This episode is with Dan Blakeslee. Dan is a musician, artist, and all-around creative force. If you’ve spent any time on the Seacoast, you’ve seen his fingerprints everywhere — whether it’s his prints hanging in local cafés or his name on the bill at your favorite venue. He’s led the Calabash Club from subways to festival stages, blending grit, heart, and a relentless creative drive.

We get into his origin story — growing up surrounded by jazz, hip hop, punk, and country, finding guitar in art school as a way to decompress, and building a life around both music and visual art. He shares the grind of booking his own shows, the joy of connecting with intimate audiences, and his vision for getting his work out into the world without sacrificing the authenticity that fuels it.

We talk home turf vs. the road, his deep connection to nature, and the loss of his younger brother, and how those experiences shaped the way he creates and lives today. It’s a conversation about craft, community, and carving your own lane without compromise.

And we sang some songs!

Giddy up.

Connect with Dan

https://www.instagram.com/danblakesleemusic/