19/08/2024
Without whom this podcast and community may not have ever been conceived.
Podcast interviews with music professionals who share their experience and expertise on recording, touring, getting gigs, marketing, and more.
(2)
https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/linktree/ The Unstarving Musician features conversation for musicians of all types and genres, a curation of expertise intended to help all musicians be better at marketing, business, the creative process and all the other things that empower us to do more of what we love–make music.
Without whom this podcast and community may not have ever been conceived.
🎵 New Unstarving Musician Episode 🎙️
In this exciting return to interviews, Robonzo chats with the talented Tara Brueske to discuss essential topics for every musician's success:
🎸 Booking more gigs
📚 Creating valuable educational content
📧 Engaging with your audience
🤝 Building collaborative partnerships
Tara, a seasoned musician, composer, and educator, shares insights from her new book "20 Must Have Booking Tips Every Musician Needs" and offers practical advice on:
- Finding and nurturing your audience
- Leveraging social media for connections
- Developing and marketing educational products
- Email list engagement strategies
- And much more!
Whether you're just starting out or looking to take your music career to the next level, this episode is packed with valuable tips to make your journey easier and more profitable.
Listen now and fuel your music career! 🚀
https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/305-tara-brueske-booking-gigs-educational-content/
Throwback Thursday to my fascinating chat w/guitarist ! 🎸🤘
We covered so much ground - from his band's "Guitar Core" genre to founding the innovative Straptight strap locks. Bill shared invaluable insights on music licensing, songwriting, and thriving in challenging times.
Listen wherever podcasts are found!
https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/ump-16-bill-lonero/
to my incredible conversation with rising UK star Lynz Crichton! 🇬🇧🎶
What a story this amazing artist has - from full-time mom to award-winning songwriter, Lynz's journey is pure musical inspiration. We chatted all about:
- Her transition back to music and songwriting after taking time off
- Building an engaged online fan-base, or as she calls it, her "clan"
- Winning a major songwriting competition that helped propel her career
- Finding her unique sound
Lynz is a shining example of what's possible when you reconnect with your creative passion. Her optimism and work ethic are truly infectious.
Relive the full episode here or wherever you get yoru podcasts:
https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/ump-14-lynz-crichten/
Who else is feeling inspired by Lynz's story? Share your thoughts in the comments! 👇
🎵💰 Attention Musicians: Unlock YouTube's Hidden Payday! 🎥💸
Are you leaving money on the table with your YouTube videos? In the latest episode of The Unstarving Musician podcast, I'm breaking down much of what you need to know about tracking and collecting music royalties on YouTube.
Here's what you'll learn:
• The 4 types of YouTube royalties and how to collect them
• Importance of the YouTube Partner Program
• Using Content ID to protect your intellectual property
• Strategies to maximize your YouTube earnings
• Common misconceptions about YouTube royalties
Whether you're a YouTube newbie or looking to optimize your existing channel, this episode is packed with actionable insights to help turn your music videos into a reliable income stream.
🎁 BONUS: Get a FREE companion guide with a detailed action plan and valuable resources!
Don't miss this opportunity to transform your YouTube channel from just a promotional tool into a serious revenue generator for your music career.
🎧 Listen now: https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/tracking-collecting-youtube-music-royalties/
📥 Get the free episode resource guide: https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/Tracking-Collecting-youtube-Music-Royalties/
Have you had success monetizing your music on YouTube? Share your experiences in the comments below!
to our incredible conversation with harmonica virtuoso Lee Oskar! 🎶🌟
From War's funk-rock fusion to his own innovative harmonica designs, Lee's musical journey is nothing short of inspiring. We dived into:
- His early influences, including Ray Charles
- The birth of War and their string of hits
- Jamming sessions with Jimi Hendrix 🎸
- Creating Lee Oskar Harmonicas out of necessity
- The importance of persistence and believing in yourself
Lee's wisdom is a masterclass for all musicians. His story proves that following your heart can lead to revolutionary changes in the music world.
🎧 Relive this amazing episode here:
https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/ump-15-lee-oskar/
Who else feels inspired to push their musical boundaries after hearing Lee's story? Share your thoughts below! 👇
to my conversation with Mira Goto from episode 12 of the podcast! 🎶🌟
Relive the conversation about when Mira packed up and moved from Santa Cruz to Nashville to chase her country music dreams? From soundcheck surprises to building a music tribe, Mira's journey is pure inspiration.
We chatted about:
• Her bold leap into Nashville's competitive scene
• Networking and community building in a new city
• Unexpected roommates (hello, brown recluse spiders! 🕷️)
• Her rise on Periscope and passion for storytelling
• The gender gap in country music
Mira's story is an inspiring one.
🎧 Hear it wherever you get your podcasts.
Listening links at:
https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/ump-12-mira-goto/
🎵💰 Yo... independent musicians! 🎸🎹
Are you looking for ways to sustain your musical journey? Our latest episode of The Unstarving Musician is a must-listen!
