Tag Archives: Music Interview

Steve Dean: Multi-Platinum Selling Songwriter (PART TWO)

March 2, 2023episodeClass Country Music, Country Artist, Country Music, Country Music Interview, Country Music podcast, Music Interview, songwriter, Steve Deancountrymusicsuccessstories

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Persistence is the key to success. Not giving up. – Steve Dean

We were having so much fun talking to hit songwriter Steve Dean, we had to divide it into 2 parts. Over the past few years, we’ve learned that when you are interviewing an artist in their own home, you get to know them on a deeper level and that was certainly the case with Steve Dean. Steve raised his children in the house where we recorded this interview and when you walk in the door, it feels that way. Steve and his wife have created a cozy home, where love lives. He’s a family man who is grateful that he gets to write songs every day. Steve is a Grammy nominee who has written 6 #1 songs and country artists consider themselves lucky to sing his songs. In this interview, you’ll hear the stories behind some of his biggest hits including Does Your Memory Ever Sleep At Night for Steve Wariner, Reba’s Walk On, The Oakridge Boys, It Takes A Little Rain and Rodney Atkin’s smash Watching You. Steve also talks about his deep commitment to America’s veterans through a non-profit called FreedomsingsUSA.org. where service men and women take their stories, poems, and memories to create songs that heal with help from hit songwriters like Steve. His writing room may be lined with plaques that signify his success, but in this interview, we learn that Steve values the kind of success that can’t be measured in dollars and cents. It comes straight from the heart.

Lorrie Morgan: Multi-Platinum Selling & Award-Winning Artist

February 8, 2023episodeartist interview, Class Country Music, Country Artist, Country Music Interview, Country Music podcast, Lorrie Morgan, Music Interview, PAM TILLIScountrymusicsuccessstories

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It’s not us that makes music. Music makes us. My love for music is what inspires me and that is the secret to my success. It’s the song. – Lorrie Morgan

This episode may be one of the most personal interviews we’ve ever recorded. Born Loretta Lynn Morgan, Lorrie is the daughter of the legendary George Morgan and his beloved wife, Anna. Recorded at Lorrie’s home in a quiet little town outside of Nashville, she welcomed us into her favorite room which overlooks a backyard that was created by her husband Randy and includes a pool, BBQ, birdhouses perched in trees, and a koi pond. You’ll hear Lorrie’s dog Puddin Marie Antoinette bark, and you’ll also hear her cry as she sits in her favorite chair recalling the ups and downs of her incredible career. Mentored by the great Jeannie Seeley, Lorrie shares what it was like to make her debut at only 13 on the stage at the Grand Ole Opry. She reflects on life at home with a superstar father, the stories behind her biggest hits, and what she wishes she knew when she first got started. Recorded on the day after her late husband Keith Whitley was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame by Garth Brooks, this interview is a rare look into country music royalty and the heart of a hugely talented woman who was born to sing.

Sylvia: Award-Winning Artist

January 19, 2023episodeCountry Music, Country Music Interview, Country Music podcast, hit songwriter, Music Interview, Sylviacountrymusicsuccessstories

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The first time I sang was at Pilgrim Holiness Church. I was 3 years old and there were only 20 people in the pews. I got a lot of pats on the head but the most memorable thing was I heard this voice inside of me say: “this is what you do.” – Sylvia

Recorded in Nashville at the home studio of producer John Mock, this interview with Sylvia is full of stories. Born and raised in Kokomo, Indiana, she grew up in a place called Tall Timbers Trailer Park, just 30 feet from the railroad tracks. Sylvia recalls spending lots of time perched high in a tree, inspired by Patsy Cline, dreaming about becoming a singer someday. She was only 19 when she left for Nashville on the day after Christmas and would spend that first week walking up and down Music Rowe, looking for a job. Sylvia got her start as a receptionist learning all about the music business, but it wouldn’t be long before executives discovered she could really sing. Signed to RCA records, she came on strong with 3 top ten songs including her multi-format hit “Nobody” which climbed to number 1 on the country chart, #15 on the Billboard Hot 100, and top 5 at AC radio. “Nobody” became her signature song and was the most played record of 1982, winning Sylvia the Academy of Country Music’s Female Vocalist of the Year award and a Grammy Nomination for “Best Female Vocalist.” In this interview, you’ll hear about her next chapter which includes a rewarding career as a life coach and a new album long in the making called Nature Child: A Dreamer’s Journey. Says Sylvia says: “I truly love to sing. It doesn’t matter if anybody is listening. I just love to sing and that has never changed. I’m carving my own way in life with music and I hope people love it. “ www.sylviamusic.com. Amen, sister. We do love it.

