The Desert Vibe

We sit down with Tucson artist Maria Montanini to talk about raising six kids while building a real music business. She shares how pain shaped her songwriting, why discipline matters more than hype, and what authenticity looks like in a filtered industry. 

Spotify: https://open.spotify.com/embed/artist/5HEzzeNekWSleEuqLQyTYj?utm_source=generator

• balancing single motherhood with gigs and rehearsals 
• handling cancellations, emergencies, and venue relationships 
• turning depression and life upheaval into songwriting fuel 
• defining “professional musician” as consistency and daily work 
• building an audience through early social posts and community support 
• avoiding mediocrity through discipline, follow-through, and good band culture 
• choosing authenticity over overprocessed music and curated personas 
• comparing Arizona music scenes across Tucson, Phoenix, Bisbee, and Prescott 
• local music updates, open mics, and upcoming Arizona events

Support the show

Connect with The Desert Vibe Podcast

🌵 Website: https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581168623261

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertVibePodcast

🎵 Get Desert Vibe Podcast merch and support the show:

https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com/category/all-products

Hosts

• Walt Richardson: https://walterrichardson.com

• Glen Gardner: https://glengardner.net

Marketing, PR & Website

• Emma & James Mattison: https://emmaandjames.music

Regional Contributors

Featuring rotating representatives from across Arizona through our "What's Vibin' in the Desert" segment.

Interested in being interviewed or representing your region?

https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com

#TheDesertVibe #WhatsVibinInTheDesert #ArizonaMusic #ArizonaMusicians #LiveMusicAZ #ArizonaLiveMusic #SupportLocalMusic #OpenMic #ArizonaBands

We sit down with Johnny Dixon to trace how a kid chasing radio voices and free promo 45s becomes a lifelong advocate for Arizona’s overlooked records and artists. John Dixon is a legendary Arizona music historian, on-air radio personality, Capitol Records exec, and all-around nice guy. Along the way we talk segregation-era airwaves, major-label promotion at Capitol, and why the desert sound still travels far beyond the state. 

Johnny Dixon: azmusicdude.com

• early radio idols and the spark of becoming the “AV kid” 
• discovering DJ promo records and learning how distribution works 
• building a teen DJ service and sharing blues and R&B at dances 
• how segregation and cover versions shaped what Phoenix heard 
• arriving in Tempe and the influence of a remarkable teacher mother 
• collecting Arizona labels and preserving local music history through interviews and discographies 
• Capitol Records and London years including how promotion and budgets really worked 
• the Kate Bush story and what “didn’t connect” in US radio 
• Duane Eddy’s “Rebel Rouser” as a defining Arizona sound 

Support the show

Connect with The Desert Vibe Podcast

🌵 Website: https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581168623261

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertVibePodcast

🎵 Get Desert Vibe Podcast merch and support the show:

https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com/category/all-products

Hosts

• Walt Richardson: https://walterrichardson.com

• Glen Gardner: https://glengardner.net

Marketing, PR & Website

• Emma & James Mattison: https://emmaandjames.music

Regional Contributors

Featuring rotating representatives from across Arizona through our "What's Vibin' in the Desert" segment.

Interested in being interviewed or representing your region?

https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com

#TheDesertVibe #WhatsVibinInTheDesert #ArizonaMusic #ArizonaMusicians #LiveMusicAZ #ArizonaLiveMusic #SupportLocalMusic #OpenMic #ArizonaBands

We sit down with legendary Tempe engineer and producer Clark Rigsby of Tempest Recording and trace how a tight local scene can shape careers far beyond Arizona. We trade stories about making records, working with major artists, and why honesty, prep, and real struggle still matter more than shiny tools. 

Clarke Rigsby: www.TempestRecording.com

• Clark’s early road years and why he chose Tempe over LA 
• What changed in Tempe music culture and why venues matter 
• Advice for independent artists booking their first recording session 
• Home recording, technology shifts, and learning through playback 
• Working connections behind Frankie Valli, Tower of Power, and Paul McCartney 
• The Alice Cooper project story and the business side of getting paid 
• Vinyl vs digital, studio myths, and why AI leaves him cold 
• Studio gear philosophy, microphones, consoles, and going to the source 
• How local showcases and open mics help the next generation grow 

If you visit www.thedesertvibepodcast.com, you can find this and more.