We're diving deep into how you can effectively use donations as a viable income stream. Here's what you'll learn:
• The history and modern relevance of fan support
• How to craft compelling donation requests
• Popular donation platforms and payment options
• Creating a dedicated donation page that converts
• Offering incentives to encourage support
• Tips for running successful crowdfunding campaigns
Whether you're just starting out or looking to diversify your income, this episode is packed with practical strategies to engage your fanbase and sustain your art.
Tune in to discover how to communicate your needs, maintain transparency, and build stronger connections with your audience. It's time to take your music career to the next level!
🎧 Listen now: https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/donations-monetization-option/
It's , and we're taking you back to our very first in-person interview for The Unstarving Musician! 🎙️🔥
Meet Kid Andersen - award-winning producer, sound engineer, guitarist, vocalist, performer, and all-around cool guy. 🎸💥
In this special episode, Kid talks about Greaseland Studios, playing the blues, musicianship, and the importance of music education.
Listen in for some great insights and don't forget to share your favorite moments in the comments below!
🎧 https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/ump-3-kid-andersen/ 🎧
🎙️ Podcasting Tip: Craft a Compelling Show Description to Captivate Your Audience! 🌟
As a podcaster, you know the importance of attracting the right listeners and setting clear expectations for your show. That's where a well-written, informative, and engaging podcast description comes in! Here are some essential tips to help you create a description that truly stands out:
- Know your audience: Identify your target listeners and write a description that speaks directly to their needs and interests.
- Define your show's purpose: Clearly outline the focus and themes of your podcast, making it easy for potential listeners to understand what they can expect from your content.
- Share your expertise: Establish credibility by sharing your qualifications or demonstrating a passion for learning alongside your audience.
- Highlight benefits: Emphasize the value your podcast brings to listeners, whether that's valuable insights, entertainment, expert interviews, or practical tips.
- Optimize for search: Incorporate relevant keywords to improve searchability and help your podcast appear in relevant search results.
- Include social proof: If you've received positive feedback, reviews, or awards for your podcast, mention them in the description to build trust and encourage new listeners to give your show a chance.
- Add a call-to-action: Wrap up your description with a clear CTA, prompting potential listeners to subscribe, follow, or listen to your podcast, and provide links to make it easy for them to do so.
By crafting a compelling show description, you'll set the stage for a successful podcast that resonates with your target audience. Happy podcasting! 🚀🎧
Get more podcast startup tips from yours truly at https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/podtips/
🎙️ 🎙️
Journey back in time to discover the inspiring story of musician & artist Abe Partridge. From preacher to Air Force vet, hear how life's twists & turns led him to create beautiful music & art that reflect his personal experiences & mission to bring beauty into the world.
Hear our conversation at: https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/abe-partridge-music-art/ or wherever you get your podcasts.
🎶 Unraveling the World of Music Ownership & Royalties 🎶
🎵 Dive into our latest episode, where we explore the complex world of music composition, master recording ownership, and income opportunities for independent musicians. Discover the benefits of owning your work, essential tips for navigating the industry, and how to maximize your earnings potential.
🔑 Learn about:
Performing Rights Organizations (PROs)
Mechanical royalties
Synchronization fees
Master recording income sources
The importance of SoundExchange and PROs
🎧 Tune in wherever you get your podcasts to gain valuable insights and protect your creative works!
https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/composition-master-recording-ownership-royalties-income-opportunities/
After a three-month hiatus, the podcast is back with a new episode!
https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/songwriting-selling-more-merch/
Songwriting and selling merch at shows were topics of a recent edition of Liner Notes. As
Former guest and friend of the podcast Kayana just released her debut album. Read all about it and find links for listening here.
https://mailchi.mp/e2437161e22e/fire-out-now-10515162?e=d496002715
🔥🎶🤟🏻
Looking for a little help with that podcast you're contemplating? Check out Podcast Startup by Robonzo and The Unstarvng Musician.
Podcast Startup By The Unstarving Musician Photo by FOTEROS from Pexels | on Instagram I recently asked over 50 podcasters why they hesitated to start their podcast. Here's what
One of the best ways to support The Unstarving Musician is to sign up for Liner Notes, an email newsletter from yours truly, in which I share some of the best knowledge gems garnered from the many conversations featured on the Unstarving Musician.
Here's a sample from the Liner Notes archives.
https://robonzo.ck.page/posts/liner-notes-serving-your-creativity-with-reflection-the-social-media-love-hate-dilemma
The number one best way to support The Unstarving Musician is to subscribe to Liner Notes, the twice monthly email that focuses on topics that independent musicians can use to better understand the marketing, business and creative processes that help us do more of what we love – make music.
Here's a sample of the latest edition.
I'm a musician and host of The Unstarving Musician podcast. Liner Notes is my biweekly newsletter that shares some of the best knowledge gems garnered from the many conversations featured on the Unstarving Musician.
Will we record another episode someday? Maybe. In the meantime, we're out to help new podcasters start and sustain their podcasts. Learn more at the link below.
