Surviving the Music Industry

Can Teddy Boldt the drummer co-exist with Teddy At Night? New artist and persona Teddy At Night shares the differences and genesis of him adding a new layer to who he is as a creative force. There are fears and anxieties associated with the concept of being misunderstood in a time of insensitivity when we are most vulnerable. But is confidence, acceptance, and understanding the path of one's identity?

First place winner in the Americana division of the International Songwriting Competition, Hannah Bethel, talks about the power of creativity, self-exploration, DMT moments, and the special moments that make up her career.

The Cosmic Country Tour may have canceled mid-tour for Daniel Donato during the beginnings of COVID-19, but he's still staying reflective during this time. Truth and art seem to be a constant theme in conversation as well as where expectations and patience collide as we're talking about Daniel's life-altering moments. The Grateful Dead, The Hobbit, and even U2 are discussed as quantitative and qualitative perspectives in art and the quantities of people that love and hate those same pieces.

If you would have told Szlachetka that a world pandemic would put a damper on his television show, Vinyl Recipes, and releasing new music like "Bullet Through The Wind" from his upcoming Young Heart, Old Soul album. He would argue that people need to be more connected now than ever, and we need art. Szlachetka phones in from his home to share distinctions of New England accents, the origins of "Szlachetka", the trouble with bands, and the stories of the music from Young Heart, Old Soul.

Nashville based but New York locked in, Ruthie Collins is still staying busy on the family farm mending fences and training dogs. She's also taking this time to write a book, learn editing software, and learning a little bit about control. Especially after releasing Cold Comfort on April 3, 2020, one might learn what control is in the midst of a crisis. Serendipitous moments, Joshua Tree, cosmic energy, and learning that taking control can also mean letting go.

Language can be complicated, but leave it to a songwriter like Sarah Siskind to help distinguish the anguish and the beauty of words in songs. Admittedly though, the shortage of attention spans to peel back the layers of words has concerns for Sarah, and art will be what suffers. Sarah phones in from her mountain-town home to share how life currently is away from the big city and to talk about releasing her newest indie record, Modern Appalachia.

Walker Hayes ("You Broke Up With Me", "90's Country") shares the inside feels of his latest track "Trash My Heart", and that the pressure to a follow up can be challenging for the creative headspace.

A global pandemic isn't slowing down Ana Cristina Cash and the release of her new album Shine, releasing on April 24th. Ana shares her story of her parents fleeing Cuba and setting up a new life in America and her audition that would set the stage for a child star. We also discuss gender double standards in music and writing creatively with a life partner.

Artist, songwriter, modern-day troubadour Jarrod Dickenson explores greed with his latest release "Gold Rush" and shares what COVID-19 looks like from a working-class musician's point of view.

Songwriter Brett James recounts his hits with Carrie Underwood, Faith Hill, Kenny Chesney, Bon Jovi, Luke Bryan, Keith Urban, Florida Georgia Line, Kelly Clarkson, and more. We take a look at his latest release, I Am Now, 20 years after his last original project.