Support the show

Connect with The Desert Vibe Podcast

🌵 Website: https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581168623261

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertVibePodcast

🎵 Get Desert Vibe Podcast merch and support the show:

https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com/category/all-products

Hosts

• Walt Richardson: https://walterrichardson.com

• Glen Gardner: https://glengardner.net

Marketing, PR & Website

• Emma & James Mattison: https://emmaandjames.music

Regional Contributors

Featuring rotating representatives from across Arizona through our "What's Vibin' in the Desert" segment.

Interested in being interviewed or representing your region?

https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com

#TheDesertVibe #WhatsVibinInTheDesert #ArizonaMusic #ArizonaMusicians #LiveMusicAZ #ArizonaLiveMusic #SupportLocalMusic #OpenMic #ArizonaBands

A great record doesn’t start with a microphone. It starts with taste, tough choices, and someone willing to say, “That’s close, but it’s not right yet.” We’re joined by Sean Cooney, recording engineer and owner of Three Leaf Recording in Sunny Slope, for a deep look at how real music production works inside a Phoenix recording studio.

Sean Cooney's Socials: 

www.Instagram.com/3leafrecording

www.facebook.com/3leafrecording

We talk about what artists should expect when they walk into a session, why pre-production and honest feedback matter, and how the meaning of “producer” has shifted from musical leadership to a catch-all job title. Sean shares how he thinks about arrangements, tempo, keys, and getting the right player for the part so a song leaves the room sounding like a national-level release, not a rushed demo that nobody wants to hear again.

Then we get into the debates musicians actually care about: live tracking versus building layers, click tracks as guardrails (not a prison), and when analog tape can add warmth in a digital workflow. We also tackle the modern tension of what we can fix versus what we should fix, including a practical, no-hype take on auto-tune, performance “imperfections,” and why vibe wins. Along the way, we swap a few studio war stories, shout out the depth of Arizona session musicians, and share a powerful collaboration story tied to the late Grant Woods and Arizona School for the Arts.

If you care about recording, producing, mixing, or the Arizona music scene, hit play, then subscribe, share this with a musician friend, and leave a review so more local stories find the people who need them.

Support the show

Connect with The Desert Vibe Podcast

🌵 Website: https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581168623261

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertVibePodcast

🎵 Get Desert Vibe Podcast merch and support the show:

https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com/category/all-products

Hosts

• Walt Richardson: https://walterrichardson.com

• Glen Gardner: https://glengardner.net

Marketing, PR & Website

• Emma & James Mattison: https://emmaandjames.music

Regional Contributors

Featuring rotating representatives from across Arizona through our "What's Vibin' in the Desert" segment.

Interested in being interviewed or representing your region?

https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com

#TheDesertVibe #WhatsVibinInTheDesert #ArizonaMusic #ArizonaMusicians #LiveMusicAZ #ArizonaLiveMusic #SupportLocalMusic #OpenMic #ArizonaBands

A cracked acoustic guitar sits on the table, Glenn strums a chord, and our guest looks up and says the one line you never expect to hear: he’s the person who helped put that exact guitar into the world. From there, the conversation opens up into something bigger than gear, because Rich McDonald isn’t just a player, he’s a former Fender executive vice president and chief product officer who helped guide product strategy at one of the most famous guitar companies on Earth.

Website: Richmcdonald.com

We start where a lot of real music careers actually begin: a job you took to pay rent, a conversation that turns into a lifelong creative partnership, and a local scene that keeps feeding you new collaborators. Walt and Rich go back to their Tempe Denny’s days, songwriting sessions, and the Morningstar era of touring 300 nights a year. We also talk about family, growing up, and what it feels like to look back and realize a single connection quietly redirected your whole life.

Then we get practical and nerdy in the best way. Rich walks us through guitar product development at scale: multi-year planning, finding the right factory, dialing in tops and resonance, and why “drop tests” exist. We also challenge the vintage guitar myth, talk about prototypes that never made it to market, and dig into Rich’s career lessons from his book Rock Your Gig and Get Promoted, including the line that sticks with us: you become synonymous with the ideas you’re committed to.

If you love the Phoenix music scene, Fender history, acoustic guitars, electric guitar prototypes, or career growth advice that doesn’t feel fake, hit play.

Support the show

Connect with The Desert Vibe Podcast

🌵 Website: https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581168623261

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertVibePodcast

🎵 Get Desert Vibe Podcast merch and support the show:

https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com/category/all-products

Hosts

• Walt Richardson: https://walterrichardson.com

• Glen Gardner: https://glengardner.net

Marketing, PR & Website

• Emma & James Mattison: https://emmaandjames.music

Regional Contributors

Featuring rotating representatives from across Arizona through our "What's Vibin' in the Desert" segment.

