Tom Dolan has been part of the Philadelphia music scene for many years, with different bands, along the way, including the ska- funk band The Freakin's cads. Here , we talk about his latest project, a unique and compelling recording called "Civil War Stories " . You can find it streaming under the name "The Old High Hat". Tom , along with music producer and songwriter Brian Bricklin , created a very original and sonically, stunning album, combining characters and stories from the Civil War era, set to melodic and musically thrilling songs. The songs feature fantastic and diverse vocalists including : Ben Arnold , Tom Gilliam, Scott Bricklin , Isabelle Gottfried, Harrison Black and Silas Freeman. The atmosphere is full of lush melodies , with a fusion of traditional instruments and loops that make for a very fun and involving listening experience.
Hear the idea behind the project, the recording process, and you get to hear parts of the actual songs as well. Who says history and rock music can't go together?
Maya Ogea ( pronounced oh - jay) already has many years of experience in performing and writing songs , her tenacity and work ethic is very inspiring . This is an exciting time for her as she is about to release her new single called " holding on " with collaborator Kyle Szalay on July 19, 2025, as well as her own songs by at the end of the year, Denver , Nashville , studying music and songs structure for 4 hours a day, busking on the streets , playing in clubs - these are all part of the musical trajectory of maya , with an astonishing voice that combines feeling with strength and vulnerability that is impressive in its impact .
It's exciting to hear her story and her dedication to her art - I'm very interested to see how her career , music and life will play out .....
Find her on instagram , Facebook and her website- and look for " holding on " on streaming platforms on 7/19/25.
This Time I get to talk to a huge inspiration to for me for over 30 years . Joan Jones has graced my life with her beautiful voice, lyrics, melodies, and songs and I am so lucky to hear her tell us her story in her own words, to go over specific songs, to hear her trajectory from a Hollywood high schooler to her early band life , forming Far Cry with David Russo, evolving into " sun 60 " which made three extra extraordinary albums in the early to mid 90's , and toured extensively to support them . A very varied style of songwriting,, From real scorching rockers to softer ones , with great lyrics and orchestration that still hold up today . Joan talks about making those records , some specific songs that I point to, what it was like, being on the road, and the evolvement of each record.
She tells us what it was like afterwards, to build her own songwriting career, which continues until today with new music being released frequently
Check the sun 60 records out on Spotify , iTunes , and YouTube , and check out her releases mostly on her website www.clubjoan.com .
You can also be up-to-date with her on Instagram as well. Definitely an amazing voice and songwriter that deserves recognition.
Dana Marisa Schoenfeld has created, directed, written and starred in a great first season of her series " East". She has managed to create a character named Ella who is so endearing in her pursuit of a better life , with NewYork and the entertainment industry serving as her background and her search for finding herself, all done with very witty dialogue and funny, and sometimes heartbreaking situations. She talks about how she created the show, how she managed to get it together , the challenges of making it happen , Acting and the writing process, and the great team she assembled to make such a fun and memorable show . The pilot episode is free on YouTube , and the rest of the season can be watched on www.easttheseries.com. Very inspiring to hear how she has juggled writing, directing, Acting, and editing to make the show what it is. Here!s hoping for for a second season !
Throughout the history of song, there has always been a beauty to melancholy. Especially if it's wrapped up in a beautiful melody.. Such is the case with David Upp, who has been working on his first album in Nashville for many years. Songs born out of grief over loss of parents, and coming to terms with a loss of a romantic partner- are all fuel for these beautiful and cathartic sounds that David has created. We discuss how are the songs evolved , the process of recording them, and we get to hear a little bit of a few of them, " goodbye true blue " , "lonesome Dove " , and " miss your fire " .., the album is not released yet as of June 2025, but a few songs are out on streaming services.
We discussed what it's like to be a new songwriter in Nashville, the steps that it takes to get started , how ADD can be a blessing and a curse , musical influences, and how to live with a sense of grief and loss . Find him easily on instagram and Spotify ....
I was lucky enough to see a wonderful production at Mccarter theatre in Princeton called " Legacy of Light " - and here I get to talk to two of the wonderful actors in it ,Lenne Klingaman and Allen Gilmore . They tell me about their experience doing the play, what it was like for them to act together., some of their process as actors, their trajectory, the ups and downs of being an actor, what they do to help them be in the moment of acting on stage, some memorization tricks, community theater vs professional theater, what they feel like before they go on stage , and the beauty of doing live theatre . This conversation literally pulls the curtain of what it's like to be a professional actor working today ..
Vanessa Lively's music is not just interesting melodies, not just interesting lyrics, it's a journey of sheer beauty and poetry that is both healing and comforting at the same time. It's original yet familiar , beautiful but not obvious , it's grounding and uplifting in a very organic way. Hear her thoughts on creativity , the value of rituals , how to get over your critical voice, her trajectory in music and in her life, the evaluation of her creative process, and living purposely as an artist for herself and for her community...
There is a lot to learn from Toni Nagy, one of the most authentic and unique artists that I've ever met. She has so many facets that all lead up to unique self expression and thought provoking insight into the world around us - she is a stand-up comedian, writer, and content creator, most known for her visual videos, where she interpretive dances, her philosophies while participating, gyrating, and questioning culture. She has over 600,000 followers on various social media platforms. Hear her talk about her trajectory, how she uses the mind-body connection to get her points across, and how thinking outside the box is essential for authentic expression and ultimately, radical compassion .
Amazing for me to have some time with a true rock 'n' roll legend. Mitch Ryder is known for iconic songs like " Jenny take a ride ", " devil with the blue dress " and many others . His legacy has lasted all these decades and he is still going strong with a grest new album called " with love ". Hear him tell us about what it was like to write those hits in the mid 60s, hanging out with Muhammad Ali, how he started a new career in Europe that is still lasting today, incredible ups and downs and yet still persevering, some musical, high points and low points, marriages , and I also get a short music lesson . His spirit and will is inspiring to hear . He is not done yet .
