Songcraft: Spotlight on Songwriters

Known for co-writing Jewel's "You Were Meant For Me," Steve Poltz has spent more than three decades as a singer-songwriter-performer of the first order, earning international applause and fans worldwide with his inspired brand of rock-influenced countrified folk Americana. This incredibly witty and insightful conversation is a true inspiration.

PART ONE
Paul and Scott chat about supergroups. What qualifies as a supergro...

Rising hip hop influencer Cameron McCloud lets us in on his journey and his process

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott chat about a song that's getting a lot of hate online and consider how the internet has redefined how we hear music. 

PART TWO: 
Our in-depth conversation with Cameron McCloud

ABOUT CAMERON McCLOUD
Cure for Paranoia is the Dallas-based alternative hip hop collective fronted by Ca...

Singer/songwriter, virtuoso guitarist, and multiple Grammy winner Molly Tuttle chats about her wide-ranging musical personality that encompasses bluegrass, folk, Americana, and rock.

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott wade into the controversy to share their opinions about the New York Times' recent list of the 30 Best Living American Songwriters. Listen at your own risk!

PART TWO:
Our in-depth conversation with Molly Tuttle...

Grammy nominated songwriter Pynk Beard (aka Sebastian Kole) chats about his extensive work as a behind-the-scenes pop creator and gives us insight into his latest country-flavored album project. 

PART ONE
Scott and Paul chat about their recent travels and how they find ways to make music tourism a part of any trip.

PART TWO
Our in-depth conversation with Pynk Beard

ABOUT PYNK BEARD:
Pynk Beard is the arti...

Rock & Roll Hall of Famer and Songwriters Hall of Famer Lou Gramm shares stories about his career, from his pre-Foreigner days all the way to his latest album, Released. 

PART ONE
Scott and Paul chat about Scott's solemn vow to Lou Gramm, the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, and how multi-national bands just might be a model for social healing. 

PART TWO
Our in-depth conversation with Lou Gramm

ABOUT LOU GRAMM<...

GRAMMY-nominated songwriting and production team Jenna Andrews and Stephen Kirk chat about their contributions to the KPop Demon Hunters soundtrack, their success with the huge BTS hit "Butter," and balancing their professional and personal lives as partners. 

PART ONE
Lest you think it a dead subgenre, Paul and Scott revisit their examination of the "stutter rock" phenomenon with a modern day twist. 

PART TWO
O...

Two-time GRAMMY and Rock & Roll Hall of Fame nominee Rich Robinson joins us to chat about his songwriting with The Black Crowes. 

PART ONE
Paul and Scott talk about their deep Black Crowes history that goes all the way back to high school. Then they revert to their high school selves and try to make each other laugh by proposing ridiculous imaginary partnerships between artists and restaurant chains (think Mich...

A legend to the legends! Jeff Barry was named one of Rolling Stone's 100 Greatest Songwriters of All Time and is inducted into both the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame. "Tell Laura I Love Her." "Da Doo Ron Ron," "Then He Kissed Me," "Be My Baby," "(Christmas) Baby Please Come Home," "Chapel of Love," "River Deep - Mountain High," "Doo Wah Diddy," "Leader of the Pack," "Hanky Panky," "Sugar, Sugar," "I ...

Rival Sons front man Jay Buchanan takes us deep into the writing process for his fantastic debut solo album, Weapons of Beauty

PART ONE:
Scott and Paul talk about Scott's experiences at the GRAMMY Awards

PART TWO
Our in depth conversation with Jay Buchanan

ABOUT JAY BUCHANAN
Jay Buchanan is best known as the front man of the rock band Rival Sons whose catalog includes the landmark albums Pressure &...

Alexa Ray Joel, the daughter of legendary singer/songwriter Billy Joel and supermodel/actress Christie Brinkley, talks about her own experiences as a songwriter and performer who draws from a deep well of personal experiences. 

PART ONE
Paul and Scott talk about...(gasp!) NEW music! 

PART TWO
Our in-depth conversation with Alexa Ray Joel

ABOUT ALEXA RAY JOEL
Singer, songwriter, and pianist Alexa Ray Joel rel...

18-time Grammy nominee and American musical legend Taj Mahal goes deep on his influences and his approach to the craft. 

PART ONE
Paul and Scott kick off the new year with a discussion about the nominees for the upcoming Grammy Awards. And more! 

PART TWO
Our in-depth conversation with Taj Mahal

ABOUT TAJ MAHAL
Singer, songwriter, and multi-instrumentalist Taj Mahal has mastered the blues form and ha...

We've been celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, for our final "classic episode" of 2025, we're revisiting our 2020 conversation with "All I Want for Christmas" co-writer Walter Afanasieff. Happy holidays and thanks for a great year of looking back together as we continue to look toward the future!

ABOUT WALTER AFANASIEFF

Thirteen-time G...

GRAMMY winner and Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer Mike Reid chats about his remarkable musical life. 

PART ONE
Scott and Paul talk about the sports games and so much more

PART TWO
Our in depth conversation with Mike Reid

ABOUT MIKE REID

Nashville Songwriters Hall of Famer Mike Reid has written twelve #1 country songs and has had his work recorded by Bonnie Raitt, Anita Baker, Bette Midler, Prince,...

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2020 conversation with Elvis Costello. 

ABOUT ELVIS COSTELLO

Released between 1977 and 1979, Elvis Costello’s first three albums—My Aim is True, This Year’s Model, and Armed Forces—were all included in Rolling Stone magazine’s list of the 500 Grea...

Grammy-winning producer and singer-songwriter Joe Henry gives us insight into his multi-faceted career

PART ONE
Paul and Scott chat about their music-themed road trip and say R.I.P. to MTV. 

PART TWO
Our in-depth conversation with Joe Henry

ABOUT JOE HENRY
Joe Henry is a singer-songwriter who became a record producer as a protege of T Bone Burnett. He went on to win Grammy awards for his work with Solomon Burke, Ramblin&...

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2021 conversation with the late Todd Snider. 

ABOUT TODD SNIDER

Celebrated singer-songwriter Todd Snider has continued the troubadour legacy of mentors like John Prine, Jerry Jeff Walker, and Ramblin’ Jack Elliott, while putting his uniquely clever, wry, sly, and often i...

Number one Funkateer Bootsy Collins takes us to Funk University! From his days in James Brown's group, to his work with Parliament/Funkadelic and Booty's Rubber Band, to his recent single that raises awareness about domestic violence, "the world's only rhinestone rock-star doll" tears the roof off the sucker and breaks it all down for us. Songcraft wants the funk!  

PART ONE:
Paul and Scott discuss particularly recognizable ...

We're celebrating our 10th anniversary all year by digging in the vaults to re-present classic episodes with fresh commentary. Today, we're revisiting our 2021 conversation with Richard Marx. 

ABOUT RICHARD MARX:

Grammy-winning performer Richard Marx has sold more than 30 million albums as an artist, but if you only know him from late 1980s ballads such as “Hold on to the Nights” and “Right Here Waiting...

From "King Tut" to the top of the bluegrass charts! Grammy and IBMA award-winning banjoists and songwriters Steve Martin and Alison Brown join us to chat about their respective careers and their first full-length collaborative album, Safe, Sensible and Sane. 

PART ONE
Paul and Scott chat about how impressed they are with all the various hats Alison Brown and Steve Martin wear, while also trying to wrap their heads around the...