Podcast Startup By The Unstarving Musician Photo by FOTEROS from Pexels | on Instagram I recently asked over 50 podcasters why they hesitated to start their podcast. Here's what
SERIES FINALE EPISODE
300 Find New Fans And Supporters Via Podcast Guest Appearances
Finding podcast guest appearance opportunities is a cost-effective way to promote your music, share your ideas, attract new fans, and build meaningful connections. It’s also a great way to practice for live radio interviews.
In this episode, I cover getting started, how to screen podcasts, giving podcast hosts what they want and need from guests, crafting a compelling podcast guest pitch, being prepared for your interview, the importance of familiarity with the show format, post-interview tips, and more.
You can apply the principles discussed in this episode to interview prospecting for radio, blogs, and YouTube. Pretty awesome, right? If you need something for your press page, podcast interviews are a great addition.
Please enjoy this final episode of The Unstarving Musician wherever podcasts are found. And stay tuned for more good things.
https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/find-new-fans-via-podcast-guest-appearances/
This pic is from the very early days of my podcasting.
Today episode 299 of the Unstarving Musician dropped. Episode 300 will be the last. It’s been rewarding beyond words. To all my past guests and supporters, I’m filled with gratitude. Thanks.
Now I have much to contemplate from atop a mountain of amazing insights.
Music royalties are a long game, and most musicians won’t earn much in royalties in the beginning. An alternative is direct-to-fan music sales. Physical merch and VIP packs are viable means of generating additional revenue for musicians. Furthermore, merch sales can be a way to deepen relationships with your fan base. It can be an opportunity to create new and better experiences for your audience.
This episode focuses on physical merch ideas that connect with fans, drop-shipping, on-demand merchandise, crowd-funding and merch ideas, pre-selling, personalized merch, VIP packs, seasonal merch, and more.
Links for listening here. 👇🏻 🎧
https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/band-merch-music-vip-packs/
Musicians can create gigs through arts organizations, working with small businesses that want to host live music, house concerts, open jams, gig swaps, volunteering, online booking resources, and more.
Have you created any of your own gigs lately?
https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/how-musicians-can-create-gigs/
Whether your art is in music or some other realm, leveraging your email list is paramount. Once you have an established email list, the easiest way to leverage it is by sending regular emails to subscribers. They are your supporters, after all. Begin by considering how often you will send emails. In my experience, this can be a challenging commitment to meet, but you can change the frequency if you initially over commit. Consistency is key. Subscribers will lose interest in you and possibly even forget about you if your emails are irregular or infrequent.
This episode covers getting started, planning ahead with an editorial content calendar, email topic examples, the anatomy of newsletter emails, why email works so well for creating deep connection with supporters, the peril of relying on social media alone, how your email list can help you make money, ConvertKit as an email platform for audience building, and more.
Please enjoy this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever podcasts are found.
https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/leveraging-your-email-list/
In this clip, Julia A. Miller of Delmark Records talks about the importance of networking for women in business.
In May 2018, Julia A. Miller became the CEO & President of Delmark Records LLC. That same year, Delmark Records LLC purchased Delmark, the oldest continuously operating jazz and blues independent record label in the United States. Delmark was founded in St. Louis, Missouri in 1953. Julia and company celebrated Delmark’s 70th anniversary by releasing a 70th Blues Anthology and a forthcoming 70th Jazz Anthology.
In this conversation, Julia shares with me her background in music and acedemia, the evolution of Delmark’s business model, how labels can serve as a business partner, how musicians can best leverage their labels for business, the challenges Delmark faces as a medium size international business, the role of labels in music publishing, pre and misconceptions faced by women business executives, the value of networking for women in business, the next 5 years, and more.
Please enjoy my conversation with Julia A. Miller of Delmark Records.
https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/julia-a-miller-delmark-records/
In this clip, Tracee Perrin talks about leveraging the help of others to make her music go.
Tracee Perrin is a graduate of the Musicians Institute (MI) in Hollywood, where she learned how to produce and engineer her own music. In 2010 Tracee was accepted into the ASCAP Lester Sill Songwriters Workshop, an experience she says reinforced her desire to build a career in music. Tracee has its roots in the Los Angeles, but now lives in Nashville. She has a new single out called “Poison In The Water,” that will be part of a forthcoming EP, her first body of work in over 10 years.
We talk about the evolution of her new single Poison In The Water, Nashville’s population explosion, her So Far Sounds performances, her experience in musical theater, self care for the voice, her 2024 release plans and strategy. I also ask Tracee what slows her down the most and what inspires her.
You can find Traccee’s music at TraceePerrinMusic.com music and TraceePerrinMusic on Facebook and Instagram.
Hear the full episode wherever podcasts are found.
https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/tracee-perrin/
Athxna is a Nashville-based, New Orleans-raised R&B pop singer who started her musical journey on piano at age five. She has a new release coming very soon, recording sessions in her home town of New Orleans, and plans to release more music this year. Athxna has a new sync contract, which she attributes to pursuing a music business education and career. She works for an all female PR firm based in Nashville and has a bachelor’s degree in music industry. Athxna is methodically designing a life and career within the music business.