Pam Tillis – Grammy & CMA Award-Winning Artist (PART ONE)

December 1, 2022episodeCountry Music, Country Music Interview, Country Music podcast, Glen Campbell, Glen Campbell Museum, Mel Tillis, Music Interview, PAM TILLIScountrymusicsuccessstories

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You can’t record a good song. You have to record a great song. I don’t want a song, I want an event. I knew that’s what it would take to get me off the ground. – Pam Tillis

This week, we’re sitting down with Pam Tillis who is not only the daughter of country music legend Mel Tillis but an icon in her own right. Pam is a proud member of the Grand Ole Opry and a 2-time Grammy winner with 6 number-1 hits and 14 top 10 singles. With more than 30 singles charting on Billboard, Pam has sold more than 7 million copies of her studio albums. A 15-time CMA nominee and a 9-time ACM nominee, Pam’s music dominated country radio in the ’90sand she remains one of the very best singer/songwriters in Nashville. In this interview, you will get to know the very personal side of Pam who shares details about her “country chaos” childhood, making her way in country music as a demo singer, the art of songwriting, finding the best songs to record, and sage advice about what it takes to succeed in Nashville. Recorded at the Glen Campbell Museum in Nashville, this interview includes a very special reunion for Jacy and Pam who worked together for years. This interview is so packed with Pam’s stories, we’re splitting it in two, so don’t miss our next installment which includes the stories behind her biggest hits and what Pam considers the secret ingredient to her success in country music.

Brennley Brown: Emerging Artist & Team Gwen Stefani on The Voice

October 26, 2022episodeBlake Shelton, Brennley Brown, Glen Campbell Museum, Gwen Stefani, Music Interviewcountrymusicsuccessstories

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I believe that when you have a dream and a calling is put on your life, no matter what you have to endure to pursue it, God will give you the strength to do it. – Brennley Brown

We’re back at the Glen Campbell Museum for CMA Fan Fest to interview emerging artists from the Rhinestone Stage. When Brennley Brown arrived for soundcheck with her guitar and a smile as big as the room, we knew we were in for a great interview. Raised on a ranch in Apple Valley, California, Brennley’s first performance was at a kindergarten talent show where she sang Faith Hill’s Mississippi Girl, complete with a pink cowboy hat and a pink guitar. She’s been focused on a career as a singer/songwriter in country music ever since. In this interview, she talks about her experience on season 12 of The Voice, her successful voice-over career with Dreamworks, Disney, and Nickelodeon, her mother’s unwavering support, her recent move to Nashville, and the power of her faith. Brennley wows the crowd with her vocals from the Rhinestone Stage including her original song One More Halleleuja and stunning takes on Dolly Parton’s Jolene and Waylon Jennings Good Hearted Woman.

Kara DioGuardi: Grammy Nominated Songwriter (Kelly Clarkson, Celine Dion, Britney Spears) & former American Idol judge

September 13, 2022episodeAmerican Idol, Britney Spears, Carrie Underwood, Celine Dion, Christiana Aquilera, Country Music podcast, Kara DioGuardi, Kelly Clarkson, Music Interview, pop musiccountrymusicsuccessstories

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I really want to help artists who want to help themselves. If you give me 100%, I’m gonna give you 100%. If you’re only in at 20, that’s all I can meet you at. – Kara DioGuardi

