PODCAST
Musician/Singer/Songwriter Tyler Summers sits down with people to chat about creativity, art, music, life,
business, branding, and overall goals to try and uncover the secrets to a creative existence.
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Derek is a world traveler, musician, and entrepreneur. He's started many businesses and has some wonderful thoughts on getting through fear of failure and the hard work necessary to have success as a self employed person. He currently resides on a beautiful island "Flores" in Indonesia. He's truly travelled and lived taking with him the cultures he experiences.
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Kirch is an artist from Ohio who has a beautiful outlook on life. Rose up with two successful bands that have toured the US and landed record deals. His current project is 80's based and bathed in positivity.
More Info - https://www.instagram.com/kirchandstuff/
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Professional accordionist and multi-instrumentalist, Jeff Taylor, grew up in Batavia, New York, and began playing accordion and keyboards in his dad’s band when he was 10. He studied classical piano at the Eastman School of Music and was leader of a small jazz/rock group when he was in the Air Force in Ohio. He has lived in Nashville since 1990. Taylor counts among his performing highlights his two years as bandleader at the Ryman auditorium for the musical production Always, Patsy Cline, hundreds of shows as bandleader at Opryland theme park and on the General Jackson showboat, The Skaggs Family Christmas Tour, and many appearances on the Grand Ole Opry, backing numerous artists. He has recorded with Elvis Costello, Paul Simon, Harry Connick Jr., Keith and Kristyn Getty, Amy Grant, George Strait, The Chieftains, Martina McBride, Buddy Greene, Vince Gill and Ricky Skaggs. He was a featured artist on the Ricky Skagg’s and Kentucky Thunder Instrumentals CD that won a Grammy in 2007 for Best Bluegrass Album. Besides excelling on accordion and piano, he also shines on the concertina, penny whistle, mandolin and bouzouki.
Jeff Taylor performs as a member of The Time Jumpers, along with Vince Gill and also some of the best musicians in Nashville. The Time Jumpers are an award winning Western Swing band from Nashville, Tennessee, with two awards from the Association of Western Artists, one from the Western Music Association and two Grammy nominations! This group of Nashville’s studio elite has evolved from casual jam sessions at the Grand Ole Opry to performing on the main stage, and becoming THE Monday night destination in Nashville,.
Their individual recording and performing credits cover virtually the entire history of country music, ranging from Slim Whitman to Carrie Underwood, and their members have recorded extensively with artists in other genres as well, from Barbra Streisand to Megadeth. The Time Jumpers appear, regularily, at The Station Inn, Nashville, Tennessee.
Jeff Taylor, performs on the accordion, along with the great Vince Gill and The Time Jumpers
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Christa Wells is an American singer-songwriter based in Nashville, Tennessee, with over 15 years experience in the music industry.
As an indie artist, Christa has released five albums, developing a signature alternative-pop sound that is fresh, soulful, and enduring. Her latest project,Velveteen (April 2018) chronicles her own journey through suffering, singing relentless hope across the wide spaces of loss.
In 2013 she also teamed up with fellow singer-songwriter Nicole Witt to create a folk-inspired collection of worship music under band name More Than Rubies.
An award-winning songwriter, Christa has also collaborated with other Nashville artists to write hit songs such as “Held” (Natalie Grant), “Need You Now” + “God Help Me” (Plumb), and “Red Sea Road” (Ellie Holcomb.
Christa is passionate about encouraging + mentoring fellow artists. In addition to devoting regular time to one-on-one songwriting coaching, she also serves one week each summer on staff with Masterpiece Ministries, an arts camp for high school students. Along with Nicole Witt, she co-founded a creative support community called Artist And, which hosts periodic songwriting and creative/spiritual retreats.
You can find Christa at http://www.christawellsmusic.com/
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Brad Turner is a Canadian jazz trumpeter and pianist. He has won three Juno Awards and six Canadian National Jazz Awards for categories including Jazz Trumpeter of the Year, Jazz Composer of the Year, and Musician of the Year.
Turner graduated from R. E. Mountain Secondary School in 1985, and attended Western Washington University's jazz studies program. A year later he transferred to University of North Texas, and played and composed for the very well known One O'Clock Lab Band. He graduated from UNT in 1992 after finishing his master's degree.
Upon graduation, Turner returned to Vancouver and formed the Brad Turner Quartet, which consisted of Bruno Hubert on piano, André Lachance on bass, and Dylan Van der Schyff on drums. The four have been playing together since, and have established themselves as one of Canada's most respected jazz groups.
