The Song Saloon | Songwriting, Live Performance, & New Music Discovery

Leah Ashton joins the podcast to talk about her newest release, “sad girl silver bells.” It’s an EP of merrily melancholy holiday tunes with an original called “Christmas Isn’t Christmas Without You.”It’s out everywhere now, so go save it to your playlists, get a mug of hot cocoa and enjoy the episode! Listen to Christmas Without You & Add to PlaylistsFollow Leah AshtonMore About Leah:Leah Ashton is a Los Angeles-based artist with Midwestern roots whose style and sound is grounded in the combined traditions of soul, jazz, and the 60s/70s era singer-songwriter. Leah’s releases include sad girls silver bells, a new holiday EP that consists of a heartbreakingly beautiful collection of melancholy Christmas songs (released Nov. 29, 2024), her debut full-length album, Late Bloomer (Sept. 2022), and two EPs Things Better Left Unsaid (2010) and Leah Ashton (2007). Influenced by the likes of Sara Bareilles, Lake Street Dive, Jamie Cullum, and Carole King, Leah’s music draws listeners in with her powerfully soulful vocals that tell stories of self-discovery, empowerment, and chasing after one’s dreams.Send a textSupport the showSong Saloon LinksJoin The Song Saloon Mailing ListTiktok + Instagram

In this episode of the Song Saloon, Sadie Gustafson-Zook, a Boston-nurtured, Indiana-based jazzy folk musician, talks about her journey and inspirations behind her song 'Autumn's Fragrance.' We talk about her collaboration with other musicians, her views on the music communities in different cities, and her new EP, 'What I Pushed Below.' Sadie has a live show in LA at the Harmony Room on October 19th for you LA folks!Follow Sadie Gustafson-Zook for more music, and sign up for an online voice/songwriting/guitar lesson!!"Autumn's Fragrance" is streaming now, turn off the episode and save the song and come back!00:00 Welcome to the Song Saloon00:28 Introducing Sadie Gustafsson Zuk01:55 Sadie's Live Performance05:09 The Story Behind 'Autumn's Fragrance'06:46 Exploring Songwriting Themes11:50 Recording and Collaborations13:43 Songwriting Communities: New York vs. LA20:08 Life in Goshen, Indiana21:24 Discussing the EP "What I Pushed Below"21:48 Themes and Inspirations Behind the EP22:18 Reimagining Songs and Album Titles23:40 Seasons in Songwriting28:14 Songwriting Process and Inspirations32:34 Balancing Teaching and Music Career35:04 Fiddle + Viola36:06 Final Thoughts and Upcoming ReleaseSend a textSupport the showSong Saloon LinksJoin The Song Saloon Mailing ListTiktok + Instagram

Jake's lying to Anna. He's an interesting dude! Jake is a songwriter, educator, dueling pianist, podcaster, improv comedian, academic, and musical theater composer.I think you'll really enjoy this episode about Jake and his life leading up to his album "Idling High." This song is out now, make sure to follow Jake for updates on the album!Listen to the songSend a textSupport the showSong Saloon LinksJoin The Song Saloon Mailing ListTiktok + Instagram

Zack Fischmann, an LA based artist, makes the bold claim that music marketing "doesn't have to suck." He does make some pretty convincing arguments, and has plenty of success to show for it, jumping from 200 followers on Instagram to 33k+ in just a few months!Magic Nothing is an evolving project with a focus on helping independent musicians develop practical skills, share resources and exchange services.Check out Magic NothingListen to Zack's music project, Marmalade Mountain! His song "Drawing Circles on the Ground" is featured at the beginning of this episode.Send a textSupport the showSong Saloon LinksJoin The Song Saloon Mailing ListTiktok + Instagram

Lotti is the musical moniker of Filipina singer-songwriter Vealy. Lotti's aim is to create modern yet timeless music, drawing from pop, R&B, and soul influences. Her artistic mission is to heal and transform, narrating a personal journey of self-discovery and growth.Follow LottiListen to "Butterflies in My Garden"Send a textSupport the showSong Saloon LinksJoin The Song Saloon Mailing ListTiktok + Instagram