Chris Simmons brings his substantial guitar skills to whatever he plays. He has toured, recorded and played with incredible musicians, including a long tour with , Legendary Leon Russell. These days he is on the road with Paul Thorn and his great band., showcasing Paul's great new record - " life is just a vapor". Hear Chris talk about the making of the record, what it's like to be on tour with Paul , his own four releases that are talked about here with some snippets from the songs., what his audition process was, what it's like to be on the road while juggling family life, his musical inspirations, growing up in Alabama, his musical trajectory, and how he made the guitar his friend .
If you ever wondered what it's like to be in the music business, this conversation is for you. Jim Cardillo has signed many important bands including Green Day , Gin Blossoms, Soul Asylum, Keb Moe, Cracker, and many others . He has also been a talent development producer and has many interesting stories and insight that could hardly be contained in a two hour conversation.
Hear some specific stories about certain artists , and conversation about what the record industry used to be like, and what it is now.
Pat Byrne will tell you that he is working on being a great songwriter and I will tell you that he is already there. Hear his story of coming from Ireland to Austin, Texas, and starting to write songs at the age of 26 . What his trajectory has been., his musical influences, specific songs that he has written and is performing, what it's like to be an opener for famous songwriters, how he has learned to be comfortable on stage, and what it is like to follow your own dream in a world of uncertainty.
If you're lucky, at some point in your life, you start to realize that giving beyond yourself is really the way to open up your little world of worry and self preservation to a world of empathy and even personal freedom. And if you are not sure how to give.- that's where Deborah Goldstein comes in. She is a seasoned advisor and facilitator, offering unique opportunities to all types of people who wish to engage in philanthropy. We discuss her trajectory , the meaning of philanthropy, the steps that people take to learn about where to find a nonprofit organization to give to, the motivation of people to want to give, and how she works with individuals and families to achieve their giving goals.
Sometimes you run into a person that you have an endless amount of topics to talk about. Laura Neeter is that person , I am just along for the ride . Which is fitting , because I met her while driving her around our town . We probably could've talked for many more hours, which we actually did after this conversation was over. We cover her life story , different types of jobs, trajectory of life events, all interesting , but they are all just window dressing to the spirit and energy of her being, which comes through loud and clear when you speak with her. And I also got a nice grilled cheese sandwich afterwards. I was really looking to find the meaning of life, but what I got was a really entertaining day . Who could ask for more on a Sunday ?
Kevin Hanson is a versatile guitarist, songwriter, touring and recording artist with many different artists, including his own bands, first with Huffamoose and now with The Fractals. This conversation covers many topics, including the Philadelphia music scene in the 90s, different styles of songwriting, years touring with Huffamoose, his own musical trajectory, we get to listen and talk about different specific songs, his own way of coming up with songs, his musical influences, what makes a unique guitar sound, differences between jazz and rock, and of course, his favorite Beatles album .
www.thefractals.com
www.kevinhansonmusic.com
Laura Flowers has her own great podcast called "Rediscovering You". I was very taken with her great hosting skills and just had to invite her on my show. She is a life coach, a Reiki energy healing practitioner, and most of all she is following her life purpose -
Which is to help people that are stuck and disconnected find their authentic selves and reclaim authenticity . She excels in combining practical strategies with spiritual alignment.
We talk about how to find a purpose, and how to shift a person from feeling helpless to a more empowered state of being .. I found the conversation very inspiring. Hope you will too.
Peter Himmelman is a Grammy and Emmy award nominated rock and roll performer, songwriter, film composer, visual artist and award winning author . Here we discuss his latest book " Suspended By No String- A Songwriter's reflections on faith, aliveness, and wonder ". Here we discuss how the book came about, the way it was written , the main ideas that flow through the writing, and, as it always goes with Peter, the conversation often goes into unexpected and thought-provoking subjects. The book is full of moments and beautifully written reflections that are sometimes linear and sometimes not. I have read this book many times and I always find something new in it, and always come away uplifted. Much like the way I feel when I listen to Peter's music. Concepts like Faith, ordinary moments and finding beauty in the mundane. are all explored here. I am very thankful for the book and for this conversation.
Jeff Greenberg is not a household name. He's not even an apartmenthold name. But- he is very funny and he has a passion for a comedy. That is very contagious. in a good way. Conversation includes.: growing up as a wise cracking kid who got into funny trouble regularly- so much that his mom was embarrassed to pick him up from school, thoughts on old school comedy heroes and movies , how his wife tolerates him, and of course it concludes with him giving me a colonoscopy advice. I could think of worse ways to spend an afternoon .
Joop has had incredible experiences working with legendary bands - Dire Straits, Van Halen, Squeeze, Jackson Browne , Ultravox, Neil Young , Whitney Houston- to name just a few . He wore many different hats- sound production, playing percussion on stage, stage management, and extensive touring . As a massive Dire Straits fan I just had to ask about his experienceswith them in great detail, but we also managed to talk about other bands as well. He also has a history with late-night television and news shows, but this particular episode focuses on his adventures with bands . 2 hours wasn't enough !
My conversation with Mark Jason Williams covered a lot of ground , his trajectory of becoming a playwright and an essay writer of many publications, the book he co-authored cleverly titled : "Out In The World " ( with Amy B. Scher)- which is a very cool and unique travel guide, his battle with Leukemia when he was a kid, becoming comfortable with his own identity, his thoughts on labels in our society , and what it's like to become a writer. It's ultimately a story of becoming comfortable in your own skin, which is everyone can learn and be inspired by .