Turner was one of the founding members of the jazz fusion group Metalwood which formed in 1997. The members played together until 2003, and had a reunion album released in 2016 entitled Twenty (referring to their 20th anniversary as a group). Later that year, the group went on tour to support the album, which lead them to winning a Juno Award as best group jazz album of the year.
Turner has also performed and recorded with such artists as Michael Brecker, Joe Lovano, Kenny Wheeler, John Scofield, Michael Moore, Renee Rosnes, Jimmy Greene, Ingrid Jensen, Dylan Van der Schyff, Mike Murley, Seamus Blake, Kenny Werner, and Ernie Watts.
Turner currently lives in Vancouver, British Columbia, and is on faculty at Capilano University in North Vancouver, where he has been teaching for over two decades. He has also been the director of Capilano University's A band ensemble since the late 1990s.
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Montreal born Josh Trager is one of Canada's most prominent drummers. An alumnus and scholarship recipient of the Berklee College of Music, he is best known as a member of the platinum selling Sam Roberts Band. The band has released five albums, won six Junos, and has performed at Live 8, for the British Royal Family, and at many other high profile events, festivals and TV shows throughout North America and abroad.
Prior to joining the Sam Roberts Band in 2005, Trager performed at the Montreal International Jazz Festival and Montreal Drum Fest, as part of the Yamaha Rising Star showcase (1999). He was a member of Mahogany Rush from 2001-2005, having been personally selected, at the age of 20, by guitar legend Frank Marino. Trager also appeared on numerous stages and recordings with many great artists; most notably: members of Barenaked Ladies, Jack Bruce (Cream) , Uli Roth(Scorpions), French pop star Jacynthe, James Iha (Smashing Pumpkins), See Spot Run, Torquil Campbell (Stars) and Jonas (supporting 2004 Van Halen tour).
Trager is also a contributor to Canadian Musician, DRUM!, MD blogs and more recently, Drumeo.
You can find him at http://instagram.com/jtrager24
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Toronto native, living in Nashville since 2003, Chris has toured with sonicflood, Mat Kearney, Steven Curtis Chapman, Steel Magnolia, Eric Paslay, and many others. In 2012, Chris joined Thomas Rhett’s band, and has since fulfilled MD, band leading, and recording roles. When not touring, Chris owns and operates The Brown Owl Studio in Nashville, TN. For the 2017 Thomas Rhett tour, Chris is using a gold sparkle USA custom Gretsch kit.
You can find him at http://instagram.com/drummerer
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Audrey Nicole Assad is an American singer-songwriter and contemporary Christian music artist. Her debut album, The House You're Building, was released through Sparrow Records in July 2010 and went to be named Christian Album of 2010[2] on Amazon.com and the Christian Breakthrough Album of the Year on iTunes.[3] She worked and toured with other CCM artists such as Chris Tomlin,[4] Tenth Avenue North, Matt Maher and Jars of Clay.[5][6] Her most recent album, Evergreen, was released in 2018.
You can find her at http://www.audreyassad.com
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Jay Jennings is a 3 time Grammy award winning jazz trumpeter with jazz super group Snarky Puppy. His newest project, The YAYennings Quartet, was born upon his move to Los Angeles in 2017. The group consists of Bob Reynolds (Snarky Puppy, John Mayer), Jose Perez (Poncho Sanchez) and Ross Schodek (Poncho Sanchez). It is a chordless quartet with an early 1950’s west coast bebop sound. All compositions written by Jay Jennings.
Jay grew up in the small town of Grapevine, TX. He was lucky to have a piano in the house growing up, which he considers his introduction to music education. Jennings started playing the trumpet at age 11, and by 15 he was already playing professionally. In high school he was selected to the Texas All-State Jazz Ensemble both sophomore and senior years and was selected for the High School Grammy Jazz Ensemble, which performed at the 44th Annual Grammy Awards in Los Angeles, CA. Jennings auditioned as a college freshman and was selected for a jazz soloist chair in the world renowned One O'clock Lab Band at University of North Texas. When he was 22 he joined the Dallas based, symphonic rock band The Polyphonic Spree. He recorded and toured with them until moving to Brooklyn, NY in 2009. Jennings eventually began touring with capital records artist Eli "Paperboy" Reed in 2010. Over his career, Jay has backed up some of the world's finest artists such as Aretha Franklin, Frankie Valli and the Four Seasons, The O'Jays, David Bowie, Michael McDonald, David Crosby, Lee Fields, James Taylor, Jon Bon Jovi, Billy Joel, The Four Tops and many more. Currently, Jay is touring with country music star Toby Keith and is living in Los Angeles, CA. He continues to record and tour with the Grammy Award winning band, Snarky Puppy. Jennings is launching his own solo career with The YAYennings Quartet. Be on the look out for his upcoming release entitled “Scott Ave” set to drop in February of 2019.