When you’ve got record sales of 160 million worldwide, the chances are pretty high that you know the words to the mega-hits Kara DioGuardi has written. Superstars like Carrie Underwood, Kelly Clarkson, Miley Cyrus, Celine Dion, Pink, Christina Aquilera, Britney Spears, Hilary Duff, Katharine McPhee and so many more know that collaborating with Kara DioGuardi is like discovering buried treasure. In this up-close and personal interview, you will learn exactly what makes Kara tick. Recorded in the living room of her craftsman-style home in Nashville, lovingly restored by she and her husband, Kara talks openly about everything from a childhood where she hated being asked to sing on the spot for family and friends, to her days fronting a garage band called “Grandma Trips” to her first job at Billboard Magazine, and her realization that songwriting and producing hit records might be the strongest of her many talents. Her climb to the top was steady, but it has not been without roadblocks. In this interview, Kara shares some #metoo stories saying: “I don’t know if its about bravery or stupidity. There were times when I was so determined, I may have ended up in situations that were not the best for me.” Happily married and the mother of one son, Kara takes parenting seriously and speaks openly about the heartbreaking loss of her mother to cancer years ago. These days, the former American Idol judge is using her wisdom as a music industry pro to help aspiring songwriters with BRIIDGE, the first music platform that matches music creators based on their skillset, location and personality. The app is exploding worldwide, forming a community of support, all under Kara’s watchful eye. Be sure to listen all the way through this podcast to hear Jacy’s chat with one of Kara’s BRIIDGE singer/songwriters, Christiana Alaire who makes her debut as this week’s emerging artist.

H. Jack Williams: Singer / Songwriter – Kevin Coster, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Greg Allman, Peter Gabriel.

June 2, 2022episodeCountry Music Interview, Greg Allman, h Jack Williams, Jack Williams, Kevin Costner, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Montgomery Gentry, Music Interview, Peter Gabriel, The Who, Yellowstonecountrymusicsuccessstories

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When I set my mind out to do something, I do it. – H. Jack Williams

For this episode, we’re at Anthem Entertainment in Nashville with singer/songwriter H. Jack Williams. Anthem is one of the world’s leading independent music and entertainment content and services companies with publishing, production, the iconic Anthem Records, Film & Television, Music Licensing. As we prepped for this interview, we couldn’t help but be amazing at his career: nearly 50 years of writing songs and making music with icons like Richie Havens, The Who, Uriah Heep, Lynyrd Skynyrd, Greg Allman, Peter Gabriel, Montgomery Gentry and most recently, Kevin Costner for his band Modern West and for his hit series Yellowstone. But what is even more amazing is that Jack is still alive to tell his story, because he was so badly abused as a child. Adopted at birth through an illegal adoption operation run by the infamous Dr. Catherine Cole in Miami, Florida, Jack was raised in Eureka, Florida. His mother was a swimming teacher at the local YMCA. His father worked at the post office and was a card carrying member of the Ku Klux Klan. In this podcast, Jack explains that his early childhood was idyllic, but as he approached his early teens, his skin darkened and his father began to beat him with a garden hose, especially after he was passed up for a promotion by a black man. Jack ran away at 16 and at 17, joined the Marine Corp and became part of elite Force Recon. Now 70, this wise renaissance man is experiencing an incredible 2nd act as a recording artist with the release of his latest album Halfway to Hell which includes 10 songs he co-wrote, including two with Kevin Costner. In this episode, we learn that H. Jack Williams’ middle name should have been persistence, because he never, ever gave up on his dream to create music and relationships that pass the test of time.

Glen Campbell Tribute: Part One – TK Kimbrell, Mike Borchetta & Julian Raymond

April 27, 2022episodeClass Country Music, Country Music, Country Music Interview, Glen Campbell, Glen Campbell Museum, Julian Raymond, Mike Borchetta, Music Interview, Rhinestone Cowboy, TK Kimbrellcountrymusicsuccessstories

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There was never a more wonderful human being on the planet than Glen Campbell. – Mike Borchetta

Generations of artists count Glen Campbell as one of the greatest artists who ever lived. He was gifted with the kind of voice that connected to the lyric and the listener in a memorable way. Experts say that Glen Campbell was the greatest guitarist to ever play. In fact, he was a member of the famous Wrecking Crew, an outstanding session guitarist who played on some of the greatest records ever made like Strangers in the Night by Frank Sinatra, Viva Las Vegas by Elvis Presley, and You’ve Lost that Lovin’ Feeling by The Righteous Brothers, Bridge Over Troubled Waters by Simon & Garfunkel. Willie Nelson once said: “When the good Lord was passin’ out talent, Glen Campbell got on the line twice.”

