In this episode of Look Who It Is, I sit down with Jesse DeGroot, co-founder and guitarist of Beneath The Hollow.

We talk about what it really takes to keep a heavy band moving while balancing a full-time job, marriage, kids, touring, and constant writing.

Jesse breaks down:

• Why he went back and relearned guitar after nearly 20 years of playing

• Studying music theory and how it changed his approach

• Working with producer Machine and refining their sound

• Navigating singer changes and long inactive stretches

• Recording, reamping, tone chasing, and why “it’s gotta have some ugly on it”

• The reality of being a regional band and loving it anyway

• The moment someone sings your lyrics back to you

This is a grounded conversation about discipline, longevity, and making music for the band first with no hype, no shortcuts.

Follow Beneath The Hollow:

Website: https://www.beneaththehollow.com

Instagram: @beneaththehollow

Classical and jazz-trained guitarist Michael Rye shares how he went from Suzuki violin lessons at age five to a lifetime of guitar. We talk about his all-instrumental album If These Hands Could Talk and why he wanted it to be 100% guitar with no vocals, overdubs, or studio tricks. Michael breaks down how he thinks about fingerstyle, session work in a remote-file world, and why reputation and referrals are everything when people need you to deliver fast.

He also walks through his upcoming teaching platform, Intuitive Guitar Academy, built like a structured curriculum with beginner, intermediate, and advanced levels, plus printable practice materials. We get into practice habits, choosing a first song, how he maintains a large collection of purpose-built guitars, and the real-world gear routines that keep him consistent on stage.

Nashville guitarist and producer Derek Wells breaks down how modern records are really made. We talk demoitis, the creative freedom behind Post Malone’s F-1 Trillion sessions, how Nashville studio work actually functions, and how Derek balances being a guitarist, producer, and A&R executive.

This episode dives into session workflows, creative burnout, saying no to the wrong projects, and the small behind-the-scenes moments that end up living forever in a song.

Nashville singer songwriter Camryn Gardner talks going full time in music, the Broadway grind, writer rounds, co writing, and the story behind her song “Stages.” We also cover the reality of promoting and releasing music as an independent artist and what she is working on next.

Max from the Nashville indie rock band Felix Tandem talks about the gravestone origin of the band name, his “Max vs Felix” creative split, and the story behind their new 90s-inspired single “Hey Now” (out Dec 4).We get into his songwriting process, DIY touring, Nashville’s house-show scene, their first single “Shoplifter,” and his thoughts on AI music, Spotify, and making art without chasing the algorithm.If you’re into indie rock, Nashville music, or behind-the-scenes stories from working bands, this episode is loaded.https://felixtandem.com/https://www.instagram.com/felixtandemmusic/

Pop artist and actress Izabela Rose joins the Look Who It Is podcast to talk about her new single Tipsy Truth, how she wrote it with her family, why she calls it a medicine song, and what it means for this new era of her music.

We get into growing up with Disney Channel, stepping into life as an independent artist, the pressure of doing it without a label, finding her sound in indie pop, writing for the sad girls and the pop girls, and learning how to promote her own music on social media without being afraid of posting too much.

Izabela also shares stories about recording with her dad, working on Wine For Me with Kushion Music and Jase from Soul For Real, her writers camp experience in LA and New York, why she calls her fans friends, representation and curly hair on Disney, and her dream collab with Megan Moroney.

Tipsy Truth is out now on all streaming platforms.

Follow Izabela Rose:
Instagram and TikTok: @iamizabelarose

Echo Pilot joins me to talk about how the band came together in Nashville, how each member found their way into the lineup, and what goes into the collaborative way they write songs. We get into home-studio demos, avoiding demoitis, and what changes when they take the music to a producer for the actual record.

They talk favorite songs to play live, the biggest shows they’ve played so far, the chaos of touring, their influences, harmonies, and how the third album is already shaping up. A genuine look at a hard-working rock band doing it the right way.

Find them everywhere @EchoPilotMusic

Travis Neal from Fraxures sits down to talk about chasing the dragon, what it took to stay alive in the music industry, and how his approach to writing and recording has changed over the years. He breaks down the new record, the Depeche Mode cover, his vocal style, the band’s in-house video work, and the long fight back from cancer that reshaped everything. This one goes deep into the mindset, the craft, and the grind behind Fraxures.

In this episode I'm talking with legendary songwriter Roger Springer, whose career spans more than three decades in country music. Roger shares his journey from Oklahoma honky-tonks to Nashville hitmaker, writing for artists like Mark Chesnutt, Jake Worthington, and Will Banister.

He talks about loyalty, mentorship, and why real country music never truly goes away. From capturing melodies “that come from somewhere else” to helping young artists find their voice, Roger’s insights show exactly what keeps traditional country alive.

Mississippi country artist Dusty Crawford joins Look Who It Is to talk about how an injury ended his chance to play sports and led him to discover music. He shares how his first gig packed out a restaurant, what life’s like raising a son and six-month-old triplets, and his plan to release a new song every month leading up to a summer tour. Real stories, hard work, and a lot of heart from one of Mississippi’s rising voices in country music.