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Artwork in music is mostly an afterthought these days. A small, thumbnail photo shows up when we stream a song from our phone. But, for decades when vinyl was king, album covers played a crucial role in the success of a record. Think about what Sgt. Pepper or Led Zeppelin IV or Dark Side of the Moon would be without the packaging.

Bob Heimall was responsible for creating some of the most iconic LP art from artists like the Doors, Carly Simon, Jim Croce and John Lennon, and he showcases it in his book, Cover Stories – Tales of Rock Legends and the Albums That Made Them Famous.

He talks about taking a job with Elektra Records and almost immediately dealing with Jim Morrison and the Doors. He also tells us how he helped Carly Simon, who was a brand new artist at the time, develop her image. He also talks about having to put together albums from Jim Croce and John Lennon after both passed away.

Jefferson Starship has gone through a lot of changes over the years. First, rising from the ashes of the previous Jefferson Airplane, it was a vehicle for Paul Kantner, Grace Slick and David Freiberg.

Over the years, and numerous lineup changes, the band scored many hits, like “Miracles,” “Count on Me,” “Find Your Way Back,” and “Jane,” which was co-written by Freiberg.

The band is currently out on the road in support of their brand new album called Mother of the Sun, and from the band, we welcome David Freiberg and vocalist Cathy Richardson.

We talk the new album, which features several nods to the past, including a brand new song, "It's About Time," co-written with Slick, and another song written by former vocalist Marty Balin. The album also features a live version of "Embryonic Journey," a song dating all the way back to the Jefferson Airplane days.

Chris Hillman is one of the unsung heroes of popular music. Starting out as bassist for the Byrds, the band was part of the American answer to the Beatles, electrifying the lyrics of Bob Dylan on “Mr. Tambourine Man,” but showing they could write trailblazing material of their own in songs like “Eight Miles High.”

Hillman introduced Gram Parsons to the band and their all-country Sweetheart of the Rodeo was the result. Hillman followed Parsons to the Flying Burrito Brothers, also took part in the Stephen Stills-led Manassas, recorded some solo records and eventually found surprising success on the country charts with the Desert Rose Band in the 1980’s. Hillman chronicled all of this in Time Between – My Life as a Byrd, Burrito Brother and Beyond from BMG Books, now out in paperback, and as an audio book, narrated by the author, from Random House Audio.

He talks about recording little snippets of songs he was involved in exclusively for the audio book. He also tells us about a pivotal session he did with Hugh Masekela that helped give him confidence as a musician. And, he discusses the anniversary concert for Sweetheart of the Rodeo.

Before the mid-90’s success of the Wallflowers, Jakob Dylan and Tobi Miller were part of the Bootheels, a quartet led by bassist/vocalist Luther Russell. Although the group’s time was short – they only played a handful of gigs, they left behind some incendiary music – documented in 1988: the Original Demos from Omnivore Recordings.

Russell later formed the Freewheelers before joining Big Star drummer Jody Stephens in the Those Pretty Wrongs. Bootheel drummer Aaron Brooks would later work with Moby, Lana Del Rey and others.

We chat with Russell about the crazy circumstances that led to the forming of the band, how their rehearsal space evolved into a small, but packed-out concert venue, and why the Replacements were such a huge influence on the group. He also talks about upcoming projects, both solo and with Stephens.

New England singer/songwriter Dar Williams has been putting out music for over 30 years. She’s played with Mary Chapin Carpenter, Ani DiFranco and Joan Baez, among others. She’s also written several books, including What I Found in a Thousand Towns: A Traveling Musician’s Guide to Rebuilding America’s Communities – One Coffee Shop, Dog Run, and Open Mic Night At a Time.

Her latest album is her first in six years, called I’ll Meet You Here. We talk about the inspiration for many of the songs on the record, including “You Give It All Away,” which deals with the current state of streaming music, and “Today and Every Day,” which talks about the little things we can do save the world. She also revisits a song from her very first album, “You’re Aging Well.”

Tito Jackson is part of one of the most talented musical families in history, the Jacksons. With the Jackson 5, their first four singles for Motown Records all went to Number One, including “I Want You Back,” and “ABC.”