Interested in being interviewed or representing your region?

https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com

#TheDesertVibe #WhatsVibinInTheDesert #ArizonaMusic #ArizonaMusicians #LiveMusicAZ #ArizonaLiveMusic #SupportLocalMusic #OpenMic #ArizonaBands

We sit down with Arizona singer-songwriter and author Nancy Elliott to talk about desert inspiration, creative discipline, and the surprising moment a single song turns into a full Western novel. She shares how she protects her time, captures place in lyrics and poetry, and keeps making new work across music, writing, and design.

• managing a packed creative life by batching email, texts, and social media
• growing up in Ohio and feeling “called” to Arizona while driving through
• the Arizona landscapes that shape her songwriting and imagery
• using light, place, and emotion to help listeners paint their own picture
• the song Autumn’s On Its Way and the real-life spark behind it
• Elmer Kelton’s question that pushes her to write the novel
• writing process, originality, and why she avoids rigid formulas
• recording Tall Tree in Tucson and Bluebirds in Santa Fe
• daily routine that balances exercise, Bible study, sewing, guitar, and writing
• where to find the book and how to catch upcoming live shows

More from Nancy Elliott:
https://nancyelliottmusic.com/

Support the show

Connect with The Desert Vibe Podcast

🌵 Website: https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581168623261

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertVibePodcast

🎵 Get Desert Vibe Podcast merch and support the show:

https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com/category/all-products

Hosts

• Walt Richardson: https://walterrichardson.com

• Glen Gardner: https://glengardner.net

Marketing, PR & Website

• Emma & James Mattison: https://emmaandjames.music

Regional Contributors

Featuring rotating representatives from across Arizona through our "What's Vibin' in the Desert" segment.

Interested in being interviewed or representing your region?

https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com

#TheDesertVibe #WhatsVibinInTheDesert #ArizonaMusic #ArizonaMusicians #LiveMusicAZ #ArizonaLiveMusic #SupportLocalMusic #OpenMic #ArizonaBands

The music business can feel like it’s floating in midair, and somehow you’re still expected to build a career on it. We sit down with touring songwriter Bobo Burns, calling in from Anaheim, to get honest about what it takes to survive as an independent musician while still making work you’re proud of. He talks about years of touring through Arizona venues and festivals, why the Arizona music community feels unusually welcoming, and how those relationships keep a scene alive long after the set ends.

We also get practical and blunt about artists’ rights: owning your masters, what happens when publishing gets sold again and again, and how bad metadata can wreck real momentum. Bobo shares a hard lesson about re-uploading music without the right ISRC continuity and watching playlists, favorites, and stream counts reset. From playlist scams to double-dipping deals to AI-driven copyright claims, we dig into the new ways creators get pressured to give up control and the habits that help you push back.

Then we shift to the book side. Bobo explains how decades of tour journals turned into Too Many Miles On The Road With An Unofficial Rock And Roll Goodwill Ambassador, plus what changed when he started touring solo and the walls came down with audiences. We even get into Europe listening rooms, why Germany feels different, and the touring logistics nobody posts about like storing duplicate gear in multiple regions.

If you like conversations about the Arizona music scene, touring life, music publishing, masters rights, and the real economics of streaming, hit subscribe, share this with a musician friend, and leave us a review with your biggest “music business” lesson.

Bobbo Byrnes
www.bobbobyrnes.com

Support the show

Connect with The Desert Vibe Podcast

🌵 Website: https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581168623261

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertVibePodcast

🎵 Get Desert Vibe Podcast merch and support the show:

https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com/category/all-products

Hosts

• Walt Richardson: https://walterrichardson.com

• Glen Gardner: https://glengardner.net

Marketing, PR & Website

• Emma & James Mattison: https://emmaandjames.music

Regional Contributors

Featuring rotating representatives from across Arizona through our "What's Vibin' in the Desert" segment.

Interested in being interviewed or representing your region?

https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com

#TheDesertVibe #WhatsVibinInTheDesert #ArizonaMusic #ArizonaMusicians #LiveMusicAZ #ArizonaLiveMusic #SupportLocalMusic #OpenMic #ArizonaBands

We trade the romance of live music for the reality of making festivals work, from Glendale’s folk stages to city‑ringing mega shows. Hard lessons, fun wins, and the playbook that keeps crowds safe, hydrated, and happy without killing the vibe.