We talk about her upcoming recording projects, her new sync contract, working in the music business, why she moved to Nashville, blues music, fashion and style, social media and more.
You can find links to Athxna’s work and social media at AthxnaOfficial.com.
https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/athxna/
Ady Parzentny of Hit The Road Studio has recorded with a mobile studio in the desert of Morocco, and has audio mixing and production course content on PromixAcademy.com. Ady says he does what he does to make the world a better place by helping people make good records, go on tour, and do what they love.
As a Mixing Engineer & Music Producer, Ady works with Musicians World Wide in Pop, Rock, Jazz, and World Music Fusions. Ady works with world-class musicians like Nani Vazana that hit #10 on the European World Music Charts, Mehdi Nassouli, and Karim Ziad, who plays with bands like Snarky Puppy.
Our conversation leads me to believe that Ady’s a lovely human being, an impression that I’m confident you’ll agree with. In this conversation, Ady and I talk about home recording, production mentoring, drum recording technique, morocco, recording in less-than-ideal conditions, Ady’s YouTube channel, the history of mobile recording, the arc of Ady’s recording career, business coaching, Social inequality and Misconceptions, and more.
https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/ady-parzentny/
Terry Carleton of Bones & Knives Recording Studio was recently asked to remix 150 original Vince Guaraldi recordings from his Charlie Brown cartoon soundtracks, the most recent of which was for A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (50th Anniversary Edition). We talk about this project, the arc of Terry's music career and more on The Unstarving Musician.
https://unstarvingmusician.com/terry-carleton/
Jennifer Roig Francoli is a violinist, coach for musicians, and Creator of The Art of Freedom Method for Conscious Living and Masterful Artistry. She’s had multiple solo appearances at Carnegie Hall and with orchestras such as the Pittsburgh and Berlin Symphony Orchestras. Jennifer is also a former Associate concertmaster and soloist for the Grammy-Award winning baroque ensemble Apollo’s Fire, former faculty at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University, a prize-winning medical researcher on Alexander Technique for surgeons published, and founder of The Alexander Technique Guild of Ohio.
Jennifer now helps musicians overcome physical and emotional obstacles to a joyful, successful musical life. Students of her private and group coaching programs learn how to free themselves from pain, tension, and performance anxiety, so they can enjoy doing what they love with ease.
Jennifer played professionally at a high level and at an early age. She gave up playing violin to pursue spiritual practices and raise a family. Aspects of physical pain and creative void crept into her life. She eventually discovered Alexander Technique, became an instructor and practitioner, and rediscovered her love of violin. She has a new book, “Make Great Music with Ease: The Secret to Smarter Practice, Confident Performance, and Living a Happier Life.” We talk about her book, self publishing, attributing challenge to her personal turnaround, teaching Alexander Technique, musician taboo of admitting pain, getting stuck, fear, courage, performance anxiety, thinking less, over-doing, and more.
Find links for listening at https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/jennifer-roig-francoli/.
Frank Salazar is the creative mind and talent behind a project called Spigots. He is a long-time friend and former bandmate from my days in Dallas-Fort Worth. The friendship is still going strong, despite my many relocations. He’s been playing guitar for at least as long as I’ve been playing drums (forever).
Frank has worked as a full-time gigging musician, studio engineer, and sound designer. His current gig is as a technology manager for Reel FX Animation Studios, which has created animation for every major studio plus originals.
Frank’s son Ian Salazar was the featured guest in episode 77 of this podcast.
Frank has a new single out called “Save Yourself,” which he records under the moniker of Spigots (spelled with an exclamation point). He is working his way up to a full-length album, release date TBD. In this conversation, we talk about his forthcoming concept album, the evolution of Frank’s creativity, his problem with not being a singer, his studio recording hardware and software toolkit, and why he still makes music.
Find the music of Spigots on Bandcamp at spigots.bandcamp.com. If you need more Frank, you can also find him on Instagram .
Find our conversation with Frank Please wherever you get your podcasts.
