues rock duo, The Maness Brothers, that he formed with his brother David, who plays guitar and also sings. The Maness Brothers have toured extensively throughout the US, Canada, and Europe and have released multiple albums and EPs. Their latest album, Hill House, is coming out December 27th on Romanus Records so make sure to check that out! Also make sure to check out one of Jake's many other, active bands including Dock Judson, in which he is the lead singer/songwriter and drummer, and The Jits and (d)Friends, in which he plays drums, and The Irene Allen Band, in which he plays washboard and drums.

There's so much more to say about Jake and how instrumental he's been to the podcast, supporting me every step of the way, but you'll just have to listen to the episode to hear more!

Playlist Track Listing:

1. “So Much Better” by Dean Johnson
2. “Love Is A Wish Away” by Faith NYC
3. “Nobody Can Live Forever” by Tim Maia
4. “Monsoon Lightning” by Lonesome Shack and Tom Walbank
5. “Dirty South” by James Leg
6. “Going Back To Memphis – Live” by Soledad Brothers
7. “Coal Black Mattie” by The Black Keys
8. “Ace of Spades” by O.V. Wright
9. “Mush-a-Ring Around” by Freight Train Rabbit Killer
10. “Drive Back” by Neil Young
11. “You Don’t Know What Love Is” by Fenton Robinson
12. “Fire on the Sun” by The Animals
13. “Heavy Music – Pt. 1” by Bob Seger
14. “Evil (Is Going On)” by Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band
15. “Tears Come Rollin’ Down” by Henry Townsend

For the Sake of the Song Intro/Outro Music: "Gun" by The Maness Brothers @TheManessBrothers (yes, the same Maness Brothers that the guest, Jake, is in!)

Lera Lynn is a singer/songwriter whose thoughtful songwriting, poetic lyricism, cinematic soundscapes, and haunting vocals blend Americana, indie rock, folk noir, and art pop. She’s released multiple studio albums and composed numerous pieces for film, TV, and video games, including writing and performing four songs for Season 2 of True Detective, for which she gained widespread recognition. She’s also a producer, known for her meticulous production through her record label, Ruby Range Records. Her latest album, “Comic Book Cowboy” came out just last month and is receiving high praise, with one review noting, the album “sounds like nothing else in this world, in the best sense of the word, and inspires with a multitude of daring/ingenious musical ideas.” You can stream “Comic Book Cowboy” wherever you get your music or, even better, head to leralynn.com to get a vinyl or CD copy! 

Playlist Track Listing:

1. “Table for Blue” by Andrew Combs
2. “Green Thumb” by Post Malone
3. “Perfect Dark – New York Version” by Flyte
4. “Broken Harvest” by Madison Cunningham
5. “control (lose)” by Misty Boyce
6. “Paradise Lost” by Thomas Dybdahl
7. “End of A Friendship” by Julia Jacklin
8. “Martha Sways” by Andy Shauf
9. “The Magician” by Andy Shauf
10. “May Later” by Blake Mills
11. “My Love Mine All Mine” Mitski
12. “Change” by Big Thief
13. “October Sky” by Yabba
14. “Empty Trainload of Sky” by Gillian Welch and Dave Rawlings
15. “Cutting It Close” by Iron & Wine

For the Sake of the Song Intro/Outro Music: "Gun" by The Maness Brothers @TheManessBrothers

We're back with Volume Two of the Guest Playlist!

Most of the guests on the podcast are musicians and they make us playlists of other musicians’ songs but we don’t get to hear the music that the guests themselves are making and putting out there, which hardly seems fair!

So to remedy that, every 15 episodes I release a playlist that features one song from each of those guests!

And to help me with these regularly occurring special episodes, we are so lucky to have the esteemed Caron Brittany House on the pod! In addition to being a truly wonderful human and friend, Caron has been contributing to the STL music scene for well over a decade. Her show Wax Lyrical ran for nearly 11 years on KDHX and she’s a longtime member of the Twangfest Board of Directors and has been instrumental in showcasing amazing local and national music in STL. And part of that includes the Saturday Sessions at the Tower Grove Farmers Market, which run every Saturday from April to October and feature some of the best acts in STL!

For these Guest Playlists, Caron chose the songs from half the artists and I chose the others and then we chatted about them so give it a listen, find some new music, and show the amazing podcast guests some love!