Brad Miles is a singer/songwriter based in Texas. He’s written, played, and performed music for nearly three decades. He writes honest, heartfelt, accesible, and emotionally vulnerable Americana/Country. I do want to add a trigger warning for this episode, we do get into some heavy topics both in the song and the interview, as the song is about domestic abuse. Brad Miles’s goal as a songwriter and performer is simply to connect with others and share a moment of compassion, empathy, and understanding. Enjoy the episode!Follow Brad Miles:https://linktr.ee/bradmilesmusicListen to Stonewall: https://music.apple.com/us/album/stonewall/1719726413?i=1719726417https://open.spotify.com/track/7l2mgy8WGDl4LazGP12gan?si=169d975f6239484chttps://youtu.be/5uKCN8UxBjY?feature=sharedSend a textSupport the showSong Saloon LinksJoin The Song Saloon Mailing ListTiktok + Instagram

Today's episode I meet with Jeffrey Derus, our first featured choral composer! I think you'll find there is a lot in common with songwriting and composing choral works.This featured song is performed by Choral Arts Initiative, a small ensemble choir that I sing in that exclusively performs works by living composers. We recently released a #1 Classical Billboard charting album called "The Tapestry of Becoming," and this song "The House of Belonging" is the opener. This episode, Jeff talks about his creative process, collaborating with poets including David Whyte, the poet for this piece, navigating commissions, publishing, self-education, marketing strategies, and the significance of quality recordings in the contemporary music industry.Follow Jeffrey DerusGraphite PublishingListen to "The House of Belonging"Learn More about Choral Arts InitiativeSend a textSupport the showSong Saloon LinksJoin The Song Saloon Mailing ListTiktok + Instagram

Meet Cogito!I met Cogito when she played as the featured artist for Lazy River Presents in LA. This song struck me as something special, and I think you'll agree!This episode we talk about the importance of recording the world around us as a songwriter, and how to connect our conscious and subconscious mind to make deep rooted art. Listen to "There's Nothing Left to Me":SpotifyApple MusicFollow Cogito on InstagramSend a textSupport the showSong Saloon LinksJoin The Song Saloon Mailing ListTiktok + Instagram

Today's episode features Kat Sophia! Kat Sophia is an Orange County / LA based artist. We talk about her journey in overcoming her "people pleaser" mentality and cultural blocks to pursuing a career as an artist. 00:00 Introduction to the Song Saloon00:34 Kat Sophia's Musical Journey01:49 The Story Behind 'Fade Away'10:10 Songwriting Process and Inspiration16:12 Overcoming Personal and Cultural Barriers in Music20:09 Community and Affirmation28:10 Exploring Self-Indulgence and Connection Through Art33:44 Kat Sophia's Production Experience and Future Plans42:47 Closing Thoughts and GoodbyesSend a textSupport the showSong Saloon LinksJoin The Song Saloon Mailing ListTiktok + Instagram

This episode of the Song Saloon features Mike McClellan, a Burbank-based songwriter, producer, and multi-instrumentalist. McClellan shares insights into his approach to songwriting as a music producer, and why he writes while working so heavily in production. He discusses the impact of working on his song 'The Afterlife,' a piece inspired by the pandemic, highlighting the new life it took on post pandemic with its abstract and universal themes. Mike and Jordan exchange thoughts on the lyricism, melody, and the process of song creation, including working with unusual time signatures. We also chat about the shortcomings of streaming platforms, detailing Mike's experience with his music being removed from Spotify due to bot-generated streams and the lack of support from distribution and streaming companies. They conclude with a discussion on the importance of building genuine connections with an audience beyond streaming numbers. This episode offers a look into the complexities of modern songwriting, production, and navigating the digital music landscape.00:00 Welcome to the Song Saloon: Introducing Mike McClellan00:27 Getting to Know Mike: the Masterful Multifaceted Musician01:18 Balancing Songwriting and Production04:28 Exploring the Abstract in Songwriting05:51 Lyrics in 'The Afterlife'07:44 Live Performance11:04 Song Structure19:40 Exploring Musical Influences and Time Signatures20:35 "Comfortable" Writing Music21:42 The Maya Principle: Balancing Novelty and Comfort32:12 Building Your Fanbase37:58 Final Thoughts and Future ProjectsFollow Mike McClellanListen to "The Afterlife" on SpotifySend a textSupport the showSong Saloon LinksJoin The Song Saloon Mailing ListTiktok + Instagram