Music Makers and Soul Shakers with Steve Dawson

02/19/2025

Drummer and producer Ken Coomer joins me on the show this week (The final show of Season 8) to talk about his amazing history from his early days in Nashville's Clockhammer, to joining Uncle Tupelo to record "Anodyne", to joining Wilco for some of their most seminal records, and eventually landing back in Nashville to work live and in the studio for artists like Al Green, Steve Earle, Lucinda Williams and many more. We also talk about the influence of Jim Keltner, Jim Gordon and lots more. We had a gas - have a listen!

An in-depth podcast interview with producer and original Wilco and Uncle Tupelo drummer, Ken Coomer. With your host, Steve Dawson.

02/05/2025

Singer, songwriter, fiddle player and producer Maya de Vitry joins me on the show this week! We get into all kinds of stuff about making records, her history with bluegrass and fiddle music, touring with her band The Stray Birds and her recent work producing other artists.
Have a listen now, and don't forget we'll be giving away some amazing prizes on the final Season 8 show next week from our good friends at Fishman, chase bliss, Union Tube & Transistor and more - get in on it!

An in-depth podcast interview with singer and songwriter Maya DeVitry. With your host, Steve Dawson.

12/19/2024

Don’t miss the new episode with the incredible - available at all podcast places now!

12/18/2024

The incredible singer, songwriter and guitarist Chris Smither joins me on the show this week - we get into his long history making records, his songwriting process, hanging with Townes Van Zandt, and getting shushed at a gig by Mississippi John Hurt. Have a listen now!

12/05/2024

Buck Owens’ Buckaroos drummer and obsessive jazz fanatic Willie Cantu is on the show this week.! Link to listen in bio!

12/04/2024

Drummer Willie Cantu joins me on the show this week to talk about his incredible career which started as a 17-year old joining Buck Owens' Buckaroos - one of the great American bands of all time in any genre! We get into Willie's love of jazz and his early experiences playing it, and how he ended up joining a country band instead! Rooming on the road with the great Don Rich, playing Carnegie Hall, Japan, and the endless tours they did. We get into some of the recording sessions for classic Bakersfield country songs and hear some tales from the road with Buck Owens. Have a listen!

An in-depth podcast interview with legendary Buckaroos drummer Willie Cantu. With your host, Steve Dawson.

12/04/2024

It’s not every day a legit Buckaroo drops by the studio, but I guess it was one of those days! Willie Cantu came by to tell many a tale of drumming with one of the great bands of all time, how he went from being a jazz-obsessed teen to joining Buck Owens’ Buckaroos in 1964, rooming on the road with the great Don Rich, trying to turn Tom Brumley on to jazz, and hanging with Tony Williams. Listen now - link in bio.

11/21/2024

Have you heard the new episode yet with guitar legend and session ace Richard Bennett? Have a listen now! Link in bio.

11/20/2024

Guitar ace and studio legend Richard Bennett joins me on the show this week. We geek out over Jerry Byrd and vintage Hawaiian music, and talk about his long career backing up Neil Diamond, Mark Knopfler and playing on and producing records for countless artists over the last 40 years in Nashville, and LA before that. Richard is an incredible solo artist as well, making his own instrumental records that you should seek out. We get into it all on this week's show. Have a listen!

A long-form podcast interview with guitar legend and session ace Richard Bennett, with your host Steve Dawson.

11/08/2024

Nashville keyboard ace joins me on the show this week - have a listen! Link in bio.

11/07/2024

Nashville keyboard ace Jen Gunderman joins me on the show this week. Jen has held down the keyboard gig in Sheryl Crow's band for over a decade now, while building an incredibly busy session career in Nashville studios, playing and recording with artists like Willie Nelson, Kris Kristofferson, Emmylou Harris, St. Vincent and many more. Jen came up playing organ in church and even had a job in the front offices of Columbia Records before joining The Jayhawks and dedicating herself to her career as a musician. We get into all of it - have a listen now!

An in-depth podcast interview with Nashville keyboard ace Jen Gunderman. With your host, Steve Dawson.