Songwriters & Tour Riders

Kyle Bradley was raised in Piedmont, Oklahoma. But his alter-ego, Thunder Jackson, was born in Los Angeles, California, after years of playing in smoky bars and busking since he was a teenager.

He released his debut self-titled album in 2020, but after its release he said that music wasn't making sense to him anymore. It wasn't until he moved back to Oklahoma where he found the inspiration to create again.

He released an EP titled Take Me Back last fall and is working on new music while splitting his time between L.A. and Oklahoma.

In this episode, hear Thunder Jackson talk about how his father was an Elvis impersonator and got him a license to play in bars as a teenager, creating the moniker Thunder Jackson, and returning to Oklahoma.

The Lone Bellow's latest album is titled Love Songs for Losers and was recorded in Roy Orbison's former home. Matthew talked with singer Zach Williams just before they started their first tour of 2023, which fell right around the 10-year anniversary of the release of their debut album. In this episode, hear Williams talk about producing their own album, going back on tour, and what it was like recording in Roy Orbison's former home.

Folk music duo Companion released their debut album Second Day of Spring in May 2022. Companion is made up of twins, Jo and Sophia Babb, who were raised in Oklahoma, and have been performing together since they were at least 15 years old. In Oklahoma, they performed primarily under the name The Annie Oakley but after moving to Colorado, they felt ready for a fresh start musically.

The title track draws from a feeling they both had to start anew. In a new place, they were surrounded by new people and the natural scenery of Colorado.

In this episode, hear them talk about drawing inspiration from their new surroundings and friends, changing their name, touring with Tori Amos, and their process of writing songs together.

North Carolina country artist Sarah Shook & The Disarmers released their latest album, Nightroamer, in February. In this episode, hear Sarah talk about being LGTBQ in country music, getting sober, and the first time they met a non-binary person.

Kaitlin Butts is a singer-songwriter from Tulsa, Oklahoma. Her latest album, What Else Can She Do, is a collage of different female characters who tackle that question and draw from parts of the country artist's own life.

The first track's title, "It Won't Always Be This Way" was a statement that she and her mother would repeat during a particularly rough period of their lives. And that statement has proven to be true. In just the last year or so, Kaitlin married fellow musician Cleto Cordero of Flatland Cavalry, moved to Nashville, and recorded this sophomore album.

Listen to hear Kaitlin talk about going through that time, what it's like being married to another musician, and being more weird in country music.

Jason Scott and the High Heat are an Oklahoma band fronted by singer-songwriter, Jason Scott. Jason grew up Pentecostal and was once a youth and worship pastor. Now as a musician, he is writing songs while his bandmates joke about him once never having heard songs like "Stairway to Heaven."

Norman Music Festival is returning this week after two years of a pandemic-spurred hiatus. The festival brings hundreds of musicians and thousands of fans to the city of Norman, Oklahoma.

Shari Jackson is the executive director of Norman Music Alliance, the organization that throws the free festival that Jackson calls the 'best annual party in the state.'

Listen to hear her talk about the festival's impact, what the last two years have been like, and how an all-volunteer board put together this year's festival in 90 days.

Sun Deep has only been making music for three years. But he has already produced songs for numerous hip hop artists in Oklahoma and is also part of the bilingual hip hop duo Finite Galaxy.

His upcoming release 'Will Rap For Change' is his first producer album where he got sixteen other artists to join him. It is set to come out on March 19th with an accompanying release show where the proceeds for the show and album will be going to charity.

Listen to hear Sun Deep talk about being a late-blooming artist and how his background affects his production and rap style.

For Black History Month, we are taking a look back at some Black musicians that have been on the show in the past. You’ll be hearing again from Dr. View, Bartees Strange, Original Flow, and Jabee. They all released really wonderful projects, and they shared some of their stories and experiences that went into their music.

Max Rainer is from Tulsa, Oklahoma, and is the singer for Wilderado.

Their self-titled debut album was largely written in an old church that was being sold at auction. After a couple of years of struggling with writing, Rainer wrote songs there dealing with his struggles balancing being a father and a touring musician.

Hear Max talk about writing in a church by himself, his fear of being an absent dad, and how he put those feelings into song.