• why long lead times save events
• building teams and committees that cover blind spots
• budgeting for insurance, security, and cleanup
• planning for weather, heat, and surprise variables
• artist logistics with runners, riders, and traffic
• stage layouts, barricades, and sound management
• water, restrooms, and accessibility as core design
• Glendale Folk highlights and new artist growth
• how to communicate parking and arrival times
• the one‑thing‑will‑go‑wrong mindset and recovery

Get the Desert Vibe Podcast swag and support the show! https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com/category/all-products

Support the show

Connect with The Desert Vibe Podcast

🌵 Website: https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581168623261

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertVibePodcast

🎵 Get Desert Vibe Podcast merch and support the show:

https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com/category/all-products

Hosts

• Walt Richardson: https://walterrichardson.com

• Glen Gardner: https://glengardner.net

Marketing, PR & Website

• Emma & James Mattison: https://emmaandjames.music

Regional Contributors

Featuring rotating representatives from across Arizona through our "What's Vibin' in the Desert" segment.

Interested in being interviewed or representing your region?

https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com

#TheDesertVibe #WhatsVibinInTheDesert #ArizonaMusic #ArizonaMusicians #LiveMusicAZ #ArizonaLiveMusic #SupportLocalMusic #OpenMic #ArizonaBands

We sit down with Ryan to unpack how Tempe’s music scene is rebuilding around public spaces, intentional production, and a vision to turn Hayden Flour Mill into a destination stage. Along the way, we talk loudness, ear protection, kava vs alcohol, and why venues are the hidden key.

• shifting from dreamer to producer with hands‑on logistics
• creating a container for musicians to feel safe and heard
• Tempe’s many scenes and how to connect the “campfires”
• vision for Hayden Flour Mill as venue and recording stage
• balancing analog warmth with lighter, cheaper gear
• stage dynamics, drummers, and volume control
• building front‑row immersion with conversational back rows
• economics of venues, insurance, and permits
• public‑use spaces as engines for local music
• decoupling alcohol from shows and kava experiments
• launching Song Rush to produce sessions and tell artist stories
• upcoming Mill Music Sessions, jazz series, and fundraiser plans

March 27 fundraiser planned to seed next year’s sessions—sponsors welcome. If you want your name on something, we’d love to talk to you.

Support the show

Connect with The Desert Vibe Podcast

🌵 Website: https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581168623261

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertVibePodcast

🎵 Get Desert Vibe Podcast merch and support the show:

https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com/category/all-products

Hosts

• Walt Richardson: https://walterrichardson.com

• Glen Gardner: https://glengardner.net

Marketing, PR & Website

• Emma & James Mattison: https://emmaandjames.music

Regional Contributors

Featuring rotating representatives from across Arizona through our "What's Vibin' in the Desert" segment.

Interested in being interviewed or representing your region?

https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com

#TheDesertVibe #WhatsVibinInTheDesert #ArizonaMusic #ArizonaMusicians #LiveMusicAZ #ArizonaLiveMusic #SupportLocalMusic #OpenMic #ArizonaBands

We explore how open mics actually work, from swift changeovers and strong backline to a flexible, inclusive ethos that still guards against karaoke creep. Stories from standout bands, a spur-of-the-moment wedding, and the wider Arizona scene show how community grows when hosts say yes with care.

• the monastery’s weekly open mic and monthly band showcase
• balancing tracks with live performance without drifting into karaoke
• two-song limits as a tool for flow and fairness
• fast transitions through prep, communication, and quality backline
• playing in wide outdoor spaces and keeping energy high
• honoring newcomers, young bands, and returning veterans
• Arizona music culture compared to other cities
• Michael’s projects, local festivals, and upcoming events

Support the show

Connect with The Desert Vibe Podcast

🌵 Website: https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com

📘 Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=61581168623261

▶️ YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@TheDesertVibePodcast

🎵 Get Desert Vibe Podcast merch and support the show:

https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com/category/all-products

Hosts

• Walt Richardson: https://walterrichardson.com

• Glen Gardner: https://glengardner.net

Marketing, PR & Website

• Emma & James Mattison: https://emmaandjames.music

Regional Contributors

Featuring rotating representatives from across Arizona through our "What's Vibin' in the Desert" segment.

Interested in being interviewed or representing your region?

https://www.thedesertvibepodcast.com

#TheDesertVibe #WhatsVibinInTheDesert #ArizonaMusic #ArizonaMusicians #LiveMusicAZ #ArizonaLiveMusic #SupportLocalMusic #OpenMic #ArizonaBands