After leaving Motown in the mid-Seventies, Tito began showcasing his multiple talents, writing songs, playing guitar and keyboards on many albums, especially those of his family members. But, it wasn’t until 2017 that he put out his first solo record, Tito Time.

Now he’s back with a brand new project, Under Your Spell, and it’s star-studded affair, with contributions from Stevie Wonder, Joe Bonamassa, George Benson, Eddie Levert and more.

We talk with Jackson about the project and how he coaxed legendary producers Gamble and Huff out of retirement to pen one of the songs on the new record. He also tells the story of how, as a young boy, he broke a string on his father’s guitar – an act that got the ball rolling for the Jackson 5.

Donna Loren was a fixture of the 1960’s. She was chosen as the Dr. Pepper girl after a nationwide search, and appeared in numerous TV commercials over a span of five years. She also starred in several Beach Party movies with Frankie Avalon and Annette Funicello, including Beach Blanket Bingo, where she sang her signature song, “It Only Hurts When I Cry.”

Loren was a featured vocalist on the weekly music show, Shindig! and shared the stage with many popular artists of the Sixties. She was signed by Capitol Records and released several singles, was a guest star on manyl TV shows, like Batman, the Monkees and Gomer Pyle, and even designed her own clothes. She did all this before walking away from show business to raise a family in the late Sixties. Whew!

After a break, she returned to performing in the 80’s and now hosts a podcast called Love’s a Secret Weapon.

Jimmie Vaughan is an American legend. He’s spent almost 50 years playing his blues guitar, first with the Fabulous Thunderbirds, who hit big in the mid 80’s with songs like “Tuff Enuff,” “Wrap it Up” and ‘Powerful Stuff,” before teaming with his brother, Stevie Ray, right before his passing for the Vaughan Brothers album. Since then, he’s played with a who’s who of the blues world, while also releasing his own solo records.

All of that has culminated in The Jimmie Vaughan Story, from Last Music Company. The set includes 5 CD’s – covering everything Vaughan has done in a band and as a sideman, with a lot of the tracks previously unreleased. But, that’s just the beginning. The Deluxe Edition also features a vinyl LP of his Grammy-winning album Do You Get the Blues, two vinyl singles, a full color magazine of Vaughan’s classic cars, along with the crown jewel of the set – a 240-page, hardcover book featuring a treasure trove of photos of Vaughan, his brother Stevie and family, as well as Vaughan’s musical compadres over the years, plus extensive interviews, that help paint the most complete picture of a man who has never strayed from the blues.

Vaughan tells us about a lot of the unreleased material and where it came from, and how he helped form the Fabulous Thunderbirds. Plus, he talks about what led to his teaming with brother, Stevie Ray Vaughan, on their album Family Style.

Doug “Cosmo” Clifford played drums for legendary rockers Creedence Clearwater Revival, who’s time on top was brief, only about two years. During that span, they issued 11 million selling hit singles and six albums - unbelievable by today’s standards.

After the band disbanded, Clifford worked on a variety of projects, assembling various groups of musicians and recording albums...a lot of these have sat in his personal archives for years. Now that he’s retired from the road, Clifford has started delving into these tapes, which he calls Cosmo's Vault.

The latest release is For All the Money in the World, a teaming between him and Steve Wright, who played bass for the Greg Kihn Band. Also part of the project were several guitarists, including none other than Joe Satriani on a few tracks, and former Allman Brother Band backup vocalist Keith England.

We chat the origins of the project and why it's taken until now for it to get released. He also reminisces about his most memorable CCR recording session and his favorite deep cut.

Johnny Mathis created the blueprint for romantic singers, recording timeless classics like “Chances Are,” “Misty,” “The Twelfth of Never,” and “It’s Not For Me to Say.” Unlike some of his contemporaries, he’s never stopped touring or recording. This year marks his 65th year as a recording artist with Columbia Records, and to celebrate, he’s embarking on his 65 Years of Romance Tour.

We chat with him about what he did to keep busy during quarantine. He also tells us what lengths he went to to be able to cook while on tour, and what he has in store for this upcoming tour.