Playlist Track Listing:

1. “It’s Been Awhile” by Smoke Association / Isaac Chosich
2. “Rae” by Lilly Hiatt
3. “Time Trades” by Jeffrey Lewis
4. “Can’t Get Away” by Shitstorm / Matt Stuttler
5. “Lipstick Stains” by Hunter Peebles & The Moonlighters / Matt Maher
6. “Field” by Les Rhinoceros / Mikey Coltun
7. “Perfect Shade of Blue” by Alex Huck (on YouTube only)
8. “Dying on the Vine” by Patton Magee
9. “Had To” by Esther Rose
10. “First it was a movie, then it was a book” by Florry / Francie Medosch
11. “Ouray” by Garrett T. Capps and NASA Country
12. “Hard Lines” by Tony M. Hall
13. “Trying” by Cyanides / Brian Will
14. “Stranger in the City” by The Mighty Pines / Neil Salsich
15. “Crooked Crown” by The Soledad Brothers / Johnny Walker

For the Sake of the Song Intro/Outro Music: "Gun" by The Maness Brothers @TheManessBrothers

A.J. Croce is a singer/songwriter and piano virtuoso with decades of music and touring to his name. He's released eleven studio albums, including his most recent, “Heart of the Eternal”, which was released in early 2025. His music blends rock, blues, soul, and Americana and his new album even has some psych and jazz influences. He’s worked and toured with many of the greats, including BB King, Ray Charles, Leon Russell, Allan Toussaint, Ry Cooder, Jack Clement, Tony Berg, and dozens more.

Nick Shoulders is an Americana singer/songwriter and multi-instrumentalist, playing guitar, banjo, fiddle, drums, harmonica, and mouthbow, whom Paste Magazine said is a "bonafide American treasure". He's also the owner of Gar Hole Records and is an accomplished illustrator.

Playlist Track Listing:

1. “One Broken Heart” by Sonny Burgess
2. “Frog Went A-Courtin’” by Almeda Riddle
3. “My Journey To The Sky” by Sister Rosette Tharpe, Maria Knight, Sam Price Trio
4. “Man in Black” by Johnny Cash
5. “Where Is The River Gone” by Jimmy Driftwood
6. “Let’s Get Reagan Out” by John L. Handcox
7. “Dusty Blossom Biigie” by Arkie Shibley and his Mountain Dew Boys
8. “Just Out of Reach (Of My Two Empty Arms)” by Solomon Burke
9. “Craw-Dad” by Bo Diddley
10. “The Ballad of Emmett Till” by Red River Dave
11. “If I Don’t Love You (Grits Ain’t Groceries)” by George Jones
12. “Walkin’ in My Sleep” by Hazel Dickens and Alice Gerrard
13. “Full Moon” by baksey Cham Krong
14. “La danse de Mardi Gras” by The Balfa Brothers
15. “Sweet Maggie” by Mississippi Sheiks

For the Sake of the Song Intro/Outro Music: "Gun" by The Maness Brothers

Johnny Walker is a legend among legends in the punk, blues, garage rock scene(s) and it’s an honor to have him on the podcast! He and Ben Swank started the legendary Soledad Brothers, releasing four critically acclaimed albums, and were/are longtime collaborators and friends with Meg and Jack White, with Jack engineering The Soledad Brothers first album and Johnny playing slide guitar on The White Stripes first album. After The Soledad Brothers, Johnny went on tour to sing and play harmonica with the MC5 and he formed a new band, Cut In The Hill Gang. He’s also the owner and creator of The Lodge KY in Dayton KY. Nowadays, you can find Johnny playing with his current band, All Seeing Eyes, and if you’re St. Louis, you’ll have a chance to have your mind blown when Johnny and the band play at Venice Cafe on Saturday, September 13th with The Maness Brothers (who, if you haven’t ever noticed, are the intro/outro music to the pod!). It’s a chance to see a living legend so do. not. miss. it. 