You can find him at https://www.instagram.com/yayennings
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Nashville’s Jeremy Lister started connecting with music while growing up in the middle of Mississippi. A son of a preacher, he began singing and learning harmonies in church at the age of two. Lister moved to Nashville in 2003, bringing his first EP, Shooting Star, with him. In 2005, he released his second EP, So Far, followed by the release of his Just One Day EP on Warner Bros. Records. That same year, he was invited to join the Ten Out of Tenn collective of singer/songwriters, which included then up-and-coming artists such as Andrew Belle, K.S. Rhoads, and Gabe Dixon. In 2010, he joined a cappella group Street Corner Symphony for the second season of NBC’s "The Sing-Off." The group became a fan favorite, eventually claiming the second-place title in the competition. Ben Folds invited them out on the road immediately following their success on the show, which launched their touring career. Street Corner Symphony performs dozens of headlining shows all over the world each year. Lister released his first solo full-length album, The Bed You Made, in 2011, which featured a duet with Alison Krauss on the song You and I. In 2013, he released the single Set Us Free, which became the theme song for the MTV series "The World Of Jenks." In 2017, he and his brothers, together under the name Lister Brothers, co-wrote and released the album Helium Ocean. In the 15+ years since he moved to Nashville, Lister has become a Music City staple, known for his prolific songwriting and unequaled vocal range. He has worked with some of Nashville’s biggest names, from Alison Krauss to Amy Grant, Megan Trainor, and Chely Wright. Lister recently launched a YouTube channel where he catalogs new music and collaborations with acoustic videos. His latest release, an EP entitled Sign Language, is due out in 2018.
You can find him at https://www.jeremylister.com
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Alex Kline is a producer/singer/songwriter in Nashville, TN who is signed to Reviver Entertainment Group. Alex Kline produced the upcoming album from Big Machine Label Group artist Tara Thompson and co-wrote seven songs on the record, including “Someone to Take Your Place.” Kline served as co-producer on Australian artist Adam Brand’s No. 1 country album Get On Your Feet, and co-wrote Ronnie Dunn’s 2016 single “Damn Drunk.” Kline has also produced for and written with country music stalwarts such as Rascal Flatts, Reba, Bill Anderson, Mason Ramsey, Tenille Townes and others.
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Kyle is a touring and session bassist who also is an ultra marathon runner. Kyle and I had a great chat about touring do's and don't, some lessons he's learned along the way, addiction and choosing the right path, finding your way to a healthier lifestyle in an industry built for over indulgence, and his running escapades which are prolific and full of life lessons within themselves.
You can find him at https://www.instagram.com/kylewhalum
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Had a great chat with Dane Bryant about the scene in Nashville, how he's involved in a song going from written to blossoming in the session world, and his days touring with Clint Black, Take 6, and Olivia Newton-John. Most importantly he shares his insights on what goes into being a successful sideman and session musician by building a reputation full or respect for the past, service to those that are coming up, and always making sure the song gets the attention it deserves.
You can learn more about Dane at https://danebryantmusic.com.
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Had a wonderful chat with Grammy Nominated Mixer/Producer Jonathan Roye who’s worked with Kelsea Ballerini, Kid Rock, Owl City, Ludacris, and Snoop Dogg. We set a record for the Podcast and spent just shy of three hours chatting about being an entrepreneur in the music industry, the importance of failing again and again, and the hard work it takes to get to where you love your daily process. Most importantly we spoke about being grateful for the opportunities Nashville offers, and the importance of surrounding yourself with people that are more advanced so you can grow and learn.
You can find it him at http://thejonathanroye.com
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Ben maintains a busy schedule year-round, playing sessions around Nashville from the famous recording studios of Music Row to his own East End Studio. He is a versatile musician, producer, and engineer.
As a producer, Ben can be found working alongside singer/songwriters, indie artists and up-and-coming country acts. He hand-cultivates their creations with industry expertise, helping them realize the full potential of their individual visions. He also produces a diverse collection of music for television and film sync placement.
Ben has recorded and toured with many of Nashville’s top recording artists including: Sister Hazel, Joe Nichols, Frankie Ballard, Greg Bates, Aaron Tippin, Ty Herndon, Jana Kramer, Jimmy Wayne, Jon Pardi, and Steve Azar.
You can find it him at http://www.benjacksonmusic.com
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Marc Rogers is a Juno-nominated bassist, producer, and composer. He has worked with Rachel Platten, Nelly Furtado, Tryon, Chantal Kreviazuk, Raine Maida, Nikki Yanofsky, Susan Tedeschi, Derek Trucks, Barbra Lica, Norah Jones, The Philosopher Kings, Fefe Dobson, Anjulie, The Blind Boys Of Alabama, Lionel Richie, Bernard Purdie, K'naan, Kreesha Turner, Al Jarreau, Jarvis Church, Gary Burton, Lisa Fischer, Joe Lovano, Mike Stern, Robi Botos, Terri-Lynn Carrington, Adam Rogers, Dave Binney, Kelly Jefferson, Lewis Nash, Rahzel, Holly Cole, and many others. You can find it him at http://marcrogers.com
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Luanne Warner Katz is a percussionist who has spent time with the Oregon Symphony amongst others. She is venturing out to reach people with her brand new show "Play Like A Girl." She has some beautiful thoughts on finding what your soul wants to say and moving towards that in a performance setting.
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Chris is a singer-songwriter-guitar player in Hamilton/Toronto. He has some interesting takes on creativity, his other creative outlets in drawing, and his ideas of building an audience one person at a time. You can find it him at http://chris-chambers.com
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Dani Elliott is a singer songwriter in Nashville TN who has toured with Miley Cyrus, Sheryl Crow, Amos Lee, MIA and Allen Stone to name a few. Had a great chat about touring dynamics, her creative process, and the transition she is making from becoming a touring artist to a self-starting independent artist. Big leap, and she's meeting it head on. She can be found at http://daaniofficial.com
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Dabney Morris is a composer/producer/arranger in Los Angeles, CA. He was a member of the band WILD CUB and shares stories of being in the band, band dynamics, and we go deep into consumption of music and creativity. You can hear more from Dabney at http://www.dabneymorris.com
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Allison Fallon is a celebrated author and has written 12+ books. She also specializes in helping others find their inner creative being through incredible techniques to tap into the subconscious. We spoke about creativity, branding one's self, and most importantly finding what matters in you and letting it come to the light. You can find her at http://allisonfallon.com
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Dustin Ransom is an incredible multi-instrumentalist and producer. Classically trained on piano, drums, & percussion & self-taught on guitar & bass, he immersed himself in every musical genre possible from a young age. In 2005, he moved to Nashville, Tennessee & became a first-call musician & producer for artists including Ryan Bingham, Jars Of Clay, Dave Barnes, Matt Wertz, Ben Rector, Jon McLaughlin, Gabe Dixon, Emily West, K.S. Rhoads, Shelly Fairchild, Erin McCarley, Butterfly Boucher, Andrew Belle, Andy Davis, Steve Moakler, & many more. You can hear his new record "Phases" on his site - http://www.dustinransom.com
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Paul Umbach is a singer, songwriter, producer from NY. He told stories about meeting Harry Chapin, to working with Max Martin, to the many commercial jingle campaigns he's landed. You can hear his new record "Under The Sun" at http://paulumbachmusic.com
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Alex Wong is a GRAMMY nominated producer, singer, songwriter, composer, and chef. Wong sees sounds and hears colors. What a doctor would deem peculiar, his collaborators appreciate as a gift: this multi-sensory approach allows Wong to create visual soundscapes enhanced by his unique perception of the world around him. We had a great chat about finding your creative purpose, and his incredibly interesting take on production and how he looks at creating what he calls a "ride" for the listener. He can be found at http://alexwongsounds.com
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Emily West is a singer-songwriter in Nashville. She's been signed to major record deals, finished runner up in America's Got Talent, and now has a brand new project with The Whiskey Wolves of the West. You can find her at https://www.emilywestofficial.com
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Jim Hoke is a prolific session musician who has worked with Paul McCartney, Dolly Parton, Van Morrison, Burt Bacharach, The Beach Boys, and Billy Joel to name a few. He is also a multi instrumentalist who plays everything from woodwinds, to pedal steel, to harmonica. We chatted about the business, he told some stories about a famous Beatle, and we talked creativity. He can be found at http://www.jimhokemusic.com
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Alicia is an incredible singer-songwriter who made the semi finals of America's Got Talent. She is a beautiful soul who cares deeply for creativity and can sing her butt off. You can find her at https://aliciamichilli.com
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Steven is an artistic soul who writes, records, produces, and sings. Always exciting to chat with such a human.
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Roy Agee is a musician in Nashville, TN who specializes in composition and trombone. He's toured with Prince among others. A good overall human who always has an interesting take on life.