This episode was recorded LIVE at the Glen Campbell Museum on April 21, 2022 as part of a week long tribute to the man and his music. Glen died of Alzheimer’s Disease in 2017 and the museum is a place where you can experience his talent and his legacy firsthand. It’s a Nashville treasure where you’ll see his guitars, his awards, his costumes you can even sing along to Rhinestone Cowboy with Glen Campbell in a soundproof booth.

As our audience took their seats, the goal was to uncover details about Glen Campbell from three of his lifelong friends: manager TK Kimbrell, Grammy winning songwriter and producer Julian Raymond and recording industry giant, Mike Borchetta. From humble beginnings as the son of sharecropper in Delight, Arkansas, Glen Campbell made the kind of music that will never die.

Lindy Robbins – Multi-platinum selling & award-winning songwriter

March 23, 2022episodeBackstreet Boys, Country Music, Demi Lovato, Jason Derulo, lindy robbins, Morgan Evans, Music Interview, pop music, songwritingcountrymusicsuccessstories

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Did I change somebody’s life, or change somebody’s day or help somebody to survive cancer because of this song that was a joy to write? That’s everything. – Lindy Robbins

Our trip to Los Angeles was a blast. We had lunch in Beverly Hills, walked up and down Rodeo Drive like we were Julia Roberts in Pretty Woman and then hopped in the car for this interview with Lindy Robbins. She’s a multi-platinum selling and award-winning songwriter who has written hits for for the Backstreet Boys, Demi Lovato, and Jason Derulo, and you’ll hear hear the stories behind mega-hit songs in this interview. But Lindy is no stranger to Nashville and country music, having written great big hits like Day Drunk, Morgan Evan’s top 20 smash that went platinum in his native Australia. Turns out, Lindy has been a mentor to many young songwriters from every genre and Jacy couldn’t wait to get her advice for her Music City Mentor segment, so don’t miss Lindy’s answers at the end of this interview. Lindy LOVES the creative process and her energy is like a billion watt nuclear reactor! By the time this interview is over, you’ll feel like you know her, she’s that open and friendly with lots of cool stories to tell. Aspiring songwriters, take notes!

Anthony Resta – Platinum Selling Producer, Composer & Musician

March 10, 2022episodeAnthony Resta, blondie, collective soul, duran duran, elton john, hollywood interview, Music Interview, Sara Evans, shaun mullins, studio engineercountrymusicsuccessstories

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Being a producer is a lot like directing a film. You want to have a look at the bigger picture. You need to be able to zoom out and help the artist get a picture of where they’ve always wanted to go.

-Anthony Resta

We’re back from our west coast swing where we were searching for interviews with iconic music industry pros. One day in California we ended up high in the Hollywood Hills for an interview with Anthony Resta, award-winning producer, sound engineer, multi-talented musician, songwriter, and collector of vintage instruments. Anthony has worked with just about every A-lister you can think of including Duran Duran, Collective Soul, Blondie, Sara Evans, Shaun Mullins and Sir Elton John. And if you are a fan of the Twilight series, Scream 2, Scream 3, or Varsity Blues, it was Anthony Resta who did the programming and production work on these soundtracks. Originally from Canada, Anthony spent a few years living in Australia as a child and then moved to Chelmsford, Massachusetts where he met Jacy and then Candy a few years later. A prolific artist who performed beat poetry with the stage name Ajax Ray-o-Vac, Anthony plays drums, guitar, bass, piano, flute, clarinet and harmonica. His success story is filled with rich experiences, where he experimented with sounds, stayed ahead of the curve, learned how to guide artists to their greatest studio performances, and earned a name for himself as THE guy you want to work with in the studio. As we wound our way into Laurel Canyon, Anthony was waiting for us at the gate to his recording compound. Built in the 1920’s, it was once a hunting lodge and it is in this environment where Anthony feels most at home. As we pressed record, he poured us an espresso, sat back, and told us how he made his way in the music industry.

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