Playlist Track Listing: 

1. “I Wanta Holler (But The Town’s Too Small)” by Gary U.S. Bonds

2. “Black to Comm” by MC5

3. “Dark Was the Night, Cold Was the Ground” by Blind Willie Johnson

4. “Et moi, et moi, et moi” by Jacques Dutronc

5-8. “A Love Supreme” by John Coltrane

9. “The Big Three Killed My Baby” by The White Stripes

10. “Fuck The People” by The Kills

11. Diddy Wah Diddy” by Captain Beefheart & His Magic Band

12. “You Need Love” by Muddy Waters

13. “Pills” by Bo Diddley

14. “Third Stone From The Sun” by Jimi Hendrix

15. “Sister Ray” by The Velvet Underground

16. “Devil Got My Woman” by Skip James

17. “Re-Make/Re-Model” by Roxy Music

18. “Ya Ya Ya (Looking For My Baby” by The Detroit Cobras

For the Sake of the Song Intro/Outro Music: "Gun" by The Maness Brothers @TheManessBrothers

Neil Salsich is a singer, songwriter, and guitar player who's been playing in St. Louis for 15 years and he's best known for his band, The Mighty Pines, but he's also a member of the Playadors and Sean Canan's Voodoo Players. Make sure to follow Neil and The Mighty Pines on Instagram so you can stay up-to-date on all of his shows and, importantly, the annual Pines Fest happening in October!

Playlist Track Listing:

1. “Wounded” by Third Eye Blind
2. “Dying to Believe” by The Beths
3. “Mirrlky Honey” by Messy Jiverson
4. “Ain’t It Fun” by Paramore
5. “The Dress” by Dijon
6. “DO 4 LOVE” by Snoh Aalegra
7. “Dear God – Live” by Smokie Norful
8. “Sticking to My Guns – Live” by PJ Morton
9. “The Tide Will Rise” by Bruce Hornsby
10. “Hold On” by Ames
11. “Burning In The Sun” by Blue Merle
12. “Moonlight Serenade” by Kurt Elling
13. “Geordie (Child 209)” Anais Mitchell and Jefferson Hamer
14. “Someday We’ll Know” by New Radicals
15. “Still Be Around” by Uncle Tupelo

For the Sake of the Song Intro/Outro Music: "Gun" by The Maness Brothers @TheManessBrothers

Tony Hall is a keyboard player and singer/songwriter who’s been around the St. Louis music scene for nearly 20 years, and you can catch him playing out solo as Tony M. Hall or you can find him behind the keys with Nick Gusman & The Coyotes at least for the next couple of weeks. Keep an eye out for his solo album dropping in spring 2026! And a special shout-out to Tony being an early and enthusiastic supporter of the podcast, so make sure you show him some love in return!

Playlist Track Listing:

1. “Poor Jackie” by Man Man
2. “Conga” by Miami Sound Machine
3. “Foxglove” by Murder By Death
4. “Dime a Dozen” by Forrest McCurren
5. “Hair-Trigger” by Protest the Hero
6. “Holy Sh*t!” by Against Me!
7. “Change of Pace” by Andy Frasco & The U.N.
8. “Goldmine” by Old Capital Square Dance Club
9. “Still Not a Player (feat. Joe)” by Big Pun, Joe
10. “Pretty Good” by John Prine
11. “Just Like Old Times” by Todd Snider
12. “Peace of Mind” by Hannah Juanita
13. “Total Bummer” by NOFX
14. “Feel Like That (feat. Bradley Nowell)” by Sublime, Stick Figure, Jakobs Castle, Bradley Nowell
15. “This Must Be the Place (Naïve Melody)” by Talking Heads

For the Sake of the Song Podcast Intro/Outro Music: "Gun" by The Maness Brothers @TheManessBrothers

Brian Will is a singer/songwriter and guitarist who plays in a couple St. Louis bands, including The Jits and the Cyanides. Make sure to follow him on Instagram @brianwont to find out where you can see him playing live next!

Playlist Track Listing:

1. “Sovereignty Flight” by The Gories
2. “Kiss Me On The Bus” by The Replacements
3. “Tommy Gun” by The Clash
4. “All My Feelings Denied” by Thee Headcoats
5. “Fiction Romance” by Buzzcocks
6. “What’s Going Ahn” by Big Star
7. “Carried Away” by Television
8. “I Need Mercy” by The Peace
9. “Barnaby, Hardly Working” by Yo La Tengo
10. “Sideshow by the Seashore – Salvati Mix” by Luna
11. “Suffering Jukebox” by Silver Jews
12. “Until You Came Along” by Golden Smog
13. “The Man in Me” by Bob Dylan
14. “Wake Me When It’s Over” by Willie Nelson
15. “AAA” by Grandpaboy

For the Sake of the Song Podcast Intro/Outro Music: "Gun" by The Maness Brothers @TheManessBrothers