Unstarving Musician # 268
https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/frank-salazar/
https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/, https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/linktree/
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Whether your art is in music or some other realm, leveraging your email list is paramount. Once you have an established email list, the easiest way to leverage it is by sending regular emails to subscribers. They are your supporters, after all. Begin by considering how often you will send emails. In my experience, this can be a challenging commitment to meet, but you can change the frequency if you initially over commit. Consistency is key. Subscribers will lose interest in you and possibly even forget about you if your emails are irregular or infrequent. This episode covers getting started, planning ahead with an editorial content calendar, email topic examples, the anatomy of newsletter emails, why email works so well for creating deep connection with supporters, the peril of relying on social media alone, how your email list can help you make money, ConvertKit as an email platform for audience building, and more. Please enjoy this episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and wherever podcasts are found. https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/leveraging-your-email-list/ #musicianpodcast #unstarvingmusician #emailmarketingtips
In this clip, Julia A. Miller of Delmark Records talks about the importance of networking for women in business. In May 2018, Julia A. Miller became the CEO & President of Delmark Records LLC. That same year, Delmark Records LLC purchased Delmark, the oldest continuously operating jazz and blues independent record label in the United States. Delmark was founded in St. Louis, Missouri in 1953. Julia and company celebrated Delmark’s 70th anniversary by releasing a 70th Blues Anthology and a forthcoming 70th Jazz Anthology. In this conversation, Julia shares with me her background in music and acedemia, the evolution of Delmark’s business model, how labels can serve as a business partner, how musicians can best leverage their labels for business, the challenges Delmark faces as a medium size international business, the role of labels in music publishing, pre and misconceptions faced by women business executives, the value of networking for women in business, the next 5 years, and more. Please enjoy my conversation with Julia A. Miller of Delmark Records. https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/julia-a-miller-delmark-records/ #bluesmusic #recordlabel #jazzmusic
In this clip, Tracee Perrin talks about leveraging the help of others to make her music go. Tracee Perrin is a graduate of the Musicians Institute (MI) in Hollywood, where she learned how to produce and engineer her own music. In 2010 Tracee was accepted into the ASCAP Lester Sill Songwriters Workshop, an experience she says reinforced her desire to build a career in music. Tracee has its roots in the Los Angeles, but now lives in Nashville. She has a new single out called “Poison In The Water,” that will be part of a forthcoming EP, her first body of work in over 10 years. We talk about the evolution of her new single Poison In The Water, Nashville’s population explosion, her So Far Sounds performances, her experience in musical theater, self care for the voice, her 2024 release plans and strategy. I also ask Tracee what slows her down the most and what inspires her. You can find Traccee’s music at TraceePerrinMusic.com music and TraceePerrinMusic on Facebook and Instagram. Hear the full episode wherever podcasts are found. https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/tracee-perrin/ #alternativepop #alternativefolk #musician #musicianpodcast #unstarvingmusician #singersongwriter #nashville
Athxna is a Nashville-based, New Orleans-raised R&B pop singer who started her musical journey on piano at age five. She has a new release coming very soon, recording sessions in her home town of New Orleans, and plans to release more music this year. Athxna has a new sync contract, which she attributes to pursuing a music business education and career. She works for an all female PR firm based in Nashville and has a bachelor’s degree in music industry. Athxna is methodically designing a life and career within the music business. We talk about her upcoming recording projects, her new sync contract, working in the music business, why she moved to Nashville, blues music, fashion and style, social media and more. You can find links to Athxna’s work and social media at AthxnaOfficial.com. https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/athxna/
Ady Parzentny of Hit The Road Studio has recorded with a mobile studio in the desert of Morocco, and has audio mixing and production course content on PromixAcademy.com. Ady says he does what he does to make the world a better place by helping people make good records, go on tour, and do what they love. As a Mixing Engineer & Music Producer, Ady works with Musicians World Wide in Pop, Rock, Jazz, and World Music Fusions. Ady works with world-class musicians like Nani Vazana that hit #10 on the European World Music Charts, Mehdi Nassouli, and Karim Ziad, who plays with bands like Snarky Puppy. Our conversation leads me to believe that Ady’s a lovely human being, an impression that I’m confident you’ll agree with. In this conversation, Ady and I talk about home recording, production mentoring, drum recording technique, morocco, recording in less-than-ideal conditions, Ady’s YouTube channel, the history of mobile recording, the arc of Ady’s recording career, business coaching, Social inequality and Misconceptions, and more. https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/ady-parzentny/
Terry Carleton of Bones & Knives Recording Studio was recently asked to remix 150 original Vince Guaraldi recordings from his Charlie Brown cartoon soundtracks, the most recent of which was for A Charlie Brown Thanksgiving (50th Anniversary Edition). We talk about this project, the arc of Terry's music career and more on The Unstarving Musician. https://unstarvingmusician.com/terry-carleton/
Jennifer Roig Francoli is a violinist, coach for musicians, and Creator of The Art of Freedom Method for Conscious Living and Masterful Artistry. She’s had multiple solo appearances at Carnegie Hall and with orchestras such as the Pittsburgh and Berlin Symphony Orchestras. Jennifer is also a former Associate concertmaster and soloist for the Grammy-Award winning baroque ensemble Apollo’s Fire, former faculty at the Cincinnati College-Conservatory of Music at the University of Cincinnati and Xavier University, a prize-winning medical researcher on Alexander Technique for surgeons published, and founder of The Alexander Technique Guild of Ohio. Jennifer now helps musicians overcome physical and emotional obstacles to a joyful, successful musical life. Students of her private and group coaching programs learn how to free themselves from pain, tension, and performance anxiety, so they can enjoy doing what they love with ease. Jennifer played professionally at a high level and at an early age. She gave up playing violin to pursue spiritual practices and raise a family. Aspects of physical pain and creative void crept into her life. She eventually discovered Alexander Technique, became an instructor and practitioner, and rediscovered her love of violin. She has a new book, “Make Great Music with Ease: The Secret to Smarter Practice, Confident Performance, and Living a Happier Life.” We talk about her book, self publishing, attributing challenge to her personal turnaround, teaching Alexander Technique, musician taboo of admitting pain, getting stuck, fear, courage, performance anxiety, thinking less, over-doing, and more. Find links for listening at https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/jennifer-roig-francoli/.
