Andrew Jackson sings a great, introspective version of Aimee Mann’s “It’s Not”, then David and Andrew talk about layered songs, complexity in simplicity, and the sadness that can accompany honesty.

Note: This is the last episode that we recorded back in September 2015. Even though I did everything except publish it, I just never pushed that button for some dingy reason. So it’s been sitting here for a year waiting for its day in the sun. So here it is!

Jessica Tung brought her brand new guitar and played us the first song she ever learned on guitar. Originally written and recorded by Wayne Cochran in 1961, Pearl Jam recorded it for a benefit album in 1999, which is where Jessica (and a lot of other people heard it for the first time). It’s a great song, and Jessica does a great version of it.

(There are links in the Original Artist & Links box to both the Pearl Jam and Wayne Cochran versions. You should listen to the Wayne Cochran version at least once.)

AAAAAAAAnd we are back! Gosh it’s only been a year. I’m delighted that our first guest after the hiatus is Shawna Seth, a friend of many years and someone I worked with at Mule Design Studio. She’s trained as a dancer her whole life, but every once in while, she likes to sing a song. And she picked a great one. There’s not much to write about the Beatles that hasn’t been said, but I do really love their earlier stuff. I think Shawna did it justice.

Hey, it’s me! Today I fulfill a request from Dave Hoffer (our guest on Episode 8) to play Joe Walsh’s “Life’s Been Good” on banjo, then talks about the show — where things have been and where things are headed.

You know the song. It was written by Meredith Willson for his musical The Music Man, and the Beatles turned it into a radio hit. On today’s episode, guest Neal Anderson plays his version for us, then we talk about attention and intention and seeing what’s important.

A little change of direction this week. Marian Call is a singer/songwriter who makes her home in Alaska. We met a few years back through some mutual friends when we were both living in Anchorage. For the last several years, she’s built a musical career on the Internet one fan at a time, and her fans love her. She graciously took time out of her recent West Coast tour (with IMGP alumnus Seth Boyer accompanying her) to come record this great version of “Homeward Bound” by Simon & Garfunkel.

Reese Douglas plays Kinks B-side “Kentucky Moon” and we talk about painting a picture with words, being genuine, and how to use cliches in an intelligent way.

Alex Jimenez plays Blind Faith’s “Can’t Find My Way Home”, and we talk about growing up and losing your way, family, and the loss of relationships, and finding your way back.

Hear some of Alex’s original music at http://alexjimenezmusic.com/

Johnny Evil sings “Love Like Winter” by AFI, accompanied by his friend Axel, and we talk about meeting your idols and what one will do for love.

Jeff Tidwell, graciously accompanied by the talented Paul Robinson, steps up and asks the burning question first posed by Peggy Lee: “Is That All There Is?” Then we talk about the dark side and the light side and trust and hey, let’s have a party.