Steel guitarist and country music historian Pete Finney joins me on the show this week.

I got to know Pete’s playing when I’d go and see Chris’ Scruggs' band The Stone Fox Five out in the parking lot of the East Nashville Legion during Covid. They’d put on a well-distanced weekly show that was my only live music for a couple of years! I loved Pete’s soulful playing and got to learn more about his interesting history, mostly on the pedal steel guitar, playing for all kinds of country legends - artists like Reba McIntyre, The Judds, Vince Gill, The Chicks, The Monkees and lots more. Pete has a unique style, and while he has clearly absorbed the classic country sounds, he doesn’t sound like anyone else. Pete’s path from the DC area playing almost every night in country bars, to Austin to play with Doug Sahm, to his move to Nashville in the 80’s is an interesting one, and Pete has carved out an incredible career in that time. Lately, Pete has also taken on the role of historian, and had a big hand in producing the Country Music Hall Of Fame’s “Dylan, Cash and The Nashville Cats” exhibit, which was one of the best collections of 60’s and 70’s country music stories, exhibits and paraphernalia ever put on display. Pete is a well loved Nashville icon and plays around town with many different artists. He has no website or social media, so you’ll have to just keep your ear to the ground about where to see himj play if you’re in Nashville, but don’t miss your chance if you get it!

Enjoy my conversation with Pete Finney.

This season is brought to you by our main sponsors Larivée Guitars, Audeze, Izotope, FabFilter, and Chase Bliss.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Drummer, composer and bandleader Nate Smith joins me on the show this week. While many people have come to know of Nate’s work through his recent collaborations with Vulfpeck, Brittany Howard, and as a member of the Fearless Flyers, Nate has been playing, touring and honing his craft for decades. His early experience with legendary jazz vocalist Betty Carter led to him being a full-time member of Dave Holland’s group for many years, and carved out a reputation as one of New York’s great up and coming jazz drummers. Nate’s wide range of skills and musical tastes led him to start his own group, Kinfolk, which has recorded 2 spectacular albums. A somewhat random invite led him to become a member of The Fearless Flyers, which exploded on youtube, and has paved the way for Nate’s own set of solo and collaborative videos that are highly original, exciting, and musical. His collaborations with musicians like Charlie Hunter, Cory Wong, Victor Wooten, Carrtoons, and Lionel Loueke are well documented on both album and youtube videos. Nate’s latest project is under his own name, entitled “Live-Action” and is an incredible collection of compositions, improvisations and collaborations with many of his musical partners. Nate will be touring quite a bit over the next while with his band, so be sure to catch them when you can!

You can get all the latest info on Nate and all his projects, records and amazing set of videos at natesmithdrums.com

Enjoy my conversation with Nate Smith!

This season is brought to you by our main sponsors Larivée Guitars, Audeze, Izotope, FabFilter, and Chase Bliss.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.

Vocalist, songwriter and Grammy Award-winning artist Mike Farris is on the show today. Mike has this incredible new record out called “The Sound Of Muscle Shoals” that he recorded at the legendary Fame Studios with Rodney Hall (the son of Fame founder Rick Hall - the guy who is largely responsible for creating the Muscle Shoals sound that we all know and love). Mike has had an incredible career, from his early days in the insanely wild and high energy band The Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies, Mike honed his skills as an incredible frontman and vocalist, but as we talk about today, he feels like he never really learned to sing until he started making solo records in 2001. Since that time, Mike has continued to evolve as an incredible singer whose voice and delivery pull from soul, gospel, country and rock n roll - and all of them very convincingly, as only someone who has truly lived the life can. His 2014 album “Shine For All The People” won a Grammy award, and Mike has been consistently recording and touring the world for decades. I wanted to hear from Mike about his songwriting, how he captures his voice in the studio, how his travels (which include some incredibly rocky patches) have brought him to where he is today, and how he feels like a bit of a misfit in a world where people love to peg musicians under a certain style. We also get into the nuts and bolts of making his new album, and the legacy that he feels working in such a sacred space with incredible musicians.

Mike has quite a few albums out under his own name and the Screamin’ Cheetah Wheelies albums are also well worth hearing. But do check out the new record “The Sound Of Muscle Shoals” - it’s an incredible listen.

You can catch Mike on tour and get all the latest info at mikefarrismusic.com

Enjoy my conversation with Mike Farris!

This season is brought to you by our main sponsors Larivée Guitars, Audeze, Izotope, FabFilter, and Chase Bliss.

Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.