LA-based producer Lars Deutsch recently released a whimsical album called “Boum Dans L’Espace.” He also created a series of short videos for the project, inspired by his appreciation for early sci-fi and the slightly out-of-tune. Lars is a two-time Emmy winner whose bio reads like this: “He went from heavy metal guitarist to singer, to songwriter, to a Masters in classical composition, to international performances of his classical works, to lecturing in composition and audio production to scoring three hundred films/commercials that have collected over one hundred awards.” Lars’ commercial work has been featured in everything from Toyota ads to Stephen King’s “The Passenger.” You can also hear about his work and working with him in episode 216, featuring singer-songwriter Amiena. Lars and I discuss his new release and video shorts, collecting sounds, retro sci-fi inspirations, the charm of slightly out of tune, the storytelling effect of weirdness & humor, using socials for fun rather than promotion, thoughts on AI in music, artist development, Dolby Atmos, and the biohacking perspective of thinking less. Please enjoy my conversation with Lars Deutsch wherever podcasts are found. https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/lars-deutsch-2/ #retroscifi #dolbyatmosmusic #unstarvingmusician #musicproducer #musicianlife
LA-based producer Lars Deutsch recently released a whimsical album called “Boum Dans L’Espace.” He also created a series of short videos for the project, inspired by his appreciation for early sci-fi and the slightly out-of-tune. Lars is a two-time Emmy winner whose bio reads like this: “He went from heavy metal guitarist to singer, to songwriter, to a Masters in classical composition, to international performances of his classical works, to lecturing in composition and audio production to scoring three hundred films/commercials that have collected over one hundred awards.” Lars’ commercial work has been featured in everything from Toyota ads to Stephen King’s “The Passenger.” You can also hear about his work and working with him in episode 216, featuring singer-songwriter Amiena. Lars and I discuss his new release and video shorts, collecting sounds, retro sci-fi inspirations, the charm of slightly out of tune, the storytelling effect of weirdness & humor, using socials for fun rather than promotion, thoughts on AI in music, artist development, Dolby Atmos, and the biohacking perspective of thinking less. Please enjoy my conversation with Lars Deutsch wherever podcasts are found. https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/lars-deutsch-2/ #retroscifi #dolbyatmosmusic #unstarvingmusician #musicproducer #musicianlife
Miss Velvet channels vocal styles like Janis Joplin and Robert Plant into a unique sound that comes through loud and clear on her new solo album “Traveler.” The New York native has performed in over 100 cities worldwide, including an opening tour for George Clinton. She’s entered a new stage in life and career as a mother with a changed outlook on life and a fresh sense of style. Miss Velvet is well known for her sense of fashion and performance style, making her a throwback gift to rock & roll. We talk about her new solo album “Traveler,” childhood In New York, touring with George Clinton, meditation, motherhood, working with producer Esjay Jones, fashion inspiration, Led Zeppelin, and more. Please enjoy my conversation with Miss Velvet wherever podcasts are found. #rockmusic #LAROCKER #musicianlife #unstarvingmusician #musicianpodcast
Johnny Burgin has been making waves in the U.S. and abroad as a blues player entrenched in the Chicago blues style. He has performed and recorded with blues legends like Tail Dragger, Sam Lay, Billy Boy Arnold, and Pinetop Perkins. Johnny made a name for himself in the late 90s in Chicagoland blues clubs, a record deal with Delmark, and several European tours. He plays on average more than 200 shows a year, which is why he has such an appreciation for the stage, audiences, and other blues players. I performed with Johnny in and around Querétaro last month, the pinnacle of which was a headlining performance at the Queretablues Festival. This week I received a message from Johnny to ask what I thought about doing some shows with him in Mexico City, so to be continued (possibly). We recorded this conversation at the end of a busy ten days here in Querétaro while enjoying cervezas Bohemia, after which we went out for local cuisine. Johnny was feeling a little off and his last morning with us here in Querétaro, I think he was just experiencing a bit of exhaustion or perhaps still acclimating to our altitude. I’ve since gathered he made it home feeling great. Johnny is a lot of fun to perform and hang with. He’s still showing me the ropes of Chicago blues, which is an exercise in restraint from my improvisational ways. But it’s also an education in nuance. We talk about Querétaro Mexico, The Queretablues Festival, his guitar masterclass (at the Queretablues Festival), his YouTube channel, moving to Memphis, leaving Chicago, and his forthcoming album. Please enjoy my tipsy conversation with Johnny Burgin wherever podcasts are found. https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/johnny-burgin-3/ #bluesmusician #chicagoblues #queretablues #unstarvingmusician #musicianpodcast #musicianlife
Andy McCluskey is a founding member and lead vocalist of OMD (aka Orchestral Manoeuvres In The Dark). His band has sold over 40 million records worldwide. They are electronic synth pioneers and one of Britain’s best-loved pop groups. OMD conquered the United States with their 1986 hit, “If You Leave” from the Pretty In Pink soundtrack. They have also achieved 12 top 20 hits on the UK Singles Chart and three top 20 hits on the US Billboard Hot 100. Following the celebration of their 40th anniversary last year, OMD have released their first new studio album since the 2017 release of The Punishment Of Luxury, a record entitled Bauhaus Staircase. The new album dropped on October 27th, 2023. The press release says Bauhaus Staircase is OMD’s most explicitly political record; however Andy tells me that art and politics have always been at the forefront of their songwriting themes. Like many artists, Andy rediscovered his creativity, thanks to the boredom of lockdown. We talk about this, plus their new album, the band’s stunning new music videos, memories of the first OMD gig, art, politics, OMD’s participation in the forthcoming Dark Waves Festival, Liverpool F.C., and the longevity of his voice. It was a great pleasure speaking with Andy. Our time went too fast, but what can we do. He’s very busy with interviews, concerts and various media projects. Find the new album and all things OMD at omd.uk.com. Please enjoy my conversation with Andy McCluskey of OMD on Apple Podcasts and other popular audio platforms.
Chris Raspante and Jesse Spradlin on spreading the word about the Vintage Yell launch party. Chris and Jesse are The Vintage Yell. Chris appeared in episode 2 and episode 186 of The Unstarving Musician, which are among the most popular for the podcast. Chris and Jesse joined forces to form The Vintage Yell somewhat recently and have a lot of new music coming soon. You can find their new single “Goin’ On Swinging” at TheVintageYell.com. Jesse, Chris and I had a great conversation. I especially enjoyed their discussion of The Vintage Yell launch party and their coming-out strategy. We also discuss working together as a new band, writing and recording new music, release strategy, Mesquite Street Records, and more. On a side note, Chris performed on, recorded and mastered my singles “On Top Of The World” and “New Gods Part 2.” You can hear both songs at Robonzo.com. He is a talented guy, as is his new bandmate Jesse Spradlin. Hear my conversation with Chris and Jesse of The Vintage Yell wherever podcasts are found. https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/vintage-yell/
This is a rewind episode featuring blues guitarist Johnny Burgin. What is a rewind episode? It’s a previously published episode, one of my favorites, and one that I think merits re-publishing. I give these episodes a fresh edit, which means you will find it even more enjoyable from a listening perspective. Johnny Burgin, the coast-to-coast (intercontinental) Chicago blues man, first appeared in episode 31 back in December of 2017. We performed a house concert on February 11 2020 at Tranquilo Retreat in Panama. He’s coming to Querétaro to perform the 9th annual Querétablues Festival, which you can find on Facebook @BluesFestQro. I have the honor of being part of his band for the festival. We’ll also do some private shows and one secret show while he’s here. My conversation with Johnny was truly great. I’m so happy I re-listened to it for this special rewind edition. Johnny is the real deal where blues guitar is concerned. We discuss his history as a musician, and his philosophy on blues, music, and the stage. We also talk about some of his international tour adventures, relationships with blues players in Chicago, Silicon Valley, and around the world, Pinetop Perkins, the Chicago Blues Festival, and more. Find Johnny’s upcoming tour dates and music at JohnnyBurgin.com. Please enjoy this rewind conversation with Johnny Burgin wherever podcasts are found. #musicianpodcast #bluesmusician #musicianlife #BluesMexicano #bluesqueretano #queretaroseinundadeblues #queretarosepintadeazul #Queretablues #Chicagoblues
One of the best voices in rock has been used to describe J.R. Richards. He’s the original singer of Dishwalla, one of my favorite bands to emerge in the 90s. Richards has sold millions of records, written some chart-topping hits and has toured globally. Perhaps his most noteworthy accomplishment was writing “Counting Blue Cars,” which he performed and recorded with Dishwalla. That song won the Billboard “Rock Song of the Year” award in 1996 and two ASCAP awards for “Song of The Year” in 1997 and 1998. Richards has also recorded a few solo albums and is on the cusp of releasing his next album, the 10th in his career. I only recently became acquainted with his solo work because I was looking for an acoustic cover of “Counting Blue Cars” for an acoustic 80s/90s covers project. I found an acoustic version, but when I saw the singer on that acoustic version, it occurred to me that it wasn’t the original guy. Down the rabbit hole I went. I don’t know who the new singer is. He’s good, but I’m definitely partial to Richards’ voice. So I found his solo work, website and lots of other info about him that I never new. I loved Dishwalla, but I’m not what you’d call a super fan. I lost track of the band after they stopped releasing new stuff. But I am a big fan, so I was stoked when JR agreed to an interview. The time passed so quickly! I spend most of our time nerding out with him about e-commerce, the importance of email lists and other topics I typically pursue on the podcast. I ended up with several questions that we never got too. The other thing is that he’s a ‘normal’ person, a dad and husband; a very talented normal person, but just a guy. Richards is as kind and humble as any other indie musician I’ve ever had on the podcast. We talked about Dishwalla, his forthcoming record, email marketing, e-commerce, touring, adapting to changes in music, Spotify Discovery Mode, some of his work as a producer, what he’s got cooking in th
Susan Rogers teaches Music Production and Engineering at The Berklee College of Music (Berklee Online). She holds a doctorate in psychology from McGill University, where she studied music cognition and psychoacoustics. Her research focuses on auditory memory, the perception of musical signals, and the influence of musical training on auditory development. For two decades before her science career, Rogers was one of the few women known for her work as a record producer, engineer, mixer, and audio electronics technician. Susan’s career highlights include years (1983–1988) as a staff engineer for recording artist Prince, also working with Barenaked Ladies, David Byrne, Tricky, and Tevin Campbell. My guest relations advisor sent me an NPR interview with Susan in which she talks about her book “This Is What It Sounds Like: What The Music You Love Says About You.” After learning about the book and her career, I invited Susan to the podcast, and she graciously accepted. My research for this interview involved checking out some of Susan’s other interviews. I noticed she always gets questions about Prince. Leading up to the interview, I figured she’d talked about Prince ad nauseam, but then I realized she loves discussing this part of her career. She feels lucky to have worked with Prince and wants to help keep his legacy alive. Even so, I didn’t want to focus too much on Prince, but I did plan one Prince-question, so we did talk about him. We also talk about the neuroscience of music preferences, analyzing the techniques of Frank Sinatra, the progression of production approaches, leaving the music business for academia, working with Barenaked Ladies, how music functions for listeners today, and much more. Learn more about the book “This Is What It Sounds Like,” by Dr Susan Rogers at ThisIsWhatItSoundsLike.com. Hear the full episode on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and other audio platforms. #musicianpodcast #musiccognition #thisiswhatitsoundslike #prince
Rory Kenny is a co-founder and CEO of Loudly, a platform that helps create AI-generated music in seconds for your videos, social channels, advertising media, podcasts, apps, and more. It’s 100% royalty-free and easy to use. Every sound on Loudly is human-made and restructured as samples, loops, and stems. Loudly allows users to download stems from AI-generated tracks and use them in their projects on their DAW of choice. The predominantly web-based app rolled out about five months ago as I record this episode intro. We talk about the product roll-out, Rory’s inspiration for co-founding Loudly, the company roadmap, business challenges, use cases, the Loudly mobile app, finding the ideal team members, copyright, the future of music and AI, and more. No matter what you think about AI, this conversation and the trends that will follow are well worth our time and attention. If you have follow-up questions, I know Rory is open to hearing from you, and you can certainly send your questions to me. I’d be happy to follow up with Rory on your behalf. Hear my full conversation with Rory Kenny of Loudly on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and other audio platforms. #ai #generativeai #music #musicianpodcast
Garry Peterson is a founding member and drummer of The Guess Who. Garry has been making music for over six decades. Garry also performed with Bachman Turner Overdrive, during their support of the Van Halen 5150 Tour, a show I attended long ago. He has to his credit fifteen albums that have charted on the Billboard 200, fourteen singles that have charted on Billboard’s Top 40, including two #1’s, three Gold Singles, and three Gold Albums as certified by RIAA. Garry plays drums on their new album Plein D’ Amour and plans to record on the next Guess Who album. He still tours with the band, which promoted me to tell him that he is practically a Rolling Stone. He reminded me that he his music career started around the same time as The Stones. We discuss his long career, the new Guess Who album, the band history, his drum gear, facts versus fiction about The Guess Who, Garry’s advice to young players, and more. I thoroughly enjoyed speaking with Garry. He is such a nice guy. We experienced some connectivity issues that resulted in a slightly lower audio quality than I strive to provide you with, but I’m confident that you will still get a great deal of enjoyment and value from our conversation. Hear the new album by The Guess Who at TheGuessWho.com and music services everywhere. Here is me talking with Garry Peterson of The Guess Who. #musicianpodcast #drummer #musicianlife
Nichole Wagner has a new album titled Plastic Flowers coming soon. The Austin-based songwriter released her first album in 2018. Her music is blends soulful country-rock with funky Americana sounds. She comes from the small town of Louviers, Colorado, studied Journalism at Arizona State University, eventually landing in Austin. We talk about this, plus rebooting her Patreon, a college correspondent gig with Spin Magazine, drive by poetry, perceived roadblocks to writing music and learning to play guitar, house concerts, birthday show July 2023, a couple of favorite songwriters, love of stationary, and mutual acquaintances. You can find all things Nichole Wagner at NicholeWagnerMusic.com. Please enjoy our conversation on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and all the other podcast places. https://www.unstarvingmusician.com/nicole-wagner/ #musicianlife #austinmusicians #musicianpodcast #unstarvingmusician #singersongwriter
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The Unstarving Musician features conversation for musicians and music industry professionals, a curation of expertise intended to help all musicians be better at marketing, business, the creative process and all the other things that empower us to do